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Dysart Unified School District is keeping on top of changes due to precautions over the spread of the COVID-19 virus.
As recently as March 19, there are no confirmed cases of Coronavirus in the district, and all district schools were scheduled to remain closed through Friday, April 3.
On March 20, Gov. Doug Ducey and state Superintendent of Public Instruction Kathy Hoffman announced the extension of school closures through April 10, so Dysart schools will be closed an additional week.
The Valley Vista High School Prom, originally scheduled for April 4, is postponed. The other high school (Dysart, Shadow Ridge, Willow Canyon) proms are working on contingency plans, but are currently still scheduled.
Graduations are still scheduled at the moment.
The district is preparing to continue instruction in various capacities while schools are closed, including through Dysart’s electronic curriculum site, Schoology. The alternative instruction delivery (AID) method would begin for students Monday, March 30.
Since March 23, the district has been providing meals to community members 18 and under Monday through Friday, through Friday, April 10. Grab-and-go breakfast and lunch will be provided 11 a.m.-1 p.m. at the following sites: El Mirage Elementary School, Kingswood Elementary School, Dysart High School, Willow Canyon High School, and Shadow Ridge High School. Children must be present to receive meals, per ADE regulations.
Child Care Options
The district is offering its Spring Camp and Growing Minds Preschool. Priority for these programs will first be given to essential medical, public safety and military personnel, second to current Den Club participants, and then to the general public. Limited space available, and will be based on staffing capacity.
Additional precautions to ensure the health and safety of the children and staff are being taken in these programs. Health screenings for students and staff will take place twice a day, additional cleaning and sanitizing procedures will be followed, and class sizes will be reduced to ensure space for social distancing.
Dysart nurses and administration will be available at each campus location the week of March 23 for those parents that wish to pick up essential student medications.
A schedule of dates and times for each school will be available at dysart.org/MainSite when available. When the schedule is released, only one family member at a time (with appropriate identification) will be allowed to access student medications in the nurse’s office to assure appropriate social distancing.
“Thank you for your patience and understanding during this challenging time for our entire community,” Superintendent Quinn R. Kellis stated in a district news release.
“Here in Dysart, we hope to support our students, families, staff and general community as much as possible. Please continue to check our website at Dysart.org/Coronavirus for the most current information, frequently asked questions and resources.”
Steve Stockmar has been with the Independent Newsmedia team since 2017. An NAU alum and Peoria resident, Steve’s community journalism pursuits focus mostly on arts & culture, education, and profiles of neighbors making a difference. In his spare time Steve plays in a vintage baseball league using uniforms and rules from the 1860s, and also acts (badly) in community theater. In addition, he has an unhealthy obsession with baseball and the Chicago Cubs.