Stanfield community:
This has been a year of constant planning and pivoting and we are so fortunate to be able to have all of our kids back in school. Our elementary school was the first to return for longer instructional days. In February, we were able to return our middle school and high school students in morning and afternoon cohorts for 3 hours each day.
On March 22nd, Governor Brown announced that she would allow schools to operate using 3 feet of personal space per occupant instead of 6 feet in most instances. This change allows many districts to finally return their student body to classrooms instead of continuing on in distance learning.
I have been getting lots of inquiries about when we will have our middle and high school students back in the building for full school days instead of the 3-hour schedule. I know there are districts around us that are announcing a full return to school for secondary students, and it is natural for folks in the region to begin comparing district plans side-by-side. I understand and share the desire for students to return to normalcy. However, because we are in the midst of a large bond construction project, our facilities and space are limited. We are without an entire middle school, cafeteria, wood and metal shop and several bathroom facilities at the moment. (Right now, we only have one bathroom per gender available for student use). We also only have one entrance. Currently, we are utilizing every available space to make our hybrid model work. We are even using the staff room as a classroom to make our current plan possible.
Putting more people in small spaces would not have been a big deal for one year to get through construction in a normal year. This year has been anything but normal. While disappointing, I hope the Stanfield community understands that we are utilizing our current resources in ways that maximize opportunities for students (incredibly small class sizes, more individualized attention/instruction, etc) while adhering to the state's required safety guidelines. The district is continuing to make adjustments to comply with guidance changes as we receive them.
As we have only one 9-week quarter left, it is my hope that parents and the greater Stanfield community will continue to trust the district and partner with us to finish this school year as strong as we can. Your support and patience throughout the year have been integral to the success we have had thus far and I can't thank you enough.
Sincerely,
Beth Burton, Superintendent