On Jan. 19, after closing down before winter break due to staffing shortages, Cottonwood-Oak Creek School District returned to in-person learning. The teachers had gotten their first shots of the vaccine the week before.
However, the school district did not quite return to normal, instead shifting to a four-plus-one weekly schedule, where instead of having a five-day week, the school is open for in-person learning as normal Monday through Thursday, but is primarily remote for Fridays, which are used to give extra help for students who need it.
On March 3, Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey issued an executive order requiring Arizona school districts to return to in-person learning by March 15. A Q&A released shortly after the order by the Arizona Department of Education clarified that the order meant returning to normal schedules for school districts as well.
“If a school typically operates on a four-day week calendar schedule, then they should offer four full days of in-person instruction with virtual or remote options for families,” the Q&A reads. “If they typically operate a five-day week calendar schedule, then they should offer five full days of in-person instruction with virtual or remote options for families.”
On Wednesday, March 10, COCSD Superintendent Steve King spoke with representatives of ADE to discuss the situation and he said he received the state’s blessing to continue with the set- up that they have for the remaining school year.
“Based on my review of this situation, I think this is meeting the expectations of the [executive order],” Superintendent of Public Instruction Kathy Hoffman wrote in an email to King as well as Yavapai County Superintendent Tim Carter. “We have other [Local Education Agencies] in Arizona that have a four-day week calendar and in particular, it sounds like you’re going above and beyond to ensure that there is an in-person option for families that request it.”
According to King, Fridays are being counted as school days for the purposes of reaching the necessary 180 days of school.
At the board meeting on March 2 a week before, the COCSD board discussed the status of the four-plus-one setup, with the principals of the various COCSD schools advocating for the practice and arguing it was helping students.
“Students are working hard, catching up and receiving support,” Cottonwood Community School Principal Matt Schumacher said. “It is intimate, engaging and is productive in addressing student needs.”
Under the current setup that will continue for the rest of the school year, students are sent home with packets on Thursday that they are expected to complete on Friday, with students expected to treat Fridays as a proper school day and do their work that day. In addition to working with specific students who need help, the district allows any parents who need it to send their children to the school campus for the day.
“Friday is not an off day — that’s a misconception,” King said. “About a quarter of students are on campus.”
King said that the majority of comments that the district has received from families have been positive, though there have been some complaints.
“The reason we went this direction is to meet the needs of the online learning, but it has metastasized into something bigger,” King said. “Those students that are not in person, they’re working remotely or through the packets from their teachers. I encourage anyone who thinks they’re not getting what they need to contact their teacher. If they need a place to be they can go to the school.”
At the March 2 meeting, the board approved the schedule for the coming 2021-2022 school year, which will return to a normal five-day schedule. King says he is committed to keeping the school district open for the remainder of the year with as few changes as possible, regardless of what happens with COVID-19.
“If we have to close down a class we’ll close down a class, but we’re not going to close down the entire system,” King said.
In addition, the district hopes to provide expanded summer school options this year, helping students who have experienced difficulty during the 2020-2021 school year.
“We’re looking to have sessions in both June and July.” King said. “I can’t force people to work, but we have the resources to make things happen.”
