As COVID-19 cases rise, Phoenix school district board holds meeting
Madison School District discussing options amid rise in coronavirus cases
During the meeting, board members and parents sounded off on how the situation is being handled.
PHOENIX - Amid a surge in COVID-19 cases, a crucial school board meeting with Phoenix's Madison School District was held, as options were being discussed.
It's been nearly a month since hybrid learning began for the district, and since Oct. 12, there have been six active COVID-19 cases. The meeting was attended virtually, and at least 1,000 users were watching the meeting livestream.
During the meeting, the district's superintendent, Dr. Kenneth Baca, presenting what's working and not working with the current hybrid learning model. Dr. Baca says current metrics in Phoenix show the overall risk level of COVID-19 is moderate, but the cases per 100,000 are heading into the red zone
"What we know and consulting with Maricopa County Department of Public Health today, we know that that is likely to go up," Dr. Baca said, during the meeting.
Dr. Baca presented some options for the district, which involves staying with hybrid learning, going back to online learning full-time, keep some grade levels in hybrid and other levels online, or modifying the hybrid format weekly schedule.
Most importantly, Dr. Baca advised families to stay safe with the holidays approaching.
"What I implore our community, what I implore our families and parents, is to make sacrifices outside of school so the sacrifice doesn't have to be school," said Dr. Baca.
Currently, Madison No. 1 Middle School remains closed in quarantine due to recent COVID-19 cases, but many parents are asking the district officials to keep schools open.
"I just think that it's working," said one parent. "It's a struggle. It's working, I know that people are scared, but I would like to see it continued the way it is."
"Us, as parents, are voting with sending our children to school. That is a clear indication of how much we trust you all, and we trust the process and we trust what's happening," said another parent.
Madison School District COVID-19 Dashboard
https://www.madisonaz.org/Page/514