Despite announcing on Friday, March 13, that schools in the Verde Valley intended to remain open in the coming weeks, pending new information about the spread of the novel coronavirus in the U.S., all seven school districts in the area later announced that they would be closing in the coming week.
In a press release on the afternoon of Sunday, March 15, the districts released the following announcement:
“After much consideration and deliberation with our leadership teams, medical professionals, governing boards and leaders in our community regarding COVID-19, the following Verde Valley Superintendents have decided to close schools for the next two weeks through March 27, with continual reassessment for the potential of extended closures:
- Beaver Creek School District
- Clarkdale Jerome School District
- Cottonwood-Oak Creek School District
- Mingus Union High School District
- Sedona-Oak Creek School District”
The other two districts in the Verde Valley, Camp Verde Unified School District and Valley Academy for Career and Technology Education, announced that they will be closed for just one week with an intention to re-evaluate on Thursday, March 19. VACTE intended to coordinate their teaching plans with Yavapai College, which had previously announced its intention to close through Sunday, March 19.
However, shortly after the announcement by Verde Valley schools, Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey followed suit, closing all schools in the state through Friday, March 27.
“Over the past few weeks and in coordination with public health officials, we have been in close communication with school administrators to provide guidance and be a resource as it relates to the recent outbreak of COVID-19,” Ducey said. “As more schools announce closures and education administrators express staff shortages within their schools, now is the time to act. A statewide closure is the right thing to do. While this measure will not stop the spread of COVID-19, it will bring certainty and consistency in schools across Arizona.”
In a letter to parents sent out Monday, March 16, COCSD announced students can access school materials via Google Drive that the district has set up for each grade and teacher to continue learning during the closure.
Yavapai College President Lisa Rhine announced on Friday that the college is postponing all in-person classes until Monday, March 23, with the intention of allowing them to transition to virtual instruction until at least April 6. All events except ticketed events at the Performing Arts Center have been canceled. Online classes were intended to resume March 16.
“Our highest priority is to ensure the health and safety of our students, employees and visitors at our campuses and centers,” Rhine wrote in a letter to students and staff. “I understand that these are difficult and confusing times. Yavapai College is doing everything we can to ensure the safety of everyone. Thank you for your patience as we address this evolving and fluid situation.”
The decision to close schools was made initially among the school districts, not through consultation with either the county school superintendent or Yavapai County Community Health Services. Stephen Everett, section manager for communicable diseases at YCCHS, backed up the districts’ decision after the fact.
“It was the health department’s opinion to leave them open,” Everett wrote in an email. “We felt, due to the fact there have been no cases in Yavapai [County], the benefits of leaving the schools open outweighed the risk. Many of the districts around the county decided otherwise. Understandable. I wasn’t exactly looking forward to being greeted Monday morning with parents carrying torches and pitchforks either.”
School districts began robocalls on Sunday afternoon announcing the change.
“Please understand that depending on how things unfold in the coming days, this could be longer, and we will continue to keep you regularly updated on any changes and developments,” COCSD Superintendent Steve King said in the robocall he recorded for parents.
The districts have not yet announced plans for remote learning or what will happen to school-provided meals, though superintendents of several districts had previously indicated intentions to develop plans providing services while in-person learning is canceled.
“It will look different, and it will not be perfect, but know that your district is blessed with the finest and most dedicated educators who are committed to our children and our community,” King said in his robocall. “The coming days and weeks will be a profound test of the strength of the community. I am confident that we will do this together and be stronger for it. Make no mistake. The road ahead will not be easy. It will require patience, and it will require faith. But I am sure we will find in ourselves the depth of character and goodness required to meet this challenge.”
