Schools districts across the 蜜柚直播 area are setting dates for the upcoming school year, but most children won鈥檛 be starting out in a traditional classroom.
蜜柚直播鈥檚 largest school districts 鈥� TUSD and Sunnyside 鈥� will start classes remotely, citing uncertainty over the coronavirus pandemic and a continued increase in positive cases. The Vail School District is doing the same and the Tanque Verde School District will recommend it to its governing board next week.
That puts about 74,000 students learning from home, beginning with Sunnyside on Aug. 5, Tanque Verde on Aug. 6, and Vail and TUSD on Aug. 10.
The school districts say they will transition to on-campus learning 鈥� for families who chose that option 鈥� when the state says it is safe to do so.
Tentatively, that could be Aug. 17 under an executive order issued by Gov. Doug Ducey on June 29. The order allows school districts to start remote learning before then.
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Both TUSD and Sunnyside, which serve a combined 60,000 students, say remote learning will look different than what was offered in the spring when schools unexpectedly closed.
In a letter to families Thursday night, TUSD Superintendent Gabriel Trujillo said the experience would be consistent with real-time classroom instruction. Teachers will work with students over Zoom and through recorded lessons five days a week. There will also be offline homework.
Sunnyside Superintendent Steve Holmes said students will be expected to log in each weekday and interact live with their teachers at certain times, minimally three times per day.
In response to the news, some Sunnyside parents expressed concern on Facebook and asked the district for flexibility, saying they wouldn鈥檛 be able to assist their children with remote learning during normal school hours.
School district leaders say they made the decision to launch remote learning based on the possibility that the governor will have to push back that Aug. 17 date even further.
鈥淚t is not in the best interest of our learning community to delay the essential educational services that students and families depend on,鈥� Holmes wrote to families. 鈥淎lthough we are facing some challenging times, we are unwavering in our commitment to serve our students, families and staff.鈥�
Acknowledging that it鈥檚 not an ideal situation, Trujillo told parents he shared the stress of the ever-changing landscape.
鈥淧lease know the safety and well-being of our students and staff are a top priority when we make decisions,鈥� he wrote.
The Sahuarita School District will likely start the school year remotely, with a decision expected next week.
Catalina Foothills School District hopes to have in-person instruction on Aug. 17, but said it would launch remote learning for its 5,400 students at that time if the state pushes the date back.
Flowing Wells also intends to begin classroom learning the week of Aug. 17 though it is preparing a contingency plan, and Amphitheater will share a draft reopening plan on Tuesday, July 7.
The Marana School District hadn鈥檛 posted updated reopening plans on its website or social media since the governor鈥檚 announcement on June 29.
LOOKING AHEAD
In an effort to prepare for when it is deemed safe to return, 蜜柚直播 Unified asked parents to reserve a space in either remote learning from home or on-campus learning, with the option to change their preference until Aug. 1.
Once school gets underway, Trujillo said there will be defined timeframes in which a child could be transitioned from one learning option to another, if needed.
The district is also working to determine whether families have high-speed internet service at home that can be used for online instruction and whether a laptop with a camera is available for learning during the week for each child in the household.
TUSD noted that those who do not have access to either high-speed internet or laptops would be contacted for support.
In Sunnyside, where students in grades fourth through 12th have long been issued laptops to take home, students in younger grades will also receive devices before Aug. 5. Kindergartners and first-graders will get iPads, second- and third-graders will get laptops.
The Bighorn Fire, north of 蜜柚直播, continues to burn for a sixth day.
WHAT WILL REMOTE LEARNING LOOK LIKE?
For families electing to enroll in remote learning beyond the start of the school year, here鈥檚 what that will look like in 蜜柚直播鈥檚 largest school district, TUSD:
- Clearly articulated schedules;
- Interventions through individual or small group online sessions;
- Virtual participation in school programs, assemblies and special events;
- Special programming, like gifted education, dual language, Opening Minds through the Arts and other advanced learning opportunities;
- The option to participate in extracurricular activities at the student鈥檚 home schools following in-person guidelines and safety protocols;
- Exceptional education teams working directly with families to accommodate Individualized education plans for students with special needs;
- Technology and technical support provided.
WHAT WILL ON-CAMPUS LEARNING LOOK LIKE?
For families choosing on-campus learning once it is deemed safe to return, here鈥檚 what TUSD says that will look like:
- Modified classroom layouts to maximize physical distancing;
- Required use of face coverings 鈥� masks or shields 鈥� per city and county mandates;
- Preparing students for online learning in the event of a school closure;
- Enhanced cleaning and safety protocols;
- Special protocols for recess, breakfast and lunch;
- No shared materials;
- Extracurricular activities and high school athletics, following safety measures.
STAY TUNED
For up-to-date information, parents are urged to check school district websites and social media accounts:
Amphitheater: or
- Catalina Foothills:
- Flowing Wells:
or
- Marana:
or
- Sahuarita:
or
- Sunnyside:
- or
- Tanque Verde:
or
- TUSD:
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- Vail:
or
Photos: Speedway Boulevard in 蜜柚直播 through the years
Speedway Boulevard in 蜜柚直播

Once dubbed America鈥檚 鈥渦gliest street鈥� by Life magazine is Speedway Boulevard looking east from Alvernon Way . photo taken by: Jose Galvez December 15, 1977.
Speedway Boulevard in 蜜柚直播

Sitting in the Oldsmobile is Beverly Smith Hansen (McClung), a 41 year-old, mother, model and artist. This Blakely's Service Station was on East Speedway near Kiddyland Amusement Park. The photo was used for an advertisement in the late 1950s.
Speedway Boulevard in 蜜柚直播

What is that contraption at the counter? It's called a cash register in this Sept. 1982 photo inside the McDonald's Restaurant at Speedway and Campbell.
Speedway Boulevard in 蜜柚直播

Work crews remove the infamous "hump" from the middle of Speedway Blvd., on September 12, 1957.
Speedway Boulevard in 蜜柚直播

The Empress, 3832 E. Speedway, shown in 1988, had been in operation since 1971 and was 蜜柚直播's longest-operating adult store.
Speedway Boulevard in 蜜柚直播

Bill Rauh Sr. owned Wilson's Bakery at the northwest corner of East Speedway and North Park Ave. in the early 1950s. Bill at one time made a promotional cake for Pet Milk, canned milked, and Softasilk, a brand of flour, as they tried to break the record for the world's largest cake Wilson's was one of three bakeries in 蜜柚直播 at the time. Bill made wedding cakes for all six of his kids.
Speedway Boulevard in 蜜柚直播

Consumers East Speedway Market. 1953
Speedway Boulevard in 蜜柚直播

An undated photo of the Dorado Country Club on East Speedway, east of Wilmot Road while under construction. Tanque Verde Road cuts diagonally across the photo towards the Pantano Wash. The 18 hole executive length course was originally designed by Ted Robinson, ASGCA, the Dorado golf course opened in 1970.
Speedway Boulevard in 蜜柚直播

Swank western layouts like this one at Tanque Verde Guest Ranch (now Tanque Verde Ranch) at the end of East Speedway Blvd. were a big magnet for winter visitors in 1965.
Speedway Boulevard in 蜜柚直播

The Speedway Blvd "Hump" in 1953.
Speedway Boulevard in 蜜柚直播

The $1 million in bond funds recommended for street lighting would put lights like these on East Speedway on about 20 miles more of busy arterial streets in 1965.
Speedway Boulevard in 蜜柚直播

This 1922 photo shows the empty desert stretches out beyond the 40-acre University of 蜜柚直播 campus. The buildings identified are (1) Engineering College, built in 1919; (2) Old Main, built in 1891; and (3) 蜜柚直播 Hall, a dormitory built in 1922. Today the campus has expanded to 180 acres from Park Avenue area to Campbell Avenue. Speedway cuts diagonally across the pictures. The intersection of Speedway and Campbell is marked.
Speedway Boulevard in 蜜柚直播

The Orielly Chevrolet Used Car lot, on 3313 E Speedway Blvd., had plenty of lights to display their vehicles on July 31, 1972. El Rancho Market grocery store and the Thom McAn shoe store is visible in the background.
Speedway Boulevard in 蜜柚直播

Children bite the ice at Iceland, 5515 E. Speedway Blvd., in 1985.
Speedway Boulevard in 蜜柚直播

A birthday appears to be underway at Kiddyland, 3943 E Speedway near Alvernon on Dec 1962. In the era before television Sam and Ruth Cohen opened Kiddyland in 1949 and operated the playland for children until 1958. They had a Ferris wheel, roller coaster, train, cars on two-and-a-half acres. By 1962, Luverne Hicks took over the operation and had 10 mechanical rides and for a flat rate of $11.85 a birthday party of eight could be entertained with cake, ice cream, party favors, and eight rides apiece. At the time of the 1962 article, Hicks had hoped to move the operation to what was then, Randolph Park. Apparently, it did not work out.
Speedway Boulevard in 蜜柚直播

The 150-room Plaza International Hotel on the corner of North Campbell Avenue and East Speedway Boulevard, close to the University of 蜜柚直播, nears completion on March 18, 1971.
Speedway Boulevard in 蜜柚直播

The new Gil's Chevron Service Station at 203 E Speedway on the northeast corner at North Sixth Avenue was open for business in March 1968. The photo is looking toward the southeast.
Speedway Boulevard in 蜜柚直播

Interstate 10 under construction at Speedway Blvd. in October, 1958.
Speedway Boulevard in 蜜柚直播

Speedway Blvd looking east from Alvernon Way in 蜜柚直播, ca. 1980. Note the Showcase Cinema at left. It's now The Loft Cinema.
Speedway Boulevard in 蜜柚直播

Night traffic along East Speedway east of North Country Club looking east on July 31, 1972.
Speedway Boulevard in 蜜柚直播

Speedway Boulevard, 蜜柚直播, looking east from near County Club Road in December, 1957. Note the Ryan-Evans Drugs on the corner, at right, originally owned by the Martin family. George A. Martin Sr. established a pharmacy inside the walls of the 蜜柚直播 Presidio in the 1880s. His sons expanded the business to cover 蜜柚直播.
Speedway Boulevard in 蜜柚直播

Pedestrian underpass under construction under Speedway and Warren on the University of 蜜柚直播 campus on Sep. 11, 1990
Speedway Boulevard in 蜜柚直播

Interstate 10 (reffered to as the "蜜柚直播 freeway" in newspapers at the time) under construction at Speedway Blvd. in the early 1960s. By Summer 1962, completed freeway sections allowed travelers to go from Prince Road to 6th Ave. The non-stop trip to Phoenix was still a few years away.
Speedway Boulevard in 蜜柚直播

The bar at the Twin Flames, 5150 E. Speedway, in Oct. 1955, which featured a landscape painting behind the bar and what looks to be a pretty good selection of liquor. It's now a car wash.