Friday, March 20, 2020 Arizona School Closures Extended
Legacy families,
This afternoon, Friday, March 20, 2020, Governor Doug Ducey and Superintendent Kathy Hoffman announced a two-week extension of school closures that is expected to last until Friday, April 10, 2020.
View Governor Ducey and Superintendent Hoffman’s open letter to Arizona families, educators, school leaders, and education community members HERE.
Although the COVID-19 pandemic and the school closures present challenges and can be unsettling, we are proud of the decision by the State and its commitment to the health and safety of all Arizonans.
To that end, Legacy’s commitment to providing a high-quality education throughout the closure remains unchanged.
As we shared earlier today, direct-instruction videos and supporting online resources have been swiftly created for students in their absence from school. We are providing instructional videos, teacher chat features and other distance-learning tools to make the transition to home-based instruction as smooth as possible.
Together, Legacy schools and its engaged parents understand that online and distance learning solutions have become an essential component in our unified fight against COVID-19. We are pleased to be able to provide our students and families many of the resources necessary to ensure continued academic progress and help us all stay connected to classmates and teachers!
So, you will want to mark your calendars for Monday at 8 a.m. — you’ll see Legacy’s first virtual Flag ceremony on the Legacy Traditional Schools Facebook page.
Legacy Kids Care
In their letter, Governor Ducey and Superintendent Hoffman requested schools consider expanding child care programs currently available to ensure minimal disruption to critical jobs, such as healthcare professionals and first responders, as a result of the school closure.
Therefore, we are opening the Legacy Kids Care (LKC) Non-School Day care program as an option for families during the closure. However, space will be limited and the prescribed CDC and state guidelines strictly adhered to. We will share more information with you next week on how to register for LKC Non-School Day care during the extended closure.
Preschool and Pre-Kindergarten
At this time, we remain committed to keeping Legacy’s Preschool and Pre-Kindergarten programs operational for families in need. However, the realities of the school closure impacts our ability to adequately staff and maintain a safe and healthy school environment under the unique COVID-19 health advisories. As soon as we are able to staff to levels required by regulations, we will be in contact with you.
Student Meal Accommodations
Many of Legacy Traditional Schools’ campuses are part of the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), which provides free or reduced-price meals for families in need.
Legacy will continue to provide meals for in-need students during this extended closure. Breakfast and lunch are distributed in grab-and-go bags and will be available for pick-up Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
During the extended closure, seven NSLP campuses across the east and west valley are offering all Legacy students, regardless of their location or campus, grab-and-go meals at the following locations:
- Avondale (12320 W Van Buren St, Avondale, AZ 85323)
- Casa Grande (1274 E O’Neil Dr, Casa Grande, AZ 85122)
- Goodyear (16060 W Lower Buckeye Pkwy, Goodyear, AZ 85338)
- Glendale (13901 North 67th Ave, Glendale, AZ 85306)
- Laveen (7900 South 43rd Ave, Laveen, AZ 85339)
- North Chandler (1900 North McQueen Road, Chandler, AZ 85225)
- Phoenix (4545 N 99th Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85037)
Talking With Children About COVID-19
As public conversations around COVID-19 increase, children may worry about themselves, their family, and friends getting ill. Parents, family members, school staff, and other trusted adults can play an important role in helping children make sense of what they hear in a way that is honest, accurate, and minimizes anxiety or fear.
Please refer to the CDC, which has created guidance to help adults have conversations with children about COVID-19 and ways they can avoid contracting and spreading the disease.
Talking to Children about COVID-19 (Developed by the National Association of School Nurses and the National Association of School Psychologists. Also available in Spanish.
For additional information regarding COVID-19, please refer to the following public health resources.
Governor Ducey and Superintendent Hoffman will continue to provide updates and guidance about the need for continued school closures beyond April 10. More information about COVID-19 can be found at azhealth.gov/COVID19.
Sincerely,
Nicole Kirkley
Superintendent
Legacy Traditional Schools