22 January 2021

Dear Imagine families,

We know many of our Imagine Rosefield and Imagine Prep Surprise families are anxious to learn our plans for a return to in-person learning. As a Kindergarten through 12th grade network, we plan to return to in-person learning in a phased approach that will see our youngest students return to the classroom first.  Our phased approach will begin on February 1st for Imagine Rosefield students in grades K-5. Imagine Prep Middle School (6-8) students will begin in-person learning on February 16^th. Imagine Prep High School (9-12) students will begin in-person learning on February 22^nd. Our intention is to continue offering in-person instruction without interruption for the remainder of the year. We would only pivot back to online learning school-wide if required by a government mandate, or an inability, given quarantine protocols, to maintain adequate staffing supportive of our students’ safety and educational needs. 

As we continue to monitor the latest COVID data, all three benchmark metrics (the number of cases per 100,000 people, the percentage of positive tests, and the percentage of COVID-like cases being seen at local hospitals) indicate there is substantial spread of the coronavirus in our community. Guidance from the Maricopa County Department of Public Health (MCDPH) and the Arizona Department of Health Services recommends schools offer virtual learning with onsite support when all three benchmarks are red. However, they also now embrace the kind of building-by-building approach Imagine has recently adopted involving consistent mitigation measures and careful monitoring. The Maricopa County Department of Public Health supports those jurisdictions who are able to maintain a safe learning environment with regular school-by-school monitoring, regardless of levels of community COVID-19 transmission.

Further, with the recent publications emphasizing the benefits of in-person learning, particularly for elementary schools, and the emerging data indicating that in-person school attendance is not a risk factor for youth testing positive for COVID-19, MCDPH recommends preferentially keeping elementary and middle schools open for in-person learning. If a phased approach is desired, MCDPH recommends beginning with elementary and middle schools prior to opening high schools to in-person learning. Additionally, our current context provides reasons for hope as the availability of vaccines begins to allow for a semblance of normality for schools, families and communities. Arizona teachers are near the front of the line of eligibility to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, and many of our teachers have received, or are scheduled to receive, their first dose.

Our experiences last semester affirm the importance of providing in-person education for students at all levels. Understanding our context continues to be imperative as we make decisions in the best interest of our students, staff and the Surprise community. We recognize that learning online has created challenges to many students’ social, emotional, and educational well-being. We hope you realize that our teachers and staff have also experienced those challenges both personally and professionally.

Finding balance in addressing the challenges of online learning with the safety of our students and staff during this pandemic is a difficult task. The need to balance safety and other aspects of well-being indicates the decision to offer in-person learning is not solely a medical decision as the benchmarks indicate, but also must include consideration of our students’ social, emotional, and academic well-being. In considering how and when to offer in-person learning, we have tried to hear your voices, along with those of our staff, to determine the appropriate balance, and to understand the myriad of varying perspectives on this issue. Therefore, we feel reopening for in-person learning according to the following timeline addresses that myriad of varying perspectives in the best way possible.

Monday, February 1, 2021: Kindergarten through Fifth grade students will return to full-day in-person learning at Imagine Rosefield. Those who have registered for online learning will continue in that mode. 

Monday, February 16, 2021: Sixth grade through eighth grade students will have an option to return to in-person learning 4 days a week. Those who prefer to remain in Distance Learning will continue in that mode. As they do now, all students will continue to learn from home on Wednesdays, participating in their Advisory courses, while also being provided increased opportunities for individual and small group support. Further details and program selection will be coming in the days ahead.

Monday, February 22, 2021: Ninth grade through twelfth grade students will have an option to return to in-person learning 4 days a week. Those who prefer to remain in Distance Learning will continue in that mode. As they do now, all students will continue to learn from home on Wednesdays, participating in their Advisory courses, while also being provided increased opportunities for individual and small group support. Further details and program selection will be coming in the days ahead.

Our plans for reopening will continue to require adherence to our mitigation plan including masks, physical distancing, and quarantine protocols. Those mitigation measures may need to remain in force for several months to ensure the safety of our students and staff as individuals develop immunity at different times based on the availability of vaccines in our greater community.

We believe this measured approach to returning to in person learning is what is best for our students and staff at this time. We are grateful for the continued partnership with our staff, parents, students and the greater Surprise community as we work to ensure our schools are a safe place to learn. We will continue to offer choice for our students and families, in that, students who have elected to continue in our online learning platform can continue to do so.

Thank you for your continued support and commitment to our students and staff. Their safety and well-being continues to guide everything we do.

Chris McComb                                               Joshua J. Jordan

Principal - Imagine Prep Surprise                   Principal - Imagine Rosefield