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2 Phoenix-Area School Superintendents Say They Won't Start In-Person Classes On Aug. 17

Both Phoenix Union High School District and Paradise Valley Unified School District officials said their students won’t be returning to the classroom on Gov. Doug Ducey's expected Aug. 17 start date.

“We have decided that Phoenix Union, for the safety, health and wellness of our staff and our students and our community is now going to focus all of our time and effort and energy on full remote or distance learning for the entire first quarter," said Phoenix Union High School District Superintendent Chad Geston.

Paradise Valley Superintendent Jesse Welsh says Paradise Valley schools won’t be returning until after Labor Day at the earliest.  He doesn’t want parents and students to be on edge about returning to classrooms.

"We’ll commit to doing this at least through labor day," said Welsh.  "Then, depending upon what other orders may come from the Governor’s Office or where we’re at in terms of cases, we can evaluate what we’re doing at that point in time.”

Both school districts said their approach to this new school year will be an improved model of online learning compared to end of the 2019-2020 school year. 

Welsh also said his teachers are prepared to use this new online model for the entire year if need be.  

→  Read The Latest News On The Coronavirus Disease 

Alexandria Krusniak was an intern at KJZZ in 2020.