The next school year will look unlike any other. As a result, an Arizona school district is taking extra steps to ensure a safe environment for students when they can return to the classroom.
The Avondale Elementary School District has earned a HealthyVerify certification. HealthyVerify is an Arizona-based company that works with businesses to rethink how they operate and minimize health risks in their space.
Certified businesses must follow strict sanitation guidelines and implement new procedures for interacting with the public.
Desert Star School in Goodyear is part of Avondale Elementary School District and serves preschool through eighth-grade students. Principal Jessica Worthington said HealthyVerify helped the district create a clear plan for in-person learning.
“This includes frequent sanitizing, one-way traffic on campus to allow kids to move in a certain direction,” Worthington said. “Our district will be requiring masks and ensuring social distancing in our classrooms and on our campuses.”
In addition, students will take lunches back to their classrooms instead of mingling with others in the cafeteria. The district’s plan will be reviewed monthly to reflect new developments.
