American Academy is Back to Business

    Many people have been affected by COVID-19. People have lost their jobs, in person education abilities and overall regular life. 

    Because of this virus and its shadow that it has casted across the world, many are weary for what is to come in the future. 

    With schools being closed for the remainder of the spring semester, no one is quite sure for what is to come this summer. 

    After Governor Polis announced that businesses can reopen, many heads have turned to the educational aspect and have been waiting to see the decision that is made. 

    Based on recommendations by Governor Polis, American Academy moved forward with their student summer programs. This involved some very strict guidelines based on the guidelines from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. 

    The maximum capacity can not exceed 25 people for outdoor camps and cannot exceed 10 people during indoor camps with social distancing of six feet remaining in mind. Established groups cannot mix with any other groups during the course of the day. The school is responsible to be sure substitute staff is available should someone become ill or exposed to the virus. The school is responsible to establish protocols for responding and reporting cases to healthcare staff, local public health authorities (Tri-County Health) and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (C.D.P.H.E.). 

    They must also ensure space is available to isolate anyone showing symptoms of the virus. Professional protective equipment for staff and volunteers must be provided by the school and must have an on-call nurse or healthcare professional. 

    Employees and students must be screened at drop off to be sure that they are free from symptoms. Anyone with symptoms consistent with COVID-19 or other communicable illnesses will be sent home and asked to adhere to isolation and exclusion. 

    In a staff survey the majority of staff desire to return to the classroom as normal. 52.34% of people surveyed that they would have no problem returning to work as 41.28% of staff surveyed that they would return with safety measures in order. A mere 6.38% of staff put down that they are uncomfortable to return regardless of implements in place. 

    In the parent survey the same pattern played out. 76% of families surveyed that they want in-person full time learning while 20.18% wanted a combination of remote and in-person. However, 15.99% of families voted to have remote learning when needed and in-person when appropriate. Less than one percent of families surveyed for homeschooling. 

    While it seems like in-person teaching is what the majority of staff and families want, it is still to be decided with what is to come after COVID-19 finally dies down. 

    On Friday June 19th American Academy will be holding an all hands meeting. This will reveal the results from the annual meeting that was held last week to include contingency planning for returning to school in August as well as plans should the virus take up spike making it impossible to return to a normal school day.