Many public school classrooms in Glendale will be closed to start 2021, as most districts are in online-only mode after a post-Thanksgiving spike in COVID-19 cases in communities.
But Peoria Unified School District classrooms at Glendale and Peoria high schools and elementary schools will be open Jan. 4.
The Peoria Unified School District Governing Board voted to keep classrooms open after winter break âregardless of benchmark data.â
Guidance from the county indicates PUSD, with two consecutive weeks of âsubstantialâ data as of Dec. 24, has a recommended learning scenario of âvirtual with onsite support.â
Maricopa County spokesman Ron Coleman noted the guidelines are flexible.
From âSanta Callsâ replacing kids sitting on Kris Kringleâs lap to kids learning on laptops at home, this December has quite a different lookâthanks, of course, to the COVID-19 pandemic.
While Glendale Elementary and Glendale Union High School districts have closed classrooms and returned to online learning only, Peoria Unified School District and Deer Valley Unified School District continue to teach in classrooms.
That will change, as DVUSD will close classrooms to start the New Year. But the PUSD board will keep Glendale and Peoria classrooms open when 2021 begins.
Since Thanksgiving, COVID-19 transmission has accelerated through the West Valley. According to the Maricopa County Department of Public Health, much of Glendale and Peoria is now âin the red,â meaning substantial spread of coronavirus.