Dear CUSD,

It is very disappointing and stressful to have to make an informed educational and health decision by July 14, 2020 with such health risk uncertainty and limited information surrounding our two educational options, particularly in a climate where Covid-19 is nowhere near under control (AZ positivity rate >20%; recommended to open safely ≤5% positivity rate). Furthermore, Superintendent of Public Instruction Kathy Hoffman recently expressed her position that she “cannot provide those assurances for the adults and students who are medically vulnerable in our school communities at this time.”

There have been limited resources to refer to and sparse communication regarding what the gifted track will look like for COA. What will the schedule look like? How will gifted education be differentiated from general education curriculum? There are many other unanswered questions we parents have, yet we are to decide in two business days as we have patiently been waiting for more information.

We understand that by selecting COA, KGA/WGA families will no longer receive communications from KGA/WGA, despite being informed we will still be considered “students at our respective campuses." Parents who have already selected COA are upset and some are even wanting to retract their decision over the matter. ****Edit: We understand our schools have/are working on a resolution to this. It remains unclear if we are technically disenrolled from KGA/WGA and have a "holding spot", or if we are not disenrolled.****

We also understand that when the county face mask mandate expires at the end of the month CUSD will not require masks to be worn if the order is not extended. This with leave in-person learning with face coverings as optional.

For these reasons (and many more), the remaining undecided parents of KGA/WGA who have not yet selected a learning path, are respectfully asking for the July 14 deadline to be extended until we are provided more reasonable and robust information for educational decision making and health/ safely decision making. In addition, we request that parents who have already submitted the intent form be allowed to rescind their submission to reassess the situation along with the rest of the parents during the extension period if granted.

Respectfully,

Parents of the KGA/WGA Gifted community