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    Message sent out via email on May 4, 2018

    Now that the statewide walkout has ended, we know you have many questions about the impact of the school closures on the completion of this school year.

    As you may know, the state requires a minimum number of instructional minutes each school year by specific grade level. An in-depth analysis of our instructional minutes on a school-by-school basis shows that many of our schools will still have sufficient minutes as required by law. For schools that now fall below the requirement due to the loss of days, we have determined that the time can be recovered by making some adjustments within the remaining school days and eliminating the early out days.

    After careful evaluation, we have determined that this can be done without having to add any days to the student calendar.

    Listed below are answers to some of the most common questions we have received:

    • The last day of school for students will remain as scheduled on Thursday, May 24.
    • All schools will cancel any remaining early out days on Tuesdays for the rest of the school year to provide more instructional time for students.
    • All promotion and graduation ceremonies will proceed as planned.
    • Finals days at the high schools will now be full days (no early dismissal), again, to provide more instructional time.
    • Families enrolled in special needs preschool services will receive additional information specific to the end of year requirements.

    An updated list of FAQs which addresses other concerns and questions is posted below. We also encourage you to contact your school principal to help answer any questions that are specific to your family or school site.

    We are excited to get back to our core mission of serving our students and families. We very sincerely appreciate your patience and understanding.

    FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS | Regarding School Closures  | (Updated as of May 4, 2018)

    When will schools reopen?

    All schools in the Amphitheater Public Schools district reopened on Friday, May 4.

    Will the school year be extended?

    No. The last day of school for students will still be on Thursday, May 24.

    Will you have to add minutes to each school day?

    No. State law sets forth specific guidelines for student school days and instructional minutes each school year. Due to the number of days that the district was forced to close, some schools will need to make modifications within their existing school hours to recover some of the lost instructional minutes. These adjustments will be made within the existing school day.  No changes will be necessary to the regular bell schedules (start or end times).

    Will you still have early out days on Tuesdays?

    No. All remaining early out days that were scheduled through the end of the school year are canceled. School will dismiss at the regular full-day time each day. You will receive additional information and reminders from your child’s school.

    Will the school closures affect graduation dates?

    No. The dates of the graduation ceremonies will remain the same.

    Will the school closures affect other grade level promotion events?

    No. Since we do not have to extend the school year, all previously scheduled promotion events should proceed as planned.

    Will my high school child still be able to take their Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), and/or Cambridge tests?

    Yes. All testing will continue as scheduled. 

    Are there any changes to the “finals” days scheduled for high school?

    Yes. All days previously scheduled half days for high school finals will now be full school days. School will dismiss at the same scheduled dismissal time for a regular (full) school day.

    Will my student have to make up any work?

    Any make up work will be determined at the discretion of your child’s teacher.

    How does the school closure affect my child’s online coursework?

    Students enrolled in online programs through Amphi Academy Online (Edgenuity, Mesa Distance Learning, etc.) were unable to progress with coursework during the walkout. Students will be given an extension if they were on target at the time of the walkout. The mentors and teachers will communicate with each student individually.

    Will my child’s special education IEP meeting/services be made up?

    Regularly scheduled special education IEP meetings that occurred during the school closure will be rescheduled. Your child’s case manager will work with you to identify and plan for any services that your child may need to have.

    My child receives special needs preschool services. How will this affect the end of the school year?

    The district will communicate directly with those families about any changes to the schedule that will be required.

     

    CLICK HERE FOR SPANISH

    Amphitheater Public Schools will OPEN on Friday, May 4

    Message from Superintendent Todd Jaeger 

    Great news! After nearly 13 hours of debate in the House and Senate, the Arizona Legislature passed an education budget bill and the Governor signed the legislation early this morning.

    We are thrilled that Amphitheater teachers will now be returning to their classrooms and ALL Amphitheater schools will reopen on Friday, May 4.

    Now that the statewide walkout has ended, we will be able to provide updated information and answers to the many questions you may have. The update, including how the walkout will affect the end of the school year, will be posted on our website by tomorrow morning. Please continue to check our website, www.amphi.com, for the most current information.

    We want to thank our parents and community for your extraordinary patience and cooperation over the last week while educators across the state rallied in red and raised awareness about the need for additional funding for public education. They have made history and now it is time to return to learning and completing the rest of the school year.

    We look forward to welcoming our students and staff back to school on Friday, May 4!

    Mensaje del Superintendente Todd Jaeger

    ¡Buenas noticias! Después de casi 13 horas de debate en la Cámara y el Senado, la Legislatura de Arizona aprobó un presupuesto para la educación, y el gobernador firmó la legislación esta mañana.

    Estamos encantados de que los maestros de Amphitheater regresarán a sus aulas y que TODAS las escuelas de Amphitheater re-abrirán el viernes, 4 de mayo.

    Ahora que el paro ha terminado en todo el estado, será posible proveerles información y respuestas a muchas de las preguntas que tienen.

    Mañana por la mañana publicaremos en nuestra página web, www.amphi.com, una actualización acerca de cómo el paro afectará el final del año escolar. Por favor continúen visitando nuestra página para información actualizada.

    Deseamos agradecer a nuestros padres y a nuestra comunidad su extraordinaria paciencia y cooperación esta pasada semana mientras educadores en todo el estado se movilizaron en rojo y despertaron conciencia sobre la necesidad de fondos adicionales para la educación pública. Ellos han hecho historia y ahora retornan a la enseñanza y a completar el resto del año escolar.

    ¡Miramos hacia adelante para darles la bienvenida de regreso a la escuela a nuestros estudiantes el viernes, 4 de mayo!

    UPDATE: All Amphitheater schools to remain CLOSED on Thursday, May 3

    Message from Superintendent Todd Jaeger | May 2, 2018

    Tuesday, I contacted you to tell you that, like many school districts around the state, we would be reopening tomorrow, Thursday, May 3.

    That plan was based upon the assurance we received from our Governor that an education budget deal had been reached and would be voted on and that the votes were there for passage of the budget.

    We were told the vote would occur today, but a few hours ago, it became clear that the vote was being delayed. As you receive this message, in fact, we do not know if the vote will occur anytime soon.

    Word of this delay spread like wildfire across our state and educators everywhere began announcing their intentions to remain out tomorrow.

    As a result, most school districts which had announced their reopenings for Thursday had to reverse their announcements. I deeply regret that Amphitheater must do the same. Therefore, our schools will remain closed for tomorrow, Thursday, May 3. We simply lack sufficient staffing to open.

    I want you to know that the vast majority of our staff had originally indicated they were returning to work tomorrow upon the assurances they received from the Governor and others that the budget would be passed. But the promises made to them have still not yet been fulfilled.

    Again, I deeply regret that this situation is occurring, and I’m sorry for its effect on you and your children. But, this is unprecedented in our state’s history.

    Please continue to support our educators. They need you still.

     

    Mensaje del Superintendente Todd Jaeger

    El martes me comuniqué con ustedes para hacerles saber que, como muchos otros distritos escolares en el estado, estaríamos abiertos el jueves, 3 de mayo.

    Ese plan estaba basado en la seguridad que habíamos recibido de nuestro gobernador de que un presupuesto para la educación había sido alcanzado, que tenían suficientes votos para que el presupuesto fuera aprobado. Se nos comunicó que la votación seria hoy, pero hace algunas horas se hizo claro que la votación estaba siendo retrasada. De hecho, cuando reciban este mensaje no sabemos si la votación tendrá lugar en algún momento cercano. La noticia de este atraso se ha extendido como un fuego forestal a través del estado y los educadores empezaron a anunciar sus intenciones de mantenerse fuera del trabajo mañana.

    Como resultado, muchos distritos escolares que habían anunciado que abrirían el jueves han tenido que revertir sus anuncios. Con mucha pena Amphitheater tiene que hacer lo mismo. Por lo tanto, nuestras escuelas se mantendrán cerradas el jueves 3 de mayo. Simplemente no tenemos suficiente personal para abrir.

    Deseo indicarles que la mayoría de nuestro personal nos había comunicado que vendrían a trabajar mañana habiendo recibido el acierto del gobernador y otros de que el presupuesto sería aprobado. Esas promesas no han sido cumplidas.

    Les reitero, que me apena mucho la situación que está ocurriendo, siento mucho el efecto adverso por el que ustedes y sus hijos están pasando. Pero, esta es una situación sin precedente en la historia de nuestro estado.

    Por favor, continúen apoyando a nuestros educadores. Todavía les necesitan.

    Message from Superintendent Todd Jaeger | May 1, 2018

    Amphitheater Public Schools to Reopen ALL SCHOOLS on Thursday, May 3

    In our discussions with our association leadership this morning, it was clear that resolution of the statewide teacher walkout is dependent on the budget vote in the legislature. We anticipate that vote sometime tomorrow and the legislature intends to adjourn on Thursday.

    Therefore, we are announcing that ALL schools will reopen on THURSDAY, MAY 3. However, schools will continue to be closed tomorrow, Wednesday, May 2.

    We will need to make up the instructional time that has been missed during the closure. Please be assured that we are exploring all potential options to minimize the impact on the end of the year.

    What we know right now is that we will need to extend our existing school days by a number of minutes each day, as well as cancel all scheduled early out days on Tuesdays.

    We will be sending more detail to you on what this will mean once the calculations have been completed.

    Thank you for your patience during this very challenging time. We appreciate your support and we can’t wait to see your children back on Thursday.

     

    Mensaje del Superintendente Todd Jaeger

    Saludos, padres de Amphitheater. Es Todd Jaeger, superintendente de las escuelas públicas Amphitheater.

    En nuestros diálogos con los líderes de nuestros maestros esta mañana, se hizo claro que la resolución al paro estatal de maestros depende del voto en la legislatura sobre el presupuesto. Anticipamos la votación en algún momento mañana. La legislatura tiene la intención de levantar la sesión el jueves.

    Por consiguiente, anunciamos que TODAS las escuelas estarán abiertas el jueves, 3 de mayo. Sin embargo, las escuelas continuarán cerradas mañana miércoles.

    Necesitaremos recuperar el tiempo de instrucción perdido durante la clausura. Por favor, estén seguros de que estamos explorando todas las opciones potenciales para minimizar el impacto en el final del año.

    En este momento sabemos que necesitaremos extender nuestros días escolares para recuperar el número de minutos necesarios en cada día; además de cancelar todos los días de «salida temprano» programados para los martes. 

    Enviaremos más detalles sobre lo que esto significará una vez que hayamos completado los cálculos.

    Gracias por su paciencia durante este tiempo retador. Apreciamos su apoyo y estamos ansiosos de ver a sus hijos de vuelta el jueves.

    Message from Superintendent Todd Jaeger | April 30, 2018

    As you know, the #RedForEd demonstrations are continuing in Phoenix today. While the Governor has proposed a potential budget solution, the legislature is required to hold three days of public hearings on any budget legislation, so we anticipate at least another day of closure through tomorrow.

    Therefore, once again, we have so many employees who have reported their absence for tomorrow, that ALL schools in the Amphitheater district must remain closed on Tuesday, May 1st. 

    We are continuing to monitor this situation on a daily basis and will try to inform you as quickly as we know we will be able to reopen our schools.

    I fully understand the difficulties our school closures are creating. Therefore, I will be sending a letter later today to address some of the questions you may have about the impact of this walkout and the end of the school year.

    Thank you very much for your attention.

    **************

    Mensaje del Superintendente Todd Jaeger

    Como ustedes saben, las demostraciones de #RedForEd han continuado huy en Phoenix. Aunque el gobernador ha propuesto un presupuesto potencial como solución, la legislatura requiere que se mantengan tres días de audiencias públicas en cualquier legislación de presupuesto, así que anticipamos continuar cerrados por lo menos otro día, mañana.

    Otra vez, tenemos una gran cantidad de empleados que han reportado su ausencia de antemano para mañana, por lo tanto, TODAS las escuelas del distrito Amphitheater estarán cerradas el martes, 1ro de mayo.

    Continuamos monitoreando esta situación diariamente y trataremos de informarles tan pronto tengamos conocimiento de cuándo nos será posible re-abrir nuestras escuelas.

    Entiendo completamente las dificultades que crea el cierre de nuestras escuelas. Más tarde, esta tarde, enviaré una carta contestando alguna de las preguntas que ustedes podrían tener acerca del impacto de este paro y el final del año escolar.

    Muchas gracias por su atención.

    This message was sent out via our phone messaging system on Friday, April 27, 2018

    Amphitheater Public Schools Will Close All Schools on Monday, April 30

    Yesterday, the Arizona State Legislature adjourned without a budget and will not resume its session until Monday, April 30th. I would have hoped, with so many parents, teachers and students coming to the Capitol to express their concern, that our legislature would have at least shown the courtesy of listening to them.

    Now, however, it appears the #RedForEd participants will continue their demonstration into Monday, when the legislators are back in session, and when they hope to be heard.

    Therefore, Amphitheater again has so many employees who have reported their absence for Monday, that ALL schools in the Amphitheater district must remain closed on April 30. 

    It is our hope that a budget resolution will come soon, or the Governor will call a special session of the legislature to vote, and our employees can return to work.

    We continue to monitor this situation very closely and will continue to communicate with you as soon as we have additional updates.

    Thank you again for your patience, flexibility, and understanding during these unprecedented times.

    Ayer la Legislatura del Estado de Arizona interrumpió la sesión sin un presupuesto hasta el lunes, 30 de abril. Yo hubiese deseado, con tantos padres, maestros y estudiantes habiendo ido al Capitolio a expresar su preocupación, que la Legislatura por lo menos hubiera tenido la cortesía de escucharlos.

    Sin embargo, aparentemente ahora los participantes de RedForEd continuarán su demostración el lunes, cuando los legisladores estarán de vuelta en sesión, y cuando ellos esperan ser escuchados.

    Como consecuencia, Amphitheater tiene tantos empleados que han anunciado su ausencia para el lunes, que TODAS las escuelas del distrito Amphitheater continuarán cerradas el lunes 30 de abril.

    Tenemos la esperanza de que la resolución de un presupuesto se hecha pronto, o el gobernador llamará a una sesión especial de la legislatura para votación y nuestros empleados puedan regresar a trabajar.

    Continuamos monitoreando la situación muy de cerca y continuaremos comunicándonos con usted tan pronto tengamos actualizaciones.

    Gracias otra vez por su paciencia, flexibilidad y comprensión durante estos tiempos in precedente.

     

     

    This message was sent out via our phone messaging system on Tuesday, April 24, 2018

    Hello, Amphi parents.

    This is Todd Jaeger, Superintendent of Amphitheater Public Schools. As you know, I asked employees to notify us by noon today of their intentions to come to work during the statewide walkout. Well, the numbers are clear. We will not have adequate staff present to ensure student safety on our campuses. Therefore, we have made the decision to close ALL of our schools on Thursday and Friday of this week.  

    On these days, the kitchens will remain open at every school in the morning to provide Grab & Go breakfast and lunch meals for students. More information will be available on these times from your school. The District offices will remain open.

    Again, due to the statewide RedForEd walkout beginning on Thursday, we will be closing all Amphitheater schools on Thursday and Friday of this week.  Please continue to check our website at amphi.com for additional information. We will notify you when we plan to reopen.

    24 de abril de 2018

    Hola padres de Amphitheater. Este es Todd Jaeger, superintendente de las escuelas públicas Amphitheater.

    Como ustedes saben les pedí a los empleados que nos notificaran a no más tardar del mediodía de hoy de sus intenciones de venir a trabajar durante la paralización de trabajo. Los números son claros. No tendremos suficiente personal para garantizar la seguridad de las escuelas. Así que hemos tomado la decisión de cerras todas nuestras escuelas el jueves y viernes de esta semana.

    Durante estos días las cafeterías de las escuelas permanecerán abiertas en todas las escuelas para proveer almuerzos y desayunos para llevar. Las escuelas les informaran sobre los horarios. Las oficinas del distrito permanecerán abiertas.

    Reiteramos, debido al paro de RedForEd todas las escuelas de Amphitheater estarán cerradas el jueves y viernes de esta semana. Por favor visiten nuestra página web amphi.com para información adicional. Les notificaremos cuando planeamos abrir.

    This message was sent out via our phone messaging system on Monday, April 23, 2018

    Hello, Amphi parents. This is Todd Jaeger, Superintendent of Amphitheater Public Schools.

    As you know from my messages last week, educators across the state voted to begin a walkout this Thursday, April 26th.

    We are continuing to monitor the situation very closely to know what it will mean for our district. I have asked Amphitheater staff to notify us by noon tomorrow whether they plan to be present for work on Thursday. Based on this information, we will determine if we will have adequate staffing for operation, or if we will need to close any schools. This decision will be made on a site by site basis, with a focus on assuring the safety of students and needs of parents.

    We will provide an update no later than Wednesday morning on the status of your child’s school so you can plan accordingly. As I stated in my message on Friday, all school kitchens will remain open during the walkout to provide breakfast and lunch meals. Under certain circumstances, some third-party programs like Head Start or CEP preschool services, may continue to operate at some sites. You will receive additional information if this applies to you.

    We will continue to monitor this situation and communicate any changes accordingly. Please continue to check our website and social media sites for the latest information. It is also a good reminder to make sure that your phone numbers and email address is correctly listed in our student information system.

    Thank you for your continued patience and support. All of us hope for a swift resolution to this matter.

    This message was sent out via email on Friday, April 20, 2018

    Dear Amphitheater Families,

    As you know, more than 75% of school employees polled across Arizona voted to begin a walkout on Thursday, April 26. In our district, there were varying degrees of support for such an action from school to school, but 2/3 of those voting voted to walk out.

    At this time, it is unconfirmed how this walkout will affect schools in our district. We recognize that this raises many questions and issues for you. Please know that we are working hard to develop specifics for how to best handle the situation for students, parents, and staff members.

    I want to assure you that schools will remain open and continue to follow their regular schedule on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday next week. We remain optimistic that we will not have to close district schools on Thursday, April 26. However, if we have too few staff members to appropriately supervise students and ensure their safety and well-being, we may be forced to close individual schools.

    We expect to provide additional information regarding any school closures no later than Wednesday morning. In the meantime, we ask that you consider an alternative plan for your student(s) in the event that our schools close.

    Because we recognize many students are dependent on our food services, all school kitchens will remain open during the walkout to provide breakfast and lunch meals. We will provide additional information regarding the hours food will be available at each school site next week.

    Thank you, again, for your patience and understanding as we manage such a significant event in our state’s history.

    Sincerely, 

    Todd A. Jaeger, J.D.
    Superintendent

    This message was sent out via our phone messaging system on Friday, April 20, 2018

    Hello, Amphitheater Families. This is Todd Jaeger, Superintendent of Amphitheater Public Schools.

    Last night, two groups representing Arizona’s educators announced that a majority of public school employees voted in favor of a statewide walkout. I know this raises many issues and concerns for you.

    I want to assure you, first of all, that schools will continue to be open as usual for the day today and also Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of next week. According to the information that we have received, the walkout is planned to begin on Thursday, April 26. At this time, we do not know how long that walk out will last.

    I also want to assure you that we are doing everything possible to minimize the impact of this walkout upon our students, parents, and community.

    We are currently meeting with our principals and directors to determine if we will have the staff capacity to operate our schools and maintain student safety during the walkout.

    For more information please see the letter and “frequently asked questions” list that I sent to parents by email yesterday. This information is also available on our webpage and will be updated there as things evolve.

    I appreciate your patience as we work through this unprecedented event. We will continue to keep you informed as things change. Thank you very much.

    Click here to view EN ESPANOL

    This message was sent via email on Thursday, April 19, 2018

    Dear Amphitheater Parents and Guardians,

    Over the last few days and concluding today, school district employees across Arizona were voting on whether to participate in a “walk-out”.  The results of that state-wide vote are expected to be announced tonight; we may not have specific information regarding Amphi until later.  We will post more details about that vote on our website when they are available.  In the interim, we wanted to address any questions you may have. 

    First, you may be aware that many of our teachers and staff have been participating in statewide efforts to increase awareness for teacher and staff salaries and the need for additional public education funding over the past several weeks. In our very own district, these efforts recently included a “stand-out” along Oracle Road and peaceful “walk-ins” at our schools each Wednesday morning. Teachers and staff have organized these efforts independently and on their own time. We respect their unity efforts and appreciate that they have not disrupted the instructional day.

    While we want you to be aware that there is the potential for a teacher “walk-out” across Arizona, no decision or date has been set by the organizers.  However, in the event of such an action, we are developing contingency plans for how we will respond if there is a “walk-out” in our district.

    Let me be clear. We do not support a work stoppage. If there is not adequate staff to maintain student safety and campus security, we may be forced to close schools.  School closures will be determined school by school. We will use our parent notification system to get information to you. Please make sure that your phone numbers and email addresses are current in our student information system. You can do this by contacting your school’s office with any updates.

    In Amphi, we are fortunate to have a community that consistently supports our schools.

    We understand that you will have many questions. Out of an abundance of caution, we have prepared the following FAQs to be sure that our families can anticipate how a school closures may impact them. 

    It is our hope that teaching and learning will continue through May 24 as planned.  We will keep you updated as information becomes available.  Please rest assured that we will do everything possible to minimize the impact of any such action upon our students, parents, and community.

     

    Todd A. Jaeger, J.D.
    Superintendent

    CLICK HERE to read EN ESPANOL

    FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

    Regarding Potential Work Stoppage

     

    1. How will I find out my child’s school is closed?

    Please only rely on our official district communications for information on a school closing. We will use our parent mass notification system, our district and school websites, and our social media accounts to communicate information regarding a school closing. Please be sure that your emergency contact information is up-to-date in our student information system. For a missed phone call, please check the voicemail message before calling the school as staff will not be available at the school.

    1. How much notice will I have if there is a closure?

    We may not have much advance notice.  However, as soon as we learn information, we will share it with you. We will do our best to be timely in our communication that gives you enough advance notice to make other arrangements for the care of your child.

    1. Will before- or after-school care still be available?

    If schools close for a day, all before and after school childcare, ACHIEVE, after-school tutoring, and extra-curricular clubs at that site will be canceled.  PAL programs will also be closed in the event of a school closure.   

    1. If a school is closed, would athletic practices or games be canceled?

    Lower level high school and middle level athletics would be canceled. Varsity athletics would continue as long as a coach is available for the sport. 

    1. If a school is closed, would the school year be extended?

    Depending on the length of time that an individual school is closed, it may be necessary to make up instructional time. 

    1. Would school closures affect graduation dates?

    A closure would not affect the date of the graduation ceremonies; however, students may be required to come back after that ceremony to complete the school year, if the school year is extended due to a walk-out.  This is totally dependent on the length of a work stoppage.

    1. Would school closures affect other grade level promotion events?

    If we have to make up school days due to a work stoppage, we will likely move promotion dates to the end of the school year.  This will also depend entirely on the length of a work stoppage.

    1. If a school is closed, would school trips take place as scheduled?

    No. If schools are closed, school trips would be canceled.

    1. If a school doesn’t close but has limited staff, will bus transportation to and from school still be provided?

    If schools are open, transportation will continue to be provided.   If your bus is running late, please call your school or the Transportation Department at 696-3782 for more information.

    1. If school is open with limited staff and I send my child, what can I expect will happen that day?

    The top priority will be the safety and security of our students.   There may be limited academic instruction and support services. Lunch and breakfast services will be affected and may be adjusted.

    1. My child’s school is open, but there is limited staff so I want to keep my child home. Is this allowed?

    Parents will be free as always to determine whether to report your child as absent that day.  We will only open schools if we have adequate staff to address the safety of students.  As indicated above, however, instruction may be impacted as well as other services. 

    1. If a school is closed for more than one day, how often will I receive communication?

    You can expect daily communication in the event of an extended school closure.

    CLICK HERE to read EN ESPANOL