Are Some ASD Schools Returning in December?

In an undated letter to Mirror Lake Middle School families, school principal Allison Susel appears poised to return "special education students who participate in specific programs to MLMS" beginning on December 7.

In the letter, the principal does note specifically that "returning to in-person learning is completely voluntary" and says that the school "understands that (parents) may choose to keep your student learning from home for a variety of reasons."

A teacher at a different ASD school who did not wish to be named told me:

"Schools are now asking teachers to come up with a plan for returning students. They call them tutoring groups. The principals will pick plans and present them to the District office."

"Some suggestions to use are to bring back students who want to come back and the other teachers stay home and teach all the kids who don't want to come back to the building. We feel that schools are trying to get around the decision to stay home and not open. We are supposed to work at grade levels to come up with a plan. Our principal is hoping we can get the kids back in the building by November 30. Please do not use my name."

The state of Alaska saw another 551 cases of coronavirus today, with 288 of those cases within the municipality of Anchorage. The state has also seen 157 hospitalizations reported today, and 107 of those hospitalizations are in Anchorage hospitals. The state currently has 15 people on ventilators and Anchorage hospitals have 14 staffed ICU beds available.