Destiny School staff has been busy getting learning stations installed into the classrooms in hopes of in person school opening on Aug. 18.

The tentative date is from the last executive order from Governor Ducey, who pushed back the start sate of all Arizona Schools to Aug. 17.

Destiny is a small charter school on Prickly Pear Drive that can safely teach 359 students from grades kindergarten through eighth. Classrooms are set up for 16 students to be socially distant inside their very own learning stations. Each station has a desk that will be stocked with their own supplies, coat hooks and the students will eat lunch in their station.

The classrooms are still decorated for each grade, and the walls have fire paper that is able to be sanitized daily. Recess will be by class and not grade to minimize more exposure to other students.

Masks will be provided daily to all students and staff with 4 per person. This will allow time for them to be cleaned and sanitized each week.

The busing to transport students is the hardest part with all the planning. Being able to socially distance will cut the capacity drastically, creating more routes.

Destiny School Director Mr. McLendon said that he couldn’t imagine the struggles that the bigger district schools are facing. At this point, it is a waiting game on how to proceed with opening schools with directions from the Governor and Department of Education. If in person isn’t an option on Aug. 18, Destiny will still open virtually.

Some of the students were unable to connect with their teachers and did not complete any school work from the end of the year. They are trying to accommodate all students to ensure the they receive the best education possible. As for retuning students, registration is still normally what the school would expect for the upcoming year.