Town buildings reopen tomorrow
Packing pivots in pandemic
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An edition of the East Valley Tribune
INSIDE
This Week
Best of Gilbert
COMMUNITY......... 13 Yoga Goat online ‘field trips’ a hit.
FREE ($1 OUTSIDE OF GILBERT) | GilbertSunNews.com
Sunday, May 31, 2020
Different scenarios for next school year in Gilbert BY CECILIA CHAN GSN Managing Editor
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Gilbert Public Schools task force is developing a plan for what the academic year will look like in August with COVID-19 still in the picture. Higley Unified also is doing the same thing. The GPS plan includes three scenarios ranging from everyone back in the classroom to full online teaching, which was implemented for the fourth quarter of the school year that ended this month.
“I’m grateful that we are looking at all possibilities and the ability to switch back and forth between those possibilities,” said Governing Board member Reed Carr at last week’s meeting. “I certainly don’t want to state the following in terms of saying that I have closed my mind to all possibilities but I certainly hope that we could be back in the classroom,” he continued. “I know in the large, large majority of conversations that I’ve had with teachers – and surprisingly students, too – they are all looking forward to being back in person and have expressed
Town getting $29M for pandemic relief
that desire.” Carr added it must be done so safely and within guidelines and taking data as it comes in to make wise decisions. “My preference is that we try to include as many students to attend in-person as possible, taking into consideration that some may be uncomfortable or have underlying concerns” Carr said. “We need to meet their needs, too.” Scenario A is a “normal” return to school, Scenario B is a hybrid where some students
see SCHOOL page 6
From hell to heaven
GSN NEWS STAFF
SPORTS........................ 17 Gilbert school teams starting practice.
COMMUNITY........................................13 BUSINESS............................................. 16
SPORTS........................................17 CLASSIFIED.......................................... 18 PUZZLE....................................... 19
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ilbert is set to receive $29.2 million from the state in federal pandemic aid, according to Town Manager Patrick Banger. Banger was asked if the town’s money freed up by the COVID funds could be used to help local small businesses hurt by the pandemic-related closings and restrictions. “I don’t have an answer for that yet,” he said. “I have not seen whatever the government is providing to us in writing.” Both Mesa and Phoenix are helping struggling businesses in their cities with grants from part of the same Coronavirus Aid Recovery Economic Security Act funds that Gilbert is getting. Those cities, as well as Tucson and Maricopa and Pima counties received their CARES
see BANGER page 10
Gilbert mom and nurse Lindsey Helbert had a fun time with some major TV celebrities on a cooking show, but that was after serving for two weeks in a New York hospital with COVID-19 patients. See her story on page 11. (Special to GSN)