Castle Dome Middle School's campus will be temporarily shut down over the next few weeks, beginning Wednesday, March 11.
In an announcement Friday, Yuma School District One stated that it's currently repairing Castle Dome's cooling system.
"The chiller is not working at its full capacity and with the temps getting unseasonably high, the classrooms were becoming too warm," District One Communications and Community Engagement Coordinator Christine McCoy told KAWC. "The forecast shows another peak expected while repairs are underway, so we are implementing this alternative now, rather than wait."
In the meanwhile, the district is implementing temporary learning options to ensure students can continue their studies in a safe environment.
Communications issued to CDMS families are offering choices between learning remotely from home or in-person learning at a nearby elementary campus.
On March 11, students whose families opted for in-person learning will attend select campuses, including Desert Mesa, Mary A. Otondo and Sunrise Elementary Schools. They'll be assigned to large, air-conditioned spaces such as cafeterias or multipurpose rooms where they'll complete coursework through a combination of online learning and activities supported by CDMS teachers.
Elementary students will continue their regular instruction, too, but campuses might be making minor adjustments to shared spaces or routines during this time.
“The safety and continued learning of our students remain our top priorities,” Superintendent Denis Ponder said. “We appreciate the partnership of our families, staff, and elementary school principals as we work together to address this facility issue.”
This information comes as a preliminary announcement from District One. The exact number of students choosing in-person learning is still being determined, but the district states that it has developed a clear plan to safely accommodate students at its selected elementary campuses.
District One is actively coordinating logistics and will keep families updated in its communications.
Reporting for this article is supported by a grant from the Arizona Local News Foundation.
