Akimel O Otham Pee Posh Charter School, Inc.

Akimel O'Otham Pee Posh will be offering a comprehensive summer school program to address the academic, social, emotional and mental health of all students.  The ESSER III funds will support one component of the disruptive learning/academic loss with the purchase of Achieve 3000, a technology-based program (20% set aside) in both ELA and Math.  A certified teacher will provide the instruction for K-2 in both programs.  The students will receive a 45-minute lesson per grade level offered between 9:00 a.m. - Noon four days a week. The teacher to student ratio will not exceed 1:20 or 1:10 because of an assigned paraprofessional. All students will have access to this enrichment program and all subgroups represented at the school i.e., special education, ELL, Native American and high poverty students. Additional funding is being used to provide PD. offered by EQQEConsulting, experts in SEL to the Summer School staff in order to implement the Second Step program. This will include a variety of classes and activities related to the social, emotional and mental health of the students.  The consultants will work with the teachers to assist in the delivery of lessons and to gather feedback from teachers and students for future lessons. The school has a full-time counselor available as well.  The students enrolled at Akiimel O'Otham Pee Posh are participating in virtual learning and have been since the pandemic began.  The reservation is closed because of the high rates of Covid.  It is anticipated by the summer of 2022 the campus will be open again to students.  If not, the Achieve 3000 and Second Step programs can be delivered virtually.  The impact on the students enrolled in the school have been affected disproportionately by school closure as well as the ACE indicators associated with trauma and stressful childhood experiences. Historically, Native American students have the lowest proficiency rates on high stakes tests i.e., AZ Merit.  In addition, the lack of access to the internet and technology (the digital divide) has been particularly challenging for the virtual delivery of instruction. The 20% set aside, Achieve 3000 and the Second Step programs, will address academic loss, disruptive learning and the SEL needs of all students.  Included in the 80% set aside are the technology needs of the students in order to have an effective delivery of a virtual learning environment required for Achieve 3000 and Second Step SEL.

The opening of the school depends on the guidelines set forth by CDC and the Gila River Indian Community Emergency Response Office. Akimel O'Otham Pee Posh has submitted its Covid !9 Return to School Safely plan to ADE.  It includes coordination with Gila River Indian Community Emergency Response Office and complies with all Executive Orders issued by Governor Lewis which are aligned to the recommendations from the CDC. The plan includes mandatory Covid 19 testing every two weeks of all school staff, required masks, daily cleaning of high contact areas and improved HVAC systems.  In addition, if a staff person tests positive for Covid 19, they have to be evaluated by the school nurse or other public health official and then sent home under quarantine as required by the CDC. These are only examples of the extensiveness of the school's mitigation plan to address Covid 19 No ADE ESSER IIII funds are being used for this purpose. The Covid 19 mitigation plan is being funded by the Bureau of Indian Affairs ESSER funds.