The East Valley Institute of Technology, also known as EVIT, will begin the new school year on August 3 with all instruction happening on campus.
In a letter to parents and students on Thursday, Superintendent Dr. Chad Wilson acknowledged ongoing concerns related to COVID-19 but said, "the overriding theme was that EVIT should provide on-campus instruction because our training is hands-on."
Increased safety protocols will be in place for all EVIT students and staff, including Maricopa County's mask mandate, frequent hand washing, social distancing when possible and increased sanitization procedures.
In a survey sent out on June 9, 96 percent of the 2,300 families to respond said their child would attend if classes were on-campus only, according to Thursday's letter. Seventy percent said their child would attend if classes were online-only.
Wilson acknowledged that the survey was sent out before a recent surge in coronavirus cases. He says the school will continue to monitor daily and weekly reports from the governor's office and state and county health officials.
EVIT offers career and technical education for east Valley high school students and Phoenix-area adults. The main campus is in central Mesa with branch locations in east Mesa, Apache Junction and Fountain Hills.
