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TAXPAYERS, LOWER YOUR TAXES AND SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS!
 
TAX CREDIT: HOW DOES IT WORK?

A Tax Credit, which is the dollar-for dollar reduction of your tax liability, is better than a tax deduction, which only reduces your taxable income before taxes are computed.

Instead of sending all your state taxes to the State of Arizona, you can make a contribution to a public school. A.R.S. §43-1089.01 allows taxpayers a TAX CREDIT  up to $200.00 for “Single” or “Head of Household” tax filers and up to $400.00 for “Married Couple Filing a Joint Return” when contributing to EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES in public schools. This gives you the opportunity to help your local school. The tax credit is available to all taxpayers, regardless of whether they have children in school. It would be advisable to consult your tax advisor regarding your specific tax status.

What is an EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITY?

Extracurricular activity means any optional, non-credit educational or competitive school sponsored activity that supplements the education program of the school. Activities such as sports, visual and performing arts, field trips, outdoor education or character education programs can be funded with tax credit money. Extracurricular activities do not include any events that are recreational, amusement or tourist activities.

WHERE DOES THE MONEY GO?
You may select which school and which program you would like to support. The amount of the tax credit you take does not have to be for the total allowance. You can make a difference in our schools with just $50.00, $75.00, or $100.00. In addition, the credit may be split between one or more schools and/or one or more programs. 

HOW CAN I TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE TAX CREDIT? UPDATE

Complete the attached form and return to the school of your choice by April 15, 2020 or mail to the District Office prior to April 15, 2020 in order to take it off your State of Arizona taxes at the time you file for 2019. Arizona Tax Credit Donation Form
Create an online payment by going to this link  

It is easy! The District will provide you with a receipt verifying that you have contributed to an eligible extracurricular activity.

For more information contact Wendy Taylor at the District Office, 623-535-6000.

When you provide a check as payment, you authorize the Litchfield Elementary School District (LESD) either to use information from your check to make a one-time electronic fund transfer from your account or to process the payment as a check transaction

COVID-19 Bus Procedures

Bus Safety (Litchfield Elementary School District)

Transportation Department

CDC Guidelines

·         Clean and disinfect frequently.

·         Maintain 6ft of physical distancing if possible.

Maricopa County Board of Supervisors

Maricopa county residents must now wear masks when in a public setting. The proclamation includes:

  • People older than six must wear masks in enclosed public spaces (where 6 feet of distance cannot be maintained)
  • Adults with children 2 to 5 years old must make reasonable effort to make them wear masks inside enclosed public spaces

Litchfield Transportation’s Plan
Staff

  • Student Transporters and Monitors will be required to wear face coverings (masks / face shield) when passengers are on the bus. This will include loading and unloading while at a school campus and bus stops.
  • Student Transporters and Monitors will disinfect the vehicle after morning, mid-day, and afternoon routes (See Vehicle Information below). When feasible, and time permitting, vehicles will be disinfected between runs using a 75% alcohol cleaning wipe.
  • Will ensure students are seated in assigned seats, with siblings from the same household seated together.
  • Staff will wear disposable gloves when needed to attend to students/passengers while on the school bus (Monitors will change gloves between attending to students to mitigate cross-contamination).

Students / Passengers

  • In order to provide transportation without social distancing, masks/face coverings will be required for all students/passengers riding a school bus.
  • Student Transporters and Monitors will not refuse a ride to any student that does not have a mask/face covering. Staff will have a limited number of disposable masks for students that board  the bus without mask/face cover.
  • Students will not be punished or removed from the bus for not wearing a mask/face cover. Transportation Office Staff will communicate with parents on District Standards for riding the school bus, and work with parents if they cannot provide a mask/face cover for everyday use.

Students/passengers with special needs are strongly encouraged to wear cloth face coverings / face shields with limited exceptions:

  • Students with sensory challenges.
  • Students with medical concerns that make wearing face covering unsafe.
  • Siblings from the same household will sit together (Students in older grades will sit with siblings in younger grades to continue the age appropriate seating set by LESD Transportation).
  • Students that do not have a parent at the bus stop or at home, that display signs / symptoms will  be given a face covering, and sat away from other students. Staff will notify the Dispatch office at Transportation to contact the school nurse.

 Vehicle Information

Cleaning / Disinfecting of Vehicles

  • Each morning upon arrival, Student Transporters will enter the vehicle and disinfect the school bus using the district product titled 700 Disinfectant Cleaner (provided through the Waxie® Sanitary Supply) before conducting a thorough Pre-Trip Inspection on the vehicle.
  • Student Transporters will then execute the morning routes for each bus (generally consisting of 2-3 schools per route), which takes an average of 2.4 hours each morning.

Upon return to the Transportation Department, Student Transporters will:
Conduct a thorough Post-Trip of the school bus as directed by the Arizona Minimum Standards for School Buses.

  • Place every other window down on each side of the bus for fresh air to circulate throughout the vehicle.
  • Clean the vehicle
  • Disinfect using the 700 Disinfectant Cleaner product to high touch areas (seats, handrails, dash, driver’s compartment, and doors) before clocking out for the morning shift.

The process listed through above will be repeated for all Mid-Day routes.

Upon returning to clock in for the afternoon shift, Student Transporters will:

  • Perform an afternoon Pre-Trip on the vehicle, as directed by LESD standards,
  • Disinfect the vehicle before leaving the yard to travel to respective schools for afternoon routes.
  • Upon return to the Transportation Department, Student Transporters will:
  • Conduct a Post-Trip Inspection on the vehicle, as defined by the Arizona Minimum Standards for School Buses.
  • Use the 700 Disinfectant Cleaner product to disinfect the buses (including seats, handrails, dash, driver’s compartment, and doors) before clocking out for the evening.
  • Windows will remain up and closed after PM routes to secure the bus for the evening.
  • Student Transporters will use Cleaning Wipes (75% alcohol formula) between each run after dropping off at school in the AM, or before arriving at schools in the PM on high touch surfaces (handrails, door, top of seats, etc).
  • Windows may be open to 1/2 for increased air circulation during seasonal times of year
  • Roof hatches will be vented at all times for fresh air to circulate inside the vehicle while using the air conditioning system during warm months.
  • Windows will be open at ½ for safety reasons.
  • All buses will have clearly visible signage (provided from the CDC) above the driver communicating to parents that students should not enter the school bus with any of the identified symptoms (Visible symptoms include runny nose, cough, shortness of breath, or vomiting).

Bus Stops

  • Communication will be sent to parents emphasizing expectations concerning 6’ social distancing while gathering at the bus stop through District Website, Department Website, School Websites, District Social Media outlets, and District Email.
  • If possible students should wait in parent vehicle until bus arrival at the bus stop
  • Students are asked to have masks available and ready to wear prior to getting on the bus.