The Scottsdale Unified School District is raising concerns over behaviors by some students and families that may be behind the increase of cases it saw in the past week. As of last Thursday, the district had 25 known, lab-confirmed, active cases of COVID in students and staff, up from nine cases in the prior week.
Activities outside of school appear to be behind the increase, Superintendent Scott Menzel said in a Monday letter to families. Many people travelled for fall break, which took place last week, and groups of students who traveled together have become ill, he said. The district has already heard of others participating in large gatherings with friends where they were unmasked and not physically distanced, he said.
The district has also received reports of students who have come to school despite having COVID-like symptoms or a positive test that hasn't been reported to the local health department.
"If students and families send sick children to school, our ability to remain open is in serious jeopardy," Menzel said.
At this time, the Maricopa County Department of Public Health is not recommending a school closure, he said, but the spread has led the district to ask over 200 families of students at Chaparral High School to quarantine.
High school teacher and Scottsdale Education Association member Steve Geislinger said the situation has raised concerns among school families.
"There are a number of parents who are asking to change their election from having their students being in school to being enhanced distance learning," Geislinger said.
The situation also makes Gieslinger feel anxious, but he said he’s willing to take the risks of teaching in-person and hopes the community will do its part in lowering those risks for him and the students.
