A number of schools or districts may be returning to distance learning, or at least considering whether they should prepare to do so, as COVID-19 cases are on the rise around Arizona. In Maricopa County, 15 school districts have one or two benchmarks in substantial spread levels, according to the county's health department schools dashboard.
“If a school district or other defined school area (e.g., charters) has one or more benchmarks in the Substantial category for two or more weeks, schools should consult with Maricopa County Department of Public Health to determine whether to prepare to transition back to virtual learning with onsite support services,” the department says on its website.
Those districts include:
- Agua Fria Union High School District
- Avondale Elementary School District
- Fowler Elementary School District
- Gilbert Unified School District
- Higley Unified School District
- Laveen Elementary School District
- Litchfield Elementary School District
- Littleton Elementary School District
- Palo Verde Elementary School District
- Riverside Elementary School District
- Tolleson Elementary School District
- Tolleson Union School District
- Union Elementary School District
- Queen Creek Unified School District
Some of these school districts such as Fowler and Wilson have stayed or recently returned to distance learning. The Tolleson Elementary district had begun in person learning on Oct. 19. The district will decide what to do next week, Tolleson Elementary Superintendent Lupita Hightower said in a Thursday statement.
The Littleton district announced Friday that starting Monday, Nov. 9, all students will transition back to full-time distance learning until further notice.
“While we understand this may be frustrating news, know that we remain committed to providing a quality education for our students while doing so in a safe environment for both students and staff,” said Superintendent Roger Freeman. “Going to school should never potentially become a super-spreader event.”
The Avondale district will keep offering in-person instruction, Superintendent Betsy Hargrove said in a statement to KJZZ.
“MCDPH assures us that our mitigation strategies have been successful since we welcomed students back a month ago,” Hargrove said.
In-person learning also remains in place at the Queen Creek district in the East Valley at this time.
“Our students and staff continue to follow our mitigation plan,” said a district spokeswoman Stephanie Ingersoll. “However, families can still enroll in our online option through the Queen Creek Virtual Academy.”
Outside Of Maricopa
In Pinal County, the Apache Junction Unified School District has taken its local health officials recommendation to temporarily suspend in-person classes at Apache Junction High School until Monday, Nov. 23. The school has 11 active cases, according to the district’s COVID-19 dashboard.
“I know this isn’t easy and I know this isn’t what any of us want to do or what any of one want to hear,” said the school’s principal Chris Lineberry. “That being said, safety of students and staff is our number one priority.”
In Cochise County, public health officials made a similar recommendation earlier this week to the Willcox Unified School District due to a COVID-19 outbreak at Willcox High School.
The Arizona Department of Health Services defines an outbreak as two, unrelated or connected, COVID-19 cases at a school within a two-week period.
The Willcox district’s governing board voted not to close the school.
“While the decision was difficult as student health and safety is our primary responsibility, the board felt student health was better serving by keeping students in school,” the district said in a statement to KJZZ.
