Tucson Unified School District confirmed in a press conference Thursday that four of its educators recently died from COVID-19, marking the sixth COVID-19-related death the district has experienced since spring break.
Superintendent Gabriel Trujillo described last week as one of his hardest as the leader of Tucson’s largest school district.
“These were employees that left lasting contributions through their services to their respective schools, the relationships that they had with kids and parents and I think that’s what made it such a difficult week," Trujillo said.
The employees did not contract the virus on district property, he said.
One of the employees included longtime Tucson High social studies teacher and boys soccer coach Ismael Arce.
“He will leave a legacy of leadership, a legacy of love for the sport, love for young people that we will hang out and that we will hang on to and that I think will live on in the Tucson High community," Trujillo said of Arce.
The district has also lost a former governing board member, Michael Hicks, and a longtime elementary school teacher, James Tallmadge, to the virus.
The district is planning a memorial to honor these six individuals at its Feb. 9 governing board meeting. The district, which has been conducting remote classes since the beginning of the pandemic, also plans to discuss a return to in-person instruction and potential start dates at the meeting, Trujillo said.
