Just a week after starting hybrid in-person learning, the Amphitheater School District has had three positive cases of COVID-19, with 28 people being told to quarantine, officials said.
The district, which began hybrid Oct. 12 and serves about 11,500 children, found out Monday that a student at Canyon del Oro High School tested had positive for the virus. Thirteen students, including the one who tested positive, were told to quarantine for 14 days because of possible exposure as identified by the Pima County Health Department, according to district spokeswoman Michelle Valenzuela.
This video offers some pros and cons of online education, as many schools and universities have suspended in-person classes due to the spread of the coronavirus.
No staff member was told to quarantine based on the health department’s determination that no employee was within 6 feet for 15 minutes or more of the student who tested positive, a measure for contact tracing and exposure, Valenzuela said.
A student also tested positive for coronavirus at Ironwood Ridge High School, which the district found out about Friday. The county health department determined that 13 students and one staff member needed to quarantine, including the student who tested positive.
On Wednesday, one staff member at Mesa Verde Elementary tested positive, but no one at the school was identified as being possibly exposed.
The class sizes are small, but students in the upper grades do move among classes, Valenzuela said. She says having cases is expected, and what’s important is how the district works to contain any spread.
“When you think about the percentage of cases, three out of however many thousand, including employees, is really, really small,” she said. “We can expect that everywhere we will have COVID cases, whether it’s school or business or home.”
Any areas where there was a person who tested positive were cleaned, Valenzuela says. When students are told to quarantine, they can still do remote learning from home.
The vast majority of Amphi’s families opted for their students to begin the in-person hybrid learning rather than remain fully virtual.
About 10,100 children are signed up to attend in person two days a week, although a number of those families are not yet sending their kids in person and chose that option so they could switch to hybrid when they are ready, Valenzuela says.
Photos: Back-to-school in Tucson during the pandemic
"Mustang Stampede"
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Maddy Jacobs, 7, middle, reaches for her remote learning tool kit from her teacher, Kris Green, as her friend, Carly Kupinski, 6, watches during a "Mustang Stampede" at Manzanita Elementary School for the first day of school on August 17, 2020.
First Day of School, John B. Wright Elementary
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Augusta Iranzi, center, attends his teachers online class while monitors Jasmine Phillip, left, and Nadifo Yusuf, watch students inside a classroom at John B. Wright Elementary School, 4311 E. Linden St., in Tucson, Ariz. on August 17, 2020. About 10 students came to school for online instruction under the guidance of classroom monitors.
"Mustang Stampede"
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Lily Baser, 8, identifies herself for easy remote learning tool kit pickup during a "Mustang Stampede" at Manzanita Elementary School for the first day of school on August 17, 2020.
"Mustang Stampede"
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Krista Westmoreland, left, a third grade teacher, shows the remote learning tool kit of a student to Anna Ames, music teacher, during the "Mustang Stampede" at Manzanita Elementary School for the first day of school on August 17, 2020.
"Mustang Stampede"
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Maya Brown, 9, rides in style for her remote learning tool kit pickup during a "Mustang Stampede" at Manzanita Elementary School for the first day of school on August 17, 2020.
"Mustang Stampede"
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Multiage teachers Kris Green left, and April Pollow greet and cheer on their students during a "Mustang Stampede" at Manzanita Elementary School for the first day of school on August 17, 2020.
"Mustang Stampede"
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Maddy Jacobs, 7, left, waves to her teacher as she stands in the sunroof with her friend, Carly Kupinski, 6, during a "Mustang Stampede" to pickup their remote learning tool kit at Manzanita Elementary School for the first day of school on August 17, 2020.
"Mustang Stampede"
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For the first day of school teachers at Manzanita Elementary School greeted their students during a "Mustang Stampede" and handed out remote learning tool kits on August 17, 2020.
"Mustang Stampede"
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Kim Boling, principal at Manzanita Elementary School, greets her students and parents with a mustang during the "Mustang Stampede" for the first day of school on August 17, 2020.
First Day of School, John B. Wright Elementary
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Yarani Martinez gives a monitor a thumbs up to inform the monitor that his online class is working after classes began at John B. Wright Elementary School, 4311 E. Linden St., in Tucson, Ariz. on August 17, 2020. About 10 students came to school for online instruction under the guidance of classroom monitors.
First Day of School, John B. Wright Elementary
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Alice Flores, right, watches as her grandson Jesus Silva is escorted to the cafeteria before classes began at John B. Wright Elementary School, 4311 E. Linden St., in Tucson, Ariz. on August 17, 2020. About 10 students came to school for online instruction under the guidance of classroom monitors.
First Day of School, John B. Wright Elementary
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Augusta Iranzi follows the directions on the floor while being escorted to a classroom at John B. Wright Elementary School, 4311 E. Linden St., in Tucson, Ariz. on August 17, 2020. About 10 students came to school for online instruction under the guidance of classroom monitors.
