The Marana Unified School District closed eight classrooms this month at Estes Elementary School due to COVID-19 outbreaks and exposures, the district said Tuesday.
“Two of these classes were closed due to outbreaks, and the other six were closed due to widespread exposures,” a district email stated about Estes, 11279 W. Grier Road.
The first classroom was closed Nov. 8, and the district said each class had a phased return to in-person teaching depending on the individual positive cases dates.
The district said the Pima County Health Department recommends closing a classroom when at least 10% of students in a single classroom test positive for COVID-19, as well as when case investigations strongly conclude that two or more positive infections were transmitted within the classroom.
In cases of widespread exposure, the announcement said, classrooms may be closed when a large majority of students are deemed close contacts to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19.
According to MUSD's coronavirus dashboard, there were 41 active infections at Estes Elementary as of Tuesday afternoon.
The total enrollment at Estes Elementary, according to information provided by MUSD, is about 524 students. It was not clear how many students were affected by the eight classroom closures.
