ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥'s largest school district shut down an elementary campus on Tuesday — the second day of schools being open to students — after two staff members tested positive for COVID-19.
The closure, confirmed a day later on Wednesday, Aug. 19, comes after ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ schools were required to provide on-site care for at-risk students by Gov. Doug Ducey. That service began Monday, Aug. 17.Â
At the same time, a number of ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥-area schools, both public and private, have resumed traditional in-person learning.Â
Some local schools have reported positive cases to Pima County, said county spokesman Mark Evans. While the Pima County Health Department will notify the public if there is an outbreak in a district, it will not release the names of schools or when individual cases are reported, he said.
A classroom outbreak is defined as two or more cases at a school facility within 14 days that are not epidemiologically related, meaning there is no homebound contact. The cases are either linked from contact at the school or there is no known link, says Brian Eller, schools liaison with the Pima County Health Department.
People are also reading…
The local health department is hoping to have guidance from the ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Department of Health Services by Friday on what constitutes a school outbreak, which would also dictate when to close a school, Eller said.
The ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Unified School District is offering remote learning for all of its students and allowing educators to work from home, but it opened select sites on Monday, Aug. 17, per the governor's order to serve at-risk children.
The west-side school, at 1000 S. Greasewood Road, was expecting some children to show up on Monday, but none did, said district spokeswoman Leslie Lenhart.
The two Tolson staff members, who worked together, stopped coming in to the school last week when they began feeling ill, Lenhart said. They took COVID-19 tests and got the positive results on Monday. They had been working in close proximity to six other staff.
All eight people, none who are teachers, are quarantining and working from home for the next 14 days. The other staff at the school, which includes four teachers and one social worker, were notified of the positive cases but were not in close contact with the people who were infected.
The infected staff are currently showing minimal coronavirus symptoms, Lenhart said.
TUSD Governing Board President Kristel Foster visited 16 TUSD schools on Monday and Tuesday. She said there were sick children in isolation rooms waiting to get picked up at two of the campuses. It's not known whether the children had coronavirus, only that they were not feeling well.Â
Local and state health departments recommend isolating children who have symptoms that could be coronavirus-related until the students can safely leave campus.
TUSD’s safety protocols, which have been in place on all campuses, include daily health assessments, face coverings, frequent hand washing and sanitizing, following physical distancing guidelines and other measures.
On Monday, the first day open to in-person services, there were 586 students on select TUSD campuses.
The district is working with each school on an individual basis, but they are prepared for the possibility of more COVID-19 positive cases, Lenhart said.
The ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ emailed Pima County’s nine major school districts Wednesday afternoon asking about COVID-19 cases in schools. Vail, Amphitheater and Tanque Verde did not immediately respond.
ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥â€™s second largest school district Sunnyside hasn’t had any confirmed cases of COVID-19 since students came back, but they had 31 positive cases since June 1 in school office personnel, custodians, transportation, maintenance and staff at the central office. None of those cases required the district to close a school or department, following local health department guidelines, spokeswoman Marisela Felix said.
Marana, Catalina Foothills and Flowing Wells school districts have not had confirmed cases since students returned to school. But Flowing Wells and Sahuarita both had cases over the summer, which did not require them to close any sites.
Amphitheater shut down Wilson K-8 School for one day on July 23 after reports of a COVID-19 positive case or possible exposure, spokeswoman Michelle Valenzuela previously told the Star.
More cases popping up is exactly what schools have feared, says Pima County Schools Superintendent Dustin Williams.
“This was the exact fear that we were concerned about,†he said. “We saw this coming. The writing was on the wall.â€
Photos: Back-to-school in ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ during the pandemic
"Mustang Stampede"

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.Â
First Day of School, John B. Wright Elementary

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 ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz. on August 17, 2020. About 10 students came to school for online instruction under the guidance of classroom monitors.
"Mustang Stampede"

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.Â
"Mustang Stampede"

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.Â
"Mustang Stampede"

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.Â
"Mustang Stampede"

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.Â
"Mustang Stampede"

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.Â
"Mustang Stampede"

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.Â
"Mustang Stampede"

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.Â
First Day of School, John B. Wright Elementary

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 ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, 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

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 ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, 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

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 ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz. on August 17, 2020. About 10 students came to school for online instruction under the guidance of classroom monitors.
Do you know the five mountain ranges surrounding the Old Pueblo?