TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Catalina Foothills Unified School District is bucking the trend of remote learning during the spring semester and is allowing students on campuses.
Several other Southern Arizona school districts, including TUSD and Marana, have shifted to full-time remote learning to start the semester
A district spokeswoman released this statement:
Our decision is based on the belief that keeping classrooms open safely is fundamental to our students’ long-term well-being and their overall academic engagement.
The Arizona Department of Health Services has always advised school districts to consult with local public health officials. And, in their December communication to superintendents, the Pima County Health Department made it clear that it supports each school district’s decision based on its local COVID case experience, even with the current rate of community spread.
Looking at our data, we have good reason to believe we can remain open while staying safe. Since returning to an in-person learning option on October 26, the number of cases in CFSD is very low. This tells us that the layered mitigation strategies in our schools are working. This success is a credit to the heroic efforts of our teachers, together with the responsible decision-making of the entire CFSD community.
Our experience reflects what the PCHD, the Centers for Disease Control, and Dr. Fauci have all reported: that schools largely haven't been the drivers of community spread of the virus.
In October, families of 2,990 students in the district chose the in-person learning option, while 2,049 students went with remote learning. Numbers for the new semester were not yet available.
