MARANA, Ariz. (KGUN) — A COVID-19 outbreak has closed eight classrooms in Estes Elementary, the Marana Unified School District said Tuesday.
Beginning Nov. 8, eight classrooms were shut down—two of those classrooms were closed due to an outbreak and the remaining six were due to widespread exposure, according to a statement from MUSD.
For classroom closure due to an outbreak, the Pima County Health Department recommends to close a classroom following an investigation that shows the virus was transmitted within the classroom, not out-of-school.
As for classroom closure due to widespread exposures, a classroom may be closed when a large amount of students have likely come in contact with a positive case and require quarantining.
MUSD families were notified of the details on all classroom closures and when students can return to school.
The district says there are mitigation efforts underway, including canceling several in-person district and school events.
In efforts to help slow the spread of COVID-19, MUSD is advising the following:
- All individuals wear face mask or face covering
- Monitor the health of your student(s)and yourself
- Those who are eligible to get vaccinated
- Remind your student(s) of healthy habits
"I would like to see the mask mandate come back," Alexa Lewis, a MUSD parent, said. "I think it protects the teachers, the staff, the students. It makes me safe sending my kid to school knowing they did everything they could."
The school board's last meeting was on November 4, but Kathryn Mikronis, another MUSD parent, is asking for a special meeting.
"Do we need to discuss masks? Do we need discuss social distancing? Do we need to discuss what's happening in quarantine?," Mikronis said. "I don't know a single person that doesn't want kids in school."
The next meeting is scheduled for December 9.
Additionally, schools have been given the following guidance:
- Encourage physical distancing and leveraging outdoor spaces
- Encourage students to spread out during lunch and allow students to eat outdoors
- Large gatherings should limited and/or be held in outdoor spaces on your campus and/or break them into smaller gatherings
For more information about the district's response to COVID-19, click here.
