Litchfield Elementary School District has reported 22 positive cases of COVID-19, and 114 cases of COVID exposure during the first week of in-person classes.

More than 10,000 students across 16 elementary and middle school campuses returned to in-person classes on Aug. 2. The district does not record COVID data for its online school, the Digital Learning Academy, which enrolls about 300 students.  

 The district operates schools in Litchfield Park, Goodyear, Avondale and Buckeye. 

The data provided reflects the total number of positive COVID cases from students and staff reported since the first day of school.

The number of active quarantine cases reflect the number of students and staff exposed to a COVID-positive person since Aug. 2.

The data’s accuracy relies on reporting from staff and students, and the district stated on its website that it is “not liable for lack of information we have not received or been able to verify.”

Click the colored pins on  the map below to see COVID case details by campus. Elementary schools are  colored orange, middle schools are colored red and other locations are colored purple.

Cases by elementary school campus:

• Litchfield Elementary School: 4 total cases reported; 21 active quarantine cases
• Mabel Padgett Elementary: 3 total cases reported; 1 active quarantine cases
• Verrado Elementary: 2 total cases reported; 9 active quarantine cases
• Verrado Heritage Elementary: 2 total cases reported; 8 active quarantine cases
• Belen Soto Elementary: 1 total case reported; 6 active quarantine cases
• Dreaming Summit Elementary: 1 total case reported; 5 active quarantine cases
• Rancho Santa Fe Elementary: 1 total case reported; 1 active quarantine case
• White Tanks Learning Center: 0 total cases reported; 9 active quarantine cases
• Palm Valley Elementary: 0 total cases reported; 7 active quarantine cases
• Corte Sierra Elementary: 0 total cases reported; 5 active quarantine cases
• Barbara B. Robey Elementary: 0 total cases reported; 3 active quarantine cases

*Note: White Tanks Learning Center enrolls students from kindergarten through eighth grade

Cases by middle school campus:

• Wigwam Creek Middle School: 3 total cases reported; 29 active quarantine cases
• L. Thomas Heck Middle School: 1 total case reported; 4 active quarantine cases
• Verrado Middle School: 0 total cases reported; 3 active quarantine cases
• Western Sky Middle School: 0 total cases reported; 0 active quarantine cases

Students and staff who test positive for COVID-19, are “excluded from participation in any in-person/on-campus activity until the isolation period and guidelines are met,” according to the district.

Positive cases are immediately reported to the Maricopa County Department of Public Health, and those who have been in close contact are sent a non-identifying letter.

“Close contact” is defined by the district as being within six feet of a COVID-positive person for 15 minutes or longer.

Those who were determined to be in close contact may be required to quarantine, and a negative COVID test will not allow them to return to campus sooner, according to the district website.

The community transmission level in the elementary and middle school district is considered high, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services. There are nearly 263 positive cases per 100,000 people—a 21.28% percent positivity rate, as of Aug. 5.

The district reports COVID-19 cases on a dashboard on the district website, which is updated every week. The site states that data is updated every Friday at 3 p.m. The data was not updated on Friday, Aug. 6, and the dashboard disappeared over the weekend. Updated data appeared on the site Monday morning.

Click here to access the district’s COVID-19 dashboard.