Log in

All Arizona schools closed to address recent outbreak of COVID-19, staffing shortages, governor says

School closures take effect March 16-27

Posted 3/14/20

Gov. Doug Ducey and Superintendent Kathy Hoffman on March 15 announced a statewide closure of Arizona schools from Monday, March 16 through Friday, March 27.

Gov. Ducey and Superintendent Hoffman …

You must be a member to read this story.

Join our family of readers for as little as $5 per month and support local, unbiased journalism.


Already have an account? Log in to continue.

Current print subscribers can create a free account by clicking here

Otherwise, follow the link below to join.

To Our Valued Readers –

Visitors to our website will be limited to five stories per month unless they opt to subscribe. The five stories do not include our exclusive content written by our journalists.

For $6.99, less than 20 cents a day, digital subscribers will receive unlimited access to YourValley.net, including exclusive content from our newsroom and access to our Daily Independent e-edition.

Our commitment to balanced, fair reporting and local coverage provides insight and perspective not found anywhere else.

Your financial commitment will help to preserve the kind of honest journalism produced by our reporters and editors. We trust you agree that independent journalism is an essential component of our democracy. Please click here to subscribe.

Sincerely,
Charlene Bisson, Publisher, Independent Newsmedia

Please log in to continue

Log in
I am anchor

All Arizona schools closed to address recent outbreak of COVID-19, staffing shortages, governor says

School closures take effect March 16-27

Posted

Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey and Superintendent Kathy Hoffman on March 15 announced a statewide closure of Arizona schools from Monday, March 16 through Friday, March 27, due to the recent outbreak of COVID-19.

Gov. Ducey and Superintendent Hoffman will work with education officials and public health officials to reassess the need for the school closures and provide further guidance through March 27, according to a release.

“Over the past few weeks and in coordination with public health officials, we have been in close communication with school administrators to provide guidance and be a resource as it relates to the recent outbreak of COVID-19,” Gov. Ducey said in the release. “As more schools announce closures and education administrators express staff shortages within their schools, now is the time to act. A statewide closure is the right thing to do. While this measure will not stop the spread of COVID-19, it will bring certainty and consistency in schools across Arizona.”

“The health and safety of all our students is our top priority, and we’ve worked hard to keep our school doors open --- schools provide important services and many families rely on them for nutrition, access to health care and in order to do their own jobs,” Superintendent Hoffman  said in the release. “I am in close contact with school superintendents, teachers, and parents and will continue working closely in partnership with schools to ensure that our families needs are met.”

The Governor’s Office and the Department of Education are working to implement directives to minimize the impact of the closure for Arizona kids during the closure, including access to healthcare and nutritional meals, and sanitary precautions schools can take upon reopening of schools, the release states. These directives include:

  • School administrators should make every effort to provide continued education learning opportunities through online resources or materials that can be sent home.
  • School administrators should develop a plan to continue breakfast and lunch services for Arizona students.
  • As demand rises on healthcare professionals and first responders, schools should expand child care programs currently available to ensure minimal disruption to these critical jobs as a result of the school closure.
  • When school resumes, school administrators should develop and implement precautions to ensure schools are a safe learning environment, including social distancing measures, regular intervals for administrators to wash and sanitize their hands, and guidance on how to properly and frequently sanitize election equipment and common surfaces.

Additionally, Gov. Ducey and Superintendent Hoffman are committed to working together to minimize the impact of these closures, the release states, including:

  • Working to ensure that any student who receives free and reduced-price meals will continue to be able to access those meals. The State is working with USDA to allow schools to begin summer food service operations and provide boxed meals as needed.
  • Educating parents on recommendations from public health officials for kids who are not at school to remain at home to the greatest extent possible. For families for whom that’s not an option, the State is coordinating with partners in the non-profit, faith-based and education communities to make available childcare options to families who need it.
  • Working together to make sure dedicated school employees don’t see any disruption to their pay, and consulting with school district and legislative partners to determine the extent of any potential makeup days.
  • Engaging federal partners to secure a waiver related to the statewide testing that provides flexibility for Arizona.
  • Engaging with our federal partners in the event that we need to secure a waiver related to statewide testing that provides flexibility and makes sense for Arizona.

Continued guidance will be provided to schools regularly by the Department of Education and at azed.gov. Go to azhealth.gov/COVID19 for continued updates, facts and to learn about the measures you can take to remain healthy, the release states.