K-5th Grade Reentry Plan FAQs

elementary students learning at desks

The health and safety of our students, staff, and families are paramount. Schools will be structured to minimize interactions outside of the classroom as much as possible. Because of the unique population, floor plans, and building layout of our schools, each school-specific operation may look slightly different. The following FAQs are based on current guidance from public health officials and state agencies.

What should I do before sending my child to school each morning?

Parents/guardians should conduct a wellness screening each morning before sending their child to school. Students MAY NOT come to school if they or a member of their household exhibits 1 or more symptoms of illness.

  • Families are recommended to take temperatures daily before going to school. Anyone with a fever of 100.0° F or higher must remain at home.
  • Students and adults are recommended to self-screen for respiratory symptoms such as cough and shortness of breath prior to coming to school each day. Students and adults experiencing those symptoms may not attend school.
  • Personal illness, quarantine, and COVID-19 illness or symptom-related absences will be excused if clearly communicated to school attendance.
Is my child required to wear a mask?

Students and staff members are required to wear face coverings.

  • Students must utilize face coverings:
    • While in the classroom
    • While waiting to enter campus
    • While on school grounds (except when eating or drinking)
    • While leaving school
    • While on the bus
  • Teachers will work with elementary students to promote the wearing of face coverings and provide social distancing opportunities for limited breaks as needed.
  • Personal face coverings must be school-appropriate. 
What is being done to ensure appropriate social distancing at school?

Social distancing will limit the spread of the virus. Elementary schools will adhere to the following strategies to maintain social distancing as much as possible:

  • Classroom space will be arranged to remove non-essential furniture, allowing maximum space for students and staff.
  • Assigned seating will be implemented in the classroom. 
  • Routes will be designated for entry and exit to lunch, recess, and other transition times, as feasible.
  • Classroom cohorts will be utilized to minimize the interaction of students with larger populations of students.
  • Intermixing through small group activities will be limited where practical.
  • Cafeterias are arranged to maximize spacing and students facing in a single direction where possible. 
  • Schools will develop recess schedules that limit the number of students, usually by classroom, on the playground or within a specific area of the playground.
  • Arrival and dismissal procedures will be in place at schools to minimize student interaction.
Are visitors allowed on campus?

During regular school hours, school sites will restrict nonessential visitors, volunteers, and activities involving other groups. Parents/guardians will have limited access to the school campus.

Will bus transportation be provided to eligible students?
Bus transportation will be available to eligible students. Parents may check available routes on the SUSD website.

  • All students will have assigned seats on the bus.
  • Increased circulation of outdoor air into the vehicle will be practiced to the extent possible.
  • Vehicles will be cleaned and disinfected between each route and at the end of the day.
  • Students & drivers will be required to wear face masks.
  • Students will practice social distancing to the best extent possible.
  • The first seat behind and to the right of the driver will be empty.
  • Should a student become ill while in transit, they will be isolated in a single seat until arrival at school.
How will support services be provided to eligible students?

Push-in services will be utilized for Special Education, English Learners (EL) Services, Gifted Education, and Reading labs.  The general education teacher, special education teacher, and others work collaboratively to provide instructional support, differentiated instruction, and/or related services in the general education classroom. Specialists work closely with eligible students in the general education classroom.

Speech specialists will pull eligible students from the same classroom for small group services. OT/PT will provide services outside only weather permitting

Will after school activities be available for K-5th grade students?

At this time, there will be no after school activities for students in grades K-5th only.

What procedures has SUSD implemented to clean and sanitize schools?

Schools are disinfected multiple times during the daytime hours rather than in the evening as has been the practice for many years. The District has also made a significant investment in cleaning supplies for campuses and other SUSD#30 facilities.  The following is an abbreviated cleaning and disinfecting schedule. A more comprehensive cleaning schedule is available on the SUSD website.

All buildings
  • Nightly rigorous clean and disinfect
  • Nightly Electrostatic Sanitizing Sprayer 
Classrooms, gyms, libraries Disinfect high touch surfaces multiple times during school hours
Restrooms Every 2 hours clean and disinfect
Building entry handles & light switches, main office area high touch surfaces, health offices  Every 2 hours clean and disinfect
Playground
  • End of day disinfect touch surfaces on equipment
  • Disinfect high touch surfaces multiple times during school hours
Cafeteria & outdoor patio area
  • End of day rigorous clean and disinfect
  • After breakfast and between lunches clean and disinfect
Buses
  • End of day rigorous clean and disinfect
  • Every 2 hours clean and disinfect
What should I do if my child is EXPOSED to someone with COVID-19?

Exposure is defined as being within 6 feet of a contagious person for 15
minutes or longer within 24 hours, physical contact, such as hugging, with a contagious person, or living in the same household as a contagious person.

  • First, please notify the school health office immediately if your child has been exposed to a person with a confirmed case of COVID-19.
  • If a student is asymptomatic, they will quarantine for 10 days from the last date of exposure to the positive individual (usually 20 days for household exposures).
  • Continue to check temperature and monitor for symptoms (fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, a new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, diarrhea)
  • If the student becomes symptomatic during the 10 days, we highly recommend the individual seek medical care and/or get tested for COVID-19.
What should I do if my child or a member of my household is diagnosed with COVID-19?
  • Please notify the school health office immediately if someone in your family has a positive case of COVID-19.
  • If you are awaiting test results, please keep your family home from school.
  • The District Contact Tracing Team will notify local health authorities of a diagnosis of COVID-19, as required. The Pima County Health Department will likely reach out for additional information. 
  • The District Contact Tracing Team will alert only those who may be affected while maintaining privacy and confidentiality required by HIPAA laws.
  • If a student or staff member tests positive and are ASYMPTOMATIC at the time of the test he/she must isolate for 10 days with day one beginning the day of the positive test.
  • If a student or staff member tests positive and is SYMPTOMATIC, they must isolate for 10 days with day one beginning the first day of symptoms.
  • Quarantine is required of siblings and family members living in the household with the affected student for 10 days, with return dependent upon meeting the requirements for return.
  • Quarantine is required of those determined by contact tracing who were in close contact with the student, less than six feet, for longer than 15 minutes.

Please note: If a household member tests positive for COVID, those who live in the same household must stay home for the sick individual’s 10-day Isolation, PLUS an additional 10-day quarantine.  This means that the quarantine period for those in the household with someone confirmed to have COVID will be home for 20 days from the onset of illness.

District Contact Tracing Team will initially assign a “reduced 10-day quarantine” to all staff and students, but if the individual develops ANY symptoms of COVID-19, they must complete a full 14-day quarantine and meet the parameters as outlined below.

COVID-19 EXPOSED FULL 14 DAY QUARANTINE

    • 14 Days have passed since date of last exposure, AND
    • 24 Hours fever free without the use of fever reducing medications, AND
    • 24 Hours vomiting and diarrhea free without the use of vomit/diarrhea suppressing medications, AND
    • All other symptoms have improved
When can my child return to campus after exposure to a positive COVID-19 individual?

School health assistants will reach out to determine eligibility for return to campus.

Individuals with CONFIRMED COVID-19 OR CLOSE CONTACT EXPOSURE to a person with COVID-19 will be assigned home Isolation/Quarantine by the district contact tracing team.

  • Students MAY NOT return to school until they are cleared to return by the district contact tracing team.
  • Sick individuals who have NOT been diagnosed with COVID-19, and all household members ARE NOT PERMITTED ON CAMPUS until:
    • 10 Days have passed since the onset of symptoms, AND
    • 24 Hours fever free without the use of fever reducing medications, AND
    • 24 Hours vomiting and diarrhea free without the use of vomit/diarrhea suppressing medications, AND
    • All other symptoms have improved.
  • Individuals who have not been diagnosed with COVID-19 or exposed to a confirmed case of COVID-19 and who wish to return PRIOR to the 10 days must be free of symptoms as outlined above, AND:
    • Submit a copy of a current NEGATIVE COVID-19 laboratory test report for the sick individual, OR
    • Submit current medical documentation of an alternate diagnosis for the sick individual