Over 200 Chaparral High School Families Told To Quarantine

SCOTTSDALE, AZ — Families with students at Chaparral High School have been asked to quarantine after nearly 20 students and staff members have tested positive for the coronavirus after attending in-person classes on campus.

The 219 families possibly exposed to the virus were sent a letter Monday from Scottsdale Unified School District Superintendent Scott Menzel. In it, he said 25 staff members and students in the district had reported receiving positive tests, the bulk of which came from Chaparral. It is not known which schools account for the other cases.

Menzel said the cluster of cases is due to behavior outside the classroom, however.

"While our students and staff are doing their part while at school, activity outside of school appears to be the reason for the increase in cases noted this past week," he wrote. "Many people traveled for fall break and groups of students who traveled together have become ill. Others participated in larger gatherings with friends (unmasked and not physically distanced), which also appears to have been an environment where the virus was passed to others."

A spokesperson for the Scottsdale Unified School District did not respond to a request for comment Tuesday. The district welcomed students back for in-person learning on Oct. 12.

Menzel went on to say that if schools are to remain open during the pandemic, it is up to parents to not send sick children to school, and to follow local mask and social distancing guidelines at home. Students are required to wear masks on campus.

A Chaparral varsity football player tested positive for the virus in early October and the entire team quarantined for 14 days.

Arizona is experiencing an uptick in coronavirus cases, along with over 30 other U.S. states. The state reported 1,040 new cases and seven confirmed deaths Tuesday.

The district's governing board will meet Tuesday at 5 p.m. to provide an update on the situation.