Update: The campuses will remain in the hybrid model through Dec. 18, and be virtual-only for a few days following the end of winter break on Jan. 4, 2021

On the morning of Sunday, Dec. 6, Sedona-Oak Creek School District Assistant Superintendent Deana DeWitt reported that three more people in the district had COVID-19, bringing the count to nine since Oct. 23.

“The most recent case was a student at Sedona Red Rock Jr/Sr High School who attended school on Thursday before receiving positive test results,” DeWitt wrote in a letter to district families. “I have personally communicated with all staff and students who were in close contact with this individual.

In the letter, DeWitt said that a total of 10 in the district had reported cases, but in an email to Sedona Red Rock News at 1 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 7, DeWitt admitted that the total number as of Dec. 3 should have actually been eight, however, she had just received word that another student was COVID-positive, the first at West Sedona School for preschool through sixth grade.

“This morning, however, we were notified of our first COVID-positive student at WSS (who was in attendance at school on Friday, 12/4/20).  I was over at that campus this morning overseeing the close contact tracing and communicating with staff and students affected in that case,” DeWitt wrote in the email. “The communication regarding this latest case and the correction to the number reported yesterday will go out this afternoon. There are now NINE (9) confirmed positive cases districtwide (8 at SRR and 1 at WSS).”

With a SOCSD governing board meeting set for 4 p.m. on Dec. 7 — scheduled a day earlier than normal — one of the action items is a 10 minute “discussion regarding the possibility of a return to virtual learning,” with DeWitt and Superintendent Dennis Dearden.

Since late August, district students have had the option to attend school in-person and adhere to the mask mandate and other district safety guidelines, or attend virtually.

On Dec. 3, Mingus Union High School District Governing Board voted to close the high school in-person and go virtually only until after winter break the week of Jan. 4.

“COVID-19 cases among our staff have increased this week, even as we work in a remote instructional environment,” MUHSD Superintendent Mike Westcott wrote Dec. 3. “Our district currently has five active positive cases among staff and seven active student cases, with 59 staff and students currently under quarantine. Such an absentee rate in an in-person learning environment would be very difficult to staff properly.”

Camp Verde Unified School District, which has had over 40 cases of COVID between its schools, also announced that it would be going virtual-only on Dec. 3, even though they had committed as recently as Nov. 19 to stay open. However, the virus has been spreading drastically among the schools’ staff, and one cafeteria worker recently died.

The rest of the SOCSD letter goes on to explain health and safety tips.

“At our campuses, we will continue to adhere to mitigation strategies that have kept COVID-19 from spread at our schools: wearing masks, physically distancing whenever possible, and hand washing/sanitizing frequently.  It is important that we all follow these safeguards at home and out in the community to reduce the spread outside of school as well.

“As always, please keep your children home if they have any symptoms of illness.  If COVID testing is performed, stay home until results are received, and follow all guidelines for quarantine if you or your child has been in close contact with somebody who has tested positive for COVID-19 — even if you have no symptoms.”

The SOCSD decision will be posted ASAP after the meeting.