SAN TAN VALLEY, Ariz. — San Tan Foothills High School in San Tan Valley will be closed until at least Oct. 21 after a cluster of COVID-19 cases were found at the school, the Pinal County health department announced Sunday.
The health department identified a cluster, defined by the state as two cases not from the same home, at the school last week.
New cases were identified on Friday and the school will be shut down for the next two weeks, the health department said, if no new cases are found during contract tracing and student quarantine.
"The county health department decided to basically shut us down," said Florence Unified School District Superintendent Chris Knutsen in a phone call Sunday night.
"Our board voted to put all decisions in regards to school closure in the hands of the county health department. We’re going to comply, of course, we have to. So that’s what we’re doing."
The last student exposure at school was Wednesday, Oct. 8, the department said. The closure is set to remain in place until Oct. 21, and could extend if there are more cases discovered at the school.
Knutsen said Monday that three teachers and two students have tested positive.
It is not the first cluster at an Arizona school. Cactus Shadows High School in Scottsdale had 100 students quarantined as of last week.
The San Tan Foothills High School's Facebook page released a statement on the closure:
"Please be advised that an email was sent last evening from the District to inform San Tan Foothills families of a temporary school closure of the campus. All students will transition to the Distance Learning platform until we resume school in person. Thank you for your understanding as we navigate this fluid situation together."
Knutsen says the district will have crews starting to clean the school Monday. At this point, he says San Tan Foothills High School is the only school raising red flags.
"Most of our teachers and students are wearing masks so I’m not concerned about any other schools," he said.
San Tan Foothills High School's notice of closure is below.
