As we welcome you back from spring break, Chandler Unified School District remains committed to meeting the COVID challenge by maintaining our commitment to promoting health and safety within our community by following data and best practices. Please click here to review our mitigation protocols as they have been recently updated to reflect current data and public health recommendations.

Thank you for your support of Chandler schools, and we look forward to a safe and successful fourth quarter. 

As we welcome you back from winter break, Chandler Unified School District is committed to meeting the COVID challenge by maintaining our commitment to promoting health and safety within our community by following data and best practices. We must factor in the reality that COVID-19 and the variants will continue to impact our schools. Each day that passes brings new knowledge and public health recommendations.  Please familiarize yourselves with the following strategies:

1. Masks strongly recommended.
2. Wash hands frequently with soap and water or use hand sanitizer.
3. Avoid touching hands to nose and mouth.
4. Stay home if you are showing COVID-related symptoms.
5. Vaccinations are available for ages 5 and older.
6. Socially distance from others when feasible.
7. If your child tests positive for COVID, please contact your school.
8. Free testing is available (C.U.S.D. Student Service building located at 200 S. Hamilton Street, Chandler 85225 every Monday from 1 pm - 4 pm and Thursdays 9 am - 12 pm.)
9. We will follow the established protocols set for additional mitigation strategies when a site meets the established threshold increased cases.

Quarantine practices following a close-contact exposure have been updated based on recent changes in recommendations. These practices are listed below:

• Unvaccinated-non-symptomatic student is required to quarantine at home for 10 days. 
  • Exceptions to reduce an at-home quarantine:
    • Student is required to wear a mask in school for 10 days or
    • Student is required to wear a mask in school for 5 days and provide the school a negative COVID test following day 5. With a negative test, a mask will no longer be required but strongly recommended.
• Vaccinated-non-symptomatic student may continue to attend school. Student will be considered unvaccinated unless proof of vaccine is provided to the school. Masks are strongly recommended during the 10-day period.
• Any student exhibiting symptoms is required to stay home for at least 24 hours and follow the exclusion guidelines.
• Vaccinated and unvaccinated student with a positive COVID test is required to isolate at home for a minimum of 10 days.
  • Exception to reduce an at-home isolation:
    • Student is required to isolate themselves for 5 days at home.
    • Student may return to school after 5 days with the following:
      • Student is not exhibiting any symptoms after day 5 and has been fever free for over 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication.
      • Student is required to wear a mask for the remaining 5-day period.

We are confident in the protocols we have in place as we know that students learn best when they are in school. For additional mitigation information, please visit our website at cusd80.com. Further updates will be communicated directly to our families. 

Dear parents and guardians,

CUSD families have inquired about vaccine options for their children ages 5-11. The FDA and CDC have expanded authorization for the use of Pfizer vaccine making it now available to anyone 5 and up.

Albertsons Pharmacy will provide the second optional vaccine clinic for the for this age group on Saturday, 12/11/2021 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. (by appointment only) at the Chandler CARE Center, 777 E. Galveston Rd. Chandler, AZ 85225.  This clinic is primarily for children who received the first dose at the clinic on 11/20, however a limited number of spots will be available for families that would like to get the first dose for their children. Families receiving the first dose during this event will need to schedule the second dose through their primary provider, another local event, or a pharmacy in 21 days.

Register on the link below. The vaccine will be given to those who have registered, no walk-ups will be accepted. Important reminder: If your child has already received the first dose, please bring the child’s CDC vaccine card with you to the appointment. Another card cannot be given out for the second dose per Maricopa County rules.

• Please register online here
• Click here for: Consent form (English) | Formulario de consentimiento (español)

Children will need a parent/guardian present at the event, and masks will be required.

NOTE: Moderna and Johnson and Johnson vaccines are only authorized for use in people 18 and older. Children ages 5-17 can only receive the Pfizer vaccine

Quarantining of students is required by the Maricopa County Department of Public Health (MCDPH) as a necessary mitigation for students who have close contact with an individual who has a confirmed case of COVID-19.  We established our initial mitigation strategies in May which provided a phased-in approach to quarantine: As thresholds were met, increased mitigation strategies at those specific sites would include quarantine and isolation.  The plan was reviewed by committees, presented to the Governing Board, and communicated out to the public.   

Recently, however, Chandler Unified School District was one of several school districts and charters informed by Maricopa County Department of Public Health that they were “not in alignment with public health quarantine practices.”  They stated, “in Arizona, local public health jurisdictions have the delegated authority to determine which contacts of a COVID-19 case must quarantine.” Maricopa County Department of Public Health has the authority to implement a process for students to return after the quarantine or isolation period.  Public schools and charters do not have the ability to establish and implement their own quarantine procedures.  We met with MCDPH to seek further clarification on quarantines, and they also provided CUSD with a close contact letter which must be distributed for affected students. 

We understand that quarantine time periods and practices are frustrating and apologize for the hardship on families when it comes to childcare. Further questions and concerns regarding quarantining requirements should be addressed to Maricopa County Department of Public Health. They can be reached at 602-506-6767 or at www.maricopa.gov/Covid19.

Instruction for Students in Quarantine

PreK-12 quarantined students need instruction to be successful, and our schools are transitioning to assist. Students who are notified they were in close contact and need to quarantine will be provided opportunities to connect to instruction using interim connection guidelines. Chandler Unified will be connecting impacted students to learning in the following ways:

• Early Childhood – phone and email connections
• Elementary General Education – Google Classroom assignments and/or activities, Google Meet opportunities or pre-recorded lessons
• Elementary Special Areas – Google Classroom assignments and/or activities.
• Secondary Core and Electives – Google Classroom assignments and/or activities, Google Meet opportunities or pre-recorded lessons
• K-12 Resource, related service providers and English Language Development – Google Meet opportunities as deemed appropriate by service provider to meet the student’s unique needs.

Additional information will be provided to students who are quarantined. We are committed to providing support to students.

Dear CUSD Families and Staff,

We are writing to inform you that the Maricopa County Department of Public Health has notified local school districts that they have the delegated authority to determine which contacts must be quarantined. This is outlined in the Arizona Revised Statutes Title 36, Chapter 6, Article 2 (36-624) and Arizona Administrative Code (R9-6-361)

Maricopa County Department of Public Health continues to follow CDC and Arizona Department of Public Health Services guidelines which defines close contact of a COVID-19 case as being any person within 6 feet for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more during a 24-hour period, regardless of whether masks were worn. Effective Wednesday, August 25, 2021 students who have close contact with an individual who has a confirmed case of COVID-19 and who are not fully vaccinated or have not tested positive for COVID-19 in the last 90 days are to quarantine (stay home) for up to 10 days, per county mandate.

Students may shorten the duration of a quarantine in three ways:

1. Quarantine may end after 7 days if no symptoms have occurred and a documented negative result has been provided to the school. If choosing to return after seven days, the test sample must have been collected at least five days after exposure.
2. If your child has been fully vaccinated and you voluntarily submit proof to the school.  If 14 days have passed since your second dose in a two-dose series (or two weeks after a single dose vaccine), you do not have to quarantine.
3. If your child previously tested positive for COVID-19 by PCR or antigen test, recovered and then completed his/her isolation period in the last 90 days.

As a safety measure please keep your child home if ill or shows Covid-19 symptoms. We continue to highly recommend face coverings as an additional layer of mitigation. For updates and continuous information, click here to view our mitigation plan in its entirety.

Thank you for your continued support.

Here are the results of tonight's special board meeting:  Five options were presented, and our current mitigation strategies will continue.  Click here to view our current COVID-19 mitigation strategies.  Wearing of masks by students and staff is strongly recommended. 

To CUSD families,

Please help us in reducing the spread of COVID-19/Delta variant by discussing effective hand washing and sanitizing with your child and keeping your child home when they are ill. Although we cannot mandate mask wearing, students and staff are strongly encouraged to use face coverings to help prevent the spread at school.

We continue to focus and refine our COVID-19 mitigation strategies at all schools. As cases increase in our community, we have made adjustments to our mitigation strategies.  Here are the modifications we have made after two weeks of school:

• Reinforcement of social distancing among students and staff -  3 feet or more where feasible.
• Enforcing directional flow of students.
• Recommending that large group gatherings be held outdoors if unable to meet social distancing of 3 feet or more.
• Capacity for athletic events is currently under review.
• All field trips will require mitigation strategies.
• Volunteer access is limited to non-student space only.

Increased mitigation strategies will be applied as confirmed school cases meet the following thresholds, 2% for elementary, 1.5% for junior high and 1% for high schools.  The recommended mitigation enhancements are linked here under the column "Increase in COVID Cases."   We will continue to monitor confirmed cases and make adjustments at the district and site level.

Dear CUSD Families,

Recently, the Maricopa County Department of Public Health Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently announced revised COVID-19 mitigation recommendations for grades K-12. Here is a link to the CDC recommended guidelines in schools.

Chandler Unified School District’s Reopening Plan can be found here.  Please note that increased mitigation strategies will be implemented at a CUSD school site when both the Maricopa County COVID-19 dashboard map is red (indicating "High Community Spread") and CUSD site data indicates high spread on a campus at these thresholds:

• Elementary – 2 percent positive active cases
• Junior High – 1.5 percent positive active cases
• High School – 1 percent positive active cases

CUSD continues to update confirmed cases every Tuesday.

Although Arizona State Statute does not permit school districts or charter schools to mandate mask wearing among school-age children, county, state and federal health agencies strongly recommend the wearing of face masks to help reduce the transmission of COVID-19 and/or variants of COVID-19.

We will continue to communicate out any changes as they occur.

Chandler Unified School District Administration

Dear Chandler Unified School Community,

It is my pleasure to welcome you to the start of the 2021-2022 school year and officially introduce myself to the greater community.    I consider it a true privilege to have been appointed your Interim Superintendent of Schools and an honor to serve our students, staff and families.    As an educator of 39 years with 25 of those years right here in C.U.S.D. ,  I value decisions that are student-centered and focus on meeting the individual needs of our students.  

Chandler Unified School District has a tradition of 100 plus years of academic excellence and offers a variety of opportunities for our students beyond the four walls of the classroom.  I am committed to building upon our successes, to ensure that each student is connected with opportunities to engage in a rigorous and appropriate course of study, while exploring their interests and developing a passion for learning.

In addition to the high quality instructional program, please know that student and staff safety is a priority.   The past school year was challenging.  It was no small task to maneuver through an unprecedented global health crisis, but we did and, I believe, we came out stronger.  You can find our Opening School COVID Plan on our website here.

As always, you are a vital part of your child’s success.  Please keep communication with our schools and staff open.  I am confident that our school administration and staff will be able to assist you or connect you with indivdials within our organization that can help.  CUSD students, staff, and schools are consistently honored as among the best at regional, state, and national levels.  We will prioritize strategies and resources to address unfinished learning, utilize assessment data to guide instruction, and provide intervention for students who require additional supports at the point of discovery.  As we keep personalized student learning at the center of what we do, we will create successful pathways for all.  Our students deserve our best!   Together… We are Chandler Unified School District. 

Best wishes for a great school year!

Franklin R. Narducci

Dear CUSD Parents and Guardians, 

The health and safety of our students and staff are a top priority for the Chandler Unified School District. Thank you for your support and understanding as we have responded to the unexpected changes that have impacted our community due to COVID-19. 

CUSD has revised our opening mitigation plan to reflect updated quarantine protocols in light of recent guidance from Governor Ducey’s office citing Laws 2021, Chapter 404, Sec. 12, which states, "A school district or charter school may not require a student or teacher to receive a vaccine for covid-19 or to wear a face covering to participate in in-person learning."  Please review the reopening plan here.

This year we ask for your continued support to help protect your family and others from COVID-19 by practicing and promoting everyday healthy habits. Parents are responsible for determining their child’s health status before arriving at school and for keeping their child at home should they present symptoms of any kind. Use the checklist below to plan and prepare for returning to the 2021-2022 school year.
 

Daily Health Screening:  

You are responsible for ensuring that your child is not exhibiting any of the following symptoms of COVID-19 PRIOR to coming to school and keeping them home if they do:

• Fever of 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit or higher
• Chills
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing.
• Muscle or body aches
• Headache
• New loss of taste or smell
• Sore throat
• Congestion or runny nose
• Nausea or vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Any other symptom of illness, whether or not you believe it’s related to COVID-19
• Has your child recently been in close contact with anyone who has exhibited any of the above symptoms? 
• Has your child recently been in close contact with anyone who has tested positive for COVID-19? 

While the District understands that many of these symptoms can also be due to non-COVID-19-related issues, we must continue to proceed with an abundance of caution during this time.
 

Need to Know: 

• Seek medical advice by first calling your health care provider.
   
• Although CUSD is taking many steps to protect your child from the spread of COVID-19, it is impossible to reduce the risk to zero.
   
• Practice and reinforce good prevention habits with your family:
  • Avoid close contact with people who are sick. 
  • Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash. 
  • Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing. If soap and water are not readily available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. 
     

If your child is sick, or needs to leave school:

• If your child is sick with any illness, keep them home from school and notify the school of your child’s absence.
   
• If you are contacted by the school regarding your sick child, they must be picked up 1 hour of being notified.
   
• Medications will not be given at school that mask COVID-19-like symptoms (i.e. headache).
   
• Contact your child's school administration or the health office with any concerns specifically related to COVID-19 and your child's health.
   
• Consider planning for alternate childcare arrangements. Have a backup plan in the event your child needs to stay home from school or is sent home from school.
   
• Please make sure all contact information is always up to date in Infinite Campus.
   

As situations evolve, we are prepared to comply with the directions from the state and local health agencies and adjust, as necessary.

The Governor of Arizona signed a budget on Wednesday, June 30, that includes many provisions that will affect schools and school funding throughout the state. One such provision has an immediate effect. It prohibits counties, cities, towns, schools and school districts from requiring students or staff to wear face coverings during school hours and on school property. It applies as of July 1, 2021.

House Bill 2898 was passed by the Arizona legislators and signed by Governor Ducey on June 30, 2021.

The K-12 education; budget reconciliation: 2021-2022 Bill included the addition of a new section, Section 15-342.05 Face coverings: requirement prohibition.

This section states:

A. NOTWITHSTANDING ANY OTHER LAW OR ORDER, A COUNTY, CITY, TOWN, SCHOOL DISTRICT GOVERNING BOARD OR CHARTER SCHOOL GOVERNING BODY MAY NOT REQUIRE THE USE OF FACE COVERINGS BY STUDENTS OR STAFF DURING SCHOOL HOURS AND ON SCHOOL PROPERTY.

B. A SCHOOL DISTRICT OR CHARTER SCHOOL MAY NOT REQUIRE A STUDENT OR TEACHER TO RECEIVE A VACCINE FOR COVID-19 OR TO WEAR A FACE COVERING TO PARTICIPATE IN IN-PERSON INSTRUCTION.

Based on this new law, neither CUSD administration nor the governing board have the authority to require face masks at school.

Dear parents and guardians,

Over the past several months, CUSD administration has gathered feedback from a number of sources to develop the Opening School COVID Plan for the 2021-2022 school year. The initial draft of the plan was distributed on April 27, 2021 to gather feedback from the following groups: Site COVID committees and site councils at all elementary, junior high and high schools; Chandler Education Association representatives; district COVID committee members and district administration. Parent feedback was also gathered from the many emails sent to district administration, governing board members, and site administration. 

Although we recognize there are varying perspectives on mitigation strategies, CUSD has outlined a plan for opening schools for the 2021-22 school year.  Primary aspects of the plan are as follows:

• Face coverings will be optional for the 2021-22 school year.  School sites will maintain a heightened awareness of student and staff behavior regarding mask bullying.
• If mandated by Maricopa County Department of Public Health (MCDPH) or Executive Order, CUSD will require masks for students and staff.

Additional mitigation strategies may be implemented in the event that COVID-19 cases increase in our community and in our schools. In the absence of specific mitigation requirements by MCDPH or Executive Order, CUSD will consider additional mitigation strategies when both of the following criteria are met:

• Both MCDPH COVID-19 indicators are red (indicating "High Community Spread")
• CUSD site data indicates high spread on our campuses, at these thresholds: Elementary – 2% positive active cases; Junior High – 1.5% positive active cases; High School – 1% positive active cases.

Click here for more details about the mitigation strategies in effect in CUSD for the 2021-22 school year as of June 1, 2021.

We will continue to monitor the guidelines and recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Maricopa County Department of Public Health (MCDPH) throughout the summer and as the new school year begins.

Despite input from parents, staff and district administration, we recognized the difficulty in reaching consensus around a plan to open our schools.  CUSD's focus has been, and will always be, on our students and staff. A strong partnership between parents, students and teachers will continue to be the cornerstone of CUSD's success.  Thank you for your continued support.