Sahuarita USD welcomes students back to classroom

SAHUARITA, Ariz. (KOLD News 13) - Hundreds of students are kicking off the 2021-2022 school year Monday, Aug. 2, in the Sahuarita Unified School District.

District leaders tell KOLD they are excited to have students back in the classroom and are working to keep everyone safe.

Most students are attending in person, but an online option is available.

Masks are optional, but encouraged.

District Superintendent Dr. Manuel Valenzuela says there will be additional programs to help students where they need help academically.

“Giving kids the gift of additional time and that for us largely looks like, expanding afterschool opportunities, in-school tutorial programs, intervention programs so that we can continue moving the learning forward but that we’re acknowledging and addressing the unique learning needs that have emerged based on the circumstances that we face,” said Valenzuela.

Valenzuela says the district has been trying to walk the balance of keeping everyone safe while following state laws and public health guidelines.

They’ve consulted with lawyers about what they can and can’t do should there be a COVID outbreak in the district.

“Continue the educational process, make sure that students if they have to be isolated or quarantined that can continue to receive educational services and that we have procedures in place to keep the physical campus environment as safe as it can possibly be. And to do everything possible to keep our schools open while we move through this next chapter in the journey,” said Valenzuela.

Valenzuela says the district will also have different preventive and mitigation strategies in place to combat the virus.

But he says it’s going to take a community effort to keep students safe and learning.

Copyright 2021 KOLD News 13. All rights reserved.