Wind Advisory
from SAT 12:00 PM MST until SAT 10:00 PM MST, Western Pima County including Ajo/Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, Tohono O'odham Nation including Sells, Upper Santa Cruz River and Altar Valleys including Nogales, Tucson Metro Area including Tucson/Green Valley/Marana/Vail, South Central Pinal County including Eloy/Picacho Peak State Park, Southeast Pinal County including Kearny/Mammoth/Oracle, Upper San Pedro River Valley including Sierra Vista/Benson, Eastern Cochise County below 5000 ft including Douglas/Wilcox, Upper Gila River and Aravaipa Valleys including Clifton/Safford, White Mountains of Graham and Greenlee Counties including Hannagan Meadow, Galiuro and Pinaleno Mountains including Mount Graham, Chiricahua Mountains including Chiricahua National Monument, Dragoon/Mule/Huachuca and Santa Rita Mountains including Bisbee/Canelo Hills/Madera Canyon, Santa Catalina and Rincon Mountains including Mount Lemmon/Summerhaven, Baboquivari Mountains including Kitt Peak, Kofa, Central La Paz, Aguila Valley, Southeast Yuma County, Gila River Valley, Northwest Valley, Tonopah Desert, Gila Bend, Buckeye/Avondale, Cave Creek/New River, Deer Valley, Central Phoenix, North Phoenix/Glendale, New River Mesa, Scottsdale/Paradise Valley, Rio Verde/Salt River, East Valley, Fountain Hills/East Mesa, South Mountain/Ahwatukee, Southeast Valley/Queen Creek, Superior, Northwest Pinal County, West Pinal County, Apache Junction/Gold Canyon, Tonto Basin, Mazatzal Mountains, Pinal/Superstition Mountains, Sonoran Desert Natl Monument, San Carlos, Dripping Springs, Globe/Miami, Southeast Gila County

Scottsdale Unified School District hiring specialist for COVID-19 amid surge in cases

One Valley school district is being proactive as COVID-19 cases continue to surge, as the Scottsdale Unified School District is looking to hire a so-called "COVID Specialist."

Currently, SUSD is reporting a total of 190 known COVID-19 cases on its campuses so far this school year, with 63 of the confirmed cases at Chaparral High School. The district has not shut down any classrooms, for now.

"I think it’s a great idea, because it can often be really helpful to have a single point of contact when you have situations like COVID-19, where you have students who are testing positive, figuring out what to do with case investigations and contact tracing," said health expert Will Humble.

The salary ranges between $70,000 and $80,000 a year. The superintendent said:

"This new position would essentially be our ‘quarterback,' the person who would direct SUSD's efforts to ensure we are taking a consistent approach with our reporting to the county, and with our communications to families and staff."

Meanwhile, district officials are asking families that plan to travel or attend large gatherings for Thanksgiving to voluntarily quarantine their students at home for 14 days before returning to in-person schooling.

"How well the compliance is going to be followed is another matter completely," said Humble. "Besides sending the right kind of message and crossing your fingers, I don’t know what else you can do about Thanksgiving."

Arizona health officials are cautioning families to limit the number of people at Thanksgiving gatherings, wear masks, and recommend holding gatherings outdoors to prevent the spread of COVID-19. However, they are anticipating a boost in the number of new cases in early December.