Kyrene de la Sierra Elementary School in Phoenix will shift to remote learning beginning August 4 due to air quality issues linked to ongoing construction, officials confirmed on August 3.
Located near Loop 202 South Mountain Freeway and Desert Foothill Parkway in Ahwatukee, the elementary school will remain closed to in-person instruction until after fall break, as a precautionary measure to ensure student and staff safety.
Elevated Particulate Levels Prompt Temporary Closure
The Kyrene de la Sierra Elementary School District stated in a notice posted to the school’s website that multiple indoor air quality tests conducted over the weekend detected elevated particulate levels. While these findings do not confirm the presence of harmful substances, school officials emphasized the importance of erring on the side of caution.
“Multiple air quality tests conducted over the weekend inside the school indicated elevated particulate levels,” the notice reads. “This does not mean the particulates are harmful or even that the levels are harmful. However, official results of the air quality tests will take 5–7 days, and we will not take any risks with staff and student health.”
The air quality concerns appear to be linked to an ongoing roof construction project on campus. Although the school year at Kyrene de la Sierra began on July 23, the construction work has continued into the new academic term.
Kyrene de la Sierra Elementary School officials have clarified that students will not return to the physical campus before fall break, regardless of the test results. Fall break is scheduled from Monday, September 29 through Friday, October 10.
“This will allow us to expedite roof construction so the portion of the work involving asphalt and off-gassing would be complete by October, when students return to campus,” the statement noted.
District Implements Safety Measures, Transportation Support
In response to the air quality findings, the school has already initiated several precautionary steps to mitigate any potential health risks. These include replacing air filters across the facility and deploying air scrubbers throughout the campus to improve indoor air quality.
To accommodate families during this sudden transition, the district has also made arrangements for transportation services on August 4. Should any families be unaware of the switch to remote learning, buses will still operate that day. Students who arrive at school will be supervised on-site until a parent or guardian can be contacted for pickup.
The district has not specified how long remote learning will continue beyond fall break, but emphasized that safety remains the top priority. Instruction during the closure will continue online to ensure minimal disruption to students’ academic progress.
Kyrene de la Sierra Elementary School serves families in the Ahwatukee area and is one of several schools within the Kyrene School District, which has taken a proactive approach to maintaining facility standards and health protocols across its campuses.
Further updates on the air quality test results and progress of the construction project are expected to be communicated through the school’s official channels in the coming weeks.
As schools across the nation navigate aging infrastructure and facility upgrades, Kyrene de la Sierra’s closure underscores the importance of rigorous safety assessments and transparent communication with families during times of disruption.Sources