Miami High School Update

Thanks to an arrangement with the Arizona Department of Health Services, Miami Unified is now offering rapid COVID testing to students and staff. The BinaxNow Antigen Test is available at the high school, and produces a result in 15 minutes. Abbott, which manufactures BinaxNow, explains that antigens (proteins on the outside of the coronavirus) begin multiplying after infection and can be identified with a simple nasal swab. The tests will be available to Miami staff and to students whose parents approve. Having COVID testing on campus means that students or staff who fear they have been exposed can get an answer quickly and at no cost, and can then resume their regular activities without the hassle of quarantining at home.

The Miami High School Prom in May will have a theme of the Roaring Twenties, and students are excitedly anticipating some sense of normalcy.

The Class of 2021 is soliciting donations and can use your help with a range of items: • Anything laying around from the 1920s • Gently used formal attire • Rhinestones or costume jewelry for decorating masks • 20s-themed tablecloths and decorations • Bottled sodas and water • Or cash.

When we return from Spring Break on March 15th, Miami schools will be back to a full four-day week for all students.

With teachers vaccinated and local virus numbers dropping, the Miami Unified Governing Board accepted administration’s recommendation that students can return to campus full-time. Safety precautions will remain in place: masks worn at all times; temperatures scanned each morning; visitor access limited to drop-off and pickup. Spring sports will go forward, as will student activities like Prom and Graduation, though there will likely be restrictions to keep students safe.