COLORADO, USA — The new school year is underway in Colorado, and several teachers and students have tested positive for the novel coronavirus, forcing some classes to shift into remote learning.
It's important to note that cases of the virus are expected and finding and identifying those cases early is a part of the strategy for many districts, such as the Cherry Creek School District (CCSD). It opened for in-person learning on Aug. 17.
"The ongoing testing is part of our overall strategy to ensure the health and safety of students and staff once school starts," spokesperson Abbe Smith said. "We do expect to identify teachers and staff who are positive for COVID and may be asymptomatic."
CCSD is among several districts participating in COVID Check Colorado, which provides free testing for the virus.
> Above video: Westminster Public Schools talks about executing COVID containment plan.
Employees from Aurora Public Schools, Denver Public Schools, Englewood Schools, Mapleton Public Schools, Sheridan School District 2, Westminster Public Schools and 27J Schools will also have access to the free testing sites.
Employees from those districts can schedule a COVID-19 diagnostic test every two weeks at a location most convenient for them, regardless of district affiliation.
Below is a roundup of students and/or teachers who have tested positive for COVID-19 listed in reverse chronological order, with the most recent cases at the top.
Sept. 2
Northridge High School, Greeley-Evans Weld County District 6
- Two separate, mixed-age cohorts are quarantined because of possible exposure at the school.
- One cohort of 38 students and five staff members were quarantined on Tuesday, Sept. 1.
- Another cohort of 38 students and six staff members were quarantined today.
- Two employees tested positive for COVID after not being on campus for several days.
- The staff members were not physically at the school for five days and went home with symptoms; quarantined at home after positive results.
- The school has a small teacher cohort who only interact with 6-8 kids in each classroom.
- The whole school is 100 percent remote based learning for two weeks as an extra precaution, resuming in-person learning on Sept. 8.
- Additional tests were taken by staff and students and no further positive results.
STEM School, Douglas County School District
- The secondary school was notified that they had a COVID-19 positive case.
- All impacted families have been contacted directly.
- Forty-four students have been asked to quarantine for 14 days.
- Staff has been notified; directly impacted staff are quarantined.
- Students and staff moved to quarantine will continue their work remotely.
- In-person learning for cohort B and virtual/online learning for cohort A on Thursday.
Heritage High School, Littleton Public Schools
- A staff member has tested positive for COVID-19. This comes one day after a student tested positive, although the cases are not related.
- Tri-County Health Dept. does not consider it an outbreak, but is monitoring the situation.
- Because a total of 27 staff members must quarantine, LPS said there is not enough staff to keep the school open.
- The school will shift to a temporary online-only model from Friday, Sept. 4 to Friday, Sept. 11.
Sept. 1
Chaparral High School, Douglas County School District
- A person at the school has developed a fever and another symptom associated with COVID-19.
- Working with Tri-County Health Department to investigate and monitor the situation.
- Person exhibiting symptoms is in isolation.
- District confirms 88 people are in quarantine.
- Children in close contact with this person should enter quarantine.
- Staff members in close contact with this person will also enter quarantine.
- Tir-County Health said quarantined students and staff can return to school on or after Monday, Sept. 14.
- School is being disinfected before classes resume for all other students on Tuesday, Sept. 2.
- Quarantined students will continue to learn with remote learning.
Heritage High School, Littleton Public Schools
- The school and district is working with Tri-County Health Department to investigate and manage a positive COVID-19 student case.
- All students and staff who were in close contact with the student will be quarantined for the next 14 days.
- Quarantined students or staff will extend temporary remote learning through Sept. 13.
Summit Elementary School, Cherry Creek School District
- One student tested positive for COVID-19.
- Student last at school on Wed., Aug. 26.
- Students and staff in close contact with the student who tested positive must quarantine from today through Tuesday, Sept. 8.
- Quarantined students will remote learn during the quarantine period.
Aug. 31
Jackson Elementary, Greeley School District
- An individual who had been in contact with a fourth grade cohort tested positive for COVID-19.
- Jackson Elementary School will be moving to remote learning on Tuesday, Sept. 1 and will continue until Monday, Sept. 14. School will be closed Monday, August 31 as teachers prepare for the switch to remote learning.
- More information can be found here.
Overland High School, Cherry Creek School District
- 66 students and one staff member at Overland High School must now quarantine after another staff member tested positive for COVID-19.
- Cherry Creek School district said the 67 people quarantined can't go back to school until Sept.14.
- All other students at Overland will continue with in-person learning.
Aug. 28
Cherry Hills Village Elementary, Cherry Creek School District
- One student
- One third grade class (20 students, and one teacher) are on quarantine for 14 days.
Aug. 26
Battle Mountain High School, Eagle County Schools
- Two confirmed cases.
- No additional details are not at this time.
Compass Montessori Charter School, Jeffco Public Schools
- Two staff members.
- No additional details at this time.
Aug. 25
Overland High School, Cherry Creek School District
- Student who last attended Aug. 19.
- A public health investigation showed that a very limited number of students were in close contact (within 6 feet for 15 minutes or longer) with that student. Those affected were directly contacted, according to the district, and will need to stay home for 14 days.
- Unless contacted, no other action is necessary.
Grandview High School, Cherry Creek School District
- Student who last attended school on Aug. 20
- Students who were in close contact with the person who was infected are being directly contacted by the school.
Belleview Elementary, Cherry Creek School District
- Staff member
- Letters sent home to parents specify whether or not their child was in close contact with that staff member.
Cherry Creek Options homeschool program, Cherry Creek School District
- Staff member
- The letter from the district said that anyone who had close contact with that person has been contacted and instructed to stay home and quarantine.
Aug. 23
Sand Creek Elementary School, Highlands Ranch, Douglas County Schools
- Person in sixth grade pod
- Sixth grade students and sixth grade classroom teachers who were identified as close contacts with the person will be in quarantine for 14 days, returning to school on or after Sept. 8.
Aug. 21
Josephine Hodgkins Leadership Academy, Westminster Public Schools
- Teacher tested positive during routine testing
- Students who were in direct contact with the teacher were moved to remote learning for a 14-day quarantine period, the district said.
Aug. 19
Fort Lupton HS, Weld RE-8
- Two students
- The students were in separate cohorts at the school, which resulted in all students shifting to remote learning through Sept. 7 and returning to in-person learning on Sept. 8.
RELATED: 2 Fort Lupton HS students test positive for COVID-19, all students moved to remote learning
Aug. 14
Pine Ridge Elementary School, Cherry Creek Schools
- Staff member who works for care program
- The person who tested positive was last in the school building on Friday, Aug. 14. It's not clear if there were children in the care program at the time.
Aug. 11
Alice Terry Elementary School, Sheridan Schools
- Teacher who was asymptomatic got tested prior to school start as a precaution
Mapleton Expeditionary School of the Arts (MESA), Mapleton Schools
- Teacher reported on Aug. 9 that she received a positive result on her COVID-19 test.
- On Aug. 10, teachers were asked to work from home as a precaution and for cleaning and everyone returned Aug. 11 except the infected staff member.
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