FORT LUPTON, Colo. — All students attending Fort Lupton High School in Weld County have been moved to remote learning for 14 days after two students tested positive for COVID-19, a statement on the district's Facebook page says.
Officials said they learned of the first positive test result Wednesday morning for a student in the "blue" cohort. Classes began on Monday for the Weld RE-8 District.
That student attended school Monday and all students in that cohort were sent home Wednesday.
"My heart sinks," said Weld Re-8 Superintendent Alan Kaylor. "My heart sinks because I want the kids to be in class and learning. I want them to have all the experiences that high school and middle school aged kids should have."
Following all guidance from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE), the district said it was dismissing all blue cohort students at the high school.
Later on Wednesday, the district learned about a second positive test involving a student in the other cohort, known as the "white" group. The district said it has conducted contact tracing to identify other individuals who had contact with the positive COVID-19 students.
Beginning Thursday, all students at Fort Lupton High School will move to full remote learning through Sept. 7 and will return to in-person learning on Sept. 8.
"It certainly is important for districts to be willing to go to remote learning if necessary," said Amie Baca-Oehlert, president of the Colorado Education Association. "We are very concerned about the implications of starting, stopping, going to in-person, going to remote, what that will mean for students and families."
Kaylor said the district went above and beyond attempting to be one of the first districts in the state to safely reopen classrooms. Students were required to wear masks, have their temperature checked, and more cleaning was done around the school.
"As a superintendent, I can tell you that you can’t monitor what happens in a student’s life outside of the school building," said Kaylor. "It elicits now a 14 day quarantine for all students at Fort Lupton High School."
All other Weld Re-8 schools remain open for in-person learning.
Students and staff are encouraged to get tested if they think they may have been exposed.
Infected students don't need a negative test to return to school, but need to stay in isolation for at least 14 days.
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