Westminster Public Schools is moving students to remote learning for two weeks in response to COVID-19 trends that “continue to move in the wrong direction,” according to an announcement sent to families by Superintendent Pamela Swanson.
Westminster High School will start virtual classes on Thursday. Other schools start virtual classes on Monday. Swanson said the district, which serves about 8,500 students, plans to resume in-person learning on Nov. 16. Students and staff who are currently in quarantine will also be permitted to return that day.
There are currently 23 active cases of COVID-19 among students and staff that have resulted in 632 people being quarantined, according to the district figures. That includes an outbreak at Ranum Middle School, according to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.
Those quarantined account for 6.44% of students and 6.15% of staff.
Westminster Public Schools’ announcement follows others in Adams County, which has recently reported extremely high positivity rates and continuous increases in COVID-19 cases. The district has hosted full time, in-person school since August, though the high school has shut down at least once due to COVID-19 and associated quarantines.
CDPHE moved the Adams County to level three on the state’s color-coded dial framework, meaning businesses like restaurants and gyms must reduce their operational capacities. The city of Denver was also designated level three on Tuesday.
“We are hopeful that the ‘Level 3 – Safer at Home’ Adams County restrictions that took effect earlier this evening… will reverse the upward trend,” Swanson said.
The district will soon inform families of its plans to support remote learning, sanitize schools and provide food services to families, she added.
The move follows Denver Public Schools’ decision this week to move most grades to online learning and cancel in-person classes for middle and high schoolers for the rest of the semester. Last week, Aurora Public Schools, Adams County School District 14 and Sheridan School District No. 2 shifted most or all their student bodies online.
On Wednesday, CDPHE reported 10 new, school-based outbreaks, which it defines as two or more cases linked to the same location or event. The agency has reported nearly 60 outbreaks connected to K-12 schools statewide so far this semester.
