Westminster Public Schools sent students home for two weeks in an to cut down on spiking COVID-19 cases in the area.
In written statement, Westminster Superintendent of Schools Pamela Swanson, she worked with Tri-County Health on the policy since COVID-19 cases have expanded. The state moved Adams County into “Safer At Home“ level three status last week.
“We are hopeful that the ‘Level 3 – Safer at Home’ Adams County restrictions that took effect earlier this evening, based on an order from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, will reverse the upward trend,” Swanson wrote in an October 29 email.cl
All classes, K-12 will be done remotely through the next two weeks. The students are scheduled to return to classes on Nov. 16.
“Students and staff who are already under quarantine because of COVID-19 will return with everyone else on Monday, November 16,” she wrote in her email. “I can’t stress enough the importance of keeping our students in the classroom. If we all step up right now, we can slow the spread of COVID-19 and ensure that our students continue their education in an environment that is safe for them and WPS staff.”A
The Adams 12 Board of Education voted Oct. 21 to send their secondary students, grades 6-12 back their homes for remote learning, but for a much longer time. Those students will work remotely through the end of the semester, possibly not returning to in-person classes until January.
But Westminster Public Schools spokesman Steve Saunders the Nov. 16 return to in-person learning matches Adams County policy.
“This timeline aligns with the two week quarantine that the county imposes for positive cases,” Saunders wrote in an email. “It’s hoped that this decision will reinforce the message to the public that for our schools to stay open, everyone must do their part. This gives the district a fresh start. We will, of course, follow the lead of Tri-County Health and are in regular communication with them.”
Westminster’s roughly 8,700 students returned to in-person classes Aug. 20.