2021-22 Keeping Schools Open Plan News Release
Mesa County Valley School District 51/News/What's New/
2021-22 Keeping Schools Open Plan
Posted on 01/31/2022
The health and safety of our students, staff, and families is our top priority. The 2021–22 District 51 “Keeping Schools Open Plan” was developed with guidance from Mesa County Public Health, the Colorado Department of Education, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, the Governor’s office, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. Department of Education, and with input from families and staff members of the Mesa County Valley School District, local hospitals, Colorado Mesa University, and our community.
With the guidance and support from the individuals and groups listed above, we were able to successfully open schools to in-person learning during the 2020–21 school year. The leadership and hard work displayed by our D51 staff, students, and families enabled us to be the largest district in the state of Colorado to open, and remain open, to in-person learning last year. Our main goal last year was to reopen schools to in-person learning in a safe way. This year, our main goals are to keep our schools open to in-person learning, continue to provide a safe learning environment for students and staff, and return to as much of a “normal” school year as possible.
Based on the above-mentioned guidance and feedback, D51 students in grades PreK-12 will continue with in-person learning five days a week with revised COVID-19 protocols in place. We will continue to monitor the COVID-19 situation in our county on a regular basis and make changes where needed. D51 leadership is in constant communication with MCPH, and we will make adjustments to the “Keeping Schools Open Plan,” if needed. Depending on various factors surrounding COVID-19 in our community, this could mean reducing protocols/procedures or reintroducing protocols/procedures that were suspended. Some of the protocols/procedures that could be introduced/reinstated include requiring masks, routine testing of unvaccinated staff, previous quarantine measures for students and staff, amongst others.
We know that the pandemic is not over, especially in Mesa County. The Omicron Variant is very present in our community. That, coupled with lower vaccination rates in our county, require us to remain vigilant in our attempts to keep COVID-19 out of our schools and to prevent it from spreading when it is present. For the latest information on COVID-19 in Mesa County, please visit the MCPH COVID-19 Dashboard.
While the COVID-19 vaccine is completely voluntary for staff and students, data shows that fully vaccinated individuals are at a much lower risk of getting COVID-19, and the low number of vaccinated individuals who do contract COVID-19 usually have very mild symptoms. We are highly encouraging eligible staff and students to take advantage of the readily available vaccine. You can visit the MCPH vaccine site to sign up for a vaccine today. No appointment needed. Walk-ins accepted. The site also provides information on where the mobile vaccine clinics will be located. Not only does the vaccine help protect you and those around you, it can also keep you from potentially being quarantined throughout the school year. Once again, the vaccine is totally voluntary, and children cannot receive a vaccine without parent/guardian permission.
You can find up-to-date information on where to get tested here. Staff and students who who pre-register can also receive on-site testing if they become symptomatic at school. Schools will accept at-home test results (both positive and negative) as well.