SAGUACHE COUNTY — Local school superintendents met earlier this week to discuss health department recommendations as well as plan the next steps in preventing the spread of CVOID-19 in Valley communities.
Mountain Valley School announced the meeting on their website Monday. A decision on whether or not to close any schools will not be made public until Wednesday, March 18, according to the announcement.
Moffat, Center and Mountain Valley are on spring break this week. This will give districts some additional time to assess the situation without making abrupt decisions that could have negative unintended consequences for students and families, administrators wrote.
“The COVID-19 situation is quickly evolving, and we are in close communication with both state and local health departments as well as the Colorado Department of Education,” administration said in the announcement. “At this time, there are no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the San Luis Valley, and our local health department is not recommending any school closures. 
“We understand that school closure can negatively impact students’ social, emotional and nutritional well-being as well as place financial burdens on families without childcare,” MVS administrators continued. “We will work to mitigate these unintended consequences should school closure be necessary.” 
Earlier this week, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) issued minimum guidelines about when a school is required to close should a positive case of COVID-19 occur in a school. These guidelines are as follows:
• Any school in Colorado with a single confirmed case of COVID-19 in a staff or student will close for a minimum of 72 hours for cleaning and social distancing.
• Any school with a second confirmed case of COVID-19 in a staff or student within a 30-day period requires a second minimum 72 hour closure for cleaning, testing and public health investigation.
• Any school with three confirmed cases of COVID-19 in staff or students within a 30-day period requires a closure for a minimum of 14 days.
• Any schools that are closed will partner with their local public health agency to conduct contact tracing and further COVID-19 testing.
These guidelines are a minimum.
Mountain Valley School announced the meeting on their website Monday. A decision on whether or not to close any schools will not be made public until Wednesday, March 18, according to the announcement.
Moffat, Center and Mountain Valley are on spring break this week. This will give districts some additional time to assess the situation without making abrupt decisions that could have negative unintended consequences for students and families, administrators wrote.
“The COVID-19 situation is quickly evolving, and we are in close communication with both state and local health departments as well as the Colorado Department of Education,” administration said in the announcement. “At this time, there are no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the San Luis Valley, and our local health department is not recommending any school closures.
“We understand that school closure can negatively impact students’ social, emotional and nutritional well-being as well as place financial burdens on families without childcare,” MVS administrators continued. “We will work to mitigate these unintended consequences should school closure be necessary.”
Earlier this week, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) issued minimum guidelines about when a school is required to close should a positive case of COVID-19 occur in a school. These guidelines are as follows:
• Any school in Colorado with a single confirmed case of COVID-19 in a staff or student will close for a minimum of 72 hours for cleaning and social distancing.
• Any school with a second confirmed case of COVID-19 in a staff or student within a 30-day period requires a second minimum 72 hour closure for cleaning, testing and public health investigation.
• Any school with three confirmed cases of COVID-19 in staff or students within a 30-day period requires a closure for a minimum of 14 days.
• Any schools that are closed will partner with their local public health agency to conduct contact tracing and further COVID-19 testing.
These guidelines are a minimum.