DENVER -- Parents as well as school districts across the state are preparing for the return to school, and while thousands of kids are returning to in-person instruction, the coronavirus pandemic is seeing a resurgence due to the delta variant, leaving districts to scramble and reassess how learning will look like for the 2021-2022 school year.
How will COVID-19 safety protocols look for your particular district? We've compiled some of the most important aspects from several districts across the Denver metro area. For the full list of protocols and health guidelines, click on each individual district name; the link will take you to the latest information from each individual district.
Keep in mind that masks are required for everyone on school buses, regardless of vaccination status, per federal law.
- Masks will be required for all students in preschool through 6th grade, regardless of what county the school is located in
- All staff are required to wear masks, regardless of vaccination status.
- COVID-19 vaccinations are encouraged – not required – for any 12 years or older.
- Students and staff will not be required to quarantine unless there is an outbreak (defined as 5 or more positive cases tied to an original positive case).
- The district will no longer notify schools about positive and/or asymptomatic cases.
- Masks will be required indoors for all students and staff, regardless of vaccination status.
- Student athletes in grades 6-12 will be required to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination or be tested for COVID-19 every two weeks while participating in a sport.
- Visitors will be required to wear masks.
- Masks will be required for all students in child development centers, elementary and K/P-8 schools.
- Staff who are vaccinated will not be required to wear masks at schools or district sites. Unvaccinated staff will be required to wear masks in the workplace.
- Anyone 12 and up is strongly encouraged to get vaccinated against COVID-19. Once the FDA approves a COVID-19 vaccine, all staff will be required to be vaccinated.
- Student athletes in grades 6-12 will be required to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination or be tested for COVID-19 every two weeks while participating in a sport.
- The district will no longer require proactive quarantining of those who may have been exposed to a positive and/or symptomatic individual.
Boulder Valley School District
- Masks will be required indoors for students PK-12 as well as for all staff, regardless of vaccination status.
- Masks will be required indoors at any childcare center or childcare facility, regardless of licensing status.
- Masks will be required indoors while participating in a youth camp, youth extracurricular activity, youth gym activities, and youth sport. This requirement applies to all participants, attendees, spectators, staff, volunteer and coaches.
- Under a public health order issued on Aug. 9, schools and childcare facilities will be required cooperate with isolation and quarantine requirements, symptom checking, and other mitigation strategies.
- COVID-19 vaccinations are encouraged – not required – for any 12 years or older.
- Masks are recommended – but not required – for students.
- All 27J school staff will be required to provide their vaccination status to the district. Students 12 years or older will be asked to volunteer their vaccination status through the IC parent portal, which may be helpful in the event of an outbreak or quarantine.
- Fully vaccinated people will not need to wear masks in schools or district facilities. Unvaccinated students and staff should continue to wear face masks while at school.
- Students will be kept three feet away from each other in classrooms when possible. Cohorts will continue, though they will be larger than last year.
- The district will continue to inform families of a possible exposure of their child to the virus.
- Masks will be required for students in pre-K through 8th grade and staff who interacts with those age groups, regardless of vaccination status.
- COVID-19 vaccinations are encouraged – not required – for any 12 years or older
- The Tri-County Health Department will continue to contact trace positive cases and will guide the district if/when quarantining is necessary.
- Masks will be required for all students, staff and visitors inside schools, regardless of vaccination status. Masks will not be required outside.
- Each charter school will share its own mask guidance with their students and families
- COVID-19 vaccinations are encouraged – not required – for any 12 years or older
- Staff members who are vaccinated or alone in their workspace will not have to wear a mask during those times.
Douglas County School District
- Masks are recommended – but not required – for everyone indoors, regardless of vaccination status. The district will honor the decision of families when it comes to masks.
- Unvaccinated “student-facing” staff members will be required to wear a mask while indoors.
- COVID-19 vaccinations are encouraged – not required – for any 12 years or older
- The district will notify the Tri-County Health Department of all positive cases and exposures.
- Englewood schools is still working with public health officials to determine whether masks will be mandatory in indoor spaces at the start of the school year.
- The district encourages – but is not requiring – anyone 12 and up to get vaccinated against COVID-19.
- Masks are required for anyone aged 2 and up, regardless of vaccination status, at all schools as well as in childcare settings.
- District will follow any quarantines indicated by Jefferson County Public Health due to routine classroom exposure for anyone unvaccinated and not wearing a mask.
- All Jeffco Public Schools staff is required to notify the district of their vaccination status by Aug. 16.
- Jeffco Public Health says it will not allow for religious exemptions from wearing masks in school settings.
- Visitors and volunteers are required to wear masks indoors.
- Quarantines will not be issued from schools this year. No quarantine letters will be issued from schools. Quarantines will NOT be issued by JCPH IF close contacts to positive individuals are either masked or vaccinated.
- COVID-19 vaccinations are encouraged – not required – for any 12 years or older.
- Masks are strongly recommended – but not required – for unvaccinated students and staff. The district will honor the decision of each family.
- Schools will provide as much physical distancing as possible without disrupting the learning environment.
- The district will no longer quarantine healthy/non-symptomatic students and staff.
- COVID vaccines for employees and eligible students will continue to be an individual decision and will not be required.
- Masks are required indoors for all students, staff and visitors, regardless of vaccination status.
- Masks will not be required outside.
- COVID-19 vaccinations are encouraged – not required – for any 12 years or older.
- Fully vaccinated students or staff will not be required to quarantine if they're exposed to someone who is positive for coronavirus.
- Schools will have a designated precautionary room or area to separate anyone who exhibits COVID-like symptoms.
- Social distancing of three feet will be followed, where possible.
- Cohorts will remain this year and mixing of cohorts will be allowed during recess.
- Masks are required indoors for everyone, regardless of vaccination status.
- Student athletes in grades 6-12 will be required to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination or be tested for COVID-19 every two weeks while participating in a sport.
- All students and staff will be required to be screened for possible COVID-19 once a day at the start of the school day.
- Social distancing of three feet will be followed, where possible.
- COVID-19 vaccinations are encouraged – not required – for any 12 years or older.
St. Vrain Valley School District
The district will meet with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment to discuss requirements and guidance for the upcoming school year. Please check back often as we update this story with the latest.
- Masks will be required for students, teachers and staff indoors, regardless of vaccination status.
- COVID-19 vaccinations are encouraged – not required – for any 12 years or older.
Almost 72,000 children in the U.S. tested positive for COVID-19 for the week ending July 29, “a substantial increase” from a week prior when about 39,000 children tested positive for the novel coronavirus, the American Academy of Pediatrics said Tuesday. The group said cases have steadily increased in July after declining in early summer.
Since the pandemic began, children represented 14.3% of total cases. For the week ending July 29, children represented 19% of all reported weekly cases, according to the AAP.
