While Greeley-Evans School District 6 is seeing little COVID transmission in the classroom, community spread could cause the district to go remote

Written By Kelly Ragan
A student and his mom walk to school at Monfort Elementary School. Photo by Kelly Ragan.

A student and his mom walk to school at Monfort Elementary School. Photo by Kelly Ragan.

By Kelly Ragan

The good news is even with a raging pandemic, Greeley-Evans School District 6 officials aren’t seeing many students or teachers transmitting the disease in schools. 

“We’re seeing very little transmission, very little positive numbers in our schools,” school board president Michael Mathews said at a board meeting Monday. 

The problem, of course, is eventually they have to leave. As a result, District 6 has had to quarantine more than 1,500 students and staff, with several schools switching to remote learning. Mathews asked the community to do what health officials asked – wear a mask, social distance, and limit social interaction for the next two weeks, to try to stem a rising tide of cases in Weld. 

“I would put this out to our community – please help us,” Mathews said. “We can’t stay open as a school district if teachers are continually quarantined. We have three schools remote, not because there is so much spread, but because we don’t have enough teachers.” 

Mathews said he knows the switch between in-person learning is hard on staff and teachers as well as students. 

Josh Wainscott, a fifth-grade teacher at Maplewood Elementary School, spoke during public comment Monday. He called attention to the fact District 6 had previously said reaching a 10% positivity rate was part of the criteria for going fully remote. 

Weld County was at 14.15% positivity rate as of Wednesday, according to county data. 

First day of school 8-19-2020-2.JPG

Wainscott expressed frustration over the unknown.  

“Prior planning prevents piss-poor performance,” Wainscott said.

Superintendent Deirdre Pilch acknowledged that frustration and apologized to staff for having to work with a moving target. 

“(That 10% positivity) was the marker in August and September, but then new guidance came out,” Pilch said. “I want to promise this – if health officials say that by having school open, most kids in school, most staff in school, that we are increasing the spread and impacting hospitalizations in a negative way, we will absolutely change course.” 

For now, Weld is at level yellow, according to the state. The new state dial ranges from green, to blue, to yellow, to orange to red. But that could change. The City of Greeley announced Tuesday it was moving itself to orange because of high case numbers, regardless of whether the state or county made the call. But according to some measures, Greeley and Weld County are already in the red. 

Level red would put the county into stay-at-home orders, where full-time remote learning is suggested by the state. 

Greeley-Evans School District 6 quarantine list as of Nov. 11, 2020 

  • Greeley Central High School, AA Cohort, 36 Students, 5 Adults Oct. 28 - Nov. 11

  • Scott Elementary School, 2nd Grade Cohort, 17 Students, 2 Adults Oct. 28 - Nov. 12

  • Greeley NEXT Program, 12th Grade Cohort, 3 Students, 1 Adult, Oct. 28 - Nov. 11

  • University Middle School, Mixed Cohort, 66 Students, 16 Adults, Oct. 28 - Nov. 12

  • Brentwood Middle School, 8th Grade Cohort, 21 Students, 6 Adults, Oct. 28 - Nov. 12

  • Martinez Elementary School, 1st Grade Cohort, 40 Students, 3 Adults, Oct. 29 - Nov. 11

  • Meeker Elementary School, 3rd Grade Cohort, 23 Students, 4 Adults, Oct. 29 - Nov. 12

  • Salida del Sol Charter School, 6th and 8th Grade Cohorts, 50 Students, 9 Adults, Oct. 29 - Nov. 12

  • Jefferson High School, mixed Cohorts,1 Student, 16 Adults, Oct. 29 - Nov. 12

  • Heath Middle School, 3 Adults, Oct. 28 - Nov. 16

  • Heath Middle School, 8th Grade Cohorts, 46 Students, 6 Adults, Oct. 28 - Nov. 16

  • Union Colony Elementary, 5th Grade Cohort, 23 Students, 7 Adults, Oct. 30 - Nov. 11

  • Jackson Elementary School, 3rd Grade Cohort, 18 Students, 2 Adults, Oct. 30 - Nov. 11

  • Transportation/Facilities Staff, 7 Adults, Oct. 31 - Nov. 14

  • Meeker Elementary School, 1st Grade Cohort, 17 Students, 1 Adult, Oct. 31 - Nov. 14

  • Maplewood Elementary School, Mixed Cohort, 10 Students, 1 Adult, Oct. 29 - Nov. 12

  • Jackson Elementary School, Music Cohort, 117 Students, 2 Adults, Oct. 31- Nov. 16

  • Frontier Elementary School, Mixed Cohort, 25 Students, 1 Adult, Nov. 1 - Nov. 16

  • Greeley West High School, AA and C Team Football Cohorts, 60 Students, 8 Adults, Nov. 1 - Nov. 16

  • Heiman Elementary School, Kindergarten and 1st Grade Cohorts, 45 Students, 5 Adults, Nov. 2 - Nov. 13

  • Chappelow Arts Magnet K-8, 4th Grade Cohort, 19 Students, 4 Adults, Nov. 2 - Nov. 16

  • Scott Elementary School, 5th Grade Cohort, 22 Students, 2 Adults, Nov. 2 - Nov. 16

  • Heath Middle School, 8th Grade Cohort, 22 Students, 6 Adults, Nov. 3 - Nov. 18

  • Frontier Elementary School, 1 Adult, Nov. 3 - Nov. 18

  • Northridge High School, 9th Grade Cohort BB, 29 Students, 6 Adults, Nov. 3 - Nov. 16

  • Maplewood Elementary School, 4th Grade Cohort, 27 Students, 3 Adults, Nov. 5 - Nov. 19

  • Jackson Elementary School, Kindergarten Cohort, 21 Students, 2 Adults, Nov. 5 - Nov. 19

  • Heiman Elementary School, 5th Grade Cohort, 22 Students, 3 Adults, Nov. 4 - Nov. 13

  • Greeley Central Football Team, Mixed Cohort, 68 Students, 9 Aults, Nov. 4 - Nov. 16

  • Greeley Central High School, Mixed Cohort, 33 Students, 4 Adults, Nov. 4 - Nov. 18

  • Greeley Central High School, Mixed Cohort, 26 Students, 3 Adults, Nov. 4 - Nov. 17

  • Greeley Central High School, Mixed Cohort, 28 Students, 2 Adults, Nov. 4 - Nov. 13

  • Franklin Middle School, 8th Grade Cohort, 18 Students, 4 Adults, Nov. 4 - Nov. 16

  • Franklin Middle School, 7th Grade Cohort, 21 Students, 3 Adults, Nov. 4 - Nov. 16

  • McAuliffe STEM Academy K-8, Kindergarten Cohort, 20 Students, No Adults, Nov. 5 - Nov. 18

  • McAuliffe STEM Academy K-8, 2nd Grade Cohort, 18 Students, 1 Adult, Nov. 5 - Nov. 17

  • Frontier Elementary School, K-5 Cohorts, 0 Students, 3 Adults, Nov. 9 - Nov. 30

  • Bella Romero Academy 4-8, 4th and 5th Grade Cohorts, 64 Students, 5 Adults, Nov. 5 - Nov. 17

  • Chappelow Arts Magnet K-8, Mixed Cohort, 4 Students, 3 adults, Nov. 5 - Nov. 17

  • Greeley West High School, Mixed Cohort, 20 Students, 2 Adults, Nov. 5 - Nov. 18

  • Heiman Elementary School, 3rd Grade Cohort, 19 Students, 6 Adults, Nov. 6 - Nov. 18

  • Prairie Heights Middle School, 8th Grade Cohort, 21 Students, 5 Adults, Nov. 6 - Nov. 19

  • Franklin Middle School, 7th Grade Cohort, 21 Students, 3 Adults, Nov. 5 - Nov. 14

  • Salida del Sol Academy, 2nd Grade Cohort, 18 Students, 3 Adults, Nov. 6 - Dec. 1

  • Heiman Elementary School, 2, 3, 5th Grade Cohorts, 65 Students, 9 Adults, Nov. 7 - Nov. 30

  • Aims Early Childhood Center, Preschool cohort, 15 Students, 5 Adults, Nov. 9 - Nov. 30

  • Frontier Middle School, 7th Grade Cohort, 22 Students, 8 Adults, Nov. 9 - Nov. 13

  • Monfort Elementary School, Mixed Cohort, 23 Students, 8 Adults, Nov. 7 - Nov. 19

  • Franklin Middle School, 6th Grade Cohort, 21 Students, 1 Adult, Nov. 7 - Nov. 19

  • Franklin Middle School, 8th Grade Cohort, 41 Students, 1 Adult, Nov. 7 - Nov. 17

  • Heath Middle School, 7th Grade Cohort, 24 Students, 10 Adults, Nov. 7 - Nov. 30

  • Greeley West High School, Mixed Cohort, 23 Students, 4 Adults, Nov. 7 - Nov. 13

  • Winograd K-8, Kindergarten Cohorts, 21 Students, 1 Adult, Nov. 9 - Nov. 19

  • Shawsheen Elementary School, Kindergarten, 5th Grade Cohorts, 52 Students, 5 Adults, Nov. 8 - Nov. 30

  • Bella Romero Academy 4-8 Campus, 4th and 7th Grade Cohorts, 41 Students, 7 Adults, Nov. 9 - Nov. 30

  • Meeker Elementary School, 4th Grade Cohort, 23 Students, 2 Adults, Nov. 9 - Nov. 30

  • Northridge High School, 9th and 11th Grade Cohorts, 51 Students, 1 Adult, Nov. 3 - Nov. 17

  • Northridge High School, Mixed Cohort, 44 Students, 6 Adults, Nov. 3-Nov. 17

  • Franklin Middle School, 6th Grade Cohort, 21 Students, 4 Adults, Nov. 9 - Nov. 30

  • Dos Rios Elementary School, 5th Grade Cohort, 18 Students, 2 Adults, Nov. 9 - Nov. 30

  • University Schools, 5th Grade Cohort, 23 Students, 2  Adults, Nov. 9 - Nov. 20

  • University Schools, 7th Grade Cohort, 18 Students, 2 Adults, Nov. 9 - Nov. 20

  • University Schools, 9th Grade Cohort, 34 Students, 5 Adults, Nov. 9 - Nov. 20

  • Heiman Elementary School, Mixed Cohort, 7 Students, 4 Adults, Nov. 9 - Nov. 30

  • Scott Elementary School, 4th Grade Cohort, 21 Students, 2 Adults, Nov. 10 - Nov. 30

  • Union Colony Preparatory School, 7th Grade, 70 Students, 5 Adults, Nov. 10 - Nov. 30

  • Chappelow Arts Magnet K-8, 3rd and 4th Grade Cohorts, 36 Students, 0 Adults, Nov. 10- Nov. 16

  • Chappelow Arts Magnet K-8, 7th Grade Cohort, 19 Students, 4 Adults, Nov. 10 - Nov. 30

  • Chappelow Arts Magnet K-8, 8th Grade Cohort, 25 Students, 4 Adults, Nov. 10 - Nov. 30

  • Jackson Elementary School, Kindergarten, 2nd Grade and 3rd Grade Cohorts, 54 Students, 3 Adults, Nov. 10-Nov. 30

  • Salida del Sol Academy, 1st Grade Cohort


Schools that have switched to remote learning as of Nov. 11, 2020 

  • Jefferson High School Oct. 29-Nov. 12

  • Westridge Academy Charter School Nov. 3-Nov. 18

  • Greeley Central High School Nov. 5-Nov. 30

  • Frontier Academy Elementary School Nov. 6-Nov. 30 

  • Bella Romero Academy 4-8 Campus Nov. 10-Nov. 13, with most returning Nov. 16

  • Seventh grade classrooms to remain in remote learning until after Thanksgiving Break, Nov. 30

  • Franklin Middle School Nov. 10-Nov. 30

  • NEXT District 6 Program Nov. 9-Nov. 30 

  • Jackson Elementary School Nov. 10-Nov. 30 

  • Greeley West High School Nov. 10-Nov. 30

  • Seventh-and eighth-grades at Chappelow Arts Magnet K-8 Nov. 10-Nov. 30

Kelly Ragan
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