Colorado Department of Health: CDPHE Site
Center for Disease Control: CDC Site
How Sick is Too Sick: View PDF
Covid-19 Updates
McClave Staff, Students, Parents, and Community,
This is the most recent update, in this ever-changing COVID situation. Please know it is subject to change, based on local health department regulations, state regulations, as well as CDE regulations.
Our Registration Night, originally scheduled for August 3rd, has been canceled. We are trying to limit the number of mass gatherings, in order to have the best opportunities for in-person learning. Registration packets, along with class schedules will be mailed out next week. Please return the registration packets on the first day of school. We will register high school students for classes on their first day. Class schedules will be sent home for parent signatures. Class supply lists are on the website and at Walmart.
The first day of school is scheduled for August 12th – it will be a full day from 8am-4pm. As of right now, we are expecting to be at Plan C.
Some of the details include:
- masks required for ages 11 and up
- masks required for all staff members most of the day
- temperature and screening checks before each school day begins
- one-way hallway for junior high and high school students
- hand sanitizing stations available
- cafeteria spacing and scheduling
- no visitors or parents in building unless required
- parents need to keep students home that show any symptoms of COVID
- students remain with cohorts (same grade level) as much as possible
We are giving our best efforts to have our school day remain as normal as possible, while keeping all students and staff members safe. Again, this information is all subject to change.
Sincerely,
Brianne Howe
Graduation practice for seniors will be Friday at 10:30 am at the football field. Lunch and the class slideshow will follow. This is mandatory for graduates. The graduation ceremony will be Saturday at 9 am at the football field. Immediate family members may sit in the bleachers. All other guests can attend but remain in their vehicles.
Dear McClave School Community,
I know that many of you are anxious about what school will look like in August. It is difficult to know, as we don’t know how the COVID virus will spread in the US, Colorado, or our community during the next month.
As I write this letter, Bent County still has just 4 cases of COVID. Our plan is to begin school as close to “normal” as possible. Mrs. Howe and I met this week with the Executive Director of Bent County Public Health to discuss various opening scenarios and strategies. We also understand that families have differences of opinion on what they would like to see, ranging from school as normal, to just be home. As always, parents are able to make the decision to keep students home if they believe that is best for their child.
The General Plan document with this letter is a fluid document. The plans were also discussed at the July 6th Board of Education meeting. As we have seen since the start of the COVID Pandemic, situations can change quickly, and these plans can be modified. I believe the various plans mentioned in the document give us the flexibility to change with potential changes in COVID cases, local situations, and state mandates that may occur.
I have advocated to both the Colorado Department of Education and the Colorado High School Activities Association for the following ideas: 1. We should be allowed to open school as close to normal as possible, and on time. The first day would still be August 12th. 2. They should refrain from making state-wide edicts that might not fit our community or our local COVID situation.
I remain very positive about the 2020-21 school year. I believe our staff and students are ready for a great school year. A former McClave staff member who dropped by this summer commented to Mrs. Howe that we “have a good thing going here”. I Agree!! Let’s keep it rolling.
Sincerely,
Merlin Holmes
Superintendent
General Plans
General Plans for McClave School District – COVID 19
Fall 2020
Plan A What we hope can happen.
- School in the building with very few, if any, restrictions or regulations due to COVID
- Highly encourage all parents to keep students home that have demonstrated symptoms
Plan B IF there is evidence of local COVID activity
- School in the building, and require students with symptoms to stay home
- Check temperatures of staff and students each day – hand-held devices, no physical contact
- No physical contact, staff and/or students – no hugs, high fives, etc.
- Hand sanitizer use and/or sink handwashing is highly recommended at certain times of the day
- No parents, guests, or vendors in the building unless absolutely necessary (with mask and temp. check)
Plan C Additional protocols added to Plan B if the situation gets worse.
- Require all students and staff to wear masks for most of the day
- Social distancing expected at all times
- Stagger lunch and breakfast times to limit the number of students in the cafeteria
- Create one way traffic flow in the Secondary part of the building to reduce contact
Plan D If we are directed by state or local officials not to have students in the building
- Education delivered to students in their homes
- Each student has a device – one to one education
- Class meetings and content delivered on a daily basis
- Teachers active and engaged at least 5 hours each day
- More structure to delivery than Spring 2020
- More deliberate use of available programs like I-Station, Khan Academy, and DreamBox
Dr. Scott Atlas is the Robert Wesson Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution, an accomplished physician, and a scholar of public health. For several weeks, Dr. Atlas has been making the case in print and in other media that we as a society have overreacted in imposing draconian restrictions on movement, gatherings, schools, sports, and other activities. He is not a COVID-19 denier—he believes the virus is a real threat and should be managed as such. But, as Dr. Atlas argues, there are some age groups and activities that are subject to very low risk. The one-size-fits-all approach we are currently using is overly authoritarian, inefficient, and not based in science. Dr. Atlas’s prescription includes more protection for people in nursing homes, two weeks of strict self-isolation for those with mild symptoms, and most importantly, the opening of all K–12 schools. The latter recommendation is vital for restarting and maintaining the economy so that parents are not housebound trying to work and educate their children. Dr. Atlas is also adamant that an economic shutdown, and all of the attendant issues that go along with it, is a terrible solution—the cure is worse than the disease. www.hoover.org
It is critical that we balance the risks of COVID-19 in children, which appear to be minimal, with the harms of school closure which is impacting their physical and mental health. Toronto Children’s Hospital
Schools are fundamental to child and adolescent development and well-being and provide our children and adolescents with academic instruction, social and emotional skills, safety, reliable nutrition, physical/speech and mental health therapy, and opportunities for physical activity, among other benefits. – American Academy of Pediatrics
Dear McClave Students, Staff, Parents, and Community Members,
It is with a heavy heart that we received information from Governor Polis to suspend all in-person learning for the remainder of the school year. We were hoping for the opportunity to be able to close our school year in person, to see all of the faces we have missed so much. Unfortunately, that is not an option for us this year.
Although this has been a very challenging time, I am very proud of the efforts that have been made by our students, parents, and staff members to make our alternative learning plan succeed. Thank you all for your hard work to make this happen.
A timeline is listed below for how we will conclude the school year. All virtual events will be pre-recorded. The link will be available to view the same day as the ceremony on our school website and Facebook page.
April 23 – Survey sent out to all seniors and their parents for graduation options
May 7 – Virtual Academic Awards Ceremony
May 8 – Virtual Athletic Awards Ceremony
May 18 – All student assignments are due
May 18-21 – Students will be assigned to come to the school to return books, uniforms, instruments, etc. Students will clean out desks or lockers and take all personal belongings. Your scheduled date to check-out at the school will be forthcoming.
Details on graduation to come, based on survey results.
I hope you all are safe and healthy. Thank you all for your support and patience this last month.
Sincerely,
Brianne Howe
K-12 Principal
Colorado’s coronavirus school closures have been extended through April 30th.
Governor Jared Polis issues a Stay Home Order to Coloradans to slow coronavirus outbreak. The order takes effect at 6:00am Thursday and expires April 11th.
Governor Jared Polis issued an executive order on March 18, 2020 mandating that all normal in-person instruction in public and private schools be suspended through April 17th. During this time, schools are directed to work to provide alternative learning opportunities to students. The McClave School Board will be meeting at 6:00 PM on Monday, March 23rd to begin discussing a plan for how these alternative learning opportunities will be provided to McClave students. At this time, the McClave School is working toward having alternative learning opportunities in place by Monday, April 6th and to resume regular in-person school on Monday, April 20th. The Board will also discuss options for providing grab-and-go and/or delivery food services to students.
Additionally, there have been many questions about up-coming events such as prom and graduation, as well as if school will have to be extended into the summer break. At this time, we do not know the answer to these questions as this situation continues to be fluid and changing. We expect additional guidance and/or requirements that may be handed down by the Colorado Department of Education, the Governor’s office and/or the Bent County Health Department and we will have to adapt to these as they are received. We apologize for any uncertainty this causes, but the McClave Administration and School Board will continue to work to make decisions and pass along information as timely as possible and we appreciate your understanding.
At a Special Board Meeting on Tuesday, March 17th, the board voted to extend Spring Break by two weeks. The current plan is to resume school on April 6th. Please check back periodically since the COVID-19 situation is fluid and this information could change. All events held at the school or school-sponsored activities will be canceled until April 6th.