Schools rely on Boulder County Health for reopening decisions

St. Vrain Valley School District (SVVSD) is leaning heavily on science and medical experts as it finalizes back-to-school plans during the coronavirus pandemic. Health guidance and community input led the district to scale back in-person learning that was presented as a draft in June.

The district’s initial plan had elementary school students, sixth graders and ninth graders going back full time, but guidance from Boulder County Public Health and other sources influenced the district’s decision to have all grades start the year with a hybrid model of half remote and half in-person learning. Classrooms are expected to be less than half full due to some families choosing to have their students in the 100% online program, St. Vrain LaunchED Virtual Academy. That will allow for better social distancing and airflow within buildings.

“Nothing is neat, nothing is easy,” said Superintendent Don Haddad at last week’s school board meeting, “Our decisions are being based on science and the best medical practices.”

Boulder County Public Health has been leading weekly video conference meetings and frequently communicates with SVVSD and all the local school districts, including private and charter schools, according to Heather Crate, who is BCPH’s schools liaison officer for COVID response.

The health department looks at the latest studies and guidance, shares that with schools and helps interpret the barrage of information. “We constantly have everything coming at us, all this new information. It’s a novel virus, it’s new, and we’re learning every day. We’re looking at organizations that we trust in the field of public health,” Crate said.

Health and education are intertwined on many levels. BCPH works with schools to consider a wide range of health information, including emotional and mental health. “We’re trying to build out strategies that will be as low risk as possible in opening schools. Nothing is zero risk in the middle of a pandemic.”

Schools have to follow statewide executive orders. Beyond that, BCPH is a partner that offers guidance, but the decision on what to do with that information lies with schools.

Current fall plans for SVVSD changed and got more detailed with additional information and input from numerous sources. Haddad said the district got more than 1,000 comments and questions after the initial plan was released in June. He said the district’s website has received over 37,000 visits.

Crate and Haddad both emphasized that schools and families will have to adapt and be flexible depending on conditions and how protocols and policies are working. The district is asking families to be active partners by doing temperature checks at home before school.

What happens in schools also affects the larger Boulder County community. Crate said that has been considered in the reopening plans. “They’ve put in place some really excellent mitigation, safety and procedures,” Crate said. “I think the community should be confident.”

Ultimately, Crate said, what happens in the greater community with COVID cases determines whether schools can continue with the hybrid model or if they have to scale back to all remote learning. It could also go the other way. If things improve, there could be more in-person learning.

It comes down to how well people inside and outside of schools follow social distancing rules, wear masks and wash their hands, Crate said, “It’s really a whole collective effort on part of our community, whether or not you are on staff or have a child in school.”