Montezuma-Cortez Superintendent Risha VanderWey announced Thursday evening that off-campus extracurricular activities could resume, easing an order that canceled activities after all but district charter schools were closed because of a surge in COVID-19 cases.
High school and middle school students will be allowed to participate in competitions, but no activities may take place in any district indoor facility, VanderWey’s news release said.
The 10-day school closures were implemented Wednesday after the district experienced a surge in COVID-19 cases. More than 700 students were quarantined and five were hospitalized, the district announced Tuesday.
Among school staff, 21 had tested positive, two had been hospitalized, 12 remained ill, and 13 had been quarantined.
Wednesday afternoon, the high school band performed in Parque de Vida, protesting the cancellation of its trip to Pueblo for the state competition. They followed up with a video conference asking school officials – including VanderWey – for a chance to perform if additional safety measures were executed.
In compliance with federal mandate, masks must be worn on buses, and are recommended to be worn otherwise, Thursday’s news release said.
The new allowance, effective Friday, will permit groups such the state band and football, basketball and volleyball teams to compete in events.
The decision came “after much deliberation and contemplation over the safety of our students who would be involve in extracurricular activities,” VanderWey said in the news release.
