Local schools make decisions following Gov. Polis' most recent COVID-19 announcement

It’s official; Haxtun and Fleming schools will continue remote learning for the remainder of the 2019-20 school. Colorado Governor Jared Polis made the announcement to suspend all in-person learning early last week in response to the current COVID-19 pandemic.

A letter sent home to parents from Haxtun administrators last week said the Governor has indicated there is little chance of any large gatherings through at least June; forcing the District to cancel this year’s prom and all other activities. The District has chosen to keep the same May 17 graduation date and plans to develop some sort of virtual ceremony. Continue to watch future editions of the Herald for additional information on graduation.

The letter to Haxtun parents states that all staff and students will continue to work remotely through May 8. The following week, May 11-15, staff will be available for students who may need additional support. Then, May 18-21, students and families will be allowed, by appointment, to pick up personal belongings from the building.

For additional updates on Haxtun School’s schedule through the remainder of the year visit haxtunk12.org or the Haxtun School District Facebook page.

According to Fleming Superintendent Steve McCracken, at-home learning will continue through the end of the school year, slated for May 22 for Fleming students. He said students and parents will be scheduled to return equipment and gather belongings on May 21 and May 22.

While all events and year-end activities have been canceled for the remainder of the year, McCracken said the District plans to still recognize those students in the fall, but nothing officially has been determined to do so.

He also noted that Fleming’s graduation plans have changed and hopes are to hold an in-person ceremony of some sort on June 14.

“It will look different, details are still being worked out,” he said. He added that all graduation plans will follow large group restrictions, whatever that might look like in June.

A letter from the District will be sent home to Fleming parents this week.

CHSAA cancels all spring sports

Following suit with the Governor’s orders with no large gatherings and the suspension of all in-person learning, the Colorado High School Activities Association also made the announcement last week that all spring 2020 sports seasons will be canceled.

“We have proceeded with cautious optimism, holding on to a thread of hope that the spring season would be able to realistically resume, knowing that the health and safety of our sports communities would dictate our course of action,” Commissioner Rhonda Blanford-Green said in an email to member schools. “It was our hope to be able to create the memories because we understood what it meant to our high school communities — especially seniors — statewide.”

Blanford-Green said around the nation, more than 30 other state associations have also made the difficult decision to cancel their spring seasons.

“We hoped that Colorado medical and health data would provide reassurances that we could go in a different direction,” Blanford-Green said. “Unfortunately, that will not be the case. The spring 2020 season is cancelled due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, which is affecting communities across the world.”

The guidelines, as outlined in previous CHSAA spring moratorium communications will be in place until June 1, even if Federal and State guidelines are relaxed. The Association will not sanction or conduct events after June 1. Local school districts will determine building usage during this time and after June 1. Thereafter, all decisions regarding student and coach contact, virtual workouts, virtual tryouts and eighth-grade contact will be made at the local level.

“Our fingers are now crossed and our hopes are that the Association will be able to conduct a fall season with some level of normalcy. Our office will be entirely focused on contingency plans for the 2020 fall season and beyond, should they be needed,” Blanford-Green said.