Global pandemic affects G/CCSD
CIBOLA COUNTY, N.M. The Grants/Cibola County School District temporarily closed four elementary schools earlier this month because of COVID-19. Superintendent Max Perez acknowledged that staff and students at Bluewater, Mt. Taylor, Mesa View, and San Rafael all returned to campus on Nov. 16.
The district reported its first case of a COVID-19 infection on Aug. 14.
“It was reported that we have an employee who works at Mesa View Elementary School and who tested positive for COVID over the weekend. The building will be closed this week for sanitizing and keeping the proper protocols to be as safe as possible moving forward. Our health staff is helping with contact tracing and communication with the medical agencies,” said Superintendent Perez on Aug. 10.
The district had identified more than two dozen additional cases by Nov. 10, which is three months into the 2020-21 academic year. Data listed two cases in August, two in September, and two last month. Seven new cases have been identified since Oct. 31. That total dramatically increased to 23 by Nov. 10.
“Many of these [23] have been reported in the past two weeks,” explained the superintendent in his Nov. 11 letter to community members. He acknowledged that 16 were district employees and seven were students. Federal privacy laws prohibit district officials from providing specific details about infected individuals.
All G/CCSD positive test results are reported within four hours to the New Mexico Department of Health, the New Mexico Public Education Department, and the New Mexico Environment Department, according to the superintendent.
The school board approved implementing the 50 percent re-entry plan for the seven elementary schools, which began on Oct. 19. Parents and guardians always retain the option of having their children remain in the virtual instructional program emphasized the superintendent. Re-entry policies for Seboyeta, San Rafael, Cubero, Mt. Taylor, Mesa View, Bluewater, and Milan schools are available on the homepage of the district’s w e b sit e: https://www.gccs.k12.nm.0 s/
Los Alamitos Middle School, Laguna-Acoma Junior/Senior High, Early College High School, and Grants High School students are not eligible for the 50 percent re-entry option. Those students will continue utilizing virtual instruction, according to district officials.
COVID-19 positive test results caused district officials to close four elementary schools until Nov. 16. Perez acknowledged that his Nov. 17 superintendent’s report to the fivemember school board would include all the COVID-related data. He commented that the board will decide whether to return to the previous instructional system of only distance learning format
“Thank you all for everything that you continue to do for our students even in the midst of a global pandemic,” wrote Perez in his Nov. 12 letter to area residents.
Visit gccs.k12.nm.us or call 505-285-2603 for more information.