D49 COVID-19 Tracking Dashboard

As the COVID-19 crisis has progressed, our ability to predict and respond to rising infection rates has improved. As a result, we are continuing to track the impact of positive cases on our students and staff as we conduct contact tracing, precautionary quarantines, and other protective measures.

D49 El Paso County COVID Data Update Nov. 30, 2020

OVERVIEW

Key measures of population health continue to degrade, as they have for 13 weeks in a row, although the data levels and trends have become more volatile and erratic. El Paso County has entered Level Red—Severe Risk based on levels and trends across the three key metrics of case rate, positivity rate, and hospital burden. All three indicators are at critical levels. Because schools operate downstream from the community, we are directly subject to severe risk conditions. Based on our tracking and projection of those conditions, we transitioned District 49 to E49 effective three weeks ago today. Because we continue to offer limited in-person educational services, we are continuing to track and report instances of confirmed positive COVID infection, as well as resulting precautionary quarantines or isolation. Although we have managed those disruptions well, and although there has been low incidence of in-district transmission, we implore our community to stay vigilant and keep modeling the hygiene, distancing, and masking practices that have yielded positive results when practiced at scale and with fidelity.

IMPLICATIONS of E49 RED

For students, the implication is that most learning services are now delivered remotely, using online platforms and communications to facilitate instruction, interventions, and assessment. For some student groups, and for some specialized services, we continue providing opportunities for in-person, small group educational and other services. For students, there are minimal differences between E49 Orange and E49 Red.

For educators, most educational delivery is delivered remotely, but we have directed principals and other supervisors to manage workforce schedules to achieve a maximum of 50% of workforce presence on site. Practically, this means that most educators and other colleagues will move closer to working on site two or three days a week, with some colleagues still working primarily or exclusively from the worksite, while others work primarily or exclusively from home.

We are still scheduling administrators, professional-technical, and education support personnel to maintain in-person service for our public-facing mission, and to sustain work that requires presence at specific locations.

*As promised, we’ll address a question on the minds of many, “Will D49 move learning and working to fully remote?”

The short answer is that we’ll remain in our current primarily E-Learning and 50% working configuration unless something major changes. If El Paso County experiences a further surge through the holiday season, and if the county declares or is placed in Level Purple: Extreme Risk, that would be closer to a “shelter in place” status and we would move even more of our learning and working mission to remote status. However, even under those conditions we would not completely lock down our schools and facilities, as meal service and some limited special services would continue. Even though most of our workers are not considered “essential workers” schools are categorized as “critical businesses” and so we may continue to calibrate our workforce levels and student capacity to meet our mission. Just as they did in early August, county health leaders are recommending that we delay any return to in-person learning at scale until we have data from the impacts of the holiday season. We will follow that guidance and determine our January learning and working configuration before we leave for the District’s Christmas break on December 18.

HEALTH DATA
County health data has degraded substantially over the past 13 weeks, with adverse levels and inconsistent trends.

On the three key population health measures, this is the status as of Monday morning, November 30, 2020:

Summary Chart:

Key Measure #1: 14-Day Incidence per 100,000 *Lower is better
Rating: EXTREME RISK Level with Adverse Trend
The Case Rate has stabilized from 1162 last Monday to 1149 today. We remain in the “Extreme Risk" range (>350).

Guidance from county and other public health officials is to be cautious about the apparent plateau, as some of that pattern may be related to disruptions in testing and reporting during a holiday break. Additionally, increased social mobility and interactions over the holiday may cause a surge in 10-14 days.

Key Measure #2: Daily PCR Test Positivity (14-Day Average) *Lower is better
Rating: HIGH RISK Level with Stable Trend
The test positivity rate is at 14.74% today, above the public health target (maximum) of 5%. We want that number lower, so it is a matter of significant concern that the positive rating has been steadily increasing over the last month, matching the rise in case rates. The average turnaround time for test is stable at 2.64 days. Due to logistics realities for collection, transfer to lab, and lab processes, any average turnaround under two days is near optimal.

Key Measure #3: Community Health Agency Burden
Rating: POOR/STRAINED with Adverse (Increasing) Trend
This measure is a composite of hospitalization and death rates, which reveal the intensity of infectious spread and resulting illness. Although it is a self-reported measure with some subjectivity, the fact that total hospitalizations has increased since early October is an indicator of increasing burden on hospital facilities and services. Note that hospitalizations are a lagging indicator following case rates and test positivity by approximately 10-14 days.

DISTRICT INCIDENT DATA (Four-Week Lookback)
Rating: CONCERNING LEVEL with Declining Trend

For this measure, I will link to the district dashboard which captures and presents the data I have previously reported from a previous database.

D49 Will Reinstitute E-Learning (E49) Beginning Mon. November 9

November 6, 2020

Dear D49 Families, Students, and Staff,

We are completing a very disruptive week in our community and in District 49. Our region has measured thousands of new COVID cases including 35 confirmed cases involving D49 students and staff. Two thirds of our schools have active precautionary quarantines affecting nearly 1,100 students and hundreds of staff members. It is straining our students and their families as well as the entire workforce family, with teachers and nurses especially impacted by unpredictable overloads. The staff who remain are stretched incredibly thin as we cannot secure enough substitute teachers, and there aren’t enough adults to cover all assignments. Five schools, serving over 4,400 students, have been displaced into E-Learning with less than a day’s notice. We’ve also seen our first school-based outbreaks (two of them), and two cases of verified, in-district transmission. The three-stage pattern of upheaval is now evident and inevitable. Surging infection cases from the community flow into our schools, creating quarantines that deplete our on-site staff, and in-person learning shuts down. Our schools are losing stability, and community conditions are beginning to compromise safety. Therefore, District 49 will transition back to E-Learning (E49) for most students-- all programs, PK-12-- on Monday, Nov 9, 2020.

Bắn Cá Đổi Thưởng Trực Tuyến 2018We understand and share the collective desire for more advanced notice about this transition. Unfortunately, the impacts of COVID disruptions accelerated so abruptly this week, that our timeframe to decide and communicate has been compressed. Rather than continuing to close in-person learning with less than a day’s notice, we decided to use as much of the weekend as possible for planning and adjustments. Every quarantine is disruptive, but switching whole schools to E-Learning with only hours to plan is chaotic for students’ learning and overloads our staff and families. The nature of the virus means we can’t predict which schools will go virtual tomorrow, but we can project that the number will multiply--especially by next Monday. We’ve passed the point where we can stay in front of this wave. It will overwhelm our district if we don’t reposition to the higher ground of E49.

Bắn Cá Đổi Thưởng Trực Tuyến 2018Over the past 8 months, our community has experienced four waves in the pandemic, measured by the case rate per 100,000 on a 14-day average.

The first wave peaked with an average case rate of 55 (per 100K) on April 6. That wave receded to 32 on April 30.

The second wave climbed to 58 on May 26 and then receded to 29 on June 16.

The third wave climbed to 155 on July 29 and then receded back to 53 on September 11.

Each of these waves demonstrated time symmetry, taking about as long to recede as they did to build up. We are now in the upslope of a fourth wave, with case rates/100K already over 500 on November 5. As of today, there are over 3,700 active cases in our community. This wave has been building for 8 weeks, and recent spikes in transmission and test positivity ensure that it will keep climbing for quite some time—possibly cresting through the holiday season and into the new year. When it does recede, this wave will take many weeks to return to the yellow or blue levels of Safer at Home. Since schools are downstream of the community, we don’t anticipate returning to stable in-person conditions until some time in 2021. As a result, E49 will be in effect at least through the rest of this semester.

Bắn Cá Đổi Thưởng Trực Tuyến 2018Our parents, students, and staff have done a superlative job of keeping schools safe, but we’ve reached our limit. While we haven’t been perfect, our caution about symptoms and safety has secured 8 strong weeks of in-person and hybrid learning for families who wanted that option. We’ve built a foundation of learning and relationships that will serve us well as we transition back to E49. This is the decision we didn’t want to make and the announcement we didn’t want to draft, but we believe this is the responsible way forward - instead of rolling the dice and waiting to see which schools go virtual next.

Bắn Cá Đổi Thưởng Trực Tuyến 2018The next several days will be confusing as all of us experience what many have already gone through, the short-notice transition to virtual learning. Learning will be disrupted, and all of our work will be impacted. Just as we did back in April, we’ll use the first day of E49 for students and teachers to gather materials and plan for next steps. That means Monday, November 9 will be a non-contact day for all teacher-directed learning—including special education. Students may keep working, but teachers and other staff will meet, plan, relocate where necessary and begin the transition process for all learners. Some class groups will change as we rebalance teaching loads and reorganize cohorts of students.

Our teachers and other staff are more prepared than ever to deliver quality instruction during E49. We learned a lot last spring, and we continue learning and adapting as we serve almost a third of our students who opted for remote instruction. Our plans for device distribution will look different, as we work to give schools more local control of that process. Our process for grab-and-go school meals will look different too, as we establish locations and schedules to provide free school meals. We already have great participation in our before and after-school program called Base49, but we will work to increase capacity and availability of that resource during E49. Sadly, the decision to prioritize stability and safety will also suspend any sports or co-curricular activities that cannot shift to a virtual mode. Nearly all of our Season A sports have concluded, and Season B sports don’t start practice until January, so we hold out some hope that conditions will improve enough to support those activities.

D49 is going virtual, but we’re still open for business. Our staff will continue working around the district and all of our schools, programs and operations will keep serving during E49. We will offer some on-site programming for students and groups that need in-person support, just as we did in late August, but we need to establish the best population and duration for those services. In particular, we will prioritize individualized services for students with learning plans, interventions for at-risk students, and core instruction support for our youngest learners.

As a district of choice, we are proud to authorize a community of excellent charter schools, each with its own governing board and unique community conditions. Although the shift to E49 will limit our district’s ability to provide a full suite of services, we will collaborate with individual schools and their leaders to support their decisions and plans.

We fully understand that this announcement does not have sufficient detail to fully guide our transition. For this weekend and the start of next week, we ask that everybody stay attentive for more information from departments and schools.

Bắn Cá Đổi Thưởng Trực Tuyến 2018We thank you for your patience, understanding and trust. We will walk forward together with respect, care and our shared commitment to delivering excellent education in stable and safe environments.

Sincerely,

Peter Hilts
Bắn Cá Đổi Thưởng Trực Tuyến 2018Chief Education Officer

Brett Ridgway
Bắn Cá Đổi Thưởng Trực Tuyến 2018Chief Business Officer

Pedro Almeida
Bắn Cá Đổi Thưởng Trực Tuyến 2018Chief Operations Officer

D49 Community Update October 2020 & Survey

D49 Community Update from Chief Education Officer Peter Hilts, October 2020

Dear D49 Family, We are coming up on fall break! School year 2020-21 is well underway, and we thank you for working so hard as we wrap up our first quarter and continue our gradual return to in-person learning. We will maintain our current, full population model for elementary students, and our 50-50 hybrid for middle and high school students through fall break and for at least two weeks after we resume on October 26.

We invite you to join us for a message from D49 Chief Education Officer Peter Hilts, and take a brief survey to share what you think about our effectiveness as we continue school year 20-21 and our gradual return to in-person learning. You’ll find the link in this post, in your in-box and online at D49.org.

Thank you for your hard work, and your honest feedback.

Have a great fall break!

Survey link:

Please keep students home if they don’t feel well

Dear D49 Families,

We want to share a friendly reminder that sending learners to school requires at-home health screening every day.

Along with the excitement of reuniting and getting to know each other in our return to in-person learning, we are already experiencing the challenges of illness in our classrooms. As we are seeing, even minor symptoms can have significant ripple effects to our return to in-person learning. Guidance from our partners at El Paso County Public Health supports our nursing staff as they assess children showing COVID-like symptoms at school, and also informs their appropriate response, which in some cases requires sending home cohorts of learners and school staff.

Parents can help! Please keep students home if they don’t feel well, or are experiencing symptoms in the following checklists:

Symptoms Observed or Reported:

1 or more MAJOR SYMPTOMS

Feeling feverish, having chills or temp of 100.4F or greater

New or unexplained persistent cough

New or unexplained shortness of breath or difficulty breathing

Loss of sense of taste or smell

2 or more MINOR SYMPTOMS

Sore throat

Runny nose or congestion

Muscle or body aches

Headache

Fatigue

Nausea, vomiting

Diarrhea

EMERGENCY COVID-19 WARNING SIGNS include: trouble breathing, persistent pain or pressure in the chest, new confusion, inability to wake or stay awake, bluish lips or face. Seek medical attention immediately by calling 911.

Students should stay home if they are experiencing:

1 or more major symptoms and/or 2 or more minor symptoms indicated on the table above.

This, and more useful information may be found on the D49 Nursing Services webpage. We encourage all of our families to become familiar with this process. Paired with our system of safety protocols, following these steps will give D49 our best chance at making this school year the safe and memorable one we know it can be.

Thank you for your time, understanding, and enduring trust.

D49 El Paso County COVID Data Update Nov. 23, 2020

OVERVIEW

Key measures of population health continue to degrade, as they have for 12 weeks in a row. El Paso County remains in Level Orange—High Risk based on levels and trends across the three key metrics of case rate, positivity rate, and hospital burden. All three indicators are rising to critical levels. Because schools operate downstream from the community, we are directly subject to worsening conditions. Based on our tracking and projection of those conditions, we transitioned District 49 to E49 effective two weeks ago today. Because we continue to offer limited in-person educational services, we are continuing to track and report instances of confirmed positive COVID infection, as well as resulting precautionary quarantines or isolation. Although we have managed those disruptions well, and although there has been low incidence of in-district transmission, we implore our community to stay vigilant and keep modeling the hygiene, distancing, and masking practices that have yielded positive results when practiced at scale and with fidelity.

*KEY NOTE: With the governor’s announcement last week of changes to the state dial, including a new purple level for Extreme Risk, El Paso County’s indicators match the new “Severe Risk” red level. However, the county has declined to adopt that designation and is waiting to observe how the most recent mitigation measures might impact key indicators. County leaders expect to revisit the county’s designation next week.

Because the county public health conditions are so stark, we made the decision to move to E49 Red to provide clarity and predictability for the period between Thanksgiving and Christmas breaks.

IMPLICATIONS of E49 RED

For students, the implication is that most learning services are now delivered remotely, using online platforms and communications to facilitate instruction, interventions, and assessment. For some student groups, and for some specialized services, we continue providing opportunities for in-person, small group educational and other services. For students, there are minimal differences between E49 Orange and E49 Red.

For educators, most educational delivery is delivered remotely, but we have directed principals and other supervisors to manage workforce schedules to achieve a maximum of 50% of workforce presence on site. Practically, this means that most educators and other colleagues will move closer to working on site two or three days a week, with some colleagues still working primarily or exclusively from the worksite, while others work primarily or exclusively from home.

We are still scheduling administrators, professional-technical, and education support personnel to maintain in-person service for our public-facing mission, and to sustain work that requires presence at specific locations.

HEALTH DATA
County health data has degraded substantially over the past 12 weeks, with adverse levels and adverse trends.

On the three key population health measures, this is the status as of Monday morning, November 23, 2020:

Summary Chart:

Key Measure #1: 14-Day Incidence per 100,000 *Lower is better
Rating: HIGH RISK Level with Adverse Trend
The Case Rate has surged from 954 last Monday to 1162 today. We remain in the “Extreme Risk" range (>350).

Key Measure #2: Daily PCR Test Positivity (14-Day Average) *Lower is better
Rating: SEVERE RISK Level with Stable Trend
The test positivity rate is at 14.7% today, above the public health target (maximum) of 5%. We want that number lower, so it is a matter of significant concern that the positive rating has been steadily increasing over the last month, matching the rise in case rates. The average turnaround time for test is stable at 2.49 days. Due to logistics realities for collection, transfer to lab, and lab processes, any average turnaround under two days is near optimal.

Key Measure #3: Community Health Agency Burden
Rating: POOR/STRAINED with Adverse (Increasing) Trend
This measure is a composite of hospitalization and death rates, which reveal the intensity of infectious spread and resulting illness. Although it is a self-reported measure with some subjectivity, the fact that total hospitalizations has increased since early October is an indicator of increasing burden on hospital facilities and services. Note that hospitalizations are a lagging indicator following case rates and test positivity by approximately 10-14 days.

DISTRICT INCIDENT DATA (Four-Week Lookback)
Rating: Concerning Level with Declining Trend

For this measure, I will link to the district dashboard which captures and presents the data I have previously reported from a previous database.
D49 El Paso County COVID Data Update Nov. 16, 2020

OVERVIEW

Key measures of population health continue to degrade, as they have for 11 weeks in a row. El Paso County declared Level Orange—High Risk last Friday based on levels and trends across the three key metrics of case rate, positivity rate, and hospital burden. All three indicators are rising to critical levels. Because schools operate downstream from the community, we are directly subject to worsening conditions. Based on our tracking and projection of those conditions, we transitioned District 49 to E49 effective one week ago today. We completed our first week of E49 under Level Yellow, and we are completing the second week of E49 under Level Orange—a condition we will refer to as E49 Orange. Because we continue to offer limited in-person educational services, we are continuing to track and report instances of confirmed positive COVID infection, as well as resulting precautionary quarantines or isolation. Although we have managed those disruptions well, and although there has been low incidence of in-district transmission, we implore our community to stay vigilant and keep modeling the hygiene, distancing, and masking practices that have yielded positive results when practiced at scale and with fidelity.

*KEY NOTE: We have heard clearly from state officials, as well as county medical and political leaders that there is no plan or political consensus to move El Paso County to a formal Level Red: Stay at Home designation. Informed by a consensus of unofficial and anecdotal reports, along with analysis of the mechanisms required to raise the county designation to Level Red, (state-county collaboration, local calibration, etc.), we project that El Paso County will stay in Level Orange at least until January. Although the three key metrics may all reach the levels specified for Level Red, District 49 should not expect a county declaration to follow, so we should work and lead based on our best determination of the next right steps. District leaders are actively evaluating the implications of shifting operations to E49 Red after Thanksgiving break based on county conditions, but we have not directed that adjustment.

There has been some initial brainstorming about revising the Colorado dial to include a new level, (Level 4.5) which would be between orange and red (Burnt Orange?) but those discussions are still preliminary and non-actionable. If that discussion solidifies into action, we will notify the board immediately and adjust district operations accordingly. For now, we remain in E49 Orange.

IMPLICATIONS of E49 ORANGE

For students, the implication is that most learning services are now delivered remotely, using online platforms and communications to facilitate instruction, interventions, and assessment. For some student groups, and for some specialized services, we continue providing opportunities for in-person, small group educational and other services.

For educators, most educational delivery is delivered remotely, but we have directed most educators to work from school sites, in part to maintain availability for limited in-person services, and in part to maintain a physical presence at worksites that are still safe and effective.

For other workers, most district services are provided in person at our district schools and facilities. Our administrators, professional-technical, and education support personnel are reporting to workplaces to maintain in-person service for our public-facing mission, and to sustain work that requires presence at specific locations.

HEALTH DATA
County health data has degraded substantially over the past 11 weeks, with adverse levels and adverse trends.

On the three key population health measures, this is the status as of Monday morning, November 16, 2020:

Summary Chart:

Key Measure #1: 14-Day Incidence per 100,000 *Lower is better
Rating: HIGH RISK Level with Adverse Trend
The Case Rate has surged from 657 last Monday to 954 today. We remain in the “Stay at Home” range (>350).

Key Measure #2: Daily PCR Test Positivity (14-Day Average) *Lower is better
Rating: High Risk Level with Adverse Trend
The test positivity rate is at 14.66% today, above the public health target (maximum) of 5%. We want that number lower, so it is a matter of significant concern that the positive rating has been steadily increasing over the last month, matching the rise in case rates. The average turnaround time for test is slightly elevated at 2.43 days. Due to logistics realities for collection, transfer to lab, and lab processes, any average turnaround under two days is near optimal.

Key Measure #3: Community Health Agency Burden
Rating: Concerning Level with Adverse (Increasing) Trend
This measure is a composite of hospitalization and death rates, which reveal the intensity of infectious spread and resulting illness. Although it is a self-reported measure with some subjectivity, the fact that total hospitalizations has increased since early October is an indicator of increasing burden on hospital facilities and services. Note that hospitalizations are a lagging indicator following case rates and test positivity by approximately 10-14 days.

DISTRICT INCIDENT DATA (Four-Week Lookback)
Rating: Concerning Level with Unstable Trend

For this measure, I will link to the district dashboard which captures and presents the data I have previously reported from a previous database.
D49 El Paso County COVID Data Update Nov. 9, 2020

OVERVIEW

Key measures of population health are now worse than the early, intense wave of cases, and are worse than the July surge in case rates. El Paso County is measuring a steady increase in infections and transmissions through September and into October. Because schools operate downstream from the community, worsening conditions out there are disruptive to learning in our schools and classrooms. We have had multiple closures and quarantines as a result of community transmission and so we have transitioned D49 education to E49. Although we have managed those disruptions well, and although there has been limited incidence of at-school transmission, we implore our community to stay vigilant and keep modeling the hygiene, distancing, and masking practices that have yielded positive results when practiced at scale and with fidelity.

HEALTH DATA
County health data has degraded substantially over the past month, with adverse levels and adverse trends.

On the three key population health measures, this is the status as of Monday morning, November 9, 2020:

Summary Chart:

Key Measure #1: 14-Day Incidence per 100,000 *Lower is better
Rating: VERY HIGH Level with Adverse Trend
The Case Rate has surged from 253 last Monday to 586 today. We remain in the “Very High” range (>100). A second dashboard configuration has re-labeled the levels using colors from the the Colorado Dial Framework, so as of last Friday El Paso County is in Safer at Home, Level 2 Concern—Yellow.

It is significant that our case rate has been increasing for a month and has returned to the very high band that we last measured in August. That level is very concerning, and the recent levels make us more vulnerable to rapidly rising case rates. For this update, I am showing the entire history of the pandemic so you can see how our current level and trend compares to previous surges.

Key Measure #2: Daily PCR Test Positivity (14-Day Average) *Lower is better
Rating: Adverse Level with Adverse Trend
The test positivity rate is at 12.1% today, above the public health target (maximum) of 5%. We want that number lower, so it is a matter of significant concern that the positive rating has been steadily increasing over the last month, matching the rise in case rates. The average turnaround time for test is stable at 2.25 days. Due to logistics realities for collection, transfer to lab, and lab processes, any average turnaround under two days is near optimal.

Key Measure #3: Community Health Agency Capacity
Rating: Adverse Level with Concerning Trend
This measure is a composite of hospitalization and death rates, which reveal the intensity of infectious spread and resulting illness. Over the last 14 days, EPC has tracked 81 hospitalizations and 5 deaths, numbers, that are concerning and tragic, and are beginning to stress the county’s current health capacity to care and support. County hospitals (this is a self-reported indicator) report this as fair/good level, but the trend is increasing in the wrong direction.

DISTRICT INCIDENT DATA (Four-Week Loopback)
Rating: Concerning Level with Unstable Trend

For this measure, I will link to the district dashboard which captures and presents the data I have previously reported from a previous database.
D49 El Paso County COVID Data Update Nov. 2, 2020
District 49 Continues Safe Operations as Permitted Under Safer at Home Level 2.

Hello D49 workforce, parents, and students. With county population health measures degrading, El Paso County is now designated in Safer at Home Level 2, the middle range of five different designations on Colorado's COVID-19 conditions Dial (PDF Document)

The county’s explanation of the new designation is available as at the department website. Within the guidance for Level 2, P-12 schools are guided to offer instruction that is, “In-person, hybrid, or remote as appropriate.” District 49’s Return to Learn model is already compliant with the guidance for Level 2.

In addition, the three key metrics we are tracking in District 49 have all reached their highest levels since April. Our understanding of how those measures interact, and the relative risks associated with those measures matures, as evidenced by changes in the county and state guidelines for levels and restrictions. As the crisis has progressed, our ability to predict and respond to rising infection rates has improved. As a result, we are continuing to track the impact of positive cases on our students and staff as we conduct contact tracing, precautionary quarantines, and other protective measures. To foster additional transparency and clarity about our in-district measures, we will launch a dashboard of exclusions and quarantines early this week.

Four things are still true today:
1. District 49’s safety system is working to protect our students and staff. Although we have had multiple cases of COVID-positive individuals in our district, we have had zero transmission within our schools or workplaces, and El Paso County has not designated any D49 schools with a COVID outbreak.
2. Under current conditions, and with our safety system fully in place, our schools remain the safest institutions in our community—safer than stores, restaurants, churches, and many other public places. Although COVID continues to come in to our schools, it has not been transmitted within our schools, and therefore schools are not a source of rising community rates nor does attending or working at school put anyone at significantly increased risk.
3. Increasing case rates in the community are creating escalating quarantines—in some cases leading to a full-school transition to E-learning if a critical mass of students or staff are unable to come to school while on quarantine. While we have been able to sustain safe operations, the number of quarantines has limited our ability to sustain in-person instruction. Even though we may shift a school to remote learning, even without a declared outbreak, the disruption to school operations is nearly identical.
4. Despite the disruptions of quarantines and closures, we continue serving thousands of students with safe, effective, in-person instruction. Although current conditions do not support increasing the amount of in-person learning, neither do they justify contracting or reducing the amount of in-person opportunities we are offering our students. Even if El Paso County were to move to Safer at Home Level 3, the guidelines for P-12 schools at that level support: “Remote or hybrid suggested, limited in-person as appropriate.” Because we already incorporate remote and hybrid models, along with safe and appropriate in-person learning, District 49’s current Return to Learn model is already compliant with the guidance for Level 3. Our best projection is that District 49 will likely maintain our current configuration through Thanksgiving Break, depending of course, on community conditions and guidance.
Our community, including parents and staff members especially, has voiced a clear expectation for as much advance notice of changes as possible. Therefore we will strive to provide two weeks’ notice of any system-wide changes to our learning protocols. Although circumstances beyond the district’s control (such as a governor’s order) may force action with short notice, D49 is committed to provide as much early notice and transparent decision-making as possible.

As always, we thank you for your commitment to excellence and your enduring dedication during this unprecedented season of learning. We will walk forward together with respect and care to ensure D49 is truly the Best Choice to Learn, Work and Lead.

Sincerely,

Peter Hilts
Chief Education Officer

Brett Ridgway
Chief Business Officer

Pedro Almeida
Chief Operations Officer
OVERVIEW

Key measures of population health are now worse than the early, intense wave of cases, and are worse than the July surge in case rates. El Paso County is measuring a steady increase in infections and transmissions through September and into October. Because schools operate downstream from the community, worsening conditions out there are disruptive to learning in our schools and classrooms. We have had multiple closures and quarantines as a result of community transmission. Although we have managed those disruptions well, and although there has been zero incidence of at-school transmission, we implore our community to stay vigilant and keep modeling the hygiene, distancing, and masking practices that have yielded positive results when practiced at scale and with fidelity.

HEALTH DATA
County health data has degraded substantially over the past month, with adverse levels and adverse trends.

Please note that El Paso County’s Public Health Department has implemented a major revision to the visualizations and data available on the public dashboard. I will incorporate some of those new visualizations below. On the three key population health measures, this is the status as of Monday morning, November 2, 2020:

Key Measure #1: 14-Day Incidence per 100,000 *Lower is better
Rating: VERY HIGH Level with Adverse Trend
The Case Rate has surged from 253 last Monday to 335 today. We remain in the “Very High” range (>100). The new dashboard configuration has re-labeled the levels using the the Colorado Dial Framework, so as of last Friday we are in Level 2 (Concern) of Safer at Home.

It is significant that our case rate has been increasing for a month and has returned to the very high band that we last measured in August. That level is very concerning, and the recent levels make us more vulnerable to rapidly rising case rates. In past weeks I showed the visualization calibrated to 14 days. For this update, I am showing the entire history of the pandemic so you can see how our current level and trend compares to previous surges.

The degrading health trends in El Paso County have clearly accelerated, which does not support increasing our attendance percentage at this time. We will continue tracking this measure daily. Given the current levels and trends it is responsible to continue in-person learning at the 50% attendance level for MS and HS students. Our safety system has prevented transmission in D49 schools, but the rising tide of community cases is putting increasing pressure on our workforce and our overall ability to operate in-person learning.

Key Measure #2: Daily PCR Test Positivity (14-Day Average) *Lower is better
Rating: Adverse Level with Adverse Trend
The test positivity rate is at 8.1% today, above the public health target (maximum) of 5%. We want that number lower, so it is a matter of significant concern that the positive rating has been steadily increasing over the last month, matching the rise in case rates. The average turnaround time for test is stable at 2.2 days. Due to logistics realities for collection, transfer to lab, and lab processes, any average turnaround under two days is near optimal.

Key Measure #3: Community Health Agency Capacity
Rating: Negative Level with Concerning Trend
This measure is a composite of hospitalization and death rates, which reveal the intensity of infectious spread and resulting illness. Over the last 14 days, EPC has tracked 69 hospitalizations and 5 death, numbers, that are concerning and tragic, and are beginning to stress the county’s current health capacity to care and support. The county still reports this as an acceptable level, but the trend is increasing in the wrong direction.

DISTRICT INCIDENT DATA (Four-Week Loopback)
Rating: Concerning Level with Unstable Trend
As of Sunday, November 1, District 49 has tracked and traced 138 workforce incidents of known or suspected COVID symptoms, infections, or exposure at our district-operated and chartered schools within district boundaries over the past four weeks.

Of those incidents, 12 have been presumed or confirmed Tier Zero cases. Of those Tier Zero cases, 5 have tested negative and 7 have tested positive, with the remainder still monitoring symptoms. The following graph includes all Tier 0, 1, 2, and 3 incidents in D49 since October 5:
D49 El Paso County COVID Data Update Oct. 26, 2020

OVERVIEW

Key measures of population health are now worse than the early, intense wave of cases, and are worse than the July surge in case rates. El Paso County is measuring a steady increase in infections and transmissions through September and into October. Because schools operate downstream from the community, worsening conditions out there are disruptive to learning in our schools and classrooms. We have had multiple closures and quarantines as a result of community transmission. Although we have managed those disruptions well, and although there has been zero incidence of at-school transmission, we implore our community to stay vigilant and keep modeling the hygiene, distancing, and masking practices that have yielded positive results when practiced at scale and with fidelity.

Video of El Paso County Public Health Press Conference on Friday, Oct. 23:

HEALTH DATA
County health data has degraded substantially over the past month, with adverse levels and adverse trends.

Please note that El Paso County’s Public Health Department has implemented a major revision to the visualizations and data available on the public dashboard. I will incorporate some of those new visualizations below. On the three key population health measures, this is the status as of Monday morning, October 26, 2020:

Key Measure #1: 14-Day Incidence per 100,000 *Lower is better
Rating: VERY HIGH Level with Adverse Trend
The Case Rate has surged from 179 last Monday to 253 today. We remain in the “Very High” range (>100). The new dashboard configuration has re-labeled the levels using the the Colorado Dial Framework, so as of this morning we are in Level 2 (Concern) of Safer at Home.

It is significant that our case rate has been increasing for a month and has returned to the very high band that we last measured in August. That level is very concerning, and the recent levels make us more vulnerable to rapidly rising case rates. In past weeks I showed the visualization calibrated to 14 days. For this update, I am showing the entire history of the pandemic so you can see how our current level and trend compares to previous surges.

The degrading health trends in El Paso County have clearly accelerated, which does not support increasing our attendance percentage at this time. We will continue tracking this measure daily. Given the current levels and trends it is responsible to enter and exit fall break at the 50% attendance level for MS and HS students. Our safety system has prevented transmission in D49 schools, but the rising tide of community cases is putting increasing pressure on our workforce and our overall ability to operate in-person learning.

Key Measure #2: Daily PCR Test Positivity (14-Day Average) *Lower is better
Rating: Good Level with Adverse Trend
The test positivity rate is at 6.24% today, above the public health target (maximum) of 5%. We want that number lower, so it is a matter of significant concern that the positive rating has been steadily increasing over the last month, matching the rise in case rates. The average turnaround time for test is stable at 2.13 days. Due to logistics realities for collection, transfer to lab, and lab processes, any average turnaround under two days is near optimal.

Key Measure #3: Community Health Agency Capacity
Rating: Good Level with Concerning Trend
This measure is a composite of hospitalization and death rates, which reveal the intensity of infectious spread and resulting illness. Over the last 14 days, EPC has tracked 53 hospitalizations and 1 death, numbers, that while concerning and tragic, are within the county’s current health capacity to care and support. The county still reports this as an acceptable level, but the trend is increasing in the wrong direction.
D49 El Paso County COVID Data Update Oct. 19, 2020

OVERVIEW

Key measures of population health are now worse than the early, intense wave of cases, and are worse than the July surge in case rates. El Paso County is measuring a steady increase in infections and transmissions through September and into October. Because schools operate downstream from the community, worsening conditions out there are disruptive to learning in our schools and classrooms. We have had multiple closures and quarantines as a result of community transmission. Although we have managed those disruptions well, and although there has been zero incidence of at-school transmission, we implore our community to stay vigilant and keep modeling the hygiene, distancing, and masking practices that have yielded positive results when practiced at scale and with fidelity.

HEALTH DATA
County health data has degraded substantially over the past month, with adverse levels and adverse trends.

Please note that El Paso County’s Public Health Department has implemented a major revision to the visualizations and data available on the public dashboard. I will incorporate some of those new visualizations below. On the three key population health measures, this is the status as of Monday morning, October 19, 2020:

Key Measure #1: 14-Day Incidence per 100,000 *Lower is better
Rating: VERY HIGH Level with Adverse Trend
The Case Rate has surged from 114 last Monday to 179 today. We remain in the “Very High” range (>100). The new dashboard configuration has re-labeled the levels using the the Colorado Dial Framework, so as of this morning we are in Level 2 (Concern) of Safer at Home.

It is significant that our case rate has been increasing for a month and has returned to the very high band that we last measured in August. That level is very concerning, and the recent levels make us more vulnerable to rapidly rising case rates. In past weeks I showed the visualization calibrated to 14 days. For this update, I am showing the entire history of the pandemic so you can see how our current level and trend compares to previous surges.

The degrading health trends in El Paso County have clearly accelerated, which does not support increasing our attendance percentage at this time. We will continue tracking this measure daily. Given the current levels and trends it is responsible to enter and exit fall break at the 50% attendance level for MS and HS students.

Key Measure #2: Daily PCR Test Positivity (14-Day Average) *Lower is better
Rating: Good Level with Adverse Trend
The test positivity rate is at 4.93% today, barely under the public health target (maximum) of 5%. We want that number lower, so being under 5% is good, but it is a matter of significant concern that the positive rating has been steadily increasing over the last month, matching the rise in case rates. The average turnaround time for test is stable at 2.12 days. Due to logistics realities for collection, transfer to lab, and lab processes, any average turnaround under two days is near optimal.

Key Measure #3: Community Health Agency Capacity
Rating: Good Level with Concerning Trend
This measure is a composite of hospitalization and death rates, which reveal the intensity of infectious spread and resulting illness. Over the last 14 days, EPC has tracked 60 hospitalizations and 1 death, numbers, that while concerning and tragic, are within the county’s current health capacity to care and support. The county still reports this as a good level, but the trend is increasing in the wrong direction.
D49 El Paso County COVID Data Update Oct. 12, 2020

OVERVIEW

Although key measures of population health are improved from the early, intense wave of cases, and are better than the July surge in case rates, El Paso County is measuring a steady increase in infections and transmissions through September and into October. Because schools operate downstream from the community, worsening conditions out there are disruptive to learning in our schools and classrooms. We have had multiple closures and quarantines as a result of community transmission. Although we have managed those disruptions well, and although there has been zero incidence of at-school transmission, we implore our community to stay vigilant and keep modeling the hygiene, distancing, and masking practices that have helped us make headway.

HEALTH DATA

County health data has degraded over the past month, with mixed levels and adverse trends.

On the three key population health measures, this is the status as of Monday morning, October 12, 2020:

Key Measure #1: 14-Day Incidence per 100,000 *Lower is better
Rating: VERY HIGH Level with Adverse Trend
The Case Rate has surged from 74 last Monday to 114 today. We have reentered the “Very High” range (>100). It is significant that our case rate has been increasing for a month and has returned to the very high band that we last measured in August. That level is very concerning, and the recent levels make us more vulnerable to rapidly rising case rates. The degrading health trends in El Paso County have clearly accelerated, which does not support increasing our attendance percentage at this time. We will continue tracking this measure daily. Given the current levels and trends it is responsible to enter and exit fall break at the 50% attendance level for MS and HS students.

Key Measure #2: Daily PCR Test Positivity (14-Day Average) *Lower is better
Rating: Good Level with Adverse Trend
The test positivity rate is at 3.73% today, under the public health target (maximum) of 5%. We want that number lower, so being under 5% is good, but it is a matter of concern that the positive rating has been increasing over the last month, matching the rise in case rates. The average turnaround time for test results has improved to 1.79 days. Due to logistics realities for collection, transfer to lab, and lab processes, any average turnaround under two days is near optimal.

Key Measure #3: Community Health Agency Capacity
Rating: Good Level with Concerning Trend
This measure is a composite of hospitalization and death rates, which reveal the intensity of infectious spread and resulting illness. Over the last 14 days, EPC has tracked 40 hospitalizations and 1 death, numbers, that while concerning and tragic, are within the county’s health capacity to care and support.
D49 El Paso County COVID Data Update Oct. 5, 2020

OVERVIEW

Although key measures of population health are improved from the early, intense wave of cases, and are better than the July surge in case rates, El Paso County is measuring a steady increase in infections and transmissions through September and into October. Because schools operate downstream from the community, worsening conditions out there are disruptive to learning in our schools and classrooms. We have had multiple closures and quarantines as a result of community transmission. Although we have managed those disruptions well, and although there has been zero incidence of at-school transmission, we implore our community to stay vigilant and keep modeling the hygiene, distancing, and masking practices that have helped us make headway.

This week we are experiencing our first disruption to transportation services, as a precautionary quarantine has rendered several of our drivers unavailable for service for the next ten days. Unlike classroom instruction, which can be supported or duplicated online, there is no fallback option for transportation disruption—especially in an environment where every district is short drivers and there are few or no candidates coming into the job market. The same appeal we make about schools and classrooms applies to busses as well. Please do not get on a bus or come to school if you have symptoms or known exposure to COVID-19.

HEALTH DATA

County health data has degraded over the past month, with mixed levels and some beneficial trends.

On the three key population health measures, this is the status as of Monday morning, October 5, 2020:

Key Measure #1: 14-Day Incidence per 100,000 *Lower is better
Rating: Concerning Level with Mixed Trend
The Case rate has declined from a high of 157, but is increasing slowly from 72 last Monday to 74 today. We remain in the “High” range (50-100). It is significant that our case rate has been increasing for a month and has persisted in the high band since early July. That level is concerning, and the recent levels make us more vulnerable to rapidly rising case rates. The improvement trend in El Paso County has clearly stalled out, which does not support increasing our attendance percentage at this time. We will continue tracking this measure daily. Given the current levels and trends it is most responsible to enter and exit fall break at the 50% attendance level for MS and HS students.

Key Measure #2: Daily PCR Test Positivity (14-Day Average) *Lower is better
Rating: Good Level with Stable Trend
The test positivity rate is at 2.77% today, under the public health target (maximum) of 5%. We want that number lower, so being under 5% is good, but it is a matter of mild concern that the positive rating has been increasing over the last month, matching the rise in case rates. The long-term level is still positive, but the trend is mildly adverse. Overall, as case rates drop, total testing rates may drop which could lead to an increased test positivity rate even as fewer total positive tests are conducted. So far, we are not seeing case rates drop, and we’ve seen our total number of tests increase, which is a beneficial factor for overall health tracking. The average turnaround time for test results has improved to 1.86 days. Due to logistics realities for collection, transfer to lab, and lab processes, any average turnaround under two days is near optimal.

Key Measure #3: Community Health Agency Capacity
Rating: Very Good Level with Stable Trend
This measure is a composite of hospitalization and death rates, which reveal the intensity of infectious spread and resulting illness. Over the last 14 days, EPC has tracked 17 hospitalizations and 1 death, numbers, that while concerning and tragic, are well within the county’s health capacity to care and support.

DISTRICT INCIDENT DATA
Rating: Good Level with Stable Trend
As of Sunday, October 4, District 49 has tracked and traced 278 workforce incidents of known or suspected COVID symptoms, infections, or exposure at our district-operated and chartered schools within district boundaries.

Of those, 28 have been presumed or confirmed Tier Zero cases. Of those Tier Zero cases, 19 have tested negative and 9 (total) have tested positive, with the remainder still monitoring symptoms.

We raised again to our high mark of incidents, but with no new positive cases. All of the recent incidents have been in the precautionary category. This pattern makes sense as case rates in the larger community rise, and more students are attending in-person every day.
We have still not tracked a single incident of transmission at a district school or other facility.

We have also not declared an outbreak at any district operated or geographic charter school or any other district facility.

SECONDARY EDUCATION RETURN TO IN-PERSON LEARNING
Middle and high school students are continuing with in-person learning on a rotating schedule with 50% of MS and HS students attending this week and going forward. We are discussing the appropriate timing for increasing our percentage of in-person learning.

TRANSPORTATION, NUTRITION, FACILITIES, SECURITY, and TECHNOLOGY
Although we are continuing with the same operational posture as the past three weeks, adding returning secondary students into the mix has created new complexities and management issues for operational teams including transportation, nutrition, and security in particular. Also, in compliance with the federal waiver to provide free lunches for all students, we anticipate a significantly higher load on our nutrition services teams across the district. We are still managing the personnel and supply chain implications of that waiver, but our team has demonstrated great expertise and agility, so we anticipate serving many from our community well.

PUBLIC HEALTH and ENROLLMENT LEVELS DEVELOPMENTS
The state health department released new guidance for closures and precautionary quarantines that will mitigate the disruption on classes, without compromising safety. That is good news, as it balances the decision algorithms with more weight to support in-person learning. Nevertheless, we cannot justify increasing our percentage of in-person attendance to 100% when county conditions are degrading and our county case rate is still in the high range. To provide clarity and advance notice to the community, we will formalize the intent that we previously communicated to maintain our level of 50% attendance at MS and HS through November 6, with any upward adjustment being announced after Fall break and implemented no sooner than November 9.
D49 El Paso County COVID Data Update Sept. 28, 2020

HEALTH DATA

County health data has stalled out, with mixed levels and some beneficial trends.

On the three key population health measures, this is the status as of Monday morning, September 28, 2020:

Key Measure #1: 14-Day Incidence per 100,000 *Lower is better
Rating: Acceptable Level with Mixed Trend
The Case rate has declined from a high of 157, to today’s level of 72 which is in the “High” range (50-100) it is significant that our case rate has been increasing for two weeks, and peaked over the weekend at over 76. That level is concerning, and the recent trend has raised enough to put us on alert for future trends. It is encouraging that we’ve had two days of declining numbers, but we need to see at least a full week, and preferably two weeks of declining trends to reestablish our confidence that county population health is supporting our return to learn. We will continue tracking this measure daily. At the current levels and trends it is highly likely we will enter and exit fall break at the 50% level for MS and HS students.

Key Measure #2: Daily PCR Test Positivity (14-Day Average) *Lower is better
Rating: Very Good Level with Stable Trend
The test positivity rate is at 2.55% today, under the public health target (maximum) of 5%. We want that number lower, so being under 5% is good. The long-term trend and level are both positive. Overall, as case rates drop, total testing rates may drop which could lead to an increased test positivity rate even as fewer total positive tests are conducted. So far, we are not seeing case rates drop, and we’ve seen our total number of tests increase, which is a beneficial factor for overall health tracking. The average turnaround time for test results has improved to 1.79 days. Due to logistics realities for collection, transfer to lab, and lab processes, any average turnaround under two days is near optimal.

Key Measure #3: Community Health Agency Capacity
Rating: Very Good Level with Stable Trend
This measure is a composite of hospitalization and death rates, which reveal the intensity of infectious spread and resulting illness. Over the last 14 days, EPC has tracked 19 hospitalizations and 2 deaths, numbers, that while concerning and tragic, are well within the county’s health capacity to care and support.

DISTRICT INCIDENT DATA
Rating: Good Level with Stable Trend
As of Sunday, August 27, District 49 has tracked and traced 225 workforce incidents of known or suspected COVID symptoms, infections, or exposure at our district-operated and chartered schools within district boundaries.

Of those, 33 have been presumed or confirmed Tier Zero cases. Of those Tier Zero cases, 23 have tested negative and 10 (total) have tested positive, with the remainder still monitoring symptoms.

As you can see, we we raised again to our high mark of incidents, but with no new positive cases. All of the recent incidents have been in the precautionary category. This pattern makes sense as case rates in the larger community rise, and more students are attending in-person every day.
We have still not tracked a single incident of transmission at a district school or other facility.

We have also not declared an outbreak at any district operated or geographic charter school or any other district facility.

SECONDARY EDUCATION RETURN TO IN-PERSON LEARNING
Middle and high school students are continuing with in-person learning on a rotating schedule with 50% of MS and HS students attending this week and going forward. We are discussing the appropriate timing for increasing our percentage of in-person learning.

TRANSPORTATION, NUTRITION, FACILITIES, SECURITY, and TECHNOLOGY
Although we are continuing with the same operational posture as the past three weeks, adding returning secondary students into the mix has created new complexities and management issues for operational teams including transportation, nutrition, and security in particular. Also, in compliance with the federal waiver to provide free lunches for all students, we anticipate a significantly higher load on our nutrition services teams across the district. We are still managing the personnel and supply chain implications of that waiver, but our team has demonstrated great expertise and agility, so we anticipate serving many from our community well.

PUBLIC HEALTH DEVELOPMENTS
Although many data points are positive or trending positive, El Paso County remains in the “Safer At Home” stage. We have moved away from the levels needed for “Protect Your Neighbors” stage, so you should not anticipate much discussion about that possibility in the next few weeks.
Governor Polis has extended the mask mandate (indoors, 10 years or older) for another 30 days, so through our Fall Break in October.
Cell phone tracking data for our community and greater Colorado show increased mobility and movement around the state. Generally, increased mobility correlates with increased community transmission, but Colorado is measuring mixed results for the relationship of those two numbers.
The “R naught” number (R0) is a measure of reproductive rate of viral transmission, where a rate of 1.0 means one sick person infects one healthy person. At rates greater than 1.0, the pandemic advances. At rates less than 1.0, the pandemic recedes. Currently, the R0 value for Colorado is above 1.0.

Population health data for EPC is better than for Colorado as a whole, which is a matter of concern as increased mobility puts more of our neighbors in contact with other Coloradans.
Video: D49 CEO Return to Learn Update, 9/25/20
D49 El Paso County COVID Data Update Sept. 21, 2020

HEALTH DATA

County health data continues to move in a positive direction, with mixed levels and beneficial trends.

On the three key population health measures, this is the status as of Monday morning, September 21, 2020:

Key Measure #1: 14-Day Incidence per 100,000 *Lower is better
Rating: Acceptable Level with Mixed Trend
The Case rate has declined from a high of 157, to today’s level of 62. While still in the “High” range (50-100) it is significant that we are almost out of the “High” band and into the medium band, with further declines projected. The level is still concerning, and the declining (positive) trend has flattened out and raised slightly, as we projected would happen based on county projection for dynamics after Labor Day. We will continue tracking this measure daily.

Key Measure #2: Daily PCR Test Positivity (14-Day Average) *Lower is better
Rating: Very Good Level with Improving Trend
The test positivity rate is at 2.61% today, under the public health target (maximum) of 5%. We want that number lower, so being under 5% is good. The long-term trend and level are both positive. Overall, as case rates drop, total testing rates may drop which could lead to an increased test positivity rate even as fewer total positive tests are conducted. The average turnaround time for test results has improved to 1.67 days average. Due to logistics realities for collection, transfer to lab, and lab processes, any average turnaround under two days is near optimal.

Key Measure #3: Community Health Agency Capacity
Rating: Very Good Level with Stable Trend
This measure is a composite of hospitalization and death rates, which reveal the intensity of infectious spread and resulting illness. Over the last 14 days, EPC has tracked 23 hospitalizations and 4 deaths, numbers, that while concerning and tragic, are well within the county’s health capacity to care and support.

DISTRICT INCIDENT DATA
Rating: Good Level with Stable Trend
As of Sunday, August 20, District 49 has tracked and traced 198 workforce incidents of known or suspected COVID symptoms, infections, or exposure at our district-operated and chartered schools within district boundaries.

Of those, 33 have been presumed or confirmed Tier Zero cases. Of those Tier Zero cases, 23 have tested negative and 10 (total) have tested positive, with the remainder still monitoring symptoms.

We raised again to our high mark of incidents, but with no new positive cases. All of the recent incidents have been in the precautionary category.
We have still not tracked a single incident of transmission atBắn Cá Đổi Thưởng Trực Tuyến 2018 a district school or other facility.

We have also not declared an outbreak at any district operated or geographic charter school or any other district facility.

SECONDARY EDUCATION RETURN TO IN-PERSON LEARNING
Middle and high school students are continuing with in-person learning on a rotating schedule within our hybrid (both-and) model. Approximately 25% of HS students and approximately 50% of MS students are attending this week. We are discussing the appropriate timing for increasing our percentage of in-person learning.

TRANSPORTATION, NUTRITION, FACILITIES, SECURITY, and TECHNOLOGY
Although we are continuing with the same operational posture as the past three weeks, adding returning secondary students into the mix has created new complexities and management issues for operational teams including transportation, nutrition, and security in particular. Also, in compliance with the federal waiver to provide free lunches for all students, we anticipate a significantly higher load on our nutrition services teams across the district. We are still managing the personnel and supply chain implications of that waiver, but our team has demonstrated great expertise and agility, so we anticipate serving many from our community well.

PUBLIC HEALTH DEVELOPMENTS
Although many data points are positive or trending positive, El Paso County remains in the “Safer At Home” stage. We are borderline to quality for “Protect Your Neighbors” stage, so you may anticipate discussion and perhaps designation of EPC in that stage in the coming weeks.
Governor Polis has extended the mask mandate (indoors, 10 years or older) for another 30 days, so through our Fall Break in October.
Cell phone tracking data for our community and greater Colorado show increased mobility and movement around the state. Generally, increased mobility correlates with increased community transmission, but Colorado is measuring mixed results for the relationship of those two numbers.
The “R naught” number (R0) is a measure of reproductive rate of viral transmission, where a rate of 1.0 means one sick person infects one healthy person. At rates greater than 1.0, the pandemic advances. At rates less than 1.0, the pandemic recedes. Currently, the R0 value for Colorado is 1.0.

Population health data for EPC is better than for Colorado as a whole, which is a matter of concern as increased mobility puts more of our neighbors in contact with other Coloradans.
D49 El Paso County COVID Data Update Sept. 14, 2020
HEALTH DATA

County health data continues to move in a positive direction, with mixed levels and beneficial trends.

On the three key population health measures, this is the status as of Monday morning, September 14, 2020:

Key Measure #1: 14-Day Incidence per 100,000 *Lower is better

Rating: Acceptable Level with Improving Trend

The Case rate has declined from a high of 157, to today’s level of 53. While still in the “High” range (50-100) it is significant that we are almost out of the “High” band and into the medium band, with further declines projected. The level is still concerning, but the trend continues to improve. If we continue the trajectory of declining cases, we should cross into the low band in early October, a level we have not reached since April. Of note, El Paso County measured 1157 active (contagious stage) cases on July 27. On month later, that number is down to 376. CAVEAT: Regional return-to-school dynamics, post-Labor Day impacts, and recent large-group gatherings around our community will almost certainly influence the levels and trends, so don’t be surprised if the positive trend slows down, flattens out, or even reverses slightly.

Key Measure #2: Daily PCR Test Positivity (14-Day Average) *Lower is better
Rating: Very Good Level with Stable Trend

The test positivity rate is at 2.7% today, under the public health target (maximum) of 5%. We want that number lower, so being under 5% is good. The long-term trend and level are both positive. Overall, as case rates drop, total testing rates may drop which could lead to an increased test positivity rate even as fewer total positive tests are conducted. The average turnaround time for test results is holding steady at 2.26 days average.

Key Measure #3: Community Health Agency Capacity

Rating: Very Good Level with Stable Trend

This measure is a composite of hospitalization and death rates, which reveal the intensity of infectious spread and resulting illness. Over the last 14 days, EPC has tracked 24 hospitalizations and 6 deaths, numbers, that while concerning and tragic, are well within the county’s health capacity to care and support.

DISTRICT INCIDENT DATA

Rating: Good Level with Stable Trend

District 49 is tracking incidents of known or suspected COVID symptoms, infections, or exposure at our district-operated and chartered schools within district boundaries.

In the past 14 days, 4 in our district have tested positive, with the remainder still monitoring symptoms.
SECONDARY EDUCATION RETURN TO IN-PERSON LEARNING
Today, middle and high school students begin returning to in-person learning on a rotating schedule within our hybrid (both-and) model. Approximately 25% of HS students and approximately 50% of MS students will begin attending this week. This is a completely new model, that will cause disruption and frustration. I will not be surprised if we have technology glitches as well as some glitches with operational support as we work out the kinks. Please direct community concerns to the appropriate chief officer as needed.

TRANSPORTATION, NUTRITION, FACILITIES, SECURITY, and TECHNOLOGY

Although we are continuing with the same operational posture as the past three weeks, adding returning secondary students into the mix will create new complexities and management issues for operational teams including transportation, nutrition, and security in particular. Also, in compliance with the federal waiver to provide free lunches for all students, we anticipate a significantly higher load on our nutrition services teams across the district. We are still managing the personnel and supply chain implications of that waiver, but our team has demonstrated great expertise and agility, so we anticipate serving many from our community well.
PUBLIC HEALTH DEVELOPMENTS

Although many data points are positive or trending positive, El Paso County remains in the “Safer At Home” stage. We are borderline to quality for “Protect Your Neighbors” stage, so you may anticipate discussion and perhaps designation of EPC in that stage in the coming weeks.

Governor Polis has extended the mask mandate (indoors, 10 years or older) for another 30 days, so through our Fall Break in October.

Cell phone tracking data for our community and greater Colorado show increased mobility and movement around the state. Generally, increased mobility correlates with increased community transmission, but Colorado is measuring mixed results for the relationship of those two numbers.

The “R naught” number (R0) is a measure of reproductive rate of viral transmission, where a rate of 1.0 means one sick person infects one healthy person. At rates greater than 1.0, the pandemic advances. At rates less than 1.0, the pandemic recedes. Currently, the R0 value for Colorado is 1.0.

Population health data for EPC is better than for Colorado as a whole, which is a matter of concern as increased mobility puts more of our neighbors in contact with other Coloradans.
District 49 will begin the 20-21 school year

District 49 will begin the 20-21 school year on August 17, with remote learning as our primary mode, with a goal of a staggered, in-person return, after Labor Day.

August 10, 2020

Bắn Cá Đổi Thưởng Trực Tuyến 2018At an important meeting this afternoon with El Paso County Public Health, D49’s chief officers learned that multiple critical population health measures remain higher than state and county maximum levels. In addition, we conducted two robust conversations with over 2,000 members of our workforce and parent community to identify priorities and concerns about our return to learn. These three data sources (county health, workforce, and parents) all indicate the same thing: for our community and our district, August 17 is too early to safely return to in-person learning.

In addition, the current state guidelines about quarantines and closures at school would almost certainly require us to close multiple schools shortly after opening them. In the past week, we have experienced that infections from our surrounding community have triggered testing, notifications, contact tracing and precautionary quarantines among staff members currently on campus. At the same time, we have heard parents and the workforce voice a strong preference to take more time to enhance our safety system and compliance practices.

Complete information on the Back to School page
Suspending Volunteer Service

Dear Volunteers,

Bắn Cá Đổi Thưởng Trực Tuyến 2018As we continue to plan for our return to in-person learning and seek to provide a safe environment for students, staff, and guests, we are evaluating ways to minimize potential exposure to COVID-19. As a result, we are temporarily and indefinitely suspending volunteer service at all D49 locations.

We recognize the valuable contributions of our volunteers and look forward to welcoming you back to our schools in the future. We do not know when that will happen. However, when it does, we will notify our volunteers.

For those who no longer wish to be on the volunteer list, please contact Chris Bettencourt at cbettencourt@d49.org.

Contact Chris Bettencourt, HR Assistant, or me if you have any concerns or questions regarding volunteers.

Best regards,
Jen DeFranco
Human Resources Manager
Return to Learn: August 17 Start

Monday, July 27, 2020

Dear D49 Family,

Today our Board of Education approved delaying the start of school to Monday, August 17 with a mix of E-learning and in-person options. In addition to this guidance, the BOE also directed the chief officers to publish a final decision about the balance of in-person and E-learning by August 10. As teachers begin returning to work this week, the delayed start will give an extra gift of time for more detailed planning, problem-solving and communicating with parents and students.

In recent weeks we have seen a steady increase of COVID-19 cases in the Pikes Peak Region. As these numbers climbed, so did feelings of uncertainty among our D49 family…shared directly through feedback from our teachers, and reflected in greater requests from our families to take advantage of our developing E-learning options. Multiple D49 campus leaders report the requests for E-learning equal nearly half of their school’s student population. Based on these factors, along with expert guidance from El Paso County Public Health, delaying our return to learn extends our planning window to ensure we effectively meet the needs of the D49 family.

Moving forward, our chief officers will offer the board up-to-date conditions and the district’s response during regular scheduled meetings throughout the COVID emergency. These updates will lay out our decision-making process for potential adjustments as we move through the school year. We will rely on expert guidance from EPCPH and remain agile if conditions require us to change our strategy quickly.

Please continue to watch our regular channels of communication for updated information. Our return to learn for the ‘20-21 school year will be like no other that we can remember, but we are committed to walking forward together, serving with purpose, respect and care in the very safest way possible.

Sincerely,

David Nancarrow

Director of Communications

D49's Back to School page: updates and information.

Public Health Data

Bắn Cá Đổi Thưởng Trực Tuyến 2018The data graphs in the the D49 weekly update come from the EPCPH Data Dashboard.

If you are having trouble viewing the document, you may download the document.

CO COVID Dial Update 11-2-20

Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment: Governor's Public Health Order 20-36
Bắn Cá Đổi Thưởng Trực Tuyến 2018COVID-19 Dial

CO COVID Dial Update 11-2-20.pdf 388.86 KB (Last Modified on November 13, 2020)

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In-Person Learning in the Time of COVID

Bắn Cá Đổi Thưởng Trực Tuyến 2018Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment: The costs and benefits of in-person learning during rising cases in Colorado

In-Person Learning in the Time of COVID-19.pdf 662.82 KB (Last Modified on November 13, 2020)

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D49 Nursing Services

http://melcozsk.com/Page/486

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"Doing My Part, Help Colorado Now"

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El Paso County Public Health

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Colorado Department of Education Resources for Schools

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Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment

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D49 COVID Updates

D49 COVID-19 Tracking Dashboard

D49 El Paso County COVID Data Update Nov. 30, 2020

D49 Will Reinstitute E-Learning (E49) Beginning Mon. November 9

D49 Community Update October 2020 & Survey

D49 Community Update from Chief Education Officer Peter Hilts, October 2020

Please keep students home if they don’t feel well

D49 El Paso County COVID Data Update Nov. 23, 2020

D49 El Paso County COVID Data Update Nov. 16, 2020

D49 El Paso County COVID Data Update Nov. 9, 2020

D49 El Paso County COVID Data Update Nov. 2, 2020

D49 El Paso County COVID Data Update Oct. 26, 2020

D49 El Paso County COVID Data Update Oct. 19, 2020

D49 El Paso County COVID Data Update Oct. 12, 2020

D49 El Paso County COVID Data Update Oct. 5, 2020

D49 El Paso County COVID Data Update Sept. 28, 2020

Video: D49 CEO Return to Learn Update, 9/25/20

D49 El Paso County COVID Data Update Sept. 21, 2020

D49 El Paso County COVID Data Update Sept. 14, 2020

District 49 will begin the 20-21 school year

District 49 will begin the 20-21 school year on August 17, with remote learning as our primary mode, with a goal of a staggered, in-person return, after Labor Day.

Suspending Volunteer Service

Return to Learn: August 17 Start

Return To Learn

Public Health Data

CO COVID Dial Update 11-2-20

In-Person Learning in the Time of COVID

D49 Nursing Services

"Doing My Part, Help Colorado Now"

El Paso County Public Health

Colorado Department of Education Resources for Schools

Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment