Colorado Early Colleges Outlines Fall Reopening Plans for Northern Colorado Schools

Early college middle and high schools focused on health and safety, equity and access and rigorous academics
Colorado Early Colleges (CEC), the state’s largest early college and charter school network, has outlined fall reopening plans for its three middle and high schools in Fort Collins and Windsor. All schools will offer in-person learning and remote learning options to meet the needs of families. Individual school breakouts are below.

 

The return to learn plans are based on CEC’s three areas of decision-making: health and safety, equity and access, and rigorous academics. Plans will be modified as state, and local health guidelines are updated, and schools will move to 100% remote learning if the need arises. Individual school dates and academic models also accommodate new students who have shifted to CEC for the fall semester.

 

“CEC has the responsibility to remove barriers from students’ efforts to learn by ensuring a safe and healthy learning environment. We believe our Return to Learn plan is flexible, adaptable, equitable, accessible, and supports the needs and requests from family, teacher, and student feedback,” said CEC Chief Executive Administrator Sandi Brown. “We promise our families that we are dedicating every resource to ensure that each student is safely achieving and growing academically and personally, regardless of which option they choose.”

 

CEC Windsor, serving grades 6-9,  will continue to offer bus transportation with limited student capacity, physical distancing measures, and increased cleaning and sanitizing measures. All schools will also continue to provide technical support, free tutoring, academic support, and mental health support to students. Here is a look at the individual school plans:
CEC Fort Collins High School and Middle School
  • Overview of plans for both high school and middle school

  • School start date: New students: In-person Aug. 10 for new students last name A-L and Aug. 12 for new students last name M-Z. Returning students will start Aug. 11 virtually. The full hybrid model begins Aug. 17.

  • Academic model: Hybrid, cohort model. A-L students in-person Monday/Tuesday, M-Z students in-person Wednesday/Thursday, and all students remote on Fridays. A fully remote option is also available where students can elect to be 100% remote, or attend select courses in-person.  On-campus college courses offered at the high school will fall into the cohort schedule. Students that are fully off-campus taking classes through FRCC and Aims Community College should follow instructions from those off-campus institutions but will continue to meet with their CECFC advisors virtually.

 

CEC Fort Collins West Middle School
  • Overview of plans

  • School start date: Half-day Aug. 10 for new students; Aug. 11 for returning students.

  • Academic model: In-person or online. Families can choose which option is best for them.

 

CEC Windsor (grades 6-9)
  • Overview of plans

  • School start date: Half-day Aug. 10 for new students; Aug. 11 for returning students.

  • Academic model: In-person or online. Families can choose which option is best for them.

 

CEC health and safety measures
All schools are taking the following health and safety measures.
  • Masks, PPE and health screenings: masks required at all times on-campus for students, teachers, and visitors 11-and-older; plexiglass and other materials will be used in higher contact areas; self symptom screenings and reporting for all teachers, staff, students, parents, and visitors; temperature screenings upon entering school building; gloves required for all food and nutrition services workers at all times and for other staff when cleaning or sanitizing an item or service.

  • Physical distancing: No large group gatherings including field trips or assemblies, and physical distancing measures enforced indoors; furniture and markers will be placed to support physical distancing; all desks, chairs, equipment will be disinfected after each class; single entry and exit points on campus monitored by staff as well as visual cues such as floor decals, colored tape, and signs to indicate to students and staff the flow of traffic inside the building and physical distancing markers; lunches will be divided by student groups, and physical distancing and breakfast and lunch will be grab-and-go only.

  • School cleaning and sanitization: Proper handwashing and hygiene education will be provided and monitored, hand sanitizing stations placed around buildings, day porter cleaning throughout building, and in high touch areas supported by weekly deep cleanings.