COVID-19 outbreak in Denver school forces remote learning until Sept. 13

DENVER — Four COVID-19 cases are now linked to a Denver elementary school forced to close in-person learning this week. 

Oakland Elementary School announced they would go full remote learning because of staff, students testing positive for COVID-19. 

9Wants to Know confirmed that Oakland Elementary School at 4580 Dearborn St. is on “operational closure” – meaning it will move to a fully remote learning format until Sept. 13.

Denver Public Schools did tell 9NEWS there are four cases within the school although they would not how many of those cases involved students or teachers. 

A source told 9Wants to Know, two of those four cases were breakthrough cases, meaning the individuals were fully vaccinated.

The source indicated one of the positive cases did show symptoms while the other was and is still asymptomatic.

Will Jones with Denver Public Schools (DPS) said there were enough staff exposed to COVID that now there is not enough staff to keep the school open and it had to move to remote learning during the quarantine. 

Jones said that some students, but mostly staff, tested positive for COVID. 

“One of the upsides of the quarantine, if there is one," is that "DPS has a one-to-one ratio of technology to students” so the students at Oakland will be able to be fully remote starting Wednesday.

“This is about not having enough staff to keep the school open,” Jones said.

A letter from the school and the district that went home to families gives further details for staff, students and parents.

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