The Montezuma-Cortez RE-1 school district issued a press release Thursday informing the school community that students had tested positive for the COVID-19 virus at six of its 11 schools.

The district has nine confirmed positive COVID-19 cases, some of which were recorded before the start of the school year, RE-1 Health Services Director Jaclyn Hall reported Friday.

Montezuma County reported 10 new cases Aug. 18.

The Journal is monitoring ongoing county and state-level data after receiving varied reports of positive cases in the district.

Montezuma-Cortez Superintendent Risha VanderWey discussed new cases at Mesa Elementary and Montezuma-Cortez High School, but she didn’t specify which other schools had confirmed cases.

VanderWey said the cases didn’t originate within school buildings and added that staff will be required to wear masks beginning Monday, she said.

“I know some people will be upset,” she said. “But it’s necessary.”

She added that because the community wanted options about wearing masks, “we’re giving them a choice.” She invited community members to share their thoughts with her.

“All I care about is my kids and their families,” she said. “I care too deeply.”

Protocol will change if the district is advised otherwise by the state, she said.

Right now, she is meeting with the county representatives, medical providers and health experts every week, she said.

The district also receives daily updates from each school monitoring the situation.

If families were not contacted by the end of the day Thursday, then their students were not identified as having close contact with someone who tested positive for the virus, according to the press release.

Every family received a letter informing them of the district cases, and those who have children identified as coming into close contact with a virus-positive individual received personal letters, VanderWey said.

The district requires any individual who has had close contact with a person having a confirmed case of the virus to quarantine for 10 days — close contact being within six feet for 15 minutes or longer, according to the release.

Students and staff may be excused from quarantine if they provide documentation that they have been fully vaccinated, and it has been at least two weeks since the last dose, or if they have tested positive for COVID-19 in the past 90 days.

Individuals may return to school on day seven after exposure if they produce a negative PCR test on day five, the release said.

Each school is working with its teachers and students to address makeup work, VanderWey said.

The RE-1 school district reposted a statement from Children’s Kiva Montessori School Thursday informing families that no student who has attended that school tested positive for the virus.

The board of education discussed virus protocol at its August meeting Tuesday night.

“We will be updating as much as we can,” VanderWey said at the meeting. “I know you’re all aware about the delta variant and we take it quite seriously. We do have vulnerable populations in this community and we want to do what’s best for our schools, our staff, our kids and our families.”

At the meeting, VanderWey clarified that the district is not mandating masks for students, but highly recommends them taking precautionary measures.

Thursday’s press release reiterated this, ‘imploring’ school communities to use masks, hand washing and sanitizers.

The board discussed that the district’s citizen’s guide to reopening was amended only to include the federal mask mandate for bus riders.

Richard said Tuesday that the district applied for the state’s masking program and weekly testing program.

Gov. Jared Polis orchestrated the disbursement of KN95 respirators and surgical grade masks to schools, and shipment resumed Thursday.

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment is administering voluntary weekly rapid antigen tests to schools.

“I was disappointed with the response to COVID and the delta variant,” board member John Schuenemeyer told The Journal in a phone call Wednesday following the school board meeting. “Even if one has all the vaccinations you can still be a carrier.”