When school begins, symptom checking will become a necessary part of the daily routine. Mesa County Valley School District 51 will resume classes this fall starting on August 17, or on August 19 if you have a kindergartener. If you have chosen the in-person option for your children, a new habit of checking for and reporting symptoms will be a requirement before sending your kids off to school each day. 
We understand that this task may sound daunting at first. In reality, it should be an easy, 60-second exercise that can be done over your morning cup of coffee. Why? Because District 51 has created a simple form, located on ParentVUE. If you have a smartphone, computer, or other device with internet access, the form can easily be bookmarked and completed as part of your morning routine.
Middle and high school students will have the ability to self-report straight from their cell phones or tablets, while elementary students will need an adult to ensure their symptoms are assessed and reported before their school day begins. Many schools have also hired additional COVID-19 health assistants to help with the daily symptom assessment on site when a student does not have access to Wi-Fi, smart phones, or tablets at home.
What symptoms will I be checking every day?
The app will ask you to check the box next to any of the following that apply, and keep track if any are getting worse:
- Cough
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Close, continuous contact with a person who has COVID-19 or COVID-19 symptoms (e.g. share a household)
- Vomiting or diarrhea
- Fever of 100.4 or greater
- Chills
- Fatigue
- Muscle or body aches
- Headache
- New loss of taste or smell
- Sore throat
- Congestion or runny nose
If your child reports a cough, shortness of breath, vomiting, diarrhea, or lives with someone who has tested positive or is awaiting a test result, he or she should stay home. Contact their doctor or Mesa County Public Health (MCPH) at 970-683-2300 for further instructions. Any student who reports two or more of the other symptoms listed should also stay home and contact their doctor or MCPH.
For students who must stay home, remote learning will be provided and is a great alternative to in-person school. Remote learning for temporarily quarantined students, although different from the 100% online program offered by School District 51, will ensure students don’t fall behind in their schoolwork while they recover or await test results.
Symptom checking is a healthy, daily habit for us all.
We all benefit from daily symptom checking. As you begin doing this for your children, we encourage you to begin doing it for yourself, as well. By adding a quick self-assessment to your daily routine before you go out, you will help keep friends, coworkers, and our community safer and healthier.
Click here to learn more about D51’s Safe Schools Reopening Plan.