The Colorado Department of Education has begun the process of creating timelines and checklists for school districts planning to reopen for in-person instruction in the fall, while warning that a statewide or local public health order could change plans just as quickly in the spring semester.

“We are doing everything we can to make sure schools can safely open in the fall,” said Katy Anthes, Colorado’s education commissioner. “I’m incredibly grateful to our teachers for their tremendous work transforming their lessons for remote instruction, but I think we can all agree that in-person learning at schools provides important structure for our children, and it also supports working parents in their need to return to their jobs.”

Gov. Jared Polis closed public and private schools by executive order on March 18. Due to the uncertain trajectory of the COVID-19 spread, CDE recommends districts create contingency plans that include remote learning and small-group instruction. If students are able to return to school, there will be an array of potential safety protocols such as health screenings or staggered schedules. There could also be abrupt starts and stops to in-person learning.

“We don’t know…how widespread transmission will be in the fall, and we don’t know if there will be a second surge or when we’ll have effective treatments or an effective, widely available vaccine,” CDE warned.

If schools discover a case of COVID-19 among their students or staff, the CDE notes that guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention calls for a closure of at least 48 hours to disinfect the premises and coordinate a response.

Ensuring physical distancing is a major theme of the guidance, with the department suggesting using tape to mark where students can sit and dividing up bus routes to allow for between 10 and 20 children per school bus. Other measures deviate substantially from a student’s routine, from potential one-way hallways and forbidding the use of lockers to possible closure of cafeterias. The guidance also contains tips to address students’ mental health during the pandemic.

“Whether in-person or remotely, consider using the first or final two minutes of class to talk to students about their experiences, feelings or talents, or simply asking students an interesting question,” CDE wrote. “This is a great way to build connections between teacher and student and among students.”

CDE invites feedback on the guidance through an online form.