The Garfield Re-2 School District and Riverside Middle School announced Sunday night that the sixth-eighth-grade school in New Castle will move to 100% online learning effective Monday due to confirmed COVID-19 cases among students or staff.

Riverside will remain in quarantine status through Thursday, and is to resume in-person instruction on Monday, Feb. 8, according to a news release.

“This weekend, Garfield Re-2 was informed by the Garfield County Department of Public Health of individual(s) that are confirmed to have COVID-19, or who have COVID-19 like symptoms or illness (at Riverside),” the school district release stated. “We do not believe there is transmission within the school. The three current quarantines at Riverside directly impact about 50% of our students and about 30% of our staff.”

Other staff members have pre-planned absences, eliminating the school’s capacity to deliver in-school instruction, the release also explained.

“We have looked at this situation in every way possible and have determined that we do not have the resources to continue in-person instruction until our staff is released from quarantine,” it stated.

During this time, there will be no athletics or school activities. “Riverside Middle School administrators are currently working on rescheduling the games that would have been played this week.”

In an effort to support student’s nutritional needs, Riverside is still offering a drive-through meal pick up option. For information, contact the school at 970-665-7800 by 9 a.m. to arrange for meals, to be made available from 11a.m. – 12 p.m.

“Our facilities and custodial crews will use the time to complete a deep-clean and disinfecting of Riverside Middle School,” the release stated.