"Higher-Risk" Modified Fall 2 Sports - Important Updates

March 3, 2021

Dear Middle School Modified Sports Parents and Guardians,

Early this week, the Section One Executive Committee approved higher-risk modified sports for the Fall 2 season. Modified football and volleyball will begin on Monday, March 15th and end on April 23rd (during spring break, modified practices will be optional for players and no contests will be scheduled - this will allow you to move forward with your previously arranged vacation schedules).

Please register your child for modified football or volleyball by 5PM on March 8th using this REGISTRATION LINK.

Please be advised, Section 1 has not yet approved modified sports for the spring season (baseball, lacrosse, softball, track & field). We anticipate Section 1 will do so in the near future based on their decision to approve Fall 2 modified sports.

In an effort to support the safe participation of our student-athletes in sports which have been identified as “higher-risk” we will be implementing the regular COVID-19 testing of our student-athletes who are participating in football and volleyball. There is a resolution on the March 3rd Board of Education agenda which will add modified football and volleyball to the list of previously approved higher risk sports to support the testing process.

Modified sports student-athlete COVID testing will take place on the Horace Greeley High School Campus from 1:00 to 3:00pm on March 10th. Students must attend their first appointment with a parent.

Specific information on how to schedule a testing appointment for your child will be sent to all registered families on Monday (3/8) evening. After we start the season, the sign-up link will be emailed to you and posted on SportsYou each weekend prior to the weekly testing date. Student athletes will be tested every Wednesday during the season (with the exception of spring break if students are away and not partaking in the optional practices).

To fully understand the risks associated with COVID-19 as related to athletic participation, please carefully read HEALTH RISK COMMUNICATION FROM WCDOH.

PRIOR TO ARRIVAL
  • SCHEDULE a COVID-19 Test Appointment using our COVID TEST APPOINTMENT FORM
WHEN YOU ARRIVE
  • Please print and bring COMPLETED FORMS 1, 2, & 3 (above) to your appointment.
  • You must be asymptomatic to be tested. DO NOT come on campus if you are exhibiting
    any COVID19 symptoms. Symptoms include, but are not limited to: fever, headache,
    congestion or runny nose, cough, loss of taste or smell, nausea or vomiting.
  • Please be on time for your testing appointment.
  • Please wear a mask at all times.
AFTER TESTING
  • Promptly leave the HG campus after testing is complete.
  • We will contact you immediately by phone if your child’s test result is positive.
  • If you would like a paper copy of your child’s negative test result for your records, please
    contact Jason Semo, Athletic Director.
  • Additional information about the Abbott BinaxNOW COVID Ag Card can be found here

Below you will find a map of the two stations that we will use to support our COVID19 testing process.

Testing Stations

Please understand that no student-athlete will be permitted to participate in a high-risk sport unless they are (1) tested through the process described above, or (2) if they produce COVID-19 testing results from a lab on or after our weekly testing date (students waiting for test results from an outside provider will not be permitted to participate).

The Athletic Department will host a Zoom Webinar Thursday, March 4th at 5:00pm to review the above information in more detail and answer your questions.

In partnership with our students, parents and coaches, we successfully implemented weekly COVID testing of our winter athletes who participated in high-risk sports, and feel it significantly contributed to their safe participation and the success of the winter sports season.

We thank you for your patience, support, and understanding.

Sincerely,

Christine Ackerman, PhD
Superintendent of Schools