Utah Catholic Schools report on COVID-19

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Mark Longe

Superintendent of Utah Catholic Schools

All schools in Utah have been presented with extraordinary challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. Utah Catholic Schools have responded quickly to meet these new challenges of educating students using a variety of platforms. They have adjusted schedules, altered lunch programs and introduced COVID-19 policies designed to keep students and staff as safe as possible. Teachers, staff and administrators have been working tirelessly to ensure that the mission of Catholic education in Utah continues.

 Utah Catholic Schools fared extremely well during the first quarter of the 2020-2021 school year with regard to COVID-19 cases. Active cases within the schools remained low for the first eight weeks of the year. During this time, three positive adult cases and 14 positive student cases were reported by the schools. All of these initial cases were traced to exposure from outside of the schools. Contact tracing indicated possible exposure through family contact or through sports teams. The total number of COVID-19 cases in the schools for the first quarter is 54. This is just over .01 percent of our total school population (students and staff) comprising some 5,000 individuals.

During the last week of the first quarter, and through Oct. 30, schools began reporting increased numbers of positive COVID-19 cases. Principals reported an additional 11 adult cases and 69 student cases. Again, most of these cases are believed to have been contracted outside of the schools through social and familial contact. This increase in just three weeks reflects the recent spike of COVID-19 cases in Utah.

If contact tracing determines that students and staff have been exposed to the active virus, they are being quarantined. Most students and staff who have been quarantined have had no symptoms and returned to school after the quarantine period ends. School leadership has been in regular and direct contact with their county health department liaison. Schools are following health department guidance as closely as possible and are working hard to minimize the risk of COVID-19 spread within their school buildings.

Principals report that parents have been overwhelmingly supportive of the schools’ COVID-19 policies and protocols. This close and supportive partnership between schools and parents has contributed initially to our lower numbers and the ability of our schools to remain open. However, administrators are aware, through contact tracing, that some parents are hosting parties or gatherings of students, which activities have caused schools to quarantine several students. Again, your schools are working hard to stay open for in-person instruction and we ask that all parents be vigilant in safeguarding our school communities.

In partnership with parents, our schools will continue to provide the very best learning environment possible for our students and we join in prayer for the continued health and safety of our families, teachers and staff.