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Parents saddened by, yet understanding of, Summit High football game cancellations

Summit Tigers senior captain quarterback Cam Kalaf takes a shotgun snap during Summit's season-opening 42-34 loss Oct. 9 at Tiger Stadium in Breckenridge.
Photo by Kerri Elam

DILLON — A day after Summit High School Athletic Director Travis Avery shared that the football program’s next two games will be canceled due to a “public health situation,” the district and parents shared more information and thoughts on the shutdown.

“We are bummed that the team is in quarantine,” Tigers parent Katherine Collins wrote in a text message. “The boys had such a successful couple of games, but obviously the health and safety of everyone involved is the top priority.”

Carole Young, mother of two Tigers football players, said although her sons and their teammates are extremely disappointed, she understand the public health recommendations. Young said she was alerted in an email Monday, Oct. 19, that her sons would have to quarantine through midnight Oct. 31. The email from public health and the district said a student or staff member in her boys’ class or team was identified as a probable COVID-19 case.



“My boys are going outside in the backyard to workout, and coach (James) Wagner is doing an excellent job keeping the team together on Zoom,” Young said.

Summit School District spokesperson Mikki Grebetz said Thursday morning that the district will release its latest quarantine information on its website at 5 p.m. Friday. Grebetz said the information will include the school where the quarantine is taking place and the reason for the quarantine, but it won’t include the number of students or personnel affected.



“Quarantines don’t directly, necessarily mean there was a positive case,” Grebetz said. “With the new guidance received from the state, we will (also) be quarantining different cohorts based on symptoms.”

Grebetz said the district works with county public health officials to inform affected students and school personnel of quarantine orders before the public reports are shared each Friday. Grebetz added that the district chose this approach after consulting with lawyers as well as to abide by federal privacy laws.

Grebetz said the district’s quarantine orders are for 14 days from the last day of contact with the person who tested positive or is experiencing symptoms. She also called attention to the county’s case data for youths between the ages of 10 and 19, which shows a total of 38 positive or probable COVID-19 cases since the start of the pandemic.


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