Bears, moose spark lockouts at schools

Bears near a Boulder elementary school and a pair of moose outside a school in Nederland caused both schools to go on lockout Wednesday.

The Boulder Valley School District announced at 8 a.m. that Crest View Elementary School in north Boulder had activated a lockout because of bears in the neighborhood. During a school lockout — which is less serious than a lockdown — all students are brought indoors and classes proceed as normal.

Around 1:35 p.m., the school district announced it had placed Nederland Elementary School on lockout because of two moose on campus. Photos taken by staff at the school show students and teachers alike gathered around windows to watch their visitors meander through the fresh snow and nibble on leaves.

School officials lifted the lockout at Crest View around 9:45 a.m., and Nederland staff returned to normal operations at 2:20 p.m. after the moose wandered off.

It’s not uncommon for bears to wander near Boulder schools during the fall as they look for food to help prepare for hibernation. Over the last month or so, bear activity on the western edge of the city has led to repeated lockouts at Flatirons Elementary School.

“It’s a little unusual to have this many sightings this close together, but it’s totally typical for them to see bears in this area,” Boulder Valley School District spokesman Randy Barber told the Daily Camera in late September.