RRPS reports two COVID cases among students

Rio Rancho Public Schools has had its first confirmed cases of COVID-19 since students returned to campus last week for a hybrid of in-person and online learning.

District spokeswoman Beth Pendergrass said a fourth grader at Sandia Vista Elementary School tested positive, which was confirmed Tuesday. The district’s website also shows a student case was confirmed Wednesday in a Puesta del Sol Elementary third grade class.

Around 4,000 elementary and preschool students returned to schools in the Rio Rancho district under a hybrid learning model. The younger students come to school four days each week while fourth and fifth graders attend classes in person two days each week.

In a Tuesday letter to the RRPS community, Superintendent Sue Cleveland assured families that the state Public Education Department and Department of Health are involved and steps are being taken to protect kids.

“Per guidance from both NMPED and NMDOH, we are required to investigate to see who had ‘close contact’ with the staff member or student who tested positive for COVID-19,” she wrote.

At Sandia Vista Elementary, a RRPS report shows 14 students and four employees are being quarantined. Pendergrass said that the students will learn remotely, and the employees will work from home during their quarantines.

At Puesta del Sol Elementary, 14 students and two employees must quarantine.

At both schools, affected areas were closed for disinfection.

On Wednesday, the state announced six new cases — four staff and two students — in public schools statewide.

There have been a total of 141 schoolrelated cases since mid-August, according to the state.