The first group of local public school teachers received  their first round of the Moderna vaccine on February 12th, and the booster 28 days later to hopefully bring all students back in person and greatly reduce the number of quarantined teachers.

On February 5th, a letter was sent out to all MCSD teachers saying that they had a week to decide whether or not they would take the Moderna vaccine supplied by the county. 

The district received  some backlash from staff for “incentivizing” teachers to get the vaccine. Teachers who receive the vaccine will get a day off while teachers who choose to not receive the vaccine will report for duty and have a work day with no students.

“I’m kind of glad that they’re incentivizing teachers to get the vaccine…it was a short notice for teachers to sign up for a spot but I’m okay with that because I’ve wanted to get it for a while,” Montrose High School social studies teacher Brian Brynglson said.

The district is hopeful that students will be able to return to school with the amount of teachers that are being vaccinated. 

“One of the primary reasons we’re so motivated, not just because it will keep folks healthy is also because after their second dose, two weeks after their second dose, a teacher doesn’t have to quarantine,”  the Public Information Officer Matt Jenkins said.

Some teachers have expressed their concern about getting the shot if they have recently tested positive or have allergies.

“If you had COVID 20 days ago, or 40 days ago, or 60 days ago it doesn’t matter you and society will still benefit from you getting vaccinated.”Jenkins said.

The more teachers who are vaccinated the fewer teachers will need to be quarantined in the future which allows few substitutes needed and ultimately the chance of 100% remote learning goes down because teachers can stay in the classroom.

“With the vaccine we can hopefully get back to normal,” Jenkins said.