COVID-19 Response

UPDATE February 2023: As a reminder, CU Boulder employs a framework for public health and COVID-19 decision-making that follows Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance. Boulder County is currently classified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the Low community level. While masks are optional on the CU Boulder campus, we encourage those who prefer to do so to continue wearing them. Properly fitted N95 or KN95 masks remain an effective tool for preventing transmission, especially in conjunction with vaccination. Students, parents and staff are encouraged to stay home if they are feeling sick or have COVID-like symptoms.

Science Discovery encourages everyone to continue utilizing public health and illness prevention measures, including:

  • Frequent hand washing for at least 20 seconds or using hand sanitizer when soap and water aren't available.
  • Covering your cough or sneeze with a tissue or using the inside of your elbow.

Feeling under the weather? You should begin isolation at home as soon as you:

  • Begin to experience symptoms that may be related to COVID-19.
  • Receive a positive test result for COVID-19, regardless of whether you have symptoms.
  • Have been instructed to isolate by a healthcare provider or public health staff member.

CU Boulder will continue to monitor COVID-19 metrics at the campus, local, state and national level and reassess protocols as needed to protect health and safety on campus.

 

UPDATE Fall 2021: CU Science Discovery is continuing to offer in-person programs, including day-off/holiday classes as well as classroom presentations and STEM workshops.
Please note: In accordance with CU Boulder policy, as well as guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE), CU Science Discovery requires that all students and staff wear masks during indoor programs, regardless of their vaccination status. Science Discovery staff will be fully masked as well, to help keep you and your students safe. If you have any concerns about meeting this requirement, please contact Science Discovery as soon as possible in advance of the presentation. 

 

UPDATE March 29, 2021: Our summer camps and classes are now online and accepting registrations! This summer, we will be offering in-person, field, outdoor, virtual and hybrid programs for grades K-12. We are taking a number of precautions to ensure that all staff, partners, parents and participants remain as safe and healthy as possible while engaging in in-person, field and outdoor camps and high school classes.

  • Masks are required to be worn for all in-person and outdoor/field​ programs. Masks should be appropriately sized to cover the child's nose and mouth.
  • All in-person and outdoor/field program participants will receive a short health screening and a thermal temperature check upon arrival to the check-in area each day.
  • In order to limit possible exposure for all involved, Science Discovery is limiting adults at pick-up/drop-off to one. Those dropping off and picking up participants will be asked to wear masks and keep a safe distance from staff, other parents, and other children. In an effort to not share writing utensils, staff (not caregivers) will sign children in/out with permission of the caregiver.
  • Program participants will stay with their cohort throughout the entirety of each day and will not intermingle with other students during drop-off, pick-up, snack or lunch time.
  • Staff will take every possible measure to make sure that proper physical distancing is occurring at all times - including during snack and lunch times. While eating lunch, participants will:
    • Will remain in their cohort for the duration of their program
    • Remain outdoors
    • Remain a minimum of 6 feet apart
  • Each program participant will receive their own individual Science Discovery materials kit to be utilized for the duration of their program. Science Discovery materials kits will be properly sanitized between individual student use. 
  • All in-person and outdoor/field program participants are required to bring a backpack for carrying personal items and class materials to/from each session. Note: In order to limit individual interactions, all participants will be required to carry their own items.
  • All classrooms and furniture used for in-person camps and classes will be properly sanitized at the conclusion of each day.  
  • In-person program weeks will be staggered with virtual weeks. This will ensure that there is not an overlap of staff working in-person with more than one cohort of students within a 2-week time period.

Science Discovery will follow all state and county guidelines for youth programs regarding camp and class capacities, social distancing and mask wearing. If guidelines should change prior to the start of summer programs, adjustments will be made to meet the updated requirements.

To see a detailed outline of CU Science Discovery's COVID-19 safety plan, please visit the COVID-19 Safety Plan page. 

 

UPDATE September 1, 2020: As of fall 2020, we will be offering small, in-person classes held exclusively outdoors. All classes will be limited to 8 students and in order to ensure participants’ safety, we will follow standard COVID-19 precautions, including wearing masks and social distancing. Find more information about how we are following state, county, and city guidelines to prepare the safest environment possible during our in-person programs in our COVID-19 Safety Plan. 

We understand that returning to normal operations may be in the distant future, but we're excited to offer our families a tiny step in that direction. 

As always, we greatly appreciate your support and interest in our programs. 

 

UPDATE April 15, 2020: On April 13, 2020, due to the ongoing challenges of the COVID-19 virus, CU Boulder’s Provost and Chief Operating Officer announced the cancellation of all in-person events through July 31, 2020. In light of this shift, we regret that we will be unable to offer in-person summer programs on the CU Boulder and Anschutz campuses this year.

More information will be coming soon, but all families who have registered for 2020 summer programs will have a choice of:

  • Retaining their registration fees as a balance in their account to be used towards future Science Discovery programs
  • Donating their registration fees to Science Discovery’s scholarship fund
  • Receiving a refund

In the coming weeks, we will be sending out a follow-up email with additional instructions on how to process your summer program cancellation.

Although disappointed that we won’t be able to see our Science Discovery families in person this year, we’re excited to announce that in lieu of our regular summer programs, we will be offering virtual STEM classes across a range of disciplines and age groups. These classes – including many of our long-time favorites – will combine virtual class time with online and hands-on activities. Detailed information about our online offerings, including class descriptions, schedule and registration information, can be found on our summer pages. 

We would greatly appreciate hearing your preferences regarding the virtual summer programs we're currently developing. Please take a minute to share your input via our 4-question survey. The survey will close at 11:59pm on Sunday, April 19.

Many thanks for your patience as we work through these circumstances.

 

UPDATE March 24, 2020: As you may have heard, CU Boulder's Office of the Provost released a statement today stating that all June 2020 college courses will be taught remotely. We are working with campus leadership to determine what this means for our K-12 summer programs. Our goal is to have a final decision regarding the status of summer no later than April 17, 2020. We will uphold our current cancellation policy (stated below), until a decision is made regarding summer 2020:

Cancellations made more than 15 business days prior to the start of the camp/class will incur a $35 administrative fee. No refunds will be given for cancellations made within 15 business days of the start of the camp/class. In the event that a program is canceled by Science Discovery, registrants will receive a full refund. Transfer requests made up to 15 days prior to the start of a camp/class will incur a $15 administrative fee. Transfer requests made within 15 business days will incur a $35 administrative fee.

Again, we greatly appreciate your patience during this challenging time. Should you have any questions or concerns, please leave a voicemail with your phone number on our main phone line (303-492-7188) or send an email requesting a call back.

 

March 17, 2020: As you likely have heard by now, the CU Boulder Chancellor announced that effective Monday, March 16, 2020, the campus is transitioning to remote teaching, learning and work for the remainder of the spring semester. The campus is planning to remain open and Science Discovery staff will continue to work during this time, but we will do so remotely.

In light of the current COVID-19 situation, we want to make you aware of changes to upcoming Science Discovery programs and events:

  • Spring Break, Homeschool, Afterschool and Day-Off Classes: All upcoming Spring Break, Homeschool, Afterschool and Day-Off classes are cancelled. Families who already registered for these classes have received a full refund.
  • Teen Science Café: The April Teen Science Café is cancelled. We hope to bring you Science Speed Dating next fall to kick off our 2020-21 Teen Café season!
  • Summer Camps, STEM Academies and STEM Research Experience: The university has not yet made a decision about summer programs. We continue to plan for our 2020 summer season and will accept registrations online and over the phone as usual. Summer program information and online registration can be found on our summer website. If you’d like to speak with our registrar, please leave a voicemail with your phone number on our main phone line (303-492-7188) or send an email requesting a call back.

Our top priority is keeping our community healthy and safe. We greatly appreciate your patience and flexibility as we navigate this ever-evolving situation. For current updates about the University of Colorado Boulder response to COVID-19, please visit the CU website.