More than 1,700 students at Cherry Creek High School will revert to remote learning after an outbreak of coronavirus was detected, the school district said.

In a letter sent to parents Tuesday, the school district said “several” 12th grade students tested positive for COVID-19 and were tied directly to an off-campus party over the past two weekends, forcing 14 staff members and 146 students to quarantine through Sept. 23.

Another 1,585 students must learn remotely, but can participate in sports and activities.

In the past two weeks, six students have tested positive for the virus, though three “had no impact on the student population based on symptom onset and the last day of attendance,” said Abbe Smith, spokeswoman for Cherry Creek School District. 

Dozens of Cherry Creek High School students issued warnings for mask violations

The last time those students were at school was Sept. 9, the school district said, adding the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment has classified the cases as an outbreak.

Students can return to in-person learning beginning the week of Sept. 28, according to the letter.

Public health officials work with the school after any staff member or student tests positive for COVID-19 and instruct anyone who was in close contact with the infected person to stay home from school for 14 days after the exposure, the letter stated.

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The outbreak comes about one month after dozens of Cherry Creek High School students gathered on campus for the district’s phase-in week, without wearing masks or physically distancing themselves from other students.

The school district issued mask violations to 41 students and were given information about the mask requirement, Smith said. 

Those students were also told to isolate for a week because of potential exposure, she said.