UPDATE: The Elbert County Sheriff’s Office confirmed at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday that the two middle school girls have been found and are safe. The Colorado Springs School reported the two girls went missing during a basketball game in Elbert around 5 p.m. Monday, according to a Tuesday news release from the officials. Once school officials realized the girls were missing, they notified local authorities and the students’ families, according to the release. Elbert School, about 50 miles northeast of Colorado Springs in Elbert County, canceled classes Tuesday to aid in the search effort for the two girls. A family member told Gazette news partner KOAA that the girls were cold and hungry and traveled a far distance from school. The Elbert County Undersheriff explained to KOAA that the girls were found about seven to eight miles away from the school and went to a nearby residence, where they were fed breakfast. Both girls are reportedly cross-country runners. PREVIOUS: Elbert School posted on Facebook just before 11 p.m. Monday that the district would be closed and the school will be used as a command post. An update posted Tuesday morning says the girls left the campus just before the start of a middle school basketball game and haven’t been seen since. “Local law enforcement and search and rescue teams are actively searching the Elbert area. Our school is fully cooperating with all authorities involved in the search effort on site. We are in close communication with the families of the missing students and will continue to provide support during this time,” the Elbert School District wrote on Facebook. The Colorado Springs School is an independent school serving more than 300 students from prekindergarten through 12th grade. ...read more read less