Students in 6th-12th grade were set to return to a mix of in-person and online learning on Oct. 21. Instead, they will now continue with remote learning for at least three weeks into the second quarter, through Nov. 6.
Denver Public Schools announced on Tuesday that the return to in-person learning is postponed for middle and high school students. The district says elementary schools will open as planned to all grades next week.
Secondary special-education center programs, newcomer centers, and remote learning centers will open for in-person at the start of the second quarter.
On Monday, DPS Superintendent Susana Cordova spoke with Denver Mayor Michael Hancock about the growing number of COVID-19 cases and its impact on education.
“I share the concerns, the anxieties, and the frustrations that I hear from our community and our educators,” stated Superintendent Cordova in a letter to parents. “As has been the case since March, conditions and guidance change so frequently. Comfort and anxiety rise and fall so much; there’s very little certainty and stability in our day-to-day lives. What I do know for certain is that all of Team DPS just really wants to teach and care for our kids, in our school buildings.”
DPS said they were notified by Mayor Hancock’s office on Tuesday that new public health orders are expected soon to combat the spread of COVID-19. CBS4 has reached out to the mayor’s office for more information about the planned health orders.
“When these types of measures were implemented in the summer, we saw a dramatic reduction in COVID cases,” stated Cordova.
The district is communicating daily with their partners at Denver Health who say elementary-aged students are at a significantly lower risk of contracting COVID-19. DPS officials added that remote learning presents special challenges for elementary students and their families.
DPS plans to reevaluate the situation at the end of October.
