Dear DPS Community,
Thank you for your continued understanding and perseverance throughout this challenging school year. For all of us, the uncertainties and struggles of the past year of the COVID-19 pandemic have put a strain on every aspect of our lives. And I’m very appreciative of the strength and dedication shown by our students, families, and educators.
As we shared earlier this month, we are working toward bringing more middle and high-school students back for in-person learning soon after spring break. This week, school leaders received details on our updated guidelines for increasing the number of students participating in in-person learning, and they are actively planning how these changes will work for their school’s unique circumstances.
I am excited by the opportunity we have to bring more students back for in-person learning. And I’m even more excited about the return to more normalcy that we hope the 2021-22 school year will bring. Next year, we hope to have all of our schools open for in-person learning, with key health protocols still in place depending on COVID levels.
(Watch this week’s update on COVID conditions in Denver, including some answers to questions about the vaccine and the importance of in-person learning, in this video update from Denver Health’s Dr. Bill Burman.)
And as we look ahead to next school year, we are also exploring the need for a virtual option, including how this program would be delivered and who would be eligible to participate. Key considerations in this planning include:
- Best practices in learning, including in-person vs. remote learning
- Family interest and motivations, including the feedback you provided through our surveys. (Be sure to take our latest survey here!)
- Experiences of our staff and families this year
- Health conditions and the input of our health partners
- How to run a sustainable program aligned to the needs of our students
In April, we hope to be able to share more details on our plans for next year. As always, we appreciate your patience and understanding throughout this challenging time.
Sincerely,
Dwight Jones
Interim Superintendent