Denver Public Schools Shifts Remaining In-Person ECE-2nd Grades To Remote Learning
DENVER (CBS4)- Denver Public Schools made the announcement on Wednesday afternoon to shift all remaining in-person learning classes, from ECE to 2nd grade, to full remote learning. This transition will begin on Nov. 30 the first day the classes resume after Thanksgiving break.
Outgoing DPS Superintendent Susana Cordova sent the email stating that despite stricter measures to get the coronavirus surge in cases under control announced by Gov. Jared Polis and Denver Mayor Michael Hancock on Tuesday, the action did not come soon enough "to sustain staffing for in-person learning in our schools for the rest of the semester."
She said that schools could not accommodate in-person learning with severe staffing shortages due to the surge in COVID-19 cases.
"In September, we were seeing about 13 cases per week when we first opened up ECE centers. We are now seeing over 300 cases per week. This deeply challenges our ability to operate our schools. And we've already had to close many schools because we lack the staff to run them, due to required quarantines and the shortage of available substitutes."
Cordova announced that the shift in remote learning will remain in place for all elementary grades through winter break. DPS is working on having all grades return to in-person learning when school resumes in January 2021.
There was a return to in-person learning for grades 3-5 for about one week last month before remote learning resumed due to a high number of coronavirus cases. Middle schools and high schools in DPS have been on either a hybrid learning model or fully remote model since school began in August for the 2020-2021 school year.
Last week, Cordova made the surprise announcement she's leaving the district and heading to take a new position in Dallas as a deputy superintendent.
