Dear Team DPS,
As we approach Thanksgiving, I know most of you join me in looking forward to a little bit of a break. It’s been another difficult and draining year -- for our students, who are working hard at school and working through the adjustments that come with in-person learning during a pandemic; for our dedicated staff, who are giving tirelessly to support our students while dealing with significant staffing shortages at work and often other strains at home related to the pandemic; and for our families, who are navigating all of the changes and challenges -- at home, at their children’s school, and at their own workplace.
While it’s been wonderful to have schools back open for full, in-person learning this year, it’s taken an exceptional amount of determination and strength. Thank you for coming together and working so hard on behalf of our schools, our scholars, and our families.
As I’ve visited schools these past few months, I’ve seen the tremendous energy and inspiration of Team DPS ... and I’ve also seen how stressful and draining this year has been so far. I know that there are frequently urgent staffing issues that schools are facing in order to keep their buildings open for in-person instruction, and I very much appreciate all of the efforts that have been made to continue serving scholars and families.
To show our appreciation for you and to help you have more time to devote to your health and self-care, we will be starting the Thanksgiving break a day early. DPS leadership has decided to make Friday, Nov. 19 a non-attendance day for students, and district-run schools and office buildings will be closed. (Operational staff are asked to please check with their supervisors regarding their work schedule for Nov. 19.) Families whose children attend charter schools are asked to please check with their school regarding plans for Nov. 19, as some charter schools have decided to remain open.
In addition to providing additional time for overall self-care, this also gives families additional time to consider taking advantage of the COVID-19 vaccine now being available for children ages 5-11. There are no remote-work requirements on Nov. 19 in order to give staff and families this additional day. Our partners at Denver Health have continuously emphasized that the vaccine is the best weapon available to us to end the pandemic. We’ve seen very strong compliance among Team DPS in meeting the requirements of the city’s public health order on vaccinations, and I’m so grateful for that. We now turn our attention to our families -- to make sure they have complete and thorough information on the availability of the vaccine for children over the age of 5.
This decision regarding Nov. 19 is also in line with the recommendations of the U.S. Department of Education, which is urging school districts to provide paid time off to staff to get their own children vaccinated.
We will be sharing this Nov. 19 non-attendance-day update with our families shortly. If you have any questions, please reach out to your supervisor.
Thank you, again, to all of Team DPS for giving so much of yourselves to our mission ... and to our scholars.
In collaboration,
Dr. Alex Marrero
Superintendent
