Today, Denver Mayor Michael B. Hancock supported our schools as a guest teacher at South High School, through DPS' new Community Partner Volunteer Sub Program. The program aims to bring community leaders into our classrooms to share their knowledge and support DPS during our staffing shortages. Want to get involved? Learn more.
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Hagan clic aquí para leer este mensaje en español.
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Updates to Our Mask Requirements and Other Guidelines |
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Dear Team DPS,
We have continued to work closely with the experts at DDPHE and Denver Health to get more information about how the changes to the mask requirement will apply to different situations. Today, we’d like to share some updated guidance with you that will go into effect after the mandate expires:
ECE: Based on guidance from local health experts, the mask requirement for ECE classrooms will also expire at the end of the day on Friday, Feb. 25. Based on public health guidance, it is possible that some ECE classrooms may have 10 day isolation and quarantine periods. More information will be shared with ECE families later today.
Bus transportation: Masks are still required for all drivers, paraprofessionals, and riders on district transportation. Our transportation team will have masks for students who need them.
Isolation and quarantine guidelines: The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) shared new school guidelines that will go into effect on Monday, Feb. 28:
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Isolate for 5 days: If you test positive for COVID-19, if you have symptoms and are waiting for test results, or if you have symptoms and have not yet been tested. If at the end of 5 days you are feeling better and have no fever (without fever-reducing medicine) for 24 hours, you should take extra precautions for 5 more days, such as wearing a mask at all times and avoiding travel.
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Isolate for 10 days: If you have tested positive for COVID-19 and are unable to wear a mask while in school during days 6-10 (such as people with disabilities who are unable to wear a mask or children under age 2) you should isolate for 10 days after an exposure, even if your symptoms have resolved before day 10.
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Quarantine for 5 days: If you have been directly exposed to a COVID-19 positive individual AND you are not vaccinated or have not received a booster dose of the vaccine, you should quarantine for 5 days.
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No quarantine required: If you are fully vaccinated and boosted but have been exposed to someone with COVID-19, you do not need to quarantine, but should wear a mask for 10 days after the date of your exposure, and get tested on day 5.
Please remember that masks are still required in all indoor school settings through Feb. 25. And they will still be strongly encouraged even after the city’s mandate has expired. Please keep up the healthy habits that have seen us through the pandemic thus far: stay home when you’re sick; wash your hands frequently and cover coughs and sneezes with an elbow; meet in locations with good ventilation; and try to keep physical distance whenever possible.
We appreciate your support and flexibility as we move into this new phase of the pandemic together.
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Catch up with Superintendent Dr. Alex Marrero by following him on Instagram and Twitter, both @DrAlexMarrero!
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BOE to Host Community Feedback Gatherings on Proposed 'Executive Limitations' |
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The Board of Education will be hosting two Community Feedback Gatherings on March 1 and March 3 on a proposal made by the Board that would “(p)rovide the rights and protections of the DCTA collective bargaining agreement (as a floor) to all licensed teachers, regardless of whether they work at an innovation or non-innovation school.” Currently, DPS innovation schools have the ability -- with a majority vote of the school’s educators -- to opt out of some parts of the collective bargaining agreement between the teachers’ union (DCTA) and the school district.
Before the Board of Education votes on the proposal, which is expected to happen at its March 24 meeting, it wants to provide information and gather feedback from the community.
The Community Feedback Gatherings will be held virtually via Zoom and are scheduled for:
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Tuesday, March 1, from 6-7:30 p.m. for families and community members who live in Board Districts 2 and 4.
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Thursday, March 3, from 6-7:30 p.m. for families and community members who live in Board Districts 1, 3 and 5.
The gatherings are planned to ensure engagement with each Board District, but all community members are invited to join either of the events. Translation and interpretation services will be provided. The events will also be recorded, and the recordings will be made available, with captions translated into multiple languages, as soon as possible after the event.
Please check the Board of Education’s website, board.dpsk12.org, for updates on the Community Feedback Gatherings and more detailed information on how to participate.
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Share your Thoughts on Healthy Start Times Options |
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As you know, DPS is getting ready to shift to Healthy Start Times beginning in the fall of 2023. With this shift, all middle and high schools will start no earlier than 8:20 a.m. in order to support healthy sleep habits in teenagers. Elementary schools will likely start earlier to make this happen, as younger students' sleep habits work better with an earlier start time than teenagers.
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We know this will impact both our students and staff -- and to best prepare, we want to hear thoughts on what options might work best.
Please share your feedback through the Healthy Start Times Options survey, which is now open through March 9. Later, the planning committee will share what we learn from this survey and will ask for your final thoughts, before sharing the detailed plan with the Denver Board of Education this summer. Overall, there will be over a year of planning before Healthy Start Times will begin in fall of 2023.
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Apply to the District Accountability Committee by March 11 |
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Do you have a passion or desire to help improve DPS by serving on an Advisory Board? Apply to the District Accountability Committee (DAC) by March 11. The DAC is open to DPS parents, staff and community members. The DAC application is available in the Consent Decree languages -- access the one-pager in your language for the link to apply.
The mission of the DAC is to serve as an advisory committee to the Denver Board of Education on matters such as budget priorities, SIP, charter school applications and other matters outlined in state statute or identified by the Board and Superintendent.
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Students Can Earn Free College Credit while in High School |
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As students begin thinking about entering high school or are currently in high school, we want to remind them and their families about the opportunity to earn free college credit through Concurrent Enrollment (CE). Concurrent Enrollment classes are college-level classes taught by qualified instructors for free at DPS high schools and on college campuses nearby. DPS offers hundreds of Concurrent Enrollment classes that students can take to earn credit toward their high school diploma, a college degree, or certificate, making it an excellent way to save time and money!
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