The last day of in-person learning for DCSD students will be November 19.
Douglas County School District (DCSD) is closing all of its schools and transitioning students in all grades to remote instruction through the remainder of the year starting November 19, according to a letter to families written by Corey Wise, the district's interim superintendent. The decision was announced Thursday afternoon.
Middle and high school students at DCSD schools had been following a hybrid plan since the beginning of the school year, while elementary school students had returned to a full-time in-person model following fall break in Mid-October. However, 13 schools had already shifted to remote learning in the past week as quarantines had put insurmountable pressure on schools to staff their buildings with full-time staff and substitutes.
An important message from DCSD Interim Superintendent Corey Wise:
— @dcsdk12 (@dcsdk12) November 13, 2020
DCSD will be moving to remote learning after Thanksgiving. Read the full message here:https://t.co/zYEVpPNzle pic.twitter.com/62XZSc2LwH
The district currently has 5,000 students and staff members in quarantine, and Wise noted the immense amount of time it takes nurses, principals, registrars, and others to perform contact tracing and notify close contacts of potential exposures.
"We are simply getting to a point where our phenomenal staff are spending more time contact tracing than on providing students with the public education they need and deserve," Wise said.
The last day of in-person instruction for schools that remain open will be November 19, and remote learning will start November 30 following Thanksgiving break. Middle and high school students in schools that have remained open will continue on their cohort schedule through November 19. Friday will be a teacher workday for all grades. Students who were already on temporary remote instruction will remain on remote learning through winter break.
Families had been warned that a move to remote learning was possible as COVID-19 cases in the community began to rise in recent weeks. Wise said the final decision was made after the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment announced it will elevate Douglas County to Level Orange on its COVID-19 dial Friday afternoon, which signals an area of high risk requiring increased restrictions for the community and schools.
The district is asking students who are still attending school in-person to bring home school work, school supplies, loaner technology devices that will be needed for remote learning, and all personal belongings next week. Parents are asked to arrange to pick up medications. The district is making technology devices, including a limited number of Wi-Fi hot spots, available to students who need them for in-home learning.
Wise urged parents and community members to consider becoming substitute teachers to help it build its pool of subs and help get students back to in-person learning. The Colorado Department of Education recently introduced a substitute authorization program that allows those with a minimum of a high school diploma and a fingerprint-based history on file to serve as substitute instructors. College students and graduates and those between jobs or careers are ideal candidates, said the letter.
