Quick Facts
Communications to Families:
Returning to Full, In-Person Learning
DCSD middle and high school students will return to full, in-person learning (five days a week) beginning Monday, March 22, 2021.
Middle and High School Asynchronous Learning Day - March 12
We will be designating Friday, March 12 as an asynchronous learning day so that our middle and high schools can make necessary preparations to start full-time, in-person learning on March 22 (such as moving furniture, setting up classrooms, etc.).
Middle and high school students will be expected to participate in asynchronous learning on this date.
eLearning
Students enrolled in eLearning will remain in that learning model through the end of the school year.
Requests to Learn Remotely
We continue to experience challenges with students randomly attending all or some classes remotely and this creates significant challenges for our teachers. In addition, students are not receiving the same educational experience by joining classes remotely, which could ultimately affect their grades and their ability to be as connected with their classes. And lastly, having students joining classes remotely creates security concerns if we do not know which students are physically in our buildings in the case of an evacuation drill or an emergency situation. For the sake of instructional consistency and student safety, any students selectively choosing to attend classes remotely, without pre-approval from their school, will be marked absent.
MIDDLE SCHOOL
As we need to know which students are in our buildings for safety reasons (such as an incident or security concern), students will no longer be permitted to selectively drop into classes remotely on a day-by-day basis. Students who are not formally enrolled in eLearning but wish to attend classes remotely will need to discuss their options with their school administrator. Please note that the remote option is only for students and families with extenuating circumstances. During an approved and pre-arranged remote learning experience, students are responsible for communicating with their teacher on determining the make-up process for work missed in class (i.e. labs or projects). Teachers will only be obligated to provide synchronous remote instruction to students who have a pre-arranged and approved remote experience due a COVID isolation/quarantine or health risk.
HIGH SCHOOL (NON-ATHLETES)
As we need to know which students are in our buildings for safety reasons (such as an incident or security concern), students will no longer be permitted to selectively drop into classes remotely on a day-by-day basis. Students who are not formally enrolled in eLearning but wish to intermittently attend classes remotely will need to discuss their options with their school. Please note that the remote option is only for students and families with extenuating circumstances. Students who selectively choose to attend class remotely, without pre-approval from their school, will be counted as absent. During an approved and pre-arranged intermittent remote learning experience, students are responsible for communicating with their teacher on determining the make-up process for work missed in class (i.e. labs or projects). Teachers will only be obligated to provide synchronous remote instruction to students who have a pre-arranged and approved remote experience due to a health concern or due to a COVID isolation or quarantine.
HIGH SCHOOL (ATHLETES)
Students who are participating in athletics/activities (not club athletics) who wish to apply for intermittent remote instruction during the season only should contact their school to set up a plan and request approval.
Special Education Students in Center-Based Programs
Special education students who are served in DCSD Center-Based programs will transition to full, in-person learning five days a week beginning Monday, March 22 (with the exception of any center-based students who are enrolled in eLearning).
Bus Transportation
On February 8, DCSD began its transition back to normal capacity on school buses, meaning some routes may have two or three students per seat. Eligibility for transportation was expanded to include elementary students who live approximately more than 1.5 miles from their assigned neighborhood school, and for middle and high school students who live approximately more than 3 miles from their assigned neighborhood school. Bus service is only available to students who attend their assigned neighborhood school. Families eligible for DCSD bus transportation have been contacted with information on how to sign up for a SMARTag (bus pass) and view their bus route/schedule.
We realize the eligibility distance is still higher than it was pre-COVID. The reasoning behind this is there are fewer bus drivers due to budget reductions, vacancies, and COVID-19 positive cases and quarantines.
Eligible students requiring transportation as a related service in accordance with their IEP, as well as homeless and foster students, are bused regardless of the distance to their school.
Transitioning to normal capacity on buses was possible as a result of continued dialogue with local and state health authorities. Should a COVID-19 exposure occur on a DCSD school bus, quarantines will be managed via the use of seating charts. Students and staff are required to wear a face covering while on the bus and sit in an assigned seat in accordance with a seating chart. If you have questions or concerns, please contact the DCSD Transportation Department.
Meals
Thanks to funding from the USDA, lunches will continue to be provided free of charge to all students through the end of the school year. Families who may qualify are still encouraged to complete the annual Free and Reduced price lunch application. Families who are approved receive other benefits, including waived transportation and academic fees.
Field Trips
DCSD will not offer school district-sponsored field trips through the end of the school year.
Visitors
Visitors to DCSD buildings will continue to be extremely limited. In cases where a visitor must enter the building, the visitor will be required to check in at the front desk, have a temperature check and wear a face covering at all times.
Health and Safety Protocols
Having our middle and high school students and staff back in buildings each day means there will be more people in each building at one time. Schools will enforce social distancing when possible, but it will not be feasible in some areas such as classrooms that are at full capacity. In cases where physical distancing is not possible, schools will still have all other health and safety mitigation strategies in place.
- Mandatory face coverings for students and staff
- Encouraging regular hand washing/sanitizing
- Increased building airflow and ventilation
- Minimizing the sharing of equipment and materials as much as possible
- Using signage and markings to encourage safe distancing and one-way movement when possible
- Implementing seating charts
- Utilizing available spaces in the school and outdoor areas when possible
- Regular cleaning and disinfection in schools
Layering these health and safety mitigation strategies will provide the greatest protection against the spread of COVID-19.
Keeping Students Home When Sick
We continue to encourage parents to monitor the health of their children and keep them home from school when children exhibit any symptoms of COVID-19 and/or have a temperature greater than 100 degrees. Please reference this checklist to assist you in determining whether your child should attend school.
We encourage families to get their children tested for COVID-19 when they are not feeling well, showing symptoms commonly associated with COVID-19, or have recently travelled. No-cost COVID-19 testing is available at many locations throughout our community, including:
Quarantines
DCSD staff who have received both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine will no longer be subject to quarantines, if it has been 14 or more days since their second dose. This is great news as vaccinated teachers will be able to remain in their classrooms should an exposure occur. Quarantines of students and unvaccinated staff will continue to happen at least through the remainder of this school year. Our work with the Tri-County Health Department (TCHD) and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) will guide our quarantine protocols and data tracking. We will continue to give feedback to TCHD and CDPHE on how to improve quarantine protocols to better align with full in-person learning.