Denver middle and high schools will continue with virtual learning into November, according to an internal district communication obtained by Chalkbeat. The school district had planned to reopen school buildings to middle and high school students on Oct. 21.
COVID-19 cases have been rising in Denver. On Monday, as Denver Mayor Michael Hancock sounded the alarm, Superintendent Susana Cordova said the district would consult with public health officials and take a second look at plans to bring older students back to the classroom.
At a school board meeting later that evening, Dr. Bill Burman, the director of Denver Public Health reiterated that he believes it’s relatively safe to bring students back to school and that the greatest risk is that of frequent learning disruptions due to quarantine.
But he also noted that COVID cases had risen among school-age children in Denver in recent weeks. Public health officials have attributed a spike in cases citywide to outbreaks that originated on college campuses and have now spread to the community.
Denver elementary schools will reopen on schedule, the district communication says. The district has been gradually bringing back elementary students in recent weeks, with the goal of having all students who opted for in-person learning back in classrooms by Oct. 21. Public health data shows COVID infections are lower among young children than in teenagers.
