Alex Marrero took the helm of Denver Public Schools in early July and hit the ground running ahead of the Aug. 23 start date for the new school year.
The 38-year-old superintendent was raised in the Bronx and most recently worked as interim superintendent of City School District of New Rochelle in New York — that is to say, he’s new to the West.
Marrero recently answered questions about what the early days of the upcoming school year might look like for himself and about 90,000 students and 14,000 staff members. The following interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.
How do you foresee making sure that Denver Public Schools’ employees get vaccinated? Do you predict any specific challenges? What happens to those who won’t take their shots?
Marrero expressed confidence that the district will get as many people vaccinated as possible by Mayor Michael Hancock’s Sept. 30 deadline, though details about tracking the vaccinations have yet to be finalized.
“In terms of legalities. We’ve learned, our general counsel and the city’s general counsel, that Mayor Hancock is in his authority, based on a 1905 (U.S. Supreme Court) case. …
“Initially my thought was ‘Okay, maybe, maybe, he overstepped. Maybe.’ But then quickly I realized he did not.
“What I feel absolutely comfortable about sharing with our team, and we’ve shared it intimately with our union leads … is that come (Sept. 30) and beyond, so October 1st, there’s no DPS employee who’s going to be terminated.”
While those who will not get vaccinated might face discipline, he said, and there will be “progress monitoring,” they won’t be fired.
“In terms of whatever progress monitoring happens beyond that … when it comes to any violation, I expect that to come to me as the head of the agency.”
Do you have an idea of about how long DPS will maintain its mask mandates? Do you know what metrics you and your team will be tracking to determine when or if that mandate can be lifted? What happens for those refusing to wear a mask?
Marrero said he doesn’t anticipate strong pushback on the mask mandate given the current COVID environment. He added that “if anything, it’s been well received both externally and internally, in terms of the universal masking, to my surprise …
“We are to a point where we are going to go back in-person. I can’t believe that. I’m jumping up and down. That’s the victory. …
“The masks, I understand that there are some who are going to say it’s not ideal but if we universally require it. We won’t do what other districts, who shall remain nameless, have done, which is backpedal and confuse the constituents.”
Denver’s Public Health Director Bob McDonald will be the ultimate resource for DPS to determine whether masking is still needed, Marrero said. The mandate won’t be lifted until McDonald gives the green light — and there’s no way of knowing when that will be.
Are you considering vaccine requirements for eligible students?
A coronavirus vaccine requirement is on the table, Marrero said, but only as part of the bigger suite of more commonly required vaccines.
“The larger conversation is really about what are we going to package in terms of all students and their expectations? COVID-19 is part of that discussion. But measles, rubella, DTap, you know, the goods, all of those are in there.”
Can you give me some insight into how you want DPS to help students work through some of the trauma and substantial changes/swings they’ve endured during the pandemic? What specifically do you imagine is the ultimate effect these last 18 months to two years has had on these students?
It’s unclear precisely what students are experiencing right now, Marrero said, but he wants each teacher and staff member to gauge how students are doing.
“I think it would be a critical mistake if we leap over the intimacy that comes along with the work that we do. That’s when we’ll find out the impact of the last 18 months. I think everybody becomes a guidance counselor, everybody becomes a social worker, regardless of their position. …
“That intimacy is how I really expect to gauge the impact of the past 18 months.”
Emotional and social damages aside, students have clearly struggled during the pandemic. Do you have any data to indicate what kind of learning gap you’ll be dealing with?
State tests assessing students’ performance levels are forthcoming, Marrero said, but he won’t trust it.
“I’m not going to consider that valid for several reasons. We don’t know the test sophistication that went along with it. The conditions … when I say conditions, if a student is accustomed to, for their entire educational career, to taking tests in a classroom and now we’re asking them to take a test via Zoom, that will have an impact.”
“The truth of the matter is, if I had an older brother and my older brother’s hovering over me, I don’t know what type of influence that person had in terms of that assessment.”
Rather, the district will be better served by assessing students throughout the school year with “end of unit” or “onboarding” assessments, Marrero said.
“We’ll soon learn where we are.”
Hyoung Chang, The Denver Post
Alex Marrero, front left, meets members of Denver South High School’s student government at the school after being announced as the next superintendent for Denver Public Schools on Wednesday, May 26, 2021.
You’ve got a declining student base. Have there been any conversations about consolidating schools? Have you been part of that process before? What might it look like?
Marrero said he has dealt with school closures and consolidations previously in his career and conversations about them happening in Denver are ongoing.
“I never look forward to these conversations because people are deeply rooted, especially when you have legacy parents, but it’s something you can’t avoid in this profession. …
“What I can say is that this year and next year there will be no closures, as of right now. We’re looking two years and beyond. That should give folks a good sense of stability.”
Marrero pledged that when or if closures or consolidations do come to pass, the district will involve community members in the effort and work to empower them as well.
