DENVER — Denver Public Schools (DPS) is planning to welcome back its youngest learners in Early Childhood Education (ECE) beginning Sept. 8, the district said Wednesday.
ECE Centers at Escalante-Biggs, Pascual LeDoux, Sandra Todd-Williams and Stephen Knight plan to open on Sep. 8. All other ECE programs in DPS plan to open Sept. 14.
> Video above: DPS provides update after first day of school
“We have been working all summer on a safe and gradual return to in-person learning, with a priority on young learners who aren’t served well by remote instruction,” Superintendent Susana Cordova said in a news release. “We have learned a lot about how to safely support in-person learning from our Discovery Link sites that provide child care. And we’ve used these valuable learnings, including many of those specific to health protocols, to inform our ECE plans.”
The district said it is working with school leaders and the Denver Classroom Teacher Association (DCTA) to review proposed plans and support implementation. Those plans include health standards and protocols, drop-off and pick-up procedures, daily schedules and guidance on outdoor learning environments.
DPS said schools will be reaching out through Sept. 4 to families who are enrolled in ECE. For families who have not enrolled, they will need to decide whether they will send their ECE student to school in person by Sept. 14.
There is no virtual option for ECE at this time, DPS said. And because the demand for ECE is high, DPS will not be able to hold enrollment spots for families who opt out of in-person learning for their ECE student.
The ECE department is planning to host a telephone Family Forum for ECE parents next week to help answer any questions.
Families can reach out to the Enrollment Hotline at 720-423-3493 for assistance in English and Spanish.
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