ARAPAHOE COUNTY, Colo. — The Cherry Creek School District announced Thursday that it will open on Aug. 17 with in-person learning for students, but will begin the school year with a phased approach during that first week.
Last week, Superintendent Dr. Scott Siegfried provided an update but said a final decision about how students return on Aug. 17 wouldn't be finalized until Aug. 6.
The current plans calls for 100% in-person learning for those in PreK through fifth grade. Students in grades six through 12 will return with a blended learning option which includes some in-person instruction and some remote learning.
The blended plan includes students divided into cohorts "A" and "B", with two days of in-person learning and three days of remote learning every week.
>The video below is from the district's announcement last week
The district will also offer a phased approach to the return to school with certain grade levels of students returning each day during the week of Aug. 17 before everyone returns the following week. That approach will vary by school and parents should receive communication directly from their school about how it will work.
"We will continue to monitor daily COVID rates. If we see a sustained change in the wrong direction and it becomes unsafe to maintain In-Person learning, I will not hesitate to make the call to switch to full Remote learning," said Siegfried in a letter to parents. "I urge you to think through this possibility and to consider child care and supervision needs in case the data determines a change is necessary."
Families can also choose a full online option and as of last week, more than 9,000 students within the district had selected that option.
"Our ability to start on Aug. 17, 11 days from now, and our ability to maintain In-Person learning is 100% dependent upon our collective actions and decisions. As we prepare to open, I am asking for all members of the Cherry Creek Schools community to do our part to help ensure that students can be in school," Siegfried said.
Several of the state's other large school districts have announced plans to start the school year remotely with both Aurora Public Schools and Denver Public Schools saying students would learn remotely through the entire first quarter.
Jefferson County Public Schools plans to begin with remote learning on Aug. 24 but plans to begin in-person learning on Sept. 8.
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