Written by: Josh Griffin, Principal
As noted in communication with current D’Evelyn families on Thursday, February 25th, and incoming D’Evelyn families on Friday, February 26th, given the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, the D’Evelyn administration and staff are working to collaboratively develop a plan to offer D’Evelyn students options for 100% in-person and 100% remote learning in the 2021-2022 school year. Additionally, we are working with our partners in Jeffco Schools administration to seek and acquire a variance to operate our own 100% remote learning model. In order to proceed with this plan, we will need to acquire a waiver from Jeffco Schools leadership. As we have worked on this remote learning option in the past few weeks, we have encountered a number of challenges and complications. However, at this time, it is important for me to share the following updates about our plans. Thank you for your thoughtful consideration of this information. Benefit & Value of In-Person Learning The D’Evelyn program was designed to provide students a content-rich, liberal arts education in an in-person learning environment, where students attend classes daily for a fixed period of time on a consistent schedule. The Covid-19 pandemic necessitated substantial shifts in our typical operations in order that we could continue to educate our students in spite of the myriad of limitations and regulations implemented in the interest of promoting public health. The 2021-2022 school year offers our school community a fresh start and the opportunity to return to the 100% in-person learning model. Given the recent improvements in Covid-19 data in our county, state, and nation, as well as the increased pace of Covid-19 vaccine distribution, we are optimistic about the viability of a return to normal school operations at D’Evelyn in August 2021. Without question, we believe that in-person learning is the most effective method of providing D’Evelyn students the academic, personal, and social opportunities that they need during their years of secondary schooling. Students learn, grow, and mature with the benefit of face-to-face interactions with their teachers, peers, coaches, and support staff members. I am grateful to our students, teachers, staff, and families for making the best of the challenging conditions of the remote and hybrid learning models since March 2020; however, it is time for us to prepare to return to normal, 100% in-person learning for our students in the 2021-2022 school year. We are planning for the new school year with the idea that all D’Evelyn students will return to the 100% in-person model. This approach will allow us to provide the best possible learning and growth opportunities to all D’Evelyn students in our unique, liberal arts curriculum. Continued Need for 100% Remote Learning Model in the 2021-2022 School Year As announced by Jeffco Schools leadership this past week, the school district will be offering students 100% remote learning options through a central district online learning program. Because of our unique liberal arts curriculum at D’Evelyn, this program is not a fit for D’Evelyn students next year. As a result, we are working to develop our own remote-only learning program for D’Evelyn students in the 2021-2022 school year. While we understand and acknowledge the great importance of in-person learning, we understand that there are students and families with unique health conditions that necessitate the possibility of remote learning in the event that the pandemic does not fully subside by August. In order to support those students and their families next year, D’Evelyn will offer a very limited remote-only option for students in the 2021-2022 school year. We do not plan to continue remote-only learning options after the 2021-2022 school year. Current Plans for the 2021-2022 Remote-Only Learning Model Our resources are limited as we prepare for operating two models of learning for students. As a result, the options available for remote-only students will be significantly limited. Because we will be providing remote-only learning for D’Evelyn students exclusively with the efforts of D’Evelyn faculty & staff, please note the following important points regarding what we will and will not be able to offer students that select remote-only learning for next year due to their personal or familial health circumstances:
We understand that these plans are limited and restrictive for remote-only students. However, with our limited resources and desire to provide a one-year option that allows students with personal or familial health concerns to continue in the D’Evelyn program to the greatest extent possible, it is important that we share our current thinking regarding our plans. At the core of this plan, we are working to support on-time graduation for D’Evelyn students seeking remote learning in 2021-2022. As we make more formal plans, we will communicate them via School Messenger and Jaguar Tracks. Year Long Commitment Because we will build the master schedule for specifically designated in-person and remote-only classes, students will not be able to move back-and-forth between in-person and remote learning next year. Students will need to sign up for either 100% in-person or 100% remote learning for the duration of the 2021-2022 school year. EnrollJeffco sign-up for remote-only option At this time, we ask D’Evelyn families to refrain from making a selection in the EnrollJeffco system regarding learning model preference for the 2021-2022 school year. Assuming that we receive the variance from Jeffco Schools, at that time, we plan to organize an internal communication for 2021-2022 D’Evelyn families to share your plans directly with us. In the event that your student and/or family would like to seek participation in the new Jeffco online school, I would encourage you to seek enrollment opportunities via EnrollJeffco outside of D’Evelyn. Please know that by enrolling in another school next year, your student would not be able to return to D’Evelyn in the 2022-2023 school year. We will continue to update D’Evelyn families regarding our plans for next year. In the meantime, if you have any questions, please feel free to contact your student’s counselor or assigned administrator, or contact our Main Office at 303-982-2600. Comments are closed.
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