Welcome to the 2020-21 School Year

Welcome to the 2020-21 School Year
Posted on 08/24/2020
August 24, 2020

Dear DCSD Parents and Families,

Welcome to the 2020-2021 school year! Last week, we officially welcomed students back into our buildings for orientation days. This week, classes begin for our hybrid learners, and next week we look forward to welcoming our eLearners to the new school year as well. It will be great to have all of our students back and re-engaged in education once again! As I visit with students and staff, I am confident that, with your assistance, we will provide a high-quality education for your children.

The past several months have been challenging, to say the least. I appreciate your partnership, patience, and dedication as we navigate this winding, and often bumpy Road to Return to school.

Over the summer months, DCSD has worked hard to ensure our buildings are as safe as possible for our students and staff, and that we have plenty of face coverings, hand sanitizer, and other personal protective equipment readily available. Our technology staff continues to partner with schools to get devices in the hands of students who need them, and our incredible Nutrition Services Department is prepared to deliver curbside, grab-and-go meals to help ensure our students are nourished, even when they’re not physically in school.

Our special education department has been reviewing IEPs, assessing student needs, and preparing for in-person and virtual home visits with students and their families. And, our BASE program, community partners, and the Foundation for Douglas County Schools have been working to ensure that as many childcare seats are available to families and staff who need access on days when their students are learning remotely.

The 2020-2021 school year will look different than any we’ve ever known. For our hybrid learners, we have a variety of health and safety protocols and mitigation measures in place to keep our students and staff safe -- and these are easier to achieve when we have fewer students in a school building each day. For our eLearning students, we have dedicated teachers who have been immersed in professional development, and they are excited to welcome our eLearners back to school via our digital platform. In addition, our staff members have access to COVID-19 testing through COVIDCheck Colorado on a voluntary basis.

We continue to be in a very fluid situation with COVID-19 and situations can change every day. We are following developments closely with our local and state healthcare partners and are prepared to adjust as needed, with the health and well-being of our students and staff as our steadfast priority.

While the upcoming school year will look unlike any we’ve experienced in the past, I know we can come together to make this the best year possible for our students, families, and staff.

Proud to serve as your Superintendent,

Thomas S. Tucker, Ph.D.
Superintendent
Douglas County School District



24 de agosto de 2020

Estimados padres y familias de DCSD:

¡Bienvenidos al año escolar 2020-2021! La semana pasada, oficialmente les dimos la bienvenida a los estudiantes a nuestros edificios para los días de orientación. Esta semana, las clases comienzan para nuestros estudiantes híbridos y la próxima semana también esperamos darles la bienvenida al nuevo año escolar a nuestros eLearners. ¡Será genial tener a todos nuestros estudiantes de regreso y volver a participar en la educación una vez más! Mientras visito a los estudiantes y al personal, estoy seguro de que, con su ayuda, brindaremos una educación de alta calidad para sus hijos.

Los últimos meses han sido desafiantes, por decir lo menos. Agradezco su colaboración, paciencia y dedicación mientras navegamos por este sinuoso y a menudo accidentado La carretera regresar a la escuela.

Durante los meses de verano, el DCSD ha trabajado arduamente para garantizar que nuestros edificios sean lo más seguros posible para nuestros estudiantes y personal, y que tengamos muchas cubiertas faciales, desinfectante de manos y otros equipos de protección personal disponibles. Nuestro personal de tecnología continúa asociándose con las escuelas para obtener dispositivos en manos de los estudiantes que los necesitan , y nuestro increíble Departamento de Servicios de Nutrición está preparado para entregar comidas en la acera, para llevar para ayudar a asegurar que nuestros estudiantes estén nutridos, incluso cuando no están físicamente en la escuela.

Nuestro departamento de educación especial ha estado revisando los IEP, evaluando las necesidades de los estudiantes y preparándose para las visitas domiciliarias virtuales y en persona con los estudiantes y sus familias. Y nuestro programa BASE, los socios comunitarios y la Fundación para las Escuelas del Condado de Douglas han estado trabajando para garantizar que haya tantas plazas de cuidado infantil disponibles para las familias y el personal que necesitan acceso los días en que sus estudiantes están aprendiendo de forma remota.

El año escolar 2020-2021 se verá diferente a cualquiera que hayamos conocido. Para nuestros estudiantes híbridos, tenemos una variedad de protocolos de salud y seguridad y medidas de mitigación para mantener seguros a nuestros estudiantes y personal, y estos son más fáciles de lograr cuando tenemos menos estudiantes en un edificio escolar cada día. Para nuestros estudiantes de eLearning, contamos con profesores dedicados que han estado inmersos en el desarrollo profesional, y están emocionados de darles la bienvenida a nuestros eLearners a la escuela a través de nuestra plataforma digital. Además, los miembros de nuestro personal tienen acceso a las pruebas de COVID-19 a través de COVIDCheck Colorado de forma voluntaria.

Seguimos estando en un La situación fluida con COVID-19 y las situaciones pueden cambiar todos los días. Estamos siguiendo de cerca los desarrollos con nuestros socios de atención médica locales y estatales y estamos preparados para ajustarnos según sea necesario, con la salud y el bienestar de nuestros estudiantes y personal como nuestra máxima prioridad.

Si bien el próximo año escolar se verá diferente a cualquiera que hayamos experimentado en el pasado, sé que podemos unirnos para hacer de este el mejor año posible para nuestros estudiantes, familias y personal.

Orgulloso de servir como su superintendente,

Thomas S. Tucker, Ph.D.
Superintendente
Distrito Escolar del Condado de Douglas
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In compliance with Titles VI & VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008, and Colorado law, the Douglas County School District RE-1 does not unlawfully discriminate against otherwise qualified students, employees, applicants for employment, or members of the public on the basis of disability, race, creed, color, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, religion, ancestry, or need for special education services. Discrimination against employees and applicants for employment based on age, genetic information, and conditions related to pregnancy or childbirth is also prohibited in accordance with state and/or federal law. Complaint procedures have been established for students, parents, employees, and members of the public. The School District's Compliance Officer and Title IX Coordinator to address complaints alleging sexual harassment under Title IX is Aaron Henderson, 620 Wilcox Street, Castle Rock, Colorado, [email protected], 303-387-0127.

Outside Agencies

Complaints regarding violations of Title VI, (race, national origin), Title IX (sex, gender), Section 504/ADA (handicap or disability), may be filed directly with the Office for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Education, 1244 North Speer Blvd., Suite 310, Denver, CO 80204. Complaints regarding violations of Title VII (employment) and the ADEA (prohibiting age discrimination in employment) may be filed directly with the Federal Office of Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, 303 E. 17th Ave., Suite 510, Denver, CO 80202, or the Colorado Civil Rights Commission, 1560 Broadway, Suite 1050, Denver, CO 80202.

NOTICE OF DESTRUCTION OF SPECIAL EDUCATION RECORDS

Special Education records which have been collected by Douglas County School District related to the identification, evaluation, educational placement, or the provision of special education in the district, must be maintained under state and federal laws for the period of five (5) years after special education services have ended for the student. Special education services end when the student is no longer eligible for services, graduates, or completes his/her educational program at age 21, or moves from the district. This notification is to inform parents/guardians and former students of Douglas County School District's intent to destroy the special education records of students who exited special education services as of June 30, 2016. These records will be destroyed in accordance with state law unless the parent/guardian or eligible (adult) student notifies the school district otherwise. After five years, the records are no longer useful to the district, but may be useful to the parent/guardian or former student in applying for social security benefits, rehabilitation services, college entrance, etc. The parent/guardian or eligible (adult) student may request a copy of the records by requesting the records at this link ( Douglas County School District Transcripts and Records Requests ).