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June 11, 2020
DENVER
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Amid COVID-19, new schools are opening BY ANN SCHIMKE AND MELANIE ASMAR CHALKBEAT COLORADO
Polis told peaceful protesters he is listening, and “more importantly, I want to work with you.” Despite Polis’ support for the motivation for protests, he worried about the effect of large demonstrations on the spread of COVID-19 and encouraged participants to get tested in light of their activity. The governor stressed the importance of wearing masks and staying 6 feet from others. “Health experts tell me (the protests) could result in hundreds of new cases,” Polis said.
With looming budget cuts, limits on in-person gatherings, and the possibility of more remote learning in the fall, Colorado educators have plenty to think about this summer. But the challenges are even more formidable for one group of school leaders: Those opening new schools. While a few have postponed openings until 2021, about a dozen new schools, most of them charters, are set to launch in the fall in Denver and elsewhere. One-third are in El Paso County, including a school for students with dyslexia called Orton Academy. There are also district-run elementary schools opening in Aurora and Fruita, a charter middle school focused on indigenous education in Denver, and a K-6 charter school with a classical focus in Fort Collins. So, what does opening a school look like in the coronavirus era? It can mean reassuring prospective families that the school is a sure thing, deciding which expenses can be jettisoned to save money, and hatching plans to create a strong school culture even if students and teachers can’t physically gather together at first. For Terri Bissonette, head of the American Indian Academy of Denver, building a strong community is a priority as her team plans to welcome
SEE TEST, P3
SEE SCHOOLS, P2
Demonstrators gathered the night of May 28 at the Colorado state Capitol in Denver to protest the death of George Floyd in police custody in Minneapolis. CHRISTY STEADMAN
Polis encourages protesters to get COVID-19 test Expanded access to free testing at Pepsi Center includes ‘anyone potentially exposed to virus’ BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
After several days of protests in Denver over the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police officers, Gov. Jared Polis spoke about the
incident and advised protesters — who marched in large crowds — to be tested for COVID-19. “What happened to George Floyd was not only wrong; it was brutal, it was inhumane and it was murder,” Polis said at a June 2 news conference. The governor lamented violent protesters and vandalism distracting from the protest’s “righteous message.” But, he said: “Property can be cleaned, but the black lives that are taken cannot be replaced or brought back.”
THE BOTTOM LINE PERIODICAL
“I don’t hate cops. I fear them. But I’m about to turn 66 years old, and I’d like to exhale for a change.” Gregory L. Moore, former editor of The Denver Post | P4 INSIDE
VOICES: PAGE 4 VOLUME 93 | ISSUE 31