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The Doherty High School Class of 2020 commencement ceremony at Garry Berry Stadium in Colorado Springs on Friday, June 26, 2020. It has been 23 years since Colorado Springs School District 11 held commencement ceremonies at Garry Berry Stadium off Constitution Avenue. (Chancey Bush/ The Gazette)

Colorado Springs' second-largest school district will start the academic year with a focus on remote learning, providing online services for all students except those deemed academically at-risk, its superintendent said Wednesday.

District 11 Superintendent Michael Thomas made the announcement at a virtual work session of the district's Board of Education, pivoting from the district's previously detailed plan, which gave students the option of learning online or attending in-person classes. Under the previous plan, high school students would have attended classes in person two days a week under a hybrid model, or completely online.

"We are not confident we'll be able to bring that level of capacity back into our schools and guarantee the level of safety we would want to ensure," Thomas told the board.

Thomas cited concerns about crowding in schools, and highlighted county health data showing coronavirus hot spots within the district.

Students who need additional support, such as those enrolled in special education and English language learners, will have the option of attending in-person classes part of the time.  So will students in career and technical education programs, which have in-person learning requirements. Together, those groups account for approximately one-third of the district's population. The approach will allow the district to keep in-school populations low, better accommodating social distancing. 

The remaining two-thirds of the student body will attend fully online for the first quarter. All students will have access to remote-learning resources, Thomas said, adding that the district is charting its plans a quarter at a time because of changing circumstances.

If virus activity decreases, the district is prepared to hold in-person classes, he said.

"Second quarter, our ideal state is, we're welcoming our students back," Thomas said. 

The region's largest school district, Academy District 20, also announced changes Wednesday, adding options for middle and high school students to attend classes both virtually and in person. That includes the option for students to follow along with in-person classes from home.

Preschool and elementary students will have the choice to attend classes in person or via remote services, according to the updated plan. 

The added flexibility in District 20 comes after its previously unveiled plan came under fire from parents, who submitted hundreds of comments that were read at a virtual Board of Education meeting in late July. While some expressed support for the plan, others were concerned that choosing online services could cause their children to lose their spots at their current school, or that children with special needs on individualized education plans would potentially be forced to return to in-person learning.

A spokesperson for Fountain Fort Carson District 8 said Wednesday that the district remained committed to launching the school year with in-person learning for pre-kindergarten through the fifth grade, and starting students in grades 6-12 remotely, but would consult county public health officials and modify the plan, if necessary, early next week.

A call to Falcon District 49 regarding potential updates to its return-to-learn plan was not returned before press time.

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