Three Denver schools will temporarily transition to remote learning because of staff shortages.

George Washington High School will make the switch Wednesday, while Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Early College and John H. Amesse Elementary School will follow on Thursday, said Will Jones, a spokesman for Denver Public Schools. 

“We are doing everything in our power to keep our schools open and to maximize in-person opportunities for our students,” Jones said in an email. “At the same time, we are facing a critical staffing shortage, like districts across the country, that impacts our ability to safely operate our schools.”

All schools in 1 metro Denver district to close Friday over staffing shortages

The closures are expected to last for the remainder of the week, but could be extended, Jones said.

The district’s announcement follows similar measures taken by Adams County School District 14 and the Boulder Valley School District. Both districts will be closed Friday because of staff shortages. 

Jones said administrators in Denver are evaluating each school on a case-by-case basis and if they deem the school to be unfit to operate, classes will transition to online learning.

“We are taking this day by day and doing our best to cover the schools that are in need of additional staffing,” he said. “When that is not doable, we work to give our families as much notice as possible of the need to temporarily transition to fully remote learning.”