DENVER — Courtney Knupp is worried about her son, Grant. Knupp is considering keeping him out of school because of the Denver Public Schools teacher strike, as he has special needs, requiring speech therapy.
“He needs to be in school to get his education, but I need to make sure he’s getting a quality education,” Knupp said. “He gets so attached to people that I’m afraid that any substitute, no matter how good they are, he’s going to completely shut down.”
For DPD parents affected by the strike, the Problem Solvers have found some options.
All 30 Denver recreation centers will open at 8 a.m. throughout the strike, with fully staffed after-school activities. All Denver kids aged 5-18 will have access to all recreation centers with their My Denver Card.
The Free Healthy Meals program will also offer extended hours and capacity, and recreation centers will provide extra snacks for kids.
All 26 branches of Denver Public Libraries will open stating at 10 a.m. with additional activities.
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Denver will also offer services available to all Denver school-aged kids.
The Denver Classroom Teachers Association is operating food banks to help families impacted by the strike. You can drop off donations at these locations between 7 a.m. and 12 p.m.:
- Northwest: Denver Firefighters Local 858, 12 Lakeside Lane
- Northeast: IBEW Local 111: 5965 East 39th Avenue
- Southwest: National Association of Letter Carriers Branch 47: 5151 West 1st Avenue
- Southeast: Unite Here Local 23: 5303 East Evans Avenue # 302