DPS Updates Elementary School Visitation Protocols to Promote Safe, Welcoming Schools

DURHAM, NC – Durham Public Schools has updated its elementary school visitation protocols to reassure parents of safe and welcoming environments for them and their students.  The changes align with the district’s Strategic Plan and remind parents of the critical roles they play in educating their students. The enhanced procedure also underscores the district’s commitment to safe, welcoming school buildings, and uninterrupted instructional time for students.

“Our work as educators is driven by one agenda: to ensure that our students receive high-quality instruction in a safe and protected environment where they feel a sense of belonging. These updated protocols are an assurance and promise that every student will be served equitably and that every family will be invited to share appropriately in the educational experience,” said Dr. Stacy Stewart, Chief of Schools. 

Part of Priority 4 in the district’s 2018-2023 Strategic Plan notes that by 2023, DPS will strengthen family, school, and community engagement by demonstrating a 20 percent increase in parent and family participation in school programs.

“We thank our parents and guardians for their cooperation in preserving the classroom time during which teaching and learning occur. And we thank them for their presence and for entrusting us with their student’s education,” said Dr. Stewart.