Dear SOAR Families,

Some may be feeling anxious about recent changes in federal policies and have ongoing concerns about immigration enforcement. We are reaching out to remind you that SOAR is a safe school. Our staff is committed to providing an environment where your children can learn, build friendships, and experience joy without fear.

SOAR is dedicated to providing safe, high-quality, rigorous academics and meaningful opportunities for every student, every day.  Being in school, on time, every school day, is essential for student success, and ensuring your child has excellent attendance is the best thing you can continue to do to support their education.

Denver Public Schools (DPS) has a policy and procedures in place should law enforcement officers visit our schools. We have reviewed the procedure with our team. We will work closely with district administration, our legal counsel, and families before allowing an officer to enter our school.

Student Information

Federal and state laws protect student education records and personal information. These laws generally require that schools get written consent from parents or guardians before releasing student information unless the release of information is for educational purposes, is already public, or there is a legal exception like a court order or subpoena.  As a reminder, we do not ask any student or family member about their immigration status, and we do not keep any records pertaining to legal status.

Update Your Emergency Contacts

Please ensure you take a moment to review and update your emergency contact information in the Infinite Campus Parent Portal. You may also contact the main office at SOAR if you need assistance. We encourage each student to have at least two emergency contacts. These individuals do not need to be family members and can be trusted adults known by the family (family members OR other trusted adults), and those authorized to pick up their children (including older siblings) from school if a parent or guardian cannot.

Additional Resources

All students have the right to a free, public K-12 education, regardless of their immigration status or that of their parents. Additionally, all people in the United States, regardless of immigration status, have certain rights and protections under the U.S. Constitution. Our School Social Worker (Megan Beltran) is distributing district resources via ReachWell and she has started adding several resources to our website.

Thank you for your partnership in making our school safe, supportive, and inspiring places where all students can thrive.

Sincerely,

The SOAR Leadership Team

Maria Burdine, Principal

Sonia Sisneros, Senior Director

Rosalind Gullet, Assistant Principal

Christi Goetz, Director of Academic Programming