Denver-area schools saw an outbreak of Broncos fever Tuesday.
Tens of thousands of Front Range students skipped class to join the estimated 1 million people who lined downtown Denver and packed Civic Center Park to celebrate the Denver Broncos’ Super Bowl victory, according to attendance figures provided by districts.
Denver Public Schools released its data on Wednesday, reporting 24,152 students — nearly a third of the district — missed school on parade day. That’s nearly 10,000 more absences than were reported Monday, a spokesman said.
Some DPS schools reported their phones were jammed with hundreds of messages from parents excusing their students.
Other area school districts reported similar surges in absences:
- In Jefferson County, the state’s second largest school district, 21,902 students missed class. That’s about 5,000 more absent students than Monday.
- Colorado’s third largest district, Douglas County, reported about 2,000 more absences than Monday.
- In Cherry Creek, 9,303 students were excused by parents. A spokeswoman said that’s 40 percent higher than Monday.
- The Mapleton school district in Adams County recorded a 5 percent uptick in absences.
- Adams 14 recorded a eight point drop in attendance.
One Denver student who attended the parade had a plan to stay on top of her school work.
Jermai Howard, a seventh grader at Denver’s Dora Moore K8, picked up her homework from her Capitol Hill school after the rally. And she said she’ll skip recess Wednesday to make up other class work.
“I have good grades,” Howard said. “I really want to be an independent woman when I grow up. I love school.”
Here’s what a couple of parents near the start of the parade route had to say about their decisions:
“It’s a price you’re willing to pay.” from Chalkbeat Colorado on Vimeo.
This article has been updated with attendance numbers from Denver Public Schools and Adams 14.
Reporter Melanie Asmar contributed to this report.