Hundreds skip out of school for rally

School leaders went through hundreds of voice mails Tuesday fromparentswho took their kids to the Broncos’ parade instead of class.

Denver Public School officials said the final tally of missing studentswon’t be in untilWednesday morning, but 10 schools the district reached out to said therewere hundreds of students who skipped school Tuesday, and several more whowere picked up by parents later in the morning.

Jeffco schools reported 21,902 students, or a quarter of the district’s enrollment, missed one class period or more Tuesday. That was 6,701 more than were gone Wednesday last week, and 5,481 more thanwere goneMonday.

Douglas County Schools had 2,000 more absences called in Tuesday than they did onMonday.

Along Tuesday’s parade route downtown, Sarah Dempsey stood on the coroner of Colfax Avenue and Broadway with her three children as they vied for a view of the passing Broncos. She said there wasno hesitation to pullthemfrom school for the celebration.

“We just love— like literally love — our Broncos,” Dempsey said. “We’ve got to see them.”

The Denver district encouraged principals to accept the Broncos celebration absences as excused absences so long as parents called in. Other major districts said they would go with their everyday rules for attendance and excusing absences.

But regardless of the rules, children of all ages dotted the parade route and the sea of orange inCivic Center.

Jaxson Maier spent his ninth birthday camped out atUnion Station with a front- row view of the parade.

“This is the best- ever present,” he said.

One group of kids gathered behind the parade barricade, blasting plastic horns and making up chants.

AnnieOrley of Littleton snapped a photo of her two kids and their friends riling up the crowd with their music and cheering.

“We let them stay home from school for the life experience,” Orley said, with a voice still hoarse fromcheering during Sunday’s Super Bowl. “We never knowif this is going to be the last time this happens.”