Two metro Denver school districts — Aurora Public Schools and Commerce City-based Adams 14 — canceled all classes Friday due to expected staff shortages. Aurora Public Schools and Pickens Technical College will be closed as the district anticipates “a higher than anticipated number of staff absences,” officials announced Thursday night. Adams 14 Superintendent Karla Loría announced on social media that the district expected “a high number of student and staff absences” on Friday, which will now be a “teacher and staff work day,” with no students in class. “We always seek to keep schools open to provide critical learning, social-emotional support, mental health resources and healthy meals for our students,” Aurora Public School officials said in a statement. High school athletics will continue as scheduled.