Wednesday, Aug. 24, 2016
Doull Elementary teacher Cecilia Caldera with student Abigail Williams on the first day of school, Monday, Aug. 22.
LEAP Beginning-of-Year Resources for Teachers 

As you begin the school year, we want to provide you with several resources to help ensure you have all the information you need about LEAP -- our growth and performance system for teachers. Designed to support you in your teaching practice, LEAP is a meaningful way to identify strengths and areas for growth, receive useful feedback and ultimately ensure we have a great teacher in every classroom for our students.
  • LEAP Overview Video: Check out this video for a great overview of the LEAP growth and performance system and what to expect throughout the school year.
  • LEAP Faculty Deck: Provides you with an update of changes for the coming school year.
  • Opt-in for a Peer Observer: Request a peer observer, who will provide you with an opportunity to receive objective feedback on your instruction from a master teacher.
  • Select Your Professional Growth Plan: Identify your Professional Growth Plan (PGP) for the year no later than Sept. 30.
Find all these resources and more on the new LEAP site on the Commons!
Changes to Teacher Weekly

We've made some changes to the Teacher Weekly newsletter this school year that we hope will make your job easier! Content is now posted on a daily basis on The Commons intranet site in a newsfeed just for you. Now, you can share and receive more timely information, search the archive of posts, and soon you'll also be able to sort the posts by categories of most interest to you. Then, each week, we will still send your trusty e-newsletter with the top highlights and action items from the week summarized and linked to more information. You can click on just the items you need, or catch up on all the posts at any time here on The Commons. Let us know what you think at  [email protected] . 
Lead Testing of Schools' Drinking Water Begins This Week
Starting this week and spanning the next few months, we will be sampling water in drinking fountains, kitchen food prep sinks, lounge sinks and other fixtures used for drinking water in all schools. Our goal is to ensure our schools' drinking water meets guidelines established by the Environmental Protection Agency.  Read Full Story >>
Resources to Support Your Students' Whole Child Needs  

As you get to know your new students, we've launched a new tool to help ensure you have the tools and resources to support their Whole Child needs. The Whole Child Staff Deployment Platform is an online tool for educators to request speciļ¬c, immediate or short-term support services from centralized district teams. Read Full Story >>
New this Year: Peer Observer Personalized Support

Choosing to collaborate with a Peer Observer this year means you'll receive personalized support from a content-matched expert as you pursue excellence as an educator. Read Full Story >>
Parents of English Language Learners Invited to Join Committee 

Please invite the parents of your English language learner students to join us for a ELA District Advisory Committee kickoff event on either Sept. 6 or Sept. 7. Read Full Story >> 
New Teachers Will Receive a Pay Advance on Aug. 31

New teachers will automatically receive the pay advance deposited in your bank accounts Aug. 31. To ensure you receive this, please set up your direct deposit by Aug. 26. Read Full Story >>
Important Changes to Infinite Campus

Several changes were made to Infinite Campus that will impact you, including allowing you access to all students in your building. Learn about other changes. Read Full Story >>
Access Your DPS Google Account

Did you know that DPS teachers have a Google domain account with a full suite of online Google applications? Read Full Story >>
Great News! The Commons is Now Available Outside the DPS Network
 
The Commons, DPS' social intranet, is now accessible from anywhere, at any time. That's right -- you no longer have to be logged on to the DPS network to access The Commons. To access The Commons outside the DPS network, follow these simple steps:
  • Type https://thecommons.dpsk12.org into your internet browser.
  • Next log in with your credentials (the same username and password you use to log on to your DPS computer every day)
Having trouble? Email The Commons team. If you're a charter school employee and you don't know your DPS credentials, email DoTS or call 720-423-3888.
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Note: We send many DPS communications via this platform. Please do not unsubscribe from these messages or you will not receive future and important messages. If a specific message doesn't interest you, simply delete it and stay tuned for a future communication that will be of more interest. If you have any questions, please email [email protected].