Hagan clic aquí para leer este mensaje en español.
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Finishing Strong, Looking Ahead to Fall |
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Dear Team DPS,
As we head into the final month of what has been an extremely challenging school year, our top priority is finishing on a safe and positive note. At the same time, we are very excited to envision a semblance of normalcy in the fall, and are working hard now to make that a reality for the DPS community.
Currently, as the number of vaccinations increases and the state scales back some of its COVID protocols, we will continue to work with our health partners to keep the community informed of any changes to our health guidance and practices.
At this time, we don’t anticipate substantial changes to our classrooms and schools for the end of the 2020-21 school year, as many of our policies around physical distancing and accommodations for individuals who are at risk of severe illness from COVID are still in place.
Since not all students are eligible for the vaccine and we are not requiring students to become vaccinated, we are not making differentiated policies based on those who are and are not vaccinated.
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Share Your Input on Healthy Start Times
The DPS Board of Education wants to hear from you. Before voting on the Healthy Start Times resolution, board members are gathering input from members of the community on start times for schools. If approved, the resolution would have all middle schools and high schools (district-managed and charters) start no earlier than 8:30 a.m. each school day.
Please click here to participate in our survey and share your perspective.
Hagan clic aquí para leer este mensaje en español.
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Watch this video for the latest COVID vaccine update from our expert partners at Denver Health.
Which brings me to next school year, and how thrilled I am to see a future where the in-person experience for our students will look much more like it did prior to the pandemic.
I’m pleased to announce that we’ll soon be sharing detailed plans for a full return to in-person learning for all students in all grades for 2021-22. I’m optimistic that classrooms will look a lot more like what our students and families are used to. I’m also very happy to share that we are planning for a return to normal transportation operations.
Of course, some health protocols may still be in place to start the year, including wearing a mask and avoiding large gatherings, and more information will be shared over the summer. However, these are small sacrifices if it means all our students have the opportunity to walk through the front doors of their schools every day. We know there is no substitute for in-person learning, and we’ve seen that for most students, face-to-face time spent with teachers, peers and school-support staff results in a more engaging, successful learning experience.
For families who are interested in continuing with remote learning for the full 2021-22 school year, we are currently finalizing plans for next year’s online learning offerings, which include a centralized option (not provided through a family’s current school) for students in kindergarten through fifth-grade and in sixth- through 12th-grade. Students will learn through a combination of live instruction and self-paced assignments. We will be sharing information very soon about how families can opt in to remote learning for next year.
I can’t thank our families and educators enough for their Herculean efforts this entire school year. It has been an experience we will remember forever, both for its trials and achievements. But we are looking forward to another, more memorable experience -- one that our families and students deserve more than anything: the hope and promise of the first day of school in August.
Sincerely,
Dwight Jones
Interim Superintendent
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COVID Vaccine Clinics Open for Eligible Students 16 and Older |
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A group of eligible students received their first doses at a pop-up clinic hosted by Denver Health at the Evie Dennis Campus last Saturday. Find upcoming clinic dates below and in this video.
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South High School: First dose on Saturday, April 24; second dose on Saturday, May 15.
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Manual High School: First dose on Sunday, April 25; second dose on Sunday, May 16.
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North High School: First dose on Saturday, May 1; second dose on Saturday, May 22.
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East High School: First dose on Sunday, May 2; second dose on Sunday, May 23.
"It was very important for me because I do have at-risk parents,” said Denver East High School junior Moses Madronero. "It’s keeping them safe by doing this."
Appointments are required. Students can check their DPS email for more information or call our School-Based Health Centers at 303-602-8958 to make an appointment.
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Updates on End-of-Year Celebrations |
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We are looking forward to celebrating this year’s seniors with in-person graduation ceremonies! In order to ensure an equitable experience for all of our graduates, we have set a limit of two guests per student (children ages two and under do not count toward guest count) for all venues.
Although Denver County has begun lifting some restrictions, many of the venues that support our events continue to have tighter restrictions in line with Denver’s health data. We understand that some larger venues might have the capacity to host additional guests, but in the interest of fairness, we will be implementing a consistent policy across all schools. While we know this will be disappointing to some families, we appreciate your support in helping us safely celebrate the Class of 2021.
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Collecting Student Quotes: Why Do You Love Your Teacher? |
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During National Teacher Appreciation Week May 3-7, DPS is celebrating our amazing educators -- and we want to hear from our students themselves about what makes their teachers so great!
As our teachers continue to go above and beyond for our kids, we want to take this time to show them how much they are valued. Work with the students in your life to tell us why they love their teachers using this short form and they may be featured on the DPS website and the DPS Facebook page.
Stay tuned for more Teacher Appreciation celebrations coming soon!
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Cast Your Vote for a DPS Teacher to Win a Car |
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The Schomp Automotive Group Teacher of the Year program honors the incredible educators in our Colorado community and gives back to impact an area of education that our teachers say is needed most. After a recent call for nominations, three DPS teachers have been selected as finalists!
Congratulations to:
- Reina Cruz, Northfield High School
- Gonzalo Maldonado, Goldrick Elementary
- Daniel Dixon, DCIS at Montbello
The winner will receive a three-year lease on a new car as well as $5,000 to support their school’s designated educational program. Cast your vote by April 30 and support our amazing DPS educators!
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Denver Afterschool Program Locator Tool Available |
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Quality afterschool and summer programs help kids stay active, engaged and safe when they are not in school. The Denver Afterschool Program Locator provides information on programs offered to youth after school and in the summer in Denver. Take advantage of this tool to provide your children with quality summer and afterschool programs!
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Join the Next MLE DAC Meeting on April 28 |
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All English Language Acquisition (ELA) families are invited to a virtual Multilingual Education (MLE) Districtwide Advisory Committee (DAC) meeting on Wednesday, April 28, from 5-6:30 p.m.
At this session, we will focus on:
- Nutrition and how it impacts the health and growth of our students.
- Community Support Groups: We all need someone to lean on sometimes.
- Having your voice heard and help us shape the future of our MLE DACs.
Click here to register and join the meeting via Zoom. For more information, please visit the MLE DAC page or call 720 -423-2040.
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