ICYMI: Listen to the recording of Monday's telephone town hall in English or Spanish. Stay tuned to our FAQs, which will continue to be updated as new information is available.
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Kicking Off Back to School - Together at the Zoo! |
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Welcome to the 2021-22 school year! We are thrilled to have you back and hope everyone had a relaxing summer break.
The start of school is such an exciting time for all of us on Team DPS -- and before we welcome back most of our students Monday, we're hoping to first come together as a team to celebrate the year ahead during Back to School at the Zoo! If you haven’t already, make sure to grab your tickets for this DPS-wide event tomorrow, Aug. 16 from 5:30-9 p.m. As a reminder, every DPS team member will receive three tickets, and are encouraged to invite two family members or friends. Additional tickets for friends and family members can be purchased for $10 each here.
After registering for the event, you will receive a confirmation email and a QR-coded ticket that you will need to bring with you to the event. Please note: Zoo memberships are not accepted at private events like ours. For more information and an FAQ, visit The Commons.
We look forward to reconnecting and celebrating the start of the new school year, together!
Many thanks,
Tamara and Mike
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This Week's Top 5 Things to Know |
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Webinar to Support Students’ Transition Back To School |
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The start of a new school year brings change for children with different routines, a new group of teachers and peers, and academic expectations. Dr. Jenna Glover from Children's Hospital Colorado will join us for a webinar on Sept. 1 at noon to discuss how COVID-19 has impacted kids’ mental health. Dr. Glover will help attendees explore ways to emotionally support kids as they transition to the school year and to identify how to support children with connecting in a social setting. This webinar will also provide strategies to help adults and youth cope with anxiety about wearing masks, COVID, and returning to a school setting amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Learn more and register here.
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Start-of-Year LEAP Evaluation Updates and Resources |
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For the 2021-22 school year, LEAP evaluations will return to their usual (pre-COVID) expectations, requirements and timelines. More specific information regarding Student Growth and SLOs will be coming later this month. The window for observation will open on Sept. 7; prior to that date, observers may enter informal observations only. LEAP resources and tools -- such as Whetstone, the LEAP Application Tool, the Handbook and Framework, and Fairness Guide -- are located on The Commons. If you have questions, email LEAP@dpsk12.org.
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Payment Start Date Change for ProComp Incentives |
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Please be aware of the change to the payment start date for Title I and Hard to Staff ProComp incentives starting with the 2021-22 school year. This change is being made based on the transition to a new HR/Finance system, and to minimize over- and underpayments due to the high volume of staffing changes occurring at the start of the school year.
The first incentive payment of the school year will occur on the Sept. 22 paycheck. The $2,000 incentive -- prorated by FTE -- will be paid over 22 paychecks ($90.90 per check based on 1.0 FTE.) Final incentive payments for the 2020-21 school year were paid on the Aug. 7 paycheck. Questions? Email compensation@dpsk12.org.
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2021-22 Assessment Calendar Now Available |
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The 2021-22 assessment calendar is now available and includes dates for both state and local assessments. Elementary, middle and high schools have separate calendars, which are located on the tabs at the bottom of the assessment calendar. Schools should review the calendar to create a comprehensive, building-specific calendar as some school-level assessments are not accounted for in this calendar. The assessment calendar and more SAL information can be found on the AR&D Assessment page on The Commons.
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Bookmark and Utilize the LGBTQ+ Toolkit |
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As we head into the new school year, we’d like to remind educators to please bookmark and review the DPS LGBTQ+ Toolkit. This toolkit is a living document that includes detailed information about DPS policies, board resolutions, state and federal orders, common vocabulary, and much more. We hope that you’ll find this resource useful in helping you best support our LGBTQ+ students, families and team members as they return to school.
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Additional Resources and Opportunities |
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Click here to learn more about these resources and opportunities:
- Change to Reports in Teacher Portal
- Beginner Spanish Language Course Available for DPS Staff
- Updated Language Allocations Guidelines Guidance
- New Process for SSP Growth & Performance System This Year
- Gifted and Talented PDUs 2021-22 School Year
- Paid PDU Opportunities for the 2021-22 School Year
- Elementary and Middle School Amplify Platform Access
- Heggerty 101 Asynchronous PD Available via Schoology
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Denver Public Schools sends all district newsletters and critical employee communications through Constant Contact. Please do not unsubscribe your dpsk12.org email address from any message; if you unsubscribe from one newsletter or one communication, you will be removed from all other district-managed email lists in Constant Contact. If you have any questions, please email newsletters@dpsk12.org.
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