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Round 1 of SchoolChoice for the 2023-24 school year ends at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 14. UPK Colorado applications for ECE-3 and ECE-4 close on Tuesday, Feb. 14.
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Celebrating Black Excellence: Chris Simmons |
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Chris Simmons has reached local celebrity status at DPS. Chris is a Senior Team Leader and teaches eighth-grade Language Arts at Lake Middle School. His enthusiasm for his work is contagious, and he brings unbridled positive energy to his classroom and beyond. But don’t take our word for it, hear from his school community:
“When you think about somebody who is their true authentic self, he is a role model for our black students, who comes in with a positive attitude, there just isn’t a better example than Chris Simmons.” -- Amanda McDonald, Principal
“Chris brings a lot of joy, and it just follows him. You can hear him laugh and see his smile and he is the epitome of Black excellence.” -- Dino Reyes, Jr., Dean of Students
“Our kids love Chris! If you walk by any passing period, you can see Chris high-fiving kids. He’s got unique high fives for each kid -- separate handshakes. He inspires them to be their true selves, their best selves and he really connects with them.” -- Emily Felsenthal, Assistant Principal
“Kids are very intuitive and they know when you’re being genuine and when you’re not, and he genuinely cares for and loves them.” -- Catalina Cañas, sixth-grade ELD teacher
In addition to his teaching work, Chris is a founder and leader of Lake's Council of XII, a Black Student Council group. Chris encourages everyone to be proud of their heritage, and he wears his heart both figuratively and literally on his sleeve, with fashion that uplifts and celebrates his love for his culture.
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Marrero Moment with Will Jones |
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In this week’s episode of Marrero Moment, Dr. Marrero sits down with Executive Director of Communications for Denver Public Schools, Will Jones. Will is responsible for all communications throughout the district, both internal and external. It is a hefty responsibility, but one he feels passionately about.
Will began his career working in radio, his first gig being at a 24-hour hip hop radio station. After radio, he began working in stand-up comedy, which led him to television news, and eventually into public relations.
In this conversation, Will shares a powerful, open and truthful recollection of his life, beginning as a student in his native North Carolina, and the educator who inspired him to attend college. Will was raised by his great-grandmother, his beloved Mama Josie, and Will grew up to be the first in his family to graduate from college. Will’s life was transformed by education.
“Miss Northcutt not only changed the trajectory of my life, but she changed the trajectory of my entire family. So, to answer your question, ‘Why do I come to work everyday?’ I know our school is filled with hundreds, if not thousands of Miss Northcutts.”
We hope you are inspired by this honest discussion between two of our district leaders, and that you are able to get a peak behind the curtain -- and learn more about the magic behind our central communications office. Watch the interview here.
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SchoolChoice and UPK Window Closes Tuesday, Feb. 14 |
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DPS' SchoolChoice open-enrollment process closes Tuesday, Feb. 14 at 4 p.m. You still have time to list your school preferences for the 2023-24 school year. Get started now by accessing the SchoolChoice application here. Create an account or sign in using your Parent Portal login. Then, rank up to 12 school options and submit them by 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 14.
Families can expect their placement result in late March. Round 2 of SchoolChoice -- for families who did not participate in the first round, or want to revisit their school options -- will open in April.
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There is Still Time to Provide Feedback on Board Redistricting |
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We need your feedback! The Denver Public Schools Board of Education is composed of five representative districts and two at-large members. According to Colorado state law, it's time to rebalance the total population in each district. There are six proposed scenarios on how to move the boundaries between board districts to create this balance. We need your feedback on which scenario is best. Please note that we have added two new scenario maps (scenario E and F) this week. Check all the scenarios out here and give your feedback by Feb. 20.
To add this topic to an upcoming community meeting or CSC committee, use these resources.
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South High Art Students Win Top Honors |
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South High School art students Owen Wininger, Max Munthali, Shan Kerrigan, Lilly Pizzo, and Molly Roberts were awarded in the Scholastic Art Awards competition. Owen received a Gold Key for his senior portfolio -- a huge accomplishment as only 20 portfolio awards are given for the entire region annually. He also received a Silver Key for an individual photograph. Max received a Gold Key for his photo, and the rest of the students received Honorable Mentions (Lilly and Shan in Photography and Molly in Digital Art.)
Congratulations Owen, Max, Shan, Lilly and Molly!
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DSA Video Cinema Arts Scholastic Award Winners |
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The Video Cinema Arts program at Denver School of the Arts (DSA) received eight awards at this year's Scholastic Art & Writing Awards in the Film & Animation category! There was an even split between middle and high school students. The awards ceremony takes place tomorrow, Saturday, Feb. 11 at the Denver Art Museum. The Gold Key winners are automatically entered into the national competition, and the results will be announced on March 22. For more information, click here.
Congratulations, DSA artists!
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Applications Open for the Asian Education Advisory Council Annual Awards until March 15 |
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The DPS Asian Education Advisory Council (AEAC) is currently accepting applications for their annual AEAC Awards. This is a great opportunity for Asian students to be recognized by their schools and teachers, and scholarship opportunities are available for students who apply. The last day for nominations is March 15. If you have additional questions, contact Priscilla Shaw.
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Watch DPS' Visit to Denver's Black American West Museum |
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“To me it's a matter of life or death that we preserve these stories, our children need to know about their ancestors, it is a critical piece,” says Terri Gentry, who serves as a docent, facilitator and speaker at the Black American West Museum here in Denver.
Earlier this week, DPS was fortunate enough to be invited into the museum for a personal tour and an in-depth educational experience led by Terri. The tour focused on Denver’s Black history, including a detailed look at the history of our Five Points neighborhood.
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Career Development Team 2021-22 Annual Report Now Available |
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DPS students are preparing for success in career and college! The DPS Career Development Team (CDT) is proud to share its 2021-22 Annual Report. The CDT Report features programmatic highlights, student stories, outcomes data and future trends for our work-based learning programs.
We could not provide these relevant opportunities for students without our valuable corporate partnerships, many of which are DPS departments such as:
- Transportation
- DoTS
- Reporting/Analytics/Data Services
- Communications
- Electrical Maintenance
- Facilities Management
- Office of Sustainability
- Safety/Security
- DPS Foundation
- Child Find
- Equity/Engagement Center
If you or your team are interested in supporting DPS students on their career journey, please contact External Partnerships Specialists Alex Turnacliff and Mary Kay Mauro.
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