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Celebrating A Phenomenal Start to the 2023-24 School Year |
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Dear Team DPS,
What an incredible first week of school! On Monday, I had the pleasure of joining Principal Valecia von Weise to welcome Bromwell Elementary students back for their first day of school. In addition to Bromwell, DPS leaders, members of our Board of Education and I visited over 20 schools during the first two days of school to welcome hundreds of students, staff and families back. It was energizing and inspiring to see our schools filled with smiling students and staff as we embark on another yearlong journey of learning. For our youngest scholars, this was their very first week of school ever, and for our Class of 2024, this marked their last first week of school in DPS. Although we weren’t able to drop in at all of our schools this week, I look forward to making stops throughout the year to visit with our school communities. In the meantime, enjoy this video from the first day of school!
2023-24 District Priorities
While this is a new school year, our commitments -- as outlined in the Strategic Roadmap -- have not changed. We believe that if we prioritize and focus on the following district priorities and achieve the outcomes associated with them, we will accelerate the trajectory of our historically marginalized students, improve the Adult, Student and System Experiences, and ultimately make our vision of Every Learner Thrives a reality. With that said, our priorities for the year are as follows:
District Priority 1: All students and adults feel safe, welcome, and ready to learn
- All students are present and ready to learn.
- All students and adults feel safe and welcome.
District Priority 2: All students have the foundational skills and support to pursue their passions
- All students are engaged with grade level texts and tasks.
- All students have the opportunity and support to pursue their passions.
District Priority 3: Enabling Conditions
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We leverage data to invest resources equitably, sustainably and strategically.
In the spirit of getting better at getting better, these priorities will help narrow our focus and inform how we allocate our time and resources to provide all our scholars with an equitable education.
In collaboration,
Dr. Alex Marrero
Superintendent
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Our Planning, Design and Construction team had a busy summer managing air conditioning (AC) and cooling projects across the district.
In 2019, using both a heat and an equity index, a composite ranking list was created. This list helped determine the prioritization of a total of 55 schools who are without AC across the district. In 2020, a bond package passed and thanks to Denver voters, 24 schools were given funding for AC upgrades.
Since the passing of the bond in 2020, we have spent $80 million dollars on school AC and cooling upgrades. By the end of our scheduled upgrades, we are forecasted to spend $129 million.
The remaining schools that are without AC and without AC funding are of great importance to DPS, and we are actively seeking future funding opportunities. For more information on heat mitigation measures, the composite ranking system and the current AC project schedule, please review our Air conditioning FAQ and subscribe to our bond and mill levy newsletter.
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DPS Foundation's Back to Class Bash |
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Last week, over 150 volunteers were brought in by the DPS Foundation's Back to Class Bash to assist with updating the grounds at Eagleton Elementary and Samuels Elementary. Volunteers helped paint the blacktop, pulled out weeds and even mulched the grounds.
For the Samuels community, planting a tree in honor of Sharlyn Flaxer, who has worked at Samuels Elementary for more than 30 years and counting, was a memorable occasion!
We are grateful to the DPS Foundation and all of the outstanding volunteers for organizing this event and assisting with the return of our students to the classroom.
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DPS Physical Education Teachers Named Best in the State |
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We are excited to share that three DPS Physical Education educators have been announced as winners of the annual Society of Health and Physical Educators (SHAPE) Colorado 2023 awards! These prestigious awards recognize and celebrate individuals' impactful contributions to the field of health and physical education in Colorado. Their work showcases the highest standard of professional excellence in physical education, while embodying SHAPE Colorado’s mission to enhance the physical, mental, social and emotional well-being of school communities.
Please join us in congratulating our winners:
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Elementary Physical Education Teacher of the Year: Tracy Hartin, University Park Elementary
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High School Physical Education Teacher of the Year: Holly Wells, Montbello High School
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Administrator of the Year: Gary Zaharatos, DPS Peer Observer
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DPS Celebrates 20 Years of AVID Programming |
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This month, DPS celebrated 20 years of Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) College Readiness System presence across the district at a celebratory breakfast. DPS educators shared plans to grow their programs, student survey results and stories of the positive impact their students experienced from involvement in the program.
AVID aims to close the opportunity gap by preparing students for college and career readiness and success in a global society. The DPS student survey results underlined the program's ability to help students break through physical, emotional and mental barriers. The curriculum proved to challenge students’ ideas of who they are and their future possibilities, and increase their sense of belonging. The top two skills/lessons learned included resiliency and self-advocacy.
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Families Can Now Submit Absence Requests Online |
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Save time by letting us know that your student is going to be absent or arriving late! Starting this year, DPS families will be able to use their computers or smartphones to submit absences or late arrivals. Guardians of DPS students must have an active DPS Parent Portal account to use this new feature. Visit myportal.dpsk12.org to sign up, or to check that your account is active and ready. Directions are available in English or Spanish.
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Upcoming Learning Sessions at FACE University |
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FACE University is a resource and learning website for parents and families in the Denver metro area.
Tuesday, Aug. 29: School Emergency Protocols
Join Kip Sixbury, DPS School Emergency Manager, to learn and ask questions about School Emergency Protocols practices at all Denver Public Schools. English and Spanish options are available. We will also give away tickets to the museum of Nature and Science! RSVP here.
Thursday, Sept. 21: Supporting LGBTQ+ Community
This session will be hosted by Fortaleza Familiar to cover Parenting and Supporting LGBTQ+ Youth. There will be a prize giveaway for those who attend the live session. English and Spanish options are available. RSVP here.
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The Black Family Advisory Council Held Second Annual Back-to-School Kickoff |
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Thanks to the support of our community, the BFAC was able to:
- Help over 200 Black students with much needed school supplies.
- Donate a year's worth of school supplies to Whittier.
- Provide 40 DPS teachers with care packages.
We will hold this event every second Tuesday in August, so be sure to join us next year!
Additionally, we invite the community to our DPS School Board Candidate Forum on Sept. 12 from 6-8 p.m. via Zoom. If you have questions you’d like to ask, submit them here.
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ProComp Trust Board Seeking New Community Member to Join |
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The ProComp Trust Board is seeking a new community member to join the Trust Board! This position will hold three year terms, starting in the 2023 fiscal year.
The ProComp Trust Board ensures financial stability of the funds raised by the ProComp Mill Levy and is responsible for monitoring how DPS spends funds derived from the Trust, ensuring they are spent solely for ProComp related expenses and are consistent with the ProComp agreement.
Please complete this form if you or someone you know is interested in this opportunity!
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DPS Substance Use Prevention Program Announces Fall Webinar Lineup |
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The DPS Substance Use Prevention (SUP) Program will continue to host a monthly webinar on the first Wednesday of every month at noon. Webinars will feature experts from the Denver community who will provide attendees with information about relevant issues that youth are facing today.
Upcoming webinars to save the date for:
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Sept. 6: Supporting Your Child’s Mental Health with Jerrica Cherry, LPC, Children's Hospital Colorado.
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Oct. 4: Youth Substance Use Prevention and Intervention with Dr. Christian Thurstone, Denver Health STEP Team.
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Nov. 1 at noon: Digital Wellness for Youth and Families with Brian Dino, DPS Digital Coach.
Learn more about the webinars listed above and register here.
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Be One of the First Videos on the New DPS Tik Tok Account! |
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Show us how your school embodies the DPS Shared Core Value of Fun by capturing the excitement of the first week of school! Submit a short 10- to 50-second video of students doing their favorite Tik Tok dance, challenge or back to school trend.
Things to keep in mind:
- All students featured in the video must have media releases.
- Be sure to film vertically.
- Feel free to submit more than one video.
- Have fun, keep it simple, and let your students' creativity shine!
We can’t wait to see what you come up with! Remember to follow us on our other DPS social media pages for good news and updates.
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