Our 2023-24 School Priorities |
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Dear Educators,
As you close out the 2022 calendar year and the first semester with your students before heading into a much-deserved break, I am excited to share with you more details on our 2023-24 priorities as we plan for implementing our district Strategic Roadmap. We are naming these priorities sooner than in previous years as we believe the first step in accelerating trajectory and growth for our marginalized students starts now with the launch of strategic planning, budgeting and the upcoming hiring season. We are building the systems and foundation now that will ensure all students have access to academic opportunities that continue to build their curiosity as learners in 2023-24 and beyond.
As I shared with school leaders last week, we will be focusing on deepening our current priority anchors of Safe and Welcoming Schools and Rigorous Engagement with Grade Level Texts and Tasks in the 2023-24 school year. We will further our Safe and Welcoming Schools work by integrating Transformative Social Emotional and Academic Learning (TSEAL) across content areas to ensure active engagement with Grade Level Texts and Tasks. We are putting an intentional focus on getting better in our continued focus areas and leveraging data in all decisions by naming Continuous Improvement as a through-line, and third anchor for our work during the 2023-24 school year.
With that, our 2023-24 anchors follow:
- Integration of Transformative Social Emotional and Academic Learning (TSEAL)
- Rigorous Engagement with Grade Level Texts and Tasks
- Continuous Improvement
A working draft of the Theory of Action has been developed to outline our school-facing priorities and will drive ILT coaching, professional development and accountability for 2023-24. We will be spending the first weeks after break engaging across different advisory committees and with groups of stakeholders to get feedback and additional input on the working draft. Our goal is to finalize and share with you the Theory of Action and define the aligned school priority actions and metrics for 2023-24.
Please enjoy a restful break with your loved ones. I look forward to working with you in the new year to refine our strategy to ensure maximum outcomes for our students.
Respectfully,
Dr. Tony Smith
Deputy Superintendent of Schools
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School Dashboard Advisory Committee: Application to Join Now Open
DPS is launching a committee to support the development of a public-facing school dashboard. The School Dashboard Advisory Committee will help support the development of the dashboard by engaging with community members and making recommendations to the Superintendent.
The committee application/nomination form is open now through Jan. 1, and is available in Amharic, Arabic, Chinese, French, Nepali, Somali, Spanish, and Vietnamese. Individuals can nominate other stakeholders who will then be notified via email. The application will be shared with them directly. Individuals can also self-nominate by completing the form.
Families or community members who need additional support to complete the form can call the Family and Community Engagement (FACE) team at 720-423-3054.
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This Week's Top 5 Things to Know |
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Registration for Jan. 3 Teal Day is Open |
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Teal Day: Join TSEAL Session |
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Join the Schools Team for a Transformative Social Emotional Academic Learning (TSEAL) session on Teal Day from 9:30-11:15 a.m. via Zoom. During this session, we’ll dive into curiosity and decision-making. For more information, check out the TSEAL Daily Slide Resources in Schoology.
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Submit Your Spring Semester PDU Proposal by Jan. 9 |
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If you’d like to lead a spring semester PDU, the final PDU application deadline is Jan. 9. Incentives for PDU leaders have increased this year to $2,000 for new PDU designs, and $1,500 for facilitating a repeat or turn-key PDU. See available turn-key PDUs in the PDU Resource Library. To submit a new PDU, refer to the PDU Proposal Template and PDU application instructions. Additional information on PDUs can be found on The Commons. If you have questions, contact Carmen Stagg.
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DCTA Paid Committee Participation Stipend |
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Per the 2022-2025 DCTA collective bargaining agreement, the following DCTA school
and department committee members are entitled to a $400 annual stipend for
full-year participation:
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- Collaborative School Committee
- School Leadership Teams
- Personnel Committee
- Department Leadership Teams
- LEAP Collaborative Committee
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Educational Sign Language Interpreter Department Leadership Team LEAP Collaborative Committee
- SSP GPS Collaborative Committee
- Equity Collaborative Committee
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Stipends will be paid in May of each school year in one lump sum. Eligible committee members will need to initiate a request in Employee Space, and the request will need to be approved by the school or department leader. Instructions to submit the request will be provided within the next few months. Questions? Contact compensation@dpsk12.org.
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LEAP Mid-Year Conversations and Resources |
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The window for evaluators to complete Mid-Year Conversations is Dec. 5-Feb. 24. With LEAP’s new classroom observation model, you should have two formal scored observations completed prior to your Mid-Year Conversation. These conversations are an opportunity to showcase professional practices, reflect on potential areas of growth and share career aspirations with evaluators. As you prepare, refer to the Teacher Mid-Year Conversation Guide for tips and send questions to the LEAP Team.
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Update on ELD Out-of-Field Notifications |
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This year, DPS is sending out-of-field notifications per CDE, for teachers at Title I schools who are not in-field qualified according to Title I grant funding. This notification is a grant requirement, however, in-field qualification for ELD is not a state or DPS requirement at this time. In DPS, ELD teachers are required to complete their ELA-E or ELA-S certifications. If a secondary ELD teacher's course yields language arts credit, they must also be highly qualified in language arts (per DPS and the state.) Teachers can choose to pursue one of two CLDE endorsements to become in-field qualified. Additional pathways include the Praxis exam, a BA or higher in ELD or TESOL, and 36 semester hours in ELD. If you have questions, email HRCompliance@dpsk12.net.
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Additional Resources and Opportunities |
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Click here to learn more about these resources and opportunities:
- Fulbright Teacher Exchanges Applications Opening Soon
- ECE Update: Registration Open for January CPR/First Aid In-Person Session
- ECE Update: Pyramid Plus Training Opportunity
- December Edition of Financial Literacy Newsletter Now Available
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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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