May 1, 2020
"T hese tough times have been matched by so much good, especially as our students, families and team members all find new ways to stay connected and let each other know how much we care."
Staying Connected While We Stay Apart
Dear Team DPS,

As we all continue to follow health guidelines, keeping ourselves and each other safe remains our number one priority. But even as we keep our distance, the DPS community is finding more ways than ever to stay connected while we stay apart. 

Anyone in Far Northeast Denver this morning will agree, as staff members from Collegiate Prep Academy rolled through town to honor graduating seniors -- one boisterous beep, honk and holler at a time. 

The school community organized a Senior Caravan Celebration, and in a long (and loud) parade of cars, drove by the homes of Class of 2020 seniors, stopping to deliver yard signs and wishing them all the best during their final weeks of school. 

"Senior year of high school is such a defining moment, one that I think most of us have taken for granted," said Neisa Lynch, CPA principal. "This is our way of acknowledging students' hard work, and hopefully bringing a bit of joy and happiness during these hard times."
Watch this video of the CPA Senior Caravan Celebration.
The "new normal" of this time has tested us all in many ways, and the changes we’ve had to make presented new challenges we’ve never experienced before. Yet these tough times have been matched by so much good, especially as our students, families and team members all find new ways to stay connected and let each other know how much we care. 

Fairview Elementary and John H. Amesse Elementary teachers and staff also came together this week in separate car parades for their young learners, and taped signs to their cars, painted messages on windows and gave plenty of social-distance air hugs to students and families in the Sun Valley and Montbello neighborhoods.

"I left with my teacher heart full, and my people heart even fuller," said John H. Amesse teacher Jeffrey McMahon. 

From hand-drawn notes from students to teachers, to themed virtual meetings for team members, to teachers creating video montages for students -- and don’t forget the dance videos! -- we’ve seen that "together" can look a lot of different ways. 

I know our typical in-person time together and celebrations are being missed right now, especially for our seniors. But as we continue to navigate these new challenges, I am inspired to see everyone rally to lift each other up -- despite the circumstances -- to bring joy and still make amazing memories. 

If you have a graduating senior in your life, help us celebrate them using our #DPSClassof2020 Facebook frame , and share senior shout-outs using #DPSClassof2020.

Thank you to all of our DPS community for bringing joy to each day, especially during these challenging times -- and showing that even as we keep our distance, we have never been more connected. 

Warm Regards,
Susana
Celebrate Our Educators During Teacher Appreciation Week
In honor of next week's National Teacher Appreciation Week ( May 4-8 ), DPS is honoring our educators with a lineup of celebrations, discounts and more. Help join in the fun and honor our educators -- even from a distance:
 
  • Show how much you appreciate our teachers virtually by using the "DPS Loves Teachers" Facebook profile filter. Click to update your profile picture from our Facebook page.

  • Print and display this sign from a window at home to show your support, and encourage your school community to do the same. If you don’t have access to a printer, draw a picture of an apple instead!

Visit teacherappreciation.dpsk12.org for more ideas and celebrations. Be sure to share how you're saying "thank you" on social media using #dpslovesteachers .
ICYMI: Family Resources for Remote Learning
As a reminder, families that need help with students' remote learning can visit the DPS webpage  for resources and support, or call our Family and Community Helpline at 720-423-3054 for help in many languages. Team members are available to help answer questions and direct families to the resources they need.

The Faces Behind the Helpline
Like so many individuals throughout Team DPS, our FACE team members are answering the call! These are the "faces" of our FACE Helpline team, who have answered an amazing 3,200-plus calls since remote learning began. Thank you for all you do!
Pictured above: Jessica Davie, Anna Banuelos, Lulu Alaniz, Robin Brock, Jamie Rhodes, Katherine Diaz, and Nabeehah Brown.
Elementary Google Automatic Logoffs - Support for Families
In order to gain a more accurate understanding of student engagement during remote learning, elementary students will begin being logged out of Google nightly, starting May 6 . (Previously, all students were automatically logged out of Google every two weeks, which didn't accurately capture how often students were accessing remote learning.) The following resources have been developed to assist kindergarten through second-grade students and families in logging in to their Google accounts:


These resources will be available on the DPS Family Resource page in multiple languages.

Automatic nightly logoffs for high school students started on April 23 , and middle school students April 24 . This updated is valuable in ensuring we can continue to strive for all students to have equitable access to instruction during remote learning.
Resource Guide for Families
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