Reflecting on One Year of COVID-19 in DPS |
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Dear Educators,
This week marks one year since COVID-19 first forced DPS students and staff to leave our classrooms and buildings, and move into a fully remote learning and work environment. What a year it has been.
In reflection, we want to thank you, our educators, for your tremendous efforts in helping get our schools through a year of such uncertainty and unforeseen challenges. It has been incredible and humbling to watch how so many of you stepped up to the challenge, full of ideas, problem-solving, collaboration and hope. Because of you, our schools were able to adapt to keep our students learning and, most importantly, feeling supported.
We hope you can take some time this week to pause and reflect on how far we have come together, and how much you’ve grown too. We hope you carry these new strengths and skills with you long into the future, and remember how strong you really are.
Thank you for never giving up, and for your dedication to our kids -- especially when they've needed us the most.
Many thanks,
Tamara and Mike
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Updates on Snow Day Policy for 2020-21 |
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This past year, we've had to make many decisions on scenarios that are outside our typical way of doing things in order to support our students and make up for lost learning time due to the pandemic. With that in mind, we realize our snow day decisions this school year -- while made with the best intentions for our students and educators -- may have caused confusion and been difficult to apply, such as the two-hour delay we called for recently. After gathering feedback, DPS leadership has created an outline for how we will handle snow days for the rest of the 2020-21 school year:
- For a single snow day, we will do a traditional snow day, with no in-person or remote learning.
- If, due to weather, we are not able to safely allow students to attend in person for multiple days, then starting on the second day we will pivot to remote learning.
- To support in planning and this shift, any time we are considering a potential snow day, we will send messaging to schools by mid-day the day before to remind students and teachers to prepare (such as by taking home computers) in the event that it becomes a multi-day event and we need to shift to a virtual model.
If you have any questions, please reach out to your school leader. Thank you for your understanding as we all continue to adapt to current conditions and try to do what's best for our students.
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This Week's Top 5 Things to Know |
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Next Round of Student, Family and Staff Surveys Launching March 10 |
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Please be on the lookout for our next student, family and staff survey, which will be sent on March 10. This optional and confidential survey asks questions related to each of the district’s crisis priorities of health and safety, social-emotional support, and accelerated learning -- and will include questions to inform our search for DPS’ next superintendent.
Survey participation increased across the board in our latest survey, but white families continue to be overrepresented. Help us encourage all families and students to take our surveys so that all voices are heard when we make decisions as a community. Questions? Email surveys@dpsk12.org.
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Summer Academy Registration Begins March 12, Teaching Positions Open Now |
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Summer Academy registration opens at 8 a.m. March 12. Eligibility letters should have arrived at your school last week (March 1-5). Please encourage your eligible students to enroll.
Summer Academy 2021 will be held June 8-July 2 and focuses on foundational literacy for kindergarten through third-grade students who scored below grade level or significantly below grade level on their fall or mid-year READ Act assessments. Summer Academy teachers will use new READ Act-approved Spanish and English curricula. All Summer Academy schools will follow state and district COVID-19 guidelines in partnership with CDPHE.
Summer Academy is hiring for the following positions:
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Paid Concurrent Enrollment Teaching Opportunities Available This Summer |
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The Career & College Success department is seeking DPS adjunct instructors committed to closing the opportunity gap by serving as summer concurrent enrollment instructors. Concurrent enrollment helps students gain access to free college credits while saving time and money on their path toward career and college.
Summer concurrent enrollment instructors will earn $39.65/hr. Course dates are June 14-July 16, and details regarding delivery options (in-person, remote, hybrid) will be based on health guidance for the summer term.
If you are interested in teaching a concurrent enrollment course this summer, complete this interest form. We are looking for all interested teachers, especially those who teach history, journalism, sociology and criminal justice. If you have questions, email concurrent_enrollment@dpsk12.org.
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Gifted and Talented Internal Certification PDUs Available |
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Interested in learning more about how to best serve your Gifted and Talented students? DPS offers three PDU courses and an internal certification to teach in Highly Gifted and Talented (HGT) classrooms upon completion of all three courses. Note: Participants can also earn Adams State University credit as opposed to PDU credit.
- Course 1: Instructional Strategies for Gifted Learners (fall and spring 2021-22)
- Course 2: Programming and Assessment for Gifted Learners (fall and spring 2021-22)
- Course 3: Curriculum and Practicum for Gifted Learners (yearlong – fall 2021)
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Paid Professional Learning Opportunity: Middle School STEM |
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DPS and CU Boulder have teamed up to help teachers increase student engagement in middle school science and STEM classrooms by attending full-day professional learning workshops. This professional learning experience will give teachers the tools, skills and knowledge to give all students equitable access to STEM experiences through student-driven investigations of scientific phenomena and programmable MicroBit Sensors. Learn more about the benefits and expectations of participating here, and fill out the interest form. If you have questions, contact Stephanie Hervey.
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Additional Resources and Information |
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Click here to learn more about these resources and opportunities:
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- Google Assignments for Schoology Available March 15
- Call for Submissions: Share Student Work and Art for Women’s History Month in March
- School Grants Available Through Westerra Credit Union’s School Grant Program
- Upcoming Webinar: Marijuana in Colorado
- Join Us for the Annual Sustainability and Garden Forum
- 2021 Financial Services Year-End Deadlines
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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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