Supports in Response to the War in Ukraine |
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Dear Educators,
We hope you and your school community are coping as well as you can as we all watch the heartbreaking events unfolding in Ukraine.
As shared in the DPS and Board of Education statement, the war in Ukraine sparks a reaffirmation to our commitment to ensuring DPS is a Safe and Welcoming School District for all of our children and to fully supporting all of our students and families who have loved ones around the globe. Please work with your school leaders to help ensure counseling support is available for anyone who needs it.
This list of resources aims to support teachers and school leaders in discussing the ongoing conflict in Ukraine with students and the community. Additionally, review this document, which provides resources to support students, staff and families in response to the acts of violence and war in other countries. For those seeking help talking about these difficult events with their child, we encourage them to review the National Association of School Psychologists’ guide for parents and caregivers.
Our thoughts are with everyone affected by these tragic events.
Many thanks,
Tamara and Mike
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CollaboRATE Leadership Feedback Portion Open Now |
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The leadership feedback portion of CollaboRATE, DPS’ all-employee survey, is now open through March 22. You should have received an email from DPS Collaborate on March 7 with a unique link to complete the confidential survey. Please set aside time to complete the survey before it closes. Your feedback is essential in helping individuals grow and become more effective leaders, in turn best supporting our students.
We know this has been yet another challenging year. As a reminder, we ask that everyone keep in mind these challenges, and encourage extra grace and empathy when completing the survey. This is an opportunity for team members to identify celebrations and lessons learned from this past year. For more information, visit thecommons.dpsk12.org/collaborate.
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TSEAL Tip of the Week: Supporting Community through the Face Mask Transition
This week’s TSEAL tip is focused on supporting the community through the face mask transition. Check out resources below that focus on being intentional to support the whole community.
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Yourself: Take time to check in with yourself about how you feel about the transition. What feelings are coming up for you? How can you share these feelings with your community and loved ones?
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Students: Read this resource around Managing Worries Around Transition. What kinds of conversations can you facilitate during a morning meeting to support belonging? Being proactive can help mitigate polarization between students choosing to mask and unmask.
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Schoolwide Community: Have open dialogue and lean on curiosity when discussing the transitions. Make sure to acknowledge and validate community members' feelings around this transition.
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This Week's Top 5 Things to Know |
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Session Guides Now Available for April Teal Day and Summer Professional Learning |
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April 4 Teal Day
The Teal Day Session Guide is now available for viewing, and the registration links will be available March 10. As a reminder, the morning block (8-11:15 a.m.) of Teal Day is reserved for centrally delivered content, and some sessions are required as noted in the Session Guide. Please note the delivery method of the sessions. More information can be found in this FAQ. If you need further support, email professional_learning@dpsk12.org.
Summer 2022 Professional Learning
Summer 2022 professional learning session information is now available here, with required sessions bolded and noted in the audience column. Registration for summer professional learning opens May 3. Please work with your school leader to help determine which professional learning experiences are right for you. These sessions provide opportunities for educators to build their capacity and support students by deepening their understanding of content and best practices. Additional information, including registration links and session links, will be made available in the coming weeks. Be sure to bookmark the Professional Learning page on The Commons for updated information.
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Save the Dates for June and July Leadership Weeks |
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Mark your calendars for June and July Leadership Weeks (both of which will be in person pending the meeting guidance.) June Leadership Week will be June 6-10. Senior Team Leads are required to attend on June 6, and their attendance is optional on all other days. July Leadership Week will be July 25-26 and Aug. 1-2. Senior Team Leads are required to attend all of these days. The break in the middle of July Leadership Week gives school leaders time to dig into the districtwide information shared on July 25-26 before planning for implementation with their ILTs. It will also allow leaders to attend the CASE Summer Conference, if desired. Review this one-pager for specific participation and pay information.
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Apply Now for Summer Connections 2022 Roles |
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Summer Connections is a six-week, full-day program at 15 sites open to 3,000 students entering first- through fifth-grade in the 2022-23 school year. Site Leaders will begin hiring for Summer Connections positions starting March 14.
Summer Connections offers:
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Rigorous, joyful learning based in literacy, science, and math from June 14-July 22. Note: This is a research-based accelerated learning program.
- Time for planning, engaging in coaching and collaborating with colleagues each day during Genius Time (60 minutes of learning with Maker Space, Spark Career Exploration and Art) and during Enrichment (60 minutes of hands-on STEM activities facilitated by partners, aligned with what students are learning.)
- The option for staff to work three weeks (June 14-July 1 or July 1-22) or six weeks from June 14-July 22.
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Updated Timeline for Shift to the New Employee Space |
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We have shifted our timeline to ensure a successful transition to the New Employee Space for Team DPS. Finance (Phases 2) will go live on July 5 as originally planned, and HR and Payroll (Phase 1) will go live on Oct. 1. Please note that there will be no changes to hiring processes until fall 2022. Please continue to check The Commons for future updates. If you are interested in supporting your school through this districtwide transition, consider becoming an Employee Space Champion. Sign up here.
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Women’s History Month: Resources and Submissions |
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March is Women’s History Month, which celebrates the contributions women have made to the United States and recognizes the specific achievements women have made over the course of American history in a variety of fields according to the official website.
Visit The Commons to access resources for teaching about cultural moments. We are seeking shoutouts! Tell us about a woman in DPS who has made a positive impact on your life. Think teachers, supervisors, bus drivers, office support -- any woman in DPS you’d like to celebrate! We’ll share your shout-outs toward the end of the month. Share your shoutout.
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Additional Resources and Opportunities |
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Click here to learn more about these resources and opportunities:
- Paid SEL Fellowship for Educators
- Final Reminder: Submit Your District Accountability Committee Application by March 11
- Canva for Education Now Available to DPS
- Opportunity to Provide Native Language Enrichment for MLLs
- Access Your EVERFI Mid-Year Impact Report
- DOGOnews: New Literacy Database Available
- Engage Multilingual Learners in Science Phenomena
- Method Learning: ACT and SAT Online Test Prep Resource Now Available
- Updates to the 18-21 Transition Program for 2022-23
- ECE Update: Upload Learning Space Transcripts into PDIS Support
- Brown Bag Research Presentation: Teacher Efforts in Embedded Honors for Students of Color
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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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