This E-Update from the Colorado Office of School Safety (OSS) provides current information on OSS activities, state-wide school safety efforts, and national resources. Please forward to others interested in Colorado school safety; click the button below to subscribe | | |
Dear Colleagues: Welcome back to the 2025-2026 school year!
As you can see, we have a new template for our E-Update thanks to our Resource Specialist and Web Developer, Taylor Wolf. Please let us know what you think. cdps_oss@state.co.us
Superintendents and BOCES directors received an emailed letter from the OSS last week. Please forward that to all of your administrators. Thank you!
A reminder that HB25-1250 (Gun Violence Prevention and Parents of Students) was passed and requires schools to retrieve gun violence safety information from the Office of Gun Violence Prevention and do the following:
- Provide the materials in a written or electronic format to students' parents, guardians, and legal custodians at the beginning of each school year; and
- Post the materials or a link to the materials on the local education provider's website.
The Educator Safety Task Force’s final roadmaps, survey summary and video are available on the OSS website. We hope you will review the recommendations and consider further ways to support your educators.
The Office of School Safety team of nineteen are anxious to assist your schools in any way possible. Please see our upcoming training opportunities listed below or find something you need on the website.
We wish you all a safe and successful school year,
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Christine R. Harms MS, Director
Colorado Office of School Safety
christine.harms@state.co.us or 303-912-6915
| | Colorado School Safety Resource Center (CSSRC) | |
Training
A Brain-Based Foundation for Supporting Students After Trauma (for Educators)
This 1.5-hour virtual presentation offers a basic introduction to the neuroscience of trauma, along with practical strategies for supporting youth who have experienced trauma. It aims to equip educators with the knowledge and tools to create a more supportive and effective learning environment.
When: Virtually, August 8, 2025, from 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
Register Here
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October Safe Schools Summit: Registration is Open!
The Office of School Safety is hosting its annual Safe Schools Summit on Thursday, October 23, 2025, at the Adams 12 Five Star Schools Conference Center, 1500 E 128th Ave., Thornton, CO.
We're excited to announce our three confirmed keynote speakers:
- Dorothy Espelage, Ph.D., University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill - Dr. Espelage will share her recent research on educator safety and what can work to help prevent educator injury.
- Will Bowen (Internationally bestselling author and founder of A Complaint Free World): Will will guide us on how to transform complainers into collaborators.
- Gina Ligon, Ph.D. (Founder and Director of the National Counterterrorism Innovation, Technology, and Education Center (NCITE)): Dr. Ligon, an internationally recognized industrial and organizational psychologist with extensive terrorism expertise, joins us through the generosity of the CELL.
If you're interested in tabling as a sponsor, you can apply using this form.
Register Here
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Trauma-Informed School Discipline
This 1.5-hour training is designed to equip administrators and other disciplinary staff with the knowledge, skills, and strategies to approach discipline through a trauma-informed lens. Through a blend of foundational pre-teaching and an interactive case study, participants will explore the impact of trauma, proactive approaches for positive school environments, and practical techniques for de-escalation, discipline, and relationship-building.
Complete the request for training form to schedule your training.
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Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST)
ASIST is a two-day, two-trainer workshop designed by LivingWorks for members of all caregiving groups. Family, friends, and other community members may be the first to talk with a person at risk of self-harm, but have little or no training. ASIST can also provide those in formal helping roles with professional development to ensure that they are prepared to provide suicide first aid help as part of the care they provide.
What You'll Learn: Skills to provide a suicide first-aid intervention, work with someone to develop a personalized safety plan to keep safe-for-now, and connect with further help.
Who: Open to professionals and the general public for participants aged 16 years and older.
Training Format: In-person skills-based workshop. Learn a six-task suicide first-aid model through presentations, interactive discussion, and feature videos. Includes extensive opportunities for skills practice through trainer-facilitated workgroups.
Time Commitment: 2 consecutive days.
Cost: The training is FREE, but materials cost $50 per person. Financial support opportunities may be available.
Complete the request for training form to schedule your training.
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Networking Groups
The Office of School Safety will once again be hosting networking groups for interested staff this school year. Due to your requests, we have shifted the meetings until after dismissal time. Each group is planning for continuing education and networking opportunities. We will host four groups this school year:
Threat Assessment Networking Group - All personnel who work on Threat Assessment Teams or have interest in the work may attend. Contact Brad.Stiles@state.co.us for more information.
Suicide Prevention Networking Group - This group is for school staff engaged in suicide prevention and intervention work to build community, share best practices, and deepen professional understanding. Contact Cary.Lynch@state.co.us for more information.
Managing Problematic Sexual Behaviors Networking Group - Attendance in this group will help you develop and hone skills in working with youth who have or might cause sexual harm, and students who have experienced harm. Contact JaeDee.Wood@state.co.us for more information.
Crisis Response Networking Group - Those staff who will prepare and respond to crises in schools should attend. Contact Jennifer.Mills@state.co.us for more information.
Note: All meetings (except 9/30/25) will take place on Tuesdays from 3:30 to 4:30 PM. Please hold the following dates according to interest:
- Sept 9, 2025 - Crisis Response
- Sept 30, 2025 - Problematic Sexual Behaviors 9am - 10am
- Oct 14, 2025 - Suicide Prevention
- Nov 18, 2025 - Threat Assessment
- Dec 2, 2025 - Combined Meeting: Crisis Response and Suicide Prevention
- Dec 9, 2025 - Problematic Sexual Behaviors
- Jan 13, 2026 - Crisis Response
- Feb 10, 2026 - Suicide Prevention
- March 17, 2026 - Threat Assessment
- April 21, 2026 - Problematic Sexual Behaviors
Online CTAMP Tool Users: Please note that we will be holding monthly office hours this year rather than meeting as a formal group. We hope that this more flexible option will create greater convenience for you. These pop-in meetings will be posted soon. Contact Mike.Vagher@state.co.us to receive resources and updates in real time.
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Online Training
NEW Basic Mental Health for Educators
This course is designed to provide educators with foundational knowledge and practical skills for supporting students' mental well-being in the classroom. Through this course, you'll gain an understanding of common mental health challenges faced by children and youth, learn to identify signs and symptoms and strategies to assist these students in school.
You can take the course here
NOTE: You'll have to create a train.org account to take the course
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All CSSRC online courses available: Visit the OSS website
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Current Grant Information
SAFER Grant-Congratulations are in Order!
The State of Colorado’s legislature allocated $4,850,000 for the Fiscal Year 2026 School Access for Emergency Response Grant Program. The Colorado Office of School Safety received 39 grant applications for a total requested amount of $14,676,039.71. For this round of the School Access for Emergency Response grant 14 applicants were selected to receive funding as directed by SB23-241. Thank you to all of those who applied for the FY2026 SAFER.
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Disbursements began on July 25, 2025, continuing until all funding has been disbursed to each awardee. All reporting documents can be found on our website. Please ensure all reporting documents are submitted by each quarterly deadline.
Next Steps:
Be sure to register for the SAFER FY26 Kick Off Meeting- August 7, 2025, at 11:30AM-12:30PM. All primary, secondary, and fiscal contacts are required to attend. Register Here!
Current SAFER Awardees
Have you completed your project? Schedule your closeout meeting with us here!
School Security Disbursement Grant Program
The Office of School Safety was recently alerted that due to the current budget issues the state is experiencing, we will need to postpone distributing funds for the School Security Disbursement Grant Program for Fiscal Year 2026. We do expect the funds to be released in the near future. We ask that all awardees refrain from spending and halt all activities related to the project, until you receive further guidance from our office. We understand this may cause inconveniences and we truly apologize. Please let us know if you have any questions or concerns.
Current SSD Awardees
Have you completed your project? Schedule your closeout meeting with us here!
Current STOP Violence CTAMP Grantees
- Please be sure to get your final data into Sabrina Arredondo Mattson, PhD. (sabrina.mattson@colorado.edu) as quickly as possible so that she can submit the report due at the end of June.
- If you are submitting an invoice for staff payments to cover training held outside of contract time, please submit that as soon as possible to Brad.stiles@state.co.us or Melissa.rubeo@state.co.us
Thank you for all your hard work on this grant with the OSS team!
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Current External Grants
Motorola Solutions - Police Radios Grant Assistance Program
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Grant Awardee Feedback
Salida School District R-32-J:
“The School Security Disbursement Grant (SSD) from the Colorado Department of Public Safety, Office of School Safety allowed the District to create a security vestibule in the Crest Alternative Middle School.
Salida School District R-32-J is a small District with a limited budget to support student education, staff, and maintenance of facilities. The Board of Education is strategic in the way they allocate the District budget, and when faced with needing a new home for the Alternative Middle School, they approved a large expense to move Crest to this current location. The building required renovation from a warehouse to the current education center, and the budget did not include all required safety and security features. The SSD grant allowed the District to install this crucial safety and security vestibule. We offer a huge thank you to the Office of School Safety for the grant money.
Previously, anyone wishing to enter Crest required the Secretary to physically open the door to the visitor, which put the Secretary, staff, and students at risk. The increased safety and security of the vestibule now allows the Crest Secretary to communicate with anyone attempting to enter the building, determining the necessity of the entry without any risk to the Secretary, staff, or students.
The addition of the Crest vestibule has increased the sense of security for staff, students, and their families. Our local police department is deeply grateful for this additional security measure as well. It ensures not only a safe entry, but also provides a clear process for joining the community life inside the building.”
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Share Your Success - Be Featured in The Grants Corner of the OSS E-Update!
We want to celebrate your achievements! If you've had success with any of our grants, share your story with us. Submit a short narrative detailing your project's impact, and you could be featured in our upcoming E-Update. Photos welcome. Your success inspires others—let's showcase the incredible work happening in our schools!
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The Grants Unit is here for you!
Remember, our grants team is here to support you. If you have any questions or need assistance, feel free to schedule a meeting or reach out to our dedicated grant support team.
Stay Connected: oss.colorado.gov/grants-overview
Thank you,
OSS Grants Unit
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Happy August and welcome back to school! The Crisis Unit will be offering a number of new training sessions to help your schools prepare and respond to different crisis events. We are excited to begin offering Critical Incident Response Team training for supporting students and staff who act out violently, Supporting Adults after a Crisis Event and Critical Incident Group Debriefing Train the Trainer. Please refer to the descriptions below for more information and how to schedule.
As school begins, please remember we are available to assist, for a limited time per incident, in the initial recovery period following a critical incident when additional mental health resources are needed. If your school is experiencing a loss or incident, do not hesitate to reach out directly to Kati Garner via email kati.garner@state.co.us or phone 303-909-3672. We are here to assist you and want to make sure you get connected with the services you need.
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NEW Crisis Unit Staff Position is Accepting Applications
The Office of School Safety’s Crisis Response Unit is currently accepting applications for a Crisis Response Specialist located on the Western Slope. This person will join the four-member team and train school personnel in crisis response as well as be available to respond to a school experiencing a critical incident.
We are looking for an experienced school mental health professional. We will provide any necessary additional training.
The closing date for this position is August 14, 2025.
To learn more about the position, feel free to reach out to Kati Garner, Manager of the Crisis Unit: kati.garner@state.co.us
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Training
NEW Classroom Incident Response Team (CIRT):
This two-hour training provides educational leaders and staff with the essential knowledge and tools to create a Critical Incident Response Team (CIRT). The training focuses on developing a structured, efficient, and supportive framework for managing severe behavioral incidents and violent behaviors in the school environment. Participants will learn how to build a team that can effectively respond to a crisis, support those involved, and maintain a safe learning environment. Email leah.lefever@state.co.us with any questions or to schedule your training.
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NEW Restoring Stability: Supporting Adults After a Crisis
This 60-minute presentation is designed for professionals who engage with adults during or after crisis situations. Whether responding to natural disasters, death of a student or staff member, school emergencies or community-wide events, participants will gain the knowledge and skills to provide compassionate, effective and sensitive care for adults affected by crisis. Email leah.lefever@state.co.us with any questions or to schedule your training.
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NEW Critical Incident Debrief Train the Trainer
This 4 hour train the trainer course prepares participants to effectively lead and facilitate critical incident debriefings. This training is designed for individuals who will be responsible for leading and conducting debriefings in their schools. Participants will learn how to identify signs of acute stress, create a safe and supportive environment, and guide a group through the four stages of debriefing. Email jenny.mills@state.co.us with any questions or to schedule your training.
| | Partner Events and Announcements | | |
Changes to Colorado’s Mandatory Reporting Laws
Following a two-year study by the Mandatory Reporting Task Force, Colorado has updated its mandatory reporting laws to address confusion among reporters and the disproportionate impact on certain communities. House Bill 25-1188, which went into effect in May and September of 2025, made several key changes. These include removing victim's advocates from the list of mandatory reporters, clarifying that reporting is required only within a professional capacity, and prohibiting reports based on a family's race, ethnicity, or disability status. The bill also eliminated the need for written follow-up reports.
Read the full summary composed by the Office of the Colorado Child Protection
Ombudsman (CPO)
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NEW SMART Week is August 25-29
Be Smart is sharing that “August 25–29, 2025, marks the second annual SMART Week — a time when we come together to spread the word on the critical importance of secure gun storage to prevent gun violence.”
“SMART Week is built on the foundation of the Be SMART public education program. Be SMART promotes secure gun storage as a means to prevent kids under 18 and other unauthorized users from accessing guns. SMART Week leverages the Be SMART framework to reach more people and ensure that secure gun storage practices become the norm in our communities, especially as kids return to their classrooms.”
You can view more information on Be Smart’s website
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37th Annual COVA Conference
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The 37th Annual COVA Conference has been announced! “Over the course of 2.5 days, featuring 2 Keynotes and 80 workshops, learn new skills and best practices for the victim services field.”
- When: September 29, 2025 - October 1, 2025
- Where: Keystone Conference Center, 0633 Tennis Club Rd, Keystone, CO 80435
- Register on COVA’s website
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NEW Positions Available with Aurora Police Department
The Aurora Police Department is hiring a clinician and a case manager for their Targeted Violence Prevention unit! Please refer to anyone you might think is interested. Links are below:
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NEW Law Enforcement Training Opportunities
Identifying Hate Crimes and the Role of the Internet in Threats to Public Safety
Host: Larimer County Sheriff’s Office
When: August 6, 2025, 8:00 am - 12:00 pm
Where: 2501 Midpoint Drive, Fort Collins, Colorado 80525
This is a half-day training available to all Colorado-based law enforcement organizations. It focuses on the unique challenges of hate crime investigations, the shift from online activity to offline violence, and the violent extremist and terrorist groups that pose a threat to the state.
The training is provided by the Institute for Strategic Dialogue (ISD) and can be scheduled upon request at any location in Colorado.
To schedule a training or get more information, you can contact ISD directly:
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988 Updated Partner Toolkit Resources
| | Other Trainings and Events | | |
NEW Free Full-Day Violence Prevention Symposium
The United States Secret Service Denver Field Office and National Threat Assessment Center is hosting this free symposium to “provide the opportunity to learn from experts in the field of threat assessment on topics such as trends in mass violence, leading practices in behavioral threat assessment programming development, considerations for management, compelling case studies, and hear directly from those impacted by targeted violence.”
When: August 21, 2025, Check in begins at 8am, Program starts promptly at 9am.
Where: Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum 7711 E Academy Boulevard, Denver, CO 80230
This training is open to law enforcement officers, behavioral health professionals, private sector safety & security personnel, emergency managers, educators, administrators, and all other professionals with an operational role in public safety.
Questions can be directed to NTAC-DSS-R4@usss.dhs.gov
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Colorado Shakespeare Festival in the Schools: Shakespeare & Violence Prevention Tour
The Colorado Shakespeare Festival’s touring program uses live performance and the latest school violence research. Students improve their Shakespeare literacy AND learn safe and effective intervention strategies they can use when they see mistreatment happening around them.
Workshop Guidelines
- Limit of 30 students per classroom
- Workshops are typically scheduled on Tuesdays or Wednesdays during the school day.
- Study Guides | Guías de Estudio for 2024-25
- "Twelfth Night" (English | Español)
- "Much Ado About Nothing" (English | Español)
There is a fee to bring this program to your school, but partial subsidies are available to schools with funding challenges. In the 2025-26 school year, CSF also has limited funding available to provide free programming to Title 1 schools and rural communities. Please inquire for details.
See CSF’s website for details and booking. This is a project of the University of Colorado, Boulder.
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Digital Well-Being Challenge
The Office of Educational Technology invites students aged 13+ and the schools that serve them to address critical topics in digital citizenship and well-being, including healthy social media use, digital citizenship education, and responsible technology policies. The Challenge has one overarching goal: for school- or district-based teams to co-design, alongside students, innovative approaches and strategies for addressing a range of digital citizenship and well-being issues facing their school community.
You can view more information and apply to participate on the Office of Educational Technology’s website.
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Webinars and Online Learning
NEW Return to School 2025 Virtual Event
In anticipation of the Fall 2025 return to school, the U.S. Secret Service’s National Threat Assessment Center (NTAC) will host a virtual event to highlight the Center’s latest release, titled Aligning Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management with a Multi-tiered System of Support: Building a Continuum of Prevention and Intervention.
NTAC’s newest publication was published in partnership with the Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) and focuses on how education practitioners can best align BTAM programs alongside multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS) in K-12 schools. This event will further highlight key findings and implications from NTAC’s decades of research and guidance on school violence prevention.
This free virtual event is appropriate for educators, school and district administrators, counselors, school psychologists, BTAM team members and coordinators, MTSS and PBIS leadership teams, state education agency personnel, law enforcement officers, and other school safety partners.
August 13, 2025
You can see more information and register for this event through this link
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NEW Colorado Department of Education’s Preventing School Violence Team Training Series
The Colorado Department of Education’s Preventing School Violence Team is holding a series of upcoming virtual trainings focused on strengthening school safety, improving school climate, and building supportive communities. These no-cost sessions are open to educators, administrators, counselors, law enforcement, and community partners.
Restorative Practices: Building Trust Before Conflict
When: August 27, 2025, 9:00 am – 9:45 am
You'll learn:
- Proactive relationship building
- Conflict resolution strategies
- Encouraging accountability and repairing harm
Register for the Restorative Practices session through this link
From Conflict to Connection: Restorative Strategies for Safer Schools
When: September 11, 2025, 9:00 am – 12:00 pm (Half-Day Training)
You'll learn:
- Building positive connections across schools and communities
- Communication strategies that support problem-solving over punishment
- Systems to identify needs, resolve conflict peacefully, and repair harm with dignity
Register for the From Conflict to Connection session through this link
Cultivating Mental Health Awareness
When: October 8, 2025, 9:00 am – 9:45 am
You'll learn:
- Promoting mental well-being among staff and students
- Recognizing signs of mental health concerns (e.g., depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts)
- Trauma-informed response strategies for staff and student support
Register for the Cultivating Mental Health Awareness session through this link
For questions or more information, contact CDE at PSV@cde.state.co.us.
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NEW Starting the School Year with Community and Connection 2025 Webinar
Join Facing History & Ourselves in preparing for the coming school year as they explore teaching strategies and flexible resources designed to help educators get to know your students as individuals and facilitate the process of creating an open, supportive, and reflective classroom community. In addition, they will model classroom routines that teachers can implement from day one to support effective learning and meaningful student-centered practices in your homeroom, advisory, or academic courses.
Materials and resources are designed for middle school and high school level students.
During the webinar, we will:
Consider the values and concerns that inform back-to-school planning
Explore Facing History & Ourselves’ various back-to-school resources, including the Back to School Toolkit
Share strategies, activities, and ideas for supporting student well-being and academic achievement
When: August 5, 2025 | 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm MDT
Where: Virtual
Get more information and register here
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Save the Date - The Landscape of Wellbeing and Belonging
The Colorado Department of Education (CDE) is hosting this webinar for all Colorado educators, including grant program managers, building and district administrators, school counselors, nurses, psychologists, social workers, and more.
When: September 17, 2025
What: The goal of the Landscape project is to blend guidance, resources, systems, and best
practices to improve outcomes for students, staff, and families across all PK-12 schools in Colorado.
View more information on CDE’s website
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Facing History and Ourselves Summer Learning
Facing History and Ourselves has a variety of learning opportunities over the course of the summer, including virtual and in-person trainings.
You can view the full list of opportunities on Facing History and Ourselves website
| | Pre K-12 Resources and Information | | Higher Education Resources and Information | | |
NEW Sexual Misconduct Advisory Committee Seeking Individuals to Serve
The Colorado Department of Higher Education (CDHE) is seeking individuals to serve on the Sexual Misconduct Advisory Committee as enacted by Senate Bill 19-007. Senate Bill 19-007 directs the Colorado Department of Higher Education (CDHE) to establish a committee comprised of Title IX coordinators at higher education institutions, care providers, advocates and attorneys who represent both survivors and those accused of sexual misconduct. The committee publishes a report of their recommendations and prevention strategies on campuses every year. Committee documents are posted on the CDHE website.
Applicants interested in serving on the Sexual Misconduct Advisory Committee are encouraged to apply and submit an online application by Friday, August 15, 2025.
Currently, CDHE is seeking to fill representative roles for:
- one Title IX Coordinator
- one representative from a higher education institution
- an attorney who has experience representing persons accused of sexual misconduct at institutions of higher education
You can view more information on the committee and apply to participate using this link
| | The Office of School Safety | | |
The OSS offers no-cost assistance to all Colorado Pre-K through higher education schools for school safety planning. They provide consultation, resources, training, and technical assistance to help create a safe, positive, and successful school environment. The OSS can customize training for your school's safety and crisis planning teams or staff. Stay updated on school safety information and upcoming trainings by visiting oss.colorado.gov.
Thank you for supporting safe and positive schools in Colorado!
Office of School Safety
700 Kipling Street #1000
Denver, CO 80215
Phone: 303-239-4435
Email: cdps_oss@state.co.us
Website: oss.colorado.gov
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