Hagan clic aquí para leer este mensaje en español.
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Collaborating with Our Student Leaders |
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Dear Team DPS,
Before Thanksgiving break, I spent an evening talking with the dozen or so high school students who make up my Student Cabinet. These scholars and I have been working together to identify and address issues in the district. Over our first three meetings, they have shown incredible dedication to advocating for students’ needs, rights and aspirations. They consistently remind me of the importance of elevating student voice -- and of listening to and respecting our students’ perspectives as we approach challenging decisions. They push us to do better, to make progress, and to live our values. And I’m deeply thankful for their ongoing partnership.
Watch this video in English and Spanish to learn more about the Student Cabinet .
In collaboration,
Dr. Alex Marrero,
Superintendent
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Catch up with Superintendent Dr. Alex Marrero by following him on his new Instagram account and on Twitter, both @DrAlexMarrero!
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Supt. Marrero’s Listening and Learning Tour to Inform New Strategic Plan |
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During his first 100 days as DPS Superintendent, Dr. Alex Marrero set out to meet with as many family and community members, students and staff as possible. After visiting 68 schools and holding over 100 meetings, both virtually and in person, in every region of the city, Dr. Marrero has published a Listening and Learning Tour report. This report will now be used to shape a new strategic plan for DPS.
The next step of developing the new strategic plan is for the transition committee of DPS staff, parents, and community members to create six to nine recommendations by mid-December describing what the strategic plan should focus on. The committee’s recommendations are due Dec. 14. Three subcommittees will make two to three recommendations each. The three subcommittees are focused on student experience and achievement, equity and excellence, and operational effectiveness. Another committee will make those recommendations more concrete and actionable by May.
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Welcoming the New Board of Education |
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DPS Leadership congratulates and welcomes new and returning school members to our seven-member Board of Education. This governing body is responsible for establishing policy for the more than 92,000 students and their families in Colorado’s largest school district.
These new and returning board members and the areas they were elected to represent:
- District 2: Southwest Denver — Xóchitl “Sochi” Gaytán (new)
- District 3: Central/East Denver — Carrie A. Olson (returning)
- District 4: Northeast Denver — Michelle Quattlebaum (new)
- At Large: Citywide — Scott Esserman (new)
These board members join the following already seated board members:
- Board member Scott Baldermann representing District 1: Southeast
- Board member Brad Laurvick representing District 5: Northwest
- Board member Tay Anderson representing the city at-large
Learn more about the board, including 2021-22 board meeting dates, guidelines for addressing the board and how to watch meetings online on the board website.
We also want to express our gratitude to board member Angela Cobián for her service in representing Southwest Denver, board member and outgoing Vice President Jennifer Bacon for her service representing Northeast Denver, and board member Barbara O’Brien for her service representing the city at-large.
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Masks + Vaccinations + Boosters = Our Best Defense against COVID-19 |
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Did you know that DPS students, staff and family members can get a COVID-19 vaccine or booster at any of our Denver Health School-Based Health Centers? You can schedule an appointment online or by calling 303-602-8958. You can also contact your healthcare provider or visit the state of Colorado’s vaccine website to find an appointment that works for you. Help protect your family, friends and neighbors -- get a vaccine or booster today.
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Valdez Elementary Wins American Academy of Dermatology Shade Structure Grant |
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Valdez Elementary will hold a dedication ceremony for it's newly installed shade structure on Dec. 4 at 3:30 p.m. The structure, which was funded by an American Academy of Dermatology Grant, will provide shade over an area of the playground blacktop, protecting students and staff each day from the sun's harmful ultraviolet rays and helping to reduce their risk of skin cancer. Denver dermatologist Melanie Wong, MD, FAAD, a member of the AAD, sponsored Valdez's grant application. Josh Griesbach, DPS facility planner, assisted with the planning and installation of the structure.
The Shade Structure Grant Program is part of the American Academy of Dermatology's SPOT Skin Cancer campaign to reduce the incidence of skin cancer by educating the public about effective skin cancer prevention tops. To learn more about the Shade Structure Grant Program or ways to prevent and detect skin cancer, visit SpotSkinCancer.org.
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Families of Multilingual Learners Invited to Dec. 15 MLE DAC Meeting |
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Families of Multilingual Learners are invited to join the DPS community at a virtual Multilingual Education Districtwide Advisory Committee (MLE DAC) meeting on Dec. 15 from 5-6:30 p.m.
At this session, families will have the opportunity to learn more about DPS Board members. Families will also receive important information and resources about SchoolChoice, the enrollment process and ACCESS Testing.
Families can register here and join the meeting via Zoom. For more information, visit the MLE DAC site or call 720-423-2040.
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Join the Conversation: Community Views on Quality and Equity in Education Webinar |
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The DPS community is invited to join RootED Denver on Dec. 9 at 3:30 p.m. for a virtual community conversation to dive into the Community Views on Quality and Equity in Education report. Hear directly from the report's researchers about the year-long research initiative, led through the PEACE Collective, which reveals that Brown, Black, and Indigenous students and their families in DPS care deeply about quality and equity in public education, and envision a school district that offers equal access to everything that they need to thrive.
The webinar will cover the report’s core recommendations, and its researchers will discuss how this information can support equitable outcomes for all students.
Panelists include:
- María del Carmen Salazar, Ph.D.
- Antwan Jefferson, Ph.D.
- Brenda J. Allen, Ph.D.
- Tracie Trinidad, MNM
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