Our DPS Weekly
April 7, 2023
EDUCA DPS Podcast - Multilingual Services
This week's Educa Podcast guests are Valeria Praga-Rodriguez, Director of Multilingual Education Instructional Development, and Lindsay Armstrong, Manager of K-12 Bilingual Programs for Denver Public Schools. Both serve key roles on the district's Multilingual Education Department (MLE) Team. Their vision statement is as follows:

“In alignment with DPS' vision, our team's vision is to ensure every Language Learner succeeds by providing the opportunity to achieve the knowledge and skills necessary to become contributing citizens in our diverse society. We believe that every single Language Learner can thrive -- not by accident, but by design.”

Both are passionate about what they do. Lindsay's mother valued bilingual education and encouraged Lindsay from a young age to study other languages. 

In these important interviews in Spanish with Valeria and in English with Lindsay, you will learn more about their careers, the history of our Multilingual Education Department, as well as information about what MLE offers our DPS community today, and their plans for the future.
Black Student Alliance Video Showcase
Our Annual DPS Black Student Alliance Banquet was held right before Spring Break, and we want to share the celebration with you!

We had 300+ students from middle and high schools all around the district come together to empower each other and celebrate the phenomenal achievements of our Black students. 

There were many awards surrounding excellence in activism, athletics, academics and leadership that were given to deserving, dedicated students.

A special shout out to Lidya Tewolde of George Washington High School for receiving the DPS Superintendent Award. Congratulations students, and a huge thank you to everyone for supporting this very special and powerful collaborative event!
2023 Achieve Gala Preview
On April 18, the DPS Foundation will host the grandest event of the year, the 2023 Achieve Gala! This year the gala falls on World Heritage Day, and it will be the perfect stage to celebrate the richness of diversity in our DPS community and beyond. 

In this colorful and informative video, you will see students rehearse for their upcoming performance and hear from educator Fabiola Lozada. Fabiola explains the vision behind the performance and shares her perspective on why the work of the DPS Foundation is essential to the student, adult, and system experience here at DPS.

Adrian, the Keynote speaker for the 2023 Achieve Gala and a current student of Respect Academy, gets candid about what he has been through and how far he has come, thanks to the work of the DPS Foundation. 

To donate to the foundation and learn more about their impact in the DPS community, click here. 
Contemporary Learning Academy's "We got This" Event
At the Contemporary Learning Academy (CLA), students are treated like family. 

On March 13, CLA hosted an event in collaboration with the Denver Department of Public Health and Environment for our DPS student community. 

The event consisted of workshops that were focused on the mental health and overall well- being of students. One workshop, named “soul stories” encouraged students to share what was on their hearts and minds and open up to each other, with the intention of fostering a welcoming environment of support and care. 

The “Arts from Ashes” workshop taught students about using healthy coping mechanisms through artistic expression. 

To learn more about this dynamic event and what CLA offers our students, watch this video.
Fentanyl Awareness Night & Resource Fair
Attend the Fentanyl Awareness Night and Resource Fair on April 26 at North High School from 6-7:30 p.m. The event is open to North families, students, neighboring schools and the wider DPS and local community. The evening will begin with a panel discussion about fentanyl featuring representatives from CREA Results, DanceSafe, the Harm Reduction Action Center, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and the Denver District Attorney's office. Afterward, there will be a resource fair and the opportunity to connect with community partners.

There will be a giveaway and food provided! Spanish translations will also be available. For more information, see these fliers in English and Spanish.
Celebrating Occupational Therapy Month
April is National Occupational Therapy Month! The impact that DPS Occupational Therapists make in our school communities and within the lives of our students with disabilities is profound. Join us in celebrating National Occupational Therapy Month and honoring our Occupational Therapists by taking time to thank them for their work.
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