Dear Team DPS,

The Leadership Lamp Award is DPS’ most coveted honor, given to only a select few each year who are leading the way and embodying the Shared Core Values in everything they do. These honorees are the best of the best -- role models who we can all look up to and learn from. Over the past few months, we had the opportunity to celebrate our most recent DPS Leadership Lamp honorees. While our original plan was to honor them in March, it was moving to see teams get creative and come together to plan personal, heartfelt (and safe) surprises for our winners in the midst of our current health crisis.

Please join me in congratulating our most recent Leadership Lamp honorees -- Dulce Leticia Aranda, Jodie Carrigan, Janet Damon and Miranda Odom. Watch a recap of these celebrations here, and see their individual celebrations below.

It’s never been more important to recognize those who've gone above and beyond during the 2019-20 school year. Do you know someone on Team DPS who embodies the Shared Core Values every day? How about a successful and effective team? Recognize these Team DPS members by nominating them for a Night of Honor award:

If you have any questions, please email Our_DPSValues@dpsk12.org.

We are excited to announce that DPS received a waiver from the USDA this week to allow us to once again provide free breakfast and lunch meals to all kids 18 years and younger through Dec. 31. Families can pick up breakfast and lunch meals Monday through Friday from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. at curbside pickup sites throughout DPS. We’re also providing weekday meal delivery service to schools and community locations across the city. Yellow school buses will stop at each delivery site for 20 minutes to hand out breakfast and lunch meals.

Students do not need to be present for adults to pick up their meals, and families can visit any school site regardless of which school they attend. Breakfast and lunch meals for adults are also available for purchase at a small cost.

All families are encouraged to complete an application for meal benefits here. Please visit our Food Distribution site for the most up-to-date information.

Join us for this year’s first African American Young Ladies Summit Program! The Sept. 26 virtual event will include fun and interactive Sister 2 Sister activities and issues to action: how to be successful in school now/COVID, what’s not working for Black Girls and how to change it and how other “Black Girls” are leading change.

AAYLS is open to all 6-12th grade, African American/Black young ladies. To become a member, please visit here. Space for the event is limited – make sure to register by Sept. 16 to save your spot here.

Access past editions of Our DPS Weekly.