Winter | Issue 29 | Date: January 18, 2023 |
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Funding Great Schools. Rooted in Community. |
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Honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. |
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"Life's most persistent and urgent question is, 'What are you doing for others?"
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s words on public service remain relevant and resonant today. At RootED, we’re fortunate to work with countless educators, families, advocates and leaders who answer what Dr. King called "life's most persistent and urgent question," and who serve children in our classrooms and communities.
As we reflect on Dr. King’s life and the annual day of service named for his legacy, we offer a deep and heartfelt thank you to our school-based and community partners who year-round, in the spirit of Dr. King’s words, put themselves in service to others.
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Photo (Credit Denver Public Schools): Victoria Scott-Haynes, RootED Denver's Partner of Community Relations & Administration, marched in the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Marade with Denver Public Schools team members, families and students, and several RootED community partners.
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Learn How to Navigate SchoolChoice |
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Mark your calendars: Denver Public Schools SchoolChoice Round 1 application opened Friday, Jan. 13., and ends Tuesday, Feb. 14.
SchoolChoice is Denver’s simple, effective enrollment process for all public schools. It gives children access to diverse, high-quality, innovative public schools that meet their unique needs, regardless of where their families live. A new study also found that SchoolChoice has contributed to significant and meaningful improvements in academic proficiency and graduation rates for all students.
To help families learn more about SchoolChoice, RootED is hosting a Facebook Live session later this month. Look for an email about the session or follow us on Facebook for more event information.
Families can also find several helpful resources to navigate SchoolChoice:
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Denver Public Schools Board of Education Approves 19 Charter School Renewals |
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Thank you to the Denver Public Schools Board of Education for its vote to approve the contract renewals of 19 charter schools.
In a Jan. 12 meeting, the board honored Superintendent Dr. Alex Marrero’s recommendation to approve the renewal applications for the schools. The board’s vote also followed a Jan. 10 special session of public comment, where more than five dozen educators, families and students urged the district to renew the charter contracts.
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“I want to acknowledge the important role that charter schools play within Denver Public Schools,” wrote Director Auon’tai Anderson in an announcement ahead of the vote. “They offer families a choice in their child’s education and provide unique and innovative educational models to our students.”
In a related move, the board voted 6-1 for the non-renewal of the STRIVE Prep - Kepner charter contract. The superintendent recommended that the contract not be renewed because of poor academic performance at the school, which, as a result of the vote, will close at the end of this school year.
“We view this recommendation as a reflection of our leadership as a network and not about the potential or capability of our incredible students or our community,” STRIVE Prep leaders wrote in an announcement to families last month.
RootED is grateful to the superintendent and the board of education for voting to approve the 19 charter contract renewals. We remain deeply committed to partnering with Denver Public Schools to provide families with access to free, high-quality public learning environments, including charter, innovation and traditional schools.
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Bright Rides Gives Adams 14 Families Access to High Quality Schools in Denver |
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Do you know an Adams 14 family who could benefit from free transportation to a high-quality school in Denver? Bright Rides can help make that happen.
Made possible by a state grant, Bright Rides provides customized rides through HopSkipDrive, a school transportation service that is trusted by parents throughout the country.
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Meet Erin Kobler, RootED's Newest Team Member |
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Place Bridge Academy is where Erin Kobler, RootED’s new communications manager, learned the power of listening in relationships.
There, Kobler worked as a resource advocate for the magnet school, which was designed to provide programs for refugee and newcomer students and families, who collectively spoke more than 60 languages.
“Now that I have children in DPS, I understand even more intimately how overwhelming school information can be; it's so important that families of all backgrounds have the information and tools to navigate the educational system,” she says.
Beyond her work developing resources for Place Bridge families and writing grant applications, Kobler took time and care establishing trust with Place Bridge parents, community leaders and refugee service providers to effectively meet the needs of families.
“I could only truly understand families’ needs once I took the time to listen,” says Kobler. “Communities already have a clear vision of what they want for themselves and for their children; we just need to ask what that vision is. The most effective forms of partnership will involve the creation of trusted spaces for listening and ensuring that everyone’s voices are heard and valued.”
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Kobler is deeply experienced in education and communications. Through AmeriCorps, Kobler also worked in a fourth-grade classroom in Delaware and with Colorado’s Big City Mountaineers, a nonprofit organization that provides outdoor programs for youth.
She has volunteered as a youth mentor and has worked on communications projects for several local and national nonprofits and education-related organizations.
She also worked in communications for Denver Public Schools supporting the district’s bond and mill levy ballot initiative and investments.
Now, as RootED’s communications manager, Kobler will be supporting RootED’s partner schools and community-based organizations to amplify stories about Denver’s students, teachers, and unique learning environments.
“RootED is uniquely poised to support the efforts of Denver's brilliant educators and community leaders in meaningful ways,” says Kobler. “Every positive and impactful story of students and educators is worth attention and celebration.”
Do you have a story you’d like to share? Email Erin.
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Mark your calendars with these important dates: |
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Jan. 24
Denver Public Schools Board of Education - Public Comment Session and Progress Monitoring Session
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1390 Lawrence Street, Suite #200
Denver, CO 80204
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