Dear Educators,
For our students to ascend toward their full potential, we must first secure their foundation by ensuring they feel safe, welcome and present in our schools. Addressing the mental health and social-emotional needs of our students is critical to ensuring their well-being and healthy development, their access to safe and welcoming schools, and their ability to engage with grade-level texts and tasks.
Universal mental health screening is a proactive and systematic way to determine appropriate support for each student. For the 2023-24 school year, our goal is for all eligible DPS students to be screened for mental health risk using two forms (parent/caregiver, teacher and/or student self-report form) of the BESS during three screening windows: Beginning, middle and end of the year. This week marks the opening of the beginning of the year screening window, which closes Oct. 13.
This districtwide initiative allows all DPS schools to intervene early and appropriately to meet student mental health and social-emotional needs. For all information on the BESS, including guidance documents, training opportunities and Mental Health Coordinators' contact information, please explore the BESS tab of the Department of Mental Health site.
Dr. Tony Smith
Deputy Superintendent
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Complete Annual Mandatory Training in Learning Space |
All members of Team DPS are required to complete the following mandatory trainings in Learning Space for the 2023-24 school year:
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Mandatory Reporter Training: This is a required, annual training for all DPS employees to understand their reporting obligations when it comes to protecting children from abuse and/or neglect. This training must be completed by Oct. 16.
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Privacy and Protection of Confidential Student Information Training: This is a required, annual training for all DPS employees to learn about laws that dictate how student data can be used and shared, along with district requirements that protect employees and the confidential information of DPS students. This training must be completed by Oct. 31.
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Emergency Management Training: This is a required, annual training for all DPS employees to gain an understanding of the Emergency Management Cycle and how you can take action to help the Climate and Safety Department. This training must be completed by Oct. 31.
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This Week's Top 5 Things to Know |
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ICYMI: Read the DPS 2022-23 Annual District Report |
Earlier this week, we launched our District Annual Report. This report reflects the tireless dedication of our educators, team members, students, parents and community. Because we value transparency, accountability and progress, this report updates our Strategic Roadmap and helps us understand our journey, recognizing our accomplishments and identifying areas for growth.
The report showcases the key initiatives of the past year, significant milestones and our future direction. It provides a comprehensive overview of our progress, emphasizing our strides in various areas, especially in improving the Student, Adult and System Experiences outlined in our Strategic Roadmap.
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Registration Reminder for Sept. 22 Professional Learning |
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Registration is available now for all Sept. 22 professional learning sessions. Details can be found in the District PL Session guide. Note: Registration closes at midnight tonight, Sept. 20. You must be registered in Learning Space to receive credit. If you have questions, email [email protected].
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Complete Student Learning Objectives by Sept. 29 |
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The deadline for teachers to complete Student Learning Objectives (SLOs) is Friday, Sept. 29. SSPs and other educators with limited student contact time (1-3 days a week) can submit by Oct. 31. We highly recommend taking the Schoology SLO 101 course (use access code: K2SV9-H5429).
Please see the SLO one-pager to preview the SLO process. The school’s SLO lead will be able to support you throughout the process. Please see the SLO Handbook or visit the SLO page on The Commons for more information. If you have questions, email [email protected].
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Provide Your Feedback on Schoology |
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The current contract with our Learning Management System, Schoology, is up for review. This process could serve as an opportunity to find a solution to better fit DPS needs and as such, we are requesting your feedback. Please fill out this survey on Schoology.
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Apply to the Climate Champions Grant Program |
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The Climate Champions Grant Program provides funding to help DPS students implement climate action projects in their schools during this upcoming school year. This program intends to engage DPS students in real-world problem-solving, leadership development and Project Based Learning that will allow for innovative and creative solutions to climate change.
This is a new program in partnership with the DPS Sustainability Team and Denver, and $225,000 is available to fund multiple projects. Projects must be between $1,000-$25,000. We invite DPS student-led project teams to apply for funding by Dec. 1.
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Additional Resources and Information |
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Click here to learn about these resources and opportunities.
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- Share Multilingual Learners Tutoring Program
- Internal Pathways and Development
- Student Perceptions Surveys Begin Oct. 11
- ISA Identification Forms are Due Sept. 27
- Teacher Resource Giveaway
- The Ombuds Office is Available to Support You and Your School
- Apply to Participate in the Elementary ELD Curriculum Adoption Committee
- Early Access for Kindergarten
- Encourage Students to Apply for the PayBack Challenge Scholarship
- 2023 Educator and Advocate Award Nominations Now Open
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Denver Public Schools sends all district newsletters and critical employee communications through Constant Contact. Please do not unsubscribe your DPS email address from any message; if you unsubscribe from one newsletter or one communication, you will be removed from all other district-managed email lists in Constant Contact. If you have any questions, please email [email protected].
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