Teacher Weekly
Nov. 29, 2023
Help Amplify Family Voice
Dear Educators,

I hope that you all enjoyed your Thanksgiving break and were able to take time away from your daily routines to reconnect with yourselves, your loved ones and whatever you are grateful for. I would like to express my own gratitude for your incredible support in gathering the voices of our families through the ”Your Voice/Tu Voz” survey.

Ensuring the voices of our families are well represented is integral to our commitment to elevate the role of the community in shaping DPS for the future.

Any families who have not yet completed the survey can still do so through 11:59 p.m. this Friday, Dec. 1! Families who complete the survey are entered to win one of 10 $20 King Soopers gift cards. More information is available here.

Family participation in this survey helps us get feedback on what’s going well and what improvements can be made. Thank you for your commitment to deepening how we engage to encourage greater dialogue among our entire DPS community.

Respectfully,

Dr. Tony Smith
Deputy Superintendent
DPS Academics Vision for High-Quality Instructional Materials: Draft Review

The Academics department is seeking feedback on the vision for High-Quality Instructional Materials (HQIM) across DPS. Teachers can provide insight in strengthening the DPS vision for high-quality instructional materials and enhancing the student experience. The survey is open now through Friday, Dec. 15. 

Review the DPS High-Quality Instructional Materials informational deck and share feedback in the Thought Exchange survey.
This Week's Top 5 Things to Know
Colorado Open Records Act and Employees
Denver Public Schools has a new and improved way for any member of the public to request documents through the Colorado Open Records Act (CORA). Anyone can request public documents by going to the CORA webpage and clicking on the “Request Public Information” button to fill out a short form. 

The CORA email address has changed as well. DPS employees who have been asked to provide records as part of a CORA request will receive an email from [email protected]. Requests should not interfere with regular work activities but should be made a priority as the district only has three business days to respond to an open CORA request.

Additional information about CORA and district employees' responsibilities and training can be found on The Commons.
Access the New Emergency Preparedness Manual Online
The Climate & Safety team released a new digital version of the Emergency Preparedness Manual. The new online version allows access from anywhere at any time and empowers all team members to navigate emergency preparedness protocols more effectively. For even quicker access, we recommend bookmarking the manual on all of your devices.
Earn Extra Pay This Spring Teaching A Concurrent Enrollment EdConnect Course
Are you a CCD-credentialed instructor able to teach EDU or LIT courses? The Career & College Success team is seeking DPS adjunct instructors interested in teaching an education concurrent enrollment course during spring 2024. The DPS EdConnect program is hosting two centralized EDU courses open to students in all our district high schools. This opportunity supports our DPS students who are interested in becoming the educators of the future! The students gain access to free college credits, saving time and money on their path toward becoming a teacher. The course would be in addition to your regular course load and paid at the extra pay rate. Please email Tara Schneider and Jaylen Spires with interest and questions.
Provide Ongoing Feedback on Youth Violence Prevention Work in DPS by Dec. 8
Youth Violence Prevention work continues to move forward. See responses to the feedback that was provided by our community here last month. Want to join in on these ongoing conversations and help inform our next steps of Youth Violence Prevention in DPS? Participate in this month’s ThoughtExchange focused on school climate and culture. Complete the feedback form by Friday, Dec. 8.
Elementary Curriculum Review Committee Opportunity
The Humanities team will be reviewing proposals for new curricular resources (K-5 Literacy Intervention and 4th/5th Core Literacy Instruction) during November and December. Review committees composed of teachers and leaders will meet to review submissions virtually, after school hours. School-based committee members will receive extra duty pay for all activities related to the review. If you are interested in applying to participate in the review committees, please complete this form.
Additional Resources and Information
Additional resources and opportunities can be found here.
  • Final Reminder: Applications for the Climate Champions Grant Program Are Due Dec. 1

  • Become a Computer Science Champion

  • Services and Support to Individuals, Groups or Teams

  • Save a Tree, Print Responsibly

  • November Resources From Discovery Education

  • Inspiring Classrooms, Unleashing the Transformative Power of Storytelling for Teachers
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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].