Hamilton Middle School students present their Black History Research projects.
See how other schools are engaging in Black History Month below!
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Black History Month Celebrations from Across DPS |
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February is Black History Month, a time when the nation reflects on and pays tribute to the generations of African Americans who fought with adversity to achieve full citizenship in American society. Thank you to the team members who shared how their students are honoring Black History Month this year!
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4. “To celebrate on a whole school level, we are inviting all students to either draw or write a piece that celebrates Black history. Students can draw a picture of a Black American they admire, they can write a book review of a story featuring Black characters, or write an opinion piece on a historical event that impacted the Black community. We will have homeroom teachers collect their pieces and then display the work in the school lobby.” -- Jaquita Hurst, Brown International
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3. “At Hamilton Middle School, we are so proud of our MI students! They worked very hard on their Black History Research projects, writing processes, and did oral presentations too.”
-- Natalie Anderson-Place, Hamilton
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2. “We explored why we focus on Black History Month and our second-graders were talking about how not only people, but governments and schools can be racist too. Our introduction allowed the kids to express their thoughts of an image from a lunch counter sit-in. They all said, ‘Black Lives Matter!’” -- Kate Tynan-Ridgeway, Palmer Elementary
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1. “Our third-graders attended a virtual concert in tribute to Black History Month featuring SF1 and Cleo Parker Dance. The performance explored culture through movement and music, and included an interactive live chat where students could submit questions and comments during the show.” -- Kristin McCandless, Gust Elementary
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Top 5 Callout: Random Acts of Kindness |
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Did you know today is Random Acts of Kindness Day? In honor of this celebration, we want to hear your stories of kindness! Have you been on the giving or receiving end of a random act of kindness recently? Share your response through this form for a feature in next week’s edition!
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Register for Upcoming DPSSkills Workshops |
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The DPSSkills Program offers a variety of workshops designed to support all members of Team DPS in focusing on your personal and professional development while sharing experiences with teammates from across DPS.
Upcoming 2021-22 workshops include:
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Disrupting Bias: March 2
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Bias 2.0: March 16
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Micro-Aggressions: Feb. 23 and March 21
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Radical Self Care: Feb. 28
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LGBTQ+: March 7
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Radical Self Care and Racialized Trauma: March 14
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Navigating Change: March 23
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Exploring Privilege: April 6 and May 4
Note: All workshops are held virtually from 1-4 p.m. For more information and to register for an upcoming workshop, visit the DPSSkills page on The Commons.
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ICYMI: DPS Staff Invited to Join the Healthy Start Times Options Webinar |
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As we shared earlier this week, all DPS team members are invited to join the Healthy Start Times webinar, created specifically for DPS staff, from 4-5 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 22, to learn more about the three Healthy Start Times options and ask questions. Team members from our Schools, Operations and Extended Learning teams will be available to share more information and answer questions. Please mark you calendar, and use this link to join!
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Know your Benefits: Mental Health Coverage |
We care about your well-being and recognize that this past year has been difficult for everyone on Team DPS. We offer benefits for you and your family to access to support your mental health and well-being.
Employee Assistance Program (EAP): Our EAP is a confidential, no-cost service that is available 24/7 to all DPS employees and their immediate families. Plan for life events, find resources for personal issues, or get help for managing daily life. Learn more on the EAP page on The Commons. Our EAP also provides a free-to-use COVID-related toolkit.
Mental and Emotional Health Services: Aetna and Kaiser Permanente both offer supportive services within their networks. Both also have developed specific COVID services.
Considering your mental and emotional health options is important when choosing your insurance package! With Open Enrollment coming up April 18-May 6, we want you to feel prepared to make the best decisions for your needs. Review all your options and prepare for Open Enrollment by visiting thecommons.dpsk12.org/openenrollment. Note: Every benefit eligible employee must enroll or waive benefits, regardless of what they elected last year.
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Sign Up for Free Arabic Lessons! |
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The Multilingual Education Team is offering free Arabic lessons for Team DPS starting in March. Join MLE on Wednesdays or Thursdays from 4:30-5:30 p.m. at the Emily Griffith Campus. Space is limited, so sign up today! Questions? Contact Andre Amoor.
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Join the African American Young Ladies Summit this Weekend |
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The African American Young Ladies (AAYLS) Summit is this week! Join AAYLS from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Friday, Feb. 18 for the Black Money Matters and Black Minds Matter event, and the community session from 6-8 p.m. All are welcome to attend -- people of color, males and allies. The movement and yoga event will be held from 8:30 a.m.-noon on Saturday, Feb. 19. Schools and groups can register here, and community session registration is available here.
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Applications Open for the Asian Education Advisory Council Annual Awards |
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The DPS Asian Education Advisory Council (AEAC) is currently accepting applications for their annual AEAC Awards. This is a great opportunity for Asian students to be recognized by their schools and teachers, and scholarship opportunities are available for students who apply. Please share this opportunity with your team and encourage them to nominate students for these awards. If you have additional questions, contact Priscilla Shaw.
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Brown Bag Research Presentation: Early Childhood Education, Giftedness and Students of Color |
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Early Childhood Education, Giftedness and Students of Color, a study conducted by Stephanie Peralta, examines general early childhood educator knowledge and perceptions of curricula relevant for early childhood gifted students of color. The DPS Research Review Board invites Team DPS to attend a brown bag presentation of research conducted in DPS on Feb. 23 from noon-1 p.m. via Zoom (recordings will be posted on The Commons. )
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Dana Cabonor
Senior Executive Secretary,
Department of Technology Services
Collaboration and Fun
"Dana is a shiny bright star in the DPS community. She always has a smile on her face and is a welcoming presence to all who are lucky enough to come in contact with her. She demonstrates Collaboration by always lending a helping hand when assistance is needed. She also knows all things DPS and is the go-to person for many of her colleagues. She most recently created a Fun and incredibly helpful Sources of Strength campaign on the seventh floor of the Emily Griffith Campus, which encourages employees to recognize the aspects of their lives that they are grateful for. Dana is the absolute best."
-- Leah Raffa and Haley Figureoa, Prevention Services
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Denver Public Schools sends all district newsletters and critical employee communications through Constant Contact. Please do not unsubscribe your dpsk12.org 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 newsletters@dpsk12.org.
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