February 2026

10^th-12^th graders interested in pursuing the Seal of Climate Literacy this year must complete the Intent to Apply& Project Pre-Approval form by April 1. 

Projects must be finished and approved by adults before the May 1 student application deadline. Reach out to Abigail_Harkey@dpsk12.net with questions or to request support.

Schools across DPS participated in Walk and Bike to School Day on Oct. 8. If you missed out, there is still time to start planning for the next one on Wednesday, May 6.

For more information on how to organize an event at your school, check out resources from Walk and Bike to School Colorado. Looking for inspiration? Hear from Amy C., a parent at Isabella Bird Community School:

“We started in October 2022 with 5 families (~13 people) walking to school together from a pocket park a few blocks away. Participation has grown each year, and this morning we had over 30 families (80+ people) that met up at a neighborhood park 1 mile from school to roll to school together. It's such a joyous, community-filled way to start the day!”

In November students from across DPS and the Front Range gathered at the third annual Youth Unity Rising Summit, co-hosted by Colorado Rising for Communities, the Denver Indian Center, DPS Sustainability, and partners. Youth shared stories and visions for climate justice and healing, strengthened community connections, and honored the importance of Indigenous stewardship in caring for the Earth and future generations. The event featured over 125 youth, 23 schools, 10 youth speakers, and 16 youth facilitators.

Interested in participating in the next district-wide sustainability event? In the next few weeks, schools across DPS will be hosting mini environmental film screenings with films provided by the Colorado Environmental Film Festival. Let us know if you want to get involved in this exciting opportunity!

We are excited to share the new DPS Sustainable Landscapes Manual! This manual provides best practices and templates for creating beautiful, sustainable, and resilient landscapes at our schools that are suited to our region. Available to all, we will use the manual to inform landscape projects across the district. The manual is also available in Spanish.

The Sustainability Team is here to support students and educators with sustainability and climate action. Learn more below, and email us if you’d like support getting started.

Earth Day will be here before we know it, and we are excited to see the projects our schools and students are dreaming up! To ensure all projects are safe and sustainable, please keep the following requirements in mind:

The DPS Earth Rangers are the middle school branch of Denver Students for Climate Action. The group advocates for environmentally conscious policies and heat pumps in DPS. Join Earth Rangers, DPS Students for Climate Action, or your school’s sustainability club to get involved with local climate action!

Students, staff, and neighbors came together at Marie L. Greenwood Academy to plant a vibrant pocket forest—a dense, fast-growing mini ecosystem designed to boost biodiversity, clean the air, and inspire the next generation of environmental stewards. Learn more about the project:

DPS is two years into its Climate Action Plan, and we want you to know about the progress we’re making toward reaching DPS' climate action goals! This past year brought major strides—from building solar classrooms, growing school gardens, and earning eco-certifications—and the best part is students were at the center of it all. Check out the video below to get inspired and get involved.