Last month, the College and Career Success team hosted the 15th Annual Eighth Grade Career Fair. The event was a touchdown success! DPS partnered with the Denver Broncos Foundation to host the event at Empower Field, home of the Denver Broncos. 

This amazing event gave eighth graders from across the district a chance to explore a wide range of careers and college paths, meet with professionals from diverse fields and get hands-on experience. Students discovered opportunities for their futures all while enjoying the atmosphere of a pro-football stadium!

Don’t miss the recap video of this unforgettable day!

In the latest Marrero Moment episode, Dr. Patricia Hurrieta of the Latine Student Success Team and Michael Atkins, Director of the Black Student Success Team, share their insights on supporting students and creating pathways to success. 

Tune in for an inspiring conversation about fostering inclusion, empowering students and making a lasting impact on the student experience at DPS.

The DPS Planning, Design and Construction (PDC) team worked tirelessly over the last four years to deliver the promises of the 2020 bond, which provided $795 million for our schools. Whether PDC was busy installing cooling in historic buildings, building adaptive playgrounds for students with disabilities or renovating athletic facilities, one thing is certain: the promises made were promises kept! 

Watch a guided tour led by PDC Executive Director, Troy “Mr. T” Garner, of the accomplishments of the last four years of bond construction. What an incredible journey it has been -- thank you, Denver voters, for your investment in public education!

Sign up for the Our Word Is Our Bond newsletter today to receive bond updates directly to your inbox every quarter. This newsletter provides updates on all things related to bond-funded construction at DPS and will serve as a crucial tool for community members to understand the rollout of the newly approved 2024 bond-funded projects.

Tasty Food sites will be open during Winter Break to provide free meals and/or snacks for youth ages 3-18. This critical resource helps families when schools are closed during annual breaks. No registration or ID is required. Find a location near you. *This institution is an equal opportunity provider. 

Please note:

• All Tasty Food sites will be closed Dec. 24-25 and Dec. 31-Jan. 1 in observance of the holidays.

• Regular operations will continue on all other days during Winter Break.

The DPS Student-athletes of the Week highlights students who excel not only in their chosen activity but also in academics, leadership, sportsmanship, citizenship and teamwork.  Congratulations to our student-athletes of the week, Dai Trevizo-Zubiate and Jessy Mateo-Luna. Keep up the great work!

DPS College and Career Success: Tuesday, Dec. 10, 5:30-6:30 p.m.

• Register or join the Facebook livestream. This session will provide an overview of services offered by the DPS Career and College Success Department and an overview of the Financial Aid process including the FAFSA and CASFA application. A Q&A session for families, staff and the community will also be provided. 

Family Leadership Programs

• Round 2 of the Family Leadership program launches in January 2025! Pre-register by completing this interest form.

Join us for the Multilingual Education District Advisory Committee (MLE DAC) on Wednesday, Dec. 11 from 9-11 a.m., at the DoubleTree Hotel located at 3203 Quebec St. This month, our conversation will be on Parent’s Legal Rights and SchoolChoice. Breakfast and interpretation services will be provided. View the event flyers in your preferred language. Attendees are encouraged to complete this form to pre-register. For more information, visit the MLE website or contact Olga Olivas at 720-423-3058.

Join us Wednesday, Dec. 18 at noon for an educational workshop presented by experienced Judi’s House grief counselors. This session is intended for parents, guardians and adult community members who want to learn how to best support grieving families. This presentation will increase understanding of what grief is and how it can look in youth. Adults will walk away with ideas for how to support grieving families including what to say and how to best offer support. Spanish interpretation will be available. Register via Zoom.

Starting Dec. 2, the City and County of Denver expanded the free Denver Connector service into the Southwest part of the city. The new west Connector service area includes the neighborhoods of Villa Park and portions of Sun Valley, Westwood, Athmar Park, Ruby Hill and Valverde. The on-demand rideshare service operates Mondays through Fridays from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Download the app or call 720-905-4438 to request rides in English and Spanish. Current service areas include west Denver, Montbello/Gateway and Globeville/Elyria-Swansea. View the Denver Connector map for more information.

The Early Childhood Education (ECE) department hosted the AASA Early Education Learning Cohort National Conference in Denver, Nov. 13-15. The American Association of School Administrators (AASA) develops and supports school system leaders through the national exchange of ideas, access to professional learning, publications, and resources and opportunities to champion initiatives to help transform the future of public education. There were school superintendents and directors from 16 states in attendance.

For more information, read the AASA Newsletter. We are thankful for the principals at our four Early Education Centers, who impressed attendees as they showcased their high-quality education classrooms.