1. Celebrating SPF Ratings 

On 9/3, the Colorado Department of Education released its annual District Performance Framework (DPFs) and School Performance Framework (SPFs) reports. 

For the second time in history, Denver Public Schools’ preliminary district rating is Accredited! This rating is most commonly known as “green.” It’s one of the highest rankings a district can receive! We’re proud to announce, 98 DPS schools were rated as “green”. 11 schools improved from their 2024 rating into the “green” performance status.

To celebrate, team DPS visited Bear Valley Middle School in southwest Denver for a slimy celebration. To commemorate being green, members of the Bear Valley Middle School’s Student Council splashed the Superintendent with green slime. 

Head over to the DPS Instagram to watch a reel.

2. Attendance Awareness Month

September is Attendance Awareness Month! One critical component of ensuring the success of our DPS students  is identifying and removing barriers that keep our students from coming to school each day. When students are not at school, they not only miss out on valuable learning opportunities for the time they were absent, but they can experience long-term impacts that hinder their development in reading by third grade, achieving in middle school and graduating from high school. 

Please ensure your students are coming to school. learn more about attendance,  English & Spanish - Attendance One Pager.pdf 

3.  Colorado Teacher of the Year Finalist 

Congratulations to Mrs. Roman on being named a 2026 Colorado Teacher of the Year Finalist! 

Mrs. Roman was recognized for her unwavering commitment to access and equity in education and celebrated with her students, colleagues and special guests. Mrs. Roman received a $1,500 check, $500 to celebrate all teachers at Carson Elementary and a scholarship opportunity to pursue a master’s degree at the University of Salamanca in Spain! 

Video of the surprise visit to Ms. Roman’s class: https://youtube.com/watch?v=wOliJ_6Tyw4 

4. MLE DAC on Sept. 17

Wednesday, Sept. 17 at 5p.m. Multilingual Education (MLE) will host the District Advisory Committee (DAC) at Abraham Lincoln High School. Parents will learn about our federal and MLE programs, attendance and much more! Dinner, childcare and interpretation will be available. Attendees are encouraged to pre-register by visiting the link in our show notes. Visit the MLE website. 

5.  Discount Days

Join team DPS at the Rockies vs. Angels series on Sept. 20 and 21 at Coors Field. A portion of your purchase supports the Denver Public Schools Foundation! Buy your tickets via the link in our shownotes!

You can also step into Bright Nights at Four Mile Historic Park and see the park in a new light! Save $4 with code BRIGHTDPS, a portion of every ticket benefits the DPS Foundation. This offer runs through Oct. 5 on Wednesday–Sunday evenings from 7-11 p.m. Buy tickets here Tickets !

That’s all for this week! Thanks for tuning in. 

1. Celebrating Attendance Growth Across DPS

Team DPS visited Legacy Options High School and Cheltenham Elementary to celebrate each school’s improvement in attendance! 

• Legacy Options High School improved their overall attendance from 78.19% to 83.17% for a total improvement of 4.98%. They also decreased chronic absenteeism from 73.68% to 64.49% for a total improvement of -9.20%!
• Cheltenham Elementary increased their overall attendance from 86.02% to 89.04% for a total improvement of 3.02%. They also decreased chronic absenteeism from 56.5% to 41.29% for a total improvement of -15.21%!

Legacy Options and Cheltenham are among 58 DPS district-run schools that made notable progress in improving attendance and reducing chronic absenteeism during the 2024-25 school year. 

2. Upcoming Board Engagement Sessions 

The Board of Education is hosting in-person community engagement sessions to gather feedback that will directly influence the Ends Policies for the 2025-26 school year and beyond. Please RSVP for the session you would like to attend. Childcare, light refreshments and interpretation services will be available at each meeting. 

Board District 2 (Southwest Denver) - Director Xóchitl Gaytán

Tuesday, Sept. 2 from 6-8 p.m., Board District 2 will host their meeting at Lincoln High with Director Xochitl Gaytan Both the English and Spanish are linked in our show notes. RSVP English | RSVP Spanish

Board District 4 (Far-Northeast Denver) - Director Michelle Quattlebaum

Wednesday, Sept. 10 from 6-8 p.m. Board District 4, will host their meeting at  Montbello High with Director Michelle Quattlebaum. Again both the English and Spanish RSVP are linked in our show notes. 

• RSVP English | RSVP Spanish

3.  CMAS and CoAlt Score Reports Now Available!

As a reminder, the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) posted final CMAS/CoAlt student score reports at the end of June. Paper copies were delivered to “tested” schools for distribution this fall.  To view your student’s score online, head to the link in our show notes for step-by-step instructions for accessing and interpreting your student's scores. 

4. Shaping Stronger Family-School Partnerships

DPS is partnering with Coaction Collective and the Family & Community Engagement (FACE) team to strengthen connections between families, schools and the community. A Family Engagement Survey is linked (in English and Spanish) and  will remain open until Sept. 26.

If you’d prefer to share your thoughts in conversation, join a virtual focus group happening Sept. 2-5. 

5.  Green Valley Elementary Celebrates 25 Years 

Green Valley Elementary is celebrating 25 years of serving the community this year. Families and students gathered at the School’s Back to School Night got to witness something special–the opening of the school’s original time capsule, sealed in 2000. What the video: https://youtu.be/mDr6LZm8tsM 

The Lesson Plan takes you inside the classrooms of Denver Public Schools to explore how better curriculum, stronger instruction, and intentional strategies are driving student success. Hosted by Nicole Brady, this podcast brings you candid conversations with district leaders, educators, and experts who are shaping the learning experience every day.

In our debut episode, Nicole sits down with Dr. Simone Wright, DPS Chief of Academics, for a high-level look at why high-quality instructional materials (HQIM) matter, how they’re transforming teaching and learning across the district, and what parents and families should know about the work happening behind the scenes.

From literacy and math to career pathways and the role of AI in classrooms, each episode will break down complex ideas into real stories of impact—showing how every student is supported to thrive.

The Lesson Plan is your guide to understanding how DPS is preparing students with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to write their own success stories.

1. DPS Special Education Advisory Committee (DSEAC) 2025-26 Applications Now Open

The DPS Special Education Department is seeking members for the 2025-26 Denver Special Education Advisory Committee (DSEAC)! This district-wide advisory group includes DPS parents, students, educators, administrators and community members dedicated to advancing special education programs and outcomes for students with disabilities. Applications are linked in our show notes and are open to all DPS community members until Sept. 12.

For questions, contact Dr. Charlie Merrow, DPS Director of Special Education.

2. Rooms 

In case you missed it, DPS recently launched our new two-way messaging feature, Rooms and the DPS app! This messaging feature allows caregivers and teachers to communicate directly. Here’s how to get started: 

1. Download the Denver Public Schools app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.
2. Once installed, open the app, then tap “Rooms,” then “Continue to sign in.”
3. Type in your guardian email address or phone number.
4. If you typed in your email address, tap “Log in with code.” If you typed in your phone number, you will automatically receive a code. Type this code in when prompted.
5. You will be prompted to select your preferred communication language.
6. You will be automatically signed into your students’ Rooms.
7. Still have questions about Rooms? Visit the Rooms FAQ page, linked in our show notes.

3.  Discovery Link ECE Rebrands to Little Links

​​Extended Learning and Community Schools (ELCS) has rebranded our before, after, mid-day and full day camp ECE programs to Little Links to better align to district and state teams. This rebrand will not impact the program offering as it is solely a name change. For more information, review this document and/or visit our website.

4. Find Out-of-School Time Programs

Have you heard of the Denver Afterschool Alliance’s Youth Program Locator? It’s a free tool to help families find programs and resources across Denver that fit their needs. You can search for programs and filter by age, cost, location, or type of activity, to find options that work for your students. This tool connects families to both options at school sites like Discovery Link, and also connects families to broader community services and resources that support health, wellness and learning. The program locator is linked in our shownotes

5.  First Day of School

Denver Public Schools kicked off the 2025-26 school year with a joyful celebration at Columbine Elementary, where students, families and staff came together to welcome new and returning students. From there, the Back-to-School Tour continued across the district, with visits to Cole Arts and Science Academy, DSST Cole (DSST Charter School), Beach Court Elementary, Edison Elementary, Bryant-Webster Dual Language School, Colfax Elementary and finishing at Summit Academy. 

You can watch all the excitement by visiting the link in our show notes. 

That’s all the news we’ve got for you this week! 

Do you like what you’re hearing? First, thank you so much. Seco

1. DPS App & Rooms
We’re excited to announce the launch of Rooms, our new two-way messaging feature, fully integrated into the official DPS app. You no longer need multiple accounts or apps to stay informed about your child’s school and district updates. Rooms allows you to receive important announcements, communicate with teachers, and keep track of coursework all in one convenient location.

Search for “Denver Public Schools” in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.

2. 2025–26 Guidance for Submitting Interpretation and Translation Requests
To better serve our multilingual community, the updated DPS Interpretation and Translation Guidance is now available on the Multilingual Communications page on The Commons. You can also review the Work Type Billing Rules for more details on how translation and interpretation requests are processed.

Before submitting documents for translation, please make sure your files are fully accessible:

• For Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides, use the Grackle accessibility checker
• For PDFs, see Adobe’s accessibility guide

Update your document’s share settings to allow the DPS Translation team access. Beginning Nov. 1, non-accessible documents will be returned for revision before work can proceed.

Additional resources on creating can be found on the Accessibility page. 

3. Support Suicide Prevention – Second Wind Walk/Run on Sept. 21
Join Team DPS for the 24th Annual Second Wind Fund Walk/Run on Sunday, Sept. 21! This event raises awareness and funds to help remove financial and social barriers to youth mental health treatment.

Ways to participate:

• Register to walk or run
• Donate to support suicide prevention and Team DPS
• Invite people to join

4. Introducing Intelligence Bank: The New DPS and School Brand Portal
We’ve launched Intelligence Bank, our new Brand Portal and Digital Asset Management System. This platform replaces the old photo library and now houses all district and school brand resources in one place.

You’ll find:

• Brand snapshots
• Logos, colors, and fonts
• Accessible templates
• Photos and icons

DPS staff can log in at dps.intelligencebank.com using their dpsk12.net credentials. For assistance, email [email protected].

5. 2025–26 District Maps Now Available
The new 2025–26 district maps are now live! Use them to find school addresses and locations across DPS. Maps are available digitally via Google Maps, as downloadable PDFs, and in accessible formats.

Why All These Updates? Accessibility Matters
In June 2021, Colorado passed House Bill 21-1110, which strengthens state discrimination laws for people with disabilities and requires that all digital content from local governments, including school districts, be fully accessible. DPS is committed to ensuring every student, staff member, and family can access our resources.

En este episodio, profundizamos en el Preescolar Universal (UPK) y exploramos cómo está marcando la diferencia para las familias de Denver. También destacamos cómo el Programa de Verano de la Biblioteca Pública de Denver hizo posible esta conversación gracias a su generoso patrocinio. 📚✨

No se pierdan esta interesante charla sobre aprendizaje temprano, colaboraciones comunitarias y el papel de las bibliotecas en el apoyo a los jóvenes estudiantes.

Visiten el sitio web de la Biblioteca Pública de Denver para obtener más información sobre su programa de lectura de verano: summerofadventure.org

In this episode, we dive into Universal Preschool (UPK) and explore how it’s making a difference for families across Denver. We also highlight how the Denver Public Library’s Summer Program helped make this conversation possible through their generous sponsorship. 📚✨

Don’t miss this engaging discussion about early learning, community partnerships, and the role of libraries in supporting young scholars.

Visit the Denver Public Library website for more information on their summer reading program. summerofadventure.org

In this special episode, proudly sponsored by the Denver Public Library, we welcome Cat Lovejoy, bilingual community connector with the Denver Children's Advocacy Center. Together, we dive into one of the most pressing issues facing youth today: teen stress. From social media pressures to identity development and peer relationships, we explore what’s really going on inside the minds of teens, and how we can help.

Cat shares practical insights on building resilience, supporting emotional growth, and the importance of real-life interactions in a digital world.

📚 Don’t forget to check out Summer of Adventure at summerofadventure.org, a free program to help kids and teens read, make, and explore all summer long.

🎒 Free goodies, sports tickets, and more await.

Tune in, learn, and grow with us.

En este episodio especial, orgullosamente patrocinado por la Biblioteca Pública de Denver, le damos la bienvenida a Cat Lovejoy, conectora comunitaria bilingüe del Centro de Defensa Infantil de Denver. Juntos, profundizamos en uno de los problemas más urgentes que enfrentan los jóvenes hoy en día: el estrés adolescente. Desde la presión de las redes sociales hasta el desarrollo de la identidad y las relaciones con los compañeros, exploramos qué sucede realmente en la mente de los adolescentes y cómo podemos ayudarlos.

Cat comparte ideas prácticas sobre cómo desarrollar la resiliencia, apoyar el crecimiento emocional y la importancia de las interacciones en la vida real en un mundo digital.

📚 No olviden visitar Summer of Adventure en summerofadventure.org, un programa gratuito para ayudar a niños y adolescentes a leer, crear y explorar durante todo el verano.

🎒 Les esperan regalos, entradas para eventos deportivos y mucho más.

Sintonícennos, aprendan y crezcan con nosotros.

Black Voices in Color – Mentorship
In this episode of Black Voices in Color, we explore the power of mentorship, who counts as a mentor, why we need them, and how they help shape our personal and professional growth. From broken chargers to spiritual guidance, from TikTok breaks to real-life role models, this episode is full of laughs, reflection, and real talk.

Produced by Denver Public Schools, this podcast centers Black identity, culture, and excellence—straight from the voices of Black students in our district.

Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe to support Black Voices in Color!

#Mentorship #StudentVoices #BlackExcellence #DPSVoices #GenZTalk #BlackVoicesInColor #Podca