DPS Snapshots with Special Guest Emma Calkins - District Updates for Nov. 1

The Denver Public Schools Podcast

1. Read your whole ballot

Tuesday is election day, so make sure you get out and vote!

This year’s ballot is the longest in Denver history. Resist the urge to skim or skip sections! Every item matters.

Keep an eye out for ballot measure 4A - it will be near the end of your ballot. It asks Denver voters to approve the passage of a 975 million dollar bond investment for Denver Public Schools. If approved, the bond proposal will NOT increase property taxes. This bond will provide capital improvement projects, including air conditioning, critical maintenance, safety and technology upgrades, and quality learning environment funding for students across the city.

Check out the link in the show notes to learn more about how ballot measure 4A would impact your school (here).

2. Prioritizing Attendance around the upcoming holiday breaks
As we transition near the holiday season, we want to take a moment to remind you of the importance of consistent school attendance. Regular attendance not only builds students’ ability to follow daily routines but also is important to their personal, social, academic and emotional development.

With the upcoming holiday breaks, we encourage you to plan family activities around our school calendar to ensure your child is present in school all day, every day. Each day of instruction is vital in helping our students meet their educational goals and maintain their learning progress. Make-up work does not fully help students recover missed instruction, and one student’s absence affects classmates’ progress due to the collaborative nature of learning.

We’re linking the 2024-25 school year calendar in the show notes. Make sure to plan appointments and travel around the following breaks:

November Break: Nov. 25-29

December Break: Dec. 23, 2024-Jan. 6, 2025

3. Share your voice with DPS

DPS wants to hear from families about how we can better serve your students! The window to complete the “Your Voice/Tu Voz” has been extended to Friday, November 8. This survey is very important for both individual schools and for the district overall. The more family opinions and experiences we learn about, the more accurate our data is, enabling school and district leaders to make informed decisions.

Take a few minutes to complete the survey linked (here).

4. Honoring Dia de los Muertos

Throughout October, DPS students and staff have been setting up ofrendas at their schools to celebrate Dia de los Muertos. These alters honor loved ones with photos, cherished mementos and colorful marigolds. Ofrendas give students the opportunity to connect with Mexican heritage and reflect on the importance of remembrance.

Montclair School of Academics and Enrichment celebrated Dia de los Muertos with ofrendas, delicious churros and music. You can check out a fun video of their celebration (here).

5. Celebrating pride and achievement at the LGBTQ+ Student Awards Banquet

October was also LGBTQ+ History Month, and DPS students from across the district celebrated at the LGBTQ+ Student Awards Banquet. The event featured student performances, delicious food and awards recognizing student accomplishments. The video linked is a great recap of the banquet - check it out to hear the perspectives of students who attended!