Posted March 8, 2022
| Students Advocate for Disability Acceptance |
| Dear Team DPS, When it comes to building a truly diverse, equitable, and inclusive school district, I believe it’s essential to listen to the voices of those who have been marginalized, as a way to learn from and hopefully improve their experiences. That’s why I am so inspired by the powerful voices of our youth leader interns with the Denver Special Education Advisory Council, featured in this week’s video. As part of their ACE Connect internships, they have delivered a series of community learning experiences to educate their high school peers about both visible and invisible disabilities — with the ultimate goal of increasing acceptance of students with disabilities in DPS. |
| In October, DPS celebrates Disability Awareness Month. But when these dedicated students presented their work to the Denver Board of Education, they made the case that we should celebrate Disability Acceptance Month instead. Accepting others for who they are and the gifts they bring is central to being a safe and welcoming school district. And we are committed to doing everything we can to listen to and support these amazing students on their way to success both in school and beyond. In collaboration, Dr. Alex MarreroSuperintendent |
 Superintendent Dr. Alex Marrero met with members of the Special Olympics Colorado, including President, CEO Megan Screamin and Executive Vice President Chaka Sutton, pictured here. |
 Catch up with Superintendent Dr. Alex Marrero by following him on Instagram and Twitter, both @DrAlexMarrero! |
| DPS and Special Olympics Colorado Hosting the Polar Plunge Roulette Fundraiser Event |
 Special Olympics Colorado Unified Schools and DPS will be hosting a Polar Plunge Roulette Fundraiser at South High School from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. on Friday, March 25! Choose a captain for your school team and give yourself a fun team name — just scan the QR code to register. Once your team is registered, the captain will share a registration link students and teachers will use to register themselves for the event. If your school team raises $1,000 or more, 50% will go back to your Unified Champion School program, and if less than $1,000 is raised, 25% will go back to your Unified Champion School program. All proceeds from this event will go toward directly supporting Special Olympics Unified programming within DPS. For more information, email rbrady@specialolympicsco.org. |
| Declining Enrollment Advisory Committee Update |
| On Feb. 24, Superintendent Marrero presented an update to the board on the formation of the Declining Enrollment Advisory Committee. The selection process is now complete and the newly formed committee will begin its work March 9. The Declining Enrollment Advisory Committee will work to create recommendations on how the district should address ongoing declining enrollment, which impacts our ability to provide equitable, high-quality educational programs for our students. Superintendent Marrero will review the committee’s recommendations on criteria to identify, close or consolidate schools with significant declining enrollment. To view the full list of committee members, visit the Declining Enrollment webpage. |
| Cultural Moments: Women’s History Month |
 Throughout the month of March, DPS honors Women’s History Month, which celebrates the contributions women have made to the United States and recognizes the specific achievements women have made over the course of American history in a variety of fields, according to the official website.We are seeking shoutouts! Tell us about a woman in DPS who has made a positive impact on your life. Consider teachers, supervisors, bus drivers, office support — any woman in DPS you’d like to celebrate. Submit your shoutout by Friday, March 18 for consideration to be shared at the end of the month. To learn more about the history of the month and find celebration resources, click here. |
| Canva for Education Now Available to All DPS Students |
 All DPS students now have full access to Canva! Canva is a graphic design platform that allows users to create, collaborate, and communicate visually. With Canva for Education, students can create presentations, posters, infographics and more. Thousands of free, high-quality templates on any subject or topic are available to choose from, so students can use this tool to bring creativity into their learning. Learn more. |
| Attend the Denver March Powwow March 18-20 |
 The Denver March Powwow will be held in person this year from March 18-20 at the Denver Coliseum. Admission is free for kids 6 years old and under. For all others, tickets are available for purchase at the door for $7 per day. Last year, the event was held virtually, and DPS community members shared about their connections to the Denver March Powoww. The DPS Native American Culture & Education team will be providing Denver March Powwow passes to Native American Culture and Education students in DPS for free from 3-5 p.m. on Wednesday, March 16 at the Denver Indian Center. |