Dear DPS Community,
Hispanic Heritage Month starts today! From Sept. 15-Oct. 15, we celebrate the many generations of Hispanic Americans who enrich our nation and make significant contributions to our society and communities.
You might hear the terms Hispanic and Latino used interchangeably. Hispanic describes someone from a Spanish-speaking country. Latino, Latina, Latine and Latinx refer to people of Latin American origin. Because our schools are filled with various cultures, Hispanic Heritage Month in DPS celebrates students and staff with roots in countries where Spanish is the primary language. Here at DPS, 52% of our students and over 35% of our staff identify as Hispanic or Latino, making them the largest population of color that the district serves and employs!
As we honor this month, we recognize the ongoing work of the Latine Student Success (LSS) team. Based on the research of “La Raza Report,” this team focuses on the academic success of our Latine students and the experiences of our Latine students, families and staff. “La Raza Report” served as a wake-up call, highlighting systemic challenges and disparities facing the Latine community. LSS took these findings to heart, embarking on a mission to not just address the symptoms, but to create lasting, systemic change.
Working hand-in-hand with their Advisory Council, LSS established five ambitious, long-term outcomes to guide their work over the next several years. These goals are interconnected, designed to create a holistic and supportive ecosystem for students, families and educators.
Academic Excellence for Our Youngest Learners: LSS is committed to ensuring that 80% of our K-3 students achieve grade-level expectations within two school years. This foundational goal focuses on early literacy and numeracy, setting our students on a path for lifelong success.
Safe and Welcoming School Environments: DPS schools must be a place where every child feels seen, valued and safe. LSS is dedicating resources to creating environments that are not only free from harm but are also nurturing and welcoming to all students and their families.
Cultivating and Retaining Latine Leaders: To better serve our Latine students, we must have leaders and teachers who reflect their rich cultural background. LSS aims to retain and increase the number of Latine leaders and teachers, creating a more representative and understanding educational community.
Empowering Families as Partners: LSS believes that families are students’ first and most important teachers. LSS is committed to supporting school leaders as they create family empowerment plans that are centered on academic success while also celebrating and honoring the rich diversity of our students' cultures.
A Coordinated and Unified Approach: By working together towards these shared outcomes, we can leverage our collective strength to create a brighter future for the Latine community.
LSS is excited about the journey ahead and invites you to join them in this critical work. These aren't just goals on paper; they are a promise to DPS students, families and community. You can learn more about the research and the work at dpsk12.org/laraza.
There is much to explore and learn about when it comes to Hispanic history, culture and traditions. I invite you to join other members of the DPS community in celebrations happening at schools and across Denver. Stay tuned to the DPS social media pages and Our DPS Weekly for Hispanic Heritage Month features of students and staff through Oct. 15.
In collaboration,
Dr. Alex Marrero
Superintendent