DPS Snapshots with Natalie Brigham - Aug. 23

The Denver Public Schools Podcast

1. This Year’s BESS Screen is Open

DPS uses a survey system called the Behavior & Emotional Screening System, or BESS, to identify and match students with appropriate tiers of intervention. This survey supports school teams in knowing how and when to intervene when student safety or mental health concerns arise.

Guardians, Students and teachers alike are required to participate twice a year, once at the beginning of the year and once at the end of the year, and there is an optional window in the middle of the year.

The Beginning of the Year screening window for parents and caregivers began on Monday, Aug. 12, and the student and teacher form window will open on Sept. 23. The window for all forms will close in October.

The window to complete the End of the Year BESS should begin in March.

2. New Messaging Platform

DPS has switched to a new messaging platform, called Thrillshare by Apptegy! Here’s what you need to know:

All messages will be delivered in families’ preferred languages, as noted in Infinite Campus. If you would like to change the language you are receiving communications in, please update your profile in the Parent Portal.

In most cases, school communications will now be delivered from [e-mail]. Please add this recipient to your contact list or monitor your Spam/Junk folder to ensure you are receiving new communications. Some schools have a front office email address. In that situation, school communications will be delivered from that specific email address.

This one is hugely important: if you “opt-out” of receiving communications at any point during the school year, you will be unsubscribed from all school and District communication and alerts, including emergency communications. For this reason, we highly discourage families from opting out of communications.

Students in 9th grade or higher can subscribe to receive school messages directly, but per DPS policy, guardians are required to receive the same messages as their students. Communications will not be sent to students only.

3. Early Release Heat Days

Schools may face extreme heat in buildings with limited or no air conditioning. To prioritize the safety and well-being of students and staff, DPS may implement Early-Release Heat Days if indoor temperatures become unsafe in schools without air conditioning. In such cases, the decision will be communicated by 5 p.m. the day prior, with notices posted online and through email and robo-calls. On Early-Release Heat Days, modified bus routes will be provided, but parents can choose to pick up their children directly from school at the designated release time. If you have questions about Early-Release Heat Days, contact your school.

4. Upcoming 2024 Bond Package

Last Thursday, the DPS Board of Education unanimously approved a $975 million dollar bond package for DPS! In November, Denver voters will be asked to vote on whether or not to approve the package of proposed funding for our schools.

Here’s a quick rundown on the bond:

This bond package will NOT increase taxes for Denverites.

The bond will include funding for critical maintenance needs, arts, athletics, and innovation, new facilities, improved learning environments, and safety and technology upgrades.

At this time 29 DPS schools are without air conditioning and this package would help those schools receive the funding necessary to cool their schools!

For more information visit ourwordourbonddps.org.

5. New Newcomer Center

DPS is excited to announce the opening of Newlon Elementary School’s Newcomer Center. Newlon will serve ELA-E and ELA-S Newcomers who reside within their boundary.