The Denver Public Schools Podcast

¿Cómo pueden las familias y los educadores apoyar mejor el bienestar mental de los jóvenes? En este episodio de Educa DPS, exploramos las realidades de la salud mental en la adolescencia, los desafíos que enfrentan los estudiantes cada día y las formas prácticas en que los adultos pueden crear entornos seguros y de apoyo donde los jóvenes puedan prosperar. La conversación aborda temas importantes...

How can families and educators better support the mental well-being of young people? In this episode of Educa DPS, we explore the realities of teen mental health, the challenges students face every day, and the practical ways adults can help create safe, supportive environments where young people can thrive. The conversation covers a wide range of topics, including stress, anxiety, trauma, social...

Behind the smiles, jokes, and social media posts, many students are silently struggling with their mental well-being. In this episode of Black Voices in Color , student hosts have an honest conversation about stress, anxiety, depression, social media, academic pressure, and the challenges many young people face every day. They share personal experiences, discuss how mental health impacts their liv...

What role do students and families play in shaping the future of their communities? In this episode of Educa DPS, we explore the importance of civic engagement, voting, and participating in the democratic process. From understanding how local elections work to learning how young people can get involved before they are eligible to vote, this conversation highlights why every voice matters. Listener...

¿Qué papel juegan los estudiantes y las familias en el futuro de sus comunidades? En este episodio de Educa DPS , exploramos la importancia de la participación cívica, el voto y el involucramiento en el proceso democrático. Desde comprender cómo funcionan las elecciones locales hasta descubrir cómo los jóvenes pueden participar antes de tener la edad suficiente para votar, esta conversación destac...

What happens when students are given a seat at the table? In this episode of Black Voices in Color, student hosts explore the power of student voice, leadership, and advocacy in Denver Public Schools. Through an engaging conversation about leadership development, civic engagement, and educational equity, students discuss how young people can move from identifying challenges to creating meaningful...

What does it take to achieve greatness on and off the field? In this special episode of the Marrero Moment, Denver Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Alex Marrero sits down with former Denver Broncos All-Pro safety Justin Simmons for an inspiring conversation about leadership, education, resilience, family, and community impact. Justin reflects on the lessons that shaped his journey from South Flor...

1. CMAS and CoAlt Family Portal Now Open Colorado Measures of Academic Success, or CMAS, score reports for the 2025–26 school year will be released online through the Colorado Department of education’s Family Portal.  On Friday, May 29: Initial student performance summaries will be accessible via the Family Portal .By June 15: Final, detailed performance results — including peer comparisons, stren...

In this powerful episode of DPS Stories, we sit down with Ken Connelly, a middle school educator at Kunsmiller Creative Arts Academy, children’s rights advocate, author, and survivor whose journey is unlike anything you’ve heard before. Ken opens up about surviving childhood abduction, growing up in poverty, dropping out of high school, discovering he was dyslexic at 37 years old, and ultimately b...

Go behind the scenes of how Denver Public Schools works in this episode of the DPS 101 Podcast. In Episode 6, host Nicole Brady sits down with Dr. Adella Arredondo, Executive Director of Family and Community Engagement, or FACE. FACE oversees a number of critical programs in DPS: from engaging families in their children's education, providing resources like food and ESL classes, fostering sch...

Our first story is a reminder that SchoolChoice Round 2 is still open@  1. SchoolChoice Round 2 is still open! If you missed Round 1 of SchoolChoice, changed your mind since Round 1, are new to Denver, or are an ECE-4 applicant who didn’t get matched through Colorado Universal Preschool (UPK), Round 2 is for you! Unlike Round 1, Round 2 applications are processed on a first-come, first-served basi...

In this episode of "The Lesson Plan" Dr. Samantha Haviland, DPS Executive Director of Career and College Success and Scott Burke, Director of Higher Education Learning join host Nicole Brady for a graduation season discussion on career and college preparation. Learn how college level and concurrent enrollment courses have led to a record number of DPS students receiving an associates deg...

Our first story is a big one: Redrawing Our District Equitably: School Boundary and Enrollment Zone Update  Redrawing Our District Equitably: School Boundary and Enrollment Zone Update All families deserve equitable access to the schools that are the best fit for their students. Denver’s changing population means that DPS must adapt to ensure every student has access to robust programming. The Red...

Go behind the scenes of how Denver Public Schools works in this episode of the DPS 101 Podcast. In Episode 5, host Nicole Brady sits down with Trena, Chief of Operations for Denver Public Schools. The Office of Operations oversees more than 2,000 employees in DPS departments including Climate and Safety, Transportation, Facilities, Sustainability, Technology Services, Planning, Design & Constr...

1. Uplifting Community Voice: New Collaborative School Committee (CSC) Impact Videos The  DPS Communications team and the Family & Community Engagement team, also known as FACE, created a series of Collaborative School Committee Impact Videos through interviews with school leaders, teachers, parents, students and community members. This project provides a first hand look at what it means to se...

1. Should Students Have Access to Communication Devices During School Hours? The DPS Board of Education is finalizing a new policy regarding students having access to communication devices (such as cellphones, headphones, smart watches, etc.) during school hours. As we prepare for implementation in July 2026, we are conducting a survey to understand the DPS community's current sentiment to en...

DPS Interim Deputy Superintendent of Operations Chuck Carpenter explains the Milll Levy Override Proposal DPS is considering for the November 2026 ballot.  Listen to learn:  - What a Mill Levy Override is  - The Difference Between a Mill Levy Override (MLO) and a Bond  - How the money can be spent  - What the impact is on property taxes  - How the community can provide input on the MLO proposal

En este episodio del podcast Educa DPS, conversamos con Yoseline Loya de la Denver Scholarship Foundation (DSF) para desglosar todo lo que los estudiantes y las familias de DPS necesitan saber sobre la preparación para la vida después de la escuela secundaria. Desde becas y ayuda financiera hasta visitas universitarias y exploración de carreras, esta conversación gira en torno al acceso, las oport...

In this episode of the Educa DPS Podcast, we sit down with Yoseline Loya from the Denver Scholarship Foundation (DSF) to break down everything DPS students and families need to know about preparing for life after high school. From scholarships and financial aid to college visits and career exploration, this conversation is all about access, opportunity, and making informed decisions. Whether you’r...

1. A mill levy override is an increase of the previous voter-approved tax rate (mill levy). Join DPS at an upcoming regional meeting to learn about the process and share your thoughts on how to spend the  potential mill levy override by using in an interactive budget tool to allocate funding for YOUR top priorities. Each meeting will be held from 6:30-8 p.m. Food, childcare and interpretations wil...

In this episode, DPS Director of Sustainability Tom Wildman and Manager of Sustainable Programs Jordan Allen join host Nicole Brady to talk about implementing the DPS Climate Action Plan in classrooms. Learn about the hands-on environmental projects students are engaging in, how students are participating in climate activism, and how sustainability is even implemented into humanities classes.

Celebrate Día del Niño (Children’s Day) with us on this episode of the EDUCA DPS Podcast! 🎉 We sit down with Clara Richardi from the Denver Art Museum to explore how this global celebration honors children through art, culture, and creativity . From the history of Día del Niño to hands-on activities, performances, and free opportunities for youth, this episode highlights why this day matters and...

¡Celebra el Día del Niño con nosotros en este episodio del EDUCA DPS Podcast! 🎉 Nos sentamos con Clara Richardi del Museo de Arte de Denver para explorar cómo esta celebración global honra a la niñez a través del arte, la cultura y la creatividad. Desde la historia del Día del Niño hasta actividades prácticas, presentaciones y oportunidades gratuitas para estudiantes, este episodio destaca por qu...

1. Applications for Colorado’s 2027 Teacher of the Year Close Today Apply to be the next Teacher of the Year today via the link in our shownotes! The Colorado Teacher of the Year program elevates and celebrates exceptional educators. The 2027 Colorado Teacher of the Year will receive $10,000 prize, become a nominee for the National Teacher of the Year award and get the opportunity to travel to D.C...

Go behind the scenes of how Denver Public Schools works in this episode of the DPS 101 Podcast. In Episode 4, host Nicole Brady sits down with Bill Good, Chief of Communications for Denver Public Schools. Bill provides an overview of the Office of Communications - the same office that produces this podcast! You’ll hear about: How DPS handles media requests and crisis management Our approach to gen...