The Denver Public Schools Podcast

En este episodio del podcast EDUCA DPS, Beto Gaytan conversa con Miguel Contreras, supervisor the routas del departamento de transporte de las Escuelas Públicas de Denver, para hablar sobre las formas innovadoras en que DPS está mejorando la seguridad de los estudiantes. La conversación explora las nuevas tecnologías de seguridad, incluyendo la aplicación My Ride K12 y los sistemas de cámaras con...

DPS 101 is the podcast version of the DPS 101 Community Leadership Course, educating the community on the inner workings of DPS departments, structures and systems.  Each episode will feature a DPS leader reflecting on their own leadership journey and explaining their department functions. In Episode 1, DPS Superintendent Dr. Alex Marrero provides an overview of the DPS 101 Leadership Course, shar...

The 2024-2025 4-year graduation rate for Denver Public Schools rose 2 percentage points year over year to 81.9%. Deputy Superintendent Dr. Tony Smith talks to Communications Manager Nicole Brady about the intentional efforts by educators and DPS leadership to raise graduation rates every year for the past 4 year.

DPS Communications Manager Nicole Brady sits down with Theresa Connolly, Financial Literacy Curriculum Specialist for Denver Public Schools. Financial literacy is now a graduation requirement in Colorado, and DPS was instrumental in laying the groundwork.  In this discussion, learn why a team of DPS alumni pushed for financial literacy and how DPS students are now learning everything from budgetin...

1.Abraham Lincoln High School’s  It was all yellow at Lincoln this past week. Literally. DPS Superintendent, and Board President Gaytan dressed in yellow and surprised Lancer students to celebrate their two-level jump on the DPS School Performance Framework, moving from Red all the way to Yellow in a single year! This milestone is a testament to the hard work of the students, staff, and families a...

Most people know Aaron Thompson as General Counsel for Denver Public Schools. What they don’t know? He’s also a rapper, painter, and creative at heart. In this episode of DPS Stories, Aaron opens up about his journey—from working on DPS buses to becoming the district’s top lawyer—and how art, music, and service have shaped the way he leads. He reflects on growing up in Aurora, finding his voice th...

School Choice can feel overwhelming—but it doesn’t have to be. In this episode of EDUCA DPS , members of the Denver Public Schools Enrollment Services team break down the School Choice process and what families should know as they prepare for the 2026–27 school year. You’ll learn why the application window is opening earlier, how enrollment zones work, and what to consider when exploring school op...

El proceso de EscojoMiEscuela puede parecer complicado, pero no tiene por qué serlo. En este episodio de EDUCA DPS , el equipo de Servicios de Inscripción de las Escuelas Públicas de Denver explica cómo funciona EscojoMiEscuela y qué deben tener en cuenta las familias al prepararse para el año escolar 2026–27. Aprenderá por qué la ventana de solicitud abre más temprano, cómo funcionan las zonas de...

1. Let's Talk About DPS Finances - A New DPS Q&A with Our CFO  School finances can feel confusing, and many members of the DPS community have asked great questions about how DPS manages its budget, long-term debt and voter-approved bond dollars. In this week’s DPS Q&A, Communications Manager Nicole Brady sits down with our Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Chuck Carpenter, for an open co...

In this DPS Q&A, Denver Public Schools Chief Financial Officer Chuck Carpenter sits down with DPS Communications Manager Nicole Brady to answer community questions about school finances. The conversation breaks down how DPS budgets work, what a “clean audit” means, and why the district carries long-term debt. Chuck explains how voter-approved bonds are used to fund school construction and impr...

1 SchoolChoice  DPS SchoolChoice Round 1 for the 2026-27 school year is now open until 4 p.m. on Jan. 20! This annual open enrollment process is for any student who wants or needs to attend a new school next year. To apply: Visit schoolchoice.dpsk12.org/apply . If you are applying for ECE, please head to the SchoolChoice website for more details regarding Colorado Universal Preschool (UPK) applica...

In this episode of the Marrero Moment, Superintendent Dr. Alex Marrero sits down with DPS Chief Financial Officer Chuck Carpenter for a candid, accessible, and engaging conversation about the district’s financial health. From what it means to hold a AAA credit rating, to how school budgets are built, to the external factors impacting our financial outlook — this episode breaks down complex topics...

Dr. Tony Smith, Deputy Superintendent of Denver Public Schools sits down with Communications Manager Nicole Brady to discuss leadership and academics in DPS.

1 Food Assistance Over Fall Break   Tasty Food will be operating during DPS’ Thanksgiving break (Nov. 24-29) to help ensure that no child or youth goes hungry during their week off. All Tasty Food sites will be closed on Thursday, Nov. 27 in observance of Thanksgiving and Friday, Nov. 28 for the City and County of Denver furloughs. Saturday lunches will still be available for youth on Saturday, No...

DPS Communications and Community Engagement Manager Nicole Brady talks to DPS Director of Humanities Jennifer Begley about changes to improve literacy instruction.

1.The DPS Board of Education election results remain unofficial until certification on Friday, Nov. 21. For updates, visit the Denver Elections Division website. Current leaders: Amy Klein Molk – Director At-Large DJ Torres – District 3 (Central Denver) Monica Hunter – District 4 (Northeast Denver) Xóchitl Gaytán – District 2 (Southwest Denver) New directors will be sworn in at a special BOE meeti...

1. AI Resources for the DPS Community Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools offer endless opportunities for personalized learning experiences, a streamlining tasks and offering insights for areas of growth for students and staff. As DPS continues to integrate AI into spaces where we learn and work, we encourage families to review a the list of AI resources (Google Slides) , linked in our shownotes, t...

In this week’s episode of EDUCA, DPS Nursing Services experts Marie Quinn and Nancy Cordova share how our district is taking proactive steps to protect our students and staff. They explain what Narcan is, how it works, and why DPS is making sure our schools are ready to respond in an emergency. Opioid overdoses can happen anywhere, and the presence of fentanyl in our communities means it’s importa...

En el episodio de esta semana de EDUCA, Marie Quinn y Nancy Cordova, expertas en Servicios de Enfermería de DPS, comparten cómo nuestro distrito está tomando medidas proactivas para proteger a nuestros estudiantes y personal. Explican qué es Narcan, cómo funciona y por qué DPS se asegura de que nuestras escuelas estén preparadas para responder en caso de emergencia. Las sobredosis de opioides pued...

1. The Art of Storytelling! A Student Showcase Project Does your student love graphic novels or comics? Library Services encourages first graders through seniors in non-charter schools to participate in the The Art of Storytelling Cartooning Student Showcas e. Head to the link in our shownotes for entry requirements and details. Winners will be featured at the Steam Expo on May 2, 2026. 2. Five No...

1. Ballot Initiatives for the Healthy School Meals for All Program This November, Colorado residents will be asked to vote on two ballot initiatives, Proposition LL and Proposition MM, which would provide additional funding needed to sustain the Healthy School Meals for All program. Approved families will not be at risk of losing free meals if voters decide to not increase funding to the Healthy S...

In this episode of the EDUCA DPS Podcast, Grant Van Pelt, a Nationally Certified School Psychologist, and Dr. Jane Lineman, Student Safety Coordinator with Denver Public Schools, discuss suicide prevention and the importance of creating safe, supportive spaces for our students. The conversation highlights key warning signs, strategies for talking with someone who may be in crisis, and resources av...

En este episodio del Podcast de EDUCA DPS, hablamos sobre un tema de gran importancia: la prevención del suicidio. El psicólogo escolar Grant Van Pelt comparte información vital sobre cómo identificar señales de advertencia, cómo crear entornos de apoyo en nuestras escuelas y comunidades, y qué recursos existen para quienes enfrentan una crisis de salud mental. Denver Public Schools continúa compr...

The newest show in the DPS Podcast network spotlights a DPS staff member and their amazing journey and how they bring that experience to serve our students and schools every day.  In the first episode of DPS Stories, Roberto “Beto” Gaytan, lead producer and Emmy Award-winning storyteller, shares his journey from arriving in Denver and learning English, to becoming an on-air radio personality who h...

1. SchoolChoice Round 1  In case you missed it, the SchoolChoice Round 1 window is earlier this year! For 2026-27, the application will open at 10 a.m. on Dec. 2, 2025, and close at 4 p.m. on Jan. 20, 2026. Families will be notified of placement results in late February. As a reminder, SchoolChoice is for any student who wants or needs to attend a new school for the following school year. All inco...