HELIX FEED

Cole MS morning meeting news feature

Some believe if you want to talk and get kids to listen, speak a language they understand. That’s what led to a hip hop performance that was actually a history lesson. 

W2 now available online

Tax season is around the corner and your 2018 W2, a report stating your wage and salary information as well as the amount of federal, state and other taxes withheld from your paycheck, is now available electronically! In addition, hard copies of your W2 will be sent through U.S. mail by Thursday, January 31, 2019, to the address we have on file for you, but they are available electronically through iVisions from the Helix immediately.

At Our Core: GVR MS Students Show Newsworthy Generosity

In the midst of a historic government shutdown, the students and staff at DSST: GVR Middle School have made their way into the news with generosity and thoughtfulness. Close to Denver International Airport, GVR shares a community with many of the TSA agents who continue to work tirelessly without pay. To support these government workers during this difficult time, 6th grade math teacher Shasta Smith started a food drive to which these students could contribute.

DSST Benefit Special Enrollment - Spring 2019!

DSST is pleased to announce a benefit special one-time enrollment period that will begin, February 1, 2019, and will continue through February 15th, 2019. What you need to know about this special enrollment:

CG HS Student Selected as Winner for DCPA competition

Denver Center Education has announced the three winning plays for its sixth annual statewide Regional High School Playwriting Workshop and Competition. The following plays will be presented together as a featured free event at next month’s  2019 Colorado New Play Summit:

CV Parent Op-Ed

I believe all students in Colorado deserve to attend a public school as unique as they are. When teachers are empowered with the creative freedom to teach to the unique needs of their students, great things happen. Overall, our experiences have proven to me that public charter schools are best positioned to provide Colorado families like mine a high-quality public education and ensure our children are set up for success in college, career, and life."

Important Information About DPS Teacher Strike

1/24 Update:

Yesterday, DPS filed a request with the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE) to intervene in the strike. While the CDLE considers this request, the DCTA has agreed to delay the strike. This means that DPS teachers and specialized service providers will continue to report to work until the CDLE has come to a decision.  Given these events, we have been told it is unlikely that a strike will begin on Monday, January 28.  It could still begin anytime after the CDLE has ruled, but Monday seems unlikely.  To learn more about the specifics of this process, you can check out the fact sheet posted by the CDLE.

We will continue to keep you informed with updates as we hear them. Additionally, we will be sharing thoughts on speaking with students, navigating shared campuses, and any other potential ways a strike might impact our normal routines.   

I want to thank you again for your unwavering dedication to our students, and continued focus on our mission despite these turbulent events. We will continue to do everything we can to keep you informed and equipped to best support our students and families.

Best,

Bill

As you know, the DCTA (Denver’s teachers union) and DPS have reached an impasse on compensation negotiations and DCTA teachers voted to strike late last night.  While many questions remain about what happens next, we wanted to reach out to share a few things that we have learned.

Henry Leadership Announcement

Dear DSST Staff,

Honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

As we head into the long weekend and honor the work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the many other civil rights activists of past and present, we wanted to take this opportunity to remind you about some of the unique ways you can get involved with the community this weekend.

At Our Core: Celebrating DSST's Questbridge Scholars

DSST’s classrooms and hallways are full of vibrant and diligent students with impressive work ethics and big dreams. This week, we met with five very special DSST seniors, who have the distinguished honor of being named a Questbridge Scholar. They are: Ayanle Nur, Daniel Negash, Yoseph Wolde, Diaraye Diallo, and Ahmed Ashmaig. You can listen to their stories through the audio below, or read on for the highlights.