“The greatest thing in this world is not so much where we are, but in what direction we are moving.”
– Oliver Wendell Holmes
In DPS109 we are moving forward!
Our mission is to Engage, Inspire, Empower and we do this on behalf of the FUTURE – the world will belong to our students – our education system must prepare them for their future – this is an awesome responsibility and challenge.
One of the unique features or aspects about working in public education is that each year we have a distinct beginning, middle and end. Each year a new group of students gets to experience their particular grade level for the first time and we as educators benefit from the wonder and excitement that each new year brings. We work on a traditional school year calendar, August to June; some say this is due to agrarian roots and others say it’s due to support for family time and recreation. For whatever purpose the summer break serves, it provides the school District an opportunity to rest, recharge, revise, reframe and in our case in DPS109, TRANSFORM what we do, how we do it and most important, WHY we do what we do.
Who are we (We meaning the public school district that for 168 years has been business for the sake of the community and society):
-We are fabulous teachers, administrators, Board members, students, parents and community members.
-We are blessed to serve and live and work in a pro-public education community and a pro-learning community.
-We know that instruction impacts learning and we leverage research and science to maximize learning for ALL.
-We are a collective group of just under 500 professionals dedicated to serving about 3100 students (PK-8). We have knowledge and skills and talents that each year we get to refine, improve, test out, and use to facilitate learning among and with our students.
-We are a $55 Million business – a public school business – that has a fiscal responsibility to annually maximize revenues (shrinking usually) and minimize expenses (increasing usually) on behalf of the public.
-We are educators dedicated to the improvement of society through education.
-We are supportive of transformative changes designed to maximize learning for ALL children!
-We are DPS109 and we are proud of what we do!
One of our major initiatives this year in support of learning for ALL and as an example of innovation is best captured in the video embedded below. Later this week and next, each of our 3000 students in grades K-8 will get a device to support their teacher’s innovative instruction. The one to one initiative, about learning, not the devices, has been in the works for more than a decade. Thanks to the Board, the teachers, the leadership, the students and families, and 40 brave trailblazer pilot teachers, we have a 1:1 roll out ongoing right now.
Video regarding the 1:1 Transformative Learning Environment in place in DPS109 and shared with nearly 800 parents who attended the 1:1 Celebration nights held at each of the six schools:
DPS1:1 intro video from Red Branch on Vimeo.