Dear DPS Community,
Today kicks off Hispanic Heritage Month! From Sept. 15-Oct. 15 we celebrate the many generations of Hispanic Americans who have enriched our nation and continue to live their heritage to this day. Here at DPS, 51.8% of our students and 37.5% of all our employees are Hispanic, making them the largest population of color that the district serves and employs!
You might hear the terms Hispanic and Latino used interchangeably. Hispanic describes someone from a Spanish-speaking country. Latino, Latina, Latine and Latinx refer to people of Latin American origin. Because our schools are filled with various cultures, Hispanic Heritage Month in DPS celebrates students and staff with roots in countries where Spanish is the primary language.
Hispanic Heritage Month is the perfect time to celebrate when students have opportunities to explore parts of their cultures. They can explore who they are and where they come from during special events such as the Puertas Abiertas festival at North High School or in programs such as the student mariachi band at Bryant Webster.
This year we have a new team in the district, the Latine Student Success team. Based on the research of the La Raza Report, this team will focus on the academic success of our Latine students and the experiences of our Latine students, families and staff. You can learn more about this research and the work at dpsk12.org/laraza.
There is much to explore and learn about when it comes to Hispanic history, culture and traditions. I invite you to join other members of the DPS community in celebrations happening at schools and around Denver. Stay tuned to the DPS social media pages and Our DPS Weekly for Hispanic Heritage Month features of students and staff through Oct. 15.
Wishing everyone a happy Hispanic Heritage Month!
In collaboration,
Dr. Alex Marrero
Superintendent