Equity Boot Camp provides an opportunity to build professional and personal skills with colleagues to deepen our ability to infuse equity, inclusion and culturally responsive practices in schools and department teams throughout the district. 

School-based participants receive guest-teacher support.

All team members are encouraged to attend Equity Boot Camp sessions throughout the year.

• Recommended prerequisite: Creating Connections

Participation in this program provides the tools and knowledge to help you achieve the following goals:

LIFT and LEAD Goals:

• People & Culture
• Community & Equity

LEAP Framework

• Learning Environment

Teachers: Participation in this program fills your professional learning requirement for Equity and Inclusion Leadership.

"At the start of every coaching cycle, I set time aside for teachers to unpack any implicit or explicit biases that may impact a teacher-student relationship. After listening to students to share their stories about micro-aggressions at the Equity Bootcamp in November, I started to re-think my current approach. Rather than asking teachers to name a student they are struggling with, I started to wonder if this approach could become more student-centered. I paired up with a HR Partner, Ellen, to serve as my accountability partner. She listened to my plea for a new approach and helped me craft a new set of questions and a plan for follow-through."

"I started using this new approach right way and two teachers reached out to me within the first two weeks. Both said this transformed their relationships with students they often times struggle with. One teacher shared this with her ILT team and they asked her to do this with all of her students. I am forever grateful for Ellen’s support and appreciate the relationship we have to continue this work. And, I am excited to see what impact this will have on teachers and their relationships with students moving forward!" Nik Casey, New Teacher Support Partner, Human Resources

Past Topics Include:

• La Comunidad Latina en DPS
• Changing the Narrative about the Native American Community
• Equity Boot Camp-Neurodiversity and Exceptional Students: Changing the Narrative in Our Classrooms
• Relational Leadership: Learn how we can transform leadership for the modern day to build a strong culture and create more equitable outcomes for students.
• Becoming a Trauma-Informed District: What does it mean to be a Trauma-Informed District? Includes strategies and tools on how to operate from a trauma-informed lens.
• Real Talk on Race: Breaking down the black/brown divide
• Healing a Broken System: Honoring our Native American students, families and colleagues
• Bridging the Ethnic and Racial Divide: Creating inclusive community activism
• Equity Boot Camp and Phamaly: Thinking about diversity, inclusion and disability through the lens of theatre.