The CCS Regional Specialists serve as regional liaisons connecting students, families, and schools to postsecondary opportunities available through the DPS Career & College Success department.  The regional specialists streamline programming & optimize postsecondary options for all students.

• Central Region: Nathalie Valencia
• Far Northeast Region: Kevin Williams
• Near Northeast Region: Julian Martinez 
• Northwest Region: Craig Pena 
• Southeast Region: Kim Dolan 
• Southwest Region: Angelique Sanchez-Hutman

What support looks like from a CCS Regional Specialist: 

• Increase options for underrepresented students to access college coursework
• Expand access to relevant high-interest course options (i.e. Ethnic Studies, psychology, sociology, etc.)
• Provide schools with data and information that will help optimize available pathways
• Help schools reduce barriers to pathway participation and build capacity to close equity gaps
• Support schools in graduating scholars that are career & college ready and meeting graduation competencies
• Increase awareness for all students, families and communities around post-secondary opportunities available across the district
• Assist schools in tracking progress in key metrics such as college applications, scholarship applications, college acceptances, scholarships, exit survey completion, etc. 
• Support efforts to ensure seniors matriculate into college and persist beyond the first year
• Support school-level college preparation activities and coordinate regional activities for students and parents
• Support school-level teams with financial aid awareness and activities school-wide.
• Support regional workshops to inform and prepare students about financial literacy including the (FAFSA) Free Application for Federal Student Aid and scholarships
• Support ICAP and other postsecondary planning tools and usage within schools.

EdConnect is a district-wide educational pathway that seeks to develop our current students into our educators of tomorrow. The pathway is designed to respond to the need for more culturally responsive and diverse educators within the district who understand and share the identities and lived experiences of our students.

Within EdConnect, students engage in academically rigorous and culturally relevant coursework while earning high school and college credit in the process. In addition, the work-based learning component of the pathway allows students to participate in hands-on service to gain the vital experience needed to be an effective educator. By working in our schools alongside expert mentor teachers and educators, EdConnect students are able to cultivate the necessary skills and tools to be successful during their postsecondary education and eventual career within the district.

EdConnect creates a direct pipeline for DPS to hire its graduates, addressing the pressing need for more racially diverse and culturally responsive educators, while simultaneously providing our students with an opportunity to pursue a high demand, well paying, respected profession as a member of Team DPS.

It is important to note that EdConnect is currently undergoing redesign and is shifting from being a school-specific program to a district-wide initiative.

For more information about EdConnect, please contact Tara Schneider, tschnei@dpsk12.net.

OFFICE HOURS

The Concurrent Enrollment team holds office hours every other Thursday during the school year to answer questions about concurrent enrollment, early college, hybrid online courses, withdraws, registration, advising, and more.  Bring your questions and join us on Zoom!

• When: TBD for 2022-23
• Zoom Link: TBD