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NOW HIRING!
The Achieving Excellence Academy (AEA) Cultural Summer Program is Growing! We are looking for highly qualified talent to join our exceptional team!
What is the AEA?
The Achieving Excellence Academy (AEA) is a cultural summer program that highlights the experiences of Black/African-American, Latinx, & Asian-American/Pacific Islander families, students, and educators. The program serves as one district initiative especially for the support, encouragement, and development of students of marginalized identities, and all incoming 9th and incoming 10th graders are welcome to apply. DPS students/families continue to express an interest in opportunities like the AEA that are dedicated to exploring and deepening one’s racial, cultural, and ethnic-identities in a safe, informed, and nurturing space.
Based on The AEA and The University of Denver’s year one program research-study findings, both students and educators positively reported that the AEA was affirming of their racial and cultural identities, and was an experience that positively contributed to their self-identity, and sense of belonging and community. It is our hope that returning and new AEA students, families, and staff contributors continue learning about, embracing, and embodying their remarkable ancestral histories of resilience and joy - cultivating their co-constructed excellence during the program and throughout the academic school year.
AEA Mission
The AEA summer program will serve as an immersive 3-week cultural identity and ethnic studies program on Black/African-American, Latinx, & Asian-American/Pacific Islander experiences and ancestral histories. This space will provide opportunities to unpack and explore varied racial, social, historic, and modern civic complexities facing marginalized populations and communities in the 21st Century. The AEA is a purposeful program to address current efforts to strengthen student achievement, elevate student voices, and to provide the encouragement and support students’ need to grow their cultural and racial identities and understandings.
AEA Vision
The AEA envisions a future where marginalized identities, and their attributes and talents are regularly celebrated. The AEA cultural summer program is one opportunity for students to develop within community, to see themselves in the curriculum, and to be represented in the faces of other students, teachers and leaders. The AEA will create the conditions for students to express pride in their cultural and racial identities, gain a sense of belonging, and receive the supports needed to become agents of cultural change - taking their learnings into every school community, building, and classroom across the district.
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APPLY NOW -
Still Needed Other Roles: Social Worker, Nurse and Front Office Support/Liaison
Applicants should apply for the AEA, IF:
- They are ready to join a family of diverse DPS educators who support diverse DPS students/families during the summer program and throughout the academic school year,
- have the skills, passion and heart for working with diverse incoming 9th & incoming 10th grade students,
- are culturally-competent and responsive educators who know/model our DPS Shared Core Values,
- regularly implicate the self as one way to support closing opportunity gaps for our DPS students of color,
- thrive in collaborative, culturally, and racially-diverse working and learning environments,
- are flexible and regularly model a growth mindset. They enjoy productive struggle, innovation, and out-of-the-box teaching/learning practices, and approach challenging situations with curiosity and wonder,
- regularly engage in practices of self-care and reflection; to show up as their best selves for students/families,
- understand the purpose of affinity groups and affirm their value,
- bring an equity-based, calm, and joyful energy to their work, and they value and prioritize the journey or process over ‘box checking’ or perfectionism,
- are excited about participating in off-campus cultural excursions/experiences,
- have a desire to grow their teaching skills and enjoy professional learning that includes modeling, and opportunities for role-play practice,
- share in our AEA Mission-Vision-Values!
Other Roles: Social Worker, Nurse, and Front Office Support/Liaison
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What is the AEA time commitment?
- June 8th 2023: All staff AEA in-building set-up/prep day
- June 9th 2023: All staff AEA students/families orientation (both afternoon/evening orientations)
- Daily: morning/afternoon team huddles
- And more…
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What are the application requirements?
1- Professional Letter of Reference
- Email your PDF Professional Letter of Reference to amalia_espinoza@dpsk12.net and name your document "AEA_Nurse_Reference Letter_FirstName_LastName"
30- min panel interview with AEA Team/Culture, Equity & Leadership Team (to be scheduled by AEA Team)
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What is the AEA compensation?
$ 40.45/hour - Licensed Practical Nurse
$ 40.45/hour - Social Worker
$35.00/hour - Office Supprt/Family Liaison
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Role Description - Licensed Practical Nurse
- Provide nursing care for the health needs of students
- Administer medications and perform nursing procedures with RN supervision and according to DPS Medication Administration Protocol
- Respond to medical emergencies in a timely manner.
- Participate in the identification process of children with health needs
- Follow the healthcare plan (IHP) created by the RN
- Maintain student records
- Ensures compliance with related laws and policies, such as reporting suspected child abuse, immunizations, and Child Health and Disability Prevention (CHDP) laws
- Monitor and report infectious disease
- Maintains and submits data for annual and monthly reports
- Other duties as assigned
- use Google Drive and its applications, like (but not limited to) Google Docs, Presentations, Spreadsheets, Classrooms, Calendars and Google Meet,
- and have access to and experience using Infinite Campus and Schoology.
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Role Description - Social Worker
- Respond to referrals and or reported cases from teachers, administrators, other school personnel, parents, students, self, and community agencies (Department of Human Services).
- Provide individual casework/case management/counseling to students and parents to alleviate conditions, which interfere with the students’ learning.
- Provide assistance and or referral students, families, or staff regarding issues including mental health, poverty, unemployment, substance abuse, physical abuse, rehabilitation, social adjustment, child care, or medical care.
- Gather information, investigate and interview clients individually, in families, or in groups, assessing their situations, capabilities, and problems, to determine what services are required to meet their needs.
- Serve as liaison between students, homes, schools, family services, child guidance clinics, courts, protective services, doctors, and other contacts, to help children who face problems such as disabilities, abuse, or poverty.
- Create, organize and update case history records and prepare reports, according to deadlines.
- Counsel parents with concerns or problems, interviewing the child and family to determine whether further action is required.
- Refer clients to community resources for services such as assessment services to go and how to apply.
- Consult with parents, teachers, and other school personnel to determine causes of problems such as truancy and misbehavior, and to implement solutions.
- Develop and review service plans in consultation with students, and perform follow-ups assessing the quantity and quality of services provided.
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Role Description - Spanish Bilingual Office Support/Family Liaison
- Create classroom rosters
- Develop and track extra pay reports for Summer Program staff and administration.
- Maintain student attendance records by maintaining the attendance spreadsheet and communicating student absences.
- Provide basic first aid (e.g., temperature, band-aids) and coordinate medical care with nurse and 911 as medical emergencies arise, according to District training and procedures.
- Protect integrity, privacy and confidentiality of student and employee data, according to FERPA and district policy
- Works under the supervision of the site leader
- Communicates on a daily basis with the site leader and make him/her aware of concerns
- Works cooperatively with all teachers and students
- Answers all phone calls from parents, students, and the public
- Contacts the homes of students who are absent on a daily basis
- Performs general clerical work
- Preference given to applicants who have experience with Infinite Campus
- Assists with lunchroom/ snack supervision
- Performs any additional duties as assigned by the site leader
Teacher/Guest Teacher
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What are the application requirements?
- Must be a current DPS employee and have DPS ID number
- 1- Professional Letter of Reference
- 10 - 15 min Demo Teaching Video (for classroom teacher applicants only) OR in-person classroom observation (to be calendared)
- 30- min panel interview with AEA Team/Culture, Equity & Leadership Team (to be scheduled by AEA Team)
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Do you have a desire to...
- co-create curricular content,
- co-plan/co-teach,
- develop lesson plans with engaging student materials and learning activities,
- facilitate experiential/hands-on learning,
- differentiate instruction; especially for students with IEPs and/or 504 Plans,
- assess student learning with the tools to then give/receive student feedback,
- engage in a variety of co-construction practices with students, families, and colleagues,
- use Google Drive and its applications, like (but not limited to) Google Docs, Presentations, Spreadsheets, Classrooms, Calendars and Google Meet,
- and have access to and experience using Infinite Campus and Schoology.
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What is the AEA compensation for teachers/guest teachers?
Pre and Post Program Activites - Hourly Rate = $35.00/hour
During Program - Hourly Rate = $ 42.88/hour
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What is the AEA time commitment for teachers/guest teachers?
While the AEA runs during the summer there are both pre/during/post - program commitments that include:
Pre- Program:
- April - May 2023: 4 total, 2- hour in-person collaborative planning sessions (held at The Emily Griffith Campus)
- Months of Oct, Dec, Feb, April: AEA teacher/student remote, 15-minute check-in/goals conversations (with a teacher caseload up to 10 students)
- Months of Nov, Jan, Mar, May: 4 total, 1- hour remote AEA Teacher ‘data dives’ meetings
- By May 15th 2023: completed asynchronous Schoology Course Titled: “DPS: A Unique Racial History”
- April - May 2023: rolling, remote AEA staff/student/parent program enrollment & relationship-building conversations
During Program:
- June 8th 2023: All staff AEA in-building set-up/prep day
- June 9th 2023: All staff AEA students/families orientation (both afternoon/evening orientations)
- Daily: morning/afternoon team huddles
- Daily: prep period for co-planning, co-prep, and co-teaching practice
- Weekly: Informal observation/feedback coaching cycles (non-evaluative)
- Weekly: University of Denver informal walkthroughs/classroom observations (for research study)
- And more…
Post- Program:
- Sept 2023: inform AEA leadership team of 2023-24 AEA return plans, and receive returning student caseload (inform of any plans that include a transfer out of district)
- Begin student/parent outreach: calendar all October AEA teacher/student check-in/goals conversations
- Oct 2023 - May 2024: Maintain/build relationships with AEA students/families
Community Partners
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What are the application requirements?
Proposal that includes:
- High level overview of workshops and cultural excursions (learning that you would like to deliver/facilitate)
- Hourly Rate or Daily Rate
- 1- Professional Letter of Reference
- 30- min panel interview with AEA Team/Culture, Equity & Leadership Team (to be scheduled by AEA Team)
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What is the AEA time commitment?
While the AEA runs during the summer there are both pre/during/post - program
commitments that include:
Pre- Program:
- April - May 2023: 4 total, 2- hour in-person collaborative planning sessions (held at The Emily Griffith Campus)
During Program:
- June 8th 2023: All staff AEA in-building set-up/prep day
- June 9th 2023: All staff AEA students/families orientation (both afternoon/evening orientations)
- June 11 - June 29, 2023 (Program)
- Monday - Friday (8:00 am - 2:00 pm)
- Cultural Excursions/Field Trips (8:00 - 4:00 pm)
- June 30, 2023: Commencement
**Community partners will do 120-minutes/daily instruction throughout the AEA (3-weeks). PLUS lead their excursions/field trips.
Post- Program:
- SEPT 2023 - May 2024: Bi-Monthly - Collaborative monthly session with AEA Leadership team.
AEA Spotlight on DPS Shared Core Values
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Students First
We put our kids’ needs at the forefront of everything we do.
The AEA is designed to center and improve the student experience. The AEA aligns with district commitments to students of marginalized identities as outlined by the DPS Strategic Roadmap. AEA educators stand especially committed to developing academic content, experiences, and holistic supports that Black/African-American, Latinx, and Asian-American/Pacific Islander students need to thrive.
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Integrity
We tell the truth, and we keep our promises.
The AEA serves as one opportunity for students to gain self-confidence by learning who they are - in order to know where they are going. AEA educators model integrity through vulnerability, by speaking their truths and through sharing their passions and pains, so that students feel safe, seen, and encouraged to show up as their most authentic selves.
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Equity
We celebrate our diversity and will provide the necessary resources and supports to eliminate barriers to success and foster a more equitable future for all our kids.
The AEA serves as one program working to eliminate disparity data predictability for students belonging to marginalized identities, and it pushes back against the systems and structures of oppression that threaten a student’s right to thrive. AEA educators are committed to empowering and encouraging students towards pursuing the inclusive, collective action needed to achieve conditions named in our DPS Equity Statement & Strategic Roadmap.
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Collaboration
Together as a team, we think, we work, and we create in order to reach our goals.
The AEA recognizes the communal needs of students belonging to marginalized identities. Throughout the school year AEA educators come together in collaborative working groups to discuss best practices, student needs and student data, to then refine the AEA curriculum and experiences. AEA teachers intentionally work as team teaching pairs to develop their co-teaching relationship, while maintaining relationships and partnerships with returning AEA students/families. Our AEA team is passionate about the work of dismantling and disrupting systemic inequities. We are committed to co-creating the processes, procedures, and conditions needed to move everyone towards racial & educational equity, together.
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Accountability
We take responsibility for our individual and collective commitments; we grow from success; we learn from failure.
The AEA program and its people are committed to regular reflection, and we significantly value student/family and educator voice, and seek out partner and community feedback. The AEA central-office team regularly engages in bi-weekly debriefs to collaboratively plan for next steps that consider the adult experience, and center the student experience. The AEA always reckons with impact, pivots when necessary and strategically designs and implements best practices that center those historically marginalized.
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Fun
We celebrate the joy in our work and foster in our students a joy and passion for learning to last their whole lives.
The AEA is joyful, celebratory, and fun! AEA community-partners and educators are passionate and committed to creating the conditions, workshops and experiences, and time and space for students to express the excellence that already lives inside of them.