About DPS Sustainability

Mission:

Conserve and manage resources to address environmental impact, social development, and economic prosperity. We are focused on creating a learning environment where sustainability is integral. It is our objective to maintain fiscal responsibility through sustainable practices with the understanding of how the built environment impacts our natural environment.

Vision:

Denver Public Schools is a leader in sustainability, creating healthy learning and working environments that connect students and staff with the wonder of nature and resource conservation. Our DPS community will have the tools, support, and experience to be stewards of the world and leaders in driving change.

Goals and Frameworks:

Throughout the Climate Action Planning process, the DPS community voiced their support for many priorities, innovative ideas, and actions that informed the resulting goals and strategies in this plan. Three key concepts, which echo the sustainability concept of triple-bottom line, emerged from their feedback and the goals advocated for by DPS Students for Climate Action: environmental protection, economic prosperity, and social development.

Within each concept the DPS team and stakeholders crafted a North Star goal, which represents what DPS aims to achieve by 2050. The North Star goals are broken into six frameworks, each with focus areas, five-year goals, and supporting strategies and actions.

Thank you for your interest in sustainability at DPS!

We heard our student’s call for climate action, and we are responding with urgency, innovation, and accountability. This website provides transparency on our progress toward DPS’ climate actions goals, and it will help us celebrate milestones along the way. We hope that by sharing our story, you’ll join our efforts for a livable future!

– LeeAnn Kittle, Executive Director of Sustainability

Ready for a deep dive?
These documents are a great place to start.

Environmental

Reduce Emissions by 90%

Economic

Reduce Waste Year Over Year

Social

Engage ALL Students and Staff

We’re Shrinking Our Footprint!

DPS has committed to reducing overall greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) by at least 90% of the levels of GHG emissions that existed in 2010 by 2050.

The chart shows total DPS GHG emissions by sector from fiscal year 2016 through fiscal year 2021. The dashed line indicates the progress needed to reach the 90% reduction goal by 2050.

Climate Resolution Priorities

 

The DPS Board of Education unanimously passed the agreed upon climate policy, setting the district on a path to develop a comprehensive Climate Action Plan. The plan uses the student’s proposed climate goals from the City of Denver and the State of Colorado as guides and has a strong focus on environmental justice.

Climate Action End Statement 1.6: DPS shall be a national leader in establishing an organizational culture anchored in sustainability, climate action, and environmental justice in both the conservation of natural resources and in minimizing the carbon footprint of DPS’ practices.

DPS Sustainability Team

DPS Sustainability Team

Meet The Team

You can reach out to the DPS Sustainability Team by emailing

dept_sustainability@dpsk12.net

LeeAnn (Westfall) Kittle (she/her)

Executive Director of Sustainability

 

LeeAnn captains DPS’s sustainability ship and has worked in sustainability at educational institutions for over 15 years. She earned a master’s degree in business administration and a bachelor’s degree in environmental science. She is the Westfall of the Huber-Westfall Garden, one of the first green roofs in northeast Ohio. LeeAnn is passionate about driving strategy and implementing sustainability initiatives with her community. LeeAnn grew up in Cleveland catching frogs, kicking a soccer ball, and holding her own among her three brothers. When she’s not feeling the constant shame of failing to get through her inbox, LeeAnn can be found spending time with her family, watching The Wizard of Oz, or letting her creative juices flow through art or fashion.

LeeAnn Kittle

Erin Ahlholm (she/her)

Sustainability Coordinator 

Erin makes the Sustainability Team run like a well-oiled machine and takes pride in handling the nitty-gritty paperwork, documentation, and procedures for the team. She has always been passionate about making the world a better place for people and our planet. With a bachelor’s in nutrition and food science and master’s in environmental management, she hopes to bring more attention to the interplay between human health and environmental sustainability. When she’s not tabbing through spreadsheets, you can catch her shredding the slopes on her treasured snowboard, scouring a thrift shop for hidden gems, or partaking in her favorite pastime – shamelessly falling asleep before 10 p.m.

Erin Ahlholm

Jacob Branch (he/him)

Energy Engineer

Jacob advances EV infrastructure and sustainable buildings at DPS. He has a professional background in construction, along with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering and a master’s in management (Go Blue). Outside of work, you can find him jogging through City Park, flying through town on his fixie bike, or happily watching his pup, Luna, hop through the snow.

Jacob Branch

Chris the Garden Guy (he/him)

Program Specialist

 

Chris supports DPS’ many gardens and the Garden of Youth job skills training program, and he has served in several roles since joining DPS in 2009. Chris was raised just outside of Denver and has gardened since he was just a seedling (pun totally intended). He grew his knowledge of plants working at a local garden center, and now he works “growing plants and people.” He enjoys inspiring students to get their hands dirty and grow their own food. Outside of work, Chris loves to enjoy the wonder of nature with his young daughter.

 

Chris the Garden Guy

Darel Leedy

Building Optimization Supervisor

 

Darel shepherds both the DPS Building Optimization program and the Intelligent Building Automation System. Darel hails from Chicago, earned a degree in HVAC technology, and has over 35 years of experience with direct digital controls. He is a proponent of using automation to provide efficiency, reliability, and cost effectiveness for school buildings. When “Downtown Darel” is not playing the wizard behind the curtain at DPS, his passion for the outdoors and vintage Volkswagens means he’s exploring the nation’s backroads in his 1966 microbus.

Darel Leedy

Kelly Moses (he/him)

Program Manager

Kelly collaborates with DPS school communities to put passion for sustainability into action. He connects schools with programs and resources to help build a district-wide culture of environmental stewardship that extends to all students and staff. He is passionate about community-led action that deepens connection across groups through a shared vision. After graduating with a bachelor’s in international studies and African language, he made the move from New York to Colorado for the year-round sunshine. In his free time, Kelly enjoys playing ultimate frisbee, watching NBA basketball, and sipping coffee between bites of something sweet.

Kelly Moses

Lindsay Weber (she/her)

Senior Analyst

 

Lindsay turns complex data into compelling and engaging stories to inform sustainable decisions. She earned a master’s degree in environmental studies, a graduate certificate in marketing communications, and a bachelor’s degree in earth & planetary sciences. When she’s not looking bleary-eyed at a spreadsheet, she can be found on a soccer field, in a softball dugout, at a new restaurant, or in the mountains with her “pack.” She will ask to pet your dog.

Lindsay Weber

Adam West (he/him)

Energy Engineer

 

Adam advances sustainable design and construction, energy and water efficiency, and renewable energy at DPS. He earned a master’s degree in civil & environmental engineering and a bachelor’s degree in environmental studies. Adam was raised in Knoxville and Atlanta where he spent much of his time outside. Have you ever had a mudball fight? Adam has. When he’s not feeling the crushing weight of his never-ending to-do list, Adam can be found doing all things cycling, going to concerts, and exploring Denver.

Adam West

Recent DPS Sustainability Headlines

New Year, New Climate Action

New Year, New Climate Action

The Sustainability Team's first newsletter of the new year is now available and full of exciting climate action highlights, sustainability...

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Winter Updates & Events

Winter Updates & Events

Read the winter Sustainability newsletter here, and learn about: Solar Canopy Ribbon Cutting at Northeast Early College, 2022-23 Climate Action...

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NEC Solar Canopy Ribbon Cutting

NEC Solar Canopy Ribbon Cutting

On October 11, The Board of Education, DPS Leadership, and the students of Northeast Early College gathered together to celebrate the installation...

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