Active DPS Engagement and Environmental Justice Initiatives
DPS GOAL:
All students and staff are engaged in sustainability.
Map Highlight | Heat and Air Quality Vulnerability
The maps below show heat and air quality vulnerability. Use the buttons in the blue toolbar at the top to switch between the heat and air quality vulnerability maps.
Explore How We’ll Get There
Environmental Justice
Equitable Environmental Prioritization
5-Year Goal: 100% of schools have an action-based pledge toward continuously addressing Environmental Justice.
Learn How
Community Engagement and Events
Eco-Schools Certification
Each census tract in the map is assigned a heat vulnerability score based on measures of health, demographics, and the built environment. The higher the score, the more vulnerable the population within that census tract is to negative impacts of extreme heat. DPS schools with and without air conditioning are shown over the heat vulnerability layer. Schools without air conditioning and in areas with high heat vulnerability may be more susceptible to negative impacts of heat.
Air quality vulnerability rankings in the map are based on respiratory health data and demographic information. Tracts with the lowest rankings are the most vulnerable to negative impacts of poor air quality. Several DPS schools have partnered with the Denver Department of Public Health and Environment’s Love My Air program to monitor air quality at schools. Click on the schools marked by the blue heart icon for a link to a live air quality dashboard at the selected school.
Active DPS Engagement Initiatives
Active DPS Engagement Initiatives
Environmental Justice | Engagement Events | ECO Certification
Connect Sustainability with Environmental Justice – Equitable Environmental Prioritization
5-Year Goal: 100% school has an action-based pledge toward continuously addressing EJ
The district strives to foster a more equitable future for all our kids. To uphold our value of equity, DPS will ensure that environemntal justice is built into every aspect of the Climate Action Plan while identifying and prioritizing places and groups that can best benefit from sustainability improvements.
Stedman Elementary
Community Engagement and Events – Celebrate Good Times
5-Year Goal: 1 district-wide sustainability event per quarter.
With sustainability events across the district, everyone has a chance to get involved and learn. DPS will create an “Earth Month” with climate action activities. Science fairs will encourage environmental and sustainability themes to keep focus and excitement high. Existing events will add sustainability engagement pieces as well!
Newlon Elementary
Eco-Schools Certification – Becoming A Certified Eco-School
5-Year Goal: 25 schools have and maintain certification.
There are many certification programs out there that DPS intends to research and participate in. Certification involves forming a student-led action team and following a seven step framework to go from initial environmental audits all the way through community engagement and an eco code. This generates a call-to-action which harnesses everyone in the school to work towards environmentally friendly actions.
Recent Environmental Justice Headlines
Cozy Up with Our Fall Newsletter
Dive into the Sustainability Team’s fall newsletter to learn about the exciting climate action updates happening at Denver Public Schools! Packed...
Earth Month Bingo Contest
Looking for a fun and active way to engage students and staff for Earth Month? Invite them to play the Earth Month Bingo contest! Get five in a row...
Spring Updates and Events
Read the Sustainability Team's spring newsletter to learn about all things DPS and Earth Day. And if you haven't already, sign up to receive DPS...
Attend the DPS Climate Summit on April 19
Whether you're a seasoned sustainability champion or new to the game, all are invited to learn and fight for a sustainable future at the second...
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...
DPS Building All-Electric School
DPS' new Responsive Arts and Steam Academy will have all-electric heating and kitchen equipment! This is a big win for sustainability, because...
Congratulations to DPS’ First Climate Champions!
The DPS Sustainability Team partnered with Denver's Office of Climate Action, Sustainability and Resiliency on the first-ever Climate Champions...
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...
DPS To Get Electric Buses Through State Grant
13 Colorado school districts and charter schools, including DPS, will add electric school buses to their fleets through $24 million in state and...
Vice President Harris Uplifts DPS Student Climate Activists
Vice President Kamala Harris made a special visit to Northfield High School to speak about the importance of youth voices in the climate movement....