Responsibilities
Discipline
Visitation Information
Attendance
Graduation Requirements
Q: I don't know whom to contact at the school when I have a question or an issue.
A: There is a handbook underway from PTSO that we will be distributing soon, but here are some general guides as a starting point.
Attendance Issues: Ms. Dreeszen
Auditions: The DSA Website
Tickets for a Show: Box Office
Behavior, Student: Ms. Dreeszen or Mr. Castillo
Communications: Mr. Castillo
Complaints against a teacher: Mr. Kohut
Field Trips: Coordinating teacher
Grades: First point of contact is always the teacher, then Mr. Castillo
Snow Days: The District Website
Special Education or 504: Ms. Odom
The CSC and PTSO are also great parent resources. The PTSO parent guide will be full of useful information specific to DSA and inclusive of the district as well.
Q: How do I know that the information on the websites is up do date?
A: We are working hard to review the information on the website and be sure it is inclusive and up to date. We will also be working with teachers to be sure that the major websites are also up to date. Individual and major websites, however, are not a DPS requirement, but we will be providing support to assist teachers with this task.
We are undergoing efforts to streamline the process of getting information up on the website and be sure that anything that is sent out to the community is also posted on the site for easy access and reference.
Even though we look at this page regularly and review it for errors and inaccuracies, if you notice any, you should feel free to send us an email so we can correct any issues that we miss.
In the next couple of months you will see more links to district pages and information and I hope that you will have an easier time finding what you are looking for. At the bottom of every page on the website is a date/time stamp for last updated so you can see exactly how old information is.
Q: How can information be communicated consistently and comprehensively?
A: There have been many initiatives/improvements made regarding communications during the last two years. Community wide meetings are scheduled three times a year. Electronic messages are sent via weekly eminders, current events, and newsletter formats. Infinite Campus send a weekly messenger on Saturday’s regarding missing and/or failing grades. The phone dialer is utilized regularly. IC, the DSA and DPS website also make information and updates available including click on email contacts for all staff members. Seniors and subscribing senior parents receive regular emails from the counseling office regarding college visits, deadline reminders, meeting reminders, etc. Most of the Arts Departments have their own communication protocols in addition to their webpages, such as department newsletters, email lists, and regular parent meetings. Annual senior and junior meetings are scheduled to disseminate information regarding the college admissions/application process and financial aid for students and in the evenings for parents. Ticket Turtle makes performance information and online ticket access available as well as sending out its own email. Progress grades are posted quarterly, by semester, and unofficial transcripts are available for viewing on IC at any time. The CSC posts its minutes for each meeting on the DSA website for viewing. Finally, the CSC has initiated a study group to evaluate all of our modes of communication to determine what is successful and what needs to be improved.
Q: How can DSA communicate respect and communicate more proactively and openly?
A: The staff at DSA believes that all members of the community need and deserve to be treated with respect. We believe that many steps are necessary in this endeavor and it begins with communication:
- Establishing protocols for teacher and parent interaction and meeting scheduling
- Having meetings with parents and school specialists to discuss the needs of their children
- There are multiple venues of communication in addition to that of the e-mail communication and website updates (ie.
- The administrative staff regularly attends not only all performances but PTSO meetings, Major parent meetings and hosts a variety of Community meetings facilitated by external personal
- There are new Infinite Campus systems that send messages about student status on individual assignments in classes, in addition to new email addresses for more direct lines of communication and new webpage links to both emails and announcements.
Q: How do families without internet access receive information?
A: We realize that not all of our parents have internet access or computers at home and have put requests out at Back-To-School Night and Parent/Teacher Nights to identify themselves and to check mailing addresses so we can mail information home. We also have binders in the front office where printed copies of newsletters and current events are stored for parents to view. We also provide computer access in our counseling center for both students and parents who do not have access at home.
Q: Why is there missing or old information on the DSA website?
A: We have created a new version of the website this year (2008) and have been working diligently to update information and fill in areas that lacked specificity or any information at all. We will continue our efforts and appreciate any feedback when you find outdated, inaccurate, or missing information. Please contact Mr. Castillo if you find anything amiss.
Q: How do I find out more about the district curriculum?
A: The following page details the DPS curriculum: DPS Curriculum and Instruction
Q: How can I find out more about the CU Succeed program?
A: The following page explains more about the opportunities available through CU Succeed: CU Succeed Information Page
Q: Which of the DSA Administrator do I contact about particular issues?
A: The following page lists the responsibilities of the DSA Administrators: Administrative Responsibilities
Q: How can I get involved at DSA outside of my students major?
A: In the last couple of years, the administration and the PTSO have been working to shift mindsets and opportunities for full community involvement.
As we are all so busy with individual majors and often have considerable individual fundraising efforts in progress, it can be hard to shift our view to that of DSA in its entirety.
There are many ways to be involved in DSA outside of major activities, and the PTSO is leading the charge on this. They are working to get representatives from every major to attend and be active members in the PTSO meetings. They are encouraging volunteers to work at events other thank their student's majors. The PTSO is also supporting all school wide fundraising events and supporting academics with mini-grants and paying for substitute teachers to facilitate learning walks.
The primary school wide fundraiser is the Staff Show and Silent Auction that takes place in the fall. This year was its second year and an even greater success than the first. It is an opportunity for major teachers and academic teachers to give back to the DSA community with the multitude of talents and creative expressions that we have here.
The CSC is also an opportunity to get involved with the school community outside of specific major activities. The PTSO offers many opportunities for a variety of involvement opportunities and is a great resource for this. The PTSO parent guide will include a number of these for you to choose from.
There are many ways to get involved in the DSA community and increase your sense of belonging. It is critical that we come together to support all of DSA's students and develop more opportunities for engagement and belonging.
We are truly only limited by our own imaginations.
Q: How do I find out more information about the new DPS Discipline policy?
A: The following pages outline the DPS Student Discipline policies: Policy JK and Policy JK-R
Q: How do we find out about opportunities to visit DSA?
A: DSA provides the opportunity for students and parents to attend visitation days or for interested students to shadow current students. The following page describes the different opportunities that are available for visiting DSA: Visitation Days
Q: What are the DSA policies regarding attendance?
A: The attendance policies are outlined on page 12 and Attachment A of the student handbook. You can download the student handbook from this page: Student Handbook
Q: What are the requirements for graduation in DPS?
A: The following page lists the graduation requirements for the different grade levels at DSA: Graduation Requirements