Overview:
At its New Educator Welcome, DPS outlined priorities for classroom focus, connection and support after closures.
Denver Public Schools welcomed over 400 new teachers and support staff on Monday as the district prepares for a 2026-27 school year marked by new cellphone restrictions, student support initiatives and the aftermath of school closures.
The district’s annual New Educator Welcome, held Aug. 11 at the Auraria Campus, introduced new employees to DPS leaders, district priorities and the mission Superintendent Alex Marrero summarized as “Every Learner Thrives.”
“Every learner — and every means every — we show up for every day,” Marrero said.
One of the district’s biggest changes this year is a new policy restricting student use of cellphones, headphones, smartwatches and other personal electronic devices. The restrictions apply not only during class but also during lunch, recess and passing periods.
“At its core, this policy is about creating classrooms and spaces where students can focus on learning, build meaningful face-to-face relationships and fully engage with their teachers and peers,” Marrero said.
Christopher Josselyn, a returning DPS middle school teacher, believes that limiting devices will improve academic performance while also allowing students to connect with one another.
“Not only is it preventing distractions in the classroom, it’s helping students socialize,” Josselyn said.
Josselyn explains that students connect better when their devices no longer separate them.
“A student could transfer four months into the year, and by the end of the year they might have made a friend,” Josselyn said. “But after (implementing this policy) a student could start late and have five friends by the end of lunch.”
Student support was also a major theme at the welcome event. The district is entering the year after school closures tied to declining enrollment and budget pressures, changes that have left some families and educators worried about what comes next.
Due to lack of enrollment and subsequent lack of funding, DPS has closed its doors on several schools, which has caused worry for both teachers and parents about their futures and the quality of education students will receive in the remaining schools.
Even so, DPS officials said attendance at this year’s New Educator Welcome was similar to last year’s.
“We had a little over 400, maybe 450 new educators,” said Jenna Martin, manager of the Learning and Development Team at Denver Public Schools. “I think we have roughly the same amount of people present today that we had last year as well.”
This suggests that while DPS has struggled with funding, it’s maintained steady staff retention.
“I think retention of our educators is always something that we want,” Martin said. “That could also speak to the reason why we don’t have larger numbers.”
The district is also emphasizing the Denver Public Schools Thrive Initiative, an effort to refresh DPS’ strategic roadmap and define student success beyond grades and test scores.
“As we try to refresh our strategic plan and roadmap, thriving captures it all,” Marrero said. “Sometimes we need different types of support, and it could be proficiency on a test, it could be college admission or it could be heading into a trade.”
As the 2026-27 school year begins, the district is trying to pair big-picture goals with everyday changes inside schools: fewer digital distractions, more face-to-face connection and a broader definition of what it means for students to thrive.
Marrero expresses gratitude to the educators who attended the New Educator Welcome, reminding them of DPS’s overall mission and how each educator now carries this vision.
“I want to thank you for saying yes to education because we need you,” Marrero said. “Considering everything that we were rebounding from through the COVID transition, not only on the board but also in terms of district administration and at the school level, the fact that we were able to show progress in the last rollback is a remarkable testament to our commitment … The district is thriving, and we need your support to continue.”
