MESSAGE FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT

In this, our second annual mail-home edition of SPARK Insider, you are going to read about high-flying students, outstanding educators, and reason after reason why Durham Public Schools is the best choice for your child. We’re proud to share this good news about DPS. Strong public schools are the bedrock of a community and it’s important that you know about our strengths.

I could not be more excited about the coming school year, and the groundwork that we are laying to take DPS to the next level of:

· higher academic performance,

· strengthened social-emotional health for our students,

· an excellent and diverse team of teachers and staff,

· improved family and community engagement, and

· more efficient and effective operations.

Those are five promises we’re making to our community about the future of your public schools. If you have been following Durham Public Schools closely over the last few years, you may also recognize that those are restatements of the five priorities of our Strategic Plan—both the five-year plan we adopted in 2018 and its successor, now in place. You can read more about both plans on page 12 and 13.

Having a plan is crucial to our success. It holds us accountable and keeps us focused as school and district leaders, beyond all distractions. That focus properly rests on your student and more than 30,000 classmates: each with an individual dream, each with unlimited potential waiting to be ignited.

These are challenging times for public education, but in Durham we have a widespread commitment to strong public schools here at home. We believe in the community coming together, learning together, and growing together. I’m grateful that you are a part of the Durham Public Schools community, and look forward to continuing our journey together.

Pascal Mubenga, Ph.D. Durham Public Schools Superintendent

30 Cultivating Potential: DPS Addresses Students’ Learning Needs Through Relationships and Rigor

32 Driving Success

New transportation assistant director is an advocate for students and ambassador for employees

34 DPS Alumna Bringing Joy In a World of Darkness

36 A Gracious Gift

DPS receives $18 million grant from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott

38 Top Honors

Two DPS schools receive national recognition for magnet programs

42 Lowe’s Grove and Fidelity Investments Partnership Yields Dividends

44 Centering Students In School Nutrition

DPS students help district craft menus that resonate with peers

46 Student Sound Off