DPS Community Hub

Denver Public Schools is working with the City of Denver and community partners to open community hubs. These hubs are a key part of our strategy. We understand that some students find it hard to learn because they are hungry, tired, hurt, sad, or have other basic needs. The hubs will provide services to address these needs. We know that families and communities work hard to care for their kids, so the hubs will also support family and community members. We will use research to guide how we provide services. With these supports, all students will have an equal chance to learn and thrive.

Starting in Fall 2022, we plan to run six hubs. Every hub will open with people ready to listen to the needs of youth and their adults. Based on what hub staff learn, they will be able to connect youth and their adults to the best services. During the next year, and in future years, each hub will offer more services at its location. Local community members will help us choose which services to offer. If it is helpful for some services to be offered at school locations, we will do this as well. We will also move hub locations, if desired, based on community feedback.

We understand that some of the services we will offer are very needed and want to share them as soon as we can. We chose hub locations near communities that we believe need the services most. Our conclusions are based on our conversations with the community as well as formal research from the City of Denver.

Community Hub Locations

  • Place Bridge Academy (Southeast Region)

  • Colfax Elementary (Northwest Region)

  • Smith Elementary (Near Northeast Region)

  • Focus Points (Central Region)

  • John H. Amesse (Far Northeast Region)

  • Johnson Elementary (Southwest Region)

We plan to learn if our judgment is correct by Winter 2023. If we are wrong, we will move the hub locations. We want to support and build on existing community work. If a service is already being offered in a community, we will work to connect families with that service. If a service is not already being offered in a community, then we will work to find money to pay for that service so that we can bring it to the community through a hub, or through one of the schools in the community.

Potential Services Offered

The services that will be offered at each hub will be based on the needs of the local community and may include the following. We want community members to suggest new services that are not listed if needed.

  • • Case management

    • Workforce development

    • Job placement, interview preparation, resume building, workforce training

    • Basic needs assistance

    • Food, housing, clothing, energy outreach

    • Social emotional support and mental health services

    • ESL classes for adults

    • Language services

    • Financial literacy

    • GED classes

    • Citizenship classes

    • Early literacy classes

    • Hiring pipeline

    • Computer classes

    • Parenting classes

    • Free childcare during classes

  • • Academic tutoring

    • Enrichment activities

    • Art, music, athletics, programming

    • Social-emotional support and mental health services

    • Workforce development

    • Job readiness training, career exploration, internships with local organizations

    • Gang outreach, intervention, violence interruption, systems navigation, and restorative justice

    • Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) and LGBTQ+ support

    • Financial wellness and postsecondary planning

    • Individual and group therapeutic services

    • Includes substance misuse intervention

  • • Newcomer identification and placement

    • School enrollment

    • In conjunction with Choice & Enrollment and schools

    • Newcomer and immigrant family specific workshops

    • Free childcare

    • During workshops

    • Access to support in home language

    • Basic needs support for students

    • School supplies, backpacks, uniforms

    • Support in navigating DPS and the US school system