Discrimination Prevention & Response and Title IX

Title IX

DSST Public Schools is committed to providing our students and staff with a safe learning and work environment, as well as to treating all members of the school community in alignment with our six Core Values (Respect, Responsibility, Doing Your Best, Integrity, Curiosity and Courage). DSST Public Schools does not discriminate on the basis of sex, nor tolerate harassment on the basis of sex, in compliance with all federal and state laws and constitutional provisions to which DSST Public Schools is subject. 

Any person wishing to report knowledge of sex-based discrimination or harassment or submit a formal Title IX complaint involving a DSST Public Schools student, prospective student, or employee is encouraged to first contact the specific school’s Title IX Coordinator, who will take and review the initial report (school based Title IX contacts are linked below). Such reports or complaints may be submitted directly to the network-level Title IX Coordinator, if preferred.

Network-Level Title IX Contact Information

• DSST’s network-level Title IX Coordinator is Samantha Lapres, Director of Mental Health and Culture. Her office is located at 730 Colorado Boulevard, Suite 200, Denver, CO, 80206 (DSST’s Home Office). She can be reached at Sam.Lapres@scienceandtech.org. 
• DSST’s network-level Title IX Investigator is Jesse Heaton, Senior Manager of School Culture. His office is located at 730 Colorado Boulevard, Suite 200, Denver, CO, 80206 (DSST’s Home Office). He can be reached at Jesse.heaton@scienceandtech.org.
• DSST’s network-level Title IX Decision Makers are Grant Erwin, Vice President of Culture and Student Experience, and Aaron Griffin, Chief of Schools. Their office is located at 730 Colorado Boulevard, Suite 200, Denver, CO, 80206 (DSST’s Home Office). They can be reached at grant.erwin@scienceandtech.org or aaron.griffen@scienceandtech.org 

All public inquiries or concerns regarding DSST Public Schools’ Title IX policies, procedures, or compliance should be sent to our network-level Title IX Coordinator, Samantha LaPres. 

School TItile IX Lead Contact Information

TITLE IX RESOURCES

• Notice of Nondiscrimination
• DSST's Title IX Policy 
• Training Materials
•  Nondiscrimination, Anti-Harassment, and Equal Opportunity Policy 
•  Discrimination and Harassment Complaint, Investigation, and Compliance Procedures 

Gender Identity Policy

All students have the right to feel safe, seen, and acknowledged in their identity. For transgender and non-binary students, this should include their true name, identity, and correct pronouns being acknowledged, used by staff and other students, and represented in school systems.

During the transition process, it is mission-critical that our community feels affirmed in their identity. The current processes and systems for gender and name changes are designed around exclusionary practices. In order to actively work against systems of oppression, DSST will implement the following policy & support. 

Each campus will have a campus-based advocate. This person will assist in the name change process & work with the individual to develop a community plan. 

Transgender Youth Advocate Team Contact Information