Posted March 12, 2021
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Dear Families,
As we await this big Spring Storm, I want to remind you of the new policy for Snow Days. If the weather prevents schools from opening on Monday, the District will call a real Snow Day (no school!). If the weather persists, any subsequent days would be remote learning.
Another reminder that Parent/Teacher conferences will be taking place for our K-5 Families between March 15-19. Teachers will therefore receive a comp day on Friday, March 26th. Because of this, March 26th will be a NO SCHOOLdate for all students.
Parent/Teacher conferences will be taking place for our K-5 Families between March 15-19. Teachers will therefore receive a comp day on Friday, March 26th. Because of this, March 26th will be a NO SCHOOLdate for all students.
Please stay safe and warm this weekend!
With love,
Dominique Jefferson
DPS released new guidance on the calling of “Snow Days”.
As a reminder, new for this school year, all schools (regardless of start time) will be delayed by two hours if a “Weather Delay” is called by the district.
DPS is committed to informing families about school closures or delays as early as possible – with the goal to make the call by 5 a.m. Continue to check your texts/voicemail and Facebook for updates.
During this upcoming spring season, we have decided to bring back in-person enrichments, though all will be held outside (weather permitting).
Below are the options for Spring 2021 enrichments:
Since enrichments start at 4:00 PM, if you are a non-Discovery Link student, please feel free to register your child for Discovery Link as well, to ensure safety and care. Please use this link to register https://equity.dpsk12.org/extended-learning/enrichments/ If you have any other questions, please reach out to Antoinette “Toni” Foster at antoinette_foster@dpsk12.org
Dear DPS Community,
As we have shared over the past few weeks, the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) requires all districts every year to administer Colorado Measures of Academic Success (CMAS) in English Language Arts (grades 3-8), Math (grades 3-8), and Science (grade 5, 8 and 11). The CDE expects us to administer CMAS to all students in person this year whether each student attends school in person or remotely. There will not be a remote testing option, so all students must come into the school to take the test. Our testing schedule will run from March 22 through April 30, 2021.
We believe there are multiple ways to monitor student progress, and this is one of them. We also understand that some families may not want their students to participate in CMAS. We requested that families who choose to opt their student out of testing complete the Assessment Opt-Out Form by Feb. 26. Although this deadline has passed, if a family still wants to opt their student out, families can do so by reaching out directly to their child’s school. Families have the opportunity to opt-out up until the day of the testing. Please note that we set the Feb. 26 deadline so that school leaders could plan for how many students are testing, determine staffing needs and prepare testing schedules that follow all health and safety guidelines.
In some instances, a school leader may determine that students who are not testing on a particular day will need to learn remotely for that day while testing is taking place. Because of our current health and safety rules, there may be situations where schools may not have sufficient staff to support both testing and non-testing students at school on the same day.
Additionally, our health and safety rules may impact the amount of students we can have in particular spaces. Each school will develop a plan that addresses their unique circumstances. Staff at your child’s school will share with you those details for students who are not testing and the schedule for CMAS testing. If you have additional questions, please reach out to your school or contact our Family and Community Helpline at 720-423-3054 or FACEHelpline@dpsk12.org.
Sincerely,
Tamara Acevedo
Deputy Superintendent of Academics
Jump into Summer with Denver Public Schools and Extended Learning & Community Schools!
Are you looking for fun and engaging experiences for your child(ren) this summer? Would you like your child to create those timeless memories and friendships that make summer so special? Look no further, it’s time to jump into summer with Denver Public Schools, Extended Learning and Community Schools (ELCS) Camps! Check out an awesome video of kids enjoying our programs here!
ELCS will be providing incredible summer experiences for youth at a variety of locations around Denver! All camps will provide fun summer programming based on weekly themes such as Superhero Adventure, Mythical Creatures, DL’s Got Talent, Supersized Sports, Ooey Gooey Science and Space! For registration information, camp locations and themes, please click here. We can’t wait to jump into Summer 2021 and start making memories that will last a lifetime with your child(ren). There are limited spots available, so register today!
Space is limited!
If your phone number or address has recently changed, please contact the school office at 720-424-6070 so that your information can be updated in our system. Without you advising of this information, the school has no way of knowing your information has changed. Thank you!
Discovery Link at Hallett has been teaching students about financial literacy basics. In an effort to provide an extension of this program to families we are wondering if there is interest in the community to learn about more opportunities within financial literacy. Please fill out this interest form so we can review responses and make a decision on whether this is an initiative that we want to pursue.
Financial Literacy Interest Form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdWOUjI_G-5Sn_tXBIZhVVFP4CVP-RsdNcim8lh_1Q8vjvTQw/viewform?vc=0&c=0&w=1&flr=0&gxids=7628
Sign Up for Colorado Food Cluster Meal Deliveries:
Colorado Food Cluster (CFC) provides free meals to youth ages 6-18 in the Denver Metro Area (within 20 miles of downtown). Each student will receive a weekly delivery of 7 dinners and 14 snacks, including fruit and milk, until June 30, 2021.
Complete this form to enroll! https://www.coloradofoodcluster.com/sign-up-english
Clothes To Kids of Denver (CTKD) provides FREE clothing to children and youth who are in need or in crisis. To shop, students must live in Metro Denver, be age 3 – 21 and be enrolled in school (remote or in-person) or working toward a GED.
https://clothestokidsdenver.org/
Our wardrobe includes 5 outfits, 1 coat, 1 pair of shoes, 1 bra (optional) and 5 pairs each of new underwear and new socks. Students are invited to select clothing in a welcoming, store-like setting or can order a wardrobe for contactless curbside pick-up.’
We are very excited to have in person shoppers in our store and are taking extra precautions to protect the health and safety of our visitors, volunteers and staff.
Take a look at our COVID-19 Safety Procedures to learn more.
For families who would prefer a contactless option, we are continuing to offer wardrobes via Curbside Service. This option enables parents and caregivers to request a wardrobe for any student in need, and our staff will shop on their behalf.
Families wishing to shop in person or request a wardrobe for pick-up should call us at 720-379-4630 or email us at appointment@clothestokidsdenver.org for an appointment. Up-to-date phone hours are on the Shop With Us page of our website.
No Referral Required! No matter how families choose to shop, we have temporarily loosened our referral requirements and are providing wardrobes to anyone who says the young people in their households are in need of our services, no questions asked.
Hours of Operation:
Tuesdays – Fridays 9:00 – 4:00
Saturdays 9:00 – 3:00
Sundays & Mondays Closed
Please see the letter above about weekend food bags. If you are interested please fill out this form or contact Ms. Talvy at brittany_talvy@dpsk12.org or 720-424-6099.
Important: If your family is struggling in ways that we might be able to support, we hope you will reach out. We have access to many resources that might be helpful and would appreciate knowing how we can best meet the needs of our families. Please fill out this survey and we will be in touch:
Denver Health’s School-based Health Centers (SBHC) and Denver Public Schools (DPS) announced yesterday that students throughout the entire district will now have access to free COVID-19 tests at any of the four Denver Health testing sites, starting immediately.
Read HERE for more information.
Knowing the COVID-19 pandemic continues to negatively impact the lives of Denver families, DHS is now offering emergency/disaster assistance payments up to $4,000 to qualifying residents. These payments can be used for a variety of reasons – to cover rent or pay the mortgage, to pay for mental or medical care, to pay for home or auto repairs, to pay for food or school supplies, and more. To qualify, one must be:
The program is open until funds are exhausted. To apply, go to Colorado.gov/PEAK and apply for Colorado Works/TANF. Please note that because this is a unique and temporary program, the “Am I eligible?” feature will not distinguish between this program and the regular Colorado Works/TANF programs. We encourage anyone with questions to call 720-944-4DHS (4347) to speak with a customer services representative.