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SUBJECT: Week In Review - March 25-29, 2024
March 29, 2024
Happy Friday!
2024 Apple Awards
Tomorrow night is the annual Apple Awards Reveal Party hosted by the Foundation for Douglas County Schools. I cannot wait to learn who our 2024 Apple Award winners are and to celebrate them as well as all of the Apple Award representatives from our schools and departments. This is always such a special night. Be on the lookout for announcements of the winners next week.
Congratulations 2024 Daniels Fund Scholars!
Earlier this week the Daniels Fund released the names of their 2024 scholarship winners. I’m so excited to share that six of the scholarship recipients are from DCSD high schools! This is an incredibly prestigious scholarship and this may be the highest-ever number of scholarships awarded to DCSD students in one year! The Daniels Scholars get their full cost of college attendance covered at partner schools in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming, and up to $100,000 over four years if they choose to attend a school outside of the four-state region. The winning students were selected for their strength of character, leadership potential, commitment to serving the community, and academic potential. This is such a huge accomplishment! Congratulations to these outstanding DCSD students!
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Caleb Cease, ThunderRidge High School
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Ryan Gromer, Chaparral High School
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Collette Johnson, Legend High School
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Kiera Sheehan, Ponderosa High School
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Kayla Stutz, Chaparral High School
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Brynna West, ThunderRidge High School
DCSD Academic Calendar Survey
There's still time to provide your feedback on our academic calendars for the coming years. The DCSD Calendar Committee has developed four possible academic calendar options for the 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 school years. Click here to learn more and to complete the survey. The survey is open through Sunday, March 31.
The feedback collected from the survey will be used to help the Calendar Committee select calendars to be presented to the DCSD Board of Education for approval and adoption.
As always, we greatly appreciate your participation.
Have a fantastic weekend!
Erin Kane
Superintendent
Douglas County School District
GOOD NEWS FROM AROUND DCSD
Mill Levy Override (5A) Provides Increased Security Staff at DCSD Schools
When voters said yes to the Mill Levy Override (5A) last November, it provided increased pay for the incredible teachers and staff here in DCSD. But did you know it also enabled our school district to further increase safety and security in schools? That’s right! Per the ballot language, $6M of the MLO was earmarked for hiring additional personnel such as School Resource Officers (SRO) and Campus Security Specialists (CSS) in our schools.
While hiring is in the works for many of these positions, Campus Security Specialists are already in place at several DCSD elementary schools. And, these schools are already reporting that their new Campus Security Specialists are making a positive impact on their students, staff and overall school culture. Let’s take a look at one example at Iron Horse Elementary School in Parker.
Meet Benjamin Alway, aka Mr. Ben. The students at Iron Horse Elementary have already welcomed him with open arms. Read more. >>
DCSD Student Places 2nd in Colorado State Spelling Bee
Congratulations to Rebecca Jerison, a sixth-grader from Challenge To Excellence Charter School in Parker who finished 2nd at the 2024 Denver Post Colorado State Spelling Bee. More than 270 schools across Colorado started the 2024 competition off with a competitive online spelling and vocabulary test on March 4th and the top scorers advanced to the oral rounds at Sturm Hall on the University of Denver’s campus. Click here to see the 14 finalists who participated in the live competition. Please join us in congratulating all of the top spellers across Colorado! Read more. >>
A "Mo"-tivating Literacy Night at Meadow View Elementary
Meadow View Elementary School recently hosted their first annual Literacy Night themed around the hilarious books of author Mo Willems. Students had oodles of fun playing games and completing activities designed to practice important foundational skills within the five Pillars of Reading (Phonological Awareness, Phonics, Vocabulary, Fluency, and Comprehension). Some of the awesome “Mo”-tivating activities included word decoding Connect 4, Piggie and Gerald Reader’s Theater, high-frequency word elephant walk, story time with Millie the Mountain Lion, and many, many more! Several Meadow View teachers and specialists attended to provide research-based information and support not only for Literacy, but also for Occupational Therapy, Speech and Language Services, and English Language Development. Fun was had by all, and several lucky students left with books and stuffies as prizes!
Cloverleaf Enrichment School in the Community
During Kindness Week, Cloverleaf Enrichment School’s kindergarten students buddied up with their 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students and took a walking field trip to visit neighbors at the Bonaventure Senior Living Center to spread kindness and love. While there, students chatted with residents as well as delivered candy and decorated wooden hearts (made by all Cloverleaf students) to every resident there! It was a week filled with love and kindness for all.
Share Your School’s Good News!
We will continue to send these celebratory emails out each week. If we missed a celebration or you have good news to share, please submit it here.
RESOURCES AND TIPS FOR PARENTS
Mental Health Resources
National Parent & Youth Helpline
The National Parent & Youth Helpline provides vital information, support, and referrals through calls, texts, and chats to diverse parents, children, and youth seeking help nationwide. The National Parent & Youth Helpline is operated by Parents Anonymous® and available 24 hours a day/7 days a week. Learn more. >>
Literacy Resources
From Reading Rockets: "Developing Writing and Spelling at Home"
"When engaging in writing, young children often mirror what they see around them: adults and older children writing lists, letters, text messaging. They are observing the way writing is used in our everyday lives." Check out this article for some easy and helpful ideas for supporting your child at home with writing and spelling.
Health and Wellness Resources
9 Common Childhood Illnesses and Conditions
From stomach bugs to roseola, some sicknesses are bound to happen at some point during childhood. But as a parent or caregiver, it can be hard to identify what these conditions are, or when you should ask for help. Plus, many sicknesses can have overlapping symptoms, making it hard to differentiate what illness your child may have. Fortunately, our partners at Children’s Hospital Colorado share expert information on key signs and symptoms of common conditions, how to help your child heal and more. Read more. >>
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Serve on a DCSD Board Committee
The DCSD District Accountability Committee (DAC), Fiscal Oversight Committee (FOC), Long Range Planning Committee, and Mill Bond Oversight Committee (MBOC) are seeking candidates to fill vacant member positions. Visit their webpages to learn more and to apply.
2024 Douglas County Outstanding Youth Award Nominations Due Today!
The Outstanding Youth Award recognizes teenagers between the ages of 13 and 19 who have overcome personal adversity and created positive change in their lives. The Youth Awards focus on teenagers who have triumphed over great odds and serve as inspirations and role models. If you know young people who would be good candidates for the Youth Awards, please help us identify them by completing the nomination form, link is below. Award winners receive a cash gift! Nomination forms are due by: March 29, 2024.