News from the Nest — September 10, 2021

Posted September 10, 2021

Vol. 6, No. 3

REMINDER: Complete Your Meal Benefits Application

If you haven’t yet completed your Meal Benefits application for this school year, you might be receiving reminder robo-calls from the district. Please take a few moments to complete an application here. Completing an application ensures that your family has access to all school resources you might be eligible for, and helps make sure we get the most funding to support our school! Use this step-by-step guide if you need help!

Please note: if your family doesn’t qualify for meal benefits, you can “opt out” on the first page of the application.

Support Our School When You Shop on Amazon!

AmazonSmile is a simple and automatic way for you to support the McKinley PTA every time you shop, at no cost to you. When you shop at AmazonSmile, you’ll find the exact same low prices as Amazon.com, with the added bonus that Amazon will donate 0.5% of the purchase price from your eligible AmazonSmile purchases to our PTA!

Click here to set McKinley-Thatcher PTA as your AmazonSmile charitable organization. Amazon will remember your selection, and then every eligible purchase you make on AmazonSmile will result in a donation. Each time you shop, start from smile.amazon.com for the same products and prices!

In Other News…

Save-the-Date: PTA Meet-and-Greet on September 21! Join our PTA on our playground on Tuesday, September 21 at 7:30am (right after drop-off) for the first PTA meeting of the year! Bring your own cup for the free coffee and learn about what PTA does for our school community, get to know other families, and find out how you can get involved! Email mckinleythatcher@gmail.com if you are interested in a virtual option or if you cannot attend.
Support Our School Garden: veggies from our garden are being sold in bread baked by the Rebel Bread bakery at the South Pearl Street Farmers Market every Sunday (9:00am-1:00pm) through the end of market season! Stop by the Rebel Bread stand, purchase some of the special McKinley sourdough focaccia, and have $1 donated back to our school! A special thanks to Cassie, Bean, Val, and Gina at Rebel Bread for baking such amazing bread and partnering with us to raise over $200 so far.
Platt Park Cub Scouts Pack 5 is recruiting members in kindergarten through 5th grade! Check out their flyer for more information or email Cubmaster Steve Giampaolo at sgiampao@gmail.com with questions!
We have NO SCHOOL on Friday, September 24 (McKinley Teacher Planning Day) or Monday, September 27 (DPS Teacher Planning Day). Please add these dates to your calendar!
Join Team DPS at the 20th Annual Second Wind Walk/Run on Saturday, September 25 at Clement Park in Littleton! The Second Wind Fund actively supports DPS students to get mental health support related to thoughts of suicide or feelings of depression. Visit their website for more information and to register!
Community News: join the Rosedale Community Garden tomorrow, Saturday, September 11, from 9:00am to 12:00pm for their Summer Harvest Sale! You can purchase fresh-picked organic vegetables, flower arrangements, heirloom garlic, baked items and canned jams, jellies, and sauces. Customers are asked to wear masks and observe social distancing protocols. The garden is located on Logan Street, just south of Iliff. For more information, contact atolenti@aol.com or visit the Garden’s Facebook event.

Upcoming Events

Click here to view the McKinley-Thatcher school calendar.

Tues., 9/14 — 2nd grade in-school SPREE “field trip,” 9:00am-11:00am
Tues., 9/21 — PTA breakfast meeting for grown-ups, 7:30am on the playground
Thurs., 9/23 — September Student Recognition Assembly, 7:45am on Google Meet
Fri., 9/24 — NO SCHOOL (McKinley Teacher Planning Day)
Mon., 9/27 — NO SCHOOL (DPS Teacher Planning Day)
Weds., 9/29 to Fri., 10/1 — Fall Book Fair (more details coming soon!)