News from the Nest — October 6, 2023

Posted October 6, 2023

Thank You for Celebrating National Walk / Roll to School Day with Us!

We had such a great time celebrating National Walk / Roll to School Day this week with our celebrity crossing guard Dixie Krystals! Thank you to all of our community members who welcomed Dixie and participated in our morning event. 

One of our district’s core beliefs is that diversity is a community treasure, and equity is at the core of our mission. We commit to building a culture that embraces the unique identity and potential of every child, and events like this help us to accomplish that goal. We had so much fun celebrating, and we are proud to be a Safe and Welcoming school in DPS!

Save-the-Date:
October Collaborative School Committee Meeting Is 10/17!

Our Collaborative School Committee (CSC) will meet virtually on Tuesday, October 17 at 5:00pm! We’ll be discussing budget priorities for next year, and we’d love to hear what matters to you and your family. Join us using this Google Meet link: https://meet.google.com/efu-aria-ejf. 

What’s the CSC?

McKinley-Thatcher’s Collaborative School Committee consists of all our school stakeholders (educators, families, and community members) and serves as a leadership body for school accountability. Our CSC is an opportunity for all stakeholders to have a voice in building the school we want for our community. Our meetings are always open to the public, so anyone can participate at any time! 

For more information and to see recent CSC meeting minutes, please visit the CSC page on our school website!

Save-the-Date:
PTA’s October Restaurant Fundraiser @ Chook Is 10/16 & 10/17!

Our PTA’s October restaurant fundraiser is coming up soon on Monday, October 16 and Tuesday, October 17 at Chook (1300 S. Pearl St.)! Families can order in-person or online to have a percentage of the proceeds donated to our school! Be sure to mention McKinley to your server if you’re ordering in-person. If you’re ordering online, use the code “SCHOOLS20” when you check out!

In Other News!

  • During the month of October, we will be teaching and learning about our second school value, work together!

  • Destination Imagination at McKinley-Thatcher: does your child like solving challenges, working with others, being creative, and striving to reach a goal? If so, Destination Imagination’s STEAM-based (science, tech, engineering, arts, and math) challenges might be a great fit! Destination Imagination prepares kids to be the innovators of the future by combining the arts, sciences, and technology with creativity, teamwork, and problem solving. If your child would like to participate, complete the form at tinyurl.com/DIMCT23. Also, every team will need a team manager – if your child wants to sign up, please consider volunteering as their team’s leader.

    Want to learn more about DI? Watch this video! Contact Allison Gleichman at agleichman@gmail.com or (303) 229-6011 with questions!

  • Mark your calendars: we have NO SCHOOL on Thursday, October 12, Friday, October 13, or Monday, October 16 (DPS October break)! School resumes on Tuesday, October 17.

  • REMINDER: family / teacher conferences are next week! Teachers have shared a digital conference sign-up link with their families – please reach out to them if you haven’t yet signed up for a conference for your child. We have scheduled interpretation services for all families who requested them!

  • Application for Early Access to Kindergarten and First Grade: if you have an ECE or kindergarten student who you believe could benefit from early access to kindergarten or first grade, please review the information on the Denver Public Schools Gifted and Talented Family Information website. The application for Early Access opened on October 1.

Community News & Resources

  • We are so excited to share that Miles Noble, a former McKinley-Thatcher student, is the author of the newly published book Bunny and the Stuffed Animal Squad! He began writing his book when he was in 4th grade at McKinley and published it in July 2023.

    On Sunday, October 15, Miles will be doing a book signing at the Pearl Street Farmers Market from 10:00am to 12:00pm. He will be in a booth in front of the Second Star to the Right bookstore which is located at 1455 S. Pearl St. Stop by to support our McKinley alum and author! 

Upcoming School Events

Click here to view the McKinley-Thatcher school calendar.

  • Mon., 10/9 – Thurs., 10/12 – Family / Teacher Conferences (sign up with your teacher!)
  • Thurs., 10/12 – NO SCHOOL: DPS Planning Day
  • Fri., 10/13 – NO SCHOOL: DPS October Break
  • Mon., 10/16 – NO SCHOOL: DPS Planning Day
  • Mon., 10/16 & Tues., 10/17 – October Restaurant Fundraiser: Chook
  • Tues., 10/17 – October Collaborative School Committee meeting, 5:00pm on Google Meet
  • Wed., 10/18 & Thurs., 10/19 – 5th Grade OVERNIGHT Field Trip: Balarat
  • Thurs., 10/19 – 2nd Grade Field Trip: Bear Creek Park

Upcoming DPS & Community Events