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Posted March 22, 2024
If your student accepted a spot at McKinley-Thatcher Elementary for the 2024-2025 school year but your plans for next year have changed, please let us know by calling our main office at (720) 424-5600 as soon as possible. Thank you!
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Welcome to McKinley-Thatcher Elementary! We are excited for your family to join us for the 2024-2025 school year.
McKinley-Thatcher is an amazing school with 300 students in ECE-4 through 5th grade. Our students represent our neighborhood’s rich cultural background and come from a wide variety of countries and family experiences. We are also proud to be a 2021 National Blue Ribbon School!
Our teachers and staff are committed to offering your child hands-on, individualized learning filled with opportunities for academics, arts, drama, technology, physical education, and field trips. At McKinley-Thatcher, we inspire authentic, joyful learners who are ready to explore the world!
We want to make the transition to McKinley-Thatcher effortless and fun for our new students and families. With that in mind, please mark your calendars for some important upcoming events!
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We are proud to use an instructional model called “platooning” for our core content instruction. In kindergarten through fifth grade, our teachers specialize in teaching either literacy or math and science. This model allows teachers to develop deep expertise in their content areas, create more individualized support for students, and implement more experiential learning opportunities in our classrooms!
We strive to create educational experiences that meet each child’s specific needs through differentiated instruction. All our students participate in hands-on learning and unique experiential opportunities with our partners, including South Platte River Environmental Education (SPREE) and the Denver Zoo. Our building also houses a state-of-the-art STEM SmartLab, art studio, library, and flexible learning spaces.
The McKinley-Thatcher Early Childhood Education (ECE) program is play-based, and teachers create curriculum to meet the needs and interests of our unique classes. Children engage in activities of their choice for most of their day, working with peers, creating, exploring, investigating, and solving problems. ECE students also attend specials classes, including art, drama, PE (Physical Education), and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, & Math), on a daily rotation.
Families of accepted ECE-4 students will receive an email from the DPS Enrollment Team containing additional information regarding steps to apply for funding through Universal Preschool Colorado (UPK).
All Denver Public Schools ECE classrooms are required to adhere to the Colorado Early Childhood Licensing requirements. Children must be signed in and out daily by an adult 18 years old or older.
Each child is required to have a separate set of ECE-specific paperwork on file at school. This paperwork is different from the DPS-required paperwork that you will fill out during school registration. Please note, our ECE-specific forms will be available on our website in early August and must be completed and emailed or brought to the office at McKinley-Thatcher by the first day of school.
Additionally, children must have a health appraisal form on file that is signed by a healthcare professional. Many pediatrician offices have health appraisal forms they can print out, sign, and email to you. DPS also offers free healthcare services, including health appraisal forms, to all DPS students at our School-Based Health Centers (run by Denver Health).
In preparation for the beginning of ECE, here a few things to practice this summer:
In the fall, your child will need the following items for school:
We look forward to meeting you as we build the foundation for a fun and successful school year together. Thank you for choosing McKinley-Thatcher!