News from the Nest — May 23, 2025

Posted May 23, 2025

You’re Invited:
PTA’s Last Day of School Celebration Is Tuesday, 6/3!

Our school community is invited to join our PTA in celebrating another amazing year at McKinley-Thatcher at their annual Last Day of School celebration on Tuesday, June 3!

Event Details

  • WHO: Families, Staff — the entire McKinley community!
  • WHAT: PTA’s Last Day of School Bash
  • WHEN: Tuesday, June 3 (our last day of school!), 11:30 AM to 2:00 PM 
  • WHERE: McKinley playground & field
  • WHY: food, fun, & activities including a visit from the Denver Fire Station 16 fire truck, pizza, snow cones, snacks, and drinks, AND… A FOAM PIT! Please dress to get wet!
  • HOW: please RSVP by clicking here!

Foam Pit Tentative Time Slots (For Safety):

  • ECE and Kindergarten: 11:30 AM – 11:50 AM
  • 1st and 2nd Grades: 11:55 AM – 12:15 PM
  • 2nd and 3rd Grades: 12:20 PM – 12:40 PM
  • 4th and 5th Grades: 12:45 PM – 1:05 PM

What’s a Foam Pit?

Check out the Colorado Foam & Bubbles homepage to see a foam pit in action, and read through their FAQs here!

REMINDER:
Pick Up Student Medications from Our Health Office By Tuesday, 6/3!

It is that time of year again! All student medications must go! If you have any medication for your student at school, please plan on picking it up no later than 1:00 pm on Tuesday, June 3. To pick up medications, come to the front office and the school nurse will meet you to sign them out. Colorado’s state guidelines state that medications are not permitted to be sent home with your child. Any medication not picked up by 1:00 PM on June 3 will be destroyed, per DPS policy.

For questions or concerns, please contact our school nurse, Jen, at (720) 424-5606 or Jennifer_Iltis@dpsk12.net. Thank you!

Free Summer Healthcare for DPS Students & Siblings!

The Denver Health School-Based Health Centers will continue to see DPS students and their siblings for free at certain locations during the summer.  The health centers offer free medical and dental care, and are run by Denver Health Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants. For more information, check out their website here. 

McKinley-Thatcher’s 2025-2026 School Year Calendar 

The finalized 2025-2026 school year calendar for McKinley-Thatcher is now available to our families here! This calendar has all of the district’s important dates, as well as some special McKinley-specific dates. The special McKinley dates include four additional staff planning days for our school (shown in yellow). On these McKinley planning days, there is no school for McKinley students.

Please note that our McKinley 2025-2026 school year calendar will be available in Arabic, Dari, Somali, Spanish, and Vietnamese soon! 

Other School News

  • Mark your calendars: we have NO SCHOOL on Monday, May 26 in observance of Memorial Day. School will resume on Tuesday, May 27!

  • Last Day of School Information:
    • ECE ONLY: the last day of school for ECE students is Friday, May 30. This is a half-day with dismissal at 10:00 AM.

    • K – 5th Grade: the last day of school for K-5th grade students is Tuesday, June 3. This is a half-day with dismissal at 11:30 AM. Students will eat lunch before dismissal. 

Community News & Resources

  • None at this time!

Upcoming School Events

Click here to view the McKinley-Thatcher school calendar.

  • Monday, 5/26NO SCHOOL: Memorial Day
  • Thursday, 5/29 – 4th Grade Walking Field Trip: Wash Park
  • Friday, 5/30ECE ONLY: Last Day of School (HALF-DAY with dismissal at 10:00 AM)
  • Friday, 5/30 – ECE Continuation Ceremony, 9:00 AM in our cafeteria 
  • Friday, 5/30 – K-5th Grade Talent Show (families of performers only, please!)
  • Friday, 5/30 – 5th Grade Continuation Ceremony, 4:00 PM in our cafeteria
  • Tuesday, 6/3K-5th Grade: LAST DAY OF SCHOOL (HALF-DAY with dismissal at 11:30 AM)
  • Tuesday, 6/3K-2nd Grade: End-of-Year School Assembly, 7:45 AM to 8:30 AM
  • Tuesday, 6/33rd-5th Grade: End-of-Year School Assembly, 9:00 AM to – 9:45 AM 

Upcoming DPS & Community Events

  • None at this time!