News from the Nest — May 30, 2025

Posted May 30, 2025

Last Day of School Information!

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. Please make plans now to pick up your students by 11:30 AM on Tuesday!

ECE ONLY: the last day of school for ECE students was TODAY (Friday, May 30).

McKinley-Thatcher’s 2025-2026 School Year Calendar 

The finalized 2025-2026 school year calendar for McKinley-Thatcher is now available to our families (see links below)! 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.

Calendar Links

REMINDER:
RSVP for PTA’s Last Day of School Celebration On 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!

Other School News

  • In case you missed it, check out our May 23 Principal’s Update: read the update on our website here for important end-of-year news, including:
    • Celebrations of Our Staff Members’ Years of Service in DPS
    • Staff Transitions for the 2025-2026 School Year
    • New Math Curriculum
    • New Social and Emotional Learning Curriculum
    • New Kindergarten Instructional Model
    • Upcoming Important Dates

  • REMINDER: Pick Up Student Medications from Our Health Office By Tuesday, 6/3! If you have any medication for your student at school, please pick 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. 

Community News & Resources

  • None at this time!

Upcoming School Events

Click here to view the McKinley-Thatcher school calendar.

  • Thursday, 5/29 – 4th Grade Walking Field Trip: Wash Park
  • 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!