News from the Nest — January 16, 2026

Posted January 16, 2026

REMINDER: NO SCHOOL on Monday, January 19

Just a reminder that we have NO SCHOOL this coming Monday, January 19, in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. School will resume on Tuesday, January 20.

REMINDER: Round 1 of SchoolChoice 2026-2027 CLOSES on Tuesday, January 20

Round 1 of the 2026-2027 SchoolChoice application is closing at 4:00 PM next Tuesday, January 20! McKinley-Thatcher families with students who will be attending ECE, kindergarten, or 6th grade next school year should please submit a SchoolChoice application by the January 20 deadline. Families with incoming ECE-4 students must also submit a Universal Pre-K application as soon as possible. For more information about SchoolChoice, visit our website here!

If you have questions or need assistance, please reach out at our main office at (720) 424-5600 or McKinley_Thatcher@dpsk12.org. We are here to help!

Other School News

  • Health Office Clothing Needs: the health office is in need of sweatpants, preferably in youth sizes 5–8. Donations can be dropped off in our main office anytime during school hours. Thank you for your support!

  • In case you missed it: there are important changes to McKinley’s special education services beginning next school year. In August 2026, our current kindergarten to 5th grade Cross‑Categorical special education program will transition to a kindergarten to 2nd grade Multi‑Intensive Autism (MIA) program. To read more about this change, please click here.

  • Volunteer with Free Book Friday: our school librarian, Ms. Goldberg, is looking for volunteers to help out with Free Book Friday, a recurring book giveaway organized by school staff for the McKinley-Thatcher community! To see more information and to sign up, visit our SignUpGenius here.

Community News & Resources

  • Curious about what the Denver Public Library (DPL) can do for you? DPL provides welcoming spaces where everyone is free to explore, learn, create and belong. Through 26 locations across the city, the library builds community by providing essential resources that help people connect, grow and thrive – all for free!

    Learn more about DPL’s services in English, Arabic, Nepali, Somali, Spanish, and Vietnamese (PDF files)!

  • Decker Library’s upcoming events: our neighborhood library, Decker, is hosting lots of fun events in January and February. Check out their calendar here (PDF file)!

Share Your Feedback with Us!

Please let us know how we are doing! Send us a shoutout, an idea you have to help us get better, or a concern that you would like addressed. Responses can be submitted using this Google form. Thank you! 

Upcoming School Events

Click here to view the McKinley-Thatcher school calendar.

  • Monday, 1/19 – NO SCHOOL: MLK, Jr. Day
  • Tuesday, 1/20 – SchoolChoice Round 1 CLOSES, 4:00 PM
  • Thursday, 1/22 – 3rd Grade Field Trip: Wings Over the Rockies
  • Thursday, 1/22 – 4th Grade Field Trip: History Colorado Center
  • Monday, 1/26 – 3rd Grade Field Trip: Day Trip to Balarat
  • Friday, 1/30 – Monthly School Value Assembly, 7:45 AM
  • Friday, 1/30 – 5th Grade Field Trip: Overland Park

Upcoming DPS & Community Events