A warm welcome to our new 2026-2027 families!

News from the Nest — April 24, 2026

Posted April 24, 2026

Save-the-Date: Teacher & Staff Appreciation Week 

Join our Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) as they celebrate Teacher & Staff Appreciation Week from Monday, May 4 to Friday, May 8! Choose a day or two (or all five!) to show our teachers & staff members how much they are loved and appreciated. Participation is optional.

A Reminder From Our PTA: 

Gifts of appreciation can be sent in with students or dropped off at the front office, but may not be delivered to the classroom by visitors during school hours. Thank you!

Teacher & Staff Appreciation Week Celebrations

  • Monday, 5/4: Bring a Flower – help us create bright, beautiful bouquets for our amazing staff!
  • Tuesday, 5/5: Snacks Galore – bring individually wrapped snacks or drinks to stock the staff lounge with goodies!
    • Please bring your donation to the front door.
  • Wednesday, 5/6: Gift Card Collection – donate a gift card to support the staff end-of-year Survivor Game!
    • Please bring physical gift cards to the office or send digital cards to Sonia_Geerdes@dpsk12.net.
    • The PTA will also provide a special catered lunch this day to say THANK YOU!
  • Thursday, 5/7: Notes of Appreciation – write a kind note, draw a picture, or share a message to make a staff member smile!
  • Friday, 5/8: Classroom Supplies – donate helpful supplies to support our classrooms!

3rd-5th Grade Families: Talent Show Auditions Are Open!

3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students are invited to submit a Talent Show audition video anytime before Friday, May 1. Students may sing, dance, act, do a comedy routine, share a special skill, or any other kind of fun act they can think of! Acts should be finished, well-practiced, entertaining, age-appropriate, and around two minutes long. Audition videos may be uploaded to this Google Drive folder.

Please note: this year, our school talent show is open to 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students ONLY. This means that students in ECE through 2nd grade may not audition with their older siblings.

If you have questions about the Talent Show, please reach out to Ms. Katherine Nelson, our drama teacher, at Katherine_Nelson@dpsk12.net. 

PTA Leadership Team Nominations Now Open!

Our Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) is officially opening nominations for their 2026-2027 team. Think about those friends and fellow parents / caregivers who are always organized, full of great ideas, or just deeply passionate about our kids’ experience. We want to hear from them (or from you about them!).

Do you know someone who would be a perfect fit? Or are you ready to jump in yourself? Feel free to read some bulleted lists of responsibilities for these roles here (Google Doc), and then please submit your nominations via our Google Form here. We’re accepting nominations until Thursday, May 7, with voting to happen at the May 8 PTA meeting.

Nominate yourself! Nominate a friend! Help make next year a great success!

Other School News

  • Show Your Eagle Pride: check out the McKinley-Thatcher Parent-Teacher Association’s (PTA) online merch store for t-shirts and hoodies: click here to shop! All items are sold at cost and printed on demand so every Eagle can show their school spirit! If you’d like to go the extra mile, we also welcome donations to help fund the PTA’s mission of supporting our students, teachers, and community.

  • Planning for Next School Year: ECE-4th grade families, please help us plan ahead for next school year by letting us know if your family will be returning to McKinley-Thatcher! Please complete this Google form by Thursday, April 30, or return the paper form that went home in our April 17 Friday Folders. If you are NOT returning, completing this form helps us fill empty spots and make sure our school budget is accurate. (5th grade families do not need to respond.)
  • Mark Your Calendars: we have NO SCHOOL on Friday, May 1. This is a professional development & training day for our staff.
  • Our annual Wash Park Fishing Day with Mr. J, our PE teacher, is coming up on Saturday, May 2 from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM! Meet Mr. J on the north side of Smith Lake – you’ll see park ranger tents. Kids can borrow a fishing pole or choose one to keep. Hope to see you there!
  • Save-the-Date: our Parent-Teacher Association’s May fundraiser with Lava Island in Englewood is coming up on Thursday, May 7 from 4:00 PM to 9:00 PM! On this day, 20% of admission proceeds go back to our school when you mention McKinley-Thatcher at check-in!

    Please note: tickets must be purchased in-person on May 7 and guests must mention McKinley-Thatcher when checking in at the venue. 
  • Save-the-Date: our 3rd-5th Grade Student Learning Showcase is coming up on Wednesday, May 13 from 4:00 PM to 5:30 PM! During our showcase event, students will present key aspects of their learning from their grade level classes, as well as from STEM (science, technology, engineering, & mathematics), art, and drama, to their families. We’ll share more information next week!

  • Save-the-Date: our annual K-5th Grade Field Day is coming up on Friday, May 15 from 8:15 AM to 10:45 AM! We’ll share more information next week!

    In the meantime, we are looking for Field Day volunteers from 7:00 AM to 11:00 AM on May 15 – if you’re interested in helping out, please sign up here.

Community News & Resources

  • None at this time!

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.

Upcoming DPS & Community Events

  • None at this time!