News from the Nest — October 23, 2026
Posted October 23, 2026
Join the McT Collaborative School Committee!
Are you looking for a way to get more meaningfully involved in the McT community? Good news! Our Collaborative School Committee (CSC) is starting soon! The CSC brings together families, staff and community members to create and implement a plan to promote high achievement within our school with a primary focus on determining the school’s budget and staffing priorities.
We are looking for family and community members to join and serve on our CSC for all five of this year’s meetings. If you are interested, please join us for our first meeting of the year to find out more information! Our CSC meets monthly on the second Tuesday of the month from 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM. Our meetings will be virtual so everyone can join from home. The link for each meeting will be shared on the date of the meeting on ClassDojo so everyone can find it easily!
This year’s CSC meetings will be held on:
- Tuesday, November 10, 2026
- Tuesday, December 8, 2026
- Tuesday, January 12, 2027
- Tuesday, February 9, 2027
- Tuesday, March 9, 2027
Thanks again for being an important and valued part of our McT community. If you have any questions, concerns, or feedback for us, please use our feedback form here (Google Form).
REMINDER: School Halloween Celebration Is Thursday, 10/29
Our school Halloween celebration is next Thursday, October 29! Please note that our celebration is being held on Thursday, October 29 because we have no school on Friday, October 30.
For more information about our celebration, including the schedule, costume guidelines, and how to opt out if your family doesn’t celebrate Halloween, please visit our website here.
REMINDER: 2026-2027 School Picture Ordering Is Open
Just a reminder that Bloom School Pictures has our students’ Picture Day galleries ready for families to view! Please visit Bloom’s website here to view your student’s gallery and order pictures.
For instructions about accessing your student’s gallery, please visit this post on our website.
School News
- Mark your calendars: we have no school on Friday, October 30 and Monday, November 2. School resumes on Tuesday, November 3.
- Friday, October 30 – district-wide staff planning day
- Monday, November 2 – McKinley-Thatcher staff planning day
Upcoming School Events
- Thursday, October 29 – School Halloween Celebration
- Thursday, October 29 – 1st Grade Field Trip: Children’s Museum of Denver
- Friday, October 30 – NO SCHOOL: DPS Staff Planning Day
- Monday, November 2 – NO SCHOOL: McKinley-Thatcher Staff Planning Day
- Tuesday, November 3 – ECE Field Trip: Randy Weeks Conservatory
- Tuesday, November 3 – 3rd Grade Walking Field Trip: Platt Park
- Wednesday, November 4 – K, 1st, & 2nd Grade Field Trip: Randy Weeks Conservatory
Click here to view the McKinley-Thatcher school calendar.
PTA News
- Join us virtually or in-person at Wednesday’s Evening PTA Meeting (October 28) at 6:30PM! And don’t forget you can attend from anywhere with our virtual Zoom option! (Here is the link to join for easy reference.) If you can join us in-person, we’ll be in the school cafeteria at 6:30PM, and if you need to bring your kids, we’ll have crafts set up to keep them busy! At these meetings, we’ll be able to get more in-depth with what’s going on with the school and PTA and would love to have people join us and share their ideas. A reminder that we’re trialing this new time for the first semester to see if it works for people, so we’d love to see you there.
- Make sure you mark your calendar for the 50th Birthday Bash on Saturday November 14th! The party will take place from 3-5:30PM in the school gym and cafeteria and we’ll have games, crafts, music, time capsules, and more. RSVP and view more on our website.
- Do you have a business that you’d like to promote and share within the McT community? A reminder that we offer business sponsorships with different levels of involvement, and contributions are 100% tax-deductible and play a huge role in funding our school’s programs. Find out more on our website.
Upcoming PTA Events
Community News
- Spooky Spokes Bike Ride: join Platt Park People’s Association (3PA) on Sunday, October 25 for a spooky and safe group bike ride around Platt Park to visit each entry for the 4th Annual Scarecrow Contest! This will be a guided group ride held at a slow pace for all ages with dedicated volunteers making sure no one is left behind. For more information, including event times, click here.
- Join South High School for their annual Trick-or-Treat Street on Thursday, October 29 from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM at South (1700 E. Louisiana Ave.). There will be games, art activities, candy, and prizes for elementary students and their families. $3 entry fee per child, or bring a hygiene product to support South’s Giving Grocery for free entry. For more information, please see the event flyer here (PDF file).
- Denver Public Schools families are invited to the third annual “Boo at CU” event, hosted by the University of Colorado School of Medicine, on Thursday, October 29 from 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM. This family-friendly event is designed to provide a fun and safe Halloween experience for children and their families. For more information, and to RSVP, please see the event flyer in English here (PDF file) and in Spanish here (PDF file).
- Halloween Storytime at the Decker Branch Library: join Decker Branch on Friday, October 30 at 10:30 AM for a special spooky storytime. Come dressed up in your Halloween costume and get ready to practice trick-or-treating at the library after storytime. Best for children ages 6 and under.
Upcoming Community Events
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!
