News from the Nest — December 6, 2024

Posted December 6, 2024

Colorado Gives Day is Happening NOW – Support McKinley!

Just a reminder from our PTA – we’ve launched our very first Colorado Gives Day campaign!

What is Colorado Gives Day?

It’s Colorado’s largest day of giving when donations to Colorado nonprofits like McKinley-Thatcher are boosted by the Colorado Gives Foundation!

Early Giving is Happening Now!

From now until December 10, all gifts are boosted by a $1 million Incentive Fund. Plus, start a new monthly donation, and your first gift will be matched up to $100, doubling your impact!

How to Give:

Visit our donation page and make a donation to help us reach our goal of $10,000. Let’s make this first campaign a success – thank you for supporting McKinley!

Help Us Share the Joy of Giving This Season!

We are collecting non-perishable food and toiletry items to support our families in need from Monday, December 9 to Friday, December 13. Your generous donations can make a real difference in our community.  

Donations Needed:

  • Canned vegetables & fruits
  • Canned proteins (tuna, chicken, etc.)
  • Cereal 
  • Granola bars
  • Pasta & rice
  • Peanut butter & jelly
  • Soups & stews
  • Diapers & wipes 
  • Feminine hygiene products 
  • Laundry detergent 
  • Shampoo, soap, toothpaste, deodorant  

Drop-Off Information:  

Bring all items to the front lobby and place items in the boxes provided. 

Deadline for Donations: Friday, December 13

Ways to Help:

  • Donate non-perishable items.
  • Spread the word to family and friends. 
  • Volunteer your time to help collect and sort donations (see volunteer shifts below). Sign up here!
    • Monday, 12/16, 7:30 a.m – 10:30 a.m. – sort all the donated items and arrange them in the gym. (8 volunteers needed!)
    • Monday, 12/16, 12:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. – host families to come “shop” in the gym. (2 volunteers needed)
    • Monday, 12/16, 2:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. – pack up the remaining items into bags and move to lobby. (6 volunteers needed!)

Together, we can make this season a little brighter for everyone in our community. Every donation counts! For more information, please contact Ms. Geerdes at Sonia_Geerdes@dpsk12.net. 

Save-the-Date: McKinley-Thatcher PTA Auction!

Get ready for an unforgettable evening to support our school! Please join our PTA and the McT community for a night of catered bites, refreshing beverages, and a live auction. This is the biggest fundraiser event of the year for McKinley-Thatcher and we want this year to be bigger than ever.

  • DATE: Friday, May 9, 2025
  • TIME: 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM
  • VENUE: Moss Denver

Save the date and stay tuned for more details!

Have Something You Would Like To Donate?

Calling for all donations, big and small! If you donated last year, be on the lookout for outreach from the auction committee to see if you are interested in donating again. For anyone else who would like to donate items or experiences, please reach out to us at MCTauction@gmail.com!

Help Our PTA Stock the Lounge! 

Our PTA’s Wellness Committee is asking for your help to stock the McKinley staff lounge with goodies. The Wellness Committee created an Amazon wish list here that has all of our staff’s favorite foods. Please take a look and make a purchase if you are able to. The items will be set up in the staff lounge as they arrive! Thank you!

Other School News

  • In case you missed it: here’s our December 2024 lunch menu in English, Arabic, Dari, Spanish, and Vietnamese!

  • Mark your calendars: we have NO SCHOOL from Monday, December 23 to Monday, January 6 for our winter break! School resumes on Tuesday, January 7.

  • As we approach the winter months, we’d like to share again DPS’s winter weather policies in English, Arabic, Dari, Spanish, and Vietnamese! To see McKinley’s school policies for winter weather, please visit our website here and scroll down to the “McKinley Winter Weather Policy” heading. 

Community News & Resources

  • None at this time!

Upcoming School Events

Click here to view the McKinley-Thatcher school calendar.

  • Monday, 12/9 to Friday, 12/13 – Annual Food Drive
  • Friday, 12/13 – 4th Grade Field Trip: SPREE
  • Friday, 12/20 – Monthly School Values assembly, 7:45 a.m.
  • Monday, 12/23 to Monday, 1/6 – NO SCHOOL: Winter Break
  • Tuesday, 1/7 – SCHOOL RESUMES!

Upcoming DPS & Community Events

  • None at this time!