News from the Nest — October 9, 2026
Posted October 9, 2026
REMINDER: NO SCHOOL on Monday, October 12
We have no school this coming Monday, October 12. This is a vacation day for McKinley-Thatcher. School resumes on Tuesday, October 13.
A Message from Mrs. Collins, Our STEM Teacher
Three days each week, students visit Mrs. Angie Collins in our computer lab for Science, Technology, Engineering, & Mathematics (STEM) class. Here is what we have been up to in STEM so far this school year!
- ECE–5th Grade – Digital Citizenship and Computer Safety: lessons beginning soon!
- ECE-5th Grade – Virtual Reality Headsets: students will be exploring virtual reality headsets. We will have these headsets three times throughout this school year.
- ECE & Kindergarten – Caterpillars and Worms & Coding Caterpillar: ECE and kindergarten students created caterpillars with clay for an art project with Ms. Jenny, our visual arts teacher. They are learning about the difference between worms and caterpillars. They are also using the Fisher Price Coding Caterpillar as an early introduction to computer coding.
- Kindergarten–5th Grade – Typing Club: kindergarten through 5th grade students have been working on typing practice. Kindergartners are still practicing how to log in.
- 2nd–5th Grade – Canva / Google Slide Project: students are learning to use Canva Dream Lab to create an AI Animal Avatar; then they are transferring their creation to a Google Slide and choosing a McKinley-Thatcher School Value to focus on as their goal this year.
- 2nd & 3rd Grade – TinkerCad: students are completing lessons in TinkerCad (an Early Autodesk Program).
- 4th & 5th Grade – VEX Robotics: students are beginning collaboratively to build VEX robots in teams and working on preparing for the VEX IQ Level Up Competition.
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
- Monday, October 12 – NO SCHOOL: Vacation Day
- Monday, October 19 – 5th Grade Field Trip: Overland Pond Park
- Thursday, October 22 – Picture Retake Day (more details coming soon!)
- Thursday, October 22 – 3rd Grade Field Trip: Denver Museum of Nature & Science
- Friday, October 23 – Monthly School Values Assembly
Click here to view the McKinley-Thatcher school calendar.
PTA News
- We’re in the final days to visit Denver Ski Company for discounted ski season rentals! Our fundraiser ends on Monday the 12th – don’t miss the opportunity to get 10% off your ski or snowboard season rentals when using code MTS2026 (in person or pre-pay on their website here), and McKinley-Thatcher will receive 5% of all proceeds from those rentals. Get more information on our website.
- Mark your calendars for Tuesday, October 20th, our Sexy Pizza & Pearl Wine Co Restaurant Fundraiser! We’re doing another double header so that you can enjoy food as well as drinks! Head to our official pizza sponsor Sexy Pizza on South Pearl Street to order pizza, gift cards and merch, and 15% of all-day sales will go back to McKinley-Thatcher! (No need to mention a code.)
Then head a few doors down to our friends at Pearl Wine Co to stock up on wine, beer and liquor (and bring home a bottle to enjoy with your pizza!). They will donate 15% of all sales back to our school when you mention McKinley-Thatcher when paying.
Upcoming PTA Events
Community News
- 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).
- 4th Annual Platt Park Scarecrow Contest:
- If you live in Platt Park: Join Platt Park People’s Association (3PA) in designing and entering your very own handmade, family-friendly scarecrow right in your front yard! Register your creation and review instructions by Friday, October 9 here.
- Live outside the neighborhood? You can still join the fun! Take a drive around the neighborhood to see the scarecrows or join the Spooky Spokes Bike Ride (see below)!
- 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.
Upcoming Community Events
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