I’m writing today full of gratitude for the volunteers, staff, and student leaders who organized the Fall Ball for our middle school students to make it a success tonight. I’m also hoping to communicate with all of our parents and guardians in regards to COVID protocols. Fall Ball and Homecoming were both joyful events that reminded me of the importance of in-person learning and experiences for our young people.
We are seeing a slight uptick in confirmed COVID-19 positive cases. Some are occurring in fully-vaccinated individuals. We appreciate your help in communicating quickly with school staff to let us know as soon as your child has had any exposure to Covid or a suspected case of Covid. We also request your help in reminding your children to maintain mask vigilance both at school and around people outside of their household, especially when they are indoors. Please do not send your child to school if they are exhibiting any symptoms as detailed on this document from the state of Colorado.
Additionally, I highly recommend requesting at-home rapid testing kits available through the state of Colorado at the link provided below in the Boletin. As a parent with students in school, I have found the test kits to be quick, easy to use, and important for peace of mind when my children develop any symptoms. Our nurse, Eileen Figaro, also reminds us as a community that testing is most accurate 3-5 days after exposure to a known or suspected Covid-positive person.
On a brighter note, our very own 2021 Colorado Teacher of the Year, Mr. Gerardo Muñoz, is traveling to Washington DC during the third week of October. He will meet and speak with decision-makers for our country’s education system, and represent the student and educator voice at DCIS. We are very proud of Mr. Muñoz and wish him well on his journey.
Collectively, we are an incredible community of dedicated educators, guardians, parents, and scholars at DCIS. We continue to lift each other up to meet the ongoing challenges of this pandemic.
Updated October Schedule Please let us know if you have any questions.
No Classes: October 15-18, 2021
Due to conferences and fall break, there are no classes for students during these dates.
No block days due to the PSAT during October 11-14, 2021
Pick-up time will be at 3:57 PM on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday.
PSAT will be conducted on Wednesday, October 13, 2021
10th and 11th graders will take the test; Pick-up for 10th and 11th grade will be at 12:00 PM.
No classes for all other grades.
PSAT9 will be conducted on Thursday, October 28, 2021
9th graders will take the test.
All other grades will attend classes as usual.
Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT) October 13, 2021 10th and 11th Graders (CHANGE OF SCHEDULE: no school for middle school, 9th, and 12th graders)
Students in 10th and 11th grade will gain information regarding their readiness for college, have access to scholarships, and practice for the SAT, which takes place during the second semester (spring) of 11th grade.
Preliminary SAT (PSAT) 9 October 28, 2021 9th Graders (REGULAR SCHEDULE: periods 1-6 at DCIS for middle school, 10th, 11th, and 12 graders)
Students and teachers will see how far along students are in developing the skills they need for college and career. By providing early feedback and a baseline to measure a student's progress as they move through high school, it will help to pinpoint the areas most in need of support.
Student-Led Conferences Your child’s Advisement teachers will be contacting you to schedule a student-led conference between the dates of 10/11-11/5. These conferences will be held virtually through Google Meets or Zoom, and they will be scheduled at a time convenient to your family. If you do not hear from your child’s Advisor about scheduling this meeting by Monday 10/18, please contact DCIS so we can help.
DCIS Students & Teachers! Please share and check out the student scholarships and teacher grants available from the DCIS Foundation.
The application portal will be open from October 25 to November 8, 2021.
National Recognition Program Award Students taking the PSAT/NMSQT® this October may have a chance to qualify for various National Recognition Program awards from the College Board! Learn more here
Sophomores and juniors who perform well on the PSAT/NMSQT, PSAT™10, or receive a 3 or higher on two or more AP® Exams this spring will be invited to apply for recognition awards if they:
Attend school in a rural area/small town or
Identify as Black/African American, Latinx/Hispanic, or Indigenous
Have a 3.5 GPA or higher
KEY DATES
DCIS Collaborative School Committee — Tuesday, October 12, 2021 Join us! Our next meeting is this Tuesday, October 12, 2021 from 5-6PM.
Parent/Guardian Training: Signs of Suicide — Tuesday, October 12, 2021 Please join us for a parent/guardian training on Tuesday, October 12, 2021 from 4:15-5:15 PM hosted at the DCIS Community Garden with an option for families to attend virtually.
DCIS Community Mural Kickoff Meeting — Wednesday, October 13, 2021 We're so excited to kick off our DCIS Community Mural Project and hope you can join us next Wednesday, 11/13 from 1:15-2PM.
Please share and invite DCIS students, staff, teachers, families, and alumni. We'll have pizza & beverages at the meeting.
Coffee with the DCIS Administration Team — Wednesday, October 13, 2021 Our next Coffee with the DCIS Administration Team will be Wednesday, October 13, 2021 from 9:00 AM - 9:30 AM.
Join us at the Southwest entrance for coffee with Ms. Wickham, AP for DCIS middle school, or the East entrance for coffee with Dr. Martin, AP for DCIS high school, and Ms. Vasquez will rotate between the two entrances.
Coffee and light snacks provided! We can't wait to see you there!
Fall Festival & Vaccine Clinic — Wednesday, October 13, 2021 Join the Bryant Webster Dual Language School for their Fall Festival and Vaccine Clinic on Wednesday, October 13, 2021. There will be fall activities, games, and a free mobile vaccination clinic!
STUDENT SUPPORT
Free COVID Rapid Tests Available for Home Delivery CDPHE recently announced the Rapid-At-Home program, in which they will ship free rapid antigen tests directly to homes. Students, families, and educators can enroll in the program here. Please keep in mind:
Due to significant interest, there may be a several-week delay in initial shipments after signing up.
These rapid tests are intended for ongoing screening; a rapid test cannot clear an individual with symptoms to go to school or clear someone from quarantine. Individuals can only be cleared with a PCR test at COVIDCheckColorado or your primary care physician.
Social-Emotional Support & Resources
Parents/Guardians!
Want support on how to engage your child/teen? Check out THIS!
What do you do when feeling a little down?
Try some of these Coping Skills!
Safe2Tell Colorado: 877-542-7233, https://safe2tell.org Note that DCIS staff and DPS Safety & Security and DPD monitor Safe2Tell 24 hours/day, 7 days/week. This is the quickest way to reach out if you have safety concerns that are imminent.
Colorado Crisis and Support Line: 844-493-8255, or text TALK to 38255
STUDENT SERVICES NEWS
Class of 2022 — Seniors
Senior Parent College Planning Night
Senior Parents/Guardians - Did you miss the Senior Parent College Planning and Financial Aid Presentation? Here are the slides of the topics covered. Please feel free to reach out to your student’s School Counselor for further questions.Presentation Slide Deck
Financial Aid FAFSAWebsite is now open as of October 1, 2o21. Please talk to your student about this process. Reach out to your student’s school counselor for further questions.
The CASFA is also available for in-state tuition opportunities. What is CASFA?
Overview: In 2019, the General Assembly passedH.B. 19-1196, Financial Aid For Students With In-state Tuition, which allows state aid to be awarded to students who do not have lawful immigration status but have resided in the state for at least three years before graduating from a Colorado high school or passing a high school equivalency exam.
The Colorado Application for State Financial Aid (CASFA) is the application by which students that meet the qualifications can apply for this aid. Students who do not have lawful immigration status and who do not meet the qualifications listed above are also encouraged to apply for institutional aid using the CASFA. Students who are eligible for Federal Title IV aid by completing the FAFSA should not complete the CASFA.
Reach out to your student’s school counselor for further questions.
Upcoming College Rep Visits Will be held in the courtyard unless otherwise noted Scheduled Visits
Colorado Free Application Days
October 19-21, 2021. Students applying to ANY Colorado 2 or 4-year college/university can apply for free and not pay any application fees! Colorado Free Application Days
Class of 2023 — Juniors
Upcoming College Rep Visits Will be held in the courtyard unless otherwise noted. Scheduled Visits
8th Grade Virtual Career Fair - November 2, 2021 All 8th grade students will have an opportunity to explore a variety of careers during Advisement on November 2nd. They will complete career inventory surveys before entering the virtual fair.
FAMILY COMMUNITY RESOURCES
DCIS Clothing Closet and Food Pantry We are continuing to accept donated food, water, and canned goods, as well as clothing to support students, families, and community. If you'd like to contribute or would like to receive support, please feel free to contact Mr. Miguel Urdiales at 720.423.9018 or emailMiguel_Urdiales@DPSK12.org.
Please check outthis listof recommended foods and household items.
COMMUNITY NEWS
Week of Giving Your PTSA invites you to join our Week of Giving October 19 - 22. We will start by opening our online auction for bidding and move through the week by sharing easy ways you can contribute financially to support our good works. These include Teacher & Student Grants, Our on-site Community Garden, Our in-house food bank & free clothing closet, Staff Appreciation events, and The Community Fund which provides support for those experiencing great need.
Join us on Tuesday, October 12, 2021 from 11AM - 9PM by ordering in-person, through the app, or online atPizzeriaLocale.com.
Pizzeria Locale Broadway
550 Broadway
Denver, CO 80203
Thank you!
Looking for a Host Home in Denver Message from AFS Colorado Rockies:
Michelle is a 15-year-old girl from Lebanon and US State Department YES scholarship recipient. She attends Denver Center for International Studies (6th and Delaware in Downtown) and is currently staying with a temporary family that lives not too close to the school.
We are looking for a permanent family for her closer to the school, and I'm reaching out to ask if you can help us spread the word among your contacts in the metro area.
Michelle is funny, social, and talkative, she loves dogs and cats and the outdoors. Before coming to CO, she was an active member of a scout group and especially enjoyed camping and the camaraderie of her troop. She is excited to start learning Spanish at DCIS and in the future, she would like to pursue a career in forensic science. Michelle is Catholic but doesn't require access to services. She is vegetarian, but she'd be fine with a non-vegetarian family. She also loves to cook.
Basically, what we require from a host family is that they volunteer to accept Michelle as a family member, providing a bed (that could be in a shared bedroom with a host sister close in age), three daily meals, transportation to school, and most importantly, providing a caring family environment for her. Our AFS students are not allowed to drive and have health insurance.
If you or someone you know is interested in hosting, please contact Claudia Thomas at claudia.afscolorado@gmail.com.
Boletín Requests Please send bi-weekly boletín requests (key announcements, community updates, and feedback) to our School Communications Specialist at Stephenie_Lock@dpsk12.org.
