DCIS Connect Newsletter (Feb 15-21, 2018)

Weekly Newsletter for Parents, Staff and Students February 15-21, 2018 (Leer en Español usar el traductor de Google aquí.) Every Thursday while school is in session, you'll receive this DCIS Connect newsletter in your email inbox to keep you up to date on all the events and happenings at our school. It's also available on the DCIS Connect app, which you can download at the Apple Store or Google Play. If you don't wish to receive the newsletter, click the Unsubscribe link at the end. If you're receiving multiple copies of the newsletter, please email dcis.connect@gmail.com to report the problem; be sure to indicate your first and last name and preferred email address so we can update our records. Newsletter submissions are due by 10 am on the Tuesday preceding the issue date. Email submissions to dcis.connect@gmail.com.  Do you sometimes struggle as a family with finding balance when it comes to time spent on smartphones and playing video games? If so,  please watch this trailer. If the trailer sparked your interest, please join us for a screening of the film Screenagers next Friday, Feb. 23, at 6:30 pm in the school cafeteria. The film reveals how tech time impacts kids' development and offers solutions on how adults can empower kids to best navigate the digital world and find balance. The film is subtitled in Spanish. TrueVoice Studios is generously sponsoring the film, making it free for everyone, but reservations are required — click here to reserve your seats.   HAPPENING THIS WEEK ... Senior Information Night: TONIGHT, Thursday, Feb. 15, 5:30 pm, DCIS auditorium Student-Led Parent-Teacher Conferences: Thursday, Feb. 15, and Thursday, Feb. 22, 3:30–7:30 pm NO SCHOOL: Presidents' Day, Monday, Feb. 19 NO SCHOOL: Tuesday, Feb. 20 Café con la Directora (en español): Wednesday, Feb. 21, 8:45–9:45 am, DCIS Community Room (103) MARK YOUR CALENDARS ... Student-Led Parent-Teacher Conferences: Thursday, Feb. 22, 3:30–7:30 pm Screenagers: Movie Screening, Friday, Feb. 23, 6:30–8:30 pm, DCIS Cafeteria 10th Grade Canyonlands Fundraiser: Wednesday, Feb. 28, 4–9 pm, Pizzeria Locale, 550 Broadway, Denver Canyonlands Parent/Student Mandatory Meeting: Tuesday, March 6, 6–7 pm, DCIS Auditorium Coffee with the Principal (English): Wednesday, March 7, 8:15–9:15 am, DCIS Community Room (103) Daylight Saving Time: Sunday, March 11. SPRING FORWARD! Café con la Directora (en español): Wednesday, March 14, 8:45–9:45 am, DCIS Community Room (103) CSC Meeting: Tuesday, March 20, 4–6 pm, DCIS Community Room (103) NO SCHOOL: Spring Break, Monday–Friday, March 26–30 NO SCHOOL: Monday, April 2 (staff professional development); school resumes Tuesday, April 3 STUDENT GOINGS-ON ... Black History Month Advisement classes are decorating their classroom doors for Black History Month, with influential black leaders being the theme. They're encouraged to be creative and to have fun with the project. The winner will get Lamar's donuts. Second- and third-place finishers win candy. No One Eats Alone Last Friday's all-school meeting featured a presentation on social isolation that encouraged discussion around these questions: What is social isolation? How might social isolation negatively affect our school? What do you think you can do to stop social isolation at DCIS? Following up on that presentation, students are planning an event for National No One Eats Alone Day tomorrow, Friday, Feb. 16, in the East Gym during lunch, encouraging students to "Come join us to make new friends, play games, win prizes and have fun!"  RAISE YOUR HAND ... SAVE THE DATE ... JOIN A TEAM!  On Saturday, April 28, 3-7 pm, the DCIS PTSA will host the first-ever DCIS Reunion & Celebration.  We hope you "save the date," but we also need a few more folks to join one of the planning teams: Food & Beverage, Events & Activities, Alumni Outreach, Sponsorships, and Silent Auction. Please sign up through this link. Thank you! COUNSELORS' CORNER ... COUNSELOR ASSIGNMENTS Tami Schmidt: Middle School Ted Brugman: 9th and 10th Grades Melisa Springsteen: 11th and 12th Grades Aly Bortle: 12th Grade Post-Secondary Coach, Wednesdays and Fridays in room 1010 HAPPY NATIONAL SCHOOL COUNSELING WEEK Last week the School Counseling Department celebrated National School Counseling Week with students and staff. As a department, we are so grateful to be here at DCIS and look forward to continuing to serve all our students, parents and staff. SENIORS Senior Information Night. All senior parents are invited to a senior information night TONIGHT, Feb. 15, at 5:30 pm in the auditorium. DCIS staff will speak to families about graduation, next steps, important dates and other information. Following the presentation, students will go to their designated Advisement classes and present their website/portfolios to their families. Please join us! As of this week ... 82% of our senior class has applied to a university, community college and/or technical school 11% of students who have applied have been admitted, thus far 70% of the senior class has completed their FAFSA 87% of the senior class is remediation free in math and English Check out the latest scholarship opportunities here.  JUNIORS AND SOPHOMORES Parents/guardians of sophomores and juniors: Please join the Counseling Office and DCIS staff on Thursday, March 1, 6-7 pm in the auditorium, for a discussion of the following: Graduation requirements College readiness Concurrent enrollment Beyond high school And more! Plus, local college, university and technical college reps will be present. COLORADO BOOK FESTIVAL The Colorado Authors' League and the Denver Public Library are sponsoring the Colorado Book Festival on Saturday, March 3, at the Denver Central Library 5/7th floors, 10:30 am–4 pm. It will feature 108 author exhibitors selling and autographing books, as well as 60 panelists on 19 panels covering everything from cooking to writing graphically. Please visit the Colorado Book Festival website for more information. Celebrity reader Anna Jo Haynes will read Colorado author Denise Vega's Click Here: How I Survived Seventh Grade. Vega is an award-winning children's book author and writing coach who believes in the power of story to entertain, inform and change lives. She will be on hand to answer students' questions. DCIS students are invited to read the book before the event and prepare one or two questions if they would like to participate in a live recording of the Book Club for Kids podcast. The podcast will be recorded at noon in the Gates Conference Room on the 5th floor of the Denver Central Library. Students should arrive 15 minutes ahead of time and wait quietly outside the room until the organizers are ready for them. GIFTED AND TALENTED NEWS ... Legislative Day field trip to the Capitol next Thursday, Feb. 22, and GESTEM opportunities for 7th-grade girls on Friday, May 18 — learn more about these events and other GT news here. SPORTS ... Phoenix Girls Middle School Soccer will begin the week of Feb. 26. Girls in grades 6-8 are invited to attend player placement sessions after school on Monday, Feb. 26 (3:05-4:15 pm); Tuesday, Feb. 27 (3:05-4:00 pm); and Thursday, March 1 (3:05-4:15 pm). If necessary, there will be a fourth session on Friday, March 2. All girls attending will need an updated physical form (submitted to the main office) and weather-appropriate clothing that they can move well in. Soccer cleats and shinguards are highly recommended but not required. We have extra if girls need to borrow.  Please fill out this form before tryouts if possible, or get a printed copy from Coach Muñoz in Room 123. YOUNG ARTIST STUDIO AT THE CENTER FOR VISUAL ARTS April 3-May 17  2nd Annual YAS Printmaking Exchange Discover a variety of printmaking techniques including block printing, collograph, monotype, transfer and more. Make a series of prints to share, and take home a diverse portfolio of prints by other young artists. The after-school studio at the CVA is a free program for creating new work, learning from university and professional artists, and making new friends! Sign up here. Tuesdays and Thursdays 3:30-5:30 pm Ages 11-21 Cost: Free! ***** Also at the Center for Visual Arts, check out "Sangre Colorado: Carlos Fresquez Mid-Career Survey," an exhibit of paintings, prints, installations and set designs by Denver's own Carlos Fresquez, a celebrated Chicano artist. Now through March 24. Learn more here. It's Prom Season: Bella Boutique Student Appointments Are Now Open Bella Boutique is Denver's only nonprofit boutique providing free prom gowns, shoes and accessories to teens in financial need. If you are on reduced lunch or experiencing hardship, please make an appointment to work with a Bella stylist today. March appointments are available now. Call 303.656.9665. DPD IN-SCHOOL PREVENTION PROGRAM ... The DPS In-School Prevention Program is designed to provide evidence-based programs to middle and high school students that aim to prevent substance use or reduce use for students who may already be using. Click here to see their latest bulletin on Juuling. CONNECT ... DCIS Website DCIS Facebook Page DCIS Parents Group (closed, non-school-sanctioned) on Facebook DCIS Drama Club Facebook  DCIS Travel Center Facebook DCIS Foundation Facebook DO NOT REPLY TO THIS EMAIL. Please send questions or comments to dcis.connect@gmail.com.  Copyright © 2018 DCIS Connect Newsletter, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email newsletter because you are a member of the DCIS community. If you do not wish to receive the newsletter, please click the Unsubscribe link at the bottom of the email. Our mailing address is: DCIS Connect Newsletter 574 W. 6th Ave. Denver, CO 80204 Add us to your address book Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list