DCIS Connect Newsletter (May 16-22, 2019)

Weekly Newsletter for Parents, Staff and Students May 16-22, 2019 (Leer en Español usar el traductor de Google aquí.) USE YOUR WORDS! If you haven't had a chance to let our awesome DCIS teachers and staff know how much you appreciate them, you still can! Please take a few minutes and share your thoughts here. Thank you! HAPPENING THIS WEEK ... Senior Awards Night: TONIGHT! Thursday, May 16, 6-8 pm, at DCIS, dinner will be provided DCIS Art Department Art Show and Reception: TONIGHT! Thursday, May 16, 5-7 pm, DCIS Art Room (117) and surrounding hall   Senior Checkout: Thursday and Friday, May 16-17 Drama Club Banquet: Friday, May 17, 5 pm, Congress Park Meet the Middle East Fundraiser: Tuesday-Wednesday, May 21-22, 4-9 pm, Brightmarten Restaurant Graduation: Wednesday, May 22, 6 pm, University of Denver MARK YOUR CALENDAR ... NO SCHOOL: Memorial Day, Monday, May 27 Final Exams: Tuesday and Wednesday, May 28-29 8th Grade Continuation: Wednesday, May 29, 6 pm, DCIS Auditorium Day of Service/Students' Last Day: Thursday, May 30 Taco Night and Chili Cook-off: Friday, Aug. 23, 5-9 pm (sign up for the Chili Cook-off here) DCIS ART DEPARTMENT SHOW AND RECEPTION TONIGHT! On Thursday, May 16, 5-7 pm, the DCIS Art Department will have an art show and reception in and around the Art Room (117) at the south end of the hall. This will feature our iconic art furniture and objects (by MS artists), a slideshow of commissioned art around the school and community in room 118, and our ceiling gallery in 117. Punch and cookies provided for guests of the artists who sign our visitors' book! GRADUATION IS NEAR ... Senior Checkout, which is Thursday and Friday, May 16 and 17, is when seniors will confirm that they've handled all their school business before they get their cap and gown. Details can be found in the Counselor's Corner section of this newsletter. If you have more questions about the process, see your counselor. See Ms. Zinn if you have issues with your personal checkout. We're excited to celebrate all your successes at the Senior Awards ceremony TONIGHT, Thursday, May 16, at 6 pm at the school. We'll also host a dinner after the ceremony. Please come in your dress clothes ready to honor the great work of the Class of 2019! FROM THE ACTING PRINCIPAL ... DCIS Families, We are deeply grateful for the love you all showed to the teachers and team as part of Teacher Appreciation Week. Thank you for taking care of them for such a special week — we know they deserve praise and support throughout the year, and your celebrations mean a lot. This week we have been focused on the final push: In academics, we know we have fewer than five periods left for every class, and we are going to make the most of every learning minute. In scheduling, we are running student schedules to find the just-right schedule for every student (we will give students a draft of their 2019-20 schedules on May 29). In planning, we are interviewing some teacher candidates, considering strategic priorities and revising systems with input from students, staff and families. In every event and moment, we are honoring our strong relationships and the way we work together to change the world. We would appreciate your help with (1) sending in the Family Survey and talking with other families about doing the same (we value your opinions!), and (2) talking with prospective 9th graders about applying through School Choice for the limited seats we have available for next school year. Thank you again for your partnership! Jenn Zinn and the DCIS team 8th GRADE CONTINUATION CEREMONY! The 8th Grade Continuation ceremony will take place on Wednesday, May 29, at 6 pm in the DCIS Auditorium. A reception will follow. We ask all students to dress up for this exciting occasion. Students should continue to report their service hours and other elements of their DCIS work in addition to focusing on great grades in every class. Please call the office with questions about the requirements and expectations for Continuation. TRAVEL & HOSTING OPPORTUNITIES ...  CHINA 2020 DCIS Chinese teacher Ms. Liu will host a China trip the week of June 8-16, 2020. Students and parents are welcome to come along for what will surely be an amazing and rich experience. For details on the trip, click here, then type Liu-4980 in the search box in the top right corner.   UK 2020 Student meeting for United Kingdom high school trip for summer of 2020: TODAY, Thursday, May 16, at lunch in Mr. Crossley's room (116A). We are gauging student interest. A parent meeting will be offered at the beginning of the next school year.  GRAZIE! BRAVI  Thank you to the five DCIS rock-star families who stepped up to host an Italian exchange student. We and they really appreciate it! We hope it will be a great experience for all.  UPDATE ON CANYONLANDS/ESTES 2019 The 10th grade Canyonlands and Estes trips were a great success! Thanks to Marie Meyer, Jilaine Sandlin, Connor Saller and Abby Hoffman, who made it all happen. Here are some quotes from students who went on the Canyonlands trip: Helped me overcome some insecurities and gave me an opportunity to talk to people I never really see. Helped me make new connections and learn new things about myself, others and nature. Really taught me what it means to become connected to the people around me. Made me realize what I truly need and want in life. Helped me create stronger bonds and pushed me to test my limits. This trip helped me break from a shell and allowed me to connect to people I haven't communicated with before. Taught me that stepping outside of your comfort zone can help repair friendships. Trying new things is sometimes good for the soul. Strengthened bonds with friends and made new ones. Felt connection with nature. Reminded me of how wonderful my class is, taught me things about nature, and allowed me to create new and stronger friendships. Being here will change your mind on how you see the world. Advanced Language Options for HS Students   We are proud of the DCIS curriculum that pushes students toward proficiency in Chinese, French, Italian, Japanese, Lakota, and Spanish. While we are unable to offer through Level 5 or Advanced Placement (AP) in every language due to limited student numbers at the upper level, we do have several community-based and online-based advanced world language learning options available in Chinese, French, Italian, Japanese, and Spanish for the 2019-2020 school year (see the matrix of available advanced world language options here, some of them free or with potential scholarships. Summer language travel and study options, for which scholarships are available through the DCIS Foundation, are also available through study abroad programs and through the Concordia Language Villages programs in Minnesota. Please see Ms. Bishop in the Travel Center, or send her an email for information about these and other options. If your high school student has moved beyond the levels of their world language offered at DCIS and would like to pursue one of the advanced world language options, please fill out the form to indicate interest by the May 20, 2019 due date. DCIS staff will follow up with all respondents.  Note that we have the possibility of discounted rates with some providers if we are able to sign a cohort of students up, so please do use the Google Form linked above to express interest. RAISE YOUR HAND ...  PTSA TRAVEL ALERT!  See this week's SignUpGenius for all the DCIS trips being planned for next year, and sign up to get more info about fundraising for these trips — or any others you are thinking about for 2019-20. Are you looking for opportunities to be a Sponsor or a Donor? Please see our Google Form for opportunities to give to our students or donate money directly. Please contact Marie Meyer at 303-913-4845 or dcis.community@gmail.com if there is something else you can offer. Your help will be much appreciated.   TRAVEL FUNDRAISER Join us for a fundraiser to support DCIS students traveling with Meet the Middle East! Come to Brightmarten Restaurant and Bar at 730 South University Blvd. on Tuesday, May 21, or Wednesday, May 22, 4-9 pm, and enjoy good food and good company. When you mention this fundraiser, you can support our trip to Meet the Middle East. COUNSELORS' CORNER ...  COUNSELORS Tami Schmidt Middle school 720-423-9006 Melisa Springsteen High school last names A-J 720-423-9105 Ted Brugman  High school last names K-Z 720-423-9094 SENIOR ANNOUNCEMENTS What are our seniors doing next year? Check out the slides from our Senior Celebration! Scholarship Newsletter and Other Documents Senior Calendar-Class of 2019 IMPORTANT DATES Thursday, May 16: Senior Check-out   Seniors will pick up check out forms in Counseling Office They will get signatures from the Treasurer & Blue Day teachers (this includes for books and any other borrowed items) Friday, May 17: Senior Check-out Students will get signatures from Green Day teachers (this includes for books and any other borrowed items) Following their last class, student will come by the Counseling Office for final check-out. Students must have the following complete or with them: Completed signatures from teachers and treasurer Two envelopes (one addressed to their home and the other to the college they are attending) with their name on the inside flap Have completed ICAP questions for 12th Grade and DPS Senior Exit Survey (both on Naviance) All graduation requirements complete (this includes Edgenuity, concurrent enrollment courses, BYU courses, etc.) Once the above is complete, students will get graduation regalia and 10 tickets (if more tickets are needed, your student should speak to Ms. Zinn after check-out) Wednesday, May 22 — Graduation, 6 pm, at the University of Denver Students must arrive by 5 pm. Doors open for families at 5:30 pm; ceremony starts at 6 pm. Families will receive 10 tickets each (more available first come, first served). Students get tickets on Friday, May 17 (once they check out). REMIND SIGN-UP FOR JUNIOR/SENIOR FAMILIES Parents and guardians: please sign up! Get text and/or email reminders about what is going on with the DCIS Counseling Department. Seniors  Juniors Sophomores Freshman YEARBOOKS ARE IN! If you ordered a yearbook, it is available for pickup in room 216A during lunch! Students must sign for yearbooks in person.   Didn't buy a yearbook? It's not too late! Order your very own here.   FREE AND LOW-COST SUMMER ACTIVITIES Summer is quickly approaching, which is causing many of us to daydream about lying by the pool and BBQs with friends. The long school break can also cause many of us to panic as we try to figure out how we will keep our children safe and entertained during the summer months. Click here for a list of free and low-cost summer programs for youth in the Denver area. 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.  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 below. 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 noon on the Tuesday preceding the issue date. Email submissions to dcis.connect@gmail.com.  Copyright © 2019 DCIS Connect Newsletter, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email newsletter because you are a member of the DCIS community. 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