(Leer en Español usar el traductor de Google aquí.)
Every Thursday, 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.
YOUTH IN ACTION2018 DESTINATION JAPAN informational meeting, Thursday, Sept. 29, 7 pm, Highlands Methodist Church, 3131 Osceola St., Denver 80212. For more information, please contact JoAnne Harada at yia-colorado@comcast.net or 720-217-2160, or visit their website here. RSVPs requested.
COLLEGE FAIR, Thursday, Sept. 29, 6:30–8 pm, Lakewood High School
BOYS SOCCER vs. Lake, Friday, Sept. 30, 3:45–4:45, Congress Park, Denver (map)
GIRLS SOFTBALL at Lake Middle School, Friday, Sept. 30, 3:45–4:45 pm, 1820 Lowell Blvd., Denver (map)
DEBATE FALL WORKSHOP, Friday, Sept. 30–Saturday, Oct. 1.
COLLEGE FAIR, Saturday, Oct. 1, 10 am–noon, Mountain Vista High School
PTSA FAMILY NIGHT: DCIS Counselor Melisa Monteon will present "College 101," on what college is all about, the different types of colleges, how do you decide what to major in, and lots more! Tuesday, Oct. 11, 5:30–6, dinner; 6–7, presentation and Q&A, DCIS Cafeteria; simultaneous interpretation provided
CLUB EXPO for students, Wednesday, Oct. 12, 8–9:20 am, Cafeteria
DEBATE TOURNAMENT, Saturday, Oct. 22, Manual High School, 1700 E. 28th Ave., Denver (map)
8th GRADE TRIP: DENVER MUSEUM OF NATURE & SCIENCE, Tuesday, Oct. 25, 9:30 am–2 pm
LOCAL COLLEGEAPPLICATION DAY, Tuesday, Oct. 25, periods 1 and 2
SUPERINTENDENT PARENT FORUM: A Foundation for Success — Early Literacy and Bond/Mill Discussion, Thursday, Oct. 27, 9:15 am–11:15 am, Temple Emanuel, 51 Grape St., Denver (map)
NATIONAL SECURITY LANGUAGE INTENSIVEFOR YOUTH applications due Oct. 27. More information here.
PICTURE RETAKES, Tuesday, Nov. 1
8th GRADE CAREER FAIR, Wednesday, Nov. 2
DCIS FOUNDATION FALL FUNDRAISER featuring award-winning author Helen Thorpe. Wednesday, Nov. 2, 6 pm, Four Mile Historic Park.
LETTER FROM THE PRINCIPAL ...
Dear DCIS Community,
We all know what an amazing school DCIS is, and apparently so does at least one local media outlet. I received a call Tuesday morning from 9News with a request to interview students in one of our Passages classes about the presidential debate the night before. With only 10 minutes' notice, we welcomed 9News to our school. They filmed students in a Passages class and in an AP language class, who just happened to be having a class discussion about the debate. Although only the footage from the Passages class made the cut, both groups of students were amazingly well-spoken and well-informed. The photojournalist who was here filming was incredibly impressed by all our kids. Kudos to the students, and special thanks to Mr. Garvey and Dr. Marion for making this work at the last minute. You can view the clip from 9News here.
Next week we'll kick off our monthly Parent-Principal Coffees. I will hold two every month: one in English and one in Spanish. All parents are welcome at these informal meetings. We'll have coffee and breakfast treats and will discuss whatever topics you would like. There's no formal agenda — it's just a time for me to answer your questions and address your concerns. Of course, compliments are welcome too! :) Our first coffees will be on Tuesday, Oct. 4, at 8:30 (in English) and Wednesday, Oct. 5, at 8:30 (in Spanish). See you there!
Theresa McCorquodale DCIS Principal
SPREAD THE WORD TO PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS ...
Know any parents or students who might be interested in DCIS for the 2017–18 school year? Please let them know about our Open Houses and shadowing opportunities.
OPEN HOUSES The next Open House will be Thursday, Oct. 6, 7:30–9:00 am. Others will be at the same time on Monday, Oct. 17, and Tuesday, Nov. 1. Two evening Open Houses will also be held on Nov. 15 and Jan. 18, 6–7:30 pm. Check out this page for details on the morning and evening agendas.
SHADOWING In addition to open houses, the DCIS Student Ambassadors are launching a shadowing program this fall to provide prospective students with a glimpse of a typical day at DCIS. Middle and high school students considering DCIS will have the opportunity to shadow a current DCIS student, giving them an inside look at all our school has to offer. A limited number of shadowing spots are available on selected Mondays between October and December: Oct. 10, Oct. 24, Nov. 7, Nov. 14 and Dec. 5. Click here for more information and a link to register.
SPORTS ...
SHOW YOUR SUPPORT FOR SOCCER!
The soccer program is selling T-shirts and hoodies with the DCIS Soccer logo on it. Funds will be used to purchase equipment, fix the field and fund other soccer-related needs. T-shirts, $20; hoodies, $40. Order here.
MIDDLE-SCHOOL HARRIERS ON A ROLL
Congratulations to the middle-school cross-country team for their performance in the past two cross-country meets. These runners have been doing AWESOME! A special shout-out to Howard and Emily Holzman, who finished 8th and 35th, respectively, of 102 runners in the Southwest Smackdown on Sept. 20, and 11th and 28th, respectively, of 120 runners at the McAuliffe Sun Devil Invitational on Sept. 13.
CULTURAL ENRICHMENT ...
JOIN THE DEBATE ON FOREIGN POLICY
The Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) Academic Outreach Initiative provides a forum for educators and students to interact with CFR experts and join the debate on foreign policy. The purpose is to foster a deeper understanding of international relations and the role of the United States in the world. Programs include the Academic Conference Call Series; live streaming of CFR meetings; workshops for college and university presidents and deans, professors and high school teachers; briefings for students; exhibitions and events at conferences across the country; and disseminating CFR print and multimedia resources for teaching and learning about global issues. Read their latest newsletter here (you can subscribe through a link at the bottom of that newsletter).
RAISE YOUR HAND ...
There are many ways for parents to "raise their hand" to get involved in the goings-on at DCIS and in the Denver Public School (DPS) district. Sometimes it's just by giving us your opinion on a survey, other times by lending a hand at an event. And if you want to up your involvement a notch, we have plenty of ways you can do that as well. We'll feature various opportunities in this section as they arise. Please join us!!
STAFF WISH LIST: The staff wish list is where staff post requests for supplies, donations, volunteers or whatever else they may need, and where parents can raise their hand and say "I got ya." We've already met some needs, but there are many more, including lots of opportunities to provide much-needed classroomsupplies,to volunteer in the classroom or help with the yearbook, and to help in the front office. Please click here to see if you can meet some of these needs. Every little bit helps!
BACK TO SCHOOL NIGHT FEEDBACK: Parents: If you haven't yet given us your feedback about Back to School Night, whether or not you attended, please share your thoughts by Friday, Oct. 7, here: English or Español What went right? What could have gone better? If you didn't go, why not? Whatever it is, please let us know so we can make next year's event even better.
DONATE TO THE PHOENIX FUND: Looking for an easy way to support your student's experience at DCIS? Consider making a one-time or recurring direct donation to our Phoenix Fund! To find out what your donation supports and how it works, click here: EnglishEspañol. Click on the button below to make a donation.
DPS OPPORTUNITIES FOR INVOLVEMENT include Districtwide Advisory Committee (DAC) meetings for English Language Acquisition (ELA) families, Superintendent Parent Forums on various topics, and Family Leadership Institute trainings. More information.
COUNSELORS' CORNER ...
SENIORS!!! The following events are specifically geared to seniors and their parents/guardians. Also, be sure to check out all the information on scholarships in our Senior Newsletter.
COLLEGE APPLICATION AND PLANNING WORKSHOP: Thursday, Sept. 29, 6–7:30 pm, DCIS Community Room (103). Senior year can be stressful and overwhelming when it comes to getting through the college application process. We will be presenting information on how to stay organized using Naviance and other important college-planning tools. Parents and senior students are strongly encouraged to attend!
FAFSA WORKSHOP: Wednesday, Oct. 5, 5–7 pm, DCIS Community Room (103). Learn about the recent changes to the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Experts from the Financial Aid Office at Community College of Denver will be on hand to answer questions. Seniors and parents/guardians who have questions or would like some guidance in completing this important form are strongly encouraged to attend.
LOCAL COLLEGE APPLICATION DAY: On Oct. 25 during periods 1 and 2, local college representatives — from Community College of Denver, CU Boulder, University of Colorado at Colorado Springs and more — will be at DCIS helping students with their college applications.
COLLEGE FAIRS: Juniors and seniors interested in learning more about local and out-of-state colleges, sign up for one of the dates/locations below:
Location
Date
Lakewood High School (Out-of-State College Night) 9700 W. 8th Ave., Lakewood 80215 (map)
Thursday, Sept. 29, 6:30–8 pm
Mountain Vista High School (map) (In-State and Out-of-State College Fair/Workshops) 10585 Mountain Vista Ridge, Highlands Ranch 80126
Saturday, Oct. 1, 10 am–noon
Out-of-State College Travel Stipends!
Juniors and seniors planning to visit colleges outside Colorado can apply for a stipend to help offset the cost of travel. Thanks to a generous grant from Western Union Foundation, we have about $2,000 available for stipends. Stipends are $150 each; a limited number of students in need (as determined on a case-by-case basis) may receive a double stipend of $300.
Students are reimbursed after they travel, but they MUST complete the first part of the two-part application BEFORE traveling and be approved by their counselor. Part 1 involves a meeting with and approval by the student's counselor. Part 2 requires the student to provide a written reflection on the visit along with an airlines receipt or boarding pass in order to be reimbursed. Applications are available in both the Counseling Office and Travel Center.
Because stipends are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, we encourage you to complete Part 1 of the application process soon, even if you won't travel until next semester. Part 2 must be completed and the paperwork submitted by April 14, 2017. For more information, please contact the Counseling Office or Geri Badler in the Travel Center.
TRAVEL CENTER NEWS ...
CHANGES TO TRAVEL CENTER HOURS: Closed Monday, Oct. 3, and Wednesday, Oct. 12, for the Jewish holidays. Open 7:45 am–2:50 pm on Wednesday, Oct. 5; Friday, Oct. 7; Monday, Oct. 10; and Friday, Oct. 14.
BLOGGING FROM SEVILLA, SPAIN ... junior Becca Eagan! Read here about the life of a DCIS student on exchange.
AMIGOS SUMMER AND GAP YEAR PROGRAMS IN LATIN AMERICA: Wednesday, Oct. 5 (NEW DATE), 12:30–1:20 pm, Travel Center (204). Service learning projects and Spanish immersion for students 15 and older. Applications are due in November. Scholarships are available. Learn more here.
TRAVEL CENTER — NEW DAYS, NEW HOURS, NEW ROOM! Mondays 8 am–12:15 pm Wednesdays 8 am–1:30 pm Thursdays 8 am–1:30 pm Room 204
DCIS FOUNDATION FALL FUNDRAISER
Featuring Author Helen Thorpe
Join us Wednesday, Nov. 2, 6 pm, at the Four Mile Historic Park in the Grant Family Education Center. Featuring guest speaker Helen Thorpe, award-winning author of Just Like Us andSoldier Girls; a student panel; a silent auction; and food and cocktails. Tickets: $25/students and alumni,$35/all others. Purchase tickets or learn more.
PHOENIX FUN!!!
The answer to last week's question: "What is Imad Rashed's favorite restaurant?" is Qdoba! The winner of the $10 Starbucks gift card is student Maddie Christian.
This week's question is from student Gia Millan: What is Gia MIllan's favorite TV show?
A: The Bachelorette B: Gossip Girl C: Naked and Afraid D: New Girl
Submit your answer here. If you are correct, you will be entered into a drawing for a $10 Starbucks gift card!
