DCIS Connect Newsletter (April 18-24, 2019)

Weekly Newsletter for Parents, Staff and Students April 18-24, 2019 (Leer en Español usar el traductor de Google aquí.) SPREAD THE WORD! We are actively working to fill the few remaining seats for 9th grade in 2019-2020. We are proud of our award-winning high school program and what our students do every year, and we want to welcome more students into our school next year. Please talk at work, in your neighborhood and in your community with families who can still select DCIS on the DPS School Choice website. Feel free to share our DCIS AT A GLANCE infographic with prospective families! HAPPENING THIS WEEK ... CSC Meeting: Thursday, April 18, 4:30–6 pm, DCIS Community Room (103) Parent-Principal Coffee (English): Wednesday, April 24, 8-8:45 am, Community Room DCIS Drama Fundraiser: Wednesday, April 24, 4-10 pm, Pizzeria Locale, 6th and Broadway DCIS Foundation Passport Dinner: Wednesday, April 24, 6 pm, Denver Museum of Nature and Science Reception for Prospective Families: Wednesday, April 24, 6:30-8 pm, Community Room Parent-Principal Coffee (Spanish): Thursday, April 25, 8:30-9:15 am, Community Room MARK YOUR CALENDAR ... DPS Shakespeare Festival: Friday, April 26, 10 am-3 pm, DCPA Performing Arts Complex #trashtag Tuesday: Tuesday, April 30, 3:15-4 pm, meet at tennis courts to pick up trash on school grounds NO SCHOOL: Non-student contact day, Monday, April 29 Welcome New Families: Wednesday, May 1, 6:30-8 pm, DCIS Auditorium College Signing Day: Friday, May 3, 8:30 am, DCIS Auditorium (parents welcome) Prom: Saturday, May 4, 8:30 Staff Appreciation Week: May 5-11 DCIS Drama Spring Musical: The Drowsy Chaperone, Thursday-Saturday, May 9-11, 6 pm (+ 2 pm matinee on Saturday) Community Powwow: Friday, May 10, 2-6 pm, south side of school General PTSA Meeting and Parent Volunteer Appreciation: Friday, May 10, 3:30-4:30 pm DCIS Art Department Art Show and Reception: Thursday, May 16, DCIS Art Room (117) and surrounding hall   Drama Club Banquet: Friday, May 17, 5 pm, Congress Park Graduation: Wednesday, May 22, 6 pm, University of Denver Appreciation Lunch for Teachers and Staff: Wednesday, May 29, 12:30 pm, Cafeteria 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) FROM THE ACTING PRINCIPAL ... Dear DCIS Families, This week we recognize the need to focus and prioritize. Across the school we are dedicated to ensuring our middle schoolers finish their CMAS testing with strength and grit. There are always other exciting things happening in our community, but this will be our focus through next Friday, April 26. We know that for every student these tests present a balance between challenge and opportunity. The results will mean a lot to every student and the coming year of academic work. These tests also impact our teachers and our school. And so we will set up the students for success, support them in every way we can, and make this the most important thing we do in the coming days.   Other work will continue, of course. High school students are preparing for AP tests and our Prom (May 4), and many will tell us their preferences for electives next year in the coming days. Musical preparations continue, and our girls soccer team continues to dominate. We had 14 students test for the Seal of Biliteracy, Challenge 5280 will complete its season today (April 18) and college acceptances keep coming in. We continue to search for a couple of new teachers for the 2019-2020 school year and to recruit interested 8th graders to join our 9th grade class. Thanks to you all for your continued support and partnership in all this and for helping us to focus on strong testing for our 8th and 6th graders through April 26.   Together in the work, Jenn Zinn  CORRECTION  Regarding last week's announcement about the 2019-2020 schedule, we are planning on Advisement for 1st period on BLUE days, which will be Mondays and Wednesdays, as White days are being moved to Friday and will have no Advisement. Apologies for the confusion. RAISE YOUR HAND ...  CSC The next CSC meeting is Thursday, April 18, 4:30–6 pm in the DCIS Community Room. All members of the community are welcome to attend these meetings, and there is a period for public comment at the beginning of each meeting.  If you are unable to make it to the meeting, but would like to bring a topic to the attention of the CSC, please feel free to reach out to one of your constituent members. PTSA Getting ready for 2019-2020!  The DCIS PTSA is preparing for the new school year by trying out some new ideas for collaboration, including exciting opportunities for earning school service hours for your kiddo! Student volunteers automatically qualify for PTSA grants to help fund their Passages. The artist in you! In this week's SignUpGenius, we wonder whether YOU could design a logo for the PTSA? One possibility is a simple line sketch (a la Picasso's Don Quixote) of the Phoenix in a black circle with the letters "DCIS PTSA" below. But really, we'll consider all entries. Other Creative Opportunities for You and/or Your Student: We are planning a "Welcome Night" for our new students (mainly 6th and 9th graders, but a few in other grades too) and their families. Please email Marie with your comments about what made or would have made you and your families feel welcome way back when. Compile interesting facts about the countries whose flags are in our hallways. We want to turn these facts into signs to post next to the flags — a perfect student project. Photographer: Take pictures and write short descriptions to post on our social media sites and in our newsletter; will count toward school service. Website: Update and organize PTSA content on the DCIS website Week of Aug. 12-16 (exact times TBA): The School Beautification team is looking for helpers to refresh our school displays and bulletin boards. Are you more of a Sponsor or Donor than a Volunteer? Please see our Google Form for opportunities to give to our students.  Please email Marie Meyer or call her at 303-913-4845 if you have any questions, or there is something else you can offer. Your help will be much appreciated! WELCOME, BABY BEINS! Congratulations to DCIS English teacher Michael Beins on the birth of his baby boy, Maxime Ayvan, born April 8th! You're Invited to the DCIS Foundation Passport Dinner! The Magic of Morocco.  Join us Wednesday, April 24, at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science for our annual Passport Dinner. We are proud to honor these outstanding members of our community with the following awards: Melanie Grant Global Ambassador Award | Gabriela Cornejo Figueroa, Native of Chile Community Ambassador Award | Amy Schwartz, BuildStrong Education Student/Alumni Ambassador Award | Joanne Schwartz, Civitas Individual Tickets: $125 | Table for 10: $1,250. To purchase tickets, sponsor a teacher/student or donate, please visit dcisfoundation.org or send a check with instructions to DCIS Foundation, P.O. Box 9044, Denver, CO 80209. DCIS TRAVELS AND HOSTING...  DCIS families! Would you like to host an Italian student for 10 days at the end of September? Doing so is a great way to travel while never leaving the comfort of your own home. You and your family will learn about Italian culture firsthand while establishing a new connection, and hopefully, friendship. This is truly a fun and personal way to internationalize!   Please contact Sally Bishop if you are interested. TESTING SCHEDULES The benefits of spring testing include the following:  Students and teachers work hard all year, and these tests allow students to demonstrate their incredible growth.  The data testing provides on students' mastery of course content is used to inform instruction.  Taking standardized tests in any grade is great practice for SAT, ACT and AP exams, whose scores largely dictate where a student will be able to attend college. Please direct any questions or concerns to your student's adviser or Assistant Principal Mario Giardiello at Mario_Giardiello@dpsk12.org and (720) 423-9102. The schedule for upcoming tests is below: 6th Grade: MATH and ELA tests — April 22-24,  8 am For information on the Advanced Placement (AP) testing schedule, click here. 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   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 IMPORTANT DATES Early April — Concurrent Enrollment Registration for off-campus college courses will begin. If your student has already taken the ACCUPLACER and received a college-ready designation, please have them see Mrs. Springsteen. May 3 — 12th grade college signing day during All-School Meeting and districtwide at University of Denver Parents and families are invited to our college signing day during our All-School Meeting (starts at 8:30 am) More info on the DU event soon May 22 — Graduation 6 pm at the University of Denver Students must arrive by 5 pm Doors open for families 5:30 pm; ceremony starts 6 pm Families will receive 10 tickets each (more available first-come, first-served basis). Students get tickets May 17 (once they check out) SENIOR ANNOUNCEMENTS Scholarship Newsletter and Other Documents FROM THE OFFICE OF WHOLE CHILD SUPPORTS On Saturday, April 20, Denver Civic Center Park will host the Mile High 420 Festival, an annual event run by the marijuana industry. Recreational marijuana is illegal for anyone under 21, yet the event is open to all ages. We believe this upcoming event is an opportunity for you to have a conversation with your teen about marijuana. Remember that you remain a strong influence on your teen and what you say matters. Click HERE for more information about the event, and tips about how to talk to your teen. 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. 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