DCIS Connect Newsletter (April 25-May 1, 2019)

Weekly Newsletter for Parents, Staff and Students April 25-May 1, 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 ... DPS Shakespeare Festival: Friday, April 26, 10 am-3 pm, DCPA Performing Arts Complex NO SCHOOL: Non-student contact day, Monday, April 29 #trashtag Tuesday: Tuesday, April 30, 3:15-4 pm, meet at tennis courts to pick up trash on school grounds Welcome New Families: Wednesday, May 1, 6:30-8 pm, DCIS Auditorium MARK YOUR CALENDAR ... College Signing Day: Friday, May 3, 8:30 am, DCIS Auditorium (parents welcome) Prom: Saturday, May 4, 8:30–11:30 pm, Larimer Social, Denver Teacher/Staff Appreciation Luncheon: Thursday, May 9, 12:30 pm (see below to sign up) 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, 5-7 pm, 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 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) FROM THE ACTING PRINCIPAL ... Dear DCIS Families, We discussed at our all-school meetings the importance of addressing the events that caused our school to close last week. Advisement teachers came together with students to talk about the cause, the impact and the work we must do together when things happen to us and around us. We're done with all but the makeup tests for CMAS and will be focusing on the AP exams that are coming up for high schoolers. This is a great opportunity to show off what they've been doing and to earn some college credit.  We will continue to focus on challenging lessons and activities that keep our students intellectually engaged through the end of the year. The team is also focused on preparing for the 2019-20 school year. We continue to interview strong candidates for a few vacant teaching positions, we'll run the first version of student schedules next week, we are actively recruiting 8th graders to fill the last slots we have in 9th grade, and we're starting to put together some calendar dates for special events (we'll share these in an upcoming newsletter). Together in the work, Jenn Zinn RAISE YOUR HAND ...  HELP WELCOME NEW FAMILIES DCIS is hosting an information night and reception next Wednesday, May 1, for new families who will be joining our school next year. We'd love to have current students and parents join us for the reception from 7:30 to 8 in the cafeteria to help us welcome them and answer any questions they might have. If you'd like to participate, just show up a little before 7:30 that evening. Questions? Email Vivian Masket. PTSA You are invited! Please join us on Friday, May 10, at 3:30 pm in the Community Room for a quick general PTSA meeting, followed by a Parent Volunteer Appreciation ceremony led by Mr. Linwood Washington, where we'll celebrate the many parents who have made a difference in our community this past year. Very important: This is the one PTSA meeting for which we ask that you please RSVP so we know to expect you. May is Teacher/Staff Appreciation Month! See this week's SignUp Genius for opportunities to say THANK YOU to our amazing teachers and staff for a wonderful 2018–19 school year. Sign up to bring food and/or drinks to the appreciation lunch for teachers and staff on Thursday, May 9! We will gratefully accept your donated items until the lunch starts at 12:30 pm, and THANKS SO MUCH IN ADVANCE. Share kind words, impact statements and more with DCIS staff — let them know how they have made a difference in your lives. Donate money so the PTSA can buy $5 gift cards to distribute to teachers/staff. Donate one or more $5 gift cards to be distributed to teachers/staff at the lunch on May 9. Drop-off for gift cards is in the main office with Ms. Abi Rodriguez. Are you looking for more opportunities to be a sponsor or donor? 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! DCIS HOSTING OPPORTUNITIES...  SEPTEMBER 3-14, 2019 ITALIAN EXCHANGE STUDENTS DCIS families! Would you like to host an Italian student for 10 days at the end of September? Italian high school students from the Istituto Balbo in Casale-Monferato in the northern Italian region of Piemonte will be spending the week with DCIS, and we're looking for host families. They will have different levels of English-speaking abilities, but one of the primary goals of the Italians will be to practice their English. Please see the flyer for more information, or contact Sally Bishop if you are interested. 2019-20 NORWEGIAN EXCHANGE STUDENT We are still in need of a host family for a 17-year-old Norwegian boy who will be joining us in the fall for the 2019-20 school year. André is the perfect exchange student! He is really excited and has the right expectations for a year abroad in the U.S. He is very family-oriented and friendly. André has a lot of energy and does a lot of activities in his spare time, including soccer, skiing and dancing hip hop. He is very open-minded and the type of person who will try not to judge and to always be positive. André is a student with EF High School Exchange Year and comes fully insured with health insurance and his own spending money. His American family would provide a bedroom to sleep in, meals at home and a loving home to call his own. Email Derek today to find out how you can make André's American dream come true!  DCIS DRAMA PRESENTS THE DROWSY CHAPERONE   With the houselights down, a man in a chair appears on stage and puts on his favorite record: the cast recording of a fictitious 1928 musical. The recording comes to life and "The Drowsy Chaperone" begins as the man in the chair looks on. Mix in two lovers on the eve of their wedding, a bumbling best man, a desperate theatre producer, a not-so-bright hostess, two gangsters posing as pastry chefs, a misguided Don Juan and an intoxicated chaperone, and you have the ingredients for an evening of madcap delight. Purchase advance tickets #trashtag Tuesday REMINDER: Please join Marie near the tennis courts at 3:15 pm on April 30 (next week!) for #trashtagTuesday to do a complete school cleanup! Please sign up if you are a student and want it to count for school service. MANY THANKS to the "Keep Denver Beautiful Program" for the use of their equipment. 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 This week and next Counselors will be working with high school students on their choice of studies for next year 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 NATIONAL PRESCRIPTION DRUG TAKE BACK DAY THIS SATURDAY The National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is scheduled to take place this Saturday, April 27, from 10 am to 2 pm. Please use this opportunity to safely dispose of any medicines that are no longer being used in your home. Click here to locate a collection site near you. We also encourage you to educate yourself about the importance of safely storing your prescription drugs. View the video that DPS created, and get more statistics and storage tips here.   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