**REMINDER NO SCHOOL MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 5TH**
COFFEE & CONVERSATION
When: Friday, September 9th
Time: After Drop-Off
Where: DGS Middle School Cottage
What: Come meet some DGS families and enjoy a cup of coffee.
COMMUNITY MOVIE NIGHT
When: Friday, September 9, 2016
Time: 7:00 PM
Where: Ashley Elementary
What: Join With the other Luminary Learning Network Schools for a showing of “Inside Out” on the Ashley Elementary Field! Click here for more details.
PICTURE DAY COMING SOON!
When: September 13th – Grades 1st, 3rd & 6th and Autism Center, September 14th – Grades Kindergarten, 2nd & 7th, Staff (after school), September 15th – Grades ECE, 4th, 5th & 8th
What: All photos will be taken outside in the DGS garden. We’re spreading the photos over a few days to spend a little extra time with each student to ensure we get a beautiful photograph. If we experience precipitation or high winds, we will reschedule that day’s portraits. If you know your child will be absent on his/her picture day, you can have your student come out for pictures on one of the other days. Please
make sure to let your student’s teacher know that you will need pictures on a different day. Click here for more details.
PTA MEETING
When: Wednesday, September 14th
Time: 4:15 PM
Where: DGS Middle School Cottage
NO SCHOOL
When: Friday, September 16th
Who: All Students
GIRLS ON THE RUN
This after school program promotes individual achievement and self-confidence. Girls gain self-esteem and learn healthy lifestyle habits while training for a 5K run/walk race. No running experience is required. Practices will be on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:45 PM - 5:15 PM. Program will start on Tuesday, Sept. 13th. Check out the website at www.girlsontherunrockies.org or e-mail [email protected] with questions.
DGS IS COMMITTED TO EARLY LITERACY!
We screened our K-3 students for foundational reading skills last week and are planning a systematic roll out of the Read Well curriculum for K-3 Individualized Learning Time or ILT. Read Well is a program with a proven track record for addressing phonemic awareness, phonics, decoding, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension skills. Student ILT groups will be differentiated based on each student's reading needs. Students will be regrouped every six weeks to ensure all are receiving just right foundational reading instruction. Read Well during ILT will be in addition to our daily Readers and Writers Workshop instruction.
REMINDER FREE BREAKFAST
Just a reminder that DGS serves Free breakfast for every student begins and it begins at 7:30 AM. Please do not drop off students before 7:30 AM as there is no supervision. Thank you.
STUDENT FEES
If you haven't paid student fees yet, it's really important that you do; these fees help pay for all of our technology, excursions and classroom supplies for the year. They are payable by cash or check in the amount of $35.00 for ECE-2nd grade and $50.00 for 3rd-8th grade students. Please stop by the office to pay fees--just not during the start of the day rush. Thank you.
DGS MIDDLE SCHOOL SPORTS
Get on the Field! This year, DGS is excited to announce that we will offer several middle school sports programs. We offer Cross Country, Co-Ed Flag Football, Boys Soccer and Girls Volleyball this fall. If your son or daughter is interested in any of the above sports, please contact our Athletic Director, Mr. Acker at [email protected].
SAFETY REMINDERS
*Pull over to the curb or use the 15 second "Kiss & Go" lane in the parking lot when dropping off your child. Please do not have them exit a vehicle if you are not curbside or in the parking lot, in other words, no exiting vehicles in the middle of the street.
*Parents/Guardians/Teachers please use the crosswalks during drop off and pick up times. Set a good example for the students and keep them safe.
*Please do not turn your vehicles around in the middle of the street on Virginia during busy drop off and pick up times.
*When exiting the parking lot please turn right onto Virginia.
*As a courtesy to our neighbors please do not block driveways.
*Speed limit in the neighborhood is 20 miles per hour.
Thank you for following these safety procedures.
IMPORTANT POLICIES TO KNOW
BUS FAMILIES: To ensure the safety of all students we are implementing a policy change regarding notifications of a change in the way your student will be getting home. If your student is normally on the bus and will not be that day or if there are any other changes in the dismissal routine you must notify the office by 12 PM. To ensure the safety of all students we will only be taking valid emergency notifications after that time.
ALL PARENT NOTIFICATION MUST GO THROUGH THE MAIN OFFICE: The office will then communicate to teachers and students by email and phone calls. To minimize discrepancies please do not send a message only with your student or through the teacher. Please call the main office at 720-424-7480. Thank-You for helping us keep all DGS students safe.
EARLY STUDENT PICK-UPS: WE WILL NO LONGER CALL YOUR STUDENT OUT OF CLASS AFTER 3:35 PM. To ensure all student are safe the office is changing the procedure for early pick-ups. After 3:35 PM you will need to wait and pick-up your student in the assigned pick-up location at 3:45 PM.
DGS ROOM PARENTS NEEDED
DGS classrooms are in need of room parents. A room parent is one of the best ways to communicate to all parents in your child's classroom about teacher announcements and needs, partner requests or updates and PTA announcements and volunteer requests.
If you are interested, please reach out to your child's teacher to see if they are still in need of a room parent. Click here to view a description of a room parent's role at DGS. This is just a guide as each individual teacher and room parent decide together about their room parent's role for the year.
If you have already confirmed that you are the room parent for your child's classroom or you decide to be a room parent, please email your contact information by September 9th to Shelly Fitzgerald, room parent coordinator, at [email protected]
Thank you for your interest in being a room parent at DGS!
SHARE YOUR IRISES WITH DGS!
DGS families, have you ever wished that we had more flowers blooming at school in the spring? Well last year's 5th graders had a great idea, and we'd love for you to help. We want to plant bulbs (tulips, daffodils, etc) and rhizomes (irises, daylilies, etc) all around the school.
How can you help? By sharing your bulbs and rhizomes with us! We understand that bulbs are a little more difficult (deeper in the ground and not quite as hardy), so we are focused especially on your iris and daylily rhizomes. They are easy to share! Just gently dig out a chunk of your rhizomes from various spots where they have multiplied. They are tough, so don't worry if they don't want to separate from the rest. Just pull 'em out! If the whole chunk comes out, just break them apart and save some to put back in your own garden. Trim off the tops of the leaves, leaving 6-9 inches attached. Put them in a cardboard box or a paper bag. If you know what the type or color is, write it on the container. If not, don't worry. We'll plant them anyway! More information can be found here. Bring your rhizomes to Mr. Potter's room and we will plant them before winter sets in. Thank you!
AFTER SCHOOL SPECIALS
DGS specials teachers are offering new after school classes for the 2016-2017 school year. All 4th - 8th grade students are able to sign up to participate in these opportunities. Click here for more information.
FRIDAY ENRICHMENT
Friday Enrichment is an amazing and dynamic program for the students of DGS. We provide a safe and supervised environment, which will provide fun opportunities to learn new skills. Enrichment meets every Friday (except for school holidays) after school from 12:45 PM - 3:45 PM. Please click here for more information. Any questions regarding Friday Clubs should go to Mr. Harvey. [email protected] or 720-692-7981. If your child will be absent from the Discovery Link After-School program or Friday Clubs, please notify Mr. Harvey. Emails and text messages are fine. Any questions regarding billing for Discovery Link, should be directed to Catherine Lenihan at [email protected].
NEW FRIDAY ENRICHMENT PROGRAM
If your kiddo is in the Friday after school Enrichment program, time at the farm is an option! Junior Farmers at the DGS Community Farm will explore physical skills of gardening and farming; plant habits and animal habitats; food, farming, and culture; nutrition and cooking; healthy snacks and more, through hands-on activities and examination stations at the 1-acre farm in the corner of the schoolyard. Let us know if you'd like to sign up!
KALEIDOSCOPE CORNER
Kaleidoscope Corner is the Denver Public Schools’ licensed after school program which provides high quality, recreational, educational and cultural opportunities for children. We comply with Denver Public Schools’ Policies and Procedures and The Colorado Department of Human Services Rules and Regulations
for licensed child care facilities. Click here for more information.
SPROUT CITY FARMS
Come visit your community farm!
The DGS Community Farm is an acre of organically grown veggies, herbs, and flowers in the back corner of the schoolyard, and you're welcome to visit any time! Our gates are always open: please come in, walk on the grass pathways, and have a look around. We grow lots of food for the school and community (some is sold at reduced prices and some is donated), and host educational programs and community events throughout the year. We're looking forward to getting kids out on the farm again for classes this fall, and would love to meet their parents too! Please get in touch with Farmer Meg about anything farm-related at 720.319.8126 or [email protected], and learn more about Sprout City Farms--the urban agriculture nonprofit that manages the farm and its programs--atwww.sproutcityfarms.org.
Farm Art this Thursday night from 5:30 PM - 8:30 PM!
Join DGS mom and artist Annie Huggins at the farm for an evening of uninstructed plein air painting for all ages (kid friendly)—bring your own easel, paints & supplies; we’ll provide the view and a still-life, and will have some extra materials on hand (like watercolors for the kiddos). We'll get together to paint once a month on Thursdays from August to October, and at season’s end we’ll host a show of our creations!
Wednesday Farm Stands
Come check out the farm stand in the school parking lot every Wednesday after school (3:30 PM - 6 PM, from now til Halloween) for tasty farm-fresh veggies, fruit, flowers, eggs, and more! SNAP/EBT accepted, and those purchases are doubled in value! 4th and 6th graders help run the stand as a mini-internship program, and sales support our food access programs (including supporting the DGS Backpack Program/Fresh Food Center, DGS Cafeteria, and sponsored shares in our CSA food share program).
Thursday Cooking Classes
Join us for a free 7-week series of cooking classes for families (you and your kids cooking together!) from Cooking Matters, featuring veggies from the farm! Classes will be here at DGS every Thursday after school from 4 PM - 6 PM starting September 1st and ending October 13th. Please see more info in this flyer (attached), and email or call Farmer Meg ([email protected], 720.319.8126) to sign up!
Farm Dinner! Sunday 9/11, 5 PM - 7 PM, $60
Enjoy a wonderful 5-course meal featuring all the farm has to offer, out in the golden sunshine of our field on a Sunday evening in September. Sign up here!
Regular drop-in Volunteer Days: every Friday and Saturday from 10 AM - 12 PM: come out to help with whatever's going on in the field, and bring a picnic lunch if you like. Kids of all ages are welcome!
COFFEE & CONVERSATION
When: Friday, September 9th
Time: After Drop-Off
Where: DGS Middle School Cottage
What: Come meet some DGS families and enjoy a cup of coffee.
COMMUNITY MOVIE NIGHT
When: Friday, September 9, 2016
Time: 7:00 PM
Where: Ashley Elementary
What: Join With the other Luminary Learning Network Schools for a showing of “Inside Out” on the Ashley Elementary Field! Click here for more details.
PICTURE DAY COMING SOON!
When: September 13th – Grades 1st, 3rd & 6th and Autism Center, September 14th – Grades Kindergarten, 2nd & 7th, Staff (after school), September 15th – Grades ECE, 4th, 5th & 8th
What: All photos will be taken outside in the DGS garden. We’re spreading the photos over a few days to spend a little extra time with each student to ensure we get a beautiful photograph. If we experience precipitation or high winds, we will reschedule that day’s portraits. If you know your child will be absent on his/her picture day, you can have your student come out for pictures on one of the other days. Please
make sure to let your student’s teacher know that you will need pictures on a different day. Click here for more details.
PTA MEETING
When: Wednesday, September 14th
Time: 4:15 PM
Where: DGS Middle School Cottage
NO SCHOOL
When: Friday, September 16th
Who: All Students
GIRLS ON THE RUN
This after school program promotes individual achievement and self-confidence. Girls gain self-esteem and learn healthy lifestyle habits while training for a 5K run/walk race. No running experience is required. Practices will be on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:45 PM - 5:15 PM. Program will start on Tuesday, Sept. 13th. Check out the website at www.girlsontherunrockies.org or e-mail [email protected] with questions.
DGS IS COMMITTED TO EARLY LITERACY!
We screened our K-3 students for foundational reading skills last week and are planning a systematic roll out of the Read Well curriculum for K-3 Individualized Learning Time or ILT. Read Well is a program with a proven track record for addressing phonemic awareness, phonics, decoding, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension skills. Student ILT groups will be differentiated based on each student's reading needs. Students will be regrouped every six weeks to ensure all are receiving just right foundational reading instruction. Read Well during ILT will be in addition to our daily Readers and Writers Workshop instruction.
REMINDER FREE BREAKFAST
Just a reminder that DGS serves Free breakfast for every student begins and it begins at 7:30 AM. Please do not drop off students before 7:30 AM as there is no supervision. Thank you.
STUDENT FEES
If you haven't paid student fees yet, it's really important that you do; these fees help pay for all of our technology, excursions and classroom supplies for the year. They are payable by cash or check in the amount of $35.00 for ECE-2nd grade and $50.00 for 3rd-8th grade students. Please stop by the office to pay fees--just not during the start of the day rush. Thank you.
DGS MIDDLE SCHOOL SPORTS
Get on the Field! This year, DGS is excited to announce that we will offer several middle school sports programs. We offer Cross Country, Co-Ed Flag Football, Boys Soccer and Girls Volleyball this fall. If your son or daughter is interested in any of the above sports, please contact our Athletic Director, Mr. Acker at [email protected].
SAFETY REMINDERS
*Pull over to the curb or use the 15 second "Kiss & Go" lane in the parking lot when dropping off your child. Please do not have them exit a vehicle if you are not curbside or in the parking lot, in other words, no exiting vehicles in the middle of the street.
*Parents/Guardians/Teachers please use the crosswalks during drop off and pick up times. Set a good example for the students and keep them safe.
*Please do not turn your vehicles around in the middle of the street on Virginia during busy drop off and pick up times.
*When exiting the parking lot please turn right onto Virginia.
*As a courtesy to our neighbors please do not block driveways.
*Speed limit in the neighborhood is 20 miles per hour.
Thank you for following these safety procedures.
IMPORTANT POLICIES TO KNOW
BUS FAMILIES: To ensure the safety of all students we are implementing a policy change regarding notifications of a change in the way your student will be getting home. If your student is normally on the bus and will not be that day or if there are any other changes in the dismissal routine you must notify the office by 12 PM. To ensure the safety of all students we will only be taking valid emergency notifications after that time.
ALL PARENT NOTIFICATION MUST GO THROUGH THE MAIN OFFICE: The office will then communicate to teachers and students by email and phone calls. To minimize discrepancies please do not send a message only with your student or through the teacher. Please call the main office at 720-424-7480. Thank-You for helping us keep all DGS students safe.
EARLY STUDENT PICK-UPS: WE WILL NO LONGER CALL YOUR STUDENT OUT OF CLASS AFTER 3:35 PM. To ensure all student are safe the office is changing the procedure for early pick-ups. After 3:35 PM you will need to wait and pick-up your student in the assigned pick-up location at 3:45 PM.
DGS ROOM PARENTS NEEDED
DGS classrooms are in need of room parents. A room parent is one of the best ways to communicate to all parents in your child's classroom about teacher announcements and needs, partner requests or updates and PTA announcements and volunteer requests.
If you are interested, please reach out to your child's teacher to see if they are still in need of a room parent. Click here to view a description of a room parent's role at DGS. This is just a guide as each individual teacher and room parent decide together about their room parent's role for the year.
If you have already confirmed that you are the room parent for your child's classroom or you decide to be a room parent, please email your contact information by September 9th to Shelly Fitzgerald, room parent coordinator, at [email protected]
Thank you for your interest in being a room parent at DGS!
SHARE YOUR IRISES WITH DGS!
DGS families, have you ever wished that we had more flowers blooming at school in the spring? Well last year's 5th graders had a great idea, and we'd love for you to help. We want to plant bulbs (tulips, daffodils, etc) and rhizomes (irises, daylilies, etc) all around the school.
How can you help? By sharing your bulbs and rhizomes with us! We understand that bulbs are a little more difficult (deeper in the ground and not quite as hardy), so we are focused especially on your iris and daylily rhizomes. They are easy to share! Just gently dig out a chunk of your rhizomes from various spots where they have multiplied. They are tough, so don't worry if they don't want to separate from the rest. Just pull 'em out! If the whole chunk comes out, just break them apart and save some to put back in your own garden. Trim off the tops of the leaves, leaving 6-9 inches attached. Put them in a cardboard box or a paper bag. If you know what the type or color is, write it on the container. If not, don't worry. We'll plant them anyway! More information can be found here. Bring your rhizomes to Mr. Potter's room and we will plant them before winter sets in. Thank you!
AFTER SCHOOL SPECIALS
DGS specials teachers are offering new after school classes for the 2016-2017 school year. All 4th - 8th grade students are able to sign up to participate in these opportunities. Click here for more information.
FRIDAY ENRICHMENT
Friday Enrichment is an amazing and dynamic program for the students of DGS. We provide a safe and supervised environment, which will provide fun opportunities to learn new skills. Enrichment meets every Friday (except for school holidays) after school from 12:45 PM - 3:45 PM. Please click here for more information. Any questions regarding Friday Clubs should go to Mr. Harvey. [email protected] or 720-692-7981. If your child will be absent from the Discovery Link After-School program or Friday Clubs, please notify Mr. Harvey. Emails and text messages are fine. Any questions regarding billing for Discovery Link, should be directed to Catherine Lenihan at [email protected].
NEW FRIDAY ENRICHMENT PROGRAM
If your kiddo is in the Friday after school Enrichment program, time at the farm is an option! Junior Farmers at the DGS Community Farm will explore physical skills of gardening and farming; plant habits and animal habitats; food, farming, and culture; nutrition and cooking; healthy snacks and more, through hands-on activities and examination stations at the 1-acre farm in the corner of the schoolyard. Let us know if you'd like to sign up!
KALEIDOSCOPE CORNER
Kaleidoscope Corner is the Denver Public Schools’ licensed after school program which provides high quality, recreational, educational and cultural opportunities for children. We comply with Denver Public Schools’ Policies and Procedures and The Colorado Department of Human Services Rules and Regulations
for licensed child care facilities. Click here for more information.
SPROUT CITY FARMS
Come visit your community farm!
The DGS Community Farm is an acre of organically grown veggies, herbs, and flowers in the back corner of the schoolyard, and you're welcome to visit any time! Our gates are always open: please come in, walk on the grass pathways, and have a look around. We grow lots of food for the school and community (some is sold at reduced prices and some is donated), and host educational programs and community events throughout the year. We're looking forward to getting kids out on the farm again for classes this fall, and would love to meet their parents too! Please get in touch with Farmer Meg about anything farm-related at 720.319.8126 or [email protected], and learn more about Sprout City Farms--the urban agriculture nonprofit that manages the farm and its programs--atwww.sproutcityfarms.org.
Farm Art this Thursday night from 5:30 PM - 8:30 PM!
Join DGS mom and artist Annie Huggins at the farm for an evening of uninstructed plein air painting for all ages (kid friendly)—bring your own easel, paints & supplies; we’ll provide the view and a still-life, and will have some extra materials on hand (like watercolors for the kiddos). We'll get together to paint once a month on Thursdays from August to October, and at season’s end we’ll host a show of our creations!
Wednesday Farm Stands
Come check out the farm stand in the school parking lot every Wednesday after school (3:30 PM - 6 PM, from now til Halloween) for tasty farm-fresh veggies, fruit, flowers, eggs, and more! SNAP/EBT accepted, and those purchases are doubled in value! 4th and 6th graders help run the stand as a mini-internship program, and sales support our food access programs (including supporting the DGS Backpack Program/Fresh Food Center, DGS Cafeteria, and sponsored shares in our CSA food share program).
Thursday Cooking Classes
Join us for a free 7-week series of cooking classes for families (you and your kids cooking together!) from Cooking Matters, featuring veggies from the farm! Classes will be here at DGS every Thursday after school from 4 PM - 6 PM starting September 1st and ending October 13th. Please see more info in this flyer (attached), and email or call Farmer Meg ([email protected], 720.319.8126) to sign up!
Farm Dinner! Sunday 9/11, 5 PM - 7 PM, $60
Enjoy a wonderful 5-course meal featuring all the farm has to offer, out in the golden sunshine of our field on a Sunday evening in September. Sign up here!
Regular drop-in Volunteer Days: every Friday and Saturday from 10 AM - 12 PM: come out to help with whatever's going on in the field, and bring a picnic lunch if you like. Kids of all ages are welcome!