Posted May 4, 2022
Dear Swigert Community,
I feel blessed to work with such a remarkable staff and supportive parent community, and during this crisis I am reminded of the strength of community everyday. This week I am so very thankful for our teaching staff, working daily to put students first and ensure safe, inclusie and meaningful learning environments. I love walking into classrooms and seeing student joy and engagement. Thank you all for reaching out and appreciating teachers- especially during teacher appreciation week!
Thank you to the PTA for taking extra steps to make our teachers and staff feel valued this week, it means a great deal!
Sincerely,Shelby Dennis
shelby_dennis@dpsk12.net
We just want to remind you that there’s no school for students this Friday, May 6th. It is a teacher work day.
This free webinar seeks to “unpack expert-guided content about everything from ways to manage screen time to age-appropriately educating our kids and teens about web-based pornography. Friday, May 11th, 7 – 8 PM.
Mrs. Adler’s Climate Action Exhibition Team is planning on doing a reusable bag drive to create awareness around the importance of limiting single use plastics. We will be visiting the local King Soopers and giving the bags away to people who don’t have them. We will also be administering a survey to interested guests. Please drop off bags near the office on May 10th.
Sincerely,
The Climate Action Exhibition Team (Leila Lynn, Elijah Cornell, Georgia Lacy, and Caledonia Lis)
We have a few staffing updates for the 2022-2023 school year. There are some staff moving on to new journeys and we will miss them dearly.
Laura Egan – 5th grade teacher is retiring after a beautiful and impactful career as a classroom teacher.
Lisa Gathright – Math interventionist is moving with her family back to her childhood home in Oklahoma. She has been at Swigert for 11 years, serving as a third grade teacher, senior team lead and math interventionist.
Leah Epstein – Third grade and Kindergarten teacher. Leah is choosing to stay home with her baby girl next year full time. She has been at Swigert for six years and according to her, “I was raised here!”
Alissa Mills will be taking a one year medical leave to work on important health issues. She will be back in the fall of 2023-2024.
New Hires
These hiring decisions were made by our personnel committee through an intensive and thoughtful interview and observation process! Our interview committee is made up of teachers, SAC representatives and leadership. We are excited about our staff and look forward to welcoming them!
Assistant Principal – Amber Holthus-Pera
Amber Holthus-Pera will be joining us next year as Assistant Principal. She is currently the sixth grade assistant principal at McAuliffe so has a strong understanding of IB and instruction. She has also taught for 17 years (12 as elementary and 5 as a sixth grade teacher) and has a strong instructional background. On a personal not, she taught elementary school with Sheby just a few short years ago. 🙂
Third Grade – Welcome Nora Coulter
Hello, Swigert Community!
I am thrilled to be joining the Swigert Eagles next year as a 3rd grade teacher! Allow me to introduce myself. I grew up outside of St. Louis, Missouri and then moved around the Midwest before relocating to Colorado six years ago. I graduated from Grinnell College with a BA in Psychology and a concentration in Neuroscience. I then went on to receive a Masters in Elementary Education from the University of Michigan and have since earned my National Board Certification as a Generalist in Middle Childhood Education. I have spent the last nine years teaching 1st through 3rd grade and feel energized by the independence and curiosity of third graders in particular.
When I’m not at school, I love spending time outdoors with my family. My husband Andrew and I welcomed our daughter last April and can hardly believe that we’re going to be celebrating her first birthday at the end of this month. We live in Park Hill, so feel free to wave if you see us out walking our dog or biking to Stanley Marketplace for ice-cream. I look forward to working with you and your students next year!
Fifth Grade – Welcome Jessica Ramos
Hi everyone. I am so excited to be able to introduce myself as a new member of the Swigert Fifth Grade Team!I just moved to Denver in July 2021 from Southern California, where I was born and raised. After high school, I got my Bachelor’s Degree of Education from Indiana University… Go Hoosiers!!! After returning to California, I worked in the non-profit & events world before returning to teaching. Since then, I have been teaching 5th and 6th grade for Los Angeles Unified, and most recently, for DPS. I earned my Master’s Degree last May from California State University, Northridge in Curriculum and Instruction. I can not wait to continue my adventures with 5th graders at Swigert.When I am not teaching, I am playing, coaching, or watching soccer. I also love exploring this exciting city with friends, trying the wide variety of amazing restaurants this city has to offer and adventuring in the mountains… camping, hiking and everything outdoors is truly what rejuvenates me! I am looking forward to a great year!
Fifth Grade Transition – Catherine Kline
Catherine Kline – current fourth/fifth grade instructional coach/senior team lead and past Fourth grade teacher will be shifting into the one year opening in fifth grade. We believe this will provide stability to the team by keeping an experienced Swigert teacher and allow her to continue to coach and support the fourth and fifth grade teachers. She will be in the classroom 4 days a week and do her coaching on the fifth day. On the fifth day, Shelby Dennis will be the classroom teacher. This model will allow Mrs. Dennis to get back into the classroom – building her understanding of current practices and supporting Mrs Kline in her role as a senior team lead. On that day Amber Holthus-Pera, Assistant Principal, will be supporting the day to day school wide activities.
We will be conducting our initial class placement process on Friday, May 6th during our green day. Please know that our teachers are incredibly thoughtful about this process and in an effort to increase equity among students and families, we will no longer be accepting parent requests for class placement, including prior sibling relationships. When we take requests, we face limited flexibility and options for student grouping, sometimes leaving unbalanced classrooms. When creating class lists, our highly qualified teachers take into account a variety of factors such as behavior, academics, and peer relationships in order to create balanced classrooms. Teachers go through a methodical process and include input from our knowledgeable staff to ensure that all students’ unique needs are met. Thank you for your understanding and support as we create equitable environments for all students.
Our In-Person and online book fair is open for the remainder of the week! Open hours are:
Tuesday, May 3rd: 3:00-6:30 PM
Wednesday, May 4th: 7:45-8:30 AM and 3:00-6:30 PM
Thursday, May 5th: 7:45-8:30 AM and 3:00-8:00 PM
We will also be allowing students to shop during school hours when their class visits the book fair. If you would like your child to have the opportunity to shop, consider using the E-wallet. You can find more information on the attached flyer or on our homepage. The E-wallet allows you to add money into your child’s account for use at the book fair. They are unable to spend over the amount issued on the E-wallet. There is also an opportunity for others to add money to the E-wallet (perfect for grandparents).
Please visit our homepage for more information at https://www.scholastic.com/bf/swigert1
We are still looking for volunteers. Click on the link to sign up. https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0a4ca5ac29a5fa7-swigert
The Early Bird Online Registration window is open until 4 PM on Friday, May 20th. Online Registration allows families to register early for the 2022-23 school year. Please note: All families with students returning to DPS for the 22-23 school year must complete registration every year. Even if your child was just accepted through School Choice, you still need to register. If you register during the Early Bird window, you do not need to register again when it opens in July (date TBD).
To register, you will need a Parent Portal account. All students for a family should show up on the same Parent Portal account. If a student is missing, please contact that student’s school office (for Swigert, email Daphne).
To access an existing Parent Portal account, go to https://myportal.dpsk12.org/ with Chrome or Firefox. Once you’re logged in, click “See All Apps,” then scroll down to select “More.” Once Online Registration is open, that option will be listed and can be selected. Once you click on “Online Registration,” a new page will open. A table will provide the student(s) listed in your household. If a student is missing, please contact that student’s school office (for Swigert, email Daphne or call 720-424-4802). If all students are listed, click “Begin.” Please note: if your child is entering DPS for the first time, select “yes” when asked if this is your first time registering your child. The SchoolChoice application does not include the federally required Home Language Questionnaire for your student.
If you have forgotten your Parent Portal login information, click on “Forgot Username” or “Forgot Password.” You will have to have access to the email address we have on file for you in our database. If you no longer have access to that email address, or if you forgot which one you used, please either email Daphne or call 720-424-4802.
To create a new Parent Portal account, go to https://parentaccountcreation.dpsk12.org/#/. You will need to have your student’s ID and access tp the email associated with you in our database. If you need the ID for a student who is/will be attending Swigert, please email Daphne or call 720-424-4802. Please note: Parent Portal will also be used to access your student’s grades, bus information, and records throughout his/her/their DPS career.
To Complete the Online Registration:Once you’re logged in to Parent Portal, click “See All Apps,” then select “Online Registration”. Scroll down to select “More,” and can be select “Online Registration” again. A new page will open. A table will provide the student(s) listed in your household. If a student is missing, please contact that student’s school office (for Swigert, email Daphne or call 720-424-4802). If all students are listed, click “Begin.” Please note: if your child is entering DPS for the first time, select “yes” when asked if this is your first time registering your child. The SchoolChoice application does not include all the federally required Home Language Questionnaire for your student.
Hello Swigert Families!!
Please join us on Wednesday, May 4th from 6:00-7:00 in the school STEM lab or through zoom (details below) for our final PTA Meeting of the school year!! At this meeting we will be voting on our new bylaws (we have to amend the bylaws every three years), voting on the new budget for the coming school year, and voting in our new executive board. We have the following people slated to run, Francine Mugge for President, Cortney Dickey for Vice President of Community, Sarah Knowlton for Vice President of Fundraising, Pam Jubis for Secretary, Amy Sweeney for Treasure.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87829606139?pwd=N0dPK1NZV1ZHbFFsRWpaeXZKUVA4UT09
Meeting ID: 878 2960 6139
Passcode: 9YzJWZ
In addition to our last PTA meeting, the PTA is putting on the school book fair this week! Please don’t forget to purchase books for your kiddos! Our Summer Reading Challenge has been released – please sign up at https://www.swigertpta.com/summer-reading
Lastly, the biggest fundraiser of the school year, the school auction, is quickly approaching on May 14th. If you have not yet purchased your tickets please do so!! It is an event you will not want to miss!!! https://swigert22.givesmart.com
I look forward to seeing many of you as we close the 2021-2022 school year!
Thank you all for all your support,
Courtney Percival
Friday Night Lights: Shining a Light on Mental Strength – Benefiting Children’s Hospital Colorado’s Pediatric Mental Health Institute
About this Event
In recognition of Mental Health Awareness month during May, NFL player Ben Garland will be hosting the second annual fun stair climb event for teens, kids, and their families – with a primary goal of raising awareness of mental health, reducing the stigma of asking for help, and equipping attendees with practical take-home tools to support their mental strength. Come check out special guests, a photo booth, giveaways, and tools for mental strength! This Friday, May 6th.
Register at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2nd-annual-friday-night-lights-shining-a-light-on-mental-health-tickets-289728023317
We are less than two weeks away from the Grow Your Own Way Swigert Auction! We need to finalize our numbers so please get your tickets purchased (day of tickets will be available at the event but they are $10 dollars more a ticket!) Get your babysitter booked, buy your tickets, and keep an eye on the website for previews of items! The silent auction will open May 13 at 5pm. The actual event is May 14 at 5pm. Even if you cannot make the auction you can still bid on silent auction items so please register either way!
If you ordered t-shirts we will have them at pickup on May 5th! If you have an auction question or would like help navigating the website we will be at pick up May 5th!
Next week is auction spirit week:
Monday May 9 – Sports Day – show us your favorite team’s gear
Tuesday May 10 – Decade Day – represent your favorite decade
Wednesday May 11 – Tie Dye Day
Thursday May 12 – Swigert Spirit
Friday May 13 – “Botanic” Fairies and Superheroes
Opening May 9 everyone who registers on the site and purchases a $25 dollar raffle ticket has a chance to win an X Box X – so even if you cannot make the event if you donate $25 on the site from May 9-May 13 before 5pm you are entered to win! You can purchase as many raffle tickets as you would like to increase your chances to win!
If you would like to get involved and volunteer to help on the day
Here is the link: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0845A4AA28AB9-grow
We cannot wait to celebrate with you!
Website: https://swigert22.givesmart.com
Thank you!
The Auction Committee
We are pleased to announce that EPI School Supplies are now available to order for the 2022/2023 School Year! Why order school supplies online?
To order, simply go online using this link https://www.educationalproducts.com/shoppacks/ to complete your order for your child next fall. The Swigert School Code is SWI028. Please note, supplies will be delivered directly to Swigert. The final day to order is June 30. Ordering by June 30th will ensure your child’s supplies arrive in time for the start of the 2022-2023 school year.
Please contact Swigert parent, Hana Oglevee, with any questions at helizabethschaefer@gmail.com.
Registration for Discovery Link care for next school year (2022-2023) opens on Monday, April 18th at 6am. For more details or to register, please go here: https://equity.dpsk12.org/extended-learning/discovery-link/
The Lunch menu is continuing to change based on availability, so we will keep you as updated as much as possible.
If your child will be coming in late and needs a hot lunch, please inform the office of their choice so their lunch can be added to the counts.
Please note: This week’s lunch order has changed!
Lunch for the remainder of this week:
Wed 5/4: Chicken Drumstick OR Korean BBQ Beef Bowl OR PB&J
Thu 5/5: Chicken Wings OR Chicken Hot Wings OR Mexican Salad OR Yogurt Basket
Fri 5/6: No School for students
Lunch Next Week:
Mon 5/9: Cheeseburger OR Country Chicken Bowl OR PB&J
Tue 5/10: Beef Taco OR Spicy Chicken Sandwich OR Grilled Cheese Sandwich OR Yogurt Basket
Wed 5/11: Mediterranean Chicken Wrap OR Hay Stacks OR PB&J
Thu 5//12: Meat Lasagna OR Spinach Lasagna OR Yogurt Basket
Fri 5/13: Chicken Quesadilla OR Cheese Quesadilla OR Bean Burrito Bowl OR PB&J
Blackjack has been moved back to Thursdays. Sorry about the last-minute change! The final Blackjack day will be Thursday, May 19th.
Please remember if your student will arrive late and will need a hot lunch, call the office at 720-424-4802 to order a lunch before 9:00am.
If your child has a peanut allergy and needs Wow butter (or other food allergy that requires accommodation), please be sure you’ve completed the attached Meal Modification Form. Food & Nutrition Services requires this form even if you have an allergy/anaphylaxis form on file with the nurse. You can return the form to our kitchen manager or the front office.
Home Lunches:
Please note that we do not have a way for students to heat their lunches. If you send a lunch to school with your child, it must be ready-to-eat. No microwaves or refrigerators are available.
Dear Swigert Families,
Thank you for supporting The Denver Public Schools medication policy. Please make sure to pick up all medications used by your child on or before the last day of school. Colorado Guidelines state that medications are not permitted to be sent home with your child. If your child is participating in a summer program, their medication will not automatically be transferred to the site of the program. It is up to the parent/guardian to pick up the medication from the school and transport it to the summer program site.
*REMAINING MEDICATIONS WILL BE DESTROYED END OF DAY JUNE 3rd 2022.*
It has been a pleasure to work with you and your child this school year and I look forward to next year. Thank you in advance for your cooperation. Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at hoang_tran@dpsk12.org.
Sincerely,
Hoang Tran
School Nurse
International Night is Thursday, May 5th from 6:00-8:00pm
If the weather is nice, we will have many activities outside. If it is rainy and cool, we will move all activities indoors.
Don’t forget to bring:
1. picnic for your own family
2. your own plates and utensils
3. your own water to drink
4. a dessert to share
5. money for the book fair
If families do not opt-in by June 30th, they may experience a delay in service. If your child currently rides the bus with an Exception, a new Exception Request is required every school year. For more information, please visit transportation.dpsk12.org or email transportation@dpsk12.org.
Please see the attached flyer for information on the DU Ritchie Center PASS Camp.
Scholarships available!
Discovery Link will be offering as much outdoor programming as possible this summer. Please see the attached brochure, or click here for more information or to register.
Summer Connections (formerly Summer Academy) is a free, 6-week academic program that is open to all rising 1st through 5th-grade students. This full-day program was redesigned to prepare elementary students for future success.
There are a few programming options offered by DPS for students who have Individualized Education Programs (IEPs). Please contact the Special Education team if you are unsure which program is best for your student. Participation and attendance in the Extended School Year (ESY) program is a priority for students who are eligible for these services.
Students will engage with content they will see in the upcoming school year, which will include instruction in foundational literacy, math and science. Our enrichment partners will guide students for 60 minutes each day through hands-on activities aligned with that day’s academic lessons.
Please click here for more information and registration instructions.