Posted January 10, 2023
Dear Swigert Families,
We are definitely getting back into school cadence this week, there is so much joy and engagement in this building. I have been fielding a great deal of questions around school choice for the 2023-2024 school year. If you have an ECE student or fifth grade student you need to fill out the choice forms. I know it can be quite daunting and confusing, if you have any specific questions please reach out:
Choice & Enrollment (dpsk12.org) or djolley@dpsk12.net.
For incoming ECE:
Swigert International School » UPK & ECE *changes* (dpsk12.org)
Our fifth graders enjoying the snow:
Sincerely,
Shelby Dennis
shelby_dennis@dpsk12.net
Choice for the 2023-24 school year opens at 10 AM this Friday, January 13th and will close at 4 PM (DPS time) Tuesday, February 14th. All students who will be entering ECE, Kindergarten, or 6th grade (and, for siblings, 9th grade) need to have a Choice Form completed. Students who are currently in Kindergarten through 4th grades only need to have a Choice Form completed if you/they are choosing to change schools. If you do not complete a choice form for a student in K – 4th, they will roll back into Swigert for next year. It doesn’t matter if you complete the form on the first or last day of the window, but you MUST hit submit by 4 PM on February 14th or you will have to wait until 2nd Round, which greatly reduces your likelihood of getting into your school of choice.
The DPS process remains the same: you must complete a Choice Application. However, in addition to the DPS form, you must also complete the Colorado Universal Preschool (UPK) application, which provides 15 hours of free preschool to every ECE student. This does not mean that you can only have 15 hours free; the rest is based on income, just as it has been in the past. Please see the attached UPK letter for more information. The UPK application window opens on January 17th.
For DPS’ Choice, go to dps.schoolmint.net. If you already have an account (which most of you reading this will, from getting your older child(ren) into Swigert), you can either log into your old account, if you still have access to the email you used, or you can create a new account. Any students you have already choiced into a DPS school will show up on your existing account, but you don’t have to create a choice form for them unless you want to – or they are in ECE, K, or 5th grade. There is also a box you can select to create a new student, meaning new to the account. Even if they are currently in DPS, create a new student if they aren’t already on your account.
DPS no longer offers paper registration. However, if you have difficulties with the process, Daphne will be happy to help you. Just come by the office during the hours from 9 AM – 3 PM on any school day; if those times don’t work for getting to the school, then feel free to call 720-424-4802 for help. You wIf your child is entering ECE or Kindergarten (and isn’t currently attending a DPS ECE), please be sure to bring proof of age: Birth Certificate, Passport, or signed hospital/religious birth paperwork.
Please be sure you fill out BOTH applications!
Dear Swigert International Families,
Our school has the opportunity to make a big difference in the lives of a large group of Nicaraguan Refugees who recently arrived in Denver with little to no belongings. We have been put in touch with a local group who will be collecting specific clothing donations to help get the appropriate winter clothing for them. We learned that most of this group of refugees started their journey a few months ago when the weather was much warmer, so they arrived with very little in terms of winter clothing. Below, you will find a list of items that they currently need. Please only send in items that are listed. Used items are completely acceptable unless otherwise specified.
We have a Student Refugee Support Committee (open to 5th graders who filled out the application) that will be collecting and organizing items. Please send items to school with your student as soon as possible. We will be collecting donations until January 20th.
Items Needed:
Duffle bags
Backpacks (for children and adults)
long and short sleeved shirts
new socks, especially adult sizes S & M
new underwear for all age groups
new sports bras of all sizes
shoelaces (children & adults)
gloves and hats (children & adults)
sweatpants
belts for men
work boots for men
flip flops for use in showers (all sizes, used is fine)
Winter coats (all sizes)
We have so much gratitude for the continued support from our Swigert families- thank you! I was overwhelmed by the amount of enthusiasm and support shown by our 5th grade students as well; so many of them wanted to support this cause and better the lives of fellow humans in need. Truly inspiring.
With Gratitude,
Caroline Dane
IB Coordinator
“Do your little bit of good where you are; it’s those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world.” – Desmond Tutu
The 1st and 3rd grade concerts are coming soon!
The 1st graders will present “A Continental Concert” and the 3rd graders will present “Mother Nature” on Thursday, February 2.
At 5:45 PM, 1st grade students will meet in their classrooms. Their concert begins at 6:00 in the gym.
At 6:25 PM, 3rd grade students will meet in their classrooms. Their concert begins at 6:40 in the gym.
Dress for this concert is nice clothes.
If you cannot make it to the evening concert, you may attend the dress rehearsals: Wednesday February 1 and Thursday February 2 during the school day (time TBD).
See you there!
We’d love to connect with you as much as possible. You will be automatically added to our weekly Swigert Eagle newsletter that comes out every Tuesday during the school year. Please also visit our website at www.swigert.dpsk12.org to learn more about Swigert and events that are coming up. You can also join our “Friends of Swigert International School” private Facebook page – www.facebook.com/groups/friendsofswigert. When requesting to join, please include a note to say you are a new family. We post pictures of events at school, interact as a school family, and you can see friendly reminders of upcoming events.
Who to contact if you have questions about:
| Registration | Daphne Jolley | DJolley@dpsk12.net |
| Technology and events | Richard Fisher | Richard_Fisher@dpsk12.net |
| Daily School Life | Emily Pool | Emily_Pool@dpsk12.net |
| Instruction, Programing, etc. | Shelby Dennis Amber Holthus-Pera | Shelby_Dennis@dpsk12.net Amber_Holthus-Pera@dpsk12.net |
| Health | Nurse Hoang Tran | Hoang_Tran@dpsk12.net |
| IB Program/Service Learning | Caroline Dane | Caroline_Dane@dpsk12.net |
Key Dates
Jan 16 No School (Martin Luther King Day)
Feb 2 1st & 3rd Grade Concerts
Feb 21 No School (President’s Day)
Feb 23 ECE Art Show
Mar 27 – Apr 3 Spring Break