Posted September 12, 2023
Dear Swigert Families,
We greatly value and appreciate our partnership with families and the broader community at Swigert. It truly takes a village and there are so many different ways you can engage with the school community. I wanted to take some time to outline the various ways to connect – from checking in and reading with your students to joining a committee or donating your time – it all makes a difference!
Ways to connect with your child about their learning –
Ask your child about what they are learning about, take them to the library or research and learn more about topics that they are interested in. Swigert teachers share weekly communication that allows you to ask specific questions about the topics and skills they are learning each week. We also encourage students to read or be read to at home every night. Here are some specific resources for how to encourage literacy and math at home –
Literacy –
Home ideas to support literacy
Swigert Library Resources
Math –
If you have time to volunteer during the school hours, there are lots of ways we could use your time. There are opportunities in the school to:
Join a Committee – there are several different parent committees at Swigert. Please see the information below.
Garden Committee: We are so fortunate to have a robust and thriving school garden. Our students use the garden for science lessons, art class, planting and harvesting. We have a parent volunteer committee that helps to support the garden throughout the year and they are always looking for extra help. Please reach out to Alison Owen if you have time, passion or expertise in this area- Owen.allison.m@gmail.com
School Accountability Committee (SAC): the SAC is a parent/teacher organization that provides input on the school programing, staffing, budget and calendar. There are elected SAC members, but anyone is welcome to attend and provide input. We start every meeting with open comments for parents and staff to ask any school related question. The next SAC meeting will be on Tuesday October 3 at 5:00 in the library.
Multilingual Educational Parent Association Committee: MLE-PAC is the organization in charge of communication between parents and the school regarding Multilingual Education programming. This group is specifically designed for our families with students speaking a different language at home. It meets three times a year to support the family to school partnership by sharing important school information and providing information about the MLE program at Swigert. Megan Tate, our MLE teacher, is the main contact for this group. Please reach out for more information – Megan_Tate@dpsk12.net
Parent Teacher Association (PTA): The PTA is a parent organization that works to promote community activities, connect parents with the school, and coordinate fundraising opportunities to enhance school programming. At Swigert the PTA’s mission is to to support the IB (International Baccalaureate) program, high academic standards and a positive learning environment at our school through educational and social programs, parent outreach, and community involvement. Anyone is welcome to attend PTA meetings; our next one will be on Tuesday, November 8th at 6:00.
Diversity and Inclusion
To help us build an increasingly inclusive and welcoming school community, we are kicking off the Family and Community Inclusion Committee! If you are interested in meeting families of all backgrounds committed to celebrating diversity, building International Mindedness and making Swigert even more inclusive, please join us! Our first meeting will be on Monday, October 2nd from 6:00-7:00 p.m. in the Swigert Library. Childcare will be provided. Please RSVP to Shelby_dennis@dpsk.12net.
We appreciate you. Thank you,
Shelby
shelby_dennis@dpsk.12net
This year, there are three ways to report attendance. You can still email the office or call the attendance line at 720-424-4740. New for this year, you can also report an absence through the online portal. From Parent Portal, go to Infinite Campus/IC; then click on the menu waffle and select more, then select absence requests. Please note that if the office marks a student’s excuse after 9:30 AM, parents will still get the auto-dialer saying we need to know why the student is absent.
If you get a call saying that your student is absent when you believe them to be at school, please do not call the attendance line; after 9:30 AM, it is rarely checked throughout the day. Instead, please call the office directly at 720-424-4802 so you can confirm attendance immediately.
Survey results are in, and yearbook delivery will return to spring! Yearbooks will be handed out during the last week of school, so students will have a chance to sign each other’s (or bring in a special notebook/card to have friends and classmates sign, if they don’t purchase a yearbook).
This year’s Yearbook Theme is “Swigert Takes Flight.” The Annual Cover Contest, open to all 5th Grade students, is now open. Please see the attached rules, as well as the examples:
Front Ony (with words)
Front Only (artwork only)
Full Cover
Join us for the first Principal Coffee of the year. This session will just be an open question and answer time with Mrs. Dennis, Ms. Holthus-Pera, and Emily Pool. Feel free to join us. Coffee provided!
THIS Friday, September 15th
8:20am, right after drop off
In the library
Free Experience Dyslexia Simulation: October, 8, 2023, 10:30 am -12:30 pm
3239 E 2nd Ave, Denver, CO 80206
In recognition of Dyslexia Awareness Month, DenCoKID is excited to be able to offer a free simulation to the Denver community. Participants will experience some of the challenges and frustrations faced by people with attention, processing and language-based learning differences. Participants are guided through learning tasks commonly encountered in the classroom or workplace. This empathy-building experience benefits everyone, including parents, guardians, grandparents, caregivers, educators, principals, students, coaches, employers, clergy, and anyone with an interest in dyslexia or learning differences. Light refreshments will be provided and childcare for school-aged children is available upon request via email. Space is limited so RSVP today at https://www.dencokid.com/
Swigert’s Direct Giving Week will take place the first week of October this year! More information to come on Spirit Week, our 2nd Annual Color Run, and why we hold an annual Direct Giving Week. In the meantime, book your babysitters now because you won’t want to miss the adults-only kick-off party on September 29th!
WHO: ALL Swigert Parents, Teachers, and Staff
WHAT: A Casual Backyard Cocktail Party
WHERE: The Weldon Family Home 10194 E. 60th Pl.
WHEN: Friday, September 29th 6-9 PM
COST: Sponsored by the PTA, this event is FREE TO ALL
We are looking to do some projects on our grounds if anyone knows a local company or contact that would like to partner with us, please email Cortney Dickey – Cortney.Dickey@gmail.com
The Science Fair is coming back to Swigert (YAY!!). We are looking for 4-5 volunteers to join our science fair committee. The commitment will include attending meetings once a month, plus being there on the day of the fair (As of now March 15) to help setup.
If you are interested or have any questions please email Ms.Racha: Racha_kobitary@dpsk12.net
Do you love your College and want to show some school spirit?
Mr. Shutts is looking to decorate the gymnasium by hanging up pennants from various colleges. If you are willing to purchase, and donate, a flag to our school, please fill out the correct spot on the spreadsheet below. If your school is not on the list, add it to the bottom. If your school has already been claimed, pick another:
College Pennants for Gym
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:
| ROLE | NAME | |
| Instruction, Programing, etc | Shelby DennisAmber Holthus-Pera | Shelby_Dennis@dpsk12.net Amber_Holthus-Pera@dpsk12.net |
| Daily School Life | Emily Pool | Emily_Pool@dpsk12.net |
| Registration | Daphne Jolley | Djolley@dpsk12.net |
| Technology and events | Richard Fisher | Richard_Fisher@dpsk12.net |
| Health | Nurse Hoang Tran | Hoang_Tran@dpsk12.net |
| IB Program, Service Learning | Caroline Dane | Caroline_Dane@dpsk12.net |
| Swigert PTA | Cortney Dickey | president@swigertpta.com |
Key Dates
September 13,14 – School Pictures!
September 21: Swigert Summer Reading Celebration
September 22 – NO SCHOOL, Professional Development Day
September 29 – Swigert Gives Direct Giving Party
October 2 – Diversity & Inclusion Meeting
October 2-6 – Spirit Week!
October 2: Parent and Family Inclusion Committee
October 6 – Color Run!
October 12-16 – No school for students
October 27: Halloween Parade, classroom parties and PTA Trunk or Treat
October 31: Halloween (no costumes or parties, students can dress in orange and black)