Posted January 31, 2023
Dear Swigert Families,
I hope you are all staying warm, what a chilly start to the week. The students did a great job with indoor recess but we are glad we can go back to outdoor time today.
February is the official month to recognize Black History Month, knowing that Black History is not something we focus on solely during the month of February but throughout our days, throughout our curriculum, and throughout every school year. That being said, it is critically important to take this time to understand, reflect and honor the lives and accomplishments of Black individuals in our nation. The purpose of this month was originally created to teach school-aged children about Black history so we could spearhead change and transformation in our society; and that holds just as relevant and true today. As our third graders just studied, Black History Month was born during the 1920s during the time of the Harlem Renaissance. Here is a great article outlining the history:
https://nmaahc.si.edu/blog-post/knowing-past-opens-door-future-continuing-importance-black-history-month. In Denver, Five Points was considered the Harlem of the West. –History of Harlem of the West
I know this work is more than just the month and we are continuously adjusting our IB units to reflect Black History and diversifying our resources and libraries. Throughout this month we will take some additional time to elevate Black history for our students during morning meetings. Each staff member is choosing a black person who has influenced or inspired their life and sharing a one page about their influence. We are encouraging students to do the same and are creating a joint display in the main hallway.
One initiative we are excited about this year is our black affinity group for fifth grade girls. The group meets bi-monthly to talk about their experiences, ask questions and learn about each other. It is facilitated by fourth grade teacher Sandra Ross and our special education teacher, Leslie Raynor. There is a similar group at McAuliffe so we invited them over yesterday to share with the girls about their own group and talk to them about being black and a girl in this world. It was a wonderful experience and we are going to continue to partner twice a month until the end of the year.
Third Grade Presentation of Learning
Our third grade students had a wonderful event last week celebrating the culmination of their unit of inquiry, Where We Are in Place and Time. They examined and learned about different people’s experiences who have immigrated to the United States, focusing on how journeys consist of challenges and joys. The students shared their fictional immigration writing pieces and followed it up with a potluck of different foods from the many heritages around the world. What a wonderful celebration for students and families.
Sincerely,
Shelby Dennis
shelby_dennis@dpsk12.net
1st and 3rd grade:
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” this 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: 10:35 (3rd grade) and 2:10 (1st grade).
Kindergarten and 2nd grade:
Mark your calendars! The kindergarten and 2nd grade concerts are on Thursday, March 9.
See you there!
Join us Thursday 2/9 from 5-6:15 for our next Social Emotional Series event focused on Gifted Students and Relationships. This is open to students in 5th grade and higher and/or adult family members. Here is a registration link (not required, but helpful for email reminders): https://tinyurl.com/yu569spw
ENGLISH Presentation- You can join us by going to this link on Thursday 2/9: Zoom Link: https://tinyurl.com/5yt8jubb
Flyer en español
SPANISH Presentation- You can join us by going to this link on Thursday 2/9:Google Meet para sesiones en español:
https://meet.google.com/tcx-nihb-sju
Please be aware of students (and crossing guard) when driving around the school perimeter. There have been several incidents of reckless driving. The safety of our students and staff is paramount.
Thank you!
We are in need of sweat pants/stretch pants in various sizes to keep on hand in the nurse’s office. We use these so that when kids spill on themselves, slip in the mud, or have any other type of accident they have something clean and dry to put on. Our current supply is dwindling pretty low, so if you happen to do a closet clean out at home and have sweats or stretch pants that are still in good condition, we would be happy to take them! You may drop them off at the front office or send them in with your student to drop by the front office. Even the older students have a need, so sizes from very small to young adult are welcome. Thank you!
Swigert will be hosting an Art Show for Kindergarten through 2nd Grades on Thursday, March 23rd, from 5:30 – 7:00 PM.
We hope to see you there!
We have our CMAS schedule set for April for our third through fifth grade students. Please try and schedule trips and appointments around these times and dates. We will send out more information as we get closer, but want you to have it on your calendar. Please reach out with any clarifying questions.
Choice for the 2023-24 school year 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.
There seems to be a glitch in the system, which sometimes shows students don’t have siblings even when they do. Please submit your application even if that is incorrectly marked. We always go through and ensure siblings are getting the correct priority. If the student you’re applying for has a different last name than the sibling, please email djolley@dpsk12.net to ensure that student is on the radar.
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 has changed. It is open now through February 14th, just like the DPS application. The UPK application is where you’ll be able to input sibling information and school choices.
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. For ECE only, you will not be able to select schools through DPS. The only option you can choose is UPK.
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!
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
Feb 2 1st & 3rd Grade Concerts
Feb 14th Choice & UPK Close 4PM
Feb 20- 21 No School (President’s Day)
Feb 23 ECE Art Show
Mar 6-7 PTA Dine & Donate Chook Chicken
Mar 9 Kdg & 2nd Grade Concerts
Mar 22 Swigert Spirit Night – Urban Air
Mar 23 Kdg-2nd Art Show
Mar 27 – Apr 3 Spring Break
Apr 29 Swigert Auction
May 20 Swigert Night at the Rapids