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SUBJECT: Week In Review - September 11-15, 2023
September 15, 2023
Happy Friday!
Today marks the start of Hispanic Heritage Month and the DCSD Connection/Conexión group is hosting a fantastic Hispanic Heritage celebration event at the Legacy Campus on Tuesday, September 19. See the details in the event section below!
Preliminary School Performance Frameworks (SPFs) were released by the Colorado Department of Education and we are so excited by the data! While these reports are still preliminary until the State Board of Education takes action to officially approve them later this year, there is so much to celebrate.
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The total points earned by our school district have increased significantly over the past year, which shows continued academic achievement and growth by our students – and places us higher than pre-pandemic levels.
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Our elementary and middle schools have an overall rating of “Distinction.”
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We are seeing consistent gains in English Language Arts and Math.
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We are seeing performance gain by subgroups such as Free and Reduced Lunch and minority students.
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We outscored every other metro area district including both Cherry Creek and Littleton (not that we are competitive or anything - GO DCSD!!)
In addition, U.S. News & World Report recently released its annual rankings of high schools - and our DCSD high schools really cleaned up! Check out the rankings here!
We are so proud of our amazing and dedicated teachers and school staff! And we are very thankful for our supportive families! Thank you for all that you do to provide DCSD’s children with so many opportunities so they can have the brightest futures possible!
Sincerely,
Erin Kane
Superintendent
Douglas County School District
GOOD NEWS FROM AROUND DCSD
National Merit Semi-Finalists
We are pleased to announce the names of 29 National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists, making them part of an elite group representing less than one percent of U.S. high school seniors. These academically talented students advance in the competition, which awards 7,140 National Merit Scholarships worth nearly $28 million. The goal of the National Merit Scholarship Corporation is to honor the nation’s scholastic champions and encourage the pursuit of academic excellence. Three types of National Merit Scholarships will be awarded in the spring and summer of 2024. Finalists will be announced in February, with National Merit Scholarship winners announced in the months to follow. Congratulations to these outstanding DCSD students!
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Gavin Banks, ThunderRidge High
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Audrey Chang, Mountain Vista High
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Nehal Choudhary, Rock Canyon High
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Cathryn Church, Mountain Vista High
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Samantha Conca, Mountain Vista High
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Philip Dobranowski, Rock Canyon High
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Camden Eaton, Chaparral High
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Luke Gailloux, Mountain Vista High
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Annie Gao, Rock Canyon High
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Aidan Goodman-Scott, Ponderosa High
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Lee Guiberson, Rock Canyon High
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Adarsh Kalyan, Rock Canyon High
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Shloka Kandukuri, Rock Canyon High
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Nathan Kim, Rock Canyon High
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Andrew McDowell, ThunderRidge High
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Spencer Neucks, STEM School Highlands Ranch
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Quynh-Anh Nguyen, Mountain Vista High
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Ismoil Nosirov, Chaparral High
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Luke Pauka, STEM School Highlands Ranch
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Curtis Preedom, Legend High
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Leo Rasmussen, Mountain Vista High
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Aryav Rastogi, Rock Canyon High
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Liliana Smith, Mountain Vista High
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Alicia Tan, Rock Canyon High
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Payton Tereick, Highlands Ranch High
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Vinisha Tripathi, Mountain Vista High
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Morgan Underwood, Legend High
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Nandhana Vivek, Legend High
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Mae Webster, Highlands Ranch High
Douglas County High School Debuts Jan Shawcroft Field
A dirt field that served the needs of students for more than 40 years is now a new athletic field with brand-new artificial turf and goalposts. Douglas County High School (DCHS) in Castle Rock officially debuted the Jan Shawcroft Field on August 31, before the freshman football game. Jan Shawcroft worked at DCHS for 45 years!
DCHS’s football, soccer, and lacrosse teams will use the Jan Shawcroft Field, and it’s available for rent to the community. Artificial turf playing surface is well-liked by players and coaches, and it aligns with the school’s sustainability plan by saving water and reducing irrigation and maintenance costs. The voter-approved 2018 bond paid for the project. Read more. >>
Northridge Elementary Welcomes Visitors from Japan
Northridge Elementary had the pleasure of meeting with Aiba Kyoko and Sumie Nakajima who are from the Tsukuba City Education Board in Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan. They came to Colorado to learn about our education system and specifically to Northridge Elementary to learn more about their Gifted and Special Education Programs because of how well Northridge students perform compared to other students across the nation. Northridge staff shared resources with their visitors, and then took them into a couple of our classrooms so they could get a feel for what American classrooms look and feel like for students. Kyoko and Nakajima were able to ask the students a couple of questions about Northridge and its programming. Students were excited to share their experiences.
Share Your School’s Good News!
We will continue to send these celebratory emails out each week. If we missed a celebration or you have good news to share, please submit it here.
RESOURCES AND TIPS FOR PARENTS
Mental Health Resource
Signs of Suicide (SOS) for Parents and Caregivers
When teens are struggling with depression or thoughts of suicide, it is common for them to turn to each other. This is why it’s important for every student to know when to ACT. 1) Acknowledge signs of suicide, 2) show their friends they Care, and 3) Tell a trusted adult. Learn more. >> (en Español)
Literacy
Experience Dyslexia® Simulation
Hosted by DCKID
Wednesday, September 27 | 6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Castle Pines Library
This hands-on simulation session lets participants experience some of the challenges and frustrations faced by people with language-based learning differences. Participants will be guided through different learning tasks commonly encountered in the classroom or workplace, including reading comprehension, fluency, writing, spelling, listening, and processing speed. Click here to RSVP. >>
Health and Wellness
Concussion Awareness Day
September 15th is Concussion Awareness day. It is an opportunity for school professionals, community members, families and peers to raise awareness around the signs, symptoms and implications of concussions to foster discussions and plan support. Please view this link for more information.
EVENTS
Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration
Hosted by DCSD Connection/Conexión
Tuesday, September 19 | 6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
DCSD Legacy Campus
The Connection team cordially invites you to the celebration of Hispanic Heritage on Tuesday, September 19. Come enjoy live music, yummy food, games and piñatas for the kids, and a raffle for the parents! You can't miss it! This celebration is for students and parents/guardians of Hispanic-speaking families of all Douglas County School District schools. Click here to RSVP.
Parent University: Concussion Process and School Sports: Support and Best Practice Alignment with CHSAA
Hosted by DCSD and Sky Ridge Medical Center
Wednesday, September 27 | 5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.
Learn about the components of DCSD’s student concussion protocol and how our school district's support and practice aligns with the Colorado High School Athletic Association (CHSAA). We are excited to have Chris Mathewson, DCSD’s Lead Athletic Trainer as our panelist for this September webinar. Coach Mathewson will share insights, best practices and the latest research in this field. Click here to RSVP. >>
Reading to Your Kids at Any Age
Hosted by Douglas County Early Childhood Council
Wednesday, September 27 | 6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Reading with children is not always easy to work into your schedule, and it’s not always clear why
reading with your children is important at every age. In this class, caregivers will gain new skills
and ideas for reading with the children in their care, whether they can read independently already or not. Learn more and get the Zoom link.
Understanding Universal PreK for Parents
Hosted by Douglas County Early Childhood Council
Thursday, September 28 | 6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Universal Pre-K is now offered for all Colorado children who are in the year before they qualify for kindergarten! Join us to find out how to sign up and match with a provider of your choice. You will also learn about the funding that can save you almost $6000! Your child must be 4 years old on or before October 1 in order to participate. Whether you have a current 4 year old and want to get signed up right away or if you have a 3 year old and want to be prepared for the next year, you won’t want to miss this session. Learn more and get the Zoom link.
Building the Dream Gala
Hosted by The Foundation for Douglas County Schools
Friday, September 29 | 5:30 p.m. - 8:30 pm.
DCSD Legacy Campus
The fifth annual Building the Dream Gala will celebrate the 2023 Apple Award Winners and showcase some of Douglas County's finest student talent. This special evening will bring out the Douglas County community to honor the amazing students, cherished teachers, exceptional schools, and extraordinary programs of the Douglas County School District! Learn more. >>
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Join the DCSD Family
DCSD is hiring for a variety of positions, including bus drivers, transportation assistants, educational assistants, BASE workers, kitchen assistants, building engineers, security dispatchers, grounds and maintenance and so much more. Learn more and apply today at www.dcsdk12.org/careers.
Long Range Planning Committee Seeks Members
The DCSD Long Range Planning Committee (LRPC) is seeking members, specifically parents/guardians in the Castle Rock and Parker regions. They are also looking for parents/guardians of charter school students to serve on this important committee. The LRPC plays a crucial role in advising the Board of Education on matters related to population trends, facility usage, school attendance boundaries, and much more. Your expertise and insights will help shape the future of our schools and facilities while serving as a vital link between our community and the Board of Education. Click here to apply. Deadline is September 29.