** Tuesday, March 23, 4-9pm: Restaurant Night (Esters!)
** Friday, March 26: ECE Only: No School for ECE
** March 27-April 5: No School (Spring Break)
** Wednesday, April 7, 6pm: PTA Meeting
(The Stedman Calendar can always be viewed HERE)
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We know our Stedman community is grieving and processing so much these past few weeks. Thank you for hanging in there and for supporting each other. We are all in this together, and I have appreciated the support I've received as well.
The community showed up to support the Young Family this past week at the Celebration of Life for Qualil Young. Their family and friends were able to capture his spirit during the event, and it was a beautiful tribute to him. Thank you for being a part of that and to all our community members that helped make it possible.
It looks like we're in for a big Spring Storm this weekend, so please be sure to stay safe and warm. If the weather prevents us from having school on Monday, we will alert families via robo-text of a traditional snow day. If weather continues to prevent school from opening, any subsequent days would become remote learning days. Stay tuned!
I wanted to extend a note of appreciation and thanks to our teachers who have been working late nights during this season of remote parent-teacher conferences. I am grateful for their dedication to our students and families.
We continue to see tremendous growth in our students this year despite the challenges our world has been facing. Stedman is a resilient community who continues to show grit and perseverance in the face of adversity. Thank you for that.
Sincerely,
Michael Atkins
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Nota del Sr. Atkins
Sabemos que nuestra comunidad de Stedman está sufriendo y procesando mucho estas últimas semanas. Gracias por aguantar y por apoyarse mutuamente. Estamos todos juntos en esto y también he apreciado el apoyo que he recibido.
La comunidad se presentó para apoyar a la Familia Joven la semana pasada en la Celebración de la Vida de Qualil Young. Sus familiares y amigos pudieron capturar su espíritu durante el evento, y fue un hermoso tributo para él. Gracias por ser parte de eso y a todos los miembros de nuestra comunidad que ayudaron a hacerlo posible.
Parece que nos espera una gran tormenta de primavera este fin de semana, así que asegúrese de mantenerse a salvo y abrigado. Si el clima nos impide tener clases el lunes, alertaremos a las familias a través de un mensaje de texto automático de un día tradicional de nieve. Si el clima continúa impidiendo que la escuela abra, los días posteriores se convertirán en días de aprendizaje remoto. ¡Manténganse al tanto!
Quería extender una nota de agradecimiento y agradecimiento a nuestros maestros que han estado trabajando hasta altas horas de la noche durante esta temporada de conferencias remotas de padres y maestros. Estoy agradecido por su dedicación a nuestros estudiantes y familias.
Continuamos viendo un tremendo crecimiento en nuestros estudiantes este año a pesar de los desafíos que nuestro mundo ha estado enfrentando. Stedman es una comunidad resistente que continúa mostrando valor y perseverancia frente a la adversidad. Gracias por eso.
Atentamente,
Michael Atkins
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SNOW DAY UPDATES
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For severe weather that is limited in duration, we will do a traditional snow day, with no in-person or remote learning. For this forecast storm, this means that if there are unsafe conditions on Monday, March 15, that will be a traditional snow day. We’ll be monitoring the weather closely and providing updates as needed through our normal communications channels.
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If there is an extended stretch of severe weather during the week and we are not able to safely allow students to attend in-person school for multiple days, then — starting with the second day — we will pivot to remote learning. For this forecast storm, this means that if unsafe conditions persist, Tuesday, March 16 will be a remote-learning day for all students.
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To support in planning and this shift, any time we are considering a potential snow day, we will send messaging to schools by mid-day the day before to remind students and teachers to prepare (such as by taking home computers) in the event that it becomes a multi-day event and we need to shift to remote learning. For this forecast storm, please remind your students to bring their computers home with them for this weekend.
As a reminder, new for this school year, all schools (regardless of start time) will be delayed by two hours if a "Weather Delay" is called by the district.
DPS is committed to informing families about school closures or delays as early as possible – with the goal to make the call by 5 a.m. Continue to check your texts/voicemail and Facebook for updates.
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- Keep your vents clear - During and after a storm, make sure nothing is obstructing the outside stack or vent for your dryer, stove, furnace and fireplace.
- Take special care to prevent snow from building up and blocking these critical exits for dangerous gases.
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CELEBRATIONS
Students have been working hard this year under difficult and ever-changing circumstances. But through it all, our students have been thriving! This is why we weren't too surprised to get the great news from interim assessments that:
- 75% of our 3rd Graders are Proficient or Distinguished in Literacy, 78% are Proficient or Distinguished in Math!
- 4th Graders increased their proficiency in Literacy from 13% to 40% with 10% of them scoring Distinguished in Math!
- 5th Graders increased their proficiency in Literacy from 8% to 40% and their proficiency in Math from 31% to 44%!
We're so proud of these students and grateful to our staff for dedicating so much time and effort to supporting our students at home and in school!
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REMOTE TESTING
Families in 3rd-5th Grade:
DPS sent the below letter to families last week to remind them that CMAS testing is still taking place this year. If your child is in remote learning still, he or she will need to come in person to take the assessments (which will range between 3-9 sessions). CMAS testing will NOT be given remotely to any students. Testing will take place during the last three weeks of April.
If you are unable to bring your child in for all of his/her testing, we ask that you please email michael_atkins@dpsk12.org and rhonda_lee@dpsk12.org to make sure you are marked "Opt-Out" for this year's assessments. Please note that there may be occasions during testing sessions when students who have opted out may have asynchronous/remote learning due to staffing limitations.
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Dear DPS Community,
As we have shared over the past few weeks, the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) requires all districts every year to administer Colorado Measures of Academic Success (CMAS) in English Language Arts (grades 3-8), Math (grades 3-8), and Science (grade 5, 8 and 11). The CDE expects us to administer CMAS to all students in person this year whether each student attends school in person or remotely. There will not be a remote testing option, so all students must come into the school to take the test. Our testing schedule will run from March 22 through April 30, 2021.
We believe there are multiple ways to monitor student progress, and this is one of them. We also understand that some families may not want their students to participate in CMAS. We requested that families who choose to opt their student out of testing complete the Assessment Opt-Out Form by Feb. 26. Although this deadline has passed, if a family still wants to opt their student out, families can do so by reaching out directly to their child’s school. Families have the opportunity to opt out up until the day of the testing. Please note that we set the Feb. 26 deadline so that school leaders could plan for how many students are testing, determine staffing needs and prepare testing schedules that follow all health and safety guidelines.
In some instances, a school leader may determine that students who are not testing on a particular day will need to learn remotely for that day while testing is taking place. Because of our current health and safety rules, there may be situations where schools may not have sufficient staff to support both testing and non-testing students at school on the same day. Additionally, our health and safety rules may impact the amount of students we can have in particular spaces. Each school will develop a plan that addresses their unique circumstances. Staff at your child’s school will share with you those details for students who are not testing and the schedule for CMAS testing. If you have additional questions, please reach out to your school or contact our Family and Community Helpline at 720-423-3054 or FACEHelpline@dpsk12.org.
Sincerely,
Tamara Acevedo
Deputy Superintendent of Academics
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HEALTHY FOOD FOR DENVER KIDS |
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JOB OPPORTUNITY IN THE AREA |
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FREE MEAL DELIVERY IN DENVER
Sign Up for Colorado Food Cluster Meal Deliveries:
Colorado Food Cluster (CFC) provides free meals to youth ages 6-18 in the Denver Metro Area (within 20 miles of downtown). Each student will receive a weekly delivery of 7 dinners and 14 snacks, including fruit and milk, until June 30, 2021.
Regístrese para las entregas de comidas del grupo de alimentos de Colorado:
Colorado Food Cluster (CFC) ofrece comidas gratuitas a jóvenes de 6 a 18 años en el área metropolitana de Denver (dentro de las 20 millas del centro de la ciudad). Cada alumno recibirá una entrega semanal de 7 cenas y 14 snacks, entre fruta y leche, hasta el 30 de junio de 2021.
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COVID-19 VACCINE INFO
Are you curious about the COVID-19 Vaccine? We want our community to be educated and knowledgable about the vaccine and how it can help us get back to "normal" as quickly as possible. Please reach out if you have any questions!
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COVID-19 Testing Now Free for All Community Members |
Through the end of the year, COVIDCheck Colorado is now offering free testing to anyone in Colorado. This means that leaders, educators and staff can go with household members and invite other community members to test and help slow the spread of COVID.
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Clothes To Kids of Denver (CTKD) provides FREE clothing to children and youth who are in need or in crisis. To shop, students must live in Metro Denver, be age 3 - 21 and be enrolled in school (remote or in-person) or working toward a GED.
Our wardrobe includes 5 outfits, 1 coat, 1 pair of shoes, 1 bra (optional) and 5 pairs each of new underwear and new socks. Students are invited to select clothing in a welcoming, store-like setting or can order a wardrobe for contactless curbside pick-up.
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We are very excited to have in person shoppers in our store and are taking extra precautions to protect the health and safety of our visitors, volunteers and staff.
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For families who would prefer a contactless option, we are continuing to offer wardrobes via Curbside Service. This option enables parents and caregivers to request a wardrobe for any student in need, and our staff will shop on their behalf.
Families wishing to shop in person or request a wardrobe for pick-up should call us at 720-379-4630 or email us at appointment@clothestokidsdenver.org for an appointment. Up-to-date phone hours are on the Shop With Us page of our website.
No Referral Required! No matter how families choose to shop, we have temporarily loosened our referral requirements and are providing wardrobes to anyone who says the young people in their households are in need of our services, no questions asked.
Hours of Operation:
Tuesdays - Fridays 9:00 - 4:00
Saturdays 9:00 - 3:00
Sundays & Mondays Closed
Donations Accepted:
Fridays & Saturdays 9:00 - 3:00
We are now accepting clothing and shoe donations on Fridays and Saturdays only between 9:00 and 3:00. We are in need of the basic wardrobe staples (shorts, pants, tops, shoes, etc.). We still cannot accept "extras" at this time.
Donating is Easy!
Gather your clean and ready-to-wear items. Check our updated Donation Guidelines for ideas. Please sort items by category (girls, boys, young women, young men and shoes) to save time at drop-off.
· When you arrive, pull into our loading zone and wait in your car until any staff members or other donors are at a safe distance.
· Empty your donations into one of our rolling bins located outside of our door.
· Please do not leave donations inside of plastic bags. Place your donations in our bins and take your bags with you to reuse.
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While this year is unlike any other, there are still ways for us to continue supporting our students.
Please continue reading your emails from PTA and reach out to pta.stedman@gmail.com if you have any questions or want to jump in! We'll provide updates here in the newsletter as well.
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LONGMONT DAIRY CAPS
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If you order from Longmont Dairy, save all your milk caps! Send them to our front office and we are able to turn them in for a donation.
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AMAZON SMILE
Do you shop on Amazon? An EASY way to help support our kids and teachers at Stedman is to link your AmazonSmile account to our charity, The Stedman Knights PTA. Click on the above image to be directed to our organizations link. Every purchase you make through smile.amazon.com sends a small portion of the purchase to our school! The money raised goes to supporting our students and the important work being done at Stedman!
Remind your family and friends to link to our school as well!
¿Tienda en Amazon? Una manera fácil de ayudar a mantener a nuestros niños y maestros en Stedman es vincular su cuenta AmazonSmile de nuestra caridad, “Stedman Knights PTA.” Haga clic en la imagen de arriba para dirigirse a nuestras organizaciones enlace. Cada compra que hagas a través smile.amazon.com envía una pequeña porción de la compra a nuestra escuela! El dinero recaudado se destina a apoyar a nuestros estudiantes y la importante labor que se realiza en Stedman!
Recordar su familia y amigos para enlazar a nuestra escuela, también!
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King Soopers
Did you know that you can link your King Soopers account to Stedman and help us raise money without spending any extra dollars? It's so easy!
How To Use the King Soopers/ City Market Community Rewards Program:
Step 2: Sign in to your account (or create a new account with your email and King Soopers card #)
Step 3: Search for Stedman Knights PTA (NPO # -- XK374)
Step 4: Select Enroll
Congrats, you have successfully enrolled in the Community Rewards program and 5% of your purchases will support Stedman Elementary!!
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¿Sabía que puede vincular su cuenta de King Soopers a Stedman y ayudarnos a recaudar dinero sin gastar dólares adicionales? ¡Es tan fácil!
Cómo utilizar el programa de recompensas de la comunidad de King Soopers / City Market:
Paso 1: vaya al sitio web: https://www.kingsoopers.com/account/communityrewards/
Paso 2: inicie sesión en su cuenta (o cree una nueva cuenta con su correo electrónico y número de tarjeta King Soopers)
Paso 3: Busque la PTA de Stedman Knights (NPO # - XK374)
Paso 4: seleccione Inscribirse
¡Felicidades, se inscribió con éxito en el programa Community Rewards y el 5% de sus compras apoyarán a la escuela primaria Stedman!
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PTA MEETING
Join us for our next virtual PTA meeting on Wednesday, April 7th at 6pm. We keep these limited to one hour and would love to see your face!
Wednesday, March 7 @ 6pm
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Stedman Spirit Gear
Our new store for Stedman Spirit Gear is finally up! If you are interested in purchasing a new item, please visit this site. Orders will be handled individually and a portion of all sales will be donated back to the school by the vendor.
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Emergency Financial Assistance |
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Knowing the COVID-19 pandemic continues to negatively impact the lives of Denver families, DHS is now offering emergency/disaster assistance payments up to $4,000 to qualifying residents.
These payments can be used for a variety of reasons – to cover rent or pay the mortgage, to pay for mental or medical care, to pay for home or auto repairs, to pay for food or school supplies, and more. To qualify, one must be:
- TANF Broad-Based Eligibility Criteria for Disaster Aid: Denver resident
- Household is determined to be ineligible for public assistance programs;
- Annual household income is under $75,000;
- Eligible child in the household (according to state rules and regulations);
- Lawfully present in the country; and
- Has a need for services directly relating COVID-19-related emergency
The program is open until funds are exhausted. To apply, go to Colorado.gov/PEAK and apply for Colorado Works/TANF. Please note that because this is a unique and temporary program, the “Am I eligible?” feature will not distinguish between this program and the regular Colorado Works/TANF programs. We encourage anyone with questions to call 720-944-4DHS (4347) to speak with a customer services representative.
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Family Supports
If your family is in need of additional support, please be sure to reach out to our Family Liaison, Ali Larson, via text or email: alison_larson@dpsk12.org. We have access to some food and transportation resources that may be helpful during these stressful times.
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