2300 S. St. Paul St., Denver, CO 80210
720-424-3410
Principal
As a kickoff to Teacher Appreciation week, we as a staff joined together for some celebrations on Monday. Some highlights from that day included a discussion of our iReady growth. iReady is our platform that we use to assess students as part of Colorado Read Act as well as an interim measure three times a year to gauge student progress. I'm happy to share that in literacy 76 percent of UPark students are performing within the grade level band, up from 45 percent in the fall. 71 percent of students are within the grade level band or Tier 1 in math, up from 30 percent in the fall!  

Additionally we had some time to share some great successes we've seen with restorative practices and behavior supports this school year. We spent about an hour with each staff member celebrating a student or a practice that is working well aligned to our school wide Restorative Practices model. It was a wonderful time for us to celebrate student academic and social emotional growth, which are equal parts of what we do at UPark to build a community of Mighty Thinkers and Doers.  
Early Bird Online Registration for 2023-24
Current DPS families – save time by updating your student’s information online! By completing this process using your Parent Portal account, you can quickly update all of your student's information before we leave for Summer break. You will be able to register during one of the widows listed below:
  • The “Early Bird” window, May 8-19
  • Regular window, July 30 - August 30
To register online, primary legal guardians of current DPS students must have an active DPS Parent Portal account. Visit myportal.dpsk12.org to complete Early Bird Online Registration.

For more information on how to complete online registration, contact the front office or visit schoolchoice.dpsk12.org.

**New UPark families -- you will be able to complete the online registration during the regular window which will open in late July. Be on the lookout for information over the summer.**
Summer Chromebook Check Out
Over the summer of 2023, UPark students have an opportunity to check out a Chromebook and a Chromebook charger for use over the summer. 

If you are interested in this option for your student, the parent/guardian must complete this Chromebook Check Out survey before Friday, May 19. Students who check out a Chromebook for the summer will bring the same Chromebook to their DPS school at the start of next school year.

If you do not want your student to check out a Chromebook and charger for the summer, please ensure they return the Chromebook and charger to UPark by the end of the school year, otherwise, a MySchoolBucks fee will be added to their account for replacement costs.

Students and families can find additional resources and information regarding Chromebooks and Internet access at mytech.dpsk12.org.

For Chromebook support over the summer, you can contact the Department of Technology Services (DoTS) Student and Family Tech Support line at 720-423-3163.
UPark Staff Updates
We have some exciting staffing updates to announce!  Mr. Davis, current 3rd grade teacher will be filling the Kindergarten teaching position that is open due to Judy Cardenas' retirement. Ms. Bohcali, current 1st grade teacher, will be teaching 3rd grade at UPark starting next school year and Ms. Allie Eno, current UPark student teacher, has been hired as our new 1st grade teacher. We are also excited to announce that we will be adding a second full time psychologist to our team. Ms. Jordan, who has been working part time at UPark, has been hired full time for next year, bringing us to two full time psychologists!

We are also very fortunate to be continuing to have Ms. Morof teaching and Ms. Brett supporting our K/1 combo class again next school year. Additionally, we are excited to announce that due to an increase in enrollment for next year we are able to preserve a teaching position that we had planned on reducing. That additional position now allows us to solve for our large 4th grade classes by adding in a 3/4 combo class next year to be taught by Ms. Randall and supported by Mr. Grass. With our current enrollment, having a 3/4 combo allows us to have 25 or fewer students in each classroom in these grade levels. For the past few years we've had 28-30 students in our fourth grade classes.  

If you have any questions about staffing changes, combo classes, and the model for next year please reach out to Mr. Atonna as he loves to talk to parents about UPark and all of the great things going on at our school.  

We can't wait for a great school year ahead!

Don't forget that there will be a retirement party for Ms. Cardenas on Thursday, May 25th starting at 3:30pm in the UPark gym. All are welcome! Click here to RSVP.
UPark Book Fair and Library Update
The UPark Book Fair is Back! The UPark Book Fair begins next Monday, May 15 through Friday, May 19. Students will shop during their regularly scheduled Library time throughout the week. Check with your child's teacher for the date. The fair will be open for parents to join their students Monday, May 15, from 3:20 p.m. to 5 p.m. and Thursday (Art Night), May 18, from 3:20 p.m. to 6:30 pm. Note: Shopping will only be available during the above dates and times, when the library is staffed. Remember, University Park earns a portion of the proceeds from all purchases. Click here for all the details including E-Wallet information. 

This week is the last week of book checkout for the year. ALL library books must be returned the week of May 15. Please scour your home for UPark books and return them as soon as possible. 
2023 Fun Run and Carnival
Our annual Fun Run and Carnival is coming up on Sunday, May 21st, 2023. The Fun Run will start at 10AM with the Carnival to follow at 10:30 AM. You can secure your spot by purchasing registration, lunch tickets and carnival wristbands here. 

NOTE: The deadline for t-shirt orders has passed. We can no longer guarantee sizing or availability of t-shirts. We will do our best to fulfill any orders placed after the deadline and a limited number of shirts may be available at registration on the day of the event. 

Please email Alicia Vega for scholarship information.

We are also looking for volunteers to help on the day of the event. This is one of the highlights of the year for many of our kiddo's but we need your help to make it successful. We welcome volunteers aged from 5th grade and up, parents and older siblings are encouraged to help while the young ones enjoy the Carnival after the Fun Run. We have created a Signup Genius Form to help us keep track of the volunteers. Please sign-up at the link below.

UPark Art Night
Save the date for the all-students Arts Night and 4th Grade performances on May18th from 5:00-7:00! Enjoy various art activities such as origami and marble art in the gym, and check out the 4th and 5th Grade art show! 

Miss Moret is looking for volunteers to help out with art activities at the UPark Arts Night on May 18th. For more information email her at malia_moret@dpsk12.net.
4th Grade Performances
All 4th Grade Students and Families, please join us for our Colorado Musical performances during Art Night on Thursday, May 18th! The live auditorium performance schedule will be as follows:

5:00-5:45 p.m. Ms. Morton's Class
5:45-6:30 p.m. Ms. Rau's Class

Students should wear blue jeans and a solid red, blue, or yellow shirt to represent the Colorado flag. Please arrive 10 minutes prior to your student's performance time and enter through the main doors on South Saint Paul Street. After students head up to their classrooms with their homeroom teachers, families may find a seat in the auditorium after the previous group exits. Please reserve the chairs for adults and have children sit on the floor in front of the stage. Students will meet their families outside the gym. We ask that everyone exit through the doors to the staff parking lot on East Iliff Avenue to help us with the flow of traffic in the building. All students should make themselves available from 5:00-6:30 that evening so that we have understudies if we need to call on them, as both classes will be performing the same show. 4th Grade students and families may attend Art Night before and/or after their performance.
Pre-Order Your Yearbook Now & Save!
Save $2 when you pre-order your students’ 22-23 yearbooks before May 19th (regularly $17). This year’s yearbook features cover art by our talented 5th grader Audrey Downes!

Yearbooks will be distributed at the Fun Run & Carnival where students will also be able to gather friends’ signatures and well wishes at our Yearbook Signing Table!!!

Any yearbooks not picked up at the Carnival will be distributed to classrooms the following week. 


*if the cost of a yearbook presents a financial hardship for your family contact Alicia Vega at alicia_vega@dpsk12.org
Spirit Fridays! 
Student Council will be hosting Spirit Fridays for the month of May! Participation is optional, but we would love for students to dress according to the daily themes, and mainly, have fun! No need to buy anything to match the theme of the day. Get creative, and use what you have!

May 12th: Sports Fan Friday- dress to represent your favorite sports team
May 19th: Fun Run Friday- wear a Fun Run t-shirt, UPark spirit gear, or the color red 
May 26th: Future Friday- dress as what you want to be when you grow up

 Thank you!
UPark Student Council 
2023-24 DPS Calendar and UPark Bell Schedule-UPDATED Calendar!
UPDATED! Click here to view the 2023-24 UPark/DPS calendar. This updated link has the two UPark specific planning days, which will be no school days for students (November 27th and May 6th). As a reminder the UPark school day will be 8:50-3:50. Students will be able to arrive no earlier than 8:30 am for breakfast or playground supervision.
Health Office Medications
Medications can start to be picked up today till 3:30 pm on June 2nd. All medications left after 3:30 pm on June 2nd will be destroyed per DPS protocol. If your student has scheduled medications or has needed inhalers/allergy medications this school year we recommend picking up the last week of school. Any non-essential or unused medications can be picked up at your convenience.
2023-24 School Year Transportation
The Transportation Opt-in Program is now live on the Parent Portal. If your student is eligible and you would like them to use DPS Transportation in the 2023-24 school year, please opt-in now. Click here for instructions on how to opt-in. Families have until Friday, June 16 to let us know if your eligible student will be using our services next school year. If you don’t opt-in by June 16, your student could experience a delay in service.

Note: McKinney-Vento, Special Education, Foster Care and newcomer students will not need to opt-in because they will automatically be routed for 2023-24 transportation service.
UPark Owl Ticket Students
Congratulations to this week's Owl Ticket students! They were recognized by their teachers for above and beyond positive behavior.
Owl Tickets are given to students for going above and beyond in one of our five core values: caring, cooperation, responsibility, respect and joy. Owl Tickets focus on the school's trait of the month, give students a chance to participate in the weekly "Owl Tickets" photo and will be posted on the "UPARK" letters in our main hallway.
University Park Elementary Calendar

To access additional calendar information click here or visit the calendar link on the University Park Website.
Looking Ahead

May 15-19: Book Fair
May 18: UPark Art Night
May 18: 4th Grade Performances
May 21: Fun Run and Carnival
May 23: 5th Grade Field Trip
May 23: Spring Band Concert
May 26: Enrichment Ends
May 29: NO SCHOOL- Memorial Day
May 31: KG Picnic
May 31: 4th Grade Picnic

June 1: 5th Grade Continuation (6pm)
June 2: Kindergarten Bridging
June 2: Last Day of School-Half Day (12:20 Dismissal)