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What Does The Fox Say?
December 14, 2023
A Community Letter from Ms. Soifer, 4th Grade Teacher
Dear Inspire Families,
As many have started or will start their Winter holiday celebrations soon, I wanted to take a minute to talk about holiday family traditions. For many, holiday traditions are passed down from family and as new families begin, so do new traditions.
My family celebrates Hanukkah. And one of the first Hanukkah traditions is to decide as a family: How are we going to actually spell Hanukkah/Chanukah/Hanuka etc? For some, it’s HANukkah (pronounced, HON-NOO-KAH). Others might disagree (like my parents) and spell it Chanukah (Which is basically the same pronunciation but with a little more guttural H like (HAAA-NOO-KA). Does it matter? Is one more correct than the other? The answer is no, and it’s because the word is translated from Hebrew חֲנוּכָּה. The spelling of Hanukkah/Chanukah has become yet another way for us to have different holiday traditions.
As I became a parent, our families traditions for how we celebrate changed and new ones started. From my side, I brought the tradition of theming each night of Hanukkah (and also as to avoid spoiling the children) so while we start with “Big Gift Night” we continue with book night, PJ night, and family night which often involves embracing some Christmas traditions with a trip to see holiday lights and beautifully lit trees. From my husband’s family, we light an oil Hanukkiah (Menorah) and eat homemade latkes (potato pancakes) and of course, facetime far away grandparents.
Holiday traditions are important ways for how to stay connected to each other. I hope that how you celebrate this winter, you are able to share your holiday traditions and make new ones.
Warmly,
Felicia Soifer
4th Grade Teacher
Para leer este boletín en español, haga clic en el botón "traducir" en la parte superior de la página.
Important Dates
12/15/23: NO SCHOOL, Inspire PD Day
12/18/23-1/2/24: NO SCHOOL, Winter Break
1/3/24-1/4/24: 4th Grade, Golden History Visit
1/5/24: Spirit Day, First Friday - fox theme, school gear or colors
1/10/24: CSC Meeting, 4:00pm-5:30pm
1/15/24: NO SCHOOL, Martin Luther King Jr. Day
1/17/24: PTO Meeting, 6:30pm-7:30pm
1/18/24: Kinder Field Trip, Children's Museum
1/25/24 & 1/26/24: 5th Grade Field Trip, Ameritowne
2/2/23: Celebration of Learning , 1:40pm-2:40pm
Winter/Spring Enrichment Registration Open!
- REGISTRATION LINK
- Click on the Offerings Link if you have reviewed the enrichment offerings.
- You will receive a confirmation email from Cheddar Up for the classes you register for. If a class sells out before check out you might get a registration confirmation that says "$0.00 charged". If you do, YOU ARE NOT REGISTERED FOR THE CLASS. Please double check the charges in your confirmation email to ensure the classes you are registered for.
- Contact kerrie_hall@dpsk12.net with questions about the programming and associated logistics.
- Contact enrichments@inspirepto.com for questions about the registration process.
CSC Meeting, 12/13/23 Highlights
- Agenda items included: Safety Update, Enrollment Projection, Q&A with School Governance, Staffing Design
- Access the agenda and notes on the CSC webpage.
- Next meeting is 1/10/24, 4:00pm-5:30pm
- Join Zoom Meeting, Meeting ID: 889 9135 5574, Passcode: xdnf7P
Winter Break Packets
You will find optional literacy and math packets in your child's Friday Folder. Some students need a break from academic work, while other thrive on it. Either way, we hope they enjoy the break. You can also find our Winter Break Packets on our Academic Resource page.
NO SCHOOL, Inspire PD Day, 12/15/23
Our Inspire Professional Development (PD) Days allows us to focus on sessions that have a positive impact on our Unified Improvement Pan (UIP). The UIP holds the school accountable for students supports. Some of the sessions including during this Inspire Day are:
- Norming our Practices
- Special Education Session
- Paraprofessional Supports
- Zones of Regulation Observation Observation Tool
- Talking Circles - Restorative Practice
- Equity Session: Building Learning Partnerships
NO SCHOOL, Winter Break 12/18/23-1/2/24
Staff will be recuperating and spending much needed time with loved ones. If you send a communication to school staff during the winter break, you can anticipate a response when they return in the new year.
Mid-Year Leadership Letter
Please keep an eye out for an important mid-year leadership letter, which will have a community update on adjustments to school procedures, school safety, and staff supports. This will be shared on 1/2/24.
PTO Spring Auction - Classroom Art Volunteers Needed
- The annual Spring Celebration & Auction is the biggest fundraiser for the Inspire PTO, and as we begin preparations for this year's event, we are seeking volunteers from each class to manage the Classroom Art Project. Historically Classroom Art projects have been fantastic revenue generators within the auction, but we need your help!
- Here's a little more information about the commitment associated with this activity:
- Classroom Art: each class will produce one art project which will be auctioned off at the event. We are looking for 1 volunteer from each class to take on the task of: Coming up with a project idea (Pinterest and internet searches are great places to find inspiration, securing supplies (parent volunteer can provide these items or can solicit supplies from other class parents), leading the class in the project, performing any "finishing touches" needed to get the auction item ready.
- The auction will be held on March 9, 2024.
- This year we will be utilizing one scheduled Art Special session for each class to complete these projects. Ms. Weidner has graciously provided multiple options for each class, so if you are volunteering for a class, you are committing to one of the days/times offered. The total in-school time commitment is 45min on ONE day only.
- Click HERE to sign up! Additional information will be provided once the group of volunteers is finalized.
- Thank you in advance for your participation. If you have any questions, email Gianna at song.gianna@gmail.com
Extra Clothes
When students return from the break be sure to send them with an extra set of clothes! Students may have an accident there might be snow or light rain outside and students may be wet if it is safe for them to be outside.
Toys and Electronics From Home
A friendly reminder that we do not allow toys and electronics at school. From our Family Handbook:
To prevent distractions from learning, toys (including stuffed animals), electronics/devices (including smart watches) are not permitted in school. In special cases, the teacher may designate a toy party as a class reward or inform you of a learning purpose for bringing a personal belonging from home. Inspire was designed to offer access to a variety of interactive learning materials throughout each day. We are confident your children will have opportunities to play, move and be creative each day.
Exceptions
ECE students are encouraged to bring a stuffed animal for nap time.
Students with IEPs or special needs may have permission to use a fidget, etc.
Students may bring a cell phone (cellular devices) to school. It must be on silent mode and remain in their backpack all day - students may not use cell phones (cellular devices) during the day. We are not responsible for lost or stolen property.
Depression and Suicide Resource
During the holiday season and extended breaks from school, it is important to remember that these times can present challenges for our students and families who may experience a crisis event or may need assistance in accessing mental health support. We want to provide families with resources that can help in navigating through these difficult situations that may occur while school is out of session. Click here for a resource list compiled by our School Counselor, Michelle Hauck.
Community Resources
- Winter Break Resoures
- DPS’ Family and Community Engagement (FACE) team has compiled a comprehensive list of resources to share with students and families in English and Spanish.
- Meals: In addition to the food banks listed in the FACE resource guide, the City and County's Office of Children Affairs is offering a free supper and/or snack at any Tasty Food site for youth (ages 5-18) across Denver during the holiday break! No registration or ID is required -- students can simply drop by and enjoy a nutritious meal! Check the schedule flier (in English and Spanish) for more information. Details on holiday schedule changes and planned holiday closures will be available on the Tasty Food website.
- Nutrition & Food Resources
African American Young Ladies Summit
Dreidel Math with Ms. Soifer
Spirit Week
Inspire Elementary
Email: linda_august@dpsk12.net
Website: https://inspire.dpsk12.org/
Location: 5650 N. Elmira Ct., Denver, CO, 80238
Phone: (720) 424-4850