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What Does The Fox Say?

January 9, 2025

What Does TheFox Say? January 9, 2025

Dear Parent/Guardian,


During winter break, I was in the Virgin Islands - St. Thomas and St. John. The sun is not my friend. If you have skin that burns under prolonged direct contact with the sun, you feel me. Annnnd, sand is not my thing. It gets in places it just shouldn't. But my daughter loves the beach, playing in the sand, squealing at the waves crashing onto shore, and swimming further than I am comfortable with so of course we do it. For the first time in years, I read a book for fun! That's a story for a different day. I tell my daughter she lives a charmed and privileged life. As I sent photos to my family, sister #2 reminded me that I too, now live a charmed and privileged life. She's right. My siblings and I have come a long way from our own childhoods in which every school break was spent causing a mess or ruckus in the house, playing across the street in an empty lot, or going to the playground. There are moments of reflection when I wonder how we survived the unsupervised mischievousness. The day after Christmas/Hanukkah - first day of Kwanzaa, I texted my dad, "We are at the beach on St. Thomas. Thank you for being a good dad so I could have a good life!" This is a rare moment of sentiment. If you know Asian immigrants, you know this is normal. They show their respect and care, they don't say it. In that squinting-against-the-brightness-of-the-sun moment, when I was watching my daughter swim in some of the bluest waters I've ever seen, I needed my dad to know I appreciate that he left everything he knew in China, moved across the Pacific to a land that didn't really embrace his people so that my siblings and I could have a chance at a better life. I know some of our Inspire students are growing up in a similar way I did and others are fortunate to have different experiences. Either way, I do hope your kids spent their time away from school recuperating and making memories that stay with them forever.


Together, we are Inspire.


Sincerely,

Linda August

Principal

Important Dates

1/10/25: Friday Celebration, 7:40 AM - 8:00 AM

1/14/25: Kinder Field Trip - Children's Museum

1/16/25: 1st Grade Field Trip - Denver Art Museum

1/16/25: Arts Showcase - 1st Grade, 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM

1/17/25: Friday Celebration, 7:40 AM - 8:00 AM

1/18/25: Stars of Honor at MSU (by invite only)

1/20/25: NO SCHOOL - MLK Day

1/22/25: CSC Meeting, 4:00 PM - 5:30 PM

1/24/25: Friday Celebration, 7:40 AM - 8:00 AM

1/28/25: Spelling Bee, 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM

1/29/25: Spirit Day: Lunar New Year - year of the snake or wear red

1/29/25: PTO Meeting, 6:00PM - 7:00 PM, Cafeteria

1/30/25: 2nd Grade Field Trip (Martin/Schuler) - Center for Colorado Women's History

1/31/25: 2nd Grade Field Trip (Corley/Fargason) - Center for Colorado Women's History

1/31/25: Friday Celebration, 7:40 AM - 8:00 AM

2/7/25: Spirit Day: 100th Day of School (wear a 100 anything ex: buttons, dress like you're 100, etc.)
2/7/25: Friday Celebration, 7:40 AM - 8:00 AM

2/12/25: Class Picture Day

2/12/25: CSC Meeting, 4:00 PM - 5:30 PM

2/13/25: Spirit Day: Valentine's/Friendship Day (wear red/pink or positive message)

2/14/25: NO SCHOOL, PD Day


Student Bike Racks

Earlier this school year, students indicated challenges with accessing their bikes at the end of the day due to middle school bikes being locked over their bikes. To alleviate the issue, we designated the bike racks near the cafeteria/driveway and next to the main office for the exclusive use of Inspire students. We also requested installation of additional bike racks, which are now located between the main entrance (door #1) and door #2 (DGS door).


School Safety Project

We recently completed a safety project that involved installing a gate to enclose a previously open section of our fence along 57th, next to the playground. While there have not been any safety concerns to date, we believe that adding this gate enhances the overall safety of our environment. This proactive measure serves as a preventative strategy, ensuring better security and peace of mind for everyone.


1st Grade Arts Showcase, 1/16/25 from 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM

We are over the moon to showcase how Art, Drama, and STEAM have collaborated this year to bring you our own unique version of the 3 Little Pigs! Below, you will find a description of what you will see from each special!

  • In ART, students learned about clay techniques and used this knowledge to develop unique characters for their little pig. Afterwards, they created rooms inside their pig’s house, showing understanding of character through choice of symbols used to decorate their home.
  • In DRAMA, students have been working on using emotions to become better actors! Using a classic story like the 3 Little Pigs, students had the opportunity to discuss and act out how different emotions felt in their bodies and how to tap into them in order to become different characters.
  • In STEAM, students explored concepts of structure and function by testing different materials around the classroom. Students then utilized the engineering design process to create homes for one of the pigs using toothpicks (straw), popsicle sticks (sticks), or foam bricks (bricks) as their structure material.


Spring Enrichment Registration Link Available 1/16/25

Preview the schedule of after-school enrichment programs this spring! These programs are open to ALL Inspire students in grades K-5 (please note in the schedule that there are some limitations to which program students can participate in based on grade level).

  • A link for registration will be shared in WDTFS on 1/16 at 5:30am and enrichments start the first week of February.
  • If you are a family in need of financial assistance for your student to join an enrichment program, please reach out to Inspire Counselor, Michelle Hauck (michelle_hauck@dpsk12.net) before the end of day today, Thursday, January 9th.
  • Questions? Contact kerrie_hall@dpsk12.net.


Friendly Reminders for Enrichment Enrollments

  • Many of our enrichment programs fill up quickly, sometimes within minutes. We encourage you to have a conversation with your child about the possibility of not securing their first choice to help manage expectations.

  • Enrollment in all enrichments is on a first-come, first-serve basis. Please remember that your order is not final until payment is processed and you receive a confirmation receipt, even if it was in your cart.

  • Enrichments have a no refunds policy. Due to the amount of planning and work that goes into enrichments, we are unable to offer refunds for enrichments.

  • If a student is acting disrespectful toward the instructor, fellow students or the classroom, we will notify the student's family. If the behavior is not improved, we will notify you a second time. If after the second notification the behavior has not improved, the third notification will be grounds for dismissal from the enrichment class without a refund. All school rules apply regarding behavior expectations during enrichments.

  • Most enrichments run from 2:50-3:50, unless otherwise noted. Arriving late to pick up 3 times will be grounds for removal from the enrichment class without a refund.


Stars of Honor at MSU, 1/18/25 (by invite only)

On Saturday, January 18th Metro State University will honor students from around the Denver Metro area for their character and work ethic as young scholars - Inspire staff nominated students who exemplify our monthly themes, work hard, persevere, and show a growth mindset. For the second consecutive year, Inspire Stars of Honor are invited to attend a MSU basketball game. There they will receive a standing ovation and certificate to honor their scholastic achievements. Additionally, Inspire will recognize these students at our Friday Celebration on January 31st. Click here for a list of our recipients.


NO SCHOOL 1/20/25

There is no school on Monday, 1/20/25 to celebrate the birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr.


School Choice Information for Current 5th Grade Families

The Round 1 SchoolChoice window for 2025-26 is 10 a.m. Jan. 15 through 4 p.m. Feb. 18, 2025. To participate in SchoolChoice, families submit one SchoolChoice application per student, on which they rank their top schools in order of preference, up to a limit of 12. DPS then uses a computer algorithm that matches students to schools based on those preferences, as well as school admission priorities and available space. Please refer to the helpful resources below:


CSC Meeting 1/22/25

  • Agenda can be found on the CSC Webpage
  • If you would like to attend and need interpretation services, contact Ginger Torres at ginger_torres@dpsk12.net two weeks in advance of the meeting.


Next PTO Meeting 1/29/25

Our next PTO meeting of the year will take place on Wednesday, January 29th at 6pm at Inspire. We hope you will join us! Enter at the Cafetorium door. We'll have pizza and non-alcoholic drinks for attendees. Kids are welcome!

  • During this meeting you’ll have the opportunity to get to know the PTO board, get updates on what we’ve been up to, hear about our committee and volunteer work this year and learn about our budget, fundraising efforts and continued goals. We hope you’ll join us!
  • To get connected with with the PTO start by filling out our PTO membership form.


PTO Pickleball Parents Night Out, 2/6/25 from 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM

The PTO is hosting our first annual Inspire Pickleball Parents Night Out. Thursday 2/6 from 6-9 pm at Mile Hi Pickleball. Sign up as a team of 2 and all levels of play are welcome! Adults only and there will be a cash bar available. This is a great way to connect with other families and support our school. Click here to sign up!


3rd-5th Science Fair, 3/17/25

It's that time of year when we begin preparing students for the school wide science fair scheduled for March 17, with winners moving on to the district science fair scheduled for April 20. Here is the link to the district science site.

  • Science fairs are important because they provide a platform for students to engage in hands-on, experiential learning and foster a wide range of skills such as curiosity, problem solving, communication and collaboration.
  • All students in grades 3-5 are required to participate and this is part of their science grade. Students will be given individual journals to guide them through the process and teachers will also support during science time. The projects themselves must be completed at home. This year, students may work individually OR in pairs to complete the project. Also, NEW this year, all students will receive their science display board - so no need to purchase one of your own!
  • Attached here is the parent guide to supporting your student at home. Please look for student journals coming home on Friday and get started early! We have had individual winners every year at the district science fair and would love to keep our streak going! The most important part is the student presentation and their ability to explain their experiment. So, the more time they spend with their experiment the better.
  • Click on the Parent Guide for more information.
  • Please reach out to your child's teacher with any questions. Happy experimenting!


Social Emotional Learning Monthly Theme is Diversity

Diversity is defined as recognizing shared experiences and celebrating the value of our differences. At Inspire, we strive to live the Inspire Way: Caring for Self, Caring for Others and Caring for the environment. Diversity is at the heart of Caring for Others. Students at Inspire are encouraged to embrace diversity in the following ways:

  • Our differences are what makes us unique
  • Everyone is welcome here
  • Be kind to everyone
  • Lift others up
  • Stand up against hate
  • Share your story


Family Resources

Student Bike Racks

School Safety Project

Inspire Elementary

Email: linda_august@dpsk12.net
Website: https://inspire.dpsk12.org/
Location: 5650 N. Elmira Ct., Denver, CO, 80238
Phone: (720) 424-4850

Linda August
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