February Dates (1st - 15th):

3-7 - Wish Week

6 - STEM Fair 5-7pm

7 - Popcorn Friday

13 - Friendship Parties

14 - No school (Professional Development for teachers)

17 - No school (President's Day)

Dear Parents/Guardians,

DCSD is committed to implementing equitable practices to increase access to advanced/gifted learning opportunities. Based on state and national recommendations and requirements, we implement Universal Screening for students in 2nd grade (February).

2nd Grade Universal Screen

As part of this process, ALL students in 2nd grade not identified for gifted programming will take the Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) on February 4, 5, and 6. This assessment indicates the level and pattern of cognitive development of a student in comparison to grade and age mates. These general reasoning abilities, which start developing at birth and continue through early adulthood, are influenced by experiences gained both in and out of school.

If your child is already identified for gifted programming, they will not participate in this universal screen testing. Your Gifted Education Facilitator will contact you directly with information about this process.

Kindergarten/ 1st Grade Gifted Identification Referral Testing

• If your child is in K or 1st grade and you believe he/she needs evaluation for Gifted Identification and Services, you may refer your child for testing by initiating the Gifted Identification Process.

• NOTE: Requesting this assessment automatically initiates the process to evaluate for Gifted Identification.

• Please request CogAT testing for your child by completing the Referral for Gifted Identification linked HERE.

• Upon receipt of this form the Gifted Education Facilitator will connect with you to discuss next steps in the gifted identification process.

Hello! I just wanted to thank everyone for all the help you have given so far this year! The lunchroom staff appreciates it so much! After break, we will be making a little bit of a change. We have had multiple families reach out about not getting a chance to volunteer in the lunchroom...because we have such great volunteers and it's always full! :). We will ask that after break, if you would like to volunteer, please only sign up for once a week. This will allow more families to get a chance to sign up. I have added new dates now and so you can go in now and get your favorite days :). Thank you for understanding and we will let you know if anything else changes.

* Please remember, you need to wear closed toe shoes and a hat when you volunteer in the lunchroom.

Lunchroom Help

Have a lovely holiday!

Mrs. Peck

Volunteer Coordinator

Meet Carter! Carter is 5 years old and has been battling the struggles of Hypoplastic Right Heart Syndrome, a single ventricle heart defect with pulmonary atresia and tricuspid valve atresia. Carter has already had 3 open heart surgeries and will likely need a heart transplant down the road. Carter is one of the most loving, smiley, and happy little girls. She’s always down to draw, paint, and she loves to be creative. Carter’s heart is so kind and her smile is so bright. Carter and her little brother, Luca, love to dance to her favorite song called, “Rocking Like a Hurricane” from the movie Trolls! She loves rainbows, doing science experiments with her grandma, and being with her family. While recovering, she would conduct science experiments with her grandma and neighbor. Her love for science inspired her wish. Carter’s wish is to travel to Hawaii and meet a volcano scientist!! We need your help to spread the magic of Wish Week to our community and to grant as many wishes as possible for children like Carter!

NRE Penny Wars are back, and we’re excited to bring this fun fundraiser to Wish Week in support of Make-A-Wish! Every day during Wish Week, buckets will be set up to collect change, with each grade level having their own bucket. Pennies added to a bucket earn positive points, while silver coins and bills subtract points. The grade level with the most points at the end of the week will win a prize—so let the competition begin!

To support MVHS Wish Week and add some fun to our days, we’re hosting dress-up days from February 3rd to 7th! Participation is just $1 per day, and all proceeds will go directly to Make-A-Wish. Check out the themes below and join in the excitement!

Basketball Social House on Sunday, February 2nd, from 1:00 to 4:00 PM

The event will feature a division for Mountain Vista basketball players to compete, as well as a public division open to anyone interested. Since Northridge is a feeder school to Mountain Vista, this would be a great opportunity for students and parents to experience a Wish Week event firsthand, while also enjoying the school spirit and the chance to watch Mountain Vista players in action—or even compete themselves!

Wellness Night is back!!

We are excited to announce that we will be hosting a Wellness Night for students and families on April 24th from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM. This event aims to promote self-care, emotional well-being, and healthy habits in a fun and interactive way. Throughout the evening, we’ll have various stations and activities focused on mindfulness, relaxation, healthy habits, and emotional support. It’s a great opportunity to learn new ways to support mental and physical health as a family.

We are looking for parent and community volunteers who would like to host a booth or activity during the event. If you have a skill, hobby, or area of expertise related to wellness—whether it’s art, yoga, nutrition, or mindfulness—we’d love for you to share it with our school community!

If you're interested in volunteering or have ideas for a booth, please reach out to Halie Snider at hsnider@dcsdk12.org by February 14th. We look forward to working together to make this a memorable and valuable event for all!

Potential Booth Ideas Include:

• Mindfulness and Relaxation Stations
• Crafts/DIY projects (e.g., calming jars, positive affirmation cards)
• Movement and Active Play Stations (e.g., yoga, dance breaks)
• Nutrition and Healthy Snacks
• Mental Health and Self-Care Education
• Creative Expression (e.g., art or music stations)

PTO Pulse

PTO In Action

“Opt In” to PTO Text Messages

Stay updated on all PTO news by signing up for text reminders. It’s simple and quick! Scan the QR in the flier below or click this link.

Upcoming Events

February 19 - PTO General Assembly Meeting

All are invited to attend the next PTO General Assembly Meeting: 8:45-10:15 on Wednesday, February 19. Free snacks! Come with a friend!

February 21 - 26 - Read - A- Thon

Get ready to dive into the magical world of books during our Read-a-Thon, happening February 21–26! This exciting week-long event is all about encouraging a love for reading while supporting our school. Students can track their reading minutes, set goals, and earn fun prizes along the way. It’s a great opportunity to challenge themselves and explore new stories! Parents, be on the lookout for information about how to sign up, track progress, and cheer on your readers. Let’s work together to make this Read-a-Thon a huge success!

March 7th - Family Dance

Please mark your calendar for March 7 and plan to join us for a fun NRE community night!

Ongoing Impact: Year - Round Fundraisers

Paint the Rock for $20 - Celebrate birthdays or special occasions by painting the pride rock. Sign up first, then submit $20 via MySchoolBucks or check.

Pride Rock Painting Service - For an extra fee, PTO can arrange a volunteer to paint it for you. After signing up, email PTOpresidentNRE@gmail.com for availability.

Restaurant Nights

QDOBA - February 11th 4pm - 8pm

9338 S. Dorchester St

Urban Air - February 25th 4pm - 8pm

8181 S. Quebec St. - Centennial

Panda Express - March 6th All Day

9563 South University Blvd

MOD Pizza - March 17th All Day

3622 E Highlands Ranch Pkwy

Volunteer Opportunities

Paint the Rock - PTO is looking for volunteers to paint the rock for families using this paid service. Funds support NRE PTO. Interested? Email PTOtreasurerNRE@gmail.com.

...

Our most recent SAC meeting took place on Wednesday, January 29th. You can find the recording linked below. Unfortunately, as I’m still new to this role, I forgot to start the recording at the very beginning—thank you for your understanding!

We had planned for our guest speaker, Director Susan Meek, to address questions about growth and decline, but unfortunately, she was unable to attend due to illness.

Our next SAC meeting is scheduled for February 26, 2025, at 8:45 AM in the Northridge library. Everyone is welcome and encouraged to join us!

https://us06web.zoom.us/rec/share/LkMjjLzhmgG_yiUsJYi3Xx58FvjPffoTtMzZLCP4XEH6Eh0weiuZjAAr0umqBbVa.BiRPsAKmVGuYDprk

Passcode: D@H*p9wL

The Spring Book Fair is coming up!

Save the date: February 18-21

Sign up for Auditions here

* Lego club link will be available for purchase Tuesday 1/21 on MySchoolBucks

Bus #53

• Feb 3-7
• Mar 10-14
• Apr 21-25

Bus #58

• Feb 24-28
• Apr 7-11
• May 12-16