Dunstan Newsletter

March 28, 2025

Dear Parents and Guardians of Dunstan Students,

We are back up to full speed here following Spring Break! Today we have our 7th Grade Social after school, which will allow students time to hang out and enjoy their friends. Thank you to our group of 7th grade student leaders, Ms. Walker, Ms. Haggstrom, Ms. Pruitt, and Ms. Soto who coordinated this event! Thank you to our parents who signed up for contributing to the decorations and snacks for the students!

We have CMAS testing beginning in the next couple of weeks. We encourage students to participate in testing so we can measure our academic progress as a school and also most careers require some sort of test of assessment. That said, if your child has recently experienced some extenuating circumstances and needs to be opted out for this year, please email our Assistant Principal, Megan Devitt-Haggstrom at megan.haggstrom@jeffco.k12.co.us.

As a school, it is uplifting to have the students back in the school, engaging with learning, and interacting with each other! We have been hearing more derogatory language in the past few weeks and prior to Spring Break. Next week we will host grade level assemblies to re-norm expectations. Also, during our SEL lessons we will re-run the dehumanizing language lessons that we co-created with the school district last school year. Please encourage your student(s) to use respectful language about themselves and towards others. You might also find it helpful to use similar words to frame this discussion - the words we use to frame this discussion are, “time, place, and manner.” For example, is the school community an appropriate time, place, or manner to use dehumanizing language? We also ask the students if their use of dehumanizing language might lead to perception of bullying or to possible misunderstandings about intent v. impact. We continually try to promote kindness and respect towards others, even if they are not friends - at least be respectful. We also promote kindness and respect for adults and staff members. We are asking for your partnership in this and conversations at home to help model the way regarding respectful language.

Another update for this week - we briefly had emergency crews at the school because we had a staff member who had low blood pressure. We needed to get help for her quickly. When these situations occur and we have emergency personnel in the school, we put the school in a stance called a “Hold,” which means everyone stays put in the rooms they are in until we have the situation resolved. As always, please let me know if you have any questions or concerns about this and/or any of our other emergency response procedures.

Lastly, I would encourage you to review with your student, what they are learning in each class and their grades. We are creeping toward the end of this school year but it's not too late to improve. Please remember, every Tuesday and Thursday during Advise class, students can go see other teachers and get extra help via a Travel Pass. They simply have to ask the teacher to give them a travel pass so they can get extra help. If your student needs this, please encourage them to take advantage of it. This structure is in place to provide extra help but also because it mirror the Access structures offered at all of our Jeffco high schools.

Please also take some time to review your student’s social media account. We recently learned of some social media accounts that include the name Dunstan and are inappropriately displaying photos of students and/or some students feel they are being targeted by the owner of one particular social media account. Although it is very easy at this age and with access to phones and social media, for students to assume they may post photos of others online. This is a good time and place to ask for consent with their peers. We instruct the students to use their phones and social media accounts, should their parents/guardians allow them to have these accounts, for good and not to cause harm to others. Please take some time to review your student’s social media accounts and have conversations about using these platforms for good.

As always, please feel free to reach out with any questions or concerns.

Respectfully,

Jen Pennell

April

• 8, 9, 10th: CMAS Testing
• 15: CMAS testing (8th grade ONLY)
• 16: 5:00-6:30 PM SEL Resource Fair for incoming 6th-grade students and families
• 25: Professional Development Day for staff (NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS)

May:

• 7: PTA Meeting 6-7 PM @ DMS

• 9: 8th Grade Dance

• 12: Elementary/DMS Orchestra Concert, GMHS auditorium, 6:00 PM

• 13: 5th Grade Band Concert, DMS gym, 6:00 PM

• 14: Dunstan Band and Jazz Band Concert, DMS gym, 6:00 PM

• 15: Dunstan Choir Concert, DMS cafeteria, 6:00 PM

• 16: GMHS Graduation

• 22: 8th grade last day of school

• 23: Last day of school for 6th and 7th, Early Release

Please note that Tuesday, April 15 will be a school day for ONLY 8th GRADERS. There will be no classes for 6th and 7th grade students. During this time, our 8th graders will be taking their Science CMAS tests. Only 8th graders need to attend that day. If you have any questions, please contact Megan Haggstrom - 303-982-9817.

Think you might be interested in playing flag football at Green Mountain High School next year? Not sure, but curious to learn more about the sport?

If so, come to our informational meeting on April 6 at 5pm at Green Mountain High School. We’ll be meeting in the Commons. This meeting is for potential players, returning players, and their parents/guardians.

We’ll talk about the team, the new summer skills camp for rising 7th-9th graders, summer practices, and the upcoming season.

We had an incredible season last year, and we’re planning on another one!

In an effort to provide more resources for parents of incoming 6th grade students, we would like to create an "Advice Guide" from current/former middle school parents to those who are about to have a student enter their first year of middle school. This is OPTIONAL but we would love your advice/feedback! If you are so inclined, please fill out the Google form HERE. All submissions will remain anonymous.

CLICK the Picture for the Honors newsletter.

We are thrilled to announce that Jeffco’s Student Services Division is partnering with parents and groups around the district to offer our very own Jeffco Parents Encouraging Parents Conference or JPEP on Friday, April 25th at Chatfield High School. JPEP is a free, full-day event designed by parents for parents, guardians and caregivers of children receiving Special Education (IEP), 504, Gifted & Talented (ALP), or Twice-Exceptional (2e – gifted with a disability) services. Jeffco educators are welcome to attend.

This event provides an opportunity to learn, connect and gain valuable insights through:

• Engaging workshops on student supports and strategies.
• A dynamic keynote speaker who inspires and empowers families.
• Small group discussions for participants with children or students who have similar needs to connect, share experiences and receive support.
• A resource fair with community organizations and services.
• A light breakfast (pastries, coffee and tea) and buffet-style lunch is included for attendees.

Space is limited! You must register to attend. We would also love for you to personally invite parents and guardians to attend, we have created this flyer for you to personally share with them. The goal of this event is to bring our families together and offer trainings with tangible outcomes and an opportunity to build their own community of support. Please see our website linked above for additional information and to register for the event.

Learn about what's going on at the high school.

If you have any questions, comments, concerns, things you would like to add to the newsletter or if you notice any errors, please reach out directly to Leslie Pruitt at leslie.pruitt@jeffco.k12.co.us or Michael Kitch at michael.kitch@jeffco.k12.co.us. Thank you!

We are looking for volunteers to fill important roles on the Dunstan PTA next school year:

• President
• Vice President
  
  

Learn how these PTA roles support our community at https://sites.google.com/view/dunstanpta/about-us

You can support the Dunstan PTA even through the summer by linking your King Soopers card to the PTA. It's an easy way to support our school - at no cost to you!

Simply log in to Community Rewards and search for us: https://bit.ly/2R6y1mk.