Dunstan Newsletter

February 28, 2025

Dear Dunstan Parents and Guardians,

I hope you’re doing well and enjoying our spring-like weather! Please see the beautiful video of our Orchestra teacher, Sam Connor. Jeffco’s Communications Office made this video after Sam was announced as the Colorado Youth Music Educator of the Year for CMEA. We showed this at our staff meeting this week to celebrate Sam and the many other positive activities that are occurring across the school.

Parents please note that we have registration occurring. 8th graders should have brought home registration information for Green Mountain High School. 7th and 6th graders will receive registration materials next week. These need to be completed in the next week and then handed into their Advise teachers so they are registered for next school year. Please call the office if you have any questions.

Next week we have our third On-Track celebrations for this school year. Our students are going to Round One with their grade level peers. If your student is off-track, please send them to school to allow them to get work done in their classes. For our students who are off-track, they have the opportunity to be with teachers for the entirety of the school day. Please encourage your student to attend school and make up work on our off-track days. For your reference, 8th grade is next Tuesday, 7th grade is next Thursday, and 6th grade is next Friday.

As always, please let us know if you have any questions and/or concerns.

In partnership,

Jennifer Pennell

February:

• 28: On/Off Track Field Trip permission slips DUE

March:

• 4: 8th Grade On/Off Track Field Trip

• 6: 7th Grade On/Off Track Field Trip

• 7: 6th Grade On/Off Track Field Trip

• 5: PTA Meeting 6-7 PM @ DMS

• 5: 8th graders and select 6th and 7th grade students attend Mamma Mia matinee at GMHS

• 6: Choir Performance @ DMS cafeteria, 6:00 PM

• 11: 7th-12th Grade Orchestra Concert, GMHS auditorium, 6:30 PM

• 17-21: NO SCHOOL FOR SPRING BREAK

• 24: Professional Development Day for staff (NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS)

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

All of our students did amazing. Here are the results for 1st - 3rd place. All teams made top 10.

Colorado non-profit, HawkQuest, will be visiting Dunstan Middle School 7th graders on the morning of March 12. This one-hour program includes an eagle, an owl, a falcon, and features a free-flying hawk. Students learn about the importance of different raptor species, their specially adapted tools, and their role in our ecosystems. It aligns with what students will be learning in science class about adaptation and evolution. In this participatory program, students are able to observe the unique tools of the owl, the incredible talons and six-foot wingspan of the eagle, the aerodynamic features of the falcon, and the precision flying of the hawk. Students will not have direct contact with the animals. However, if your student has a fear of birds and flying animals, or if you have any questions or concerns, please contact Assistant Principal, Megan Haggstrom, 303-982-9817.

Hello families of current 6th and 7th graders! Counselors are excited to announce that we are beginning course registration for next school year!

On Monday, March 3rd students will receive course registration cards in advise class. This is the form that students use to request their elective classes for next school year. Current 6th graders will receive a pink card to request electives for 7th grade, and current 7th graders will receive a yellow card to request electives for 8th grade. Course registration cards are due back to students’ advise teachers by Monday, March 10th.

Elective requests should be numbered 1-6 in order of preference in any combination from the semester and full-year options. Please note that students get two elective classes per semester. If a full-year class is selected, it fills one elective slot per semester. Course descriptions are on the back of the course card and include prerequisite and/or application information if that applies to a class. The information can also be found here on Dunstan’s website.

In addition to electives, schedules will have an advisement class and four core content classes: Math, Science, Social Studies/History, and English Language Arts (ELA). Information regarding Honors classes and Accelerated Math placement can be found by scanning the QR Code on the course card, as well as here. Students must apply for Honors each year to be considered for honors classes.

Counselors do our very best to place students into elective classes they request, however, there are times when class sizes, scheduling conflicts, or other circumstances do not allow this. Please contact your child’s school counselor with registration questions:

Jen Baker, current 6th graders jennifer.baker2@jeffco.k12.co.us 303-982-9219

Leslie Walker, current 7th graders leslie.walker@jeffco.k12.co.us 303-982-0502

Dear Families:

Panorama Education is a company who conducts student and family surveys in schools and districts across the country. Dunstan Middle School will be giving students the Panorama Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Student Survey 2-3 times per year.

Content. The Panorama student survey gathers information on the following areas/competencies of social emotional skills:

• Self-Awareness

• Self-Management

• Social Awareness

• Relationship Skills

• Responsible Decision-Making

You may review the survey questions by visiting this link. For more information on the SEL competencies visit this link.

The results are compiled into both individual and group summaries of social emotional skill progress. These reports are used by district leaders and school staff to guide our development of school-wide, small group, and/or individual social emotional support. You will be notified if your child is invited to join a small group or individual intervention.

It is Voluntary. Your child does not have to take the student survey.

It is Confidential. No students will be identified in any public reports or publications. Individual student information (name, student number, school and grade) will be uploaded into the Panorama system, as with other Panorama surveys. Individual student data may be shared with school staff to provide instructional and social emotional support.

Timing: The survey will be administered in the fall, winter, and optionally in the spring. It will take about 10 minutes.

Opt Out: If you do not want your child to participate in the survey, you may contact Leslie Pruitt, Social Emotional Learning Specialist, at leslie.pruitt@jeffco.k12.co.us by February 28, 2025.

Estimadas familias:

Panorama Education es una empresa que realiza encuestas a estudiantes y familias en escuelas y distritos de todo el país. Dunstan Middle School hará la encuesta estudiantil de Panorama sobre el Aprendizaje Socioemocional (SEL por sus siglas en inglés) 2 o 3 veces al año.

Contenido. La encuesta estudiantil de Panorama reúne información sobre las siguientes áreas o competencias de las habilidades socioemocionales:

• Autoconciencia

• Autogestión

• Concienciación social

• Habilidades relacionales

• Toma de decisiones responsables:

Pueden dar un vistazo a las preguntas de la encuesta en este hipervínculo. Para obtener más información sobre las competencias de SEL visiten este hipervínculo.

Los resultados se recopilan en resúmenes individuales y grupales del progreso de las habilidades socioemocionales. Los líderes del Distrito y el personal escolar utilizan estos informes para guiar nuestro desarrollo de apoyo socioemocional en toda la escuela, grupos pequeños o individuales. Se les avisará si se va a invitar a sus hijos a integrarse a un grupo pequeño o a una intervención individual.

Es voluntaria. Sus hijos no tienen la obligación de participar en la encuesta estudiantil.

Es confidencial. No se identificará a ningún estudiante en ninguno de los informes públicos ni en las publicaciones. La información individual del estudiante (nombre, número de estudiante, escuela y grado) se cargará en el sistema de Panorama, al igual que con otras encuestas de Panorama. Es posible que se comparta la información referente a estudiantes individuales con el personal escolar a fin de proporcionar asistencia con la instrucción y el aspecto socioemocional.

Tiempo: La encuesta se administrará en otoño, invierno y opcionalmente en primavera. Llevará unos 10 minutos.

Optar por no participar: si no desean que sus hijos participen en la encuesta, pueden ponerse en contacto con Leslie Pruitt y leslie.pruitt@jeffco.k12.co.us antes del 2/28/25.

CLICK the Picture for the Honors newsletter.

A Day Without Hate is a student-led, grassroots organization that promotes nonviolence, respect, and unity within our schools. Help your child join his/her fellow students district wide to help end school violence and promote peace. By encouraging students to be tolerant, friendly and kind, and teaching them that there are non-violent solutions to problems, hopefully as a community we can create a better world. The price of the T-shirt is $6 for S-XL, $8 for 2XLs and $10 for 3XL-5XL.

Please place your order online at www.daywithouthatejeffco.com. Please follow these instructions: 1. Click on “2025 DWOH T-shirts” on the left side of home page under “Our Categories”

2. Select either “Adult T-shirt 2025 or Youth T-shirt 2025 and enter the number of T-shirts you want to order by size and click on “Add to Cart”

3. If you want to order more t-shirts (adult versus youth or youth versus Adult) click on “Continue Shopping”.

4. Click on “Check Out” if your cart is complete

5. Click on “Purchase as a Guest”

6. Shipping Options will appear. Click on “Please choose an option”

7. Click on “No Freight Charge – Jeffco School Pickup” if you or your son/daughter attends a Jefferson County School in Colorado. Your son or daughter’s t-shirt will be delivered to his/her school free of charge.

8. Under Billing Method, please select “Credit Card” and proceed to fill in your credit card information and billing information.

9. Below billing information, type in the name of your son/daughter’s Jeffco school, his/her teacher’s name and your student’s name, and your email address. These fields are mandatory and will ensure your order is delivered to the correct school and class room. Once complete, click on “Continue” to review your order. Click “Submit” if your order is correct.

10. “Your order has been submitted” along with an order number will at the top of the next page. You will receive an email confirmation from 4impact and the email from Authorize.net with your credit card charge. Your order will be delivered to your student’s school/classroom. He/she can proudly wear it on Thursday, April 24th.

11. Select “UPS Regular Ground” if you want to pay for UPS shipping and have your order shipped to your home. Complete your ship-to information and then follow Steps 8-10.

ORDER DEADLINE: MARCH 14TH 2025 If you encounter any issues placing your order, please contact support@4impactinc.com

Please see the following signup to show our staff some love during the month of February! Link to sign up HERE. Thank you!!

"The Social Justice Group is hosting a movie night on February 28th to raise funds for the school garden, which will be starting this spring. Snacks will be available for a small donation, so come enjoy a great film while supporting a greener future for our school!"

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.