Dear Excel Academy Community,
As we wrap up our first semester, I want to take a moment to thank our families for your support and partnership. Whether through volunteering, contributing to fundraising events, helping your children with their homework, or ensuring your children arrive at school on time ready to learn, you are contributing to making Excel Academy a wonderful community. I am also grateful for our incredible professional educators and administrative staff. We are so fortunate to have the caliber of teachers, paraprofessionals, and administrative staff who bring their best every day in service to our students. We truly are a community of students, educators, and families committed to enriching instructional experiences that are flexible and appropriate for every child. A few updates for our last week of our first semester:
LAST CALL FOR FAMILY PULSE SURVEY: We are committed to creating a thriving and supportive community at Excel Academy, and your feedback is essential. To better understand how everyone is feeling and ensure our goals align with the needs of our families, School Leadership and the Board of Directors would like to ask you to take a few moments to complete a brief pulse survey. Please submit your comments on the parent survey by Noon on Monday, December 16th. Complete the survey here.
FIRST SEMESTER REPORT CARDS: Teachers will post final grades before departing for Winter Break. Semester 1 report cards will go home with students along with middle of year MAP reports (1st - 8th) and DIBELS reports (Kg - 3rd) the week we return back from break.
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR - MIDDLE SCHOOL HIRING UPDATE: We had robust interest in the position. We held first interviews and invited semi-finalist candidates for second interviews, all of which were held the week of December 2nd. Our school-day finalist visits will wrap up early this week, at which time we will identify the top candidate and move forward with extending an offer. We look forward to welcoming our new Assistant Director - Middle School in January!
UPDATED ELECTIVES SCHEDULE: We are excited to share that starting in the spring semester, our middle school students now have more elective options to choose from! By providing options for both quarter and semester courses, students may choose up to four electives per semester. In our current schedule, our 6th - 8th graders have one morning elective and one afternoon elective Monday through Thursday for the entire semester. Some electives will shift to meeting Mondays and Wednesdays, others will meet Tuesdays and Thursdays, and some will continue to meet Monday through Thursday (Spanish, Art, and Music). In addition to providing more choices for our students, it also ensures that those who need specialized support can continue to receive it while also having more elective offerings available.
We wish everyone a restful and safe Winter Break!
In Partnership,
Kresta Vuolo
Executive Director
Take Action: 2025-26 Enrollment at Jeffco Due January 17th
All families will need to log into Enroll Jeffco between now and January 17th to enroll for the 2025-26 school year to complete the following:
- Current Excel Students “Intent to Return:" indicates if the student(s) will be returning to Excel Academy
- Enrolling NEW Students to Excel Academy: incoming Kindergartner or older sibling of a current Excel student
- Apply for High School: graduating 8th graders can apply for choice enrollment into a different high school, or select their neighborhood school.
Choice Enrollment, Round 1 Lottery Results will be emailed/texted to families January 28.
JANUARY Meals: Sign-up
Order Now: Because of Winter Break, our order needs to be placed while the kiddos are not in school. I will NEED to place our order on December 30th in order to have breakfast delivered for Monday, January 6th. I HIGHLY advise you to fill out the complete order form all at once ASAP so you do NOT have to worry about it while on break.
Thank you, Mrs. Morrison
Explorations EXPO - Come Join Us!
Our students have been working hard on their Explorations projects and are ready to show-off what they've learned! We would love to have you join us during the EXPO! Please be sure to bring your driver's license or other government-issued ID for check-in. An email with a pre-check Google form also went out this week, and we encourage you to pre-check here if you have been screened through our Raptor System this school year. Visitors are asked to wait to enter the building until 8:10am as we need our staff to get our students to their classrooms at the start of the school day.
3rd-8th Grade EXPO: December 19, 8:30am - 10:00am
We hope to see you there!
Lost and Found Items Need to be Claimed!
This Colorado weather has brought a surge of coats to our lost and found. Please have your kids check for items before winter break and don’t forget to take a peek yourself when attending holiday parties and concerts! Lost and found is located in the playground hallway located by the cafeteria.
All items will be cleaned out on December 19th to start fresh in the new year!
Last Call for Winter-Grams!
Our NJHS will once again have Winter-Grams for sale for $2.00 each. This year you may purchase a Winter-Gram that will include a winter bracelet in a mesh bag and sent to your student with your message attached. Orders are due December 16 and Winter-Grams will be delivered December 19. Order your Winter-Gram using this form today!
Winter Spirit Week - December 16 - 19
Join in the fun during Spirit Week! Here's what we have planned:
Monday, Dec. 16 - Sports & Excel Spirit Wear Day
* Wear your favorite sports jerseys or Excel shirts to kick off Spirit Week!
Tuesday, Dec. 17 - Winter Hat Day
* Wear your warmest winter hat for $2 at the door!
Wednesday, Dec. 18 - Ugly Sweater Day
* Wear your ugly winter sweater and compete for the best ugly winter sweater in the school!
Thursday, Dec. 19 - Winter PJ Day
* Roll out of bed and wear your coziest winter-themed PJ’s that still comply with the Excel Academy dress code!
Donations Needed for Homeless Service Project
Our winter celebrations are upon us, and some middle school students have chosen to take this time to put kits together for those experiencing homelessness. Please consider making a donation to help our middle schoolers with this project. Items can be purchased at a minimal cost from the Dollar Store, and other stores in the area. You also earn 1 volunteer hour for every $10 spent! Please drop donated items off at the front office by December 17. Items needed for the Homeless Service Project can be found here. Thank you for your support!
Friday Afternoon Movies for K-5, Sign-Up Now!
Our Entrepreneur Club will be hosting a few movies (all rated G) with a snack on select Friday afternoons for Kindergarten - 5th grade students. Students are encouraged to bring a pillow or blanket so they can get cozy and watch a movie with their friends after school. Snacks will include fruit, popcorn, and a drink. Movies will be shown in the gym on the big screen and the cost is $15 per student and $10 for each additional sibling. Student pick-up will be at 4:05. Please complete this Google Form to sign-up. You will receive a confirmation with your responses. Once signed-up, the $15 fee will be added to Infinite Campus for easy payment. Please complete one form per student.
What's Playing and When?
January 24 - Tale of Despereaux
February 7 - Rio
February 21 - Mulan
*Entrepreneur Club students are raising money to attend their extended overnight field studies. They are also learning how to run a business and are coached along the way.*
PTO Links
Track it Forward Volunteer Opportunities & Hours Tracking Site
RaiseRight online gift card fundraising site and How It Works
Excel Academy Outreach Committee: Please reach out if your family would benefit from our care or if you can support a family in need. Email Tara Schirner, coordinator or the Excel Outreach Committee at exceloutreachcommittee@gmail.com.
Music Classes AND Workshops at Excel Academy
Join Mrs. Boyd and Rising Star Performing Arts Academy's Music Classes and Workshops.
Musical Theatre, Acting Lessons, Drumming and so much more.
Click HERE to sign up.
All Classes and Workshops will take place at Excel Academy
Educational Events in Our Community:
- Rising Star Performing Arts Academy
- Jazz @ The Arts Complex: A Christmas Carol, Dec 14
- CSU Spur 2nd Saturdays FREE
- CU Wizards
Excel Academy K-8 Charter School
Email: Julie.Smith@jeffco.k12.co.us
Website: https://excel-academy.jeffcopublicschools.org/
Location: 11500 West 84th Avenue, Arvada, CO, USA
Phone: 303-467-2295
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ExcelAcademyK8