Jaguar Journal 10/18/24
#FAMILY
Dear Merrill #FAMILY,
We had another wonderful week with your students! I wanted to take a moment to share some updates as we kick off the new quarter. We are thrilled to let you know that our Merrill Girls Soccer team made it to the Championship game, which is being played this evening. Go Jaguars! We're so proud of our athletes and can't wait to cheer them on. Additionally, many students will have a new enrichment activity starting on Monday. Please be sure to check in with your child about this change.
Lastly, I wanted to remind you about the Tu Voz survey for Merrill. Our school's goal is to reach 50% participation, and we truly value hearing from our community. If you haven't had a chance to complete the survey yet, please do so this weekend.
I hope you and your family have a wonderful weekend!!
Sincerely,
Merrill Leadership
Upcoming Dates!
11/8 & 11/9/24- Fall Play "The Play That Went Wrong"
11/13/24- Merrill Dine Out at Beau Joes Pizza
11/13/24- Fall Concert 5:30pm
Upcoming CSC Meeting
(US) +1 812-727-7480 PIN: 911 220 716#
Merrill Athletics
Congrats to Merrill Girls Soccer for an amazing win against Slavens this week! 4-3 in overtime! Good luck today against Bill Roberts! Proud of our Jags!
Thanks to all of the athletes who tried out for Flag Football this week! What a great turnout and looking forward to solid seasons!
Cool Classroom!
8th Grade Language Arts:
Students in 8th grade Language Arts had an amazing experience talking with Ms. Selma as they inquired about her experience as a refugee from Bosnia and connected it to their learning in ELA.
From the PTSA!
Merrill Movers!
The Merrill Movers Giving Campaign has raised almost $16,000! Have you donated yet?
Our goal is to raise $77,777 by October 31st !
Give today!!! fundrazr.com/merrillmovers2024
Our goal this year is to raise $77,777. Why all the 7's?
Because we are supporting the Seven Habits of a Highly Successful Merrill!
What are the 7 Habits and what programs do your donations support?
1. Excellence in Academics Funds support Department Grants,
Apps/Software, Teacher Development, Learning Materials, ELA, GT, Special Ed, Learning Interventionists, and Continued Curriculum for and Literature Updates for Novels and Lit Circles
2. Varied, High-Quality, Electives, Enrichments and Clubs Funds support Extra Electives in dance and drama, Materials and Supplies, 3rd Party providers, Club stipends for teachers
3. Upgrading and Improving our Facility and Learning Environment Funds support Furniture Upgrades,
Outside Garden, Outdoor Tables, Trees for Shade, Tech in the Building and Classrooms
4. Providing External Learning Experiences Funds support school wide excursions and Field Trips aligned with Units of Study
5. Implementing Technology and STEM Funds support Updating/Maintaining Classroom Technology, Chrome Books, STEM Lab Upgrades, etc.
6. Promoting Athletics, Wellness and Mental Health Funds support providing more athletic opportunities, equipment and uniforms, advisement wellness education support, and additional Mental Health staff
7. Creating Community Funds support events like the Student Dances, Quarterly Celebrations, Teacher
Appreciation, 8th Grade Continuation
PTSA Membership Drive!!
Click HERE Now!
Please help support your kiddo and the amazing teachers and staff at Merrill by joining
the PTSA. The PTSA extends funding to each classroom, teacher and program offered
at Merrill and we cannot do it without the Merrill parent community, plus you get a closer
look into your child's school with PTSA involvement! Here are the initiatives where the
PTSA provides support:
Teacher/Department Grants
After School Clubs
Student Council
Merrill Store
Field Trips/Grade Level Celebrations
Grant Writing
Teacher Appreciation
Merrill Spirit Gear
International Festival
Attendance Reward Parties
Families Helping Families & Merrill Meals
Dads at Merrill (DAM)
Monthly Dine-Out Socials & Grocery Shopping Fundraisers
Fundraising for all of the above!
If the PTSA can help with anything to guide you through middle school, please
reach out to ptsamerrillmiddleschool@gmail.com
Upcoming PTSA Meetings
Come hear about the exciting things Merrill has planned this fall!!
October 22 @ 6pm – Merrill Library
November 19 @ 6pm – Merrill Library
December 10 @ 6pm – Junction Food Hall
Dads at Merrill (D@M)
Are you a Dad reading this?
Connect with other Jaguar Dads by emailing john.hesse@me.com
Click to gear up your Jaguar with 20% off code: SAVE20
Quick links to support Merrill:
Donate your Longmont Dairy Caps
Longmont Dairy supports Merrill by
giving 5¢ back for every milk cap!
Start collecting and tell your neighbors
that Merrill is a drop off location for
Longmont Dairy milk & juice caps!
Upcoming Dine Outs!
November 13 @ Beau Jo’s Pizza DU
December 10 @ Raising Cane's - Colorado Blvd 3:00 - 9:00
April 29 @ Campus Lounge - 4:00-10:00
Happening at Merrill!
5th Grade Shadows and Parent Tours Are Live!
Please see the below sign ups for 5th Grade Shadows and Prospective Parent Tours! We can't wait to welcome future Jaguars to Shadow current 6th Grade Ambassadors! Contact Jordan Locklear with any questions! jordan_locklear@dpsk12.net
Families Helping Families
Greetings #FAMILY! Merrill Meals pantry provides free groceries once a month to Merrill families that would like to receive extra food. We understand that everyone could use some support from time to time, and we are here to help.
If you would like to receive extra groceries one-time per month, please complete this private and anonymous survey, so we can provide the food items that your family likes to eat and match your preferences. Please mark the items that you would like to have potentially included in your pre-packed backpack.
***NOTE: Not all items are available, but we will match your request with whatever is in stock! Thank you.
Form can be found HERE
MERRILL STORE!
The Merrill Store is designed to promote positive behavior and encourages students to make good choices. They earn Merrill Money throughout their time at school and use it to "purchase" items at the store during their recess. Items include snacks, chips, candy, sports equipment, Merrill gear, fidgets, toys, stickers and most importantly- gift cards! Please see the Sign Up Genius below to sign up to donate items and to volunteer at the store. It's so fun seeing your student during the school day! We will have the store open 2 Fridays a month and hope to see you there!
Merrill Clubs!
Club Offerings 24-25
Destination Imagination!
Could your student use a creative outlet to learn problem-solving, self-confidence, project management, critical thinking, team work, and risk taking skills? And do all of this while having a great time? Your student should attend the first two meetings to see what it's all about!
When: Mon, Oct 21 and Mon, Oct 28 from 4:00-5:00
Where: Merrill Room 215
Who: Interested students
Please e-mail Erica Ecklund (ericadeckl@yahoo.com) or Nick Hemmert (nick@abilityto.com) if your student plans on attending!
Around the Community!
Regional Educational Engagement Sessions
To learn about the Denver Schools Thrive Initiative and how DPS is addressing declining enrollment in Denver, attend one of the six regional community meetings from late September to mid-October. Interpreters for our eight most spoken languages (Spanish, Vietnamese, Arabic, Amharic, Dari, French, Nepali and Somali) will be present at each meeting. Dinner and childcare will also be provided.
Below are the dates and locations of the six regional meetings. If you are planning to attend one of these meetings, please complete this form.
Virtual Engagement Meeting: Tuesday, Oct. 22, 6-7 p.m. virtual via Zoom.
Family Cultural Festival!
The Family Cultural Festival is a unique celebration that engages families and communities by promoting fun, learning, and meaningful connections. Taking place on Saturday, November 9th, from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm, this event celebrates multicultural diversity and provides resources to foster wellness and socioemotional growth.
The Families will have the opportunity to learn about restorative practices and take part in a welcoming environment focused on family well-being. Together, we aim to strengthen relationships within the Denver Public Schools (DPS) community and celebrate the cultural diversity that makes our district vibrant.
Have you Heard About My Spark?!? $1,000 to enroll in After School Activities!!!
This new pilot program will provide 4,000 eligible Denver Public Schools middle school students with $1,000 to enroll in afterschool programs. As students enroll in participating programs, My Spark Denver will also invest $4 million in afterschool activities.
My Spark Denver gives parents the agency to decide how they want to use the money, which is provided to them in the form of a restricted debit card that can be redeemed across 100+ afterschool providers, big and small. Every kid is different and what parents really need are the resources to help their children pursue their sparks, whether it's fencing, football or fashion design.