Dunstan Newsletter

April 11, 2025

Dear Parents and Guardians of Dunstan Students,

Thank you for your support this week as we completed CMAS testing! This week is a lot for everyone in terms of schedule changes, requiring more flexibility, and also giving our best to create a good testing environment for the students! Our students put in a good effort on these assessments! We appreciate your support of CMAS testing and the fact you teach your students that many, many careers that require some some sort of assessment - if not regular, ongoing assessments.

Today, Aaron Minard, our Pre-Engineering teacher hosted our Engineering Fair after school. Sixteen teams of students competed against each other. Each team explained their projects to judges who work in the field of engineering. The students look forward to this event and I appreciate the tremendous work that goes into this!

Today Eli Isaacson, 7th grade student, pitched a proposal for students to eat lunch outside. This student would like to have 7th graders try/test drive being able to eat lunch outside before the end of this school year. He proposed that a couple of groups at a time be able to eat outside and on a rotating schedule. This student included expectations for clean up in his proposal. We could use help with supervision. We welcome parents and guardians to join us during 7th grade lunch from 12:20-1:00 when we have good weather, which helps support this student’s idea. Please check in at the main office if you want to come help with supervision. Eventually, this student would like to give the same presentation to PTA in hopes of them voting to provide more funding for a few more picnic tables.

I am proud to say that our student survey data is up in many areas, which is worth celebrating! A brief overview is included below. We review results in greater detail during our Accountability Meetings. Please feel free to join us.

School Rigorous Expectations = up 2 percentiles

Academics = the same as last year

School - Teacher-Student Relationships = up 2 percentiles

School Climate = up 5 percentiles

School Belonging = up 3 percentiles

School Engagement = up 3 percentiles

I would also like to highlight the work of our 70 8th grade WEB (Where Everybody Belongs) crew! They have orchestrated monthly community building events with each of their 6th grade groups throughout this school year! Today they are making certificates to recognize every 6th grader when they meet with their groups next week! I truly appreciate their collective focus on kindness, inclusivity, and building a culture amongst the students of Dunstan! We have a large percent of our current 7th graders who expressed interest in becoming WEB leaders for the 2025-26 school year - so the momentum continues!

Please look at our calendars for some upcoming events in the next 2 months. From now until the end of the school year flies by!

If you have a high school student who is attending Green Mountain High School’s Prom this weekend, thank you for supporting the students and the high school! This is an important weekend for them! Please encourage all to be safe but also to have a great time! To all of the parents who are volunteering - thank you for supporting our high school!

Respectfully,

Jen Pennell, Principal of Dunstan Middle School

April

• 7: On-Track Letters
• 8, 9, 10th: CMAS Testing
• 14: 8th Grade Class Picture (During Advise)
• 15: CMAS testing (8th grade ONLY)
• 16: 5:00-6:30 PM SEL Resource Fair for incoming 6th-grade students and families
• 21: On-Track Letters
• 25: Professional Development Day for staff (NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS)

May:

• 5: On-Track Letters

• 7: PTA Meeting 6-7 PM @ DMS

• 9: 8th Grade Dance

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

• 12: On-Track Letters

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

• 14: On-Track Appeals

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

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

• 16: GMHS Graduation

• 21: On-Track Celebration

• 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.

On Wednesday, April 16th, Dunstan will be taking a group panoramic photo of the 2025 8th Grade class. This will be during ADVISE. See below for information about how to order one for you and your student.

The sixth-grade Outdoor Lab teachers need your help to win $1,000 for our school from the Outdoor Lab Foundation. If our middle school and elementary feeder schools can add 19 number of people to the Lab Card Program, our school will be entered to win one of five $1,000 prizes.

The Lab Card Program supports tuition assistance to ensure every sixth-grade student, regardless of financial capacity, can attend Outdoor Lab. To join the program, you simply need to link your King Sooper’s shopper’s card to the Outdoor Lab Foundation through the King Soopers Community Rewards Program. Visit the Foundation's website to find instructions. It takes about 3 minutes.

Once enrolled, any purchase moving forward with your Shopper’s Card will allocate a portion of King Soopers’s annual donation to the Outdoor Lab Foundation. The more people participating on behalf of the Outdoor Lab Foundation, the more money they can provide in tuition assistance to our students.

This is not only important for our families so that they can offset or eliminate a financial burden, but it is also important to your colleagues. This prize money can be used for various purposes such as booking engaging evening presenters for the students, paying for a sub day for lead teacher Outdoor Lab planning, buying supplies, etc.

Please take a few minutes to enroll yourself in the Lab Card Program and spread the word to your networks.

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.