Denmark Digest

Thank you for the tremendous support you have shown our school as we embarked on this new school year. We are thrilled to see more students than ever participating in clubs, athletics, fine arts, and other extracurricular activities. We know that being connected to school is a key factor in academic success.

Another crucial factor in academic success is attendance. We ask that you encourage your students to attend school regularly, arrive on time, and stay engaged in their learning. Consistent attendance makes a significant difference. Missing just two days of school per month can add up to around thirty hours of lost instruction per class over the course of the year. That’s why we aim to have our students in the classroom as much as possible.

In this newsletter, we have highlighted some of the exciting events that took place on our campus in August. We've also included a preview of major events for September. We hope to see our students participating in all the activities we have planned for them.

Thank you, as always, for entrusting us with your students. It's a Great Day to Be a Dane!

Looking forward to seeing you soon!

Go Danes!

Kim Oliver

Mrs. Donza was recently selected as the TOTY for Denmark High School. Mrs. Donza is a math teacher in our building and works hard to build relationships with her students.

Thank you to Mrs. Teri Schneider for organizing our TOTY program.

Mrs. Covington's grant concentrated on wellness for staff and students and included items for students to enjoy during wellness sessions as well as the creation of a wellness room for teachers.

Each year, our art department creates an interactive coloring book that they give to students with special needs and to first responders to use on their calls involving children. The coloring book is created by Denmark students and QR codes demonstrate how the artwork was created and also how to add color to the pages. The cost to publish the book will be supported by the foundations generous grant so that the proceeds from the book can go to charities.

PSAT Registration: August 28th - September 13th

Senior Night for Football, Band, and Cheer: September 6th

September Fall Break: September 23rd - 27th

Prom : April 12th

Graduation: May 18th @ 8:30 AM

Please see the Midterm Schedule below. We wanted to share this schedule as early as possible in the event that you are planning to travel over the semester break. Please note: students are not permitted to take midterms early.

24-25 Student Calendar

25-26 Student Calendar

The Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test is a great tool for students considering college. The PSAT/NMSQT measures critical reading skills, math problem-solving skills and writing skills. Denmark High School recommends that students take the PSAT/NMSQT in order to receive feedback about strengths and weaknesses, enter the competition for National Merit Scholar scholarships (11th graders) and to help prepare for the SAT. PSAT TEST DAY is October 18th. The PSAT is digital this year. The day will be a virtual day for all students not testing.

The cost for 9th and 11th grade students is $25.

There is NO charge for 10th graders and they do NOT need to register for the exam. The state of Georgia pays for all 10th grade students to take the exam .

To complete registration, students must answer all of the required questions. Registration is not complete until students have printed the pdf of the confirmation page that is provided at the end.

Denmark High School is excited to offer families the convenience of paying exam fees online at the time of registration. Please be sure to have a debit or credit card available before beginning registration.

Please contact Mr. Bentley Sparks @ ssparks@forsyth.k12.ga.us with any questions about PSAT.

We need your assistance with the selection of our Teachers of the Month. Please take a few moments to nominate one of our outstanding teachers and tell us why that teacher should be selected.

As a chapter, they far exceeded the expectations, which generally require only four events per year. Instead, the Denmark chapter holds monthly meetings from September to April, actively engaging members throughout the school year. We participate in various events outside our regular meetings, including fundraiser spirit nights, Best Buddies basketball night, and Night to Shine. We also took part in Best Buddies training sessions, ensuring representation at every training event, including the Leadership Conference in Indiana. The chapter recorded all events in the Best Buddies database, a crucial step that supports grant applications and records the chapter's activity level.

The chapter’s dedication to community service was highlighted by two projects last year: donating blankets to individuals experiencing housing insecurity and providing sensory toy kits to emergency response personnel for people with sensory disabilities. These projects supported the community and exemplified the chapter’s inclusive spirit. We also supported Best Buddies International by raising over $1,000 for the Best Buddies walk and contributing artwork to be auctioned at the Best Buddies Gala.

The Denmark chapter made it a priority to foster one-on-one friendships between members with and without disabilities, which is at the core of Best Buddies' mission. We hosted an ambassador training, during which five members completed multiple training sessions and were recognized as state ambassadors for Best Buddies.

The recognition as the Most Outstanding Chapter in Georgia allowed us the opportunity to apply for the Global Overall Outstanding Chapter of the Year. Although we did not win the global title, our dedication to the Best Buddies mission left us with nothing to be embarrassed about at the leadership conference.

The quote from Best Buddies Georgia stated, “ Denmark BB Chapter efforts have created a fun, inclusive, and supportive environment within their school community, earning them this well-deserved recognition.”

Here is the video they made as part of our application.

Forsyth County Schools and Denmark High School is in need of substitutes. If you are interested in finding out more information, please click HERE.

We were excited to provide all of our juniors with doughnuts after they won the annual tug-of-war at our first pep rally!

We have a wonderful partnership with our PTSO who supports staff and students throughout the year. Please consider joining this amazing organization. Click HERE for membership information and to join PTSO.

Check Outs:

Check ins and check outs to school occur through our attendance office. Students are not permitted to simply leave campus; all students must go through the attendance office when leaving campus outside of their regular dismissal times. Please note, students are not permitted to check out after 3:15 PM.

Drop Off Before School / Pick Up After School:

Parents must drop off students in front of the main entrance both before and after school. This year, we ask that you arrive no earlier than 3:00 PM to pick up your student after school in the car rider line. During dismissal, if your child is not physically present when you arrive in the pickup line, you will be directed to circle back around the parking lot to keep traffic moving and minimize congestion.

Drop Off of Items / Deliveries:

Parents are NOT allowed to drop off any items for students, with the exception of prescription medication that is housed in our clinic or eye glasses that students need.

Payment for Lunch Accounts:

We ask that all parents set up an account with MYSCHOOLBUCKS.COM.

if you have not already done so. We prefer online payment in lieu of cash whenever possible.

Transportation for students enrolled in FVA / GAVS Part Time, Dual Enrollment, and/or IE2:

Students who are enrolled in FVA / GAVS part-time, Dual Enrollment, and/or IE2, and come to Denmark HS for some of their classes, MUST enter the building through the front doors only. To ensure the safety and well-being of all Denmark HS students, we ask that all students in this situation arrive no earlier than 5 minutes prior to the start of their first in-person class on Denmark’s campus.

2024-25 FREE & REDUCED MEAL APPLICATION

Apply Now (English)

Apply Now (Spanish)

Apply Now (Chinese)

Apply Now (Vietnamese)

Apply Now (Arabic)

MySchoolBucks will replace MyPaymentsPlus as the meal payment app.

Who is my counselor?

The DHS Counseling Team is divided by last names. See below for a quick reference and click here if you want to learn more about us!

• Spurlock CRUZ-HAN
• Carlson A-CRUTE
• Brooks HAR-MALA
• Shariett MALD-RAH
• Lyons RAJ-SHAI + ESOL
• Locke SHAK-Z

How do I meet with my counselor?

1. We are here for you! The best way to contact a counselor is to send them an email or Canvas message. Our emails are located on the counseling website. Students can also stop by the counseling office. We will meet with them if we are available or will schedule an alternate time to meet.
2. Want to know what we do? CLICK HERE for an introduction video. This was presented to students on August 15th.

Grade Level Information

9th Grade Students

1. YouScience: All 9th grade students will be taking the YouScience Aptitude Assessment during the months of September-October during Dane Time. The assessment will be broken up into 3 proctored testing time slots. Once finished, students will have access to a bank of personal aptitudes, career options, and more!
2. Signs of Suicide Classroom Guidance: We be conducting Signs of Suicide Classroom Guidance in biology classes on September 17th and 18th. Through the lesson, students will learn to ACT- Acknowledge, Care, and Tell- a trusted adult if someone that they know and/or if they are struggling with depression or suicidal ideation. A passive consent form will go home through their health classroom that reviews the program in more detail.

10th Grade Students

• YouScience: All 10th grade students will be taking the YouScience Aptitude Assessment during the months of September-October during Dane Time if they have not completed it. Once finished, students will have access to a bank of personal aptitudes, career options, and more! In addition, students will be completing grade level activities that include dual enrollment exploration and career exploration.

11th Grade Students

• Postsecondary Planning Sessions will be held during Dane Time 2 on the following days:
• September 3rd- SAT/ACT
• September 17th- Finding Your Dream College

12th Grade Students

• College Application 101

• Click HERE (scroll down) for a copy of the Senior Seminar presentation. This was presented to seniors during 3rd period on August 12th and will be shown to parents in the College Application 101 session tonight.
• Our contact at the Georgia Student Finance Commission is Anna Roberts. She can be contacted and provide a free 30 minute consultation with any family at our school. Here is her email: aroberts@gsfc.org
• One of our partners, Applerouth, is providing a virtual College Essay Support session on September 3rd from 7-8pm. You can register HERE for free.
• In addition, please don’t hesitate to reach out to your student’s school counselor if you have additional questions/concerns about your child’s postsecondary planning.
• College Application Processing
• College application processing will begin September 9th to make sure all transcripts are accurate and show accurate “in progress courses”. Counselors will process applications based on college deadline and in the order in which received. We recommend that students check their transcripts to make sure that summer and in-progress courses are correct prior to sending transcripts to colleges. Reminder- 1 initial transcript request needs to be completed per Common App account.
• Dane Time Presentations
• All seniors will receive a Common App Presentation during Dane Time 2 on September 3rd. The presentation will be posted to our website.

Opportunity for Students

Ga State School Superintendent’s Student Advisory Council

Are you in 10th-12th grade an interested in serving on this advisory board? Selected students will meet throughout the school year to discuss how state-level decisions affect student’s throughout Georgia. CLICK HERE for the application. Applications are due by September 6th.

• Check out our Mental Health tab on the website: https://www.forsyth.k12.ga.us/site/Default.aspx?PageID=51187
• Crisis Resources from NAMI
• If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis, call or text 988 immediately.

• If you are uncomfortable talking on the phone, you can chat the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988lifeline.org.
• You can also text NAMI to 741-741 to be connected to a free, trained crisis counselor on the Crisis Text Line.
• Know the Warning Signs and Risk Factors of Suicide
• Being Prepared for a Crisis
• Read our guide, "Navigating a Mental Health Crisis"

What You Need to Know About Youth Suicide

College Visits

*Sign up on Student Support Time.

Tuesday, September 3rd– DT1- UGA

Thursday, September 5th- DT1- Georgia Institute of Technology

Thursday, September 5th- DT2- University of Florida

Friday, September 6th- Lunch Visit- Marines

Tuesday, September 10th- DT2 - NYU

Wednesday, September 11th- Lunch Visit- Boston University

Thursday, September 12th- DT1- University of Connecticut

Thursday, September 12th- DT2- Kennesaw State University

Thursday, September 19th- DT1- University of Alabama

Parking is available for 2024 - 2025! We are currently accepting payment through Schoolpay.com.

Parking is now open to 10th grade students with a valid driver's license!

• If you need to create a School Pay account, please click https://schoolpay.com/login/registration
• You will need the student ID number and last name to set up an account
• The parking fee for the 2024-2025 school year is $135.

*Parking Passes can be picked up in the front office.

Students MUST come in person (no parent or friend) and bring their driver’s license (NO LEARNERS PERMITS WILL BE ACCEPTED) and proof of payment (printed receipt or phone receipt) in order to pick up their pass.

Link to application: https://forms.gle/Yrgj7cRhSHoihuLs8

Please Note:

Parking is a privilege and students are not guaranteed a spot. Extracurricular activities, grade level, and designations such as IE2, Work Based Learning, Mentorship, Out of District and Dual Enrollment DO NOT guarantee preferential parking

It is time to register and pay for AP exams that will be taken in May. Click HERE for all information and to register.

Our National Art Honor Society has been busy since school began. We appreciate their help with our recent staff appreciation event. Our faculty enjoyed the photo booth and the face painting that was provided by NAHS members.

Click HERE to find out more information about National Art Honor Society and the Interactive Coloring Book.

Students can now attend EVERY HOME Game, except for playoffs, for one price! Purchase TODAY!

CLICK HERE to purchase!! 😃

EF Tours has been offering trips for students for many years. If your student is interested in Costa Rica/Panama or Japan/South Korea, please see the information below.

Leadership For Teens: Free Trial Class!

As we prepare for our Spring 2025 semester, we invite you to experience the benefits of our Leadership for Teens class firsthand. Don’t miss this opportunity—join us for a free trial class!

Sign up now at: www.frolific.com/free-trial-class

Please click HERE for the 2024 - 2025 bell schedule.

Website: https://www.forsyth.k12.ga.us/dhs
Location: 645 Mullinax Road, Alpharetta, GA
Phone: 470.533.2521
Twitter: @DenmarkHS