Monthly Family Newsletter - May 1, 2025

Monthly Family Newsletter May 1, 2025 A Message from the Superintendent - Many Celebrations in May! Dear Englewood Families, Thank you for completing our annual Culture and Climate Survey. We had 241 parents and guardians respond; we appreciate your feedback on what we are doing well and where we need improvement.  90% of you said communication is open and respectful, and 88% of you indicated you are proud that your child attends Englewood Schools. When asked if you felt the teachers at your child’s school were excellent, 89% agreed/strongly agreed. What could we do better? 20% of you do not believe teachers assign high-quality homework that helps your child learn. Please see a summary of the results from the parent, student, and staff survey in the Learning Services section of this newsletter. Teacher/Staff Appreciation Week is May 5-9. Many of you submitted pictures of your students with their teachers! Linked here and below is a video created with those pictures. This is a video that truly touches the heart! May is a special time of the school year. It is filled with graduations, end-of-year celebrations, and the excitement of transitioning to a new grade level or school. Enjoy this time with your students–the days may pass slowly, but the K-12 years go by quickly. We are honored that you have chosen Englewood Schools. We look forward to closing out the 2024-25 school year with joy and a renewed commitment to creating big opportunities in a small, caring setting. In Partnership, Joanna   We Asked - You Responded! Kick Off Video for Teacher Appreciation 📚 Teacher Appreciation Week is May 5–9! 🎉 We’re excited to celebrate the amazing educators and staff who make a difference every day! Last month, we asked you to share photos of your child with a special teacher or staff member — and the response was incredible! Check out the video below, created with those pictures, to kick off Teacher Appreciation Week. Follow us on social media next week as we spotlight a special teacher from each of our schools. Be sure to like, comment, and share your appreciation using 🎉👏 emojis! Here are some additional ways to show your teachers some love: Students: Write a thank-you note to your teacher! Parents: Send a quick email or note to share your gratitude! Watch Teacher Appreciation Video District News and Department Updates Learning Services Celebrating our Strengths, Focusing on Growth: Culture and Climate Survey Highlights We’re excited to share the results from our recent Culture and Climate surveys—and the news is inspiring! Thanks to our students, staff, and families for your honest feedback. Here’s a quick look at the strengths we’re celebrating and the areas we’re committed to improving together. 💙 Care and Support Shine Bright A strong sense of care is evident across our schools: Principals who care: 96% of elementary and 90% of secondary students feel their principals care about them and their school. Staff (98%) and families (94%) agree! Supportive teachers: 99% of elementary students report that their teachers provide help when needed, and 89% of secondary students feel encouraged. Trusted adults: 96% of elementary and 84% of secondary students say they have a trusted adult at school. Respect and encouragement: Families report that staff treat students with respect (91.5%) and encourage respect for differences (94%). 🎭 Engagement & Opportunity Our schools are buzzing with activity! Ninety-two percent of secondary students say they have plenty of opportunities to join sports, clubs, arts, and other activities. 🤝 Staff Collaboration & Leadership Our staff report strong teamwork and leadership: 88% say an effective team leads their school. 91% believe students understand behavior expectations. A collaborative spirit and shared purpose make Englewood Schools a great place to work and learn. 🌱 Our Commitment to Growth While we celebrate, we’re also listening—and ready to grow. Belonging is a priority: 21% of secondary and 17% of elementary students don’t feel they belong. We’re taking steps to change that. Kindness counts: 38% of secondary and 22% of elementary students do not believe their peers treat each other kindly. We’re exploring ways to better model and reinforce respect. Rules vs. relationships: While 94% of elementary students say school rules are clear, a lack of peer kindness suggests that we must ensure those rules are translated into daily practice. ➡️ Moving Forward, Together These insights are helping us shape a stronger, more inclusive school culture. We’ll continue to partner with students, staff, and families to build a community where everyone feels they belong and are treated with care and respect. Thank you for being part of this journey!   Englewood Schools Interim 3 Celebration District Overview: Congratulations to all students and staff on the outstanding results of the Interim 3 assessments! English Language Arts: We're celebrating fantastic progress in English Language Arts across our district this year! Even with a deliberate increase in the challenge of our Middle School assessments starting in the winter, our students have continued to excel. Overall district proficiency in ELA has increased by a significant four percentage points from the beginning to the end of the year, showcasing the hard work and dedication of our educators. Math Excellence: Building on a trend of success, our students have achieved a record-high proficiency rate for the second consecutive interim Math assessment. The momentum continued through Interim 3, which saw the largest jump in proficiency this year – a fantastic 4-point increase! These exceptional results are a testament to the hard work, dedication, and commitment of our students and the incredible efforts of our dedicated teachers. We celebrate these achievements and look forward to continued growth and success throughout the academic year. Secondary Success 🎓 You're Invited to Celebrate the Class of 2025! 🎉 Join us as we honor the hard work, achievements, and bright futures of our incredible graduates from Englewood High School and Colorado’s Finest High School of Choice. Let’s come together to celebrate this unforgettable milestone! Englewood High School: Senior Awards Ceremony: 📅 Thursday, May 15, 2025 🕡 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM📍EHS Fieldhouse* Graduation Ceremony: 📅 Saturday, May 17, 2025 🕘 9:00 AM – 10:30 AM 📍Randy Penn Stadium* Colorado’s Finest High School of Choice: Rose Ceremony: 📅 Friday, May 16, 2025 🕡 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM 📍CFHSC Courtyard (weather permitting) Graduation Ceremony: 📅 Saturday, May 17, 2025 🕚 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM 📍CFHSC Auditorium *Spanish interpretation will be available. Summer Programming Explore, Engage, Elevate: Elementary Summer School 2025! We’re excited to offer a free Elementary Summer School Program, focused on strengthening academic skills and preventing summer learning loss. 📌 WHO: Rising K-5 students (by invitation) 📅 WHEN: June 2-13, 2025 | 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM (Breakfast & lunch provided) 📌 COST: FREE Students will enjoy engaging in literacy, math instruction, and hands-on enrichment activities to boost confidence and curiosity. For questions, contact Alicia Postelli at alicia_postelli@engschools.net. Visit the Englewood Schools Summer Programs Webpage for details on all student summer opportunities!   Middle and High School Summer Programs Englewood Schools offers a dynamic lineup of programs for middle and high school students this summer. There's something for every student! Middle School Career Pathways Exploration High School Credit Recovery/Credit Acceleration Classes Concurrent Enrollment Classes College Tours Common Application Workshops Registration is now open, and space is limited. For more information, please visit the Englewood Schools Summer School webpage. Technology 🚀 Registration for 2025-2026 is OPEN! 🚀 Online Registration (OLR) for the 2025-2026 school year is now open for ALL students! This important step ensures a smooth start to the new school year. Just log in to your Infinite Campus Parent Portal account. Need help with your username or password? Contact your school or email Kris Kochevar, District Registrar. Plus, join the IC Cup! It's a fun competition between schools that will run until May 5th. Complete your OLR today to help your student's school win! See the flyers below for more info. Good News Stories 🎉 Big Congratulations to EHS Athletic Director Thomas Rode! 🎉 Mr. Rode was honored as CADA's New Athletics Administrator at this year’s CADA Annual Conference in Breckenridge! 🏆 Out of 80 new ADs across Colorado, he was recognized for his outstanding service and contributions to high school athletics. EHS Principal Nate Smith shared, “He has done a great job and really deserves this recognition.” 👏 Mr. Rode accepted the award alongside his wife, Ginger Rode. We’re proud of his leadership and commitment to our student-athletes. Way to go, Mr. Rode! 💙💛   🎉 Congratulations to Jackie Weisfield - STEM Scholarship! We are incredibly proud to celebrate Jackie Weisfield, who was selected as one of just eight educators nationwide to receive a $1,000 STEM scholarship through the 2025 NLGA Lt. Governors' STEM Scholarship Program! 🧪🌍 On Thursday, April 17, Jackie had the exciting opportunity to speak directly with Lieutenant Governor Dianne Primavera about her winning sustainability project. This hands-on classroom initiative impressed the selection committee. Even more exciting? Next school year, Lt. Governor Primavera and her team will visit EMS to see Jackie’s project come to life and learn alongside our students! This national scholarship supports innovative STEM education in classrooms across the country, and we are thrilled that Jackie’s inspiring work is being recognized at such a high level. 💡👏 Way to go, Jackie — your creativity and commitment to student learning are making waves! 💙   🔬 Future Scientists Shine at CU Boulder! 🔬 Our phenomenal Honors Physics and Advanced Learning Plan students took their groundbreaking research to the University of Colorado Boulder, where they presented to Physics Professors and CU students. Their projects explored fascinating topics from sustainable energy to innovative water filtration. The day was packed with inspiration, including a tour of the prestigious JILA labs and a meeting with Nobel Prize winner Eric Cornell! A massive thank you to CU Boulder and our very own alumna, Ms. Wulf, for creating this incredible opportunity for our Englewood High School science superstars! This is just another example of our teachers igniting real-world learning.   🌱 Exciting Day at Bishop Elementary! 🌱 This week, we welcomed Maureen Bailey from Action for Healthy Kids, who oversees our $140,000 USDA Nutrition Grant! Ms. Withee toured Ms. Bailey through our schools, including a stop in Mr. Valente’s 5th-grade STEAM class, where students harvested bok choy from hydroponic towers and watched it transform into a scratch-made ramen bowl — all part of a student taste test. We're excited to announce that the student-grown bok choy ramen will be added to our school menu next year! 🎉 Big thanks to Mr. Whitaker, Mr. Benson, Mr. Valente, and April for bringing farm-to-school learning to life. Check out the photos from this inspiring day! 📸✨ Community City of Englewood - Englewood Farm & Train Opening Weekend The barn doors open and the train pulls out of the station on Saturday, May 24! 🤠 Englewood Farm & Train at Belleview Park is kicking off summer on Saturday, May 24, with food trucks, face painting, kids' activities, farm animals, and train rides around the park! For more information, go to the Englewood Farm & Train website.   District Events | Free and Low Cost Events District Events: May 6: ECE Field Day (9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.) May 7: Charles Hay Walk and Roll to School (7-7:45 a.m.) May 7: ECE Walk and Wheel to School Day (8:00 a.m.) May 8: Clayton Art Show (5:15 p.m.) May 9: EHS Senior Farewell Assembly (9:00 a.m.) May 9: Cherrelyn Bike to School Day (7:15-7:45 a.m.) May 13: EMS/ELA Middle School Community Picnic (5:00-7:00 p.m.) May 15: Colorado’s Finest Salon & Spa Academy ACC Graduation (1:00 p.m.) May 17: EHS Graduation (9:00 a.m.) May 17: Colorado’s Finest Graduation (11:00 a.m.) May 22: Bishop Summer Kickoff (3:30-5:30 p.m.) Free and Low Cost Events: May 2: First Friday Englewood May 3: Englewood PD Cops and Bobbers May 3 and 4: Denver Cinco de Mayo Festival May 8: Free Day (entrance only) - Colorado Railroad Museum  May 12: Denver Museum of Nature and Science May 17: Celebrate Englewood May 23: Free Day- Four Mile Historic Park Opportunity, Access and Inclusion (OAI) Inclusive Excellence Imagine our community as a garden, blooming with a rich blend of talented students, dedicated staff, and diverse families.  You honor us by sharing your children with us– each with unique backgrounds, experiences, and learning styles. Our staff brings diverse talents and perspectives. Our families hold a wealth of knowledge and aspirations. To truly empower every child to thrive, Englewood educators move beyond a uniform approach and embrace the beautiful mosaic of all our individual differences. These differences are tremendous assets that enrich our community. A student who navigates learning differently might offer a fresh perspective on problem-solving. A staff member with a unique cultural background can connect with students in profound ways. A family with a different lived experience can broaden our understanding and empathy. By recognizing and leveraging these individual strengths, we create an environment where everyone feels they belong and can contribute their unique brilliance.  As members of an interwoven and supportive community, our district’s commitment to you demands that we make decisions and measure our success based on how well we serve all our students. This is what drives our reflections on this school year and strategizing for an even better year in 2025-26. We look forward to welcoming you back on the first day of the next school year: mark your calendars for August 13th! Until then, we hope you will join us in celebrating as we honor Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, Jewish American Heritage Month, and LGBTQ+ Pride Month in June.  Let's continue to work together, with open hearts and minds, to build a community where every individual is celebrated, every voice is valued, and every child has the opportunity to shine! In partnership, Dr. Rana Razzaque  Director of Opportunity, Access, and Inclusion Board of Education Englewood Schools Board of Education Election – Make a Difference! Are you passionate about education? Do you want to make a lasting impact on students, teachers, and the community? If so, consider running for the Englewood Schools' Board of Education. The Biennial Election is Tuesday, November 4, 2025. Englewood Schools Will Have Three At-Large Director Seats Open: 🗳 Three (3) director seats – 4-year term Eligible candidates must be: ✔ A registered elector for at least 12 consecutive months prior to the election ✔ A resident of the Englewood Schools district ✔ Never convicted of a sexual offense against a child 📢 Stay connected by completing this form and plan on attending the Board of Education Interest Night at 5:00 p.m. on May 20, 2025, to learn more about the role. Resources: CASB's website. Arapahoe County Clerk and Recorder's Office webpage.   Board of Education Meetings On April 15, 2025, at 6:00 p.m., the Board of Education held a Special Meeting in person at ECE at Maddox, 3838 S. Huron St., and streamed online here.  Upcoming Board of Education Meetings: On May 6, 2025, at 6:00 p.m., the Board of Education will hold its Regular Meeting in person at ECE at Maddox - 3838 S. Huron St. and streamed online here. To participate in public comment at this meeting, please complete this form by noon on May 6, 2025. On June 3, 2025, at 6:00 p.m., the Board of Education will hold its Regular Meeting in person at ECE at Maddox - 3838 S. Huron St. and streamed online here. To participate in public comment at this meeting, please complete this form by noon on June 3, 2025. A Public Hearing, as required by C.R.S. 22-44-109, regarding the proposed budget, will be held on June 3, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. as part of the Regular Board Meeting. Please complete this form to have your objection read by the Board President. The full agendas for all board meetings will be posted on our website on the Friday preceding each meeting. Get Social With Us! facebook Instagram YouTube

Thursday, May 01 2025

Monthly Family Newsletter - April 3, 2025

Monthly Family Newsletter April 3, 2025 A Message from the Superintendent - With the Help of our Staff, our Students Can Do It! Dear Englewood Families, One of my priority goals for Englewood is for all our schools to achieve a Performance rating from the Colorado Department of Education. We’re almost there! This progress reflects our staff's dedication and our students' talents. While learning is measured in many ways, state testing provides valuable insight into our growth as a district committed to high expectations. In April, grades 3rd through 11th grade will take state tests. The elementary and middle school students will take the Colorado Measures of Academic Success (CMAS). Our high school students, freshmen and sophomores, will take the Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test (PSAT) and 11th graders will take the SAT. Scores help determine class placements and support a student in selecting the right college. SAT scores can also lead to scholarships, and state assessments provide families, educators, and the community with insights into school performance. While tests do not tell the whole story of a student’s education, it is a measure we use to accelerate learning and improve outcomes. It is essential to support students who feel anxious about testing. Our teachers care deeply about our students and their educational success and can help them with strategies to reassure them.  Testing matters, and in a small district, every student’s participation impacts our overall results. That’s why I encourage you to help your student approach testing with confidence—they have been preparing for this all year and have the skills to show what they know.  Thank you for supporting testing with a positive attitude and enthusiasm that says, “Englewood Students Got This!” In Partnership, Joanna   Celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week with Us - Submit Photos! 📚🎉 Teacher Appreciation Week is May 5-9, and we’re excited to celebrate the incredible educators and staff who make a difference in your child’s life every day! This is the perfect time to show gratitude for the dedication, passion, and hard work of the adults who inspire and support our students. As part of our celebration, we’d love to feature special moments between students and staff on social media! 📸 How You Can Participate: Please share a photo of your child with a teacher or staff member who has positively impacted their education. Upload your photo using this Google Form link. The deadline for submission is April 24 at 3:30 p.m. Let’s come together as a community to say THANK YOU to our outstanding educators! Follow us on social media throughout the week to see these heartwarming moments.   Celebrating Excellence in Early Childhood Education! 🌟 Our ECE program, led by Kara Blanchard, has achieved a Level 5 rating from Colorado Shines—the highest possible rating from the Colorado Department of Early Childhood (CDEC)! With 121 out of 123 points, the team excelled in Learning Environment, Workforce Qualifications & Professional Development, Child Health, and Family Partnerships—earning perfect scores in these areas! Congratulations to ECE Director Kara Blanchard, Instructional Coach Shalee Meyer, our dedicated staff, and amazing families for making early childhood education shine in Englewood! 🎉👏 District News and Department Updates Learning Services State Testing on the Horizon Dear Englewood Families, Get ready to showcase all the amazing progress our students have made! It's hard to believe, but we're already gearing up for this year's essential statewide assessments. These assessments are our chance to shine, providing valuable insights into how our students are mastering grade-level expectations. They're the common yardstick for Colorado, helping us ensure everyone is on the path to success! Here's the lineup: CMAS tests (Grades 3-8, 5, 8, 11): These tests highlight our students' skills in English language arts, math, and science. PSAT (Grades 9-10): A key step for our high schoolers on their college readiness journey. SAT (Grade 11): Our 11th graders will tackle this crucial college entrance exam! Why are these assessments so important? They empower us to: Celebrate successes: See how our schools and district are performing overall. Target support: Pinpoint areas where we can provide extra help to ensure every student thrives. Close achievement gaps: Take action to support all students in making meaningful progress. Mark your calendars! Testing windows are: CMAS: April 7-25 PSAT/SAT: April 14-25 Check your school's website or newsletter for your specific testing schedule. Let's make this assessment season a success!   Englewood Public Library Survey Calling all 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Grade Parents! Your input is needed to launch an exciting reading initiative! The Englewood Public Library, with support from Libraries Without Borders, is partnering with Englewood Schools to: Spark a love for non-fiction in young readers. Increase student and family visits to the library. Connect students with valuable library resources. Help us shape this project! Please take a moment to complete a short survey to share your thoughts on current library usage. Your feedback will ensure that we create the most impactful programs for our community.  Summer Programming Explore, Engage, Elevate: Elementary Summer School 2025! We’re excited to offer a free Elementary Summer School Program focused on strengthening academic skills and preventing summer slide! 📌 WHO: Rising K-5 students (by invitation) 📅 WHEN: June 2-13, 2025 | 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM (Breakfast & lunch provided) 📌 COST: FREE Students will enjoy engaging in literacy, math instruction, and hands-on enrichment activities to boost confidence and curiosity. Student invitations go out by April 15. For questions, contact Alicia Postelli at alicia_postelli@engschools.net. Visit the Englewood Schools Summer Programs Webpage for details on all student summer opportunities!   Middle and High School Summer Programs Englewood Schools offers a dynamic lineup of programs for middle and high school students this summer. There's something for every student! Middle School Career Pathways Exploration High School Credit Recovery/Credit Acceleration Classes Concurrent Enrollment Classes College Tours Common Application Workshops Registration is now open, and space is limited. For more information, please visit the Englewood Schools Summer School webpage. Nutrition Services Summer EBT Benefits Coming Soon! Summer EBT provides funds for nutritious food to eligible students when school is out. Who Qualifies? Students attending a school in the National School Lunch Program and eligible for free or reduced lunch through: SNAP, Medicaid, Colorado Works (TANF), Foster Care Family Economic Data Survey application Experiencing homelessness How to Get It Most eligible students are automatically enrolled. If not, apply through Infinite Campus by completing the meal benefits application. Funds are added to existing EBT cards, or a new one will be mailed. Learn more: Visit this website or call 1-800-536-5298. Community Calling All Middle School Families: Past, Present & Future—Join Us!     Free Leadership Camp for High School Students! The Rotary Club of Englewood offers high school students an incredible opportunity to attend the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) Conference—a five-day, all-expenses-paid leadership camp! 📅 When: July 27 – August 1 📍 Where: YMCA in Estes Park, CO This program is open to 10th, 11th, and 12th graders who want to develop leadership, teamwork, and decision-making skills. Participants will engage in hands-on activities, team-building exercises, and inspiring discussions—all free! 🔹 Why Attend? Gain valuable leadership experience Build teamwork and problem-solving skills Network with peers and mentors Have an unforgettable summer adventure! Spots are limited—apply now! Visit www.rockymountainryla.org and select Englewood Rotary as your sponsoring club. 📩 For more information, contact Patty Burnett at paburnett@aol.com or 720-234-6010.   Calling All High School Artists: Enter the 2025 Congressional Art Competition! 🎨✨ The Office of Congressman Jason Crow is now accepting submissions for the 2025 Congressional Art Competition! This annual nationwide contest, sponsored by the Congressional Institute, highlights the artistic talents of high school students in each congressional district. High school students residing in Colorado’s 6th Congressional District are encouraged to participate for a chance to display their artwork in the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. Other top entries will be showcased in Congressman Crow’s District Office in Aurora. 📅 Submission Deadline: April 14, 2025, at 11:59 PM MST 📍 In-Person Art Showcase: April 2025 – Local venue in CO-06 To enter, students must submit a photo of their artwork here and drop off their completed Student Information and Release form at Congressman Crow’s office. For questions, visit their website or email Melissa.Lewis@mail.house.gov. Don’t miss this opportunity to showcase your creativity on a national stage! 🎨🏆 District Events | Free and Low Cost Events District Events: April 3: EHS Future Fair (2:30-3:30 p.m.) April 10: EMS/ELA Honor Roll (7:45-8-15 a.m.) April 10: ECE Family Garden Workshop/Spring Fling/Art Show (3:30-5:30 p.m.) April 11: EHS Jazz Night (6:30-9:00 p.m.) April 17: Charles Hay Art Showcase (5:00-7:00 p.m.) April 22: EMS/EHS Art Show (4:30-6:30 p.m.) April 24: Bishop Around the World (5-7:00 p.m.) April 26: Clayton Community Garden Work Day (5:00 p.m.) Free and Low Cost Events: April 6: Free Day - Denver Zoo (must pre-register) April 7: Free Day - Denver Museum of Nature and Science April 8: Free Day - Denver Art Museum April 12: Englewood Spring Festival: Hop and Shop April 22: Free Day- Botanic Gardens (Denver and Chatfield locations) April 25: Free Day- Four Mile Historic Park Opportunity, Access and Inclusion (OAI) Inclusive Excellence April is National Arab American Heritage Month and Autism Acceptance Month. April is National Arab American Heritage Month, a time dedicated to celebrating the heritage, culture, and contributions of Arab Americans. Did you know that almost 4 million Americans have Arab ancestry? Learn more interesting facts and history here and check out 13 Ways To Celebrate Arab American Heritage Month.  In April, we also celebrate Autism Acceptance Month. While neurodiversity can be challenging to navigate in a society that is typically not designed with these needs in mind, neurodiverse individuals have many strengths associated with their unique ways of thinking and being– and it is up to us to establish systems that support this diversity. Board of Education Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) with the City of Englewood The Board of Education has been asked to consider allowing the City of Englewood to place R900 megahertz antennas on the roof of Charles Hay and Englewood High School. This would be done through an amendment to our Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA). The City of Englewood has provided the following information for your review and the Board of Education’s review: Presentation from the City of Englewood at the March 4, 2025, Regular Board Meeting. To watch the live stream of the meeting, click here. FAQ R900 RF Emissions sheet Studies about the impacts of radio frequency emissions on people are linked: CA Council of Science and Technology RF and Madison and Dane County RF Report. The City of Englewood wanted our school communities to be informed that the water meters already transmit the radio frequency. The City needs a place to collect the data with the possibility that it might be transmitted in the future. At this time, nothing would be sent out from the device that would be put on the roof. Whether the antenna is there or not, the water meters are transmitting from homes. There is a plastic sender at the base of each water meter that sends the transmission. Once the signal is caught, it goes to the base of the antenna and is sent to the main network in the cloud.  Please contact the Board of Education by signing up to make a public comment or emailing the board at katie_wilberdingcross@engschools.net, julie_hoag@engschools.net, duane_tucker@engschools.net, davon_williams@engschools.net, or anna_whistler@engschools.net. At the Board’s May 6 meeting, they will discuss and vote on the IGA Amendment.    Englewood Schools Board of Education Election – Make a Difference! Are you passionate about education? Do you want to make a lasting impact on students, teachers, and the community? If so, consider running for the Englewood Schools' Board of Education. The Biennial Election is Tuesday, November 4, 2025. Englewood Schools Will Have Three At-Large Director Seats Open: 🗳 Three (3) director seats – 4-year term (*correction from last month's newsletter) Eligible candidates must be: ✔ A registered elector for at least 12 consecutive months prior to the election ✔ A resident of the Englewood Schools district ✔ Never convicted of a sexual offense against a child 📢 Stay connected by completing this form and plan on attending the Board of Education Interest Night at 5:00 p.m. on May 20, 2025, to learn more about the role. Resources: CASB's website. Arapahoe County Clerk and Recorder's Office webpage.   Board of Education Meetings On April 1, 2025, at 6:00 p.m., the Board of Education held its Regular Meeting in person at ECE at Maddox - 3838 S. Huron St. and streamed online here.  Upcoming Board of Education Meetings: On May 6, 2025, at 6:00 p.m., the Board of Education will hold its Regular Meeting in person at ECE at Maddox - 3838 S. Huron St. and streamed online here. To participate in public comment at this meeting, please complete this form by noon on May 6, 2025. The full agendas of all board meetings will be posted on our website the Friday before each meeting. Get Social With Us! facebook Instagram YouTube

Thursday, Apr 03 2025

Monthly Family Newsletter - March 6, 2025

​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Monthly Family Newsletter March 6, 2025 ​ ​ ​ ​ A Message from the Superintendent - Englewood Middle School & Englewood Leadership Academy Becoming One ​ Dear Englewood Families, In times of change, we hold true to our core values. Englewood Schools’ core values are: high expectations, accountability, integrity, respect, and community. As we work together to merge Englewood Middle School (EMS) and Englewood Leadership Academy (ELA) into one unified school, we will lean into these values.  High expectations will be paramount when exploring and creating stronger academic pathways for our middle school students. The Englewood Middle School Academic Advisory Committee will lead this work.  Respect and community will be central to our culture and climate work. We will find respectful and creative ways for students, families, and staff to come together to support each other in this transition.  Accountability and community will be at the forefront of the inclusive conversations we will have with our elementary school communities and our current middle school communities. We will also lean into new groups like Vibrant Englewood to support us in creating a middle school we all take pride in.  The Englewood Schools’ community has my commitment to continue to build a middle school experience that we can all be proud of and serve every student in our community. The Englewood Schools’ team and I will continue to work every day to provide an exceptional educational experience as we become one community building a new tradition of excellence. In Partnership, Joanna ​ ​ ​ ​ What's Ahead for Englewood Middle School? ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Families, students, and community members will have opportunities to participate in this exciting transition. Look for upcoming events, including a community picnic and a special ceremony to honor our school’s past and welcome the future. Below is the vision of some highlights that will unite us and how we will involve the Englewood Schools community. ✔ Stronger Academic Pathways – The Englewood Middle School Academic Advisory Committee will convene in the 2025-2026 school year to help drive academic excellence at Englewood Middle School. This diverse group, including school and district leaders, teachers, parents, and stakeholders, will research and recommend best practices in middle school education, looking inside and outside the walls of EMS. Activities will include site visits, exploration of academic pathways and enrichment opportunities for our students, and formulating recommendations to best serve our middle school students. Additional information will be forthcoming, including how you can get involved with this exciting and important work.   ✔ A Connected & Thriving School Culture – As part of the Culture & Climate Initiative led by Principal Hart and her team, the student leadership group and School Accountability Committee (SAC) will help foster unity during the transition. To build excitement, we have plans for our students to receive swag like T-shirts and stickers to symbolize coming together. An assembly will be centered around the theme of "We Are Connected", reinforcing a sense of unity. A special ceremony will honor the closing of one school and incorporate meaningful elements into a new design. Families will also be invited to a Middle School Community Picnic on May 13, 2025 from 5:00-7:00 p.m. to mark the transition. Overall, the goal is to create a meaningful farewell while embracing the exciting journey ahead.  ✔ Honoring Our Past, Building Our Future—We are committed to including the important voices at the elementary and middle school levels as students and families consider their journeys to and from middle school. We will meet with PTO/PTSAs, School Accountability Committees (SAC), the District Accountability Committee (DAC), and greater Englewood groups committed to supporting our students and schools. If you want ways to share your ideas about EMS, please attend the March 11 SAC meeting from 4:30-6:00 in the library. Please join us on this journey, and thank you for your support as we take this important step forward. We are excited about the possibilities this transformation will bring for our students and our entire Englewood community! ​ ​ ​ ​ District News and Department Updates ​ ​ ​ ​ Safety & Security ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Update on S2T & Meet & Greet Before April 1 Board Meeting ​ We invite you to a meet-and-greet with Mark Edson, Director of Safety & Security, on April 1 from 5:30 to 5:55 p.m. before the Regular Board Meeting. Mark will also present a Safety & Security State of the State presentation at that meeting, providing key updates on district initiatives. When: April 1, 2025, 5:30 - 5:55 p.m. Where: ECE at Maddox Board Room - 3838 S. Huron St. We appreciate your continued engagement and look forward to seeing you there! ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Summer Programming ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Elementary Summer Programs ​ Let’s make this summer one of fun, discovery, and endless possibilities! Englewood Schools invites select K-5 students to a unique summer program designed to support academic and social-emotional growth, spark new interests, and foster connections with peers. WHO: Students rising from grades K-5; by invitation  WHEN: June 2 - June 13, 2025; 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. (breakfast and lunch provided)  COST: Free!  ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Students will continue learning in a supportive environment through teamwork, challenges, and fun. This initiative reflects our commitment to helping all students thrive, including unhoused, Multilingual Learners and others who may benefit from extra resources. Eligible families will receive invitations. Check the Englewood Schools Summer Programming Webpage for more information and other summer opportunities for students as summer break approaches. ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ Middle and High School Summer Programs ​ Englewood Schools offers a dynamic lineup of programs for middle and high school students this summer. There's something for every student! Career Pathways Exploration College Tours Common Application Workshops Credit Recovery/Credit Acceleration Classes Registration is now open, and space is limited. For more information, please visit the Englewood Schools Summer School webpage. ​ ​ ​ ​ 2025 Climate & Culture Survey ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2025 Climate & Culture Survey ​ Hello Englewood Schools Families, Englewood Schools is committed to ensuring that your experience with us is collaborative, successful, and helps your student(s) thrive. We encourage you to complete this survey about your experience with your student’s school. If you have multiple students at various schools, complete one for each student. In addition, if you have one or more students at the same school, please take the survey, thinking about your oldest student enrolled.  ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ This anonymous survey should take 10-15 minutes to complete. The results will be used to improve the learning environment for your student(s) in our district and schools. The survey is open and closes on Friday, March 14, 2025. To complete it, click the QR code, click the link below, or copy and paste it into your browser. https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/X2L95Y3 ​ ​ ​ ​ Community ​ ​ ​ ​ The Inaugural Englewood Schools District STEAM Night ​ Join us as we showcase how STEAM education connects to Career & Technical Education in our district. This RSVP-only event is your chance to explore, learn, and engage! 📅 When: Tuesday, March 11, 2025 | 🕠 5:30 PM - 7:00 PM 📍 Where: TEC Campus - 3800 S. Logan St. 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Who: All Englewood Schools families (RSVP required) 🔗 Click the link or button below to RSVP (ParentSquare account required). For questions, contact us at 📧 steam@engschools.net. See you there! 🎉 ​ ​ ​ ​ RSVP NOW! ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Spring Musical - This Week! ​ You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown Join us for our spring musical in Fisher Auditorium. Tickets are $10 for general admission or FREE for EHS students (with ID). We can't wait to see you there! Performances: Thursday, March 6 at 7:00 PM Friday, March 7 at 7:00 PM Saturday, March 8 at 2:00 PM Buy Tickets here or click button below. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Buy Tickets Now ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ City of Englewood - Youth Boards and Commissions ​ The City of Englewood is seeking Youth Members to serve one-year terms. Learn more and apply here. The flyers below are in English and Spanish. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Learning Services ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Englewood Library Survey ​ Englewood Schools continues to partner with the Englewood Public Library through a grant from Libraries Without Borders, which focuses on increasing community access to and usage of the public library. To support this survey, the Englewood Public Library is asking all Englewood Schools caregivers/parents of students in first, second, and third grade to complete a short survey by March 14. Access the survey in English with the QR Code on the right or this link. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Englewood Library Survey - Spanish ​ Access the survey in Spanish with the QR Code on the right or this link. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Colorado Department of Education Math Intervention Resources ​ The Colorado Department of Education has developed a collection of free toolkits designed for educators, families and out-of-school time professionals to support math learning in grades K-12. You can learn more about these resources here. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ District Events | Free and Low Cost Events ​ ​ ​ ​ District Events: ​ March 6-8: EHS Musical - You're a Good Man Charlie Brown - Must Buy Tickets (free for EHS students.) March 11: District-wide STEAM Night at The Englewood Middle/High School Campus (5:30-7:00 p.m.) Must RSVP March 13: ECE Family Garden Workshop (3:30-5:30 p.m.) March 17-21: No School - Spring Break ​ ​ ​ ​ Free and Low Cost Events: ​ March 7: Free Night - Denver Museum of Nature and Science (Girls and Science Event) March 7: Free Museo de las Americas  First Friday March 10: Free Day - Denver Botanic Gardens: York Street and Chatfield locations (must pre-register) March 11: Free Day - Denver Art Museum March 17-21: Englewood Library Spring Break Programs - calendar here ​ ​ ​ ​ Good News Story ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Bishop Bears Bring Love to Community with Cupid Delivery ​ Dani Marchitti and Bishop's parent committee (BCC) organized a Valentine's Day delivery of cards and flowers to a community assisted living facility on Thursday, February 13, 2025. Bishop students made cards and wrote notes to community members at Belleview Senior Living Center. After school, the students and parents met and delivered well wishes, smiles, cards, flowers, and joy to the residents. We are so proud of our students and BCC for engaging with and bringing joy to the Englewood community. On Friday, February 14, the students made additional cards and shared them with residents at Brookdale Memory Care and Skilled Nursing facility. Way to go, BEARS! ​ ​ ​ ​ Opportunity, Access and Inclusion (OAI) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Inclusive Excellence ​ While Dr. Razzaque is on maternity leave, we will share her resources on heritage months and notable events. (Picture to the left - Artist credit: Marek Tartal) March is Women’s History Month–a great time to make sure that we are amplifying the achievements of women who helped shape our past and will help build our future. As we consider stories of empowered women this month, let’s be sure to include intersectional identities, such as women with disabilities, BIPOC women, LGBTQ+ women, women who immigrated to the United States, and other important identities that represent the rich diversity within our communities. March is also Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month, so consider strategies to be more inclusive of students and families with diverse (dis)abilities, both visible and invisible.  ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Board of Education ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Englewood Schools Board of Education Election – Make a Difference! ​ Are you passionate about education? Do you want to make a lasting impact on students, teachers, and the community? If so, consider running for the Englewood Schools' Board of Education. The Biennial Election is Tuesday, November 4, 2025. Englewood Schools Will Have Three At-Large Director Seats Open: 🗳 Two (2) director seats – 4-year term 🗳 One (1) director seat – 2-year term Eligible candidates must be: ✔ A registered elector for at least 12 consecutive months prior to the election ✔ A resident of the Englewood Schools district ✔ Never convicted of a sexual offense against a child 📢 Stay connected for more details in the coming months, including a Board of Education Interest Night at 5:00 p.m. on May 20, 2025 where you can learn more about the role and how to get involved. Resources: CASB's website. Arapahoe County Clerk and Recorder's Office webpage. This is your opportunity to advocate for our schools and community. Whether as a candidate or an engaged voter, your participation matters! ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Board of Education ​ On March 4, 2025, at 6:00 p.m., the Board of Education held its Regular Meeting in person at ECE at Maddox - 3838 S. Huron St. and streamed online here.  Upcoming Board of Education Meetings: On April 1, 2025, at 6:00 p.m., the Board of Education will hold its Regular Meeting in person at ECE at Maddox - 3838 S. Huron St. and streamed online here. To participate in public comment at this meeting, please complete this form by noon on April 1, 2025. The full agendas of all board meetings will be posted on our website the Friday before each meeting. ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ Board Policy Updates - Title IX Regulations and Artificial Intelligence ​ On February 11, 2025, the Colorado Association of School Boards (CASB) released its Special Policy Update with a Recommendation to use an emergency policy adoption Resolution # 2025-03-04 to authorize emergency policy adoption and revision to address compliance with federal law, particularly the reinstatement of the 2020 Title IX regulations, and to maintain protections against discrimination, harassment, and retaliation within the district. Board Policies Affected:  AC Non-Discrimination/Equal Opportunity AC-R-3 - CASB's recommended.pdf  AC-E-1 Non-Discrimination/Equal Opportunity AC-R-1 Harassment and Discrimination Investigation Procedures for Students AC-E-2 Non-Discrimination/Equal Opportunity (Complaint Form) GBAA Sexual Harassment JBB* Sexual Harassment GCE/GCF Professional Staff Recruiting/Hiring GDE/GDF Support Staff Recruiting/Hiring JB Equal Educational Opportunities JF Admission and Denial of Admission GBA Open Hiring/Equal Employment Opportunity JICDD* Violent and Aggressive Behavior JICDE* Bullying Prevention and Education JFBA Intra-District Choice Enrollment Regulation JFBA-R JFBB Inter-District Choice Enrollment Regulation JFBB-R JICA Student Dress Code JII Student Concerns, Complaints and Grievances Board Policies affected by Artificial Intelligence Guidance (first reading): GBEE* Staff Use of Technology JS* Student Use of the Internet and Electronic Communications Check out all Board Policies located on our website. ​ ​ ​ ​ Get Social With Us! ​ ​ ​ ​ facebook ​ ​ ​ ​ Instagram ​ ​ ​ ​ YouTube ​ ​

Thursday, Mar 06 2025

A Letter from Superintendent Polzin: Board Votes to ...

​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Board Votes to Merge Middle Schools March 5, 2025 ​ ​ ​ ​ Dear Families, At the Board of Education meeting last night, the Board unanimously voted to merge Englewood Middle School and Englewood Leadership Academy. Starting in the 2025-26 school year, Englewood will transition to a single middle school, which will be known as Englewood Middle School (EMS). We sincerely appreciate the community’s engagement throughout this process. Thank you for sharing your input through surveys, Town Hall discussions, public comments, formal recommendations (including the student video), and emails to the Board of Education. Your voices were invaluable and gave the Board of Education insight into what the community truly wanted for a middle school experience in Englewood.  Englewood Schools is committed to making this transition an opportunity to enhance academic programming and expand opportunities for all students. More details on how you can get involved will be shared in the district-wide newsletter coming out this Thursday. Thank you for your continued partnership.  Joanna Polzin Superintendent ​ ​

Wednesday, Mar 05 2025

Final Reminder- 2025 Englewood Schools District STEA...

​ ​ Englewood STEAM Night 2025 Feedback ​ Thank you to all that attended our inaugural Englewood STEAM Night! If you attended the event, please take a few moments to complete a feedback form (linked below). This feedback will help us improve the experience for next year. We look forward to bringing back Englewood STEAM Night in 2026! https://forms.gle/qDXsdhF9DEymcFDBA ​ ​ ​ ​ 2025 District STEAM Night - Final Update March 11, 2025 ​ ​ ​ ​ This is the final reminder for our District STEAM Night event tomorrow- Tuesday, March 11th! ​ Please read this entire document for important information and directions for this exciting event! ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ Final reminders and important information: ​ Space is limited! Once we have reached capacity, you will no longer be able to RSVP to attend this event. If you have already RSVP’ed, then you do not need to do this again. If you have RSVP’ed, but need to cancel, please indicate this change on your RSVP so we can have an accurate count of attendees. There will be two entrances available. Please se the parking map below. The EMS entrance will close at 6:00PM. Feel free to arrive at any time during the 5:30-7:00PM window. No experiences are bound by a schedule, so arrive when it works best for you. Please know we end the experience promptly at 7:00PM. Parent/Guardian supervision is required. Students/children may not be dropped off, nor left unattended during this event. Parent/Guardian supervision is not required for student volunteers. We are expecting a large amount of attendees for this event. We appreciate your patience, especially during the start of the event. Snacks and water will not be provided (with the exception of the Culinary experience). You are welcome to bring your own water bottle. Drinking fountains are available.  This night is operated entirely by Englewood Schools student and staff volunteers. Please look for Englewood Schools employees in blue STEAM Night shirts for any assistance. An elevator will be available for those with accessibility needs.  ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ District STEAM Night Map ​ Feel free to save this map on your phone! We will have a limited supply of print maps available upon request. Otherwise, you will need to scan a QR code to get a digital map the night of the event. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ Parking and Entrance to the Event ​ Entrances: Two entrances will be available at the start of the event Address: 3800 S Logan St, Englewood CO, 80113 Englewood Middle School/Englewood Leadership Academy Main Entrance  Englewood High School Main Entrance The EMS/ELA entrance will only be open 5:30-6:00PM. Those arriving after 6PM will need to use the EHS Main Entrance. Parking: Please reference this link or the map below for parking. Attendee parking is only available in the EHS and EMS/ELA parking lots, as well as the parking lot on East Mansfield by EHS.  The parking lot behind the schools (next to the football field) is reserved for vendors and STEAM Night volunteers.  As this is a big event, off-street parking may be required. If you need to park off-street, please do so legally and respectfully of those residing in the surrounding neighborhoods. Do not block driveways. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ Questions? ​ Please contact us at steam@engschools.net. We can't wait to see you tomorrow night! ​ ​ ​ ​ 2025 District STEAM Night Update Additional Information and Reminders March 11, 2025 ​ ​ ​ ​ Please read this entire document for important information and directions for this exciting event! ​ For additional details, including date, time, and location, please scroll below. ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ Important Information ​ We are excited to welcome all Englewood students and families to this incredible event! To help you best prepare for our inaugural STEAM Night here are some important pieces of information you should know prior to arrival: Space is limited! If you haven’t done so already, please RSVP using this ParentSquare post. If you have already RSVP’ed, then you do not need to do this again. If you have RSVP’ed, but need to cancel, please indicate this change on your RSVP so we can have an accurate count of attendees. Parent/Guardian supervision is required. Students/children may not be dropped off, nor left unattended during this event.  Snacks and water will not be provided (with the exception of the Culinary experience). You are welcome to bring your own water bottle. Drinking fountains are available.  This night is operated entirely by Englewood Schools student and staff volunteers. Please look for Englewood Schools employees in blue STEAM Night shirts for any assistance. An elevator will be available for those with accessibility needs.  A digital map of the event will be available the night of the event. You will be able to scan a QR code using a mobile device to access a map of the event. Print copies will be available in limited supply upon request. ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ Parking and Entrance to the Event ​ Entrances: Two entrances will be available at the start of the event Address: 3800 S Logan St, Englewood CO, 80113 Englewood Middle School/Englewood Leadership Academy Main Entrance  Englewood High School Main Entrance The EMS/ELA entrance will only be open 5:30-6:00PM. Those arriving after 6PM will need to use the EHS Main Entrance. Parking: Please reference this link or the map below for parking. Attendee parking is only available in the EHS and EMS/ELA parking lots, as well as the parking lot on East Mansfield by EHS.  The parking lot behind the schools (next to the football field) is reserved for vendors and STEAM Night volunteers.  As this is a big event, off-street parking may be required. If you need to park off-street, please do so legally and respectfully of those residing in the surrounding neighborhoods. Do not block driveways. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Questions? ​ Please contact us at steam@engschools.net. We can't wait to see you at this event! ​ ​ ​ ​ 2025 District STEAM Night is Coming! Building the Future through STEAM and CTE ​ ​ ​ ​ Get ready for an evening of discovery and fun at the inaugural Englewood Schools’ STEAM Night! This district-wide celebration is your passport to explore Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM), and how we connect that learning to Career and Technical Education (CTE) pathways. Come join us and learn how we are building the future through STEAM and CTE! Why You Shouldn't Miss It: Interactive STEAM Stations throughout the campus are themed around each pathway area, where students and families can explore hands-on activities that connect PK-8 STEAM learning to high school CTE pathways and real-world careers. Meet Community Partners, high school students, and volunteers ready to guide you through engaging activities! Explore Your Future and discover how our PK-8 STEAM experiences connect to our high school CTE programs to ignite student passions, enhance engagement, and open doors to future educational and career opportunities! ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ 🚀 When: Tuesday, March 11, 2025, from 5:30 PM to 7:00 PM 📍 Where: TEC Campus - 3800 S. Logan St. 🎟️ Who: All families in Englewood Schools, especially our PK-8th grade families! 💰Cost: FREE! ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ RSVP today, as space is limited! ​ ​ ​ ​ RSVP now and save your spot today! Questions? Contact us at steam@engschools.net ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​

Tuesday, Feb 11 2025

Monthly Family Newsletter - February 6, 2025

​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Monthly Family Newsletter February 6, 2025 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ A Message from the Superintendent ​ Dear Englewood Schools' Families, As I visit with students across our District, I am reminded of how fortunate we are to live in a small community that promotes deep connection with one another. Ivan Flores Gutierrez, a sophomore at Englewood High School, shared the following words with me when I asked him about his educational journey in Englewood, which began at Clayton Elementary, followed by Englewood Middle School and now Englewood High School.  “There’s a group of people for you. There’s a teacher for you. There’s a club for you.”  He said that by attending a small high school, he is able to form “better bonds” with his classmates. He also said, “There are a lot of people who look out for you” at EHS. Ivan is a talented leader who wants to pursue a career in mechanical or electrical engineering after high school. I recently saw him in Mr. Schmidt’s Intro to Engineering Class engaging in the design thinking process. Ivan likes to be challenged academically and is driven by a healthy competition with his peers to do better in school.  Big opportunities for every student in a small, caring district – that is what we are all about in Englewood.  In Partnership, Joanna ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (Picture on the left) Ivan is pictured above with Superintendent Polzin, Board of Education members Julie Hoag, Katie Wilberding Cross, and Anna Whistler. (Picture on the right) Ivan is pictured with Director of Opportunity, Access & Inclusion Dr. Rana Razzaque. Ivan had the opportunity to lead student groups at the Colorado Association of School Board (CASB) convention in December. He will also speak on a panel at an upcoming CASB networking event in February.  ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ EMS/ELA Survey: Your Voice Matters ​ The Englewood Board of Education is considering potential changes to Englewood Middle School (EMS) and/or Englewood Leadership Academy (ELA). As part of our commitment to transparency and open communication, we invite you to complete a survey conducted by Magellan Strategies on behalf of the Board. We recognize that this decision will impact students and families across our district, including those in ECE at Maddox, elementary schools, and middle school. Additionally, our high school families have an important perspective to share. Your feedback is invaluable in shaping the future of our schools, and we encourage all Englewood Schools families and staff to participate. The Board of Education is dedicated to hearing from the entire Englewood Schools community before making this important decision. Please take a moment to share your thoughts via the survey link below. This survey closes on Monday, February 10, 2025 at noon. Thank you for your time and participation. Sincerely, Joanna Polzin Superintendent of Englewood Schools​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Take Survey Here ​ ​ ​ ​ Realice la encuesta aquÍ ​ ​ ​ ​ District News and Department Updates ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Round Two Choice Enrollment Now Open Until August 31, 2025 ​ Please submit your Choice Enrollment Application as soon as you decide. Who Should Apply?  Out-of-district students   Current Choice students moving up (Kindergarten, Middle School, High School)   Englewood residents wishing to attend a non-boundary school   Important: Applications are processed on a priority basis and on a first-come, first-served basis as space allows. You’ll receive decisions via email within two weeks after the enrollment window closes. For more info, contact Kris Kochevar at 303-806-2051 or kristine_kochevar@engschools.net. ​ ​ ​ ​ Communications ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ParentSquare Communications Tool ​ Englewood Schools uses ParentSquare to communicate with families. This all-in-one tool is used for district, school, class and individual communications. It can also be used to send newsletters, schedule conferences, send digital permission slips, request items to be donated and more! It can be automatically translated into a family's preferred language(s). Learning to use ParentSquare is easy. Many training options are provided, including self-paced video modules or live webinars. You can activate your account by going to ParentSquare. Additional training and information for Parents and Guardians are provided below. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ For Parents/Guardians ​ ​ ​ ​ Learning Services ​ ​ ​ ​ Interim 2 Data Celebrations ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ District Overview ​ After compiling and analyzing data from Interim 2 testing, here are some areas in which our students and staff excelled. The graph below shows the historical interim data trends for Englewood School District since 2021. Congratulations to all students and staff on the outstanding results of the Interim 2 assessments!  ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ English Language Arts (ELA) Success: We are thrilled to report that while significantly increasing the rigor of our English Language Arts assessment for Middle School this year to better align with state standards, we achieved the second-highest percent proficiency ever across all student groups on the Interim 2 assessment.  Math Excellence: This year's Interim 2 Math assessment saw the highest percent proficiency on record, representing an impressive increase of over 10% since 2021.  ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Grade Level Success Over Last Year ​ ​Additionally, across the district, the percentage of students who demonstrated proficiency at several grade levels in English Language Arts and Math increased compared to Interim 2 of last school year. Those grade levels are highlighted below. English Language Arts Success: We are thrilled to report that while significantly increasing the rigor of our English Language Arts assessment for Middle School this year to better align with state standards, we achieved the second-highest percent proficiency ever across all students on the Interim 2 assessment. This success is further evidenced by notable improvements in English Language Arts proficiency in grades 2, 3, 8, 10, and 11 compared to last year. Math Excellence: This year's Interim 2 Math assessment saw the highest percent proficiency on record, representing an impressive increase of over 10% since 2021. We also observed significant gains in math proficiency in grades 1, 3, 4, 8, 9, 10, and 11 compared to last year. ​ ​ ​ ​ Double Digit Increase Over Last Year ​ Several grade levels demonstrated a double-digit increase compared to Interim 2 of last school year. English Language Arts Double Digit Increase (Compared to 23-24 Interim 2) 8th Grade: 14% increase  10th Grade: 18% increase  Math Double Digit Increase (Compared to 23-24 interim 2) 8th Grade: 16% increase 9th Grade (Algebra 1): 18% increase These exceptional results are a testament to our students' hard work and dedication, as well as the incredible efforts of our dedicated teachers. We celebrate these achievements and look forward to continued growth and success throughout the academic year. Thank you to our outstanding teachers and school administrators for taking the time to administer these very important assessments for our district. Interims help us track growth across students, teachers, schools, and as a district. They also help prepare our students for April's CMAS, PSAT, and SATs. These are just a few celebrations from the most recent round of Interim testing that show what Englewood schools and our students are capable of. ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Englewood Library Partnership ​ The Englewood Library continues to support Englewood Schools' elementary PATHS initiative by displaying a curated display of books aligned with the PurposeFull People curriculum.  Stop by and check out their selection of titles that support the program's monthly theme.  ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ District Events | Free and Low Cost Events ​ ​ ​ ​ District Events: ​ February 5: Charles Hay Kindergarten 2025-26 Information Night (4:30-5:30 p.m.) February 6: Bishop 2025-26 Kindergarten Tours (3:15-4:00 p.m.) February 6: ECE Car Seat Safety Night for families (5:00-7:00 p.m.) February 13: Charles Hay Cougarpalooza/Wellness Night and Silent Auction (5:00-7:00 p.m.) February 14: Clayton New 2025-26 Student/Family Tour (9:00-9:40 a.m.) February 14: No School February 17: No School  February 20: Clayton One School, One Book Celebration (4:30-6:30 p.m.) February 24-27: ECE Scholastic Book Fair February 26-27: Parent-Teacher Conferences (check with your child’s school for times) February 27: No School for elementary students February 28: No School for all students - Conference Compensation Day *Cherrelyn Elementary has open school tours for interested 2025-2026 kindergarten families. Please call the main office to schedule a tour. ​ ​ ​ ​ Free and Low Cost Events: ​ February 9: Free Day: Denver Zoo (must pre-register) February 13: Free Day: Denver Botanic Gardens - York or Chatfield locations (must pre-register) February 14 and 15: Loveland Sweetheart Festival February 15: Free: Lunar New Year Celebration Parker Arts (register for a time slot) February 20: Free Day: Plains Conservation Center  February 22: Free Day: Denver Art Museum Events to celebrate Black History Month are linked HERE. ​ ​ ​ ​ Good News Stories ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ My Home, My Town, Englewood, Colorado ​ The City of Englewood and one of our local school families collaborated to create an engaging community activity book for young residents. This project, funded by a City of Englewood Neighborhood Improvement Grant, aimed to foster a deeper connection between children and their community. The colorful activity book features information about Englewood, including its schools, parks, and local businesses, presented in an interactive and engaging format. Coloring pages, puzzles, and other fun activities encourage children to explore and learn about their city. Every student in the Englewood School District, from preschool to elementary school, received a copy of the activity book, promoting community pride and fostering a deeper understanding of their surroundings. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Police Chief Jackson's Visit Gets Students Moving ​ Police Chief Jackson toured the Englewood Campus with Officer Shaw, Principal Nate Smith, and Superintendent Polzin. During his visit, Englewood Middle School students got an unexpected workout when Chief Jackson, P.E. teacher Jeremy Leiker, and Director of Safety & Security Mark Edson challenged them to push-ups. Students eagerly joined in, laughing and smiling as they participated. The fun, interactive visit strengthened community connections and left a lasting impression. "It's wonderful to see our community leaders engaging with students in such a positive way," said Superintendent Polzin. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Opportunity, Access and Inclusion (OAI) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Inclusive Excellence ​ While Dr. Razzaque is on maternity leave, we will share her resources on heritage months and notable events. (Picture to the left - Artist credit: Ashwin Chacko) Black History Month is observed in February. This is a powerful time to honor the history and contributions of African Americans in the US and beyond. Much of what our country is today has been made possible by the forced labor of enslaved Africans and their descendants, who suffered the horrors of the transatlantic trafficking of their people, chattel slavery, overt violence and discrimination under Jim Crow, and present-day disparities. It is important to recognize not only the trauma of this history but also recognize Black culture in terms of joy, love, and humanity. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Board of Education ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Board of Education Updates ​ On February 4, 2025, at 6:00 p.m., the Board of Education held its Regular Meeting in person at ECE at Maddox - 3838 S. Huron St. and streamed online here.  Upcoming Board of Education Meetings: On February 18, 2025, the Board of Education will hold a Work Session in person at ECE at Maddox - 3838 S. Huron St. and streamed online here.  On March 4, 2025, at 6:00 p.m., the Board of Education will hold its Regular Meeting in person at ECE at Maddox - 3838 S. Huron St. and streamed online here. To participate in public comment at this meeting, please complete this form by noon on March 4, 2025. The full agendas of all board meetings will be posted on our website the Friday before each meeting. Check out all Board Policies located on our website. ​ ​ ​ ​ Get Social With Us! ​ ​ ​ ​ facebook ​ ​ ​ ​ Instagram ​ ​ ​ ​ YouTube ​ ​

Thursday, Feb 06 2025

Monthly Family Newsletter - January 2, 2025

​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Monthly Family Newsletter January 2, 2025 ​ ​ ​ ​ A Message from the Superintendent ​ Dear Englewood Schools' Families, The new year brings a fresh opportunity for Englewood Schools to deliver high-quality instruction and foster positive social connections. We continue to strive toward our vision of developing leaders, thinkers, and explorers of tomorrow. We are now more than ever committed to preparing students for today and their future. As we embark on 2025, students will continue to have opportunities to explore the Purposeful Actions Targeting Habits of Success (PATHS) program. PATHS is a multi-year process that intentionally guides students as they explore career, academic, personal and postsecondary opportunities starting in ECE and articulating through 12th grade. With the support of caring staff, students develop the awareness, knowledge, attitudes and skills to create their own meaningful pathways to build self-awareness, social awareness and academic development to be career and college-ready. By the fifth grade, most students have already decided what kind of career or field of study they want to enter as adults. It is never too early to expose students to career opportunities in Englewood Schools. Embedded within the career exploration of PATHS is a focus on social-emotional learning (SEL), a priority identified by our School and District Accountability Committees. Understanding and giving students the tools to navigate relationships and situations is imperative for future success.  ​ ​ ​ ​ We look forward to welcoming back our students on Tuesday, January 7, 2025. We truly missed them over the winter break and are excited about this new semester's incredible opportunities and growth! In Partnership, Joanna ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ Testing Emergency Communication on Saturday, January 4 ​ Emergency Response Communication We will test our emergency communication system through ParentSquare on Saturday, January 4, 2025, around 1:00 p.m.  ​ ​ ​ ​ District News and Department Updates ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Choice Enrollment Now Open Until January 19! ​ Please submit your Choice Enrollment Application as soon as you decide. Applying during Round One increases your chances of acceptance! Who Should Apply?  Out-of-district students   Current Choice students moving up (Kindergarten, Middle School, High School)   Englewood residents wishing to attend a non-boundary school   Important: Applications are processed on a priority basis and a first-come, first-served basis as space allows. You’ll receive decisions via email within two weeks after the enrollment window closes. Mark Your Calendars: Round Two runs February 1 - August 31, 2025. For more info, contact Kris Kochevar at 303-806-2051 or kristine_kochevar@engschools.net. ​ ​ ​ ​ EMS/ELA Discussion ​ ​ ​ ​ Upcoming Opportunities for School Community Feedback ​ Before winter break, the Board of Education sent a letter to the community regarding Englewood Leadership Academy and Englewood Middle School. You can read the full letter here.  Please see the below Opportunities for Feedback from the School Community: Public Comment at Regular Board Meetings: Tuesday, January 7, 2025; Tuesday, February 4, 2025; Tuesday, March 4, 2025. Use this link to sign up for public comment at the above meetings. Town Hall: Wednesday, January 15, 2025 from 6:00-7:30 at the EHS Library. Please RSVP here. Email the Board of Education: Email board members using the email addresses below. President Katie Wilberding Cross at katie_wilberding@engschools.net 1st Vice President Julie Hoag at julie_hoag@engschools.net 2nd Vice President Duane Tucker at duane_tucker@engschools.net Secretary Davon Williams at davon_williams@engschools.net Treasurer Anna Whistler at anna_whistler@engschools.net ​ ​ ​ ​ Grants ​ ​ ​ ​ ​First Semester Highlights ​ As the year winds down, it’s a natural time for reflection, goal-setting, and gratitude. These same qualities are also present in the world of grants, where we constantly look back to learn from the past, look ahead to set new goals and celebrate our present successes. In the first semester of the 2024-2025 school year, grants have meaningfully supported Englewood Schools, including funding for personnel, books, menstrual hygiene products, conference attendance, and student attendance incentives. Looking ahead, we’re excited about the upcoming programs funded through our submitted grants (fingers crossed for successful applications!). Englewood Schools is home to a dedicated team of professionals committed to helping every student reach their full potential. With creativity, research, and just plain grit, they work tirelessly to ensure each student is seen, supported, and cared for. Grants play a crucial role in making these efforts possible, and we look forward to sharing more exciting grant-related updates in the second semester! ​ ​ ​ ​ District Events | Free and Low Cost Events ​ ​ ​ ​ District Events: ​ January 7: First day back to school for students January 9: Charles Hay 2025-2026 Kindergarten Tour (8:30-9:15 a.m.) January 10: Bishop Bear Assembly (8:00-8:20 a.m.) January 11: Colorado’s Finest High School of Choice Mid-Year Graduation (10:00 a.m.) January 13: Clayton One School, One Book Kickoff (check Clayton’s newsletter for time)  January 14: Clayton 2025-2026 Kindergarten Tour (9:00 a.m., register here to attend a tour) January 15: Cherrelyn Skate City Night (6:00-8:00 p.m.) January 15: EMS/ELA Town Hall (6:00-7:30 p.m.) Please RSVP here. January 16: Kindergarten Roundup at ECE Maddox - Come check out all of the elementary schools’ kindergarten programs at ECE (3:30-5:30 p.m.) January 20: NO SCHOOL  January 23: ECE @ Maddox-Building Unit Celebration (time TBD) January 24: Cherrelyn Pastries with the Principal (7:45-8:45 a.m.) January 30: Charles Hay STEAM Night (5:00–7:00 p.m.) *Cherrelyn Elementary has open school tours for interested 2025-2026 kindergarten families. Please call the main office to schedule a tour. *If you are interested in 2025-26 kindergarten at Bishop Elementary, please don't hesitate to contact to set up a school tour. ​ ​ ​ ​ Free and Low Cost Events: ​ January 9: Stock Show Kickoff Parade-Downtown January 11-26: National Western Stock Show January 12: Free Day: Denver Museum of Nature and Science January 20: Free Day: Denver Botanic Gardens (must pre-register) ​ ​ ​ ​ Community ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 💛 Honoring Our Englewood School Board Members 💙 ​ In our close-knit Englewood community, our school board members are more than leaders—they’re your neighbors, fellow parents, and friends. These remarkable individuals serve as unpaid volunteers, dedicating countless hours to ensuring our schools provide the best opportunities for every student. January is School Board Appreciation Month, a time to reflect on their tireless commitment and express our gratitude for their service. Their efforts impact every corner of our district, from shaping policies to supporting educators and families. Next time you see one of our five board members—whether at morning drop-off, the grocery store, or a neighborhood event—take a moment to thank them for all they do to help our students thrive. Let’s celebrate these champions of education who make Englewood Schools a place where students can grow, learn, and succeed. ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 🌟 Join Us for Cocoa with the Popo! 🌟 ​ Start 2025 on a warm note with an engaging community event! 📅 When: Wednesday, January 29, 2025 🕒 Time: 3:00–5:00 PM (Short presentation at 3:45 PM) 📍 Where: Englewood Police Department, 3615 S Elati St, Englewood, CO 80110 Come tour the Police Department, meet with Dispatcher and Officers, and learn what happens when you call 9-1-1—all while enjoying cocoa and great conversation! We can’t wait to see you there! 🍫👮‍♂️ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Good News Stories ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Holiday Stocking Drive at EMS/ELA ​ We are thrilled to share that the 3rd Annual Stocking Stuffer Drive at EMS/ELA was a wonderful success! Thanks to the generous support from our dedicated staff and community members, we were able to provide over 80 stockings to families in need of a little extra cheer this holiday season. Your contributions made a significant difference, and we are grateful for your kindness and support! And a huge thank you to the middle school mental health team at EMS/ELA--Heather Lococo, Mikayla Malabanan, Lindsay Martinez, and Rian Raduege. Their dedication and support of our entire community is unparalleled! We are so grateful to them! ​ ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Assistant Principal Alicia Postelli presents at National Learning Forward Conference ​ Alicia Postelli, Assistant Principal at Clayton Elementary, recently presented at the National Learning Forward Conference alongside the President of Frontline, discussing the significant impact that data reports can have on shaping instructional practices. Congratulations, Alicia, on this remarkable achievement! ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Opportunity, Access and Inclusion (OAI) ​ ​ ​ ​ Inclusive Excellence ​ Happy 2025 to the Englewood Schools community! What reflections or rituals do you practice to ring in the new year? As educators, most of the year centers on helping others grow, belong, and thrive. How do you ensure you do the same? For the last several years, I started the quiet practice of mindfulness, vision-boarding, and setting an intention of how I’d like to show up this year– I want to keep my intention simple, so I don’t lose track of it come March… in 2024, my word was balance. In 2025, I intend to approach the year's ups and downs and in-betweens by cultivating awe in my everyday life. This NYT Article on How a Bit of Awe Can Improve Your Health discusses how awe actually activates the vagal nerves, which can slow heart rate, support digestion‌, deepen breathing, and even help quell negative self-talk. I also know that awe will be relatively easy to come upon this year… I am expecting my first child at the end of this month. Even after working in education for so many years, children's bright energy, compassion, and wisdom never cease to bring me a sense of awe. I am ready to bask in awe as I experience the humanity of my own baby take shape.  ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Of course, due to this amazing experience of birth, I will be out of the office for maternity leave over the next few months. So, I wanted to frontload for you some upcoming heritage months, resources, and events of note: January 29th marks the beginning of the Lunar New Year, one of the most important celebrations in many East and Southeast Asian cultures, including the Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese communities. 2025 ushers in the Year of the Wood Snake (the Chinese Zodiac attributes 12 animals and their qualities to each year, as well as 5 elements that are believed to influence one’s energy). ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ The community we have here in Englewood Schools truly is something special, and I’ll miss you all while I’m gone! I am looking forward to hearing about all the Opportunity, Access, and Inclusion successes you all celebrate while I am away. In partnership, Dr. Rana Razzaque  Rana_Razzaque@engschools.net Director of Opportunity, Access, and Inclusion ​ ​ ​ ​ Board of Education ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Board of Education Updates ​ Upcoming Board of Education Meetings: On January 7, 2025, at 6:00 p.m., the Board of Education will hold its Regular Meeting in person at ECE at Maddox - 3838 S. Huron St. and streamed online here.  Please complete this form by noon on January 7, 2025, to participate in public comment at this meeting. The full agendas of all board meetings will be posted on our website the Friday before each meeting. Check out all Board Policies located on our website. ​ ​ ​ ​ Get Social With Us! ​ ​ ​ ​ facebook ​ ​ ​ ​ Instagram ​ ​ ​ ​ YouTube ​ ​

Thursday, Jan 02 2025

Monthly Family Newsletter - December 5, 2024

​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Monthly Family Newsletter December 5, 2024 ​ ​ ​ ​ A Message from the Superintendent - Home and School Partnership ​ Dear Families,   Friendship can be the bond that motivates students to look forward to going to school. Positive and strong friendships develop over a student’s time in school. Some students find their best friend in elementary school and retain that strong friendship throughout a lifetime. Others find the friends they connect with in middle school and then again in high school. I was fortunate to meet my best friend in Ms. Anthenat’s 7th-grade math class; we are still connected to this day. Not only do students make lasting friendships while in school, but so do parents. These relationships often grow over time, some forming instantly, while others, like a plant, require care and nurture to flourish year after year. ​ ​ ​ ​ Friendships are more apt to develop in a strong community. The stronger the community, the more we feel like we belong and the more open we are to letting others in. A community, by definition, is a feeling of fellowship with others that results in sharing common attitudes, interests, and goals. In Englewood, I see and feel a strong connection throughout our community. At the Clayton Math Night, families gathered and connected around posters to solve math equations. Mr. Hoganson, the principal, greeted families who then connected with the former principal, Ms. Buster, who is now our Director of Learning Services. The community connection is strong and filled with familiar faces. At our ECE at Maddox, Ms. Kara Blanchard has been a leader for over 15 years. She greets families with a warm smile at the door every morning. At Englewood High School, during the Showcase Night, I saw students who grew up together connect in the halls and discuss what this next step might hold for them. I saw staff welcoming new faces and reassuring them that they would find a home and connection at EHS. Mr. Smith, the EHS principal who has led the faculty for over 8 years, talked with families about Advanced Placement classes and the importance of understanding the content, not just earning a grade. These four leaders are examples of creating a strong community so that the school's culture is one of friendship and belonging. ​ ​ ​ ​ Through Choice Enrollment, you can share the community and friendship you feel here in Englewood with others. Round one of Choice Enrollment for families that live outside our district opens on Friday, December 6, and closes on Friday, January 19.  I understand you have a choice when selecting the school your child attends. Englewood has strong academic offerings and is ripe with opportunities for lasting friendships. A lifetime of connection with our community awaits as you enter the doors of Englewood Schools. In Partnership, Joanna ​ ​ ​ ​ District News and Department Updates ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Exciting Choice Enrollment Announcement ​ Get ready! The Round One Choice Enrollment window opens December 6 - January 19 for the 2025/26 school year! Englewood Schools offers diverse, tailored learning experiences, ensuring you'll find the perfect fit for your student. Act fast—space is limited! Submit your Choice Enrollment Application as soon as you decide. Applying during Round One increases your chances of acceptance! Who Should Apply?  Out-of-district students   Current Choice students moving up (Kindergarten, Middle School, High School)   Englewood residents wishing to attend a non-boundary school   Important: Applications are processed based on priority and first-come, first-served as space allows. You’ll receive decisions via email within two weeks after the enrollment window closes. Mark Your Calendars: Round Two runs February 1 - August 31, 2025. For more info, contact Kris Kochevar at 303-806-2051 or kristine_kochevar@engschools.net. Don't miss out—apply early! ​ ​ ​ ​ Safety & Security ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Meet Mark Edson, Our New Director of Safety & Security ​ We're excited to introduce Mark Edson as our new Director of Safety and Security. Mark brings a wealth of experience to Englewood Schools, having served in various roles in law enforcement and school district security. Most recently, Mark was the Security Services Manager for Boulder Valley School District, overseeing the safety of sixty schools. Before that, he held positions with Littleton Public Schools and the Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office. Mark's passion for serving students and staff, combined with his warm personality, makes him a perfect fit for our district. Please join us in extending a warm welcome to Mark! ​ ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ Safe2Tell Update ​ In our continued effort to create a safe learning environment, the Director of Safe2Tell (S2T), Stacy Jenkins and her colleague Brett Cogswell, Training and Outreach Coordinator, presented to the Board of Education on Tuesday, November 19, 2024. In the presentation, they reviewed the purpose of S2T – to save lives by preventing tragedy, how to make a report, and intriguing statistics like The National Threat Assessment Center Study found that 77% of the time, someone other than the perpetrator knew about the intended violence and failed to tell anyone. To watch the entire presentation, which begins at 6:18 p.m., visit our live meeting archives here. The next step is to hold a virtual town hall in February, during which Brett Cogswell will present information to families and give them the time and space to ask questions regarding this state-mandated tool. A specific date will be forthcoming. ​ ​ ​ ​ 2025-26 District Calendar ​ ​ ​ ​ Exciting News: 2025-26 School Year Calendar Finalized! ​ After carefully reviewing feedback from families and staff through our recent surveys, we are thrilled to announce the finalized 2025-26 school year calendar! Your input played a vital role in shaping the schedule, ensuring it reflects the needs and priorities of our school community. Here are a few highlights of the 2025-26 district calendar: First Day of School: August 13 Winter Break: December 22-January 6 Spring Break: March 16-20 Last Day of School: May 28 We are committed to providing a balanced calendar that supports both learning and time for rest and rejuvenation. Thank you to everyone who participated in the survey and helped guide this process. The 2025-26 and 2026-27 district calendars are now available on our district website. ​ ​ ​ ​ EMS/ELA Discussion ​ ​ ​ ​ Englewood Middle School and Englewood Leadership Academy ​ Englewood Middle School and Englewood Leadership Academy are two cherished schools in Englewood. At the request of the administration and families, the Board of Education is in the information-gathering stage of exploring a decision to combine Englewood Middle School (EMS) and Englewood Leadership Academy (ELA). It is paramount to the Board of Education that they hear from our community during this process. During the decision-making process, the Board will continue to seek community input through community gatherings, School Accountability Committee meetings, town halls, a survey, and formal recommendations that may include the Long Range Planning Committee, student group(s), administration, District leadership, and the District Accountability Committee. In order to ensure the Board is following a clear and transparent process, they discussed, made changes to, and passed Board Policy FCB. In the coming weeks, more communication will follow in a separate letter from the Board of Education. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Grants ​ ​ ​ ​ A Titlewave of New Books! ​ Thanks to a grant from the Colorado State Department of Education, new books are flooding the library shelves of all nine Englewood schools. At Cherrelyn Elementary, the grant funds were used solely on popular titles translated into Spanish. According to Dr. Laura Harringa, the principal at Cherrelyn, an enhanced excitement has infiltrated the student body as the selection of Spanish titles continues to increase. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Books connect us. They educate, open up worlds, birth creativity, and enrich. We're thrilled that new, highly demanded, grade-level-appropriate books will appear on Englewood Schools' library shelves in the next couple of months! ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ District Events | Free and Low Cost Events ​ ​ ​ ​ District Events: ​ December 6: Bishop Spotlight Assembly (8-9 a.m.) December 6: EMS/ELA Winter Social (4:30-6:00 p.m.) December 7: Englewood Band and Choir perform at the Englewood Tree Lighting (4-6 p.m.) December 9: Charles Hay Skate City Night (6-8 p.m.) December 12: Clayton New Family Tour (9-9:40 a.m.) December 12: Charles Hay Kindergarten Tour (8:30-9:15 a.m.) December 12: EMS/ELA/EHS Holiday Choir Concert (7:00 p.m.) December 17: Jingle @ Engle(wood) Holiday Band Concert @ EHS (6:00 p.m.) December 20-January 6: No School for Students ​ ​ ​ ​ Free and Low Cost Events: ​ December 7: Denver Parade of Lights December 8: Free Day: Denver Museum of Nature and Science December 29: Hanukkah Celebration Hosted by Chabad of Cherry Creek Events to Celebrate the Holidays: here  ​ ​ ​ ​ Community ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​Join Us for an Evening of Spectacular Music and Community Fun! ​ 🎶 Mark your calendars for a night to remember! On December 17, 2024, our talented middle and high school bands are taking center stage to deliver an unforgettable evening of music, camaraderie, and delicious treats. 🕕 The evening begins at 6:00 p.m. with our Middle School Band Concert in Fisher Auditorium, showcasing our young musicians' budding talent and hard work. 🍪 Take a break between shows to enjoy a Bake Sale and Social Hour in the commons, featuring live performances by our High School Chamber Music Ensembles. It's the perfect opportunity to savor sweet treats, connect with friends, and support our music program! 🎺 The grand finale starts at 8:00 p.m. as the High School Band returns to Fisher Auditorium, delivering a show-stopping performance you won’t want to miss. ✨ Don’t miss this special night celebrating our students’ musical achievements and the vibrant spirit of our school community! Bring your family, friends, and neighbors—there’s something for everyone to enjoy. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ Exciting Opportunity - Belm, Germany for Spring Break 2025 ​ Are you an Englewood High School student in grades 10 or 11 looking for an exciting way to spend spring break March 15 – 22, 2025? The City of Englewood and the Englewood Rotary are supporting the sponsorship of students to be part of a week-long exchange program with our sister city in Belm, Germany. Six students will be selected based on this Google Form Application—the deadline to complete the application is December 19, 2024, to be considered for selection. You will be notified by January 10, 2025. Students must be residents of the City of Englewood. Date: March 15-22, 2025 Location: Belm, Germany Cost: The estimated trip cost will be $1,350, with a minimum of $1,250 provided by the City of Englewood and the Englewood Rotary Club to help cover the cost. Selected students will be invited to participate in one or more fundraisers to cover additional costs and to spend money on souvenirs. Who: Six (6) Englewood Schools' High School Students, one teacher chaperone, and two City of Englewood and Englewood Schools representatives. What: Experience what it is like to be a student in a foreign country and represent Englewood to the City of Belm, Germany. Each of the six selected students will live with a German host family for Spring Break, March 15-22, 2025. You will tour the City of Belm and the surrounding region, visit the local high school, and experience the culture, food and people of Germany. ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ General Manager of the New Blue Sky Car Wash: A Hometown Success Story ​ Blue Sky Car Wash proudly introduces their General Manager, Cecil Ondack, a true Englewood success story! A graduate of Englewood High School’s Class of 2016, he grew up in the community, attending Charles Hay Elementary and excelling academically and athletically. As a captain of the football, basketball, and baseball teams, he embraced the values of hard work, teamwork, and leadership. With a strong foundation in community pride and business skills honed in college, he is excited to bring his passion for excellence to Englewood’s newest car wash. He looks forward to delivering top-notch service and building lasting connections with customers. Scan the QR code for a FREE car wash! ​ ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Englewood Education Foundation - Community Night with the Denver Nuggets ​ Detroit Pistons vs. Denver Nuggets - Saturday, December 28 at 7:00 p.m. Atlanta Hawks vs. Denver Nuggets - Wednesday, January 1 at 7:00 p.m. Click the button below to purchase for either night. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Purchase Tickets ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Good News Stories ​ ​ ​ ​ Clayton’s Community Garden: Growing More Than Just Crops ​ While the seeds and soil may be resting for the season, the memory of Clayton’s recent harvest is still fresh—and bountiful! For over 15 years, the Clayton Community Garden has been more than a plot of land; it’s been a vibrant hub where neighbors connect, students learn, and fresh produce flourishes. Thanks to the dedication of Allison Krzesinski and master gardener Becky Clemons (a beloved former Englewood Schools staff member), this cherished garden continues to thrive. Their leadership, combined with the efforts of countless volunteers, has made the Clayton Garden a cornerstone of collaboration and growth. Check out the video below to see how this special space unites the community and creates meaningful opportunities for our students. Congratulations to Clayton for cultivating not just plants but a sense of belonging and shared purpose. Here’s to many more seasons of connection and abundance! 🌱✨ ​ ​ ​ ​ Opportunity, Access and Inclusion (OAI) ​ ​ ​ ​ Inclusive Excellence ​ Human diversity comes in many forms: religious or spiritual beliefs, ability, home language, race, ethnicity, gender identity, socio-economic status, neurodiversity, family structures, and the list goes on… how beautiful to have such depth and breadth within one species, and how amazing to have the opportunity to develop compassion across not only our similarities but also our uniqueness. Belonging is a fundamental need, and when people experience a lack of belonging, it can lead to worse outcomes in physical health, mental health, socio-economic gains, social well-being, educational outcomes, and so on.  Even today, after generations of progress on civil rights and social issues, different groups often experience the world unequally and have more or less access to resources simply based on who they are. This includes children who live in rural areas, children who are socio-economically disadvantaged, children with disabilities, children who are not White, children who are learning to speak English, children who are gay, children who are gender fluid, children who are homeless, and the list, unfortunately, goes on… In order to achieve belonging on an interpersonal and systemic level, we need to consider the barriers that might exist for different groups, as well as the privileges that might exist for ourselves.  It’s difficult, messy work to BOTH shift our lenses and our mirrors– meaning, being critical observers of the outside world but also critical interrogators of what is happening inside of ourselves as well. That said, as Gloria Anzaldúa wrote: "The struggle has always been inner, and is played out in outer terrains. Awareness of our situation must come before inner changes, which in turn come before changes in society. Nothing happens in the "real" world unless it first happens in the images in our heads."  ​ ​ ​ ​ It’s difficult, messy work to BOTH shift our lenses and our mirrors– meaning, being critical observers of the outside world but also critical interrogators of what is happening inside of ourselves as well. That said, as Gloria Anzaldúa wrote: "The struggle has always been inner, and is played out in outer terrains. Awareness of our situation must come before inner changes, which in turn come before changes in society. Nothing happens in the "real" world unless it first happens in the images in our heads."  So, my challenge for all of us this season (and beyond) is to raise our awareness of societal disparities (including, perhaps, the less obvious ones) and the role we play in perpetuating or disrupting those disparities. What does that look like for you and/or your family? What impact has it had? Send me an email and let me know the highlights and, of course, what support you need along the way. In partnership, Dr. Rana Razzaque  Rana_Razzaque@engschools.net Director of Opportunity, Access, and Inclusion ​ ​ ​ ​ Board of Education ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Board of Education Updates ​ Upcoming Board of Education Meetings: On January 7, 2025, at 6:00 p.m., the Board of Education will hold its Regular Meeting in person at ECE at Maddox - 3838 S. Huron St. and streamed online here.  Please complete this form by noon on January 7, 2025, to participate in public comment at this meeting. The full agendas of all board meetings will be posted on our website the Friday before each meeting. Updated Board Policies: Updates to Board policies IKF, IKF-E, IKF-E-1, IKF-E-2, IKF-E-3, and IKF-E-4 were approved for the first reading on November 5, 2024, and 2nd reading on December 3, 2024. Board Policy FCB was approved for the first reading on November 19, 2024, and the second reading on December 3, 2024. Check out all Board Policies located on our website. ​ ​ ​ ​ Get Social With Us! ​ ​ ​ ​ facebook ​ ​ ​ ​ Instagram ​ ​ ​ ​ YouTube ​ ​

Thursday, Dec 05 2024

Monthly Family Newsletter - November 7, 2024

​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Monthly Family Newsletter November 7, 2024 ​ ​ ​ ​ A Message from the Superintendent - Home and School Partnership ​ Dear Englewood Schools’ Families, It was wonderful to see how many families attended conferences at our schools last month. Most of our schools had over 80% of parents/guardians attend conferences. Connecting with the dedicated educators who teach your students is powerful. You and your students' teachers are working toward the same goal: student success in and out of the classroom. Researchers have point­ed to one key suc­cess fac­tor that is prevalent across various studies, and that success factor is parent and family involve­ment and engagement.  Englewood Schools encourages and welcomes families into our school communities. There are many ways families can engage in their children’s education, including attending school gatherings such as fall festivals, reading with their students every night, supporting them with homework, and attending their conferences/activities/athletic events. A family’s presence in a student’s educational experience and environment increases academic performance and motivation to do well in school. Being involved is one way to show you care.  When the relationship between school and home is stronger, our students know that there is a support system they can lean into, and that cheers them on to do well. As educators, we hold the pri­ma­ry respon­si­bil­i­ty your student’s education. The Annie E. Casey Foundation states, “While teach­ers can offer advice, fam­i­lies and care­givers have impor­tant infor­ma­tion about their chil­dren that teach­ers may not know. So a student’s learn­ing expe­ri­ence is enriched when both bring their per­spec­tives to the table.” Thank you for enriching your child’s educational experience by being part of our school community.  Your children are one of the most important things in your life. We understand that and want to thank you for trusting us with the education of your student. In Partnership, Joanna Polzin ​ ​ ​ ​ Emergency Response Communication, Transition and Safe2Tell Update ​ ​ ​ ​ Emergency Response Communication In addition to sharing the Standard Response Protocol from the I Love You Guys Foundation (English PDF and Spanish PDF), I wanted to let you know that we have standardized our emergency communication templates in Parent Square. We will test our emergency communication templates through Parent Square over winter break on Saturday, January 4, 2025, around 1:00 p.m.  ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Transition Mandy Braun, Director of Safety and Security, will retire at the end of December. For 28 years, she has held many leadership roles in Englewood Schools, and we truly appreciate her service! The new Director of Safety and Security will be announced in the December newsletter.  Safe2Tell The Director of Safe2Tell, Stacey Jenkins, and her lead trainer will present to the Board of Education at their work session on Tuesday, November 19, at 6:00 p.m. The location is ECE Maddox, 3838 S Huron Street. The public is welcome to attend. After their presentation to the Board, a Town Hall for our community will be scheduled to learn about S2T and ask questions. ​ ​ ​ ​ District News and Department Updates ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Exciting Choice Enrollment Announcement ​ Get ready! The Round One Choice Enrollment window opens December 6 - January 19 for the 2025/26 school year! Englewood Schools offers diverse, tailored learning experiences, ensuring you'll find the perfect fit for your student. Act fast—space is limited! Submit your Choice Enrollment Application as soon as you decide. Applying during Round One increases your chances of acceptance! Who Should Apply?  Out-of-district students   Current Choice students moving up (Kindergarten, Middle School, High School)   Englewood residents wishing to attend a non-boundary school   Important: Applications are processed based on priority and first-come, first-served as space allows. You’ll receive decisions via email within two weeks after the enrollment window closes. Mark Your Calendars: Round Two runs February 1 - August 31, 2025. For more info, contact Kris Kochevar at 303-806-2051 or kristine_kochevar@engschools.net. Don't miss out—apply early! ​ ​ ​ ​ 2025-26 Calendar Survey Deadline to Complete - 11/15/24 ​ ​ ​ ​ Help Choose the 2025-26 School Year Calendar! ​ The calendar drafts were carefully created using the Englewood Schools Calendar Values to guide the decision-making process. Many factors were taken into account during their creation; however, one primary focus is to support student learning and teacher instruction. Therefore, breaks and non-student contact days are grouped together so as to limit interruptions to full, normally scheduled weeks of learning as much as possible. Thank you for taking the time to complete this survey by November 15. Your input is very valuable to our district and your voice will carry equal weight to all other stakeholders. ​ ​ ​ ​ Choose Next Year's Calendar ​ ​ ​ ​ EHS Showcase Night November 14, 2024 - 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Join Us for Englewood High School Showcase Night! ​ Get ready for an exciting evening at the Englewood High School Showcase Night on Thursday, November 14th, from 6:00 to 8:00 PM. Kick off the night in the Venue at 6:00 PM with a warm welcome from Principal Smith. Then, at 6:30 PM, dive into the heart of our school! Move to the Spine to chat with our dedicated staff and discover the incredible courses and programs we offer. But that’s not all! From 6:30 PM to 7:30 PM, we’ll offer guided building tours every 15 minutes, giving you a firsthand look at our vibrant school community. Don’t miss this fantastic opportunity to explore what Englewood High School offers. We can’t wait to see you there! ​ ​ ​ ​ Grants ​ ​ ​ ​ Creativity Grants Awarded! ​ The Englewood Education Foundation has announced the winners of its annual Creativity Grants. Eleven applications were submitted from Englewood teachers, and the Foundation awarded over $13,500. This money will fund various student-focused, innovative learning opportunities in all grade levels. We are so appreciative of the Englewood Education Foundation and its continued support of preparing all Englewood students for future success through learning, leading, engagement, and action. ​ ​ ​ ​ Make a Difference: Dine to support Teacher Creativity Grants ​ Show your support for Englewood Schools! Join the Englewood Education Foundation between 3 and 8 p.m. on November 14 at C Burger, located at Belleview and Broadway, to help fund teacher creativity grants. Remember to mention the fundraiser! ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Learning Services ​ ​ ​ ​ Englewood Schools: Interim 1 Success and What It Means for Your Child ​ We’ve wrapped up Interim 1 testing and have some exciting news to share with our Englewood families! Interim assessments play a key role in tracking how our students are growing academically, and they help us prepare for the state tests in April (CMAS, PSAT, and SAT). Thanks to the hard work of our teachers, administrators, and students, we are seeing some impressive improvements. Celebrating Growth in Math and English Language Arts This year, more students are scoring proficient (levels 4 and 5) on the Interim 1 Math test compared to last year, and we are on track to hit an all-time high in math proficiency by February’s Interim 3. In addition to these gains in math, we’ve also seen an increase in proficiency across several grade levels in both Math and English Language Arts. These results clearly indicate the hard work being put in by both students and staff, and we couldn’t be more excited about the progress we’re seeing. As we continue into the school year, these assessments will help us ensure that all students are prepared for the challenges ahead and ready for success on state testing. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Continued Growth Year After Year Englewood Schools has seen steady improvements in student performance over the past five years. The chart below shows interim Math and ELA data from the last four years. While scores can fluctuate between assessments and student groups, the overall trend has been one of growth. Congratulations to our students and staff for helping to build a new tradition of excellence at Englewood Schools! Thank you for your continued support of our schools—together, we’re helping our students achieve great things! ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Opportunity, Access and Inclusion (OAI) ​ ​ ​ ​ Inclusive Excellence ​ November is Native American Heritage Month! Colorado has been held in stewardship by over 40 tribal nations who were forcibly removed from this land. Even though they faced genocide, colonization, and other atrocities, the presence of Native people and culture continues to enrich our communities. This is an impactful month to consider Native perspectives and culture and build our own awareness. Thanksgiving is right around the corner, and while many people enjoy traditions like celebrating with family, practicing gratitude, and charitable giving, please consider that this might not be a joyous time for everyone: Teaching Thanksgiving in a Socially Responsible Way. At Home Resources Native Land is an app to help map Indigenous territories, treaties, and languages. It populated information form around the world, and I personally love using it when I travel to different places, so I can better understand the root people and culture of where I am. 10 Ways to Celebrate Native American Heritage Month - great ideas of things to do solo or as a family! Here are some of my favorite books about Native/Indigenous heritage, but there are many others to choose from: Adults: An Indigenous Peoples’ History of the United States  Secondary: An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States for Young People Elementary: Remember by Joy Harjo ​ ​ ​ ​ Check out these Upcoming Opportunities and Celebrations: If you are looking to address conflicts about identity/cultural bias, check out these Talk Moves. If you have ideas or celebrations to share about OAI in Englewood, let me know in this survey: Community Perspectives on Opportunity, Access, and Inclusion (Spanish: Perspectivas de la Comunidad Sobre la Oportunidad, el Acceso, y la Inclusión).  In partnership, Dr. Rana Razzaque  Rana_Razzaque@engschools.net Director of Opportunity, Access, and Inclusion ​ ​ ​ ​ Winter Weather Procedures ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Winter Weather Information and Procedures ​ It is that time of year when winter weather begins to roll into Colorado. As a friendly reminder, our updated procedures for weather delays and closures are on our website. Communication about weather delays and closures will be made through ParentSquare, the Englewood Schools’ website, phone calls, emails, television news outlets, Facebook, and Instagram. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ District Events | Free and Low Cost Events ​ ​ ​ ​ District Events: ​ November 8: Bishop Fall Showcase of Learning (3-5 p.m.) November 14: EHS Showcase Night (6-8 p.m.) November 20: Clayton Math Night (4-6 p.m.) November 21: ECE STEAM Night (5-6:30 p.m.) November 22: Cherrelyn Pastries with the Principal (7:45-8:45 a.m.) November 25-29: No School ​ ​ ​ ​ Free and Low Cost Events: ​ November 1-10: Denver Arts Week (various activities across Denver) November 14: Englewood Schools/Englewood Education Foundation Fundraiser at CBurger (3-8 p.m.) November 18: Free Day: Denver Museum of Nature and Science (9-5 p.m.) November 22: Englewood Turkey Fest  (11 a.m. - 1 p.m.) December 7: Englewood Holiday Market and Tree Lighting  (Market - 9 a.m. - 4 p.m., Tree lighting 4 - 6 p.m.) ​ ​ ​ ​ Community ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Library Strategic Plan - Feedback Wanted! ​ Englewood Public Library is developing a strategic plan to develop a long-range roadmap for EPL services and programs. This is an opportunity for us to engage community members and gain feedback on how the library can best serve our community's needs. Over the next few months, we will conduct focus groups, interviews, surveys, and pop-up events to ensure all voices are heard. What is your wish for the library? This is your opportunity to let us know as we plan. The process will unfold through five phases. More details can be found on the Library Strategic Plan Project Website. Updates on the process can be found on the library's website, so check back often to view the progress made. The anticipated timeline to complete the strategic plan project is September 2024 to April 2025. Scan one of the QR Codes above or click here to visit the strategic plan website and provide your feedback to help us plan for the future. ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Community Night with the Denver Nuggets ​ Detroit Pistons vs. Denver Nuggets - Saturday, December 28 at 7:00 p.m. Atlanta Hawks vs. Denver Nuggets - Wednesday, January 1 at 7:00 p.m. See the Flyer for details, and click the button below to purchase for either night. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Purchase Tickets ​ ​ ​ ​ Good News Stories ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Marie LeBlanc's NAME Conference Shines ​ Marie LeBlanc, Medicaid Coordinator, helped organize and put on an incredible National Alliance for Medicaid in Education (NAME) conference! This four-day conference was attended by 545 people, the highest registration ever! Hosted at the Marriott in the Denver Tech Center, Marie was the local NAME Board Member who helped ensure a very successful event. Congratulations, Marie, and thank you for your dedication to Medicaid in Education. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Students Participating in Colorado Free Application Days ​ We're thrilled to celebrate our students who applied to college during Colorado Free Application Days last week. Over 70 applications were submitted—let's keep the momentum going! If you haven't submitted your application yet, there's still time to start your journey towards higher education. Contact postsecondary advisor Lexie Allen at lexie_allen@engschools.net and your school counselor for support. To see other students who participated, check out the Facebook post from October 23. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ Colorado's Finest Celebrates "Dress Like Day" ​ Colorado's Finest recently celebrated "Dress Like Day," a fun event where students and staff members swapped roles for a day. The school was abuzz with excitement as students donned teacher attire, including muscles, while teachers sported hats, jeans, and sneakers. The event was a huge success, fostering a sense of camaraderie and creativity among the school community. Students and staff enjoyed stepping outside their comfort zones and experiencing a different perspective! ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ EMS and ELA Raise $500 for Disabled American Veterans ​ This will help those disabled while serving this country and also go towards buying our Field of Flags, which will be displayed on the front lawn on Veterans Day, November 11th. Thank you to all who participated and donated. When it is finished, we will include a picture of our Field of Flags! ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Clayton's Principal Tricycle Challenge ​ Once again, Clayton's fearless leaders powered up for the annual tricycle challenge, where they competed against each other in a high-stakes tricycle race. Ms. Damjanovich was the fastest tricycle racer at this successful event! As always, it was a hilarious and heartwarming spectacle for all. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Board of Education ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Board of Education Updates ​ Upcoming Board of Education Meetings: On November 19, 2024, at 6:00 p.m., the Board of Education will hold a Work Session in person at ECE at Maddox - 3838 S. Huron St., and streamed online here. On December 3, 2024, at 6:00 p.m., the Board of Education will hold its Regular Meeting in person at ECE at Maddox - 3838 S. Huron St. and streamed online here.  To participate in Public Comment at this meeting, please complete this form by noon on December 3, 2024, The full agendas of all board meetings will be posted on our website the Friday before each meeting. Updated Board Policies: At the October 1, 2024, Regular Board Meeting, the following board policy updates were approved for the first and second readings on November 6, 2024: GBA, GBJ, GCE-GCF, GDE-GDF and IKFB. Check out all Board Policies. ​ ​ ​ ​ Get Social With Us! ​ ​ ​ ​ facebook ​ ​ ​ ​ Instagram ​ ​ ​ ​ YouTube ​ ​

Thursday, Nov 07 2024

Monthly Family Newsletter - October 3, 2024

​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Monthly Family Newsletter October 3, 2024 ​ ​ ​ ​ A Message from the Superintendent ​ Dear Englewood Schools' Families, The last two weeks were atypical with regard to the false reporting through Safe2Tell. Through this challenging time, I have an immense amount of gratitude for our community pulling together to support each other. Concerned parents and guardians attended our Town Hall where they heard from the Deputy Chief of Police at the Englewood Police Department, our Director of Safety and Security, members of the Board of Education, and me. We answered questions and received helpful suggestions on communicating better with our community.  One of the suggestions was to explain the Standard Response Protocol in a timely manner. Below, I review the five protocols we use in Englewood Schools from the I Love You Guys Foundation. Standard Response Protocol or SRP was developed after the Platte River tragedy in Bailey, Colorado. SRP is “A uniform, planned, and practiced response to any incident is the foundation of a safe school. Safe business. Safe community. The SRP is action-based, flexible, and easy to learn. It rationally organizes tactics for response to weather events, fires, accidents, intruders, and other threats to personal safety,” according to the website. It is the system most Colorado school districts use. SRP uses five specific protocols: Hold, Secure, Lockdown, Evacuate, and Shelter. All of our staff have been trained in SRP. SRP posters are located on the walls in all classrooms and learning spaces, explaining what each protocol means. Linked are the Parent/Guardian versions that explain each protocol: English PDF and Spanish PDF. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Hold ​ Students are trained to clear the hallways and remain in their area or room until the “All Clear” is announced. It is business as usual inside the classrooms. Sometimes a Hold might be used when there is a medical emergency involving a student or staff member. If that is the case, we will not send out a communication to the community that students were in a Hold. If it is an emergency situation due to a threat, then you will be informed, and Englewood Schools will use RedBag (see below for more information on RedBag) to communicate to all classrooms and areas of the building. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Secure Perimeter ​ Students are trained to return to the inside of the building. It is business as usual inside the entire building. This might be used if there is police activity in the area (high-speed car chase, bank robbery, etc.) or a wild animal. Depending on the situation, the principal may communicate to families that the building was on Secure for a short period. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Lockdown ​ Students are trained to move away from sight, maintain silence, and not open the door. Drills for Lockdown will always be announced ahead of time. If a school goes into Lockdown, you will receive a message from the District office (which will most likely be me). ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Evacuate ​ Students are trained to leave their stuff behind if they are asked to by an officer or a staff member. They may also be asked to bring their phones—it depends, and they must follow instructions. A fire drill is a good example of when students and staff evacuate a building. If a school needs to evacuate to another site, you will receive a message from the District office. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Shelter ​ Examples of hazards that might be used to call a Shelter are a tornado or a hazmat situation. Students may evacuate to the shelter area or seal the room. You will most likely hear from the District office if students need Shelter in Place. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Safety will always be our number one priority. When students feel safe, then they can learn. If your student is having a challenging time after the false and unfounded threats over the last two weeks, please reach out to your school counselors and administrators. They are prepared to help.  I am hopeful that Englewood Schools will continue to come together and support each other during this unprecedented time. In Partnership, Joanna Polzin ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ RedBag ​ In 2023-24, Englewood Schools invested in a program called RedBag to better communicate to our students and staff during a lockdown incident, both in terms of physical and psychological safety. We have RedBags in every secure area across our district, and each bag contains life-saving first aid supplies as well as a QR code to access a secure communication tool that can provide critical information to staff and students inside a classroom during a lockdown emergency. All of our staff have been trained on how to use RedBag. Thanks to helpful feedback from our community, this year we will be training students on it as well. If you would like to learn more about this program, you can visit their website or scan a QR code on any RedBag next time you visit one of our schools. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ParentSquare ​ ParentSquare is our districtwide communication tool for sharing information, signing up for conferences, and signing permissions (among other items). On top of serving as a general communication tool, ParentSquare is our emergency communications tool. When urgent messages need to go out to the community, we use ParentSquare. We strongly encourage families to download the ParentSquare app to mobile devices. More information and download instructions can be found here. To ensure ParentSquare can connect you to general information and/or emergency communications, your information in Infinite Campus must be up-to-date and correct. Please ensure that all important phone numbers are accurate in Infinite Campus so ParentSquare can use the correct information for general updates and emergency communications. Additionally, ParentSquare provides parents with notification options for how and when families would like to receive notifications. To access your notifications settings, please click here (Spanish). Please note that any urgent communication that comes to you does not follow the notification settings on ParentSquare, nor can you turn that feature off. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ District News and Department Updates ​ ​ ​ ​ Grants ​ ​ ​ ​ What Do Grants Do for Me? ​ Grants often work mysteriously and wonderfully behind the scenes. Check out this graphic for a quick snapshot of just some of the ways that grants have supported and enhanced Englewood Schools' work. There are many more initiatives in the works, so stay tuned! ​ ​ ​ ​ Learning Services ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Zearn at Home ​ Zearn Math, a top-rated math learning platform that helps kids explore concepts, discover meaning, and make sense of math, is available to all K-8 students this year. Students can use their Clever account to access Zearn at home using the district portal under "Community Resources." Research has shown students who spend about 90 minutes per week and complete three lessons have the largest increases in math achievement. Questions? Contact your student's teacher or Jenny Buster, Director of Learning Services, at jenny_buster@engschools.net. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Post Secondary and Workforce Readiness ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Colorado Free College Application Days ​ Attention Families of Seniors! Colorado’s Free College Application Days are coming up on October 15 - 17, 2024. This is a fantastic opportunity for students to apply to participating Colorado colleges and universities without paying expensive application fees. Students should ensure their applications are ready to submit BEFORE the free application days. For help with your applications, email Lexie Allen at alexis_allen@engschools.net, the EHS and CFHSC postsecondary advisor. Check out the official Colorado Free College Application Days website for more details and a list of participating schools. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Opportunity, Access and Inclusion (OAI) ​ ​ ​ ​ Inclusive Excellence ​ Autumn is my favorite season. It’s my birthday season, and it’s the time of year when nature reminds us to nourish ourselves internally so we can stay resilient through externally harsh conditions. The last couple of weeks of September were not easy, and yet it has been such a gift to see our staff, students and families come together, support one another, and resolve to make this school year a great one. At this point, students have been in school for long enough to be more used to the school routine, and they are hopefully feeling a deeper sense of belonging in their classes as well. While I hope this is the case, I think we all know by now that hope is not enough; hope is not a strategy. So, let’s dig into what belonging actually looks and feels like in action. Belonging might seem mushy to define, but thankfully, Dr. Floyd Cobb and John Krownapple provide us with a concrete definition based on their research: “experiencing appreciation, validation, acceptance, and fair treatment within an environment. When people feel that they belong, they aren’t distracted and worried about being treated as a stereotype or a singular part of their multidimensional personhood.” ​ ​ ​ ​ With this definition in mind, let’s consider how we ensure that at school, work, and in our homes, we are working to ensure belonging without othering. According to the profound work of the Othering and Belonging Institute, this is how we get there: Inclusion: Belonging requires inclusion, equity, and creating spaces where everyone can fully participate and have their voice heard. Connection: Belonging thrives when there is a deep sense of connection, binding people to their community, institution, or group, ensuring solid and meaningful relationships. Recognition: Recognition and visibility foster a sense of belonging and deepen our connections. Agency: Belonging requires agency - the power to act and influence the systems we are part of. This means having control over our own lives and decisions and the collective power to shape the institutions, groups, and communities we belong to. ​ ​ ​ ​ Inclusion, connection, recognition, and agency profoundly shape my approach to OAI in Englewood, and I am looking forward to sharing some exciting updates very soon. In the meantime, check out these Upcoming Opportunities and Celebrations: Hispanic Heritage Month ends October 15th. This month, we’re also celebrating LGBTQ History Month, Conflict Resolution (or Bullying Prevention) Month, Dyslexia Awareness Month, and National Disability Employment Awareness Month.  If you are looking to address conflicts about identity/cultural bias, check out these Talk Moves. The second Monday of October is honored as Indigenous People’s Day in many cities. Halloween is a cherished holiday for some, but can also cause harm through culturally appropriative costumes and practices.  Use this survey to share your feedback, ideas or celebrations about OAI in Englewood: Community Perspectives on Opportunity, Access, and Inclusion (Spanish). In partnership, Dr. Rana Razzaque  rana_razzaque@engschools.net Director of Opportunity, Access, and Inclusion ​ ​ ​ ​ Community ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Parks and Recreation Bond - Public to Vote on Potential Improvements ​ The Englewood City Council has approved placing a question on the November ballot asking voters to consider selling bonds valued at approximately $41.5 million to fund parks and recreation improvements throughout the city. Read the ballot language in its entirety here. ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ Englewood Education Foundation - Community Nights ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Community Night with the Colorado Rapids ​ Colorado Rapids vs. Seattle Sounders, Saturday, October 5 at 7:30 p.m. See Flyer for details, or click the button below to purchase Rapids tickets. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Purchase Rapids Tickets ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Community Night with the Denver Nuggets ​ Detroit Pistons vs. Denver Nuggets - Saturday, December 28 at 7:00 p.m. Atlanta Hawks vs. Denver Nuggets - Wednesday, January 1 at 7:00 p.m. See the Flyer for details, and click the button below to purchase for either night. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Purchase Tickets ​ ​ ​ ​ District Events | Free and Low Cost Events ​ ​ ​ ​ District Events: ​ October 4: No School - Teacher Work Day October 9: Clayton Walk/Roll to School Event-( 7:30 - 8:45 a.m.) October 11: Charles Hay Field Day - (Check with child’s school for times) October 11: Bishop Spotlight Assembly (8-9 a.m.) October 15: ECE Book Fair (8-4 p.m.) October 15 & 16: Parent-Teacher Conferences (check your child’s school for times) October 17 & 18: No School  October 25: Cherrelyn Pastries with the Principal (7:45-8:45 a.m.) October 25: Cherrelyn Fall Festival (5-7 p.m.) October 25: Bishop Fall Festival (3:15-5:15 p.m.) October 29: EMS/ELA Trick or Treat Street (4:30-7 p.m.) ​ ​ ​ ​ Free and Low Cost Events: ​ October 12: Englewood Fire Dept. Pancake Breakfast and Open House October 19: Broadway Halloween Parade - (6:00 p.m.) October 19 Englewood Trunk or Treat (registration is required; click on the link to register) October 20: Free Day- Denver Museum of Nature and Science  October 26: Día de los Muertos: Remembering our Ancestors through Art ​ ​ ​ ​ Good News Stories ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Karla Shotts - CSMA Adviser of the Year ​ 🎉 We are thrilled to announce that Karla Shotts has been named the Colorado Student Media Association Adviser of the Year for 2024! 🌟 Karla, a dedicated adviser at Englewood High School, has made an incredible impact through her work with the Pirate Log Yearbook, PirateTV, The Pirateer Newspaper, and thepirateer.com news website. Her passion for student media enriches her students’ experiences and sets a standard of excellence within the community. In addition to her role at Englewood High, Karla serves as the Education Coordinator for the Colorado Student Media Association, demonstrating her commitment to fostering growth and innovation in student journalism across the state. Join us in celebrating Karla’s remarkable achievements and contributions to student media! For more details, check out the full CSMA Adviser Update. 🏆✨ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Bears Field Day Fun ​ What a fantastic day we had at our 2024 Bishop Field Day on Friday, September 20th! The sun was shining, the energy was high, and everyone had a blast. It was memorable, from the thrilling games and activities to the delicious picnic lunch and camaraderie. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ A special thank you to our dedicated staff, parent volunteers, and community partners who made Field Day a success. Your hard work and enthusiasm helped create a safe, fun, and joyous experience. We were thrilled to see so many smiling faces and hear laughter echoing throughout the field. The kids had a blast participating in sponge dodgeball, obstacle courses, clothing relay and more. Watching them cheer each other on and celebrate their accomplishments together was beautiful. We also want to express our gratitude to our superintendent, Joanna Polzin, who joined us for the day. Your presence made Field Day even more special and helped foster a sense of belonging and connection. Thank you, Ms. M., for making it possible we had a blast! ~ Sincerely, Sheri' Spenhoff, Principal ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Board of Education ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Upcoming Board of Education Meetings: On October 15, 2024, at 6:00 p.m., the Board of Education will hold a Work Session in person at ECE at Maddox - 3838 S. Huron St., and streamed online here. On Wednesday (due to the election), November 6, 2024, at 6:00 p.m., the Board of Education will hold its Regular Meeting in person at ECE at Maddox - 3838 S. Huron St. and streamed online here.  Please complete this form by noon on November 6, 2024, to participate in public comment at this meeting. Please note the full agendas of all board meetings will be posted in BoardDocs the Friday before each meeting. Updated Board Policies: At the September 17, 2024, Special Meeting, the following board policy updates were approved for the first reading and received the second reading of approval at the October 1, 2024 Meeting: GBJ, GBA, GCE/GCF, GDE/GDF and IKFB. Click the link to check out all Board Policies. ​ ​ ​ ​ Get Social With Us! ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ facebook ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Instagram ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ YouTube ​ ​

Thursday, Oct 03 2024