Posted September 6, 2024
Dear SKCEE Families and Friends,
Happy 2024-2025 School Year!
We are thirteen days in, and it has been a wonderful launch. It is a joy to welcome you and your children each morning, and to get to play and learn with them during the day. As I said at orientation, it is a privilege to be trusted with your most precious gifts, and we love your children as if they were our own. We take the responsibility seriously, and our goal is to provide safe and joyful spaces where everyone feels a sense of belonging.
Thank you for supporting one another and our safety with your arrival and dismissal by driving and backing out slowly and carefully, being patient in the lots, using the crosswalk, and keeping your children within your reach. We also ask that you keep them with you in the hallways at dismissal and do not allow them to run ahead of you. We have 270 students and their families all dismissing at the same time, so we want to maintain order as we say goodbye.
Kindergarten families, thanks for your use of the Cory Shuttle or the kiss and go. In the kiss and go, please make sure to pull through and do not exit your car at arrival or dismissal.
Reminders, Kindergarten arrival window is 8:10 to 8:25, and dismissal is 3:10 to 3:25, and ECE front door arrival is 8:15-8:30 and dismissal is 3:00-3:15. All children must be picked up by dismissal time. The staff duty day is 7:30-3:30, so there is no one to attend to your children. Thanks for understanding.
We have many fun community activities coming up. Our staff is excited to celebrate with you at the PTA Fall Family Picnic. Your teachers will be here, and we hope you will join us outside after dismissal on Thursday, September 19th. Tie Dye Fridays are in full force, and we will be holding our annual tie dye days on Wednesday and Thursday, October 2nd and 3rd. Ms. Cookie will be sending details and a sign up your way soon. Make sure you get your child’s white tee before then!
Thank you for all you do for our Stephen Knight community. We are grateful!
In partnership,
Principal Shelley Boberschmidt
Private Therapy Providers in school:
We have had several requests for private providers to come in and support our students during the school day for things like speech, play, occupational therapies, etc. These requests are handled on an individual basis depending on the student needs such as a medical health care plan, a 504, or an IEP. Please reach out to Principal Shelley if you would like more information about the process.
Kindergarten Chromebooks:
For our families who were unable to pick up their child’s assigned chromebook at in person registration, we will be distributing them to kinder teachers by the end of September for you to receive. Teachers will share specific dates and procedures soon.
Probationary License:
As one of the one of only four Early Childhood centers in all of Denver Public Schools we have a unique opportunity to serve solely the youngest learners in the district. Because we operate as a state licensed child care center as well as a Denver Public School, we have a higher threshold for safety. As part of our collaboration with state licensing you will be receiving a letter from the Division of Early Learning Licensing and Administration (DELLA) informing you that our school will be on probation for the next six months. We assure you that all children will continue to be safe in our care. We look forward to this
opportunity to continue to implement the best policies and procedures, collaborate with DELLA and regain our permanent license. If you have any questions, please let us know.
Outdoor Education Team:
We have six staff who play with your children during the gross motor time in ECE every day. They create fun experiences like mud kitchens, water tables, painting, chalk, and so much more. Their work serves a dual purpose; to extend learning outdoors, and to give our classroom teachers and paras their lunch break. It is a beautiful partnership, and the children build strong relationships with the team. You probably hear your kids talking about these amazing women. From left to right in the picture below the teams of two, are Ms. Cristina and Ms. Keisha, who supervise rooms 119, 117, 115 and 104, Ms. Mona
and Ms. D (Deidra) who supervise 109, 116, 114 and 118, and Ms. Nayomi and Ms Lizzy, who supervise 110, 113, 112, and 108.
Thank you to our wonderful PTA board members, Lauren Busch, Kim Larson, Rachel Roth, and Marissa Girard for cleaning our disaster of a staff work room! This team accomplished in two hours what we couldn’t in weeks! We are grateful for your partnership.
From the PTA:
Hello SCKEE families! We’re excited for this school year, and look forward to the fun events and activities we have planned. The PTA is a great way to get involved and support our SCKEE community. Take a look at our newsletter, linked here, which includes upcoming school happenings and events as well as volunteer opportunities.
Monday, September 9: Afterschool Enrichments begin
Thursday, September 12: First CSC Meeting 3:45-4:45, First PTA Meeting 5:00-6:00 Childcare provided in room 108.
Monday, September 16: Dine Out at Ester’s Virginia Village from 4-8
Thursday, September 19: Fall Family Picnic 3:30-5:30
Friday, September 20: Picture Day
Friday, September 27: No School for Students DPS Professional Learning Day
Wednesday and Thursday, October 2 and 3: Tie-Dye Days! More info and volunteer opportunities to come!
Thursday and Friday, October 10 and 11: District Training Day and Mini Fall Break
Monday, October 14: School for ALL students, conferences will be last week in October more information to come!