Dunstan Newsletter
September 29th
Letter from the Principal
September 29, 2023
Greetings Parents and Guardians,
Thank you to those of you who attended Parent-Teacher Conferences last week! This was a nice opportunity for us to connect with you and to discuss your student(s) progress. Thank you PTA for the food you provided for our staff on the first night of Conferences! Our staff truly appreciates the support of our community!
Wednesday night we held our first Accountability Meeting of this school year (virtual and in-person in our Library). The dates of the meetings this year include: November 15, January 24, March 13, and April 17 from 5:30-7:00 PM. Together we dive deeply into our school data and improvement efforts. These meetings are also an opportunity to provide parent feedback to administration regarding the progress of the whole school.
Our CMAS Growth scores for Math are excellent! We are so proud of the work our Math teachers have done for the past few years. Our Median Growth Percentile in Math (you want to aim for 50 or higher (50 equates to students making 1 year of academic growth compared to their peers across Colorado): 6th = 54, 7th = 53, and 8th = 62! These were shared last night at our Accountability (SAC) Meeting.
We have growth to make in Language Arts. Our MGP in 6th = 38, 7th = 32, and 8th = 35. Our teachers are focusing on using the Standards to create grade level aligned reading and tasks. This year our teachers will give multiple common assessments and grade them together to learn how well students are understanding expectations and whether or not they are on grade level. We will continue to have meetings that help teachers accomplish this work throughout this school year - called Data-Driven Instruction meetings.
The students are doing well and acclimating to the school year. I am particularly proud of our students who are achieving strong academic grades and also getting involved in the school. Each morning our students who are involved in cross country are here and engaged with their coaches. It is a joy for me to see their level of excitement and commitment to physical wellbeing prior to starting school and engaging in learning!
Our 60 8th Grade WEB (Where Everybody Belongs) Leaders are another point of pride for our school. The WEB Leaders have met with their 6th grade groups several times so far this year. Along with the rest of the school, they are focusing on creating a sense of community and belonging for everyone. I am proud of their determination to be leaders and to positively impact the school!
This week our 8th Graders took a field trip to Warren Tech to visit their campus prior to high school. Taking this field trip early in their 8th grade year enables them to consider the possibilities and range of programs offered at Warren Tech. Our supervising staff members and parent volunteers said our students were engaged and well-behaved. Thank you to those of you who helped on this field trip for our students! I am proud that every 8th grade student was included on this field trip!
Our Tenor Boys Choir also took a field trip to a convention just for boys who are involved in choir at Ralston Valley High School. Other boys from choirs across Jeffco convene together at RVHS and it’s a great experience for them!
I am proud of our P.E. Department for bringing the mountain bikes back to Dunstan for students to enjoy. This is a week-long opportunity and our students seem to be enjoying the opportunity to do something different in P.E. Additionally, on Friday they are taking a group of students on one of the mountain biking trails on Green Mountain.
In the next few weeks we are excited to take our first On/Off Track field trip to Skate City. It is important that students are engaged academically, behaviorally (making good choices), and attend school regularly. While Dunstan has paid attention and monitored student attendance for several years, Jeffco is also prioritizing the importance of regular school attendance this year. Generally speaking, we advise students to miss 10 or fewer days each school year.
Last Friday was a non-student contact day for teacher learning. Our teachers and all schools in Jeffco are focused on making sure teachers deeply understand their content and that learning is highly accessible to students. Our instructional coach led us through learning about learning targets and success criteria, which are reviewed with students at the beginning of each class. The goal of this work is for each classroom to use learning targets and success criteria in similar ways so students can increase their independence as learners. A lot of educational research regarding effective instructional practices highlights the importance of teachers clearly knowing what they are teaching and deeply understanding their content. When teachers know their content this enables them to analyze and provide in the moment coaching to students who have a variety of learning styles and ability levels. As an administrator, it is a joy to see this work occur. We are seeing great gains with the teachers who openly embrace this model and then work collaboratively with peers to build better content!
Next Tuesday, October 3, we are hosting several Jeffco district employees who specialize in instruction and instructional design. They are visiting classrooms to see how well our teachers are embracing the focus on learning targets and success criteria. This team is also visiting other schools in Jeffco as well. This demonstrates that our district level leaders care and want to look for evidence that instructional practices are being improved across our school district.
The last piece that I want to communicate is our school-wide focus on appropriate language. This year we have experienced more dehumanizing language than we have had in previous years. Some of this language includes racially derogatory language, which has generated out of school suspension for students. Other language has included body comparisons pointing out who is physically developing and who is not. Our administrative team is consulting with district personnel who work in our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Office to craft lessons that will be delivered in Advise classes in the next few weeks. We will post these on our website for you to view. Please feel free to reach out to any of the following staff members with any questions and/or concerns. We are framing this working under the concept of belonging. If we want all students to feel a sense of belonging then we cannot have dehumanizing language that erodes a sense of belonging at school.
For parents who have recently given their students cell phones, please see the content below to ensure you are establishing practices that involve supervision and logical consequences if they are needed. Some of our 6th graders have recently had birthdays and parents gave them cell phones. We have been working with some 6th graders regarding chats that are unkind and also chats in which one student pretends to be another student. These sorts of things can occur very quickly in the world of social media and students, like adults, can unfortunately be quick to say negative things over texts. Generally speaking we advise students to really be careful before they press send and/or post something because once they do, it’s permanent.
With much love and respect,
Jennifer J. Pennell
8th Grade Field Trip to Warren Tech
Monday, September 25th - Monday, October 9th
- October Count Window
Monday, October 2nd
- October Count day (see below for more information)
- 6th Grade On/Off Track Field Trip from 9-2 PM
Thursday, October 5th
- 7th Grade On/Off Track Field Trip from 9-2 PM
Friday, October 6th
- 8th Grade On/Off Track Field Trip from 9-2 PM
Monday, October 9th
- On/Off Track letters go out to students
Wednesday, October 11th
- Musical Audition Workshop from 4-5:05 PM
Thursday, October 12th
- Picture re-take day from 9:40-11:15 AM
- DMS Band Concert (DMS Gym) @ 6:00 PM
Friday, October 13th
- GMHS Homecoming Parade @ 10 AM
Monday, October 16th
- Musical Auditions 4-6:30 PM @ DMS
Tuesday, October 17th
- Musical Auditions 4-6:30 PM @ DMS
Thursday, October 19th
- NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS (Fall Break)
- Professional Development Day for staff
Friday, October 20th
- NO SCHOOL (Fall Break)
Monday, October 23rd
- On/Off Track letters go out to students
- On/Off Track eligibility for field trip (Permission slips for On Track students go out)
Tuesday, October 24th
- Articulation area Accountability meeting- 5:30 PM @ DMS
Wednesday, October 25th
- Trick or Treat Street @ GMHS from 6-8 PM
Thursday, October 26th
- Choir Concert- 6PM @ DMS (Gym)
Friday, October 27th
- On/Off Track Field Trip Permission slips DUE
Important Information Regarding October Count
Dear Dunstan families,
It’s official – October Count Day this year is Monday, October 2.
The most important action you can take to support school funding is to make sure your student attends school on that day. Much of public education funding from the State of Colorado is based on student count, so we encourage you to make sure your student comes to school that day.
The “count window” the state observes is from Monday, September 25 through Monday, October 9, but the most important student count day is Monday, October 2. Help us get an accurate count by having your student participate in learning that day.
If your student will be absent on Monday, October 2 due to illness, please call our attendance line, [303-982-9221] to report the absence. Attendance during the “count window” will help counteract an absence on Monday, October 2.
Thank you for your support of Dunstan. Every student counts!
Picture Re-take Day
Dear Dunstan families,
Picture retake day will be Thursday, October 12th from 9:40 – 11:15 am only. We will call students down by grade level. If they were absent on picture day or if they have there prints with them and want to retake there picture your students should come down when there grade level is called. Please make sure if you are doing retakes and purchased pictures that your student brings there pictures to return.
To order pictures for retake day only please go to:
Mylifetouch.com with your Student ID# or Picture Day ID# EVTKHKG4C
If you have any questions please call the office at 303-982-9270.
If you attended Parent-Teacher Conferences...
Calling on Crafters!
The Dunstan Theatre Department needs YARN! We need to make a whole lotta of pom poms for Seussical! If you have any leftover yarn, especially in bright colors (but we'll take it all!), please consider donating it to the Dunstan Theatre Department. You can drop it off for Ms. Waterhouse anytime this semester.
Thanks!
Events and Opportunities
Helping Kids Thrive
GMHS Craft Fair
November 11th from 10:00-4:00 PM in the commons
Beginning September 19th
Social Emotional Learning at Dunstan
Hello!
This week, Advise classes reviewed what a trusted adult is and how to connect with the trusted adults at our school. Each student was able to identify a trusted adult. Please talk to your students about the importance of having trusted adults both at school and at home. Feel free to ask your student who their trusted adult at school is and how they can reach out to them if they need anything!
Leslie Pruitt, Social Emotional Learning Specialist
leslie.pruitt@jeffco.k12.co.us
303-982-9439
Click the Picture to Access Past Editions of Dunstan's Patriot Post
The Patriot Post is Dunstan's online newspaper established in the 2022/23 school year. Mr. Orthun facilitates the creation of each edition through his Media Literacy elective. The Post is back again this year, and will be better than ever. Clicking the picture will take you to past editions and we encourage you to check them out. Thank you all so much and we hope you enjoy our future editions!
Watch D.O.G.S. and M.O.M.S.
Welcome back Dunstan students! AND....
Watch D.O.G.S. (Dads of Great Students) and M.O.M.S. (Moms of Marvelous Students)!!!
DADS, MOMS, any parents, guardians, family members - are all welcome and encouraged to sign up and participate.
Sign up to volunteer between 11:00 am - 1:15 pm to cover lunch and recess. Monday - Friday.
If you want to help cover the crosswalk before or after school also, just add that in the comment section of the sign-up genius.
PS - more dates will be added to fill out the school year.
The Watch D.O.G.S. program was established nearly 25 years ago. A program to help get fathers and father figures into our children's schools. Moms and mother figures have always been allowed, but the focus has been to purpose fathers and father-figures, not traditionally found on school campuses as much as the moms and female counterparts. Last year, in 2022, the national Watch DOGS program wanting to continue to engage fathers and father figures and add our M.O.M.S.
My name is Steve Clayton. Please feel free to email if you have any questions about our program. WatchDOGS is a national program that has been in our local schools for over a decade. You can email Steve at: dunstanwatchdogs@gmail.com
From the Dunstan PTA
Click on the Picture Below to Join the PTA
Thank you!!
Thanks to everyone who donated items for the staff luncheon that the PTA held during the Parent-Teacher Conferences!
Sign-Up to Bring Treats for Teachers and Staff
Hello Dunstan Middle School Families! Let's show our appreciation for our amazing teachers and staff by keeping their break room stocked this year. Please review the available slots below and contact Dunstan PTA (ptadunstan@gmail.com) if you have any questions. Treats can be dropped off to the front office during open hours.
Here is the link to sign up.
Weekly Health and Wellness Tip
BENEFITS OF BEING KIND
Science indicates that kindness is not only good for the person you show kindness toward,
but has health benefits for the person doing the good deed.
Here are a few of the health benefits:
Decreased levels of stress and anxiety
Improved immune system functioning
Improved heart health
Check out the Jeffco Schools Healthy Habits page click here for other interesting facts!
Want to head out this weekend to see the Fall colors?
Here is a comprehensive leaf peeping guide.