Jaguar Journal Vol 1
August 19
Welcome Back Merrill Jaguars
Welcome Back Merrill #FAMILY! We are thrilled to start our 2022-2023 school year! We hope you all have had a wonderful and restful summer.
Our AC units have been installed, and we are excited to not melt for the first time in our Merrill lives!
All schedules have been posted and printed via portal and at registration. Merrill is very fortunate to have a robust enrollment. We have limited space for student schedule changes. All students receive a printed finalized schedule on their first day of school out on the blacktop. If you have any scheduling concerns, please email Assistant Principal, Molly Zick.
Please note our staggered start dates (6th grade August 22nd, 7th grade August 24th and 8th grade, August 25th). We will spend our first week building culture, learning how to use lockers, and getting to know each individual.
If you are not planning to attend Merrill Middle School, please call Ms. Rian at 720-424-0604 so that we may pull from at waitlists. Please inform her of the school your student will be attending.
-Merrill Leadership
Principal Underwood, Assistant Principal Zick, Dean Franklin, Dean Foust
School Hours
School Supplies
Back-to-School Night, 5:30-7:00 PM (NOTE TIME CHANGE)
Merrill Athletics
Jaguars,
We hope you had an amazing summer and enjoyed time with family and friends. As we get ready to enter the 22-23 school year, we wanted to give you a quick reminder about athletics.
We are excited to welcome our Jaguars back this fall. It is that time!! SOFTBALL, CROSS COUNTRY and BOYS SOCCER seasons are coming soon. Tryout dates are not finalized yet so please continue to look at the website and the Jaguar Journal. All information below is also on our website.
www.Merrill.dpsk12.org under Athletics/Fall sports
Early Fall Sports
Boys Soccer – Boys Soccer Registration
Coaches -Mr. Smedes and Mr. Heath
Softball – Softball Registration
Coach - Mr. Franklin
Cross Country – XC Registration
Coaches - Mrs. Steph Graves, Mrs. Jackson and Mrs. Foust
Season dates 8/23 – 10/14
Late Fall Sports
Registration will open closer to the start of the season
Volleyball, Flag Football, and 6th Grade Volleyball – Season dates 10/3 – 12/2
Here is the link to the Physical Form – all students trying out must have a physical.
Please send all athletic questions to vincent_franklin@dpsk12.net or call 720.424.0621
Thanks
Mr. Franklin
Wonderful Merrill PTSA
Shade Structures!
Lunch Benches!
Meow Wolf!
Info from Merrill PTSA
Please Save These Dates:
Our first PTSA meeting will be Aug 31, 6:00 pm at Campus Lounge and you can join here if you haven't already. It's $15/family and makes you a voting member of the PTSA! There will be several votes the first meeting and your voice will impact this school year!
Our first dine-out fundraiser will be on 9/13 at Bull and Bush for lunch or dinner. Please mention Merrill all day and join us that night to win some Merrill Schwagg and socialize with other Merrill families.
Merrill has a Coffee Club--please consider supporting Guatemalan coffee bean farmers while you are supporting Merrill! To join the fun group of parents that need caffeine thanks to having middle schoolers in the house, review the choices here. Each month (on the first Thursday) your order is delivered to your kiddo at Merrill. You can order each month by the last Thursday or subscribe to receive it automatically for the 9 months of the school year. Use code LOCAL for free shipping https://www.topofthelakecoffee.com/merrill Get in your order (or monthly subscription) by Thursday 8/25 and your beans will be delivered on Thursday 9/1!
Merrill Schwagg is 10% off at this site through the end of August with code: AUGUST22
Please change your benefactor on your shopping apps to Merrill Middle School:
- King Soopers
- Amazon Smile
- Box Tops
Celebrate back to school by donating popsicles and/or volunteering to hand out next week for your student's grade on their respective first day - use the Sign Up Genius Link here.
Merrill Lunch Application
Dear Parents and Families:
This year, Denver Public Schools will provide breakfast to all students at no charge, regardless of the student’s free or reduced-price meal benefit status; however, it is still very important that families continue to complete and submit a Meal Benefits Application.
The submission and approval of a Meal Benefits Application provides advantages beyond eligibility for free or reduced-priced meals. Submitting an application also helps ensure students receive the maximum amount of benefits they are eligible for, including discounts on bus passes and some school fees, such as athletics, and reduced AP testing fees. It also ensures schools receive additional resources to support healthy meals for students and afterschool programs. In addition, based on your application, you could be eligible for the P-EBT (Pandemic Electronic Benefits Transfer) program through the Department of Human Services. Please visit their website for additional information cdhs.colorado.gov/p-ebt.
Your assistance in completing and submitting the Meal Benefits Application is greatly appreciated and has the potential to help all DPS schools. Apply now at: WWW.MYSCHOOLAPPS.COM
All information provided is confidential and protected.
Thank you,
Meal Application Department Denver Public Schools
Community Outreach
6th Grade Bell Schedule
7th Grade Bell Schedule
8th Grade Bell Schedule
Transportation Update
Exception Request Process-
The Exception Request Process allows families with students that are not eligible for transportation to submit a request to see if resources are available for them to ride the bus. Prior to submitting a request, please review the Exception Request Criteria located to the right to make sure your student qualifies.
Exception Request Criteria-
Families wanting to apply for an Exception Request should only do so if their student(s) meets the following criteria:
Students who are not eligible for transportation because they live inside of the “Walk Zone” of their boundary school that they are attending.
Students who would like to request a different stop from the one that was assigned to them by Transportation Services.
Students in grades 9-12, who would like to opt-out of using their DPS RTD pass and ride a yellow school bus instead.
Students in an ECE program where transportation is not a related service.
Students who “Choice” into a school outside of their designated attendance area.
Grandfathered students whose siblings are transportation-eligible students serviced by a third-party vendor.