August Knightly News
Week of Monday, August 21st - Friday, August 25th
What's Happening This Week:
- Monday, August 21st- ONLY 6th and 7th graders school launch at 8:45
- Tuesday, August 22nd- ONLY 8th graders school launch at 8:45
- Wednesday, August 23rd- ALL students at 8:45
We offer optional breakfast every day in the lunch room at 8:30. Students can enter in the cafeteria doors on the West side of the building.
Additionally, this school year we will offer before school care (at no additional cost to you) starting at 7:30. Students can enter in the cafeteria doors on the West side of the building.
Drop off and Pick up Reminders
Lake Middle Schoolβs Building Hours for students will be from 8:00am - 4:15pm.
Each year we experience significant street congestion, especially in the first two weeks of school.
If you are driving your student to school, please drop of your student by their grade-level door to support the flow of traffic.
If you are coming to the main office, then please come in via the North Side doors on 19th and Lowell.
Please plan for traffic and congestion β and aim to arrive around 8:40am to ensure you have flex time.
If your child is tardy, then will enter through the doors on the North side of the building on 19th and Lowell.
Afternoon Dismissal - When classes are dismissed, students may only remain in the building if they are a part of an after-school club or sport. The building will be cleared at 4:00 pm each day.
Student Athletes- If a student is participating in a sport with a 4:00 practice or evening game, they may remain on campus after dismissal in the company of an adult. Students returning to campus for evening practices or games will only be able to enter the through the gym doors.
Late Arrival - All students who arrive after 8:50 am must stop at the welcome center on 19th and Lowell, sign in and receive a pass to move through the building. We encourage all families to plan on arriving to school no later than 8:40am.
If a studentβs attendance indicates they were present at school and left mid-day without signing out for a verified reason (if the student skipped class and left the building), they will not be permitted to return to school until the following day.
- Appointments & Early Dismissal - If a student is leaving during the school day, a parent or guardian must communicate directly with a staff member in the main office to excuse their student. All families must sign-out at the main office, prior to leaving the building. Students who do not sign out properly will have truancy noted in their attendance record.
Building Safety - With around 700 students this school year, we all must be aware of the impact our actions can have on others.
- Students must never prop external doors or assist individuals in entering through side doors. All students, families, and visitors must enter and check in using the welcome entrance on 19th and Lowell.
- Students may not carry any form of medication with them, including over the counter medications, unless they have completed the appropriate self-carry medication forms with our school nurse.
- Students will not be permitted to wear hoodies up in the building. They can wear a hoodie as long as the hood is not up. Lake MS reserves the right to have students turn their hoodies in to an adult or not wear hoodies at all if they continue to break policy.
- Students may not wear balaclava masks in the building. Lower-face health-masks are permitted.
- All visitors to Lake Middle School will be required to sign in at the welcome office, present a photo ID, and acquire a visitorβs badge.
Important Reminders
- Lake Main Office Hours: 8:00 a.m. β 4:15 p.m. Monday through Friday
- School Day: 8:50 a.m. β 3:50 p.m.
- Tardy Bell rings at 8:50 a.m.
- Lake Website: http://lake.dpsk12.org
- Lake Main Line and Attendance Line: 720-424-0260
Contacting Teachers: Call Lake Main Office to leave voicemail or you can email individual teachers by going to http://lake.dpsk12.org/directory.
π Our Bell Schedule
Lunch
Lunch is free to all DPS students for the 23-24 school year. All students must grab a fruit or vegetable when they go through the lunch line. Even though lunch is free, please complete the You Benefit Form linked below. This is super important because it gives us additional funding to ensure we can have the programming that we offer here at Lake.
Healthy School Meals for All: Complete the You Benefit! Form at Registration
All students in DPS will have access to free healthy, nutritious school meals beginning in the 2023-24 school year thanks to the Healthy School Meals for All program approved by Colorado voters! While meals will be provided for free to all DPS students through Healthy School Meals for All, families will still need to complete a form to ensure DPS gets full access to available federal funding.
What this means for families:
- Please continue to fill out the You Benefit! form (formerly referred to as the Meals Application). We ask all DPS families to please complete the You Benefit! form during registration for the 2023-24 school year. By completing the form, you will help us access all available funds to cover the cost of meals, and other nutritional programs for students.
- Families who fill out the You Benefit! form may qualify to receive discounted school fees, class materials, bus passes, utilities support and more!
- All household income information provided through this form is strictly confidential and protected by law. Only one form is required for all children in the household. Immigration, migrant, citizenship or refugee status is not required when completing the form.
Learn more about the Healthy School Meals for All program in a short video in English and Spanish, this flier (Spanish is on page 2), or by visiting the Healthy School Meals for All website.
The cafeteria, blacktop, and field will be all be spaces for students to use during lunch
Students may not utilize food delivery services is during lunch.
Lake Welcome Center
We are excited to launch a new entrance to welcome families and tardy students this year! This center is located on the 19th and Lowell Blvd. There is street parking available on this side of the building and it is ADA accessible. Additionally, this is the most secure entrance in the building so we ask all visitors and late students to enter in this door to ensure we are able to provide a safe and welcoming environment for our students.
Cell/Mobile Phone Policy
Cell/Mobile phones and other electronic devices (i.e. iPods /MP3 players, tablets, earbuds, smart watches, etc.) are not permitted at school. In order to prioritize learning and promote a healthy and safe school environment, phones will not be allowed during school hours. If your child needs a cellphone for after-school hours, then students are required to turn their cellphone into an adult during homeroom upon arrival. If an electronic device is seen or heard, it will be confiscated. The school is not responsible for any lost, stolen, or confiscated electronic devices. In case of emergency, a phone is available for student use. Additionally, we will be teaching and encouraging students to email/google chat their parents updates and important information through their DPS gmail account.
Lake Hoodie Policy
Students are allowed to wear hoodies to school, but are not allowed to wear hoods up while inside the school building. We do allow students to wear hats and beanies instead. Lake MS reserves the right to have students turn their hoodies in to an adult or not wear hoodies at all if they continue to break policy. Please reach out if you have any questions or concerns!
π Weekly Lunch Menu
Denver Health
Denver Health Pediatrics at Denver Public Schools runs a School-based Health Center on campus at Lake Middle School. This is a great resource for students and any family member that attends a DPS school. All services are free, and include:
- Well child/well adolescent checks, which meet the requirements of school, sports, camp and employment physicals
- Prescriptions, medications, and routine lab tests
- Asthma/Allergy Plans for School
- Immunizations
- Care for chronic conditions like asthma and depression
- Care for acute injury and illness
- Reproductive health services including pregnancy testing and birth control evaluation, dispensing and management
- PCR Testing and treatment for COVID-19, flu, RSV And Strep Throat.
- Testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections
- Mental health and substance use counseling
- Psychiatry
- Parent and child health education
** Call today to schedule 720-424-0281**
There are two ways to sign the consent form so your child can be seen at one of our 19 School-based Health Centers - by paper or online! Get your consent forms in today so your student can be a healthy learner from day one of the 2024/23 school year.
Visit the clinic today to pick up a paper consent form, or click the link to fill out an online consent: Pediatric E-Consent Form | School-Based Health Centers | Denver Health
Lake Policy 23-24 Sheet
Lake MS School Supplies
Optional Trapper Keeper
$30 Dollar Supply Fee
We use this money to buy notebooks, folders, binders, markers, antibacterial wipes, art supplies, etc. Students can bring cash (no checks) to their homeroom teacher or to the main office.
Pencils
Saturday School
September 16th and end December 9th, 2023 excluding the following Saturdays (Total of 11 Saturdays) *October 14th, November 25th, 2023. Saturday School is from 9:00-12:00. Breakfast and snacks are provided.
If you are interested in signing up your Knight for Saturday School, then please complete this google form. Additionally, we will be assigning mandatory Saturday School due to attendance or academic concerns.
After-School Skate Club
What: Lake Middle School is starting their own after school skateboarding club! This club will be facilitated by Mr. LoStracco in partnership with the Chill Foundation in Denver. In this program, students will be taught the basics of skateboarding as well as 6 core values: Respect, Patience, Responsibility, Courage, Pride and Persistence. (I attached the flyer for Chill to this email). Skateboards and safety equipment will be provided for up to 15 interested Lake MS students.
When: The first skate club session will be held after school from 4-6pm on Tuesday, September 12th. Sessions will be held from 4-6pm every Tuesday from there on out. We are looking for students who can commit to being there for every week, and have a strong desire to improve at skateboarding, no matter their skill level. Before students can participate in the club, they will need to have the Chill foundation's youth waiver signed and returned to Mr. LoStracco prior to the first day of the club (September 11th at the latest).
Where: Paco Sanchez Skatepark, a short 15 minute walk from Lake Middle School. The Chill Foundation will meet us there with all necessary equipment.
Attendance
Knight students are expected to be at school every day, on time. Our goal is for all students to have 95% attendance. A student can miss up to 8 sick days throughout the year and still meet this attendance goal! The truancy process will begin after 10 absences even if they are marked as excused absences.
Guardians have two options for reported absences:
Call the main office attendance line 720-424-0260
Guardians of DPS students must have an active DPS Parent Portal account to use this new feature. Visit https://myportal.dpsk12.org/ to sign up, or to check that your account is active and ready. Click here to learn all the steps.
Instrucciones en EspaΓ±ol DPS - Online Absence Request_SP.pdf
π£ ELA Texts βπ½
Texts students will be reading in Language Arts classes for the first quarter.
π Coming Up!
Back to School Night
Come join us for our Annual Back to School Night! You will get to meet the teachers, a presentation from the principal, free food, games, and more!
Thursday, Sep 7, 2023, 05:00 PM
1820 Lowell Boulevard, Denver, CO, USA
Collaborative School Committee Interest
If you are interested in serving on the Collaborative School Committee for the 23-24 school year, please submit a written self-nomination to the Principal, Amanda McDonald. You can submit your nomination through email to Amanda_McDonald@dpsk12.net or by call the front office at 720-424-0260. This committee of students, parents, and staff meets monthly to provide strategic direction in support of our mission and vision as stated in our Unified Improvement Plan. We need your voice in this committee. Our first meeting is September 14th at 9:00 am.
Adopt a Tree in West Colfax for $10
π‘ Reminders
IMPORTANT DATES π
September 4th- Labor Day
September 7th- Back to School Night 5-7
September 14- Coffee with the Principal 9am (CSC and PTO Kick Off)
September 22- Planning Day- NO school for students
September 29- Lake Legacy Day (Half Day for Students- 12:30 Dismissal)
Student Schedules
We will changes schedules for the following reasons.
- A change in a student's IEP or MLL needs
- A student is missing a core class
- A student has the same class twice in the same semester
If you have scheduling questions or need to request a schedule change for your student, please reach out to the following people:
- 6th Grade: Ms. Buch (Carly_Buch@dpsk12.net)
- 7th Grade: Ms. Felsenthal (emily_felsenthal@dpsk12.net
- 8th Grade: Mr. Aguilar (victor_aguilar@dpsk12.net)
Safe2Tell
As a reminder, we are always here if you have a concern, and Safe2Tell.org is available if you prefer to make an anonymous report about something you believe may impact the safety of a student or our school community. Thank you for your partnership this school year and help with keeping our students, staff, and campus safe.