Jaguar Journal Vol 4
September 9, 2022
HELLO MERRILL COMMUNITY,
Week 3 was a success!
Colorado Department of Education released preliminary school ratings on Thursday afternoon, and Merrill is proud to share we are GREEN based on our growth for the 21-22 CMAS and ACCESS assessments. The Colorado required 95% of Merrill students participated. Additionally, the growth and achievement data aligned with our local DPS and classroom assessments.
We are so thrilled to continue our best practices of: supporting the whole child, finding and creating authentic curriculum, and rigorous Project-Based Learning as we are already seeing the educational growth these priorities have produced.
Recently some students have been participating in the "One Chip Challenge". This single chip is extremely spicy with ghost peppers and Carolina Reapers. Students have become ill and had to miss class, or go home due to the physical response to the spice. Please support us in keeping this challenge out of Merrill. Our community safety is our number one priority.
Thank you for sending your students to us every day!
-Merrill Leadership
Principal Underwood, Assistant Principal Zick, Dean Franklin, Dean Foust
UPCOMING EVENTS
LAST CALL FOR THESPIANS THIS WEDNESDAY!
Wednesday, September 14th, 4-5 PM (5 minute auditions slots)
No experience required!!
Any current Merrill student can audition!
Rehearsals: 7:45am-8:45am weekdays (except Wednesdays)
Performance dates: Friday, November 10 and Saturday, November 11, 2022
Sign up outside the Drama Room (123)
See Miss Aide if you have any questions!
Dine Out at Bull & Bush - Sept. 13th
Save the Date - Color Run - October 3rd
The Color Run is coming Monday, October 3rd for
all Merrill students! On this day, your kid(s) will
want to wear clothes they don’t mind getting colored
by chalk thrown on them by the Merrill staff! They
will be provided with a t-shirt that morning. We will
need some parent volunteers and will have a sign ups
in the next JJ.
PARENT AND COMMUNITY EXPERTISE WANTED IN THE CLASSROOM
6TH GRADE TO MEOW WOLF THIS WEEK
Field Trip to Meow Wolf
Field trips to Meow Wolf are approaching:
Sept 12th and 13th - 6th grade
Oct 10th and 11th - 7th grade
Nov 14th and 15th - 8th grade
More parent chaperones are needed. Please sign up Here to volunteer for 7th or 8th grade.
AVID NEEDS COLLEGE TEES AND SWEATSHIRTS!
For questions or concerns email Lacey_Graves@dpsk12.net
Contact us at PTSAMerrillMiddleSchool@gmail.com
Did you know that Merrill has a Food Pantry? Please contact the coordinator Shahla Hebets if you would like to volunteer or donate food: hebets.shahla@gmail.com
Help Stock the Merrill Store
Merrill Store needs donations from parents. Can you contribute food items or gift cards each month?
View a list of items needed in this sign up genius.
Top of the Lake Coffee Bean Club Subscription
Join the Merrill Coffee Bean Club. Buy one bag or subscribe monthly here. Get in your order in
September and your beans will be delivered to your Merrill student on Thursday, October 6th.
Use code LOCAL for free delivery to Merrill. https://www.topofthelakecoffee.com/merrill
Make Money For Merrill By Shopping
Quick links to update your shopping benefactor to Merrill Middle School:
MERRILL ATHLETICS
Cross Country – Information
Coaches - Mrs. Steph Graves, Mrs. Jackson, and Mrs. Foust
Season dates 8/23 – 10/14
Softball News:
Congrats to our Lady Jaguars that made the team!! We will practice hard and be prepared for our first game.
Softball practices will be Wednesdays and Thursdays 4-:5:30pmUpcoming games:
9/13 @ Merrill vs. Bear Valley 4:00pm
9/15 @ Merrill vs. Greenwood 4:00pm
9/16 @ Bible Park vs. Slavens 4:00pm
#FAMILY
Soccer News:
Below is the schedule for the remainder of this week and all of next week.
Thursday 8th September - Training: 4-5:30pm
Monday 12th September - Training: 4-5:30pm
Tuesday 13th September - Training: 4-5:30pm
Thursday 15th September: GAME vs Bear Valley @ Bear Valley
Friday 16th September: GAME vs Kepner Beacon @ Merrill
If you would like to view the full schedule online, please click on the following link: https://athletics.dpsk12.org/prep-league-schedules/#1551293206871-30a8ab8a-2957
I will also be sending another email next week to confirm our training sessions and game times.
If you have any further questions, please get in touch.
Sincerely,
Joel Smedes & Kirk Heath
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
www.Merrill.dpsk12.org under Athletics/Fall sports
Thanks,
Mr. Franklin
COOL CLASSROOMS!
SOCIAL EMOTIONAL TEAM CORNER ANNOUNCEMENT
Denver Public Schools believes that assessing social, emotional and academic functioning of children is important to identify strengths and challenges for our students. As a part of our effort to support the Whole Child we will be implementing a universal social and emotional screening for our students. The screener is NOT an assessment or an evaluation. It is a questionnaire that is used to help identify students who may need extra social or emotional support. Please keep an eye out for a passive permission slip coming home with your student. If you DO NOT want your child to complete the questionnaire, please fill out, sign the slip and send it back to the school by 16.
Questions Please reach out to-
- Emily Hill-Social Worker-emily_hill1@dpsk12.net
- Jeff Bayard-Counselor-jeffrey_bayard@dpsk12.net
- Dr. Rachel Michelson-School Psychologist-rachel_michelson1@dpsk12.net
AT HOME CONVERSATION STARTERS
If you could only eat one meal the rest of your life, what would it be?
OR
Ask your student to tell you their "high" (best thing that happened to them) today or this week.
Ask them to tell you their "low" (something that made them upset) today or this week.
Finally, have them tell you their "buffalo" (which is something random from their day or week).