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By: Josh Griffin, Principal
As a school community, we are quickly approaching the window for course selection for D’Evelyn students currently in grades 6 - 11. This is an important time for our students, staff, and families for multiple reasons. For our students, the course selection window is their opportunity to request courses for next school year. As a relatively small school offering seven grade levels and a six-class period school day, we have some natural limitations in our scheduling process which can limit the availability of some advanced elective courses for our students. During the course request process, students are conveying their wishes and intentions for the 2022-2023 school year, which directly informs the construction of our school master schedule. It is crucial for our students and families to make informed, thoughtful choices in the course request process, including in alternate elective courses. Additionally, within the framework of our rigorous academic program, it is important that students and families seek balance in the course request process. We now offer nearly 20 AP courses per school year, and particularly juniors and seniors have a multitude of opportunities to engage in advanced coursework. Nonetheless, it is important for students to be judicious in their requests for next year - I encourage all D’Evelyn students to seek a healthy balance between requesting advanced coursework and to especially consider the volume of homework that they may face in our advanced courses prior to making formal requests. By seeking a balanced approach to scheduling, students have the opportunity to shape their academic, extracurricular, and personal experiences in the next school year, an opportunity that I encourage them to engage with thoughtfully. For students and families wishing to learn more about available courses for the 2022-2023 school year, please review our updated Course Planning Guide. This is an incredibly valuable document, as it outlines junior and senior high school courses requirements, high school graduation requirements, and course lists, course descriptions, and course prerequisites. This document provides outstanding foundational information to support students in their thoughtful decision making in the course request process. Students have the opportunity to learn more about available AP courses by attending course information sessions as scheduled during 7th hour during the next few weeks. Additionally, the D’Evelyn AP contract can be found in the linked document. During the week of February 7th, D’Evelyn counselors will be visiting with students in their English classes to provide an important presentation regarding the course request process. During this presentation, counselors will provide an overview of coursework options for each grade, and more details on the formal logistics of the course request process. This is a great opportunity for students to learn more about class offerings at D’Evelyn, and to ask questions of counselors to support the planning process for next year. Finally, please note the logistical importance of thoughtful requests by all students. Because we build our master schedule upon these requests, we make course selection changes in very rare and specific circumstances after the submission of course request forms. I appreciate your partnership in supporting your student with the course selection process. After the course selection presentations in the week of February 7th, should you or your child(ren) have questions regarding the process, I encourage you to work directly with your child’s counselor to seek additional information and support. I hope that this update finds you and your family healthy and doing well and staying healthy in the face of the (hopefully slowing) spread of the omicron variant. I appreciate your continued support of your child(ren) and our greater school community. Upcoming Events: January 24, 2022 4:30 p.m. Steering Committee Meeting February 7, 2022 4:30 p.m. Steering Committee Meeting February 8, 2022 5:30 p.m. Accountability Meeting February 15, 2022 6 p.m. DEF Meeting February 18, 2022 End of 1st Six Weeks D'Evelyn Calendar of Events D'Evelyn Sports/Activities Calendar
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By: Josh Griffin, Principal
I am proud of the strong start to the second semester we have enjoyed at D’Evelyn. Please accept my gratitude and appreciation for the commitment of our students, faculty, staff, and families to supporting a strong return to school. Particularly given the recent surge in Covid cases in our community, I am grateful for our smooth start after Winter Break. On Monday, I tested positive for Covid, and since then have been isolated and working remotely to the greatest extent possible. Fortunately my symptoms are mild, and the symptoms of our two older daughters (who also tested positive in the last two weeks) were also mild. Thus far, we have successfully managed to avoid our youngest daughter Madison from contracting Covid, which given her youth and pre-existing medical conditions has been a paramount concern in our family. I have a deep appreciation for the commitment of our faculty, staff, and administration to lead a successful start to the semester in my absence. In our community, we have had a greater number of positive Covid cases among students, staff, and families than we have experienced in months. I am relieved that overall our students and staff are bouncing back well from illness, and I appreciate the resolve of those that have missed school due to Covid upon returning to school. To start this semester, we have made a few slight adjustments as we continue to manage the challenges of the ongoing pandemic. In particular, our administrative team has been organizing outreach to students and families to offer guidance and support when a student is home with a Covid diagnosis or exposure. We hope that this adjustment to more proactive communication will better support students and provide more clarity on how they can, if able, keep up with school work during an absence. Teamwork and partnership will be important factors in supporting our students through the end of this pandemic, and I hope that up-front communication will best support open communication going forward. Additionally, we continue to maintain health and safety standards in accordance with policies established by JCPH and Jeffco Public Schools. The primary mitigation strategy in school is required mask wearing. I understand growing fatigue and concern about mask wearing throughout our community and nation, but share my appreciation for your continued support for encouraging your child(ren) to uphold mask-wearing expectations during their time in the school each day. If we continue to work together, I am confident we can move forward past and through this ongoing pandemic. Enrollment 2022-2023 The 1st round choice enrollment process in Jeffco Schools formally began on January 10, 2022. The window for 1st round choice will end on January 28, 2022. To access the Jeffco Schools enrollment platform (EnrollJeffco), please visit this website: https://www.jeffcopublicschools.org/schools/enrollment/enrolljeffco For new students to D’Evelyn next year, and current D’Evelyn students that may seek opportunities in another school for next year, the Enroll Jeffco 1st round choice enrollment window is the best opportunity a student has to earn admission to another Jeffco School for 2022-2023. At D’Evelyn, we intend to address two audiences for three purposes with enrollment information. Prospective D’Evelyn students for 2022-2023: We thank the 100s of prospective families that have attended our Open House and Information Night events so far. For interested families looking for one more opportunity to attend a Prospective Student Information Night, please join us on Wednesday, January 26th, at 7:00 PM for one final informational presentation. Additionally, all families seeking enrollment for their child(ren) in 2022-2023 at D’Evelyn should complete the 1st round choice enrollment process in EnrollJeffco no later than January 28, 2022. Current D’Evelyn students We ask families of current D’Evelyn students that plan to return in 2022-2023 to designate that in EnrollJeffco. It is helpful to our school administration as we plan for enrollment and budget in the new school year. Thank you for taking the time to complete this task. While we hope that all D’Evelyn students will return in 2022-2023, I understand that for some students and families, it is important and appropriate that they consider other schools for next year. The 1st round choice enrollment window is the best time to search and select schools for future enrollment, and I would encourage families considering a transfer to complete that process in this window in order to have the best opportunity to find their school of choice next year. Best wishes to all prospective and current families in your planning for the 2022-2023 school year. Please feel free to contact members of the D’Evelyn counseling, administrative, or office staff teams with questions regarding the enrollment process. Upcoming Events: January 17, 2022 No School - MLK Day January 18, 2022 6 p.m. DEF Meeting January 24, 2022 4:30 p.m. Steering Committee Meeting January 26, 2022 7:00 pm Prospective Student Information Night February 7, 2022 4:30 p.m. Steering Committee Meeting February 8, 2022 5:30 p.m. Accountability Meeting February 15, 2022 6 p.m. DEF Meeting February 18, 2022 End of 1st Six Weeks D'Evelyn Calendar of Events D'Evelyn Sports/Activities Calendar By: Josh Griffin, Principal
It was a pleasure to welcome back our students, faculty, and staff for the start of 1st semester on Wednesday! I hope that you and your families enjoyed a happy holiday season and a great new year. I am looking forward to a great 2nd semester at D’Evelyn. The Winter Break included several tragic events in the greater Denver metro area, as well as a significant increase in the number of Covid-19 cases in our community. The victims of the senseless violence in Lakewood and Denver and the Boulder County wildfires in the past two weeks are in my thoughts as we reconvene for this semester. It is my most sincere hope that all members of the D’Evelyn community were not impacted by these tragic events. As the new semester begins, we continue to navigate the challenges associated with the Covid-19 pandemic. I am thrilled that we are able to resume this semester in full in-person learning, in spite of the big spike in cases over the holidays. I am planning that we will be able to stay in the 100% in-person learning model for the duration of the year. In order to support our efforts to keep our community as healthy as possible, please ensure that your child(ren) stay home when they are sick, particularly when they are exhibiting symptoms of Covid-19. As teachers have outlined in the classrooms to start the semester, students can access classroom materials through Google Classroom or teacher websites (in the specific case of Science teachers). By utilizing available online resources from their teachers, we encourage students that are home and well enough to do so to keep up with their schoolwork to the greatest extent possible. I offer my best wishes for the health and wellbeing of all members of our community throughout this semester. Finally, I encourage our students to focus on a strong start to the semester, building solid routines and commitment to their academic class work from this first week of the new year. By establishing a strong start early in the semester, students will have a solid foundation for successful learning throughout the rest of the semester. Additionally, it is far easier to maintain grades throughout the semester than it is to raise them substantially over the course of the semester. I hope that all students will take the opportunity to start this semester off successfully. I wish all of our students an outstanding semester of rich learning, great growth, and fulfilling social and extracurricular opportunities at D’Evelyn. Thank you for your continued support of your child(ren) and our school! Upcoming Events: January 10, 2022 4:30 p.m. Steering Committee Meeting January 11, 2022 5:30 p.m Accountability Meeting January 13, 2022 7 p.m. Prospective Student Information Meeting January 17, 2022 No School - MLK Day D'Evelyn Calendar of Events D'Evelyn Sports/Activities Calendar By: Josh Griffin, Principal
Best wishes to our students and teachers on the successful completion of 1st semester Final Exams. Finals are an important measurement of student learning reflective of the content taught over the course of the semester. I hope that all D’Evelyn students meet their goals and find great success on the 1st semester finals. As I reflect upon this semester, I am pleased with the progress made within our school. Back in August, we were planning to return to school after the substantial disruption and varied instructional models of the 2021-2022 school year. We know that the periods of remote and hybrid learning negatively impacted student learning and wellness in many ways. I am thrilled that we have been able to complete this first semester without interruption to consistent, in-person learning on a set schedule. As a community, we have made a lot of progress in our return to normalcy in our school operations, but I know we can continue to grow and improve as a school in the upcoming months. I am grateful to our students for their hard work and dedication to returning to our traditional learning model. With the benefit of hindsight, I can now better see what a seismic adjustment in practice our students undertook to return to in-person learning. I appreciate the commitment and dedication shown by our students throughout the course of this past semester. I am confident that their hard work has been rewarded with great learning and growth, and I wish all students the very best as they wrap up the semester on December 21st. I appreciate the commitment and resolve our teachers and staff have demonstrated over the course of this semester. Just as is the case for our students, we have asked teachers and staff to adjust their methodologies and approach multiple times over the course of the past three school years. I am grateful to the faculty and staff for their commitment to student learning and growth, a commitment that transcends the day-to-day and month-to-month challenges that we have experienced in education since March 2020. Thank you to the parents and family members that provide our students & community such great support. The past 21 months have brought vast changes and frequent adjustments to our common educational and operational procedures. As a school community, we could not have found success in continuing to educate our students without the steady, thoughtful support of our parents and families. Thank you for your steadfast support of your child(ren) and our school. D’Evelyn is a rigorous academic program, and we expect a lot from our students, teachers, staff, and families. I hope that the upcoming Winter Break and holiday season will be a great chance for all of our community members to rest, relax, and recharge as we prepare for a great second semester. On behalf of our school faculty & staff as well as the Griffin family, please accept my heartfelt best wishes on a very happy holiday season for you and your family! Upcoming Events: December 20, 2021 7:30 a.m. Finals for Periods 1 - 3 December 21, 2021 7:30 a.m. Finals for Periods 4 - 6 December 22, 2021 - January 4, 2022 WINTER BREAK January 4, 2022 Finals Make-Up Day January 5, 2022 Students Report For 2nd Semester January 6, 2022 7:00 p.m. Prospective Student Information Meeting January 10, 2022 4:30 p.m. Steering Committee Meeting January 11, 2022 5:30 p.m. Accountability Meeting January 13, 2022 7:00 p.m. Prospective Student Information Meeting January 17, 2022 No School - MLK Day D'Evelyn Calendar of Events D'Evelyn Sports/Activities Calendar By: Josh Griffin, Principal
Enrollment 2022-2023 The Jeffco Schools 1st Round Choice Enrollment window will open on Monday, December 13th. This is an important time in our school system, as the families of prospective students need to register for the schools they are interested in attending in 2022-2023. It is also important for current D’Evelyn students and their families as this is the window to declare intentions to return to D’Evelyn in 2022-2023. School choice is an important opportunity for students and their families. In the open enrollment model, we encourage all families to research school programs to ensure they are finding the best possible fit for their child(ren). The first round enrollment window is critical for students and families, as this presents the best opportunity for families to have a chance to enroll in the school(s) of their choice. Enroll Jeffco All enrollment for Jeffco Schools is managed through the Enroll Jeffco system, which you can access here. Enroll Jeffco includes a “School Finder” system, which allows families to research schools throughout the district. Beginning December 13th, families will be able to apply for admission for the schools in which they are interested in attending in 2022-2023. Prospective Students All prospective students must be entered into the D’Evelyn lottery in Enroll Jeffco if they wish to seek enrollment for the 2022-2023 school year. This includes the younger siblings of current D’Evelyn students, children of D’Evelyn staff, and students currently attending Dennison Elementary School. For the 2022-2023 school year, we are enrolling new students in grades 6, 7, 8, and 9, and accepting enrollment applications in Enroll Jeffco for students both Jeffco and non-Jeffco residents. Information Nights For prospective families interested in learning more about the D’Evelyn program with plans for entering the lottery, please plan to attend one of our upcoming D’Evelyn Prospective Student Information Nights. Attendance at one of our Information Nights is required for all students to attend D’Evelyn. We will host these events on December 14, 2021, December 16, 2021, January 6, 2022, and January 13, 2022. All Prospective Student Information Nights begin at 7:00 pm in the D’Evelyn Junior/Senior High School Auditorium. Current Students For current students that intend to stay enrolled at D’Evelyn in 2022-2023, we ask that families enter the Enroll Jeffco system and declare those intentions. It is our sincere hope that all of our current students intend to return for next year. For current students interested in seeking enrollment in another Jeffco school for 2022-2023, I recommend that families utilize the Enroll Jeffco system during this 1st round choice enrollment window to seek options other than D’Evelyn. Jeffco Schools has ended its use of Jeffco Connect and is transitioning to a new system for maintaining student/family contact information. If you are having trouble setting up or accessing your account, please visit this website: https://pam.jeffco.k12.co.us/ If you have questions about the enrollment process, please reach out to our registrar Jennifer Lillibridge at 303-982-0873, the D’Evelyn Main Office at 303-982-2600, or your student’s counselor or assigned administrator. Thank you for your interest in and support of D’Evelyn Junior/Senior HIgh School and best wishes with the enrollment process for next year! Upcoming Events & Important Dates December 14, 2021 5:30 p.m. Accountability Meeting 7:00 p.m. Prospective Student Information Meeting December 16, 2021 7:00 p.m. Prospective Student Information Meeting December 20, 2021 7:30 a.m. Finals for Periods 1 - 3 December 21, 2021 7:30 a.m. Finals for Periods 4 - 6 December 22, 2021 - January 4, 2022 WINTER BREAK January 4, 2022 Finals Make-Up Day January 5, 2022 Students Report For 2nd Semester D'Evelyn Calendar of Events D'Evelyn Sports/Activities Calendar By: Josh Griffin, Principal I hope that you and your family enjoyed a restful, relaxing Thanksgiving Break and a very happy Thanksgiving. I also hope that your student(s) enjoyed the return to school this week and that it went well. Thank you to the families that organized, planned, and attended the 2021 D’Evelyn Education Foundation Dinner & Auction this past Friday night. It was a great social event for our community, and a crucial fundraiser to support the amazing work of DEF. I am so grateful for the dedicated support of our DEF board members and volunteers, who work throughout the year to fundraise to support students and teachers in the classroom, athletics, music, performing arts, and scholarship programs! Early December is an exciting and challenging time in our school year. We are looking forward to a great season of winter sports - D’Evelyn girls & boys basketball, and girls swimming & diving kicked off their competitive seasons this week, and we enjoyed two outstanding vocal and instrumental music performances this past week. Additionally, I know that the last few weeks of the first semester can be busy and challenging times in the classroom for our students. Our fall semester final exams will occur on Monday, December 20th and Tuesday, December 21st. In addition, many final essays and work products will be due in the next few weeks for students. Please join me in encouraging students to set up for a successful conclusion to the semester, which will likely require preparation for exams and major assignments prior to the due date/night before the big test. I encourage students to organize notes and materials, and prepare incrementally for their major upcoming exams, and to work with teachers and/or peers to review material that is challenging for them during 7th hour, before school, or after school. It is important that we support students in the development of productive and healthy learning habits. I understand that final exams can be a stressful time for students, but with preparation in advance of finals week, I have great confidence in the opportunities our students have to succeed in demonstrating their learning on their final exams. Please accept my best wishes for a successful conclusion to this first semester. I appreciate the hard work and dedication of our students and teachers, as both groups have worked diligently to successfully return from the extended periods of remote and hybrid learning of the previous two school years. I am confident that this hard work will pay off for our students in their final exams. I also appreciate the continuing support and engagement of D’Evelyn families, as you have done so much to encourage your child(ren) to succeed in this fall semester. The final exam schedule is unique from our typical bell schedule. Please note the following schedule in your planning for December 20th and 21st.  Upcoming School Events:
December 6, 2021 4:30 p.m. Steering Committee Meeting December 14, 2021 5:30 p.m. Accountability Meeting 7:00 p.m. Prospective Student Information Meeting December 16, 2021 7:00 p.m. Prospective Student Information Meeting December 20, 2021 7:30 a.m. Finals for Periods 1 - 3 December 21, 2021 7:30 a.m. Finals for Periods 4 - 6 December 22, 2021 - January 4, 2022 WINTER BREAK D’Evelyn Athletics Schedule: https://www.jeffcok12events.org/public/genie/581/school/7/date/2021-12-01/view/week/ Thank you for your continued support of your students and our school. By: Josh Griffin, Principal
As we approach the Thanksgiving Break and holiday, I am particularly thankful for the faithful dedication of D’Evelyn students, teachers, staff, and families, as we seek to ensure our students continue to have strong learning experiences in the 2021-2022 school year. In spite of the challenges associated with returning to a far more typical school year, I continue to derive great enthusiasm and inspiration to lead this school from the spirit, vigilance, and engagement shown throughout the D’Evelyn community during this year. Our students and teachers have worked hard to make this a successful year of in-person learning, sports, activities, and social events, and I appreciate the strong support we receive from D’Evelyn parents and families. Thank you students - I appreciate the dedication and energy you bring to school each day. The energy and engagement I observe in classes throughout the school is a great tribute to the commitment of our students to success. In the long run, your well-honed perseverance and sincere commitment to your own education and growth will serve you very well. Thank you for your continued commitment to your education. Thank you teachers & staff - I appreciate the courage and determination you have shown to continue to educate, mentor, and support D’Evelyn students as we have returned to in-person learning. This year has challenged educators and support staff in unique ways as we have rebuilt from the disruptive school closures and remote learning periods of the last school year. You all have shown thoughtfulness and earnest commitment to deliver high quality learning experiences for your students and to support them as we return to “normal”. Thank you for your steadfast dedication to the education of your students. Thank you D’Evelyn families - I appreciate the support, engagement, and encouragement provided by D’Evelyn families. The impact of previous remote/hybrid learning models and the continued Covid-19 pandemic has undoubtedly impacted home and family life to a great extent. As a school community, we are fortunate to have the dedication shared by D’Evelyn families to supporting a quality education for our students. We would be unable to provide the rich, rigorous D’Evelyn liberal arts education without your great support. In challenging times like these, it is important that we all keep our focus on what is important in our lives. The education of our students is a high priority, and I am proud that by way of great efforts throughout our community, D’Evelyn continues to provide a strong liberal arts education to our students. With that said, the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday and associated break should be a great opportunity for our students, teachers, staff, and families to rest, relax, and spend time with loved ones. It is important that we take time to recharge and restore our energy and dedication to success in school. It is my most sincere hope that all members of the D’Evelyn community have a restful, relaxing week-long break from school and a very Happy Thanksgiving. I look forward to a strong finish to the first semester in the upcoming weeks. Thank you for your ongoing and steadfast support of D’Evelyn Junior/Senior High School. |
AuthorJosh Griffin, Principal Archives
January 2022
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