This weekend marks the informal beginning of the eventful conclusion of the 2017-2018 school year. I take this opportunity to extend my very best wishes to the D’Evelyn students attending Prom and After Prom this weekend. It is an annual highlight to the school year, an opportunity for D’Evelyn juniors and seniors, along with their guests, to celebrate a wonderful weekend among their peers. I wish each student a fun, safe, and memorable weekend.
Upon return from the Prom weekend, we have only 12 days of school left for seniors, and 18 days remaining for students in grades 7 - 11. My hope is that this can be a fun and exciting time for all students, where all community members focus on finishing the second semester on a positive academic note. While AP exams do not begin until May 7th, and final exams are a bit further down the road, I encourage students to dedicate time in the upcoming days to maximize their attention to strong academic performance in preparation for their final tests, exams, and papers of the school year. In my first full year as D’Evelyn principal, I look forward to celebrating the many great moments that await during the concluding weeks of the school year. It is an exciting last few weeks, with many opportunities to recognize D’Evelyn students for their great achievements, both inside and outside the classroom. While the final few weeks may feel like a whirlwind - wrapping up academic work, end-of-year activities, events, and competitions - there will be many milestones met by D’Evelyn students. I hope that all D’Evelyn students and families will have the appropriate opportunity to cherish the many great moments that await in the next few weeks. Please consider joining the D’Evelyn community in supporting our students in one of the upcoming end of year events. While this list is not comprehensive, I hope it provides a glimpse of the many opportunities we have to support our students. For more information on these events, and others, please consult the D’Evelyn website, particularly the School Calendar and Sports Calendar linked to that page. Upcoming Events:
All D’Evelyn students and families are welcomed and encouraged to attend this unique presentation from a national leader in the college admissions and selection process.
The D’Evelyn Founding Document states, “A mastery of the skills and knowledge acquired through the study of the basic academic subjects is the foundation for all subsequent learning, regardless of the student’s future pursuits.” We believe that the academic and personal preparation afforded students in the D’Evelyn program will prepare each graduate for their future endeavors, personal and professional. Because of the hard work and development of D’Evelyn students within our school, many seniors seek admission to two-year or four-year college programs. College and career counseling is an important function of the D’Evelyn faculty and staff. We are fortunate to have a wonderful team of counselors serving the academic, social-emotional, and college/career planning needs of our students. As a department, D’Evelyn counselors work tirelessly to support students in the college application and selection process. This year, we have a unique opportunity to host Rob Franek, the Editor-In-Chief of The Princeton Review, on Wednesday, April 18th at 6:30 PM in the D’Evelyn Auditorium. Mr. Franek’s presentation is entitled, “Finding Your BEST College Fit - How to Choose and Get into the College BEST for you”. Mr. Franek is a published author in college admission and selection, and oversees the approximately 150 books published by The Princeton Review. The message Mr. Franek will present aligns well with the college counseling needs of D’Evelyn students. Admission rates at highly selective and selective colleges can be very low, and the application process is competitive. Further, given the array of different types of schools available to high school graduates, a framework and thought process for students and families to consider college application and selection is wise. I am hopeful to see many D’Evelyn students and families present in the audience on Wednesday, April 18th. To learn more about Mr. Franek and The Princeton Review, please visit this website: https://www.princetonreview.com/corporate/rob-franek We encourage families of all D’Evelyn students to consider attending this event. Given the unique nature of this visit, there is potential benefit to families of junior high students to attend. If you plan to attend, please register at www.princetonreview.com/BestFitDHS. If for some reason you do not register in advance of the event, please join us on the 18th, where registration can take place at the door. We look forward to seeing you there! On April 10th, D’Evelyn juniors will take the SAT as part of the Colorado State SAT Day. Please accept my best wishes for all juniors on a very successful performance on this important college admissions exam. I am always proud of the work our students do in the classroom and on the myriad of standardized tests that they complete each year. The results D’Evelyn students achieve in all areas are the result of hard work, dedication, and resilience, along with the support of families, teachers, and staff. I look forward to the opportunity to find out just how well the D’Evelyn Class of 2019 performs on this year’s SAT, particularly as a shining reflection of the culmination of their academic efforts. Additionally, D’Evelyn freshmen and sophomores will take the PSAT on April 10th. With recent shifts in standardized testing policy from the state, the PSAT 9 and PSAT 10 are the official state assessments for 9th and 10th graders across the state. My hope is that this test will provide students helpful foundational information in preparation for future administrations of the SAT. The PSAT data will also provide our school administration and faculty with more useful information about student achievement at D’Evelyn, in a manner that will highlight potential areas where additional support may be needed for students. Finally, the D’Evelyn junior high students will be completing one subject of their CMAS testing during the day on April 10th (7th graders - Social Studies, 8th graders - Science). I appreciate the efforts of our junior high students to complete this testing on the PSAT/SAT day, as it allows us to minimize the impact to important class time. Please join me in encouraging your student(s) to submit their best performance on these upcoming tests and in extending our best wishes on great performances for all D’Evelyn students. Later in the evening on April 10th, the D’Evelyn Accountability Committee will be hosting a guest speaker, Colin Terry, who serves as an Associate Dean of Students at the Colorado School of Mines. Mr. Terry is a doctoral candidate, seeking a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology and Educational Technology that he will earn this May. He has completed extensive research in student use of technology and technology addiction, and will be presenting his work in the D’Evelyn Auditorium beginning at 5:30 pm on Tuesday, April 10th. Cell phone and personal device use, and misuse, are a relatively new challenge facing our schools and students. I look forward to hearing Mr. Terry’s presentation, specifically how the use of smartphones and technology may benefit and hurt student learning experiences. I hope to see a large audience for this presentation. The presentation is free and we encourage parents and students to attend. Further, we welcome guests from other school communities that may be interested in this presentation. |
Archives
May 2022
Categories |