Written by Josh Griffin, Principal
I hope that you and your family enjoyed your weekend. At this time, the D’Evelyn faculty, staff, and administration is working to prepare for two important changes on our horizon: 1. The return to 100% in-person learning effective April 5, 2021 2. The design of the 100% remote learning model for the 2021-2022 school year for students with individual or familial health concerns regarding Covid-19. Return to 100% in-person learning model effective April 5, 2021 To learn more about our transition to 100% in-person learning while preserving the 100% remote option effective April 5, 2021, please review this message sent via School Messenger to D’Evelyn families on Friday, February 26th. If you would like to switch your student from remote to in-person, or from hybrid to remote effective April 5, 2021, please complete this survey (previously distributed in School Messenger on March 1st) by the end of the day Sunday, March 7th. 2021-2022 100% In-Person / 100% Remote Learning Model We are planning for a full return to 100% in-person learning in the 2021-2022 school year. However, given the student population with personal or familial health concerns, we plan to provide a limited remote-only learning option for D’Evelyn students next school year. We do not intend to continue the remote-only option after the 2021-2022 school year. To learn more about our current plans for the remote-only learning option next year, please review this article I published in the Jaguar Tracks on February 27, 2021. If you are considering the 100% remote-only option for your child(ren) in 2021-2022, please complete this survey by Wednesday, March 10th to help us plan our master schedule for next year. If you are not interested in remote-only learning next year for your child(ren), please do NOT complete the survey. We acknowledge the large volume of important decisions for families in a short time frame, and thank you for your continued thoughtful support of your child(ren) and our school. The Covid-19 pandemic has challenged us in many ways, particularly in our educational system. We are proud of what our students, teachers, and staff have achieved this year, but we know we could not do it without the ongoing and sincere support of our D’Evelyn parents and families. If you have questions regarding the transition on April 5, 2021, or our plans for the 2021-2022 school year, please contact your student’s assigned counselor or administrator, the D’Evelyn Main Office at 303-982-2600, or me directly. Written by: Josh Griffin, Principal
As noted in communication with current D’Evelyn families on Thursday, February 25th, and incoming D’Evelyn families on Friday, February 26th, given the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, the D’Evelyn administration and staff are working to collaboratively develop a plan to offer D’Evelyn students options for 100% in-person and 100% remote learning in the 2021-2022 school year. Additionally, we are working with our partners in Jeffco Schools administration to seek and acquire a variance to operate our own 100% remote learning model. In order to proceed with this plan, we will need to acquire a waiver from Jeffco Schools leadership. As we have worked on this remote learning option in the past few weeks, we have encountered a number of challenges and complications. However, at this time, it is important for me to share the following updates about our plans. Thank you for your thoughtful consideration of this information. Benefit & Value of In-Person Learning The D’Evelyn program was designed to provide students a content-rich, liberal arts education in an in-person learning environment, where students attend classes daily for a fixed period of time on a consistent schedule. The Covid-19 pandemic necessitated substantial shifts in our typical operations in order that we could continue to educate our students in spite of the myriad of limitations and regulations implemented in the interest of promoting public health. The 2021-2022 school year offers our school community a fresh start and the opportunity to return to the 100% in-person learning model. Given the recent improvements in Covid-19 data in our county, state, and nation, as well as the increased pace of Covid-19 vaccine distribution, we are optimistic about the viability of a return to normal school operations at D’Evelyn in August 2021. Without question, we believe that in-person learning is the most effective method of providing D’Evelyn students the academic, personal, and social opportunities that they need during their years of secondary schooling. Students learn, grow, and mature with the benefit of face-to-face interactions with their teachers, peers, coaches, and support staff members. I am grateful to our students, teachers, staff, and families for making the best of the challenging conditions of the remote and hybrid learning models since March 2020; however, it is time for us to prepare to return to normal, 100% in-person learning for our students in the 2021-2022 school year. We are planning for the new school year with the idea that all D’Evelyn students will return to the 100% in-person model. This approach will allow us to provide the best possible learning and growth opportunities to all D’Evelyn students in our unique, liberal arts curriculum. Continued Need for 100% Remote Learning Model in the 2021-2022 School Year As announced by Jeffco Schools leadership this past week, the school district will be offering students 100% remote learning options through a central district online learning program. Because of our unique liberal arts curriculum at D’Evelyn, this program is not a fit for D’Evelyn students next year. As a result, we are working to develop our own remote-only learning program for D’Evelyn students in the 2021-2022 school year. While we understand and acknowledge the great importance of in-person learning, we understand that there are students and families with unique health conditions that necessitate the possibility of remote learning in the event that the pandemic does not fully subside by August. In order to support those students and their families next year, D’Evelyn will offer a very limited remote-only option for students in the 2021-2022 school year. We do not plan to continue remote-only learning options after the 2021-2022 school year. Current Plans for the 2021-2022 Remote-Only Learning Model Our resources are limited as we prepare for operating two models of learning for students. As a result, the options available for remote-only students will be significantly limited. Because we will be providing remote-only learning for D’Evelyn students exclusively with the efforts of D’Evelyn faculty & staff, please note the following important points regarding what we will and will not be able to offer students that select remote-only learning for next year due to their personal or familial health circumstances:
We understand that these plans are limited and restrictive for remote-only students. However, with our limited resources and desire to provide a one-year option that allows students with personal or familial health concerns to continue in the D’Evelyn program to the greatest extent possible, it is important that we share our current thinking regarding our plans. At the core of this plan, we are working to support on-time graduation for D’Evelyn students seeking remote learning in 2021-2022. As we make more formal plans, we will communicate them via School Messenger and Jaguar Tracks. Year Long Commitment Because we will build the master schedule for specifically designated in-person and remote-only classes, students will not be able to move back-and-forth between in-person and remote learning next year. Students will need to sign up for either 100% in-person or 100% remote learning for the duration of the 2021-2022 school year. EnrollJeffco sign-up for remote-only option At this time, we ask D’Evelyn families to refrain from making a selection in the EnrollJeffco system regarding learning model preference for the 2021-2022 school year. Assuming that we receive the variance from Jeffco Schools, at that time, we plan to organize an internal communication for 2021-2022 D’Evelyn families to share your plans directly with us. In the event that your student and/or family would like to seek participation in the new Jeffco online school, I would encourage you to seek enrollment opportunities via EnrollJeffco outside of D’Evelyn. Please know that by enrolling in another school next year, your student would not be able to return to D’Evelyn in the 2022-2023 school year. We will continue to update D’Evelyn families regarding our plans for next year. In the meantime, if you have any questions, please feel free to contact your student’s counselor or assigned administrator, or contact our Main Office at 303-982-2600. Written by: Josh Griffin, Principal
I hope that your family had a nice Presidents Day weekend, and that this week has gone well for your student and family. As we conclude our fourth week in the hybrid learning model this semester, I remain grateful to our students, teachers, staff, and families for your continued engagement and support. As you have likely heard, there are ongoing discussions within the school district leadership team and among community members throughout Jefferson County about a plan for a 100% return to in-person learning during this school year. I am hopeful that by the end of this upcoming week (February 22-February 26), we will have more clarity around how the remainder of the school year will unfold. I appreciate your continued patience and understanding as we navigate frequent change, but am encouraged that we are beginning to thoughtfully consider the possibility of returning to increasingly normal school operations this year. As we approach March, we are preparing to administer our annual standardized assessments of student learning. As I am sure you can imagine, planning for standardized testing under the health and safety guidelines of the Covid-19 pandemic presents unique challenges for all of our community members. Standardized testing is an important component of our state’s public education system, and we are grateful to our students for their sincere efforts to succeed on these upcoming tests. We also recognize that standardized testing expectations do not dictate our curricular and instructional decisions at D’Evelyn. We believe in the value of a content-rich, liberal arts education, as integral in the development of the knowledge, skills, and character of our students. I encourage all D’Evelyn families to thoroughly review and consider the standardized testing article that Mr. Dan Wille has contributed to this week’s Jaguar Tracks. While CMAS testing in particular is largely impactful to our junior high students, the logistical planning required to account for current health and safety guidelines necessitates that our 2020-2021 school year standardized testing plan will impact the schedule of all students, grades 6-12. I appreciate Mr. Wille’s efforts to organize a safe, timely, and efficient assessment schedule, substantially limiting the impact that the testing schedule will have on the learning of all D’Evelyn students. We always seek to minimize the loss of instructional time for state-mandated standardized testing, and in this environment, we owe Mr. Wille a particular debt of gratitude for his efforts to streamline and minimize the system-wide impact of our testing schedule this spring. Thank you for your consideration and review of our standardized testing plans for the year, yet another example of the immense positive impact the support and engagement of D’Evelyn families has in our school community. I hope that you all have enjoyed a nice weekend! Written by: Josh Griffin, Principal
This week, D’Evelyn students participated in Course Selection presentations with members of our counseling team. These presentations were designed to address course options and planning for students specific to their respective grades. I am grateful to our counselors for designing informative course selection presentations for our students. The deadline for student submissions of their schedule requests for 2021-2022 is February 25, 2021. Course selection is an important process for students each year. The process is important to our individual students, and it is important to our overall school master schedule planning. We are increasingly optimistic that the 2021-2022 school year will be much closer to a typical school year than the current 2020-2021 school year. Nonetheless, students should make thoughtful, informed choices in their course selection process. It is important for students to collaborate with their parents and families, as well as with their current teachers as needed, in order to make good choices in the course selection process. I encourage students to seek balance in their respective course requests, and to align their requests with their specific goals at D’Evelyn and beyond. As a small school, with students in grades 6 - 12, our master schedule is thoughtfully constructed, but does have some inherent limitations. In our administrative planning process, it is crucial that student course selections are accurate and reflective of each student’s true interests. We encourage students to be particularly thoughtful about their elective choices and back-up classes, as we frequently need to consider student’s alternative electives in the development of individual schedules. The information submitted by students is crucial to our success in planning for the 2021-2022 school year. We particularly emphasize the importance of thoughtfully selecting courses in the spring as the master schedule is increasingly difficult to modify in the fall. Students and families are not guaranteed the ability to change schedules and/or classes at the beginning of next school year. As students and families prepare to determine course selections, I offer the following recommendations to support thoughtful decision-making in the process. I encourage students to choose classes in their areas of interest Given the limited opportunities for electives within the D’Evelyn program, it is particularly important for all students to pursue their passions and interests in available elective courses. Whether the elective falls in one of the traditional academic areas, foreign language, or art, music, PE, or computers, please encourage your child(ren) to pursue their interests with their electives. This is particularly important when selecting AP classes, as students tend to find more success and satisfaction in advanced level courses that align with their interests. For those students that have begun college and career planning, it is also wise to align their courses with those goals. I encourage students to seek balance The D’Evelyn Program was designed to be rigorous and challenge students with high expectations for all students. This design was established prior to the inclusion of Advanced Placement (AP) courses in the D’Evelyn curriculum. AP coursework has many benefits for students, including the opportunity to enhance their college resume and earn college credit. However, it is important for students to request these advanced courses thoughtfully. The workload in an AP course is notably higher than in D’Evelyn standard courses, and the expectations and intensity of the AP courses are generally heightened. Students should seek to find balance in their academic course load in a manner that allows them to thrive in all areas of their lives for the next school year. I encourage students to partner with their counselors for additional support in the selection process The D’Evelyn counseling team is knowledgeable about the courses offered at D’Evelyn. They offered students thoughtful, informative presentations in a whole-group setting this week, but are also available to meet with students to brainstorm individually. Students that would like to discuss their course selection process can set up an appointment with their counselor to gain additional insight and support in the process. I encourage all D’Evelyn families to work with their child(ren) to ensure a thoughtful, logical course request process While elective offerings and elective sections are limited due to the nature and structure of the D’Evelyn program, the individual choices for those elective classes carry great significance. On a basic level, it is essential that D’Evelyn students consider the junior high and senior high course requirements needed for either continuation or graduation. However, I encourage all students in collaboration with their families to thoughtfully consider additional elements throughout the course selection process. An important resource during the course selection process is the 2021-2022 D’Evelyn Junior/Senior High School Course Planning Guide. This document provides course overviews, prerequisites, course numbers, and additional relevant course-dependent information that should support students in their selection of courses for next school year. The D’Evelyn academic program is well-designed to prepare students for a successful life. With thoughtful consideration given to course selection, students have the ability to adjust their academic experience to better suit their personal needs, interests, and passions. An additional consideration - as a small school, we generally do not have a lot of wiggle room in the schedule once it is built. From a school-level perspective, it is important that students submit a schedule request with thoughtful choices for next year as we prepare to build the master schedule. I hope that families will have an opportunity to work with their children in the process of developing a good plan for course selection for the 2020-2021 school year. Written by: Josh Griffin, Principal
On Thursday, February 4, all Jeffco Schools families received an email from district leadership providing an overview of plans for the 2021-2022 school year. I am encouraged by the plan, especially that there will be two distinct options for students in 2021-2022 - 100% in-person and 100% remote learning plans. We will continue communication with D’Evelyn families as plans evolve and finalize, including the timeline for families to make their choice for next school year. I encourage families to begin considering whether they would like their child(ren) to engage in remote or in-person learning next year. As a liberal arts, option school, our curriculum is one unique element of the D’Evelyn program. As a result, our program offerings within the school district model outlined for the 2021-2022 school year will be different from other schools in Jeffco. With this recent announcement from the district, I want to assure D’Evelyn students and families that we are working to determine the best course going forward to honor the 100% remote and 100% in-person models in the 2021-2022 school year in a manner that honors the philosophy and operations of our school. Jeffco Schools plans to offer a variance for individual schools with unique needs. As a result of our liberal arts curriculum, I will seek a variance from the district so that we can continue to provide our students the D’Evelyn education, whether they attend school in-person or remotely. As a school community, we will be working to develop an operational model for next school year that will provide students continued opportunities to extend their learning in our liberal arts program. At this time, it is important to me that our community members know and understand that we are committed to educating all D’Evelyn students next year and beyond, and that we will build a program that supports students regardless of whether they seek in-person or remote learning in 2021-2022. If you have questions or concerns regarding our plans going forward, please feel free to reach out to your student’s counselor, administrator, or to me directly. We will do our best to provide as much information as we can in a timely manner. Please stay tuned for updates in Jaguar Tracks and School Messenger regarding plans for next year. Thank you for your ongoing commitment to supporting your child(ren) and our school during this difficult time. I am encouraged and hopeful that we can see a return to much more typical school operations on the horizon. In the meantime, thank you for your vigilance in continuing to honor health and safety guidelines so that we can get through this pandemic as soon as possible. Accountability Committee Surveys For those parents/families that have not done so already, please take the opportunity to complete the D’Evelyn Accountability School Satisfaction Survey. If you have more than one child currently attending D’Evelyn, you have the opportunity to complete the survey on behalf of the experience of each of your children. The survey will be available until Friday, February 12, 2021. You can complete the Parent survey here: D’Evelyn Parent School Satisfaction Survey We look forward to reviewing the feedback provided by our families in this survey process. Written by: Josh Griffin, Principal
Thank you to the students, teachers, staff, and families for your support and engagement as we adjusted back to the hybrid model this week. It has been great to see D’Evelyn students back in the building and beginning to participate in athletics and extracurricular activities again. The first week back in the hybrid model has been a great success in many ways. I hope that the adjustment required in the return to hybrid learning went well, and I am hopeful that as we proceed in this model, the opportunities for in-person connection between students and their teachers and peers will yield more positive experiences this school year. Additionally, I am grateful to all of our community members for your continued vigilance in honoring health and safety guidelines, as we all do our part to minimize the spread of Covid-19 in our community. As has been well-established in previous communication, we adjusted our hybrid schedule for the 2nd semester in an effort to best support our students and teachers. At the core of the adjustment, we have provided hybrid students the option to participate in 7th hour either from home or in school. The purpose of this specific shift was to provide students the opportunity to make thoughtful choices with their families about how they can best use 7th hour time each day. During 7th hour, we expect that students will remain productive, regardless of their location, by taking the time to study, complete homework, and seek additional help/support from teachers. Please encourage your student to maximize their time during 7th hour, as we expect the extended time period will give students a great opportunity to complete a significant amount of their daily work while getting additional support when needed. Accountability Committee Survey Reminder: For those parents/families that have not done so already, please take the opportunity to complete the D’Evelyn Accountability School Satisfaction Survey. If you have more than one child currently attending D’Evelyn, you have the opportunity to complete the survey on behalf of the experience of each of your children. The survey will be available until Friday, February 12, 2021. You can complete the Parent survey here: D’Evelyn Parent School Satisfaction Survey We look forward to reviewing the feedback provided by our families in this survey process. Parent Teacher Conferences - February 11th and 12th Mr. Schmeckpeper has shared information and updates on our 2nd semester conferences, which will be held on February 11th and 12th. We are expanding our typical amount of available conference time to provide support for families during this challenging remote / hybrid learning environment. Please review Mr. Schmeckpeper’s message and sign up for conferences as you are able in accordance with the plan that he has outlined. I hope that it will be a valuable time for parents to connect with our teachers in an effort to collaboratively support students. Written by: Josh Griffin, Principal
Return to hybrid learning - January 25, 2021 We look forward to the return of students in the hybrid learning model on Monday, January 25th. I am encouraged by the improvements in public health data that have allowed approval from the Jefferson County Public Health Department for our school to return to the hybrid learning model. Thank you to the students, teachers, staff, and families that have worked so diligently to ensure successful implementation of the 100% remote only model of the past few months. We believe in the power and strength of in-person connection between and among students and teachers, and remain optimistic that we will continue to improve upon the course of the school year with the adjustment back to the hybrid model on January 25th. For important updates/reminders on the return to hybrid learning, please review the following content that was distributed earlier this week via School Messenger: Tuesday 1/19/2021 School Messenger (Schedule, Rotations, 7th hour): Thursday 1/21/2021 School Messenger (Drop-Off, Pick-Up, Busses, Safety Updates): We remain committed to ensuring the health, safety, and wellbeing of all D’Evelyn community members, and dedicated to continuing to support quality learning for our students. Thank you for your partnership in supporting our students throughout this challenging year. D’Evelyn Marching Band performs in the 2021 Presidential Inauguration Congratulations to the award-winning D’Evelyn High School Marching Band on their outstanding performance in the virtual presidential inauguration ceremony, the “Parade Across America”. What a great achievement for these hard-working students, dedicated coaches, and supportive parents and families. We know that the D’Evelyn High School Marching Band is a remarkable representation of D’Evelyn Junior/Senior High School, Jefferson County, the state of Colorado, and this great nation. Below, please find links to the band’s full performance and the recording of the inauguration events, including a time marker for the D’Evelyn Marching Band performance. D’Evelyn High School Marching Band performance of American Patrol Parade Across America (D’Evelyn at 6:08.20) D’Evelyn Accountability Committee Surveys Each year, the D’Evelyn Accountability Committee surveys D’Evelyn families about their experiences in the school. While the survey is dedicated to measuring feedback regarding the current school year, the Accountability Committee, in collaboration with the Steering Committee, did not tailor the questions to reflect remote learning. We hope to ascertain valuable feedback from our families regarding the school year, nonetheless, and hope that all families will take some time to provide their feedback, both positive and constructive. Thank you in advance for your time in completing this survey. Parents/guardians have the opportunity to provide feedback based on the unique experiences of each of their individual students, which is helpful in our reflective practice as a school administration. Please complete the Parent survey here: D’Evelyn Parent School Satisfaction Survey Season B CHSAA Sports Good luck to the D’Evelyn girls basketball, boys basketball, and girls swimming & diving teams on a successful 2021 season. We are thrilled that our winter sports teams will be able to participate and compete this year, and we wish you all the best on a successful season. Big thanks to our Athletic Director Mr. McWhorter, our coaches, student-athletes, and families for your dedication to continuing participation in these sports during this difficult time. Let’s make it a great winter season at D’Evelyn! CHSAA girls basketball preseason polls CHSAA boys basketball preseason polls Thank you for your continued and ongoing support of your student(s) and our school. I appreciate the additional care, dedication, and vigilance required of parents and families during this unique period in our history. I hope that you all had a nice weekend, and best wishes on a successful return to the hybrid model. Written by: Josh Griffin, Principal Thank you to our students and families for your efforts to help us get the 2nd semester off to a strong start at D’Evelyn. The success of our school depends strongly on the dedication and commitment of our students and families, and I am particularly grateful for the efforts made so far this semester. We know that a strong start to the semester is crucial to student success over the course of a school year. I am hopeful that students will be able to build a strong routine to start this semester, and if additional help or support is needed, we encourage students to connect with teachers during class, during 7th hour, or during Office Hours as appropriate. In order to support students, I want to ensure D’Evelyn families are familiar with the “Securly” app, which can be used to monitor student device usage during school hours. This may be a helpful tool for parents/families to support students in their efforts to engage productively in classes throughout the school day. Please see the comparison chart below for clarifying information about the different aspects and functionality of this tool. D’Evelyn Well Being Application
As we have presented to students and shared with parents/families via School Messenger, we are excited to launch our new D’Evelyn-specific well-being online application. During the course of the pandemic, we have identified that our students often feel disconnected from their peers, teachers, and fellow school community members. While we await a return to normal operations once the pandemic has subsided, we continue to seek opportunities to engage and connect with our students. Among the various operational elements of this new application, the app will offer students a chance to connect with one another, to participate in unique 30-day schoolwide challenges, to complete journaling exercises, and to see/hear inspirational messages during this challenging time. Our first thirty day challenge will center around Resilience. We are optimistic that this application will help offset at least a small piece of what has been lost with the substantial adjustment to operations we have experienced since March 2020. Thank you for your continued and ongoing support during this challenging year. I am proud that we have continued to provide our students a strong liberal arts education in spite of our challenges, and am eternally grateful for the support and sacrifice of so many that have helped to make this school year successful. Best wishes on a continued strong start to the school year, and if we offer any additional support, please be sure to reach out to the most appropriate person at D’Evelyn. We are here to help! Written by: Josh Griffin, Principal
Happy New Year and the Start of a New Semester Happy New Year! I hope that you, your family, and your loved ones had a safe, healthy, and restorative Winter Break and a very happy holiday season. While we are hopeful that 2021 will be a better year in regards to the Covid-19 pandemic and its impact on our school, community, state, and nation, we are also looking forward to a great second semester for D’Evelyn students. I am grateful for the engagement, support, and dedication shown by D’Evelyn students, teachers, staff, and families throughout the pandemic, and I am hopeful that by continuing to work together towards the best possible outcomes for our students, we will have a successful semester. Mr Griffin’s 2nd Semester Welcome Video In our faculty meeting this week, we had an important opportunity to reflect upon the first semester and plan for the second semester. While our faculty and staff made many thoughtful adjustments to typical D’Evelyn operations in the first semester as a response to the pandemic, we acknowledge that continuing to refine and improve direct instruction to best support student learning is crucial this semester. In particular, we emphasized: · Educating our students with mindfulness for the challenges of our times, including continued thoughtful adjustment to curriculum, instruction, and assessment to best support meaningful student learning · Limiting the typical Friday time commitment to one-hour per class for students in standard, grade-level courses · Engaging students proactively in the new 7th hour system We will continue to work with our faculty and staff throughout the duration of this school year to ensure that we are delivering the best possible educational experience to our students during this challenging time. With the beginning of this semester in the 100% remote learning model, we encourage our students to start the semester off on a strong note, with consistent routines and steady dedication to their academic responsibilities. Our focus remains on supporting student learning. While grades are very important to our students, we know that it is easier to keep grades up than it is to raise them throughout the semester. Below, please find several recommendations for our students to start the semester in a positive manner: Consistent, daily engagement in classes - we made the determination to utilize a 6-period bell schedule in this initial period of remote learning because the shorter class periods with more consistent connection between students and teachers would be most effective to start the semester. As aligned with the D’Evelyn Founding Document, the daily interactions between students and teachers will facilitate greater connection between the two groups and improve the learning experience. We encourage all students to establish a consistent, daily routine for engaging and participating in classes in a distraction free environment. The first few weeks of school in each semester are an important time to learn routines and norms of classes and begin the learning process for the semester. The importance of a strong start to a semester cannot be underestimated and consistent routines are critical to early and sustained success. Connect with teachers in 7th hour - this semester, 7th hour will be at the end of the school day with voluntary participation. Students will be able to connect virtually with any of their teachers each day during 7th hour. The 7th hour time is a critical part of the school day, and we encourage students in need of additional support or guidance to utilize 7th hour time wisely by attending sessions with the teachers from whom you need help. Productive Fridays - in the asynchronous, remote learning model used on Fridays, it is important for students to maintain consistent routines and engagement. In our faculty meeting this week, we established the expectation that student work commitment should not exceed one hour per course in a standard-level class on Fridays. The assigned learning and work products are nonetheless very important to student learning and success this semester. I encourage all students to continue to maintain structure in their learning on Fridays. While learning is designed to be asynchronous, we encourage students to get a good start in the morning and follow their schedule in order as they would in a typical day. Reach out for help when needed - students should communicate with teachers if expectations are unclear or not understood. Students are also encouraged to reach out to their assigned counselor and/or administrator if they are struggling during this semester. A simple request for help can go a long way, and if it does not, please contact your assigned administrator for additional assistance. Most importantly, it is crucial that as a community we continue to work together to best serve the personal and academic interests of D’Evelyn students. We know that this has been a challenging school year, but with teamwork and thoughtful collaboration, we can continue to provide our students with a strong liberal arts education in the remote and hybrid learning environments. I reiterate my gratitude for the engagement and support we have seen from students and families. In the event that your student is struggling or needs additional support during this time, please reach out to the most appropriate member of the D’Evelyn faculty, staff, or administration. Best wishes to all D’Evelyn students and families on a great start to the new semester. Whether your first semester went well, poorly, or somewhere in between, you all have a unique opportunity to start fresh and start strong in the new year. Best wishes on a successful semester! Written by: Josh Griffin, Principal
Finals Week I hope that the Finals Week went well for our students and families. I know that this week can be stressful for students, but I hope that you are all refreshed and uplifted by the great work you have done throughout this semester. I appreciate the commitment and dedication we have seen from our D’Evelyn students as well as the support of D’Evelyn families, and I hope that the 1st semester of learning has been meaningful and impactful. Start of 2nd Semester As announced on Friday, December 18th, Jeffco Schools will begin the 2nd semester in the remote learning model. At this time, the district plan includes the consideration of a return to the hybrid model for secondary schools on Monday, February 1st. The potential return to hybrid learning will depend upon Covid-19 health data in Jefferson County, as well as a successful return to in-person learning in our elementary schools beginning January 19th. I understand that these decisions will be met with mixed reviews. Unfortunately, given the public health circumstances in our community, we are not in a position to fully satisfy all interests and groups. At D’Evelyn, we will continue to honor all health and safety guidelines, while working to deliver the strongest possible liberal arts education to our students. With that in mind, here are our plans for the period of 100% remote learning to start the 2nd semester: · To start the semester, and until we return to hybrid learning, we will follow a 6-period bell schedule for the period of 100% remote learning. · The 6-period bell schedule is linked here. · We chose to move to a 6-period day to start the semester because: o It best aligns with our school philosophy, curriculum, and instructional model o We believe that the shorter class periods will better engage students online o We expect the daily interactions between students and teachers to provide a stronger start to the semester than less frequent, longer class sections would allow. Prior to January 6th, students should complete two tasks: · Review their 2nd semester schedules in Infinite Campus to ensure that their schedule is accurate for the first day of school · Gather their course code access information for Google Classroom so that the first few days of the semester will go smoothly. They can access course code information via their first semester History teacher’s Google Classroom. In advance of the shift to the hybrid model, we will share reminders and updates about the schedule in that model. We believe that the plans we have in place for 100% remote learning and the hybrid model will best support our students’ learning in the upcoming semester. Thank you for your understanding and support as we continue to navigate this unique school year. Enrollment for 2021-2022 The first round choice enrollment window for Jeffco Schools runs through January 15, 2021. You can learn more about EnrollJeffco here. The first round choice enrollment window is the best opportunity students and families have to seek enrollment for a school in 2021-2022. A few reminders/updates regarding EnrollJeffco: · Students currently enrolled at D’Evelyn will roll to be enrolled at D’Evelyn in 2021-2022. Nonetheless, it is helpful for our administration if families enter EnrollJeffco and submit their intent to return in 2021-2022 if that is their plan. · Students interested in beginning school at D’Evelyn in 2021-2022 will need to be entered into the lottery via EnrollJeffco by January 15th, 2021. This includes younger siblings of current D’Evelyn students. For D’Evelyn families with younger students seeking enrollment for next year, please ensure that you submit your child’s name by January 15th via EnrollJeffco. · D’Evelyn students/families that are considering other options for junior high school or high school next year should honor the January 15, 2021 deadline as well to seek enrollment in other Jeffco Schools. As mentioned, this is the best opportunity students have for enrollment in any Jeffco school for 2021-2022. I encourage students and families that are looking for other options to ensure that they have applied for enrollment to those other schools by January 15, 2021. We hope that all students and families return next year, but we understand and hope to support all students throughout their education. In the event that D’Evelyn is not a great fit for a student, we encourage students/families to make thoughtful choices about enrollment for next year and beyond. Happy Holidays, Happy New Year, and Enjoy the Winter Break On behalf of the D’Evelyn faculty, staff, and administration, I wish you, your families, and your loved ones a very happy holiday season, a Happy New Year, and a wonderful, relaxing Winter Break. We look forward to a successful 2nd semester with sincere hopes that we will be returning to in-person learning and activities as soon as healthy and possible. Written by: Josh Griffin, Principal
Please accept my best wishes for your student and family on a successful completion of the 1st semester and an excellent Winter Break. I am grateful for the dedication, resilience, and commitment shown by D’Evelyn students, teachers, staff, and family members this school year as we continue to face unprecedented challenges to our core mission - the education of our children. I know that this semester has presented many challenges for D’Evelyn community members, and I am proud of the great work and success we have found against significant odds. I also understand that the end of the semester can be a difficult time for students, teachers, and families. In our current 100% remote environment, the lack of direct contact between our students, teachers, staff, and families creates yet another barrier to providing robust support to our students. In the event that your child is struggling with academics or personal wellness, please reach out to teachers, counselors, staff, and/or administrators for additional support during the conclusion of the semester. At the beginning of the school year, I asked that all community members work to keep our focus on two objectives: the health, safety, and wellness of all community members, and student learning. I acknowledge that there are substantially greater considerations in the successful secondary academic experience for our students, but given our challenges in this pandemic, it is important to ensure we are meeting the basic needs of our students to the greatest extent possible. With that in mind, as we approach what will likely be a hectic and stressful end of semester for students, please join in helping our students understand and appropriately frame the significance of final exams and the end of the semester. Exams and other forms of assessment are important factors in the learning and teaching process, but there are far more important considerations in our lives, most importantly the health and wellbeing of our children. With that said, best of luck to our students on a successful completion to the first semester. It is my most sincere hope that you find all the success and achieve your aspirations throughout the duration of this semester. As a reminder, you can find the 1st semester final exams schedule here. For 6th grade students and families, please refer to this 1st semester 6th grade final exams schedule. A look ahead to 2nd semester The D’Evelyn faculty, staff, and administration is preparing to start the 2nd semester in either remote only or hybrid learning environments. At this time, we do not know the plan for Jeffco Schools restart in the second semester, as district leadership continues to monitor the public health circumstances and their impact on our school system. Whether we begin in remote-only or hybrid model in January 2021, we are preparing for a strong, successful start to the school year. As soon as we know how we will begin the semester, we will share more details with students and families regarding how the new semester will look at D’Evelyn. If we begin the semester in the remote-only environment, we will follow a virtual 6-period class day schedule, like the schedule we followed for the 1st 2 weeks of the first semester. Additionally, we intend to stick with our recently announced plans for hybrid learning in 2nd semester, so for all periods of hybrid learning in the 2nd semester, we will follow the plans outlined in my Jaguar Tracks article published November 7, 2020. The Pandemic I remain saddened and disappointed at the sheer volume and magnitude of learning, athletic, extracurricular, and social opportunities lost by D’Evelyn students since March 2020. It is my most sincere hope that we will return to hybrid and, even better, full 100% in-person learning as soon as possible in a healthy and safe manner. Ultimately, the public health data matters immensely in determining the level of operations schools may offer going forward. I hope that you and your families are able to stay healthy in the upcoming weeks. Further, I am hopeful that each member of our community will take appropriate precautions to slow the spread of Covid-19 to the greatest extent possible going forward. With recent news about soon-to-be available Covid-19 vaccines, I am more hopeful than ever before that our return to increasingly normal operations is on our horizon; however, I do not want to see that return compromised by the continuation of high case numbers and hospitalizations. I am grateful to you all for the sacrifices you have and will continue to make to slow the spread of Covid-19 in our community. Ideally, I believe our collective efforts to observe safety recommendations and guidelines can make a positive impact in expediting our return to normal operations in our schools. I hope that you and your families have a wonderful Winter Break, a very happy holiday season, and a Happy New Year. May your break from school be restful, relaxing, and restorative, and best wishes on a wonderful 2021! Written by: Josh Griffin, Principal
I hope that you and your family had a Happy Thanksgiving and a restful, enjoyable Thanksgiving Break. With a little over 2-½ weeks until Winter Break, I know that our students, teachers, staff, and family will be very busy in the upcoming days. I wish you all the very best on a successful conclusion to the 1st semester. As Principal, I am a member of the D’Evelyn Education Foundation Board of Directors, and I take great pride in advocating for the needs in the D’Evelyn school community. Our community is fortunate to have the support of DEF, who since its inception has allocated hundreds of thousands of dollars to support acquisition of textbooks and technology, student and teacher scholarships, D’Evelyn athletic, performing arts, and extracurricular activities, among many other goals supporting our students, faculty, and staff. DEF plays an integral role in the success of our great school and the quality of the student experience. This week, the D’Evelyn Education Foundation launched its 2020 Giving Campaign, an important annual fundraiser to support D’Evelyn students, teachers, and staff. This year’s annual campaign assumed added significance, given the challenges associated with the Covid-19 pandemic, particularly the cancellation of commonly held in-person fundraising events like the Annual Dinner Auction. In spite of the public health and economic challenges associated with the Covid-19 pandemic, the D’Evelyn Education Foundation maintains its acute focus on raising and allocating funds to support and enhance the experience of D’Evelyn students, teachers, and staff, both inside and outside the classroom. Among the various fundraising targets for the 2020-2021 school year, I highlight the following areas DEF seeks to support: · Sound improvements in the auditorium; · Funding support for the D’Evelyn Theatre Department planned spring productions; · New softball & football uniforms; · Renovation & expansion of the existing music classroom – with over 100 students involved in Marching Band, and hundreds of students participating in instrumental & vocal music classes/programs at D’Evelyn, we have outgrown our capacity in our current classroom; · Continued funding for student and faculty scholarships- continuing education for faculty has become increasingly necessary as our faculty quickly learn remote and virtual teaching tools; These initiatives will go a long way to improving the student, faculty, and staff experience during this challenging year and well beyond. In order to reach the lofty goal of raising $70,000 this year in the Annual Campaign, we are seeking 100% participation by D’Evelyn families and communities members. Given the economic challenges we face today in the Covid-19 pandemic, we ask our community members to consider what they may be able to contribute with the idea that no donation is too small! While a $5-$10 donation may feel inconsequential, in our fundraising efforts, the accumulation of donations will go a very long way to supporting the needs of D’Evelyn students, teachers, and staff. With our quick and straightforward donation method, we encourage families to consider using our online donation option, via the link to DEF webpage, by clicking the “Donate” link: http://develyneducationfoundation.weebly.com/ You may submit your donations via mail to: D’Evelyn Junior/Senior High School 10359 W. Nassau Ave. Denver, CO 80235 Thank you for your ongoing support of D’Evelyn Junior/Senior High School, and in particular, thank you for considering making a donation to the D’Evelyn Education Foundation this year for our Annual Giving Campaign. Written 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 2020-2021 school year. In spite of the health, economic, and social challenges we have faced in 2020, 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. Thank you students - I appreciate the spirit and energy you bring to school each day, whether in-person or remote. I know that the loss of many of our treasured programs and traditions has had a big impact on you since March. You have shown incredible resilience and commitment to learning and growth during this challenging time. Ultimately, in the long run, your well-honed perseverance and pragmatism 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 against a myriad of extraordinary challenges. This year has challenged educators and support staff in ways we never could have predicted. You all have shown thoughtfulness and earnest commitment to deliver high quality learning experiences for your students in the remote and hybrid models. 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 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. 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. Written by: Josh Griffin, Principal
School choice is an important responsibility of all families. In an environment of increasingly distinct educational options in our county and state K-12 educational system, the thoughtful consideration of school choice for our children is a critical decision for all families. As a liberal arts, option school for students in grades 6 - 12, D’Evelyn requires thoughtful parent consideration of the school philosophy, as 100% of D’Evelyn students enroll as “choice” students. Interested families may review the D’Evelyn Founding Document here. We have entered the season of choice enrollment in Jeffco Schools. The updated EnrollJeffco School Finder system is available for all families in our community to review options available to students in Jeffco for the 2021-2022 school year. I encourage families to thoughtfully review and consider Jeffco options, prior to choosing the most educationally appropriate school option for their children. The 1st round Choice Enrollment window will run from December 8, 2020 - January 15, 2021. This is a critical window for all families, but particularly those interested in enrolling their students at D’Evelyn for 6th, 7th, 8th, or 9th grade in 2020-2021. To be considered for priority enrollment, all students must be entered into the EnrollJeffco system as seeking enrollment at D’Evelyn by January 15, 2021. This includes current Dennison 6th grade students, children of D’Evelyn faculty/staff, and students with older siblings already enrolled at D’Evelyn. Additionally, new families interested in D’Evelyn for their rising 6th, 7th, 8th, and/or 9th grade children should plan to watch our recorded Prospective Student Information Night video and complete the Attendance/Feedback form. For families new to D’Evelyn, we expect that you will view the video and complete the attendance/feedback form signifying your completion of the video. It is important that D’Evelyn families understand and embrace the philosophy of the school. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, we do not have plans for in-person information sessions this year. After watching the Prospective Student Information video, families with additional questions should contact the D’Evelyn Main Office or one of our counselors or administrators. The D’Evelyn faculty/staff directory is available here. D’Evelyn offers a unique academic program to all of its students, a program based in a liberal arts curriculum with high academic and behavioral expectations for all of our students. The school is based on the belief that all students can succeed in a challenging environment, where consistently high expectations are maintained. We specialize in offering a rigorous liberal arts academic program to all of our students. As a liberal arts junior/senior high school, our focus is different from our surrounding comprehensive neighborhood junior and senior high programs. Because of this contrast, it is important for parents/families to know, understand, and embrace this philosophy before enrolling their child(ren) at D’Evelyn. I encourage all D’Evelyn families to stay up-to-date with reminders and updates about the Enroll Jeffco system this year. I would also appreciate current D’Evelyn families sharing this important information with their neighbors, friends, and acquaintances that may have interest in D’Evelyn for their student. Please stay tuned for forthcoming updates regarding EnrollJeffco. If you have questions about the D’Evelyn enrollment process, please visit our Enrollment webpage, or contact our Registrar, Kathy Hays, at 303-982-6128 or [email protected]. Written by: Josh Griffin, Principal After a thorough review of our current schedule and feedback received from students, teachers, staff, and parents regarding this semester, I am prepared to share our plans for the 2nd semester schedule. We are grateful for the input we have received from all parties and feel that our scheduling plans for the 2nd semester truly honor the feedback we have received. There is not a schedule option that exists that will immediately and fully serve the desires of all individuals in our community. There are no perfect solutions. However, ultimately we have developed a schedule that will better serve our students, teachers, and families in a manner that maintains health and safety and offers improved learning opportunities for our students. We also believe that it will address two primary concerns that have been raised throughout the semester - high screen time and workload for students and teachers in the remote and hybrid learning models. Please note that this schedule plan is built with the idea that we will be offering both remote and hybrid learning opportunities in the second semester. All changes will take effect on the first day of second semester - January 6, 2021. I will outline the schedule changes in four specific points and share the rationale for each decision. Additionally, I will fully present this plan in the November 10th Accountability Committee meeting and answer questions at that time. Overview of schedule changes for the 2nd semester: Change #1 - The first block of each school day will formally begin at 7:35 am. This start time will apply to both remote and hybrid students each day besides Fridays. The start of the school day for 6th grade students will remain 7:50 am. Rationale: We initially set up the “soft start” for 1st block to account for the health screening upon student arrival. Over 10 weeks of hybrid learning, we have found this process to be efficient, such that the soft start is no longer needed. This saved time will allow us to move 7th hour while keeping lunch at an appropriate time. Change #2 - 7th Hour will be moved to the end of the school day Rationale: This change will allow for students and teachers to more productively use 7th hour. By moving 7th hour to the end of the day, we will allow students to have a better idea of their needs for studying, completing homework, and getting additional help. Teachers will also be able to more efficiently provide student support and productive work environments at the end of the day. We are also considering the possibility of allowing students to sign up for the teacher of their choice each day in 7th hour. Change #3 - The current AABB school day rotation will change to an ABAB school day rotation. Rationale: This change will move our student’s learning experience to be better aligned with a typical block schedule approach. Each student will attend their six classes in succession before returning to their first period class. This will better support sequential learning for students across subject areas. Additionally, the ABAB model will allow a more even distribution of workload for students outside of class. Change #4 - Prior to the start of the semester, students will be allowed to choose whether they plan to attend 7th hour in person or remotely each day. Rationale: We received strong support for the midday dismissal for in-person students in our survey for families; however, the feedback against it was insightful. By providing students this option, we are offering students an opportunity for a break from screen time and a chance to work remotely during 7th hour. Alternatively, we are also offering students that want or need to stay in school through 2:30 pm that opportunity to do so in 7th hour. This change will allow students to individually take responsibility for what they need in 7th hour, whether in-person or remote. Additionally, in combination with the move of 7th hour to the end of the day, we expect that this transition will better support students in attending to necessary work during 7th hour. 2nd Semester Rotational Schedule We will follow the below rotational schedule to start the 2nd semester: We will follow this rotational pattern throughout the 2nd semester for all periods of hybrid learning. Please consult our school calendar to check or review days further out than January 22nd. 2nd Semester Bell Schedule We will follow this bell schedule for school Monday - Thursday during the 2nd semester. Friday will remain asynchronous, remote learning days for all students. In four-day weeks, we plan to have four days of remote/hybrid learning for students, and remove the asynchronous, remote day from the weekly schedule. Additional Information
· Our food services staff will prepare lunches Monday-Thursday and all in-building students each day will have access to buy lunch. · Bus transportation will be provided to school in the morning, and out of school after the conclusion of the 3rd block each day. Students that stay until 2:30 each day will not have access to bus transportation to go home. · We are working on the final plans/logistics for 7th hour and will share them as we get closer to the 2nd semester. Important 2nd Semester Survey D’Evelyn families - please complete the following survey for your child(ren) attending D’Evelyn by Friday, November 20th. The survey allows for multiple children in one response. In the event that you have multiple children with different plans, please complete the survey individually for each child. In this survey, we ask you to declare two choices for your student(s) for 2nd semester: 1. Will your student be a remote or hybrid learner during the second semester? 2. Will your student attend 7th hour in-person or remotely each day in the second semester? We hope that your choice for remote vs. hybrid learning will remain constant throughout the second semester, as we have gone to great lengths to design a bell schedule that will honor your requests. We are working to devise a process for 7th hour where students can deviate from their established in-person or remote plan for an individual day. However, we ask that your commitment to 7th hour be the primary plan for your student(s) for the entire second semester. As the semester progresses, we will do our best to honor changes in these requests, but we cannot guarantee that we will be able to adjust student plans for either remote/hybrid learning or remote/in-person 7th hour. Please make your selection for your child(ren) with the idea that it will remain the same throughout the semester. Link to the 2nd Semester Learning Preference Survey If you have questions about this schedule, please call the Main Office at 303-982-2600 or contact your student’s counselor or assigned administrator. Thank you for your ongoing support of your child(ren) and our school during this difficult time. |
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