In this issue:
Back to School Night
Upcoming Building Security Drills
Student Drop-Off/Pick-Up
Lifetouch School Photo Ordering
RTD Zero Fare for Youth Initiative
Student ID Pickup and Requirement
Monday and Friday Dress Days
Patriot Players, Fall Play Auditions/Help and GWHS Theatre Club
Climate Champions Grant Program
Denver Parks & Recreation Fall Programs
Passive Permission for Ninth Grade Suicide Prevention Programming
GWHS Grow Club Veggie Harvest
The GWHS Food Pantry Needs Your Support
Clothes Bin to Benefit GWHS
American Furniture Warehouse Store Rally for GWHS
Gun Safety Awareness
Weekly Athletics Update
Back to School Night
Back to School Night will be held Thursday, September 10 from 5:00 to 7:00pm in the South Courtyard. Come meet your student's teachers, learn about the courses they are taking, and explore some of the resources GWHS has to offer!
Upcoming Building Security Drills
Per the office of Safety and Security at Denver Public Schools, we are required to conduct several security drills on a regular basis. We have outlined below the different kinds of drills we practice, and the frequency with which to expect them.
LOCK-DOWN AND LOCK-OUT: A Lock-DOWN occurs when there is a perceived threat inside our building. We teach our students and staff “Lights, Locks, Out of Sight,” which means that all classroom doors are locked, lights are turned off, and students and staff are moved out of sight. A Lock-OUT is when there is a perceived threat in close proximity to our school. We lock all exterior doors and no one is permitted to enter or exit our building. Business proceeds as usual inside the school building. When: Once a semester, within the first 30 days of each semester. We are not notified in advance of when DPS Safety and Security will conduct these drills.
BUILDING EVACUATION: This entails a complete evacuation of the building in case of a fire or other similar danger. When: We are required to practice the building evacuation once a month, with the first drill happening within the first two weeks of school.
SHELTER IN PLACE: This is used in case of a tornado. We move all students and staff into the hallways and away from windows and sit with our backs to the wall. When: Once a semester.
Student Drop-Off/Pick-Up
Student drop-off and pick-up will be in front of the school (off of Monaco Parkway) or in the Lower South Lot (off of Leetsdale Avenue). The Lower South Lot (off of Leetsdale Avenue) is the recommended lot for drop-off/pick-up to alleviate traffic along Monaco Parkway. If the North Lot is used for drop-off, students will need to enter through door 1 (off of Monaco Parkway), and will not be admitted through the North Lobby. The gate into the North Lot to/from Monaco Parkway will be closed, and Virginia Avenue will be the only access point for the North Lot.
Student entrance will be allowed only through the Main Lobby (off of Monaco Parkway) or the South Courtyard doors 3 (East) or 8 (West). This allows us to fully monitor entrances to improve safety.
Lifetouch School Photo Ordering
School photos, taken Monday, August 26, are available to order! To order, log in to your account on mylifetouch.com or create an account using your student's school ID number. All families can also log on and order a FREE Digital SmileSafe card. More about the SmileSafe program here.
RTD Zero Fare for Youth Initiative
RTD is excited to announce that the Zero Fare for Youth initiative, which allows anyone 19 years or younger to ride RTD services at no cost, has been permanently extended! This initiative not only fosters independence among young people but also helps to reduce traffic congestion, lower pollution levels, and contribute to healthier, cleaner communities. Qualifying individuals don’t need to sign-up for anything; they just need to show their student or government-issued ID to the bus operator or train crew member to verify they are eligible. Click HERE for more information on the initiative.
Student ID Pickup and Upcoming Requirement
Any student who took a school photo on Monday, August 26 but did not receive their ID may pick up their ID before school, during lunch, or after school on Tuesday, August 27. Students, keep your ID safe, as you will soon be required to have your ID on and visible at all times. IDs will soon be checked at every entry door, as well as in halls and around the school. School photo make-ups will be in October.
Monday and Friday Dress Days
Every Monday this school year, wear your gear that represents your post-high school plans! This can be anything from a college hoodie to a mechanic's worksuit - just be creative and represent your goals! Every Friday this school year, wear your greenest GWHS gear to show your Patriot pride!
Patriot Players, Fall Play Auditions/Help and GWHS Theatre Club
All students and parents/guardians of students interested in getting involved with the GWHS theatre program or joining the Thespian Society, please complete this FORM. This will get you onto our mailing list, so you will be updated on everything happening as we kick things off, and throughout the entire school year. Please note: Fall Play auditions will be Thursday, September 12, with callbacks on Friday, September 13. Students will need to prepare a one-minute monologue for auditions. If you or your student are interested in getting involved in the play, including technical roles like set, lighting, sound, paint or costume, please fill out the form so we can get you into the loop!
Climate Champions Grant Program
The DPS Sustainability Team is excited to encourage applications to the Climate Champions Grant Program! This program provides funding for student-led climate action projects at the school level. This program also provides students the opportunity to solve real-world challenges within their community, develop leadership skills, and engage in project-based learning that will foster innovative and creative solutions to climate change. This is the second year of the Climate Champions Grant Program. Review the application packet and note that pre-application is due Tuesday, October 22 and the application is due Tuesday, December 3.
Projects must be student-led and based at a DPS school.
All grade levels can apply.
Project teams can request up to $25K in funding.
Questions? Email the DPS Sustainability Team at dept_sustainability@dpsk12.net. Looking for Inspiration? Here are climate action projects that were funded last year.
Denver Parks & Recreation Fall Programs
With the new school year underway, now is the perfect time to check out fall programs at Denver Recreation Centers. From sports and fitness to arts and culture, there is something for everyone. Don’t miss out—register today to secure your spot! Visit Denvergov.org/Recreation or any Denver Recreation Center to enroll.
Passive Permission for Ninth Grade Suicide Prevention Programming
Teaching students about mental health wellness and how to care for themselves is important. Feelings of sadness and depression appear to be happening at a much earlier age, and adolescence can feel like a rollercoaster of emotions. Risk factors such as depression and self-injury can be treated. While not every student will experience these feelings, they may be able to help a friend in need. Each year, schools teach students how to identify risk factors for depression and how to ask for help from a trusted adult. Classroom lessons also include information on Safe2Tell Colorado. Programming is implemented in grades 5, 6, 9 and 12.
This year, our school will implement Erika’s Lighthouse Suicide Prevention Curriculum with our grade 9 students. If you DO NOT want your child to participate in programming, please scan the QR code or click this LINK to complete the Suicide Prevention Opt-Out Form. To translate the form, right click and select your preferred language.
GWHS Grow Club Veggie Harvest
The GWHS Grow Club invites you to help harvest veggies for the school cafeteria from the school garden. We will be picking tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, squash, beans, raspberries, etc. Please join us in the community garden weekly on Tuesdays at 7:30am and Thursdays at 8:45am; come even if you only have a few minutes before school. Mark your calendars; we will be harvesting starting this week then every week after, as weather allows or the harvest ends.
The GWHS Food Pantry Needs Your Support
Our GWHS Food Pantry relies on the generosity of volunteers like you to keep shelves stocked and bellies full. From sorting donations to helping with distribution, every bit of help makes a difference. Give back to your community and sign up to volunteer today! Click HERE to sign up for a time that works for you - there are multiple roles and time slots that need filling, as well as support roles (are you a grant writer?). Together, we can ensure no GWHS family goes hungry!
Clothes Bin to Benefit GWHS
GWHS has partnered with Clothes Bin to recycle old clothing, shoes and textiles, which helps the environment and supports our school! Be sure to bring your old clothing, shoes and textiles (including towels, bedding and more) to add to the giant green bin located in the Lower South Lot (off of Leetsdale Avenue) - every pound collected means seven cents donated back to GWHS! Please adhere to the guidelines for collection (textiles and shoes only; no toys, electronics, etc.). Click HERE for more info, and thank you!
American Furniture Warehouse Store Rally for GWHS
Visit any American Furniture Warehouse location from Friday, September 13 through Sunday, September 22 and mention code GWHSDPS; 2 to 4% of your purchase price will be donated to GWHS! Click HERE for more information.
Gun Safety Awareness
As part of a holistic approach to increasing gun safety and awareness in our neighborhoods, in line with Dr. Marrero’s Statement on Gun Violence Prevention, DPD District 3 is providing free cable gun locks to community members – no questions asked. When used correctly, a cable gun lock makes a firearm inoperable in case a child was able to access the gun. Click HERE for information on how to acquire a free cable gun lock at DPD's District 3 Station.
Weekly Athletics Update
Patriots excel in the classroom and on the field! Click HERE to read our weekly Athletics Update.
September 10
Activities Fair - Pep Rally Schedule
September 10
Back to School Night
