2/20 Community Updates

Dear Hawks Community,

We've got a lot going on at Hallett!

We had some Valentines Day classroom parties last week; thank you for supporting these celebrations, whether through volunteering or sending candy!

Our Black History Month speakers from places like the Denver Fire Department and the Children's Hospital have been inspiring our students. We've got one more round of speakers coming on Feb. 27 - students will hear from the owner of a pie shop!

Plus - don't forget to mark your calendars for the Discovery Link's Decades Dance Revolution performance on Feb. 28 at 4:30 p.m.!

And, since this is the last newsletter for February, don't forget to check out my college corner tip at the end of this email.

Finally, I want to thank you all for responding to our last two Possip surveys. You can expect to receive the survey every 2 weeks. This allows us to regularly check in about how you're feeling at Hallett. Thank you for sharing your concerns, your praise, and everything in between. Read on for more details on how we plan to use your feedback!

Warmly,

Ms. D

“To teach in a manner that respects and cares for the souls of our students is essential if we are to provide the necessary conditions where learning can most deeply and intimately begin.”

- bell hooks, Teaching to Transgress: Education as the Practice of Freedom

Thursday, Feb. 20: Basketball Game at Isabella Bird at 4:30 p.m.

Thursday, Feb. 27: Basketball Game at Isabella Bird at 4:30 p.m.

Friday, Feb. 28: Discovery Link Decades Dance Revolution from 4:30-5:15 p.m.

Monday, March 3: NO SCHOOL (Hallett non-contact day)

Thursday, March 6: Basketball Game at Isabella Bird at 5:45 p.m.

Thursday, March 13: Basketball Game at Isabella Bird at 5:45 p.m.

Monday, March 17: Talent Show Auditions from 4-6 p.m.

Wednesday, March 19: Talent Show Dress Rehearsal from 4-6 p.m.

[Tentative] Thursday, March 20: Talent Show Performance from 4:30-5:30 p.m.

Thursday, March 20: Basketball Game at Isabella Bird at 4:30 p.m.

March 24-31: NO SCHOOL (Spring break) Please plan for alternate child care if needed. DiscoveryLink will only be operating March 24 and 25 the week of spring break.

Thank you again to everyone who shared their feedback about Hallett via our Possip surveys! We’ve heard from 88 of you so far this year. We are seeing that 77% of you are happy or mostly happy with Hallett Academy this week.

This week, we heard:

• Our community wants stronger communication, so our next Possip survey will ask what kinds of communication you are looking for. Please take a moment to let us know so we can address this need!

• Our community is grateful for supportive teachers who act as role models.

• Our community feels that classes are too large for all students to be successful.

We are taking all of your feedback and ideas into consideration for our future planning and follow-up. We hope to hear from you again on our next Possip Pulse Check!

For your convenience, we will be posting Possip results on our website every time we conduct a survey.

One theme we noticed from our first Possip survey is that families are concerned about disruptions in classrooms.

We are working to address and prevent disruptions using a social emotional learning curriculum called Sources of Strength. Some teachers are already using this curriculum, and we plan to roll it out school-wide next year! More info to come.

Additionally, we are also going to be adopting the Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) system at Hallett. PBIS promotes positive behavior and celebrates students making good choices! Using PBIS, we will emphasize respect, safety and responsibility.

Don't forget to register your child for Discovery Link Summer Camp 2025 - it's FREE and registration is OPEN NOW! Learn more here.

You can also register your child for our Discovery Link Camp dates - these are days that there is no school at Hallett but we still have Discovery Link. The dates are:

• March 3, 2025

• March 24 and 25, 2025

• March 31, 2025

• April 18, 2025

• May 5, 2025

If your child is already enrolled in Discovery Link, you can sign them up for camp dates through SchoolCare Works. If your child is not enrolled in Discovery Link, you can still sign up for camp dates by registering here.

Registration is OPEN for the Fayola Man Summer Leadership Academy! It's a FREE opportunity for rising 4th-8th grade boys in Denver.

The program will run from June 9-July 11, 2025. Sessions will be Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Manual High School. Boys will learn about STEM, robotics, podcasting, music development, hip hop history, breakdancing, fitness, financial literacy and more!

Register your son here.

It's the last newsletter of February, which means it's time for Candice's College Corner! Today's college readiness tip is: strengthen your child's executive skills so they can succeed in college and life!

Executive skills include things like organization, time management, planning, problem-solving, self-regulation, and goal-setting. Here's a breakdown of strategies you can use to strengthen these skills:

• Time Management: Teach your child time management skills that they can use while working on homework or chores. For example, encourage them to use a timer when working on a task or to break big tasks into smaller, easier steps.

• Organization: Encourage your child to keep a clutter-free space, whether that's their whole room or just their desk. I also suggest helping them write out checklists of to-dos so they can keep track of tasks. You might even take them to the store to pick out organizational tools like binders or post-its.

• Flexibility: Teach your child to be adaptable - this will serve them well in college! You might show them deep breathing techniques to use when they encounter changes and surprises. You can also model flexibility for your child; when family plans change, you can explain to your child how you adjust and show them that you can do so calmly.

These simple methods will help strengthen your child's executive skills so they can thrive in college and life.