McAuliffe International School

McAuliffe School News

December 5, 2024

Dear McAuliffe Community,  

Colorado Gives Day is Tuesday December 10th. Please support the McAuliffe at Smiley Foundation by donating HERE, or dropping a cash or check donation at the Community Office!

The McAuliffe at Smiley Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting McAuliffe's exceptional staff and students, while bridging the funding gaps left by DPS. Your generous donation to the McAuliffe at Smiley Foundation helps create a better future and directly impacts our teachers and students, enabling them to thrive. Together, we can build the community we all want to be part of.

  • McAuliffe has AMAZING teachers and staff, and they work HARD. Your donations provide team-building breakfasts and lunches, professional development, appreciation packages at Thanksgiving and other ways to help our teachers support our students.

  • Our Critical Needs team is in a unique position to know what our students need to succeed in school. That’s why we provide financial assistance with school fees, help with acquiring uniforms and school supplies and even groceries to take home to families. By taking care of these immediate needs, we take care of our community, and help students focus on what matters most—doing their best in school.

  • Every year, we sponsor 10-15 students for out-of-state school trips and in return, these students give back to the school and local community by volunteering. 

  • McAuliffe is proud to offer a wide range of sports programs, but with so many teams, making sure every student has the right equipment can be a challenge. We support students who face financial hardships so all athletes can get out there and compete.

Please join us in supporting our students and staff through the McAuliffe at Smiley Foundation! Remember to include your child’s house when making a donation so they can earn a dress-down day. Every donation counts, no matter the size! Your support makes a difference. Thank you!

CO Gives

IMPORTANT DATES

Tuesday 12/10 - McAuliffe @ Smiley Foundation Board Meeting, 7:15pm

Friday 12/13 - Coffee & Community, 9:30am

Friday 12/20 - McAuliffe Goes to the Movies! Early Release @ 1:30pm

Monday 12/23 - 1/6/24 - Holiday Break

Tuesday 1/7/24 - Students Return, RED DAY

TOP NEWS

Girls & Boys Volleyball - Winter Prep Sign-ups Close Friday, December 6th

The deadline to register for Winter Prep Sports is Friday, December 6th at 6:00pm. Tryout dates are posted on our website. To tryout, parents/guardians will need to:

  1. Complete the registration in Arbiter - McAuliffe Winter Prep Sports Registration

  2. Upload your athletes physical, and complete payment in Arbiter. If your student doesn't make the team you will receive a refund.

    New to Arbiter? See this Arbiter step by step guide for parents.

McAuliffe is Going to the Movies!

On Friday, December 20th, all McAuliffe students and staff will be going off-campus for the morning to Harkins Movie Theater to see a showing of either Mufasa: the Lion King or Sonic the Hedgehog 3. Both movies are released that day and are rated PG. To learn more about the movies, please go to commonsensemedia.org. 

Students will NOT be able to change their movie after they pick. Students will not eat lunch at school due to a 1:30 pm dismissal. However, students will be offered a sack lunch they can take home if needed. 

All students will be dismissed from school at 1:30 pm. DPS transportation will be provided at 1:30 pm. Due to early dismissal and students being off campus for the movie, NO early pick-up will be permitted at school or from the movie theater. Students needing to leave before 1:30 pm should not attend the movie. If your students will NOT be attending the field trip, for planning purposes we still ask that all parents/guardians fill out the permission slip and indicate that their students will not be attending the field trip. Please note that parents will still need to contact the attendance line to excuse their child’s absence. 

McAuliffe Giving Tree

The holiday season is right around the corner! Please join the McAuliffe Critical Needs Committee in spreading some holiday cheer to some of our McAuliffe families this holiday season. As a school community, we want every McAuliffe student to have a happy holiday season! Visit the Sign-up Genius to see how you can help!

Please return all gifts to the community office by Friday, December 13th, wrapped with a tag denoting the letter-number code unless otherwise noted on the Sign-up Genius. If you have any questions, please contact Amy Parent at amy_parent@dpsk12.net.

Giving Tree

MIST Performance of Disney's The Lion King 

Disney's The Lion King has captivated the imagination of audiences around the world, and now you have the opportunity to watch the story come to life on the MIST (McAuliffe International School Theatre) stage. The African savanna comes to life on stage with Simba, Rafiki and an unforgettable cast of characters as they journey from Pride Rock to the jungle and back again in this inspiring, coming-of-age tale. Shows run December 10-13 @ 6:00pm and December 16-17 @ 2:45pm. Please see the poster for a link to the website where you can find more information and purchase tickets.

Lion King

Looking to Connect and Make a Difference at McAuliffe?

Join the McAuliffe at Smiley Foundation for our next meeting! Tuesday, December 10th at 7:15 pm in the McAuliffe Library (starting late this month due to Lion King in the Auditorium). 

Similar to a PTA at other schools, the McAuliffe at Smiley Foundation is a 501(c)3 tax-exempt non-profit organization founded in 2012 with the mission to support McAuliffe’s amazing staff and students by helping to fill gaps left by DPS funding. The Foundation works with the school administration to prioritize school needs, identify which essentials require additional fundraising, and then to execute fundraising campaigns to address those needs. The Foundation meets the second Tuesday of the month at 7:00 pm in the McAuliffe library and all board meetings are open to the broader McAuliffe community (Note the late start time this month due to Lion King in the Auditorium). We would love for you to join! Questions? Email Board President, Amanda Florence.

Coming this Spring - Buy-a-Shares! 

Never heard of Buy-a-Shares? These programs are a great way for parents to support the school while helping build a stronger sense of community -and they are seriously fun! By "buying a spot" for their child (or themselves!) in special activities—like fun parties, creative workshops, or special hangouts with teachers outside of school —parents are not only giving their kids a memorable experience but also contributing to a deeper connection between students, teachers, and families. The funds raised support McAuliffe's goals, like our capital campaign initiatives, student and staff support, and scholarships for school trips. It’s a win-win: kids have fun, and the school gets the support it needs to thrive!

If you are interested in hosting an event, please fill out this form and we will get back to you about scheduling! Any questions can be directed to Amanda Florence at amanda@florencerealtyco.com.

Spring Auction & Fundraiser Committee - Volunteers Needed

The McAuliffe at Smiley Foundation is planning a fundraising event and auction this spring to help us support the staff, students, and families of McAuliffe. We are looking for volunteers to help plan the event and solicit donations for our auction. Interested? Please email Mary Beth McErlane at mcauliffeauction@gmail.com.

Winter Enrichments Sign-ups are Open

McAuliffe is pleased to be offering a number of before-school enrichments. All enrichments are free of charge but parents/guardians MUST sign up their student prior to a student attending a class. Students may choose to attend an enrichment every day they are offered (Monday – Thursday) or just sign up for a specific day or class.

To sign-up your student for any of the enrichments below please click here. If the Enrichment you are interested in is not available on the drop-down menu, the Enrichment is FULL.

Winter Enrichments will run Monday, December 2nd through Thursday, February 27th. Questions regarding Enrichments please reach out to Sherry Beardshear at Sherry_Beardshear@dpsk12.org

2024-25 Yearbooks on Sale Now

The 2024-25 yearbook is now on sale online! Make sure to purchase a yearbook for your student so they can look back at all their fond middle school memories! Use this QR code to purchase a yearbook for $43 each. This is a hardcopy yearbook and your student will want to bring this home! Yearbooks are only sold online and will be distributed in May.

Yearbook QR

McAuliffe CSC Minutes - 10/22/24

Click HERE to read the minutes from the 10/22/24 McAuliffe CSC meeting.

Follow us on Instagram @McAuliffeIntlSchool and check us out on Facebook!

UPCOMING EVENTS

CC

2025 Lunar New Year Celebration

On Friday, January 24, 2025, will be celebrating Lunar New Year (Year of Snake) at McAuliffe. There will be two parts of the celebrations. The first part is student performances including a dragon dance, Story of Nian Monster play, Chinese Kungfu Fan performance, and singing. The second part is the cultural activity event that includes 10 Chinese cultural activity stations so that students can experience Chinese culture and enjoy the feeling of Lunar New Year cultural events. Parents and friends are welcome to join us in watching the student performances and cultural events.

If your student is interested in participating, please complete the permission slip and return to Ms. Eubanks by Tuesday, January 12th. If you have any questions please contact Ms. Eubanks at jia-fang_eubanks@dpsk12.net

LNY

THANK YOU SPONSORS!

Thank you to our sponsor: Chris Merman- LIV Sotheby’s International Real Estate

A long time Park Hill resident with over 20 years experience Buying and Selling Park Hill homes. Specialties include staging, preparing, and negotiating the entire home process.  My team and I are experts in older homes with vast experience helping clients by leveraging the Sotheby’s International Real Estate brand- synonymous with quality and integrity. With our vast global reach and award winning marketing staff, my clients are assured an excellent Buyer and Seller experience.

Merman

Become a McAuliffe Sponsor! 

Are you a local business looking for ways to support a school? Or are  you a local dentist or optometrist looking to sponsor a student that needs braces or glasses? Maybe a local organization looking to get involved with the biggest middle school in the neighborhood. If this is you, please join us as a McAuliffe International sponsor! Our sponsors are local businesses that support in various ways, from offering services, providing support to our teachers with supplies, or donating to different groups such as drama, athletics, clubs and more! Becoming a sponsor for our school means that you are not only supporting the school needs, but also being a part of our community in a bigger way. If you are interested in becoming a sponsor for our school, please reach out to michelle_moore@dpsk12.net for more information.

COMMUNITY NEWS

Rising Athletes Night at East High

Rising Athletes Night at East High School! We would greatly appreciate your help in communicating this event. 

When: Wednesday, December 11th, 6:00 - 7:30 PM
Event: Girl’s Basketball game at 7:30 PM, free ticket included in attached flier!
Where: East High School

Sign up here: Rising Athletes Registration

Mighty Movement - Building Confidence is Our Strength!
The best coaching at the right time can change your whole life! Get your child started at Mighty Movement; learn to safely lift weights in a positive, non-competitive environment. Now enrolling Fall 2024 After School Programs. www.MightyMovement.com

KingLife Basketball Tryouts

Heat up your game this winter in a tryout with KingLife basketball Academy! A hard working basketball program focused on building skills and becoming the best player you can be! Tryouts for the winter season happen in November. For more information click here or visit their website.

KingLife

Front Range Cycling Club

Front Rangers Cycling Club educates and promotes bicycle safety and the rules of riding on the open road. We encourage healthy active rides, teamwork and positive communication.  Please reach out for more information at 720-732-9559 or visit our website.

FRCC

Denver Rec Centers

Now is the perfect time to check out fall programs at the Denver Rec Centers. Visit their website or any Denver Rec Center to enroll.

Boys & Girls Club of Metro Denver

Don't miss out on another school ear of growth, fun, and unforgettable memories at Boys & Girls Club! Click on the flyer for more information or visit www.bgcmd.org/clubs. English flyer - Spanish flyer

My Spark Denver
My Spark Denver increases access to extracurricular programs for Denver Public School middle school students whose families qualify for free or reduced lunch. Eligible students and their families will receive a $1,000 debit card to enroll in participating programs. There are a variety of options such as sports, theater, music, art, coding, dance, martial arts, tutoring services, and more. For more information, visit the My Spark Website. Limited spots available.

NUTS AND BOLTS

2024-2025 McAuliffe Calendars

  • McAuliffe 2024-45 School Calendar

  • McAuliffe Red/White Calendar

  • DPS Calendar

Transportation Options

  • DPS Transportation - If your student qualifies for DPS Transportation (lives within enrollment zone AND 2.5 miles from school), you can sign up for transportation through your Parent Portal account. If you have any questions about DPS Transportation, please contact them at 730-423-4600 or visit the Transportation website.

  • Northeast Denver Carpool Group - Plan carpools with other families in the Park Hill/Central Park areas.

  • Way to Go Schoolpool - This is a free program for families to coordinate their own carpool. This option is ideal for families who live outside Central Park/Park Hill. Sign up for Schoolpool here.

  • RTD - Zero Fare for Youth - All students under the age of 19 can ride RTD buses free of charge. Students will need their school ID to ride for free. 

  • Bike to School! Many of our students ride their bikes to school and we have a great bike corral for safe keeping! Please make sure your student has a bike lock.

IMPORTANT LINKS

McAuliffe Website
Calendar and Bell Schedule
DPS Choice and Enrollment
DPS Transportation Services
DPS Parent Portal