January 29th is Chinese New Year!

Chinese New Year, also known as the Lunar New Year or Spring Festival, is the most important holiday for Chinese people.

2025 marks the Year of the Snake in the Chinese zodiac, which is the sixth animal in the 12-year cycle. The Snake is a powerful symbol of wisdom, grace, and intuition. According to the Chinese Lunar calendar, each year is associated with one of 12 zodiac animals, each with its own distinct characteristics. These animals are: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig/Boar. Each animal represents different traits and influences, shaping the energy of the year and offering insights into personality and fortune.

Chinese New Year is steeped in rich traditions that bring families together to celebrate and usher in good fortune. In the days leading up to the holiday, people thoroughly clean their homes and businesses, symbolically sweeping away the old year’s misfortunes and making space for fresh, positive energy. On New Year’s Eve, families gather for elaborate feasts, with dishes like fish, dumplings, spring rolls, savory meats, long noodles (for longevity), fruit such as mandarin oranges (for wealth), rice, and sweet glutinous rice balls in syrup to ensure happiness in the year ahead. Young people receive red envelopes filled with money, a gesture meant to bestow good luck and prosperity. As night falls, the air is filled with the excitement of fireworks and firecrackers, believed to drive away evil spirits and bring peace and fortune for the year to come.

Here at McAuliffe we celebrate with our annual Lunar New Year celebration. Students and families can join us for an evening of food, student performances and community tomorrow, January 24th. A HUGE thank you to Ms. Eubanks and her classes for coordinating this event for the MIS community every year. Also, a HUGE congratulations to Ms. Eubanks who was awarded the the Ron W. Walker Grant to support this annual celebration.

恭贺新禧，万事如意 (gōng hè xīn xǐ, wàn shì rú yì) - "Best wishes and happiness throughout the New Year"

IMPORTANT DATES

Friday 1/24/25

Coffee & Community, 9:30am

Lunar New Year Celebration, 4:30pm

Wednesday 1/29

Dine & Donate & Freddy's, 4-8:00pm

Friday 2/14-Monday 2/17

No School

TOP NEWS

Lunar New Year Celebration - January 24th

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. If you have any questions please contact Ms. Eubanks at jia-fang_eubanks@dpsk12.net

Early Spring Prep Sports Sign-ups

Sign-ups for our early spring prep league sports season are open. This season, we will be offering boys and girls basketball. There will be one team for girls 6-8, and one team for boys 6-8. Basketball tryouts dates are TBD.

To tryout, parents/guardians will need to:

Complete the registration in Arbiter - all families MUST register here:
McAuliffe Winter Prep Sports Registration
You will complete everything within Arbiter - upload your athletes physical, and complete payment. You will receive a confirmation email from Arbiter once you submit the registration. If your child doesn't make a team, you will receive a refund.
New to Arbiter? See this Arbiter step by step guide for parents.

The deadline to register for Early Spring Prep Sports is Friday, February 7th at 6:00pm. There are no exceptions to the deadline.

Spring Clubs Have Been Posted - Sign up Today!

McAuliffe is pleased to be offering several after-school clubs from 4:10-5:10pm Monday through Thursday. Some McAuliffe clubs will be school-sponsored and led by McAuliffe staff. For a McAuliffe sponsored club sign-up will be through the link provided and payments will be made to MIS via the main office. Other clubs will be offered by trusted partner organizations and will run during our fall and spring after-school programming. In a community-partnered class, parents need to contact the organization directly to register and pay for the enrichment. Classes with insufficient registrations may be canceled, and there is a maximum number of students each class can accommodate.

To sign up for Spring Clubs, visit our Clubs webpage. Questions regarding clubs please reach out to Sherry Beardshear at Sherry_Beardshear@dpsk12.org

Share the Love Drive - February 3rd-13th

Get ready for the non-perishable food drive competition between grade levels! All donations will support our Critical Needs Food Backpack program. The food drive will run from February 3rd to February 13th, with a prize for the grade level that collects the most items! More information to come soon. Let’s work together to make a difference!

Supporting our Families - Update Emergency Contact Information

DPS is committed to providing equitable and inclusive environments where all our students feel safe and socially and emotionally supported. With the changes in federal immigration policy, we want to encourage all families who may be impacted to make sure we have updated emergency contacts. Each student should have at least two emergency contacts. These individuals do not need to be family members, but any trusted adult known by the family. Changes can be made through the Parent Portal or directly at school by emailing Laura Thompson at laura_thompson8@dpsk12.net.

A Family Resource Toolkit, available in English and Spanish , contains information and resources about rights, current DPS policies, training, mental health support, DPS resources, community resources, and more.

Primary Healthcare Now Available at Hallett Academy

The Near Northeast Community Hub located at Hallett Academy is offering primary healthcare services for DPS students and their siblings, ages 2 and older. This provides a convenient way for students and the adults in the family to access physical exams, vaccines, and other primary care services.

The Mobile Health Center will be parked outside Hallett Academy on 01/29/25. An appointment is required! For more information click here. Spanish version.

1st Semester Grades Posted in Infinite Campus

First-semester grades have be posted in Infinite Campus. We do not mail home report cards. Parents can access 1st-semester grades through their Parent Portal account. Sign-in or sign-up here. To locate the 1st-semester grades, click on ‘See All Apps’ at the top of the page, and then ‘Infinite Campus’. You will then be brought to Infinite Campus and can click on ‘Grades’ on the left column to see 1st-semester grades. Click here for an explanation of our grading system. If you have any questions about specific grades, please contact your student's teacher directly.

If you are having problems with Parent Portal please contact Parent Portal support.

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.

McAuliffe CSC Minutes - 12/10/24

Click HERE to read the minutes from the 12/10/24 McAuliffe CSC meeting.

UPCOMING EVENTS

THANK YOU SPONSORS!

Thank you to our sponsor: Mighty Movement.

The mission of Mighty Movement is to create a positive environment where every kid can learn to safely build strength at a young age. Our certified coaches inspire kids to give their best! We properly teach and correct movement, then students practice under careful guidance to perfect technique.The Mighty Method is a developmentally appropriate strength program based on incremental weight increases as proper is technique established.

The physical and mental challenge of training supports the development of confidence, determination and excellence. Our number one goal is provide an uplifting environment where every kid can reach his or her potential. We strive to accommodate parents and students to stay fully engaged in the benefits of weightlifting by offering an unlimited number of make-up opportunities each session, coordinating parents with carpools for pick-up and drop-off, and tracking student progress.

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

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

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

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

McAuliffe School News