Dear Families,

Thank you for your continued support. We are continually blown away by the generosity of our community — from the food drives and Merrill Giving campaign to the Giving Tree. We are deeply grateful to everyone who contributes.We had another great week with your students! We will be entering our final week before Winter Break. All missing work for quarter 2 will be due by Dec 17th. Over this weekend, please take a moment to sit down with your student to review their Schoology grades. Below are helpful questions to ask about their learning:

     1. Which assignments are marked missing or below your expectations?
     2. What steps do you need to complete to finish those assignments?
     3. What concepts do you feel confident about, and what needs more practice?
     4. How can I  support you in finishing strong this week?

We are grateful for a full and fantastic first semester and are excited to finish it out this week. Thank you for partnering with us to help your student succeed. 

Sincerely,

Merrill Leadership

12/19/25- Last Day of School before Winter Break!

No School 12/20-1/5/26

1/6/26- First Day of 2nd Semester!

Get your Merrill Merch before the Holidays! Scan the QR code and enter the item size and color in comments. Come pick up your items Wednesday, December 17th from 1:45pm-2:15pm and Thursday, December 18th after school.

Congratulations to the Girls Flag Football Team for bringing home the Championship this week! The girls beat Slavens 6-0! We are so proud of you!!!

Congrats to the boys who made the Boys Volleyball Team!

Practices will be Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4-5:15pm beginning the week of Dec. 15.

Girls Volleyball Tryouts

Monday, December 15, 7:15-8:45 8th grade

Monday, December 15, 4:00-5:15 7th grade

Tuesday, December 16, 7:15-8:45 6th grade

Tuesday, December 16, 4:00-5:30 callbacks

Practices will begin after winter break and will be Mon- Thursday 4-5:30pm

Please reach out to vincent_franklin@dpsk12.net with any questions.

The Merrill Store is designed to promote positive behavior and encourages students to make good choices. They earn Merrill Money throughout their time at school and use it to "purchase" items at the store during their recess. Items include snacks, chips, candy, sports equipment, Merrill gear, fidgets, toys, stickers and most importantly- gift cards! It's so fun seeing your student during the school day! We will have the store open 2 Fridays a month and hope to see you there! SignUpGeniusHere

Greetings #FAMILY! Merrill Meals pantry provides free groceries once a month to families in the Merrill community that would like to receive extra food. We understand that everyone could use some support from time to time, and we are here to help. 

If you would like to receive extra groceries one-time per month, please complete this private and anonymous survey, so we can provide the food items that your family likes to eat and match your preferences. Please mark the items that you would like to have potentially included in your pre-packed backpack.

MerrillMealsForm

http://fundrazr.com/merrillmovers2025

There are so many ways to give:

 Remember, no amount is too small, and you can absolutely give
anonymously (just check the box to remain anonymous when you submit
your gift).

 You can also elect to give a recurring amount of your choosing each
month if that is more comfortable. Scroll down the homepage of the
giving site for instructions under “How to Donate”.

 And don't forget to check in with your employer to see if they offer a
company match to your donation. Most large employers do!

 Consider donating stock. Did you know if you donate stock directly to a
charity, there's no capital gains tax to pay? *Please contact your tax advisor
for guidance as it pertains to your personal situation - instructions are at the bottom
of the giving site homepage.

Why all the 7's?
Because We are Funding Current and New Initiatives in Merrill’s Seven Key Areas of Success for our Students:

Please give!  We ask that you give as generously as you can! Together, we can reach our goal!

http://fundrazr.com/merrillmovers2025

Calling all parents!

*Help us create momentum and excitement around this year’s campaign, by donating
gift certificates, event tickets and items of value to be used as incentives for boosting
donations throughout the campaign!

*Are you considering making a large donation or offering a match? Please reach out
before doing so for additional instructions.

For incentive items and large donations, please contact lcervantesglynn@gmail.com

Quick Link to Support Merrill

Enroll Merrill as Your Community Rewards Recipient Under My Account!

Donate Your Longmont Dairy Caps in the Merrill Office Longmont Dairy supports Merrill by giving 5¢ back for every milk cap! So, it's time to drop off all of those extra Longmont Dairy milk caps that you have been saving all summer! Stop on by the main office and help us fill up our collection bin to start our year off strong. Don't have any to turn in quite yet? We will continue to collect milk caps throughout the school year. Encourage your friends and neighbors to help us collect as well to help raise money that goes to support our students and staff.

If you need support securing food…

• City and County of Denver: Visit their website to find food assistance across the city.

• Tasty Food Program: Afterschool meals for children will be offered at Denver recreation centers. Visit the Tasty Food website for locations and hours of operation.

• Food Bank of the Rockies: Find a food pantry near you using their Pantry Locator tool.

• Colorado 211: This confidential and multilingual service connects people to vital resources across Colorado. Call 2-1-1, 866-760-6489 or visit 211colorado.org. Note: The hotline is open 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday, however, expect long wait times. To avoid waiting, use the call-back feature.

• Feeding Colorado: The collaborative effort of the 5 Feeding America food banks that serve Colorado and Wyoming to coordinate and enhance food resources, ensuring food insecure Coloradans have access to healthy, fresh foods. Visit feedingcolorado.org/find-food or email info@feedingcolorado.org.

• Hunger Free Colorado: Connects Colorado families and individuals to SNAP/food stamps, food pantries, free meal sites, WIC (Women, Infants, and Children) and other nutrition programs geared toward families, children and older adults. Call 855-855-4626 Monday through Thursday from 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

The City and County of Denver’s Department of Human Services (DHS) will continue processing SNAP applications and renewals to make sure benefits are processed in a timely fashion as soon as the government shutdown ends. SNAP beneficiaries will receive SNAP benefits retroactively once the government reopens. DHS strongly encourages families to continue submitting SNAP paperwork in the meantime.

If you would like to support local efforts…

• Denver Public Schools Foundation: Support the DPS community by donating to the DPS Foundation Food Security Fund.

• City and County of Denver: Visit their website to learn more about donating food, money and/or time.

• Denver Recreation Center Drop-off Locations: Non-perishable food items can be dropped off at any Denver rec center. Visit the City and County of Denver website to learn more.

• Denver Animal Shelter: Donate pet food to the Denver Animal Shelter located at 1241 W. Bayaud Ave. or through their Amazon wishlist.

• 10 Ways to Support Your Community Now:This slide deck from the City and County of Denver provides resources, suggestions and ideas on how to take immediate action in your community.

Youth On Record Programs!

FREE program offerings for young musicians, and we’d love for you to share this opportunity with any students who might be interested. 

• Creative Enrichment Classes for middle and high school students. Classes next session include Beatmaking, Songwriting, and Piano Lab.

• Studio Bookings young musicians can book out space in our Youth Media Studio for recording, mixing, band rehearsals, songwriting sessions, and jam sessions

• Drop-in Fridays - Youth and Families are welcome to drop in on Fridays for tours, studio access, and a regular schedule of events and activations including First Friday Open Mic!

Here is our registration link.