Northfield High School

An International Baccalaureate World School
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A Note from the Nest...

Jessica Rodriguez Bracey
Ms. Jessica Rodriguez Bracey, Northfield Principal

Hello Nighthawks,

After two weeks of professional development alongside principals and district leaders of schools located in Denver, Aurora and Cherry Creek, and even Phoenix, Ariz., I’m excited to be back at Northfield!

Visiting other schools and districts reaffirms many of the great things we do at Northfield: Building capacity among instructional leadership teams and team specialists, fostering staff collaboration through structured meetings, using data-driven decision making to close achievement gaps, and creating sustainable student support systems. The visits provided valuable insights into how we can further define a clear school mission and vision to reflect what makes Northfield Northfield, including our commitment to IB for All, and to ensure all systems and initiatives align toward a common goal.

I’m eager to infuse these learnings into Northfield as we continue to grow and strengthen our work together. Special thanks to Northfield Principal Resident, Brian Cochran, for his leadership and oversight of the school in my absence.

Jessica Rodriguez Bracey
Principal
Northfield High School

Northfield Hawk Heads

Important Dates

Monday, Feb. 3: Late Start/Stripe Day
Wednesday, Feb. 5: Community Forum; CSC Meeting; Band/Drumline Winter Concert
Thursday, Feb. 6: Choir/Strings Winter Concert
Monday, Feb. 10: Late Start/Navy Day (updated)
Thursday, Feb. 13: Winter Pep Assembly (Modified Schedule)
Friday, Feb. 14: No School (DPS Professional Development Day)
Monday, Feb. 17: No School (President's Day)

Northfield News

Nighthawks Shine at the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards (UPDATED)

We are thrilled to announce that 13 of our talented Nighthawks were recognized with gold and silver medals, as well as honorable mentions, at the prestigious Scholastic Art and Writing Awards at the regional level! This achievement highlights the outstanding creativity, skill and dedication of our students, and we could not be more proud of their hard work and commitment to their craft.

To celebrate these incredible accomplishments, student art work is on display at the Denver Art Museum (100 W 14th Ave Pkwy, Denver, Colo. 80204) beginning Monday, Feb. 3, and continuing through Friday, March 7. Additionally, an awards ceremony is scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 22, 10-11:15 a.m., offering a wonderful opportunity to view award-winning art and celebrate student success.

scholastic awards

Northfield Community Forum: 25/26 School Year Course Selection

Community Forum

Course Selection for the 25/26 school year is on the horizon! To help families help students make the best decisions, we're devoting our next session of the Northfield Community Forum to Course Selection. Join us Wednesday, Feb. 5, 9-9:45 a.m. Northfield's Counseling team will present on course options available to students, graduation requirements, etc. Please RSVP to attend. All visitors must check in at the main office in Building 5.

February Collaborative School Committee Meeting Agenda

Northfield's February Collaborative School Committee (CSC) meeting is Wednesday, Feb. 5, 5:30-7 p.m. The meeting will focus on the 25/26 Northfield calendar and bell schedule; first semester data, including grades, attendance and fall P/SAT results; and budget.

CSC meetings are held quarterly in Building 5, Room 119, 5:30 to 7 p.m. Public comment is reserved by the last 15 minutes of a CSC meeting. To schedule public comment, please complete the sign-up form at least five days prior to the next scheduled meeting.

csc

Northfield Band Jazz Concert

Dust off your dance moves, polish those shoes and head to the Northfield Jazz Concert on Wednesday, Feb. 5, at 6 p.m. in the cafeteria. The evening features music from Northfield student bands and Sentimental Sounds Swing Band, a local and professional jazz band. Bonus: Free swing dance lessons before the concert begins.

band concert

Choir/Strings Winter Concert

Enjoy beautiful sounds and song from Northfield Choir and Orchestra on Thursday, Feb. 6, 6-7 p.m., in the cafeteria. The free concert includes music by Ben E. King and more!

Choir and orchestra concert

Freshman & Sophomore Morp

Freshman and Sophomore Morp is just around the corner on Friday, Feb. 28, at Northfield! Tickets are $5 each and now available for purchase on MySchoolBucks.com. One ticket purchase per student. All school-based fees must be paid for students to attend the dance. Complete dance details coming soon.

morp

Northfield High School Foundation Scholarship Donations

The Northfield High School Foundation is proud to offer five non-renewable scholarships of $3,000 to the Northfield Class of 2025. Interested seniors must simply write and submit two short essays about their Northfield High School experience, detail plans following graduation and provide a recent transcript to be considered. The Northfield High School Foundation Scholarship Committee will review applications and announce the winners in late April. If you or anyone you know would like to make a donation to the Northfield High School Foundation’s Scholarship Fund, please do so through Colorado Gives.

foundation

Garbage Bag Masterpieces

Northfield students enrolled in Theatre 1 used creativity and elements of design to transform everyday garbage bags into stage worthy costumes. The class explores acting, voice and diction, physical movement, writing, costume and set design.

garbage bag costumes

Citywide Day of Theatre

A handful of Northfield students participated in the Denver Public Schools Citywide program this week. Citywide offers a variety of district-wide events for drama and theatre students. Drama and Theatre Days are focused events led by content specialists from the community with workshops covering a wide range of performance and technical subjects. Through the program, students connect with other students, see peer and professional performances, and expand their personal experience in theatre.

Citywide
Citywide

Climate Champions Grant Program: Renewable Energy Expansion

The Climate Champions is a dedicated group focused on enhancing Northfield High School's campus while reducing the school’s carbon footprint. Last year, the group researched, applied for a grant, secured funding, and successfully installed solar-powered phone charging picnic tables near Buildings 2 and 5. These tables are highly effective among students with many using them during passing periods, lunch and off-periods. By providing a useful on-campus phone charging solution, the tables have also helped reduce the school’s carbon footprint by minimizing the number of students driving elsewhere to charge their devices.

This year, the group worked to research and plan an exciting new addition for spring and are thrilled to announce the installation of standing solar-powered phone chargers. These chargers will soon be located in the grass area between Buildings 2 and 5, as well as another one near the main entrance of Building 2. 

Looking ahead, Northfield’s Climate Champions are striving to create an outdoor oasis for the school community. This vision includes the beauty and sustainability of our campus, providing students with a multifunctional outdoor space for studying, eating, socializing and more. By creating such a space we aim to further reduce Northfield’s carbon footprint by encouraging students to remain on campus instead of driving offsite.

Northfield Nighthawks Podcast Series

nighttalks

Northfield's Dr. Dan Clarke has something special for the Nighthawk Community: The Northfield Nighttalks Podcast. The new series highlights Northfield staff, including personal hobbies and passions. Latest editions feature Mr. Joey Bender and Ms. Rebecca Hopeck. Give it a listen!

DPS SchoolChoice Now Open

DPS SchoolChoice Round 1 for the 2025-26 school year is now open. This annual open enrollment process is for any student who wants or needs to attend a new school next year, particularly incoming ECE-3, kindergarten, sixth- and ninth-grade students. Students who currently attend Northfield do not need to complete SchoolChoice. SchoolChoice is open through 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 18.

To submit a SchoolChoice application:

  1. Research your school options using School Finder and the Enrollment Guides.

  2. Create an account or use your DPS Parent Portal username and password to log in to SchoolChoice.

  3. Rank up to 12 schools in order of preference and submit by 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 18. 

You’ll be notified of your results in late March. In the meantime, find much more information on the SchoolChoice website. If you have any questions, review the SchoolChoice FAQs, call 720-423-3493, or email schoolchoice@dpsk12.org.

School Choice

Northfield IB Programming Insights

IB Family Night Recap

If you missed Northfield's International Baccalaureate night this week, or you were hoping to reference the presentation shared, we got you. View the presentation and reach out to IB Coordinators, Mr. Peter Wright or Ms. Reina Cruz, with questions. Additional information about IB is available throughout the Northfield website.

ib logos

IB Visual Arts Spring Exhibition at the Stanley Marketplace

IB Art

The IB Visual Arts Department invites you to experience an enthralling exhibition that celebrates the hard work and exceptional contributions of our IB students, both at the SL and HL levels. This exciting exhibition is hosted at Stanley Marketplace (2501 Dallas St., Aurora, Colo. 80010) and offers a unique opportunity to support our Nighthawks as they present their work to the Denver Community. While the event will take place in March, it is never too early to mark your calendars and join us in honoring the dedication and creativity of our talented students!

Nighthawk Nation

Northfield Nighthawks Game Schedule 

Share the Action. Coaches and/or Families: Please share photos of Northfield student-athletes in action, along with a sentence or two, and we'll include your content in this section! The deadline for submissions is 8 a.m. on Thursdays. Remember to tag @nighthawk.nation in your social media posts.

A Legendary Nighthawk Retires

calderwood

Saturday, Feb. 1, marks the start of retirement for Mr. John Calderwood, Northfield athletics assistant. Mr. Calderwood started at Northfield nearly nine years ago and will forever hold a special place in the hearts of countless students and staff. Once a Nighthawk, always a Nighthawk.

Northfield Poms at Nationals

poms

The faces of champions in Florida for Universal Dance Association Nationals. Best of luck to the Northfield Nighthawks Poms team!

Northfield Mini Cheer Camps

cheer camp
returning camp

Northfield Cheer will host two mini camps for new and returning children ages 4- to 13-years-old this basketball season. Join the team's band app for more information on how to register and camp updates.

Northfield Nighthawks Community Golf Tournament

Golf Tournament

Join the Northfield Community for a day of fun, competition and community support at the Northfield Nighthawks Community Golf Tournament! Whether a seasoned golfer or a beginner, this event is perfect for everyone who loves the game and wants to make a difference.

Date: Saturday, May 3
Location: City Park Golf Course (3181 E 23rd Ave, Denver, CO 80205)
Time: Shotgun Start, 7:30 a.m.

Gather your friends, family, or coworkers to form a team, or register individually and be paired with other players. The tournament will feature an exciting 4-person scramble format, with prizes for top teams, longest drive, closest to the pin and more.

All proceeds from the event support The Northfield High School Foundation, helping to enrich the experiences and opportunities for ALL of Northfield students. Last year, the tournament raised more $18,000!

Event Highlights:

  • Fiesta Buffet Lunch + one adult beverage included.

  • Ticket price also includes range balls for warm-up, all greens fees and golf carts.

  • Hole-in-one, marshmallow drive, longest drive challenge and other fun contests.

  • Networking and community-building.

Sponsorship opportunities are available for local businesses and/or individuals looking to support a great cause while gaining visibility.

Registration Fees:

  • Individual Player: $185

  • Team of Four: $740

Registration begins tomorrow, Saturday, Feb. 1. Space is limited! Signup or learn more.

Come tee off for a good cause and let’s make this a day to remember while supporting the Northfield Nighthawks!

foundation

Northfield Poms Performance at Denver Nuggets Game; Team Fundraising Opportunity

The Northfield Poms team will perform before the Denver Nuggets home game at Ball Arena on Thursday, Feb. 6. Come cheer on the team! A portion of game ticket sales go toward team fundraising efforts. To see the performance, arrive at your seat an estimated 30-40 minutes before game tip off. For questions, contact Northfield Pom Parent, Jamie Nally, at 720-363-1849; or Lyndsay Marchbanks (303-405-7635), the Denver Nuggets contact for ticket questions.

Poms

Questions / Concerns / Compliments

Do you have questions, comments or compliments for Northfield High School? We want to hear your feedback.

DPS & Community News

Guidance for Respiratory Illnesses

DPS Nursing and Student Health Services reminds all families of the following guidance for respiratory illnesses.

How are viruses spread?
Respiratory viruses are primarily spread through contact with droplets from the nose and throat of an infected person, typically via coughing and sneezing. These viruses can also spread when someone touches a surface that has the virus on it, as they can survive on hard surfaces for several hours and on skin for a shorter period. Frequent hand washing is crucial in reducing the spread.

General Health Practices:

  • Hand Hygiene: Wash hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.

  • Cough/Sneeze Etiquette: Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue or your sleeve when coughing or sneezing. Dispose of tissues in the trash immediately.

  • Surface Cleaning: Regularly clean and disinfect high-touch areas such as doorknobs, mobile devices, countertops, and tables.

  • Avoid Close Contact: Refrain from close interactions, including kissing, sharing eating utensils, or shaking hands with individuals showing cold-like symptoms.

  • Flu Vaccination: Get your flu vaccine to help reduce the spread of illness.

By following these practices, we can help reduce the transmission of respiratory illnesses in our schools and protect the health of everyone in our community.

Additional Resources:

  • CDPHE: Infectious disease guidelines for schools and child care settings | Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and ChildCare_How_Sick_Is_Too_Sick_English.pdf

  • CDC: About Influenza | Influenza (Flu) | CDC 

DPS Nursing Services

Updated Covid-19 Guidelines

In March 2024, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated its respiratory virus guidance for people with COVID-19. The updates align with guidance for other respirator viruses, including the flu and RSV. Review the complete guidelines.

DPS Nursing Services

Live SAT Prep Course

campus prep

Campus Prep will offer a high-quality SAT prep course this winter for juniors and seniors. The 7-week course, taught by a Harvard grad, will take place at the University of Denver and totals 27 hours of comprehensive learning, along with three proctored practice exams. Cost of the course is $195. A live, online version of the course is also available. The course fills up fast. Register today. Campus Prep has provided these popular courses at the University of Denver for the past seven years and is the official SAT provider for the Boulder Valley School District. For questions, email admin@campusprep.org or call 877-805-2521.

Northfield High School
5500 Central Park Blvd.
Denver, Colo. 80238