January 22-23rd: Make Up Access Days 

January 24th: NO Saturday School

January 27th: PTO Meeting

January 29th: Innovation Meeting

January 30th: Friday Chat with Your Principal, Village Meeting

January 31st: Saturday School

February 10th: Principal Selection Community Forum and Meet & Greet Event

We are excited to announce that Oakland Elementary will be launching its first-ever After-School Robotics Club for the 2025–26 school year! This exciting opportunity was made possible through Ms. Feret, who applied for a grant and received confirmation of the award during winter break. All robotics materials and equipment arrived on campus just last week.

The grant fully covers all costs, including robotics equipment and teacher training—making this program accessible and sustainable for our students.

The Robotics Club will focus on collaboration, teamwork, and problem-solving, building on students’ prior experience working with LEGO-based learning. Through hands-on challenges, students will design, build, test, and refine their ideas while working together in teams. The club is scheduled to begin meeting on Thursdays starting in mid-February.

The program will serve students in 5th Grade ELA-S and ELA-E, with the possibility of including 4th grade students if space allows. As the season progresses, students may also have the opportunity to participate in a Denver Public Schools robotics competition, where elementary and middle school teams from across the district come together to showcase their skills.

We are so excited to bring this innovative, hands-on learning experience to Oakland and look forward to seeing our students grow as engineers, collaborators, and problem-solvers. Thank you to our wonderful teachers like Ms. Feret for making this opportunity possible.

Leah and the Oakland Art Student Council were recognized for their outstanding work on the school-wide mural project. Read the full story: More than a Mural: Power Lives Here.

We want to share an important update regarding the principal selection process at Oakland Elementary School. This letter outlines our gratitude for the leadership guiding Oakland during this transition and explains how the upcoming selection process will reflect our shared values of inclusivity, equity, collaboration, and integrity. We invite all members of our school community to stay informed and engaged as we move forward together.

Click here to see the timeline letter. 

On February 10th, Oakland will hold the Principal Selection Community Forum and Meet & Greet Event from 3-4:30 p.m. in the Auditorium.

Here is the schedule for the PTO meetings in January. You can find all translated calendars on our website here. 

The Montbello Organizing Committee is excited to launch its Strengthening Families Program beginning the first week of February. This program is designed to support and empower families through connection, learning, and community. Please see the attached flyers for more information and details on how to participate.

We understand that times may be rough and are here to wrap around you and your family in whatever ways you need. Please fill out the form so we can best support you. This is a private form and will only be used to assist in meeting the needs of your family. Any requests will be fulfilled based on availability, but please list any needs that we may be able to meet from our Food Bank. We love you and value you as part of our Oakland Village!

Fill out the form here.

Access or Donate to Local Food Resources

As a reminder, our school meals at DPS will not be impacted. School breakfast and lunches will continue as normal and remain free to families.

If you need support securing food…

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

• Tasty Food Program: After school 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.

• Struggle of Love offers a food pantry every day Monday through Friday 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. Address: 12005 E 45th Ave, Denver, CO 80239

• FACE Community Hub offers support at John H. Amesse Elementary School. 

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.

Interested in supporting our immediate community? Reach out to Ms. Long at rachel_long@dpsk12.net. Ms. Long will be leading an Oakland Family Drive to provide extra food and essential items to our families in need. The Food Bank can be found in the main office.

We’re launching our i-Ready Monthly Challenge—a fun and motivating way for students to build strong Reading and Math skills and earn presents all year long! 

Weekly Awards starting November 21st!

How it works:
👉 Students complete i-Ready lessons each week (2 Reading + 2 Math)
👉 Aim for 49+ minutes in Reading and 49+ minutes in Math
👉 We celebrate growth every month with trophies, medals, stickers, posters, diplomas, and fun prizes!

How to support at home:

1. Go to your district Clever portal or visit login.i-ready.com

2. Log in using your student’s school username and password

3. Encourage short sessions (10–20 minutes) throughout the week

Ask your student: “Did you hit your minutes and lessons this week?”

Click here to see more about iReady.

Do you love to run, play, and be part of a team? Are you ready to learn new skills, build confidence, and have fun after school? Then basketball is for YOU!

We’re looking for Oakland students who are interested in joining this year’s team. No experience needed—just bring your energy, your curiosity, and your Oakland pride! Practices will start after Winter Break.

👉 How to Sign Up:
Fill out this form if your student is interested in basketball or reach out to Mr. T. More information to come!

Quick Decision Tips for Parents - Ask Yourself: 

1. Does my child have a fever? → If yes, stay home 

2. Are they acting like their normal self? → If no, consider staying home 

3. Can they participate in regular activities? → If no, stay home 

4. Could they spread something to other kids? → If yes, stay home 

Remember: When in doubt, contact nurse Lupe. She is there to help you make the best decision for everyone's health.

Please note: Instant noodles that require microwaving are not allowed, as we only have one microwave available.