Skinner Middle School
Links: 24-25 Calendar (Spanish Calendar)
Feb 14 No School - DPS Staff Development Day
Feb 17 No School - Presidents’ Day
Feb 19 Skinner Fundraiser at Cosmo's Pizza, 3-8 pm
Feb 19 Parents Night Out, Elks Lodge, 6-8 pm
Feb 24 No School for students - Skinner-only Staff Development Day #3
Feb 27 Parent Teacher Conferences 4-8pm
Conferences will be held in person on February 27th 4:00-8:00pm.
6th and 7th grade:
The purpose of Feb 27th Conferences are to provide opportunities for parents to meet with teachers, Gifted and Talented Coordinator, Support Staff, and Administration.
Families of 6th and 7th grade students can meet with as many teachers as they would like, but prioritizing 2-3 teachers is a recommended strategy as conferences will be a first-come first-serve basis. It’s optional but highly encouraged to bring students to conferences.
In-person meetings only, except for virtual options for Skinner Administration conferences.
8th grade:
The purpose of Feb 27th Conferences are to prioritize 8th grade students with failing grades and/or students struggling with positive behavior/conduct.
Teachers will reach out to families individually to schedule these conferences. It is essential that students attend these conferences with you.
Conferences can be in-person or virtual.
We want to provide an important update regarding student devices. Unfortunately, we are seeing an increase in damaged and lost devices, which is impacting our ability to provide replacements quickly.
Lost Devices & Fees: If your student has lost or damaged their device, a fee must be addressed before a new one can be issued. Please check your email (Title: DPS Chromebook Damage OR Lost Chromebook Fee) for details as fees are paid through your MySchoolBucks account.
Device Availability: At this time, we are completely out of loaner devices due to the high volume of breakages. If your student’s device is damaged, repairs may take longer than usual.
Increasing Breakage: We have seen a significant rise in cracked screens and other damage. We kindly ask for your support in reminding students to handle their devices with care. Keeping devices in protective cases, avoiding drops, and storing them properly when not in use can help prevent damage.
We appreciate your partnership in ensuring all students have access to the technology they need for learning.
Costa Rica in 2026 & Japan in 2027! INFORMATION SESSION - Thursday, February 20 - 6 pm in the Skinner Auditorium RSVP: rsvp.eftours.com/cvd9ycc
Dear Parents & Guardians, There’s an incredible educational travel opportunity available for your student in 2026 or 2027! Come to the information session to meet with me and learn more about these tours, including:
What we’ll see and do
Travel logistics
Affordable payment options
How to enroll on this trip—before it fills up
I look forward to seeing you there!
Jamie Brnilovich (6th Grade Lang Arts Teacher), Group Leader jamie_brnilovich@dpsk12.net
Wednesday, February 19, 6:00-8:00 pm at Elks Lodge #17. One of the things that makes Skinner great is our amazing parent community! Order a pizza from Cosmo’s for the kids (see below) and come hang out and get to know other Skinner parents. We will have light snacks and the bar will be open if you are looking to share a drink with friends new and old.
Location: Elks Lodge Upstairs Club Room 2475 W. 26th Ave Denver CO 80211
On Wednesday, February 19, 3-8 pm Cosmo’s Pizza - Federal Blvd will donate 20% of attributed sales (dine-in, delivery and carry-out) to Skinner PTO! Please mention “Skinner” when placing your order for us to receive credit. Online order? Add "Skinner" to the "Order Notes" section so we receive credit. http://cosmospizza.com/north-denver/ Remember to order some delicious spicy ranch! 💚🍕💛
Vice President Marlene De La Rosa's scheduled community engagement at CEC Early College has been rescheduled to February 19 from 6-8 pm. RSVP Link
Thank you to all parents and students who attended this week’s Basketball Info Meeting! Here is the slide-deck in case you missed it or need a reminder on the details of the upcoming season!
Safe, Non-Contact Football Instruction for Kids ages 6 to 14 years old. Led by Pro Coaches, Featuring with NFL Alumni Denver Broncos.
Location: Glendale, CO - Infinity Park, 950 S. Birch Street
July Dates - 9 am -11:30 am After Camp Skills Available
SEE OUR COMPLETE SCHEDULE and REGISTER VIA LINK. Denver Public School Students Save $100 with code “DPS100”
The school year calendar for the 2025-26 school year is now available. 2025-26 School Year Calendar
We will be hosting our National History Day Showcase Event on Wednesday, February 19, 2025. We are looking for volunteer judges! As a judge, you will assess projects (we will have evaluation forms and a quick training session) to help us identify exemplar student projects which we will nominate and encourage to move on to the Regional showcase event at UCD. We will provide lunch and would request you plan to be at Skinner on 2/19 from 8:30 - 2:30pm.
If you or someone you know might be available to volunteer as a NHD judge, please complete this form. We will be following up with more details soon. Thank you for considering!
Several Skinner teachers have DonorsChoose projects posted hoping to obtain classroom and project supplies for their students. Please click here to see the projects and consider a donation today! Thank you in advance for your generosity.
Click for the registration link for both events.
Vapes in 2025: What’s Changed & What Parents Need to Know with Dr. Aaron Weiner - Tuesday, February 18th at 11 AM Vaping products are more powerful and dangerous than ever, with youth-targeted marketing and new ways to evade regulations. Dr. Aaron Weiner is returning to provide an in-depth look at the latest trends in vaping, the risks to physical and mental health, and how parents and educators can guide students toward healthier choices.
Unpacking the Risks of Modern Marijuana with Laura Stack - Tuesday, March 4th at 11 AM Today’s marijuana products, like dabbing concentrates and delta-8 THC, pose serious risks to adolescent brain development and mental health. Laura Stack, founder of Johnny’s Ambassadors, travels across the country sharing her powerful story of loss to educate schools and families. Her presentation will equip parents and educators with the knowledge to address these issues and start essential conversations with students.
Active transportation includes walking, biking, and other non-motorized methods of getting around. Embracing these changes can greatly benefit your health, save you money, and positively impact your community. This February celebrate movement, step outside, and fall in love with a more active lifestyle.
Adults need 150 minutes per week of moderate intensity aerobic activity and kids need 60 minutes a day. Active transportation helps the whole family reach their daily activity needs. Walking, biking, and rolling to school makes getting exercise enjoyable and convenient!
Active transportation improves safety by reducing the amount of vehicles on the road. This allows for less congestion and a reduced likelihood of a crash leading to a medical emergency. Idling vehicles cause increased rates of asthma and other lung related diseases. This is especially harmful in and around school zones, affecting the health of children. Families choosing active transportation reduce air pollution and improve the air quality in their neighborhoods!
Active transportation can save you money! By walking, biking, and rolling more, there’s less maintenance on your vehicle and less fuel expenses. Walking, biking, and rolling in your neighborhood strengthens your connections with neighbors and local businesses. Active transportation improves mental health, increases community support, and revitalizes the neighborhood.
Achieving Excellence Academy (AEA) is a free, cultural, summer enrichment program for rising ninth through 12th graders, taking place June 9-July 2 with orientation on June 5. This program highlights the experiences of Asian-American/Pacific Islander, Black/African-American, Latine/LatinX and Indigenous students and families.
Registration opens soon, and spaces are limited. For more information, email Ashlea Skiles at a_skiles@dpsk12.net
North High Vikings Futures Football is returning this spring and is open to all 7th and 8th grade co-ed future Viking students. Scan the QR code in the graphic or follow this link to let us know you are interested. Go Vikings!
Skinner's support staff team is in need of your help! Please check our Amazon wishlist and consider making a donation so we are able to provide to our students in need. Thank you for your generosity and commitment to our community's youth. Please click here and order some items today! Thanks in advance for your generosity.
CSC: Collaborative School Committee - first Wednesday of every month 4:00-5:30 in the Skinner Library. CSC includes parents, admin, staff meeting to discuss issues, impacts, and solutions for the school
PTO: Parent/Teacher Organization - first Wednesday of every month 5:30-6:30, usually in the Skinner Library (Please check the Skinner calendar to confirm date.)
Fundraising, teacher appreciation, parent volunteers.
Check out Skinner Website PTO for more information.
8th Grade Families - SchoolChoice for 2025-26 is NOW OPEN! Visit dpsschoolchoice.my.site.com. Create an account or log in with your current Parent Portal username and password. Rank your schools and submit your application by Feb. 18. Results will go out in late March. Find much more information at schoolchoice.dpsk12.org
Want to see a prior issue of Skinner Family News? Links are posted on the Skinner website, click here to access.