Skinner Middle School
Links: 24-25 Calendar (Spanish Calendar)
Feb 24 No School for students - Skinner-only Staff Development Day #3
Feb 27 Parent Teacher Conferences 4-8pm
Mar 5 CSC 4-5:30pm/PTO 5:30-6:30pm
Mar 6 Community Arts Night 5-7pm
Mar 14 8th grade Continuation Pictures
Mar 17 Citywide Instrumental Festival
Mar 24 - 31 No School - Spring Break
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:
Unlike 6th and 7th Grade, 8th Grade Conferences are by appointment only.
The purpose of Feb 27th Conferences is to prioritize 8th grade students with failing grades and/or are off track for Continuation in one or more areas.
For student’s who are off-track in one or more areas, teachers have been and will continue to reach out to families individually to schedule these conferences. It is essential that students attend these conferences with you.
On Friday 2/21 at 4pm, an email will go out for families of students who are on-track to schedule an optional conference with individual teachers during any remaining time slots. Please only schedule 1 or 2 conferences so there are opportunities for all who want to attend.
Conferences can be in-person or virtual.
Skinner CMAS Schedule & Opt-out Information: See letter for more information
We will begin the Colorado Measures of Academic Success (CMAS) assessments on Tuesday April 8, 2025. CMAS is a standards-based state summative assessment designed to provide a picture of student performance to schools,districts, educators, parents, and the community. If families would like to opt-out their child(ren) from testing, it is essential to follow the opt-out process outlined in the document linked below. Skinner will be penalized for students who are not properly opted out. You must go through the opt out process if you plan to have your child refrain from the testing sessions.
At Skinner, we are committed to using this data to support every student’s academic progress. Last year, our school received a Green rating on the School Performance Framework (SPF). While we met the state’s 95% participation threshold, only 56% of students participated in the English Language Arts test (284 parent excusals), and just 58.8% participated in the Math test (266 parent excusals). Parent excusals limit our ability to collect meaningful performance data, which is critical for identifying areas of need and accessing support for our school. This year, we are working to increase participation and ensure every student’s progress is reflected. Thank you.
Eligible students will have the opportunity to take professional Continuation photos on Friday, March 14th during the school day. The hard deadline for eligibility for Continuation photos is Friday, March 7 at 3:30. Students must be eligible in ALL areas (not including community service) at this time in order to be placed on the schedule for Continuation photos the following week. There will be no late additions or make-up options even if a student gains eligibility after the deadline but before the 15th. If your student is absent, there are no opportunities to retake the pictures. 8th grade Learning Family Mentors will be emailing families with more information in the coming weeks. Please review Continuation Requirements. If you have specific questions, please contact Ryan Cronshaw (ryan_cronshaw@dpsk12.net)
After another student was hurt by a driver along W 41st Ave (this time at the intersection with Federal Blvd) when walking home from school, a Skinner parent spoke with a local writer from The Denver North Star about his family's experience moving on city streets. Click here to read the story and share it widely to raise awareness about kid-safe streets!
Another Skinner parent is also organizing our school community to push for Safe Routes to School. She and others believe our kids deserve safe public streets to get to and from school (and any other essential destination) safely and independently. Read more about how to join this effort here and reach out to this parent with any questions. Thank you for involvement.
Bring your friends and family for a fun filled evening of activities for all ages to enjoy! Here at Skinner, we are celebrating what it takes to make all the wonderful types of art; musical, vocal, technical and visual.
Evening events begin with two musical numbers in the auditorium followed by a rotation through 2 activities all taught and led by skinner scholars! This is for everyone in the community and school. This event is all about having fun!
Hello DPS Parents and Guardians, Do you need assistance with applying for benefits on the Colorado Peak website? We will have a benefits specialist available at no cost on Fridays at the NW Hub at Trevista to answer questions and provide application assistance. These consultations are available by appointment only and we have spots available this week! Please sign up HERE to reserve your spot. We can also do the appointment over the phone if that is more convenient.
Hello from Denver Parks and Recreation’s MY Denver Team! We are happy to announce the return of our Summer Rec Kidz program and offer families living in the 80211 zip code a chance to register early! Summer Rec Kidz was created in 2024 to serve Denver youth during the summer season while school is out of session. This program is free of charge and provides daily structured activities for youth ages 8-12.
Friday, February 21: 80211 Early Registration Night - To make sure that Summer Rec Kidz first serves the needs of the surrounding community, families who live in the 80211 zip code will have an opportunity to register early before the program opens up to the rest of the public. Please join us at Ashland Recreation Center on Friday, February 21 from 4:30 - 6:30 p.m. to register for Summer Rec Kidz. This early registration opportunity will only be available for families who live in the 80211 zip code. If you plan on attending, please bring documentation with your name and current address.
Program Details: Summer Rec Kidz offers weekly themed activities such as Mini MythBusters, LEGO Engineering Explorers, and Wizarding 101. Youth will also have the opportunity to take fun field trips and be introduced to other local organizations through onsite enrichments that fit each theme. For more information about the community night and early registration, please contact Ashland Recreation Center at 720.865.0510 or MYDenver.Recreation@denvergov.org.
Skinner has been accepted into Longmont Dairy's Milk Caps for Mooola program. Please save all Longmont Dairy caps (milk, juice, lemonade, cold brew, etc.) and turn them into the container in Skinner's main office. Skinner's PTO will earn 5 cents per cap so save, save, save!
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
The school year calendar for the 2025-26 school year is now available. 2025-26 School Year Calendar
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.
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.
Want to see a prior issue of Skinner Family News? Links are posted on the Skinner website, click here to access.