Links: 24-25 Calendar (Spanish Calendar)

• No School - MLK Jr. Day

• Jan 29        CSC Budget Meeting 4-5:30pm (closed to the public)

We’ve been seeing an increase in students contacting their family directly if they are not feeling well, instead of going to the Clinic.  As a reminder, ill students should report to the nurse’s office or main office. Parents will be notified immediately if the illness is determined to be serious. Students will remain in the clinic until transportation arrangements are made and confirmed with parents.  If students bypass the Clinic and get in touch with their parents directly (by email or cell phone) for pickup, it will result in an unexcused absence. 

UPchieve is a nonprofit organization that provides free, 24/7 online tutoring and college counseling to middle and high school students in the United States. Our mission is to democratize academic support, ensuring all students have equal opportunities to succeed, regardless of their financial situation. Students can connect with a live, volunteer tutor in under 5 minutes using our website or mobile app. This week, all students set up an account in their Learning Family class. Learn more at UPchieve's website. 

If your student failed a course in the first semester, they will need to do credit recovery in order to be eligible for Continuation. Your student's learning family mentor should be reaching out in the next week if this applies to your student. Credit recovery consists of a combination of assignments and assessments that demonstrate mastery of a content area. These can be done either with the specific teacher whose course your student failed or with their Learning Family mentor in Learning Family. The goal is to have all credit recovery finished by Spring Break. Please reach out to your student's LF mentor if you have any specific questions.

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!

We are happy to announce that our Wellpower Group Facilitator, Cassandra Garcia, will be back for 2nd semester on Tuesdays and Wednesdays to facilitate small groups for students.  Group topics this semester include:  

1) Tuesdays during period 2-Anxiety Group -What is it and how do I manage it?  - An interactive group where students can learn a variety of skills to use when they experience anxiety. Trying out and practicing the activities in the group sessions will give students many ideas on how to both prevent and handle their anxiety. 

2) Tuesdays during Period 1-Girls Empowerment Group - How do I navigate my friendships? - A group that will incorporate education and skills that will build problem solving skills, healthy communication skills, confidence, and self-esteem - just for the girls! 

3) Wednesdays during Period 5-Could I be a Perfectionist?  - This is a group for students who struggle with perceptions of the need to be"  perfect "- whether it's with their grades, their achievements, as a friend or who they are as people - Students will learn what perfectionistic tendencies look like in our day to day lives and how we can manage our perceptions so it doesn't become unhealthy or unhelpful! 

In addition, there is a Voz Y Corazon Art Club available with Cassandra and local Denver artist, Cal Duran offered after school on Tuesdays from 3:25 - 4:25pm. This weekly art group was designed by young people for young people. Learn from a professional artist and receive mentor and group support. No art skills needed!  This has been an ongoing group that will run until end of school year but there are openings for our creative students!

All groups are space limited so register soon! - Placement will be first registered, first served. Deadline for all of the groups and Voz Art Club registration is due no later than Monday 1/27/2025.

All groups are held at Skinner during the school day for 45 minute group sessions for 6 weeks starting the week of January 27th, 2025  (Voz Art Club is after school for one hour and will meet weekly yearlong through May 20th, 2025 ) This year, families will need to register directly with Cassandra Garcia by calling 303-300-6293 OR email her at cassandra.garcia@wellpower.org.  Family Health Insurance or Medicaid information will need to be provided so have your health card available to register. Scholarships may be available for students without health care coverage or who have Blue Cross/Blue Shield insurance.

The 8th Grade Science team is planning a lab where the students will disassemble old speakers to see how magnets play a role in how they work as part of our magnets unit.  To do this we are in need of old speakers and/or headphones.  If you have any broken/extra sets of speakers or headphones that you don't need and are willing to donate we would really appreciate it.  Please just drop off items in the Skinner main office. Thank you so much for your support! 

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.

Several teachers have DonorsChoose projects posted hoping to obtain classroom and project supplies for their students. Please click here to see all of the projects and consider a donation to one ore more projects today! Thank you 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. 

The Round 1 SchoolChoice window for the 2025-26 school year opens at 10 a.m. on January 15 and runs through February 18, 2025 at 4 p.m.

The DPS SchoolChoice open enrollment process is for any student who wants or needs to attend a new school for the following school year, typically incoming kinder, sixth- and ninth-grade students. If your student will be a rising 7th or 8th grader and you would like your student to remain at Skinner, you do not need to complete the SchoolChoice process.

To participate in SchoolChoice, families submit one SchoolChoice application per student, on which they rank their top schools in order of preference, up to a limit of 12. DPS then uses a computer algorithm that matches students to schools based on those preferences, as well as school admission priorities and available space. Families need to have an active Parent Portal account to submit a SchoolChoice application.

Hello 8th Grade Families, You have a very important decision to make in the next few weeks, which high school will you choose for your 8th grader? North High is an absolutely outstanding choice and we would like to invite you to learn more about our community of Vikings and why North is the right choice for your family.

North High Prospective Family Information Night:

• Wednesday, January 29, 2025 from 6:30 – 8 pm

Attending a Prospective Family Information Night is a great way to learn all about why North is the right high school choice for your student. Families will have an opportunity to learn more about North High School, meet Principal German Echevarría and other members of our admin team, teachers, and current students and parents. School tours will also be offered. All prospective families are encouraged to attend. No RSVP necessary. We look forward to meeting you!

North High Daytime Tours/Classroom Visit Experiences: North offers daytime school tours including an optional student classroom visit experience for prospective Viking families. Tours are available from October – February most Mondays at 12:30 pm and Tuesdays at 9:40 am. CLICK HERE to sign up for a tour.

Want to see a prior issue of Skinner Family News? Links are posted on the Skinner website, click here to access.