SUNDAY, DECEMBER 6TH

The Colorado Coalition for Girls is excited to announce the Girls Athletic Leadership School!Information session this weekend, please forward to anyone who might be interested!!The Girls Athletic Leadership School has arrived in Denver!

We have officially been approved to open our doors in the fall of 2010, and we will be moving very quickly into our enrollment processes in order to meet the district's lottery deadline. You are all an important part of making this happen!

This weekend, we will be hosting an an information session for organizations and professionals who work with girls and are interested in learning more about our school. We ask you to invite any and all who you think might be interested in helping us reach out to parents and students throughout the city. This will be an opportunity for them to learn about GALS so that they can share the information with their networks and help us quickly spread the word.


The meeting details are as follows:
What: organizational/professional information session on GALS
When: Sunday, December 6 from 3:00-4:00 pm
Where: the community office of Sen. Mike Johnston (5405 E. 33rd Ave in Denver)


I apologize for the short notice, but we are working quickly within the time constraints to ensure that we open this opportunity to all girls though out the city of Denver. We are working on planning a second meeting in the near future but encourage any one who is able to attend on Sunday. Please have people RSVP directly to Nina (information below).

Feel free to let me know if you have any questions.
Look forward to seeing you on Sunday!


Check out our newly launched website! www.galschools.org

Nina Safane
Director of New Schools Development
Girls Athletic Leadership Schools
Cell: 862-221-0048
www.galschools.org

Application Deadlines

As of today, each of these middle schools has posted the following deadlines:

DSA: Online application due by Nov. 24 (today!)
Hamilton: Application due by Dec. 11
DCIS: Application due by Dec. 11
Smiley: Honors application due by Dec. 18
DSST: Application due by Jan. 29
Hill: Honors application due by Jan. 31

Dates are subject to change. Please check websites regularly...

Smiley Middle School Upcoming Dates

Honors application for Smiley IB are due 12/18. There are two new open houses as follows:

• Open House, Muffins with Parents, December 8^th at 7:50am

• Open House, December 10^th at 6:00 pm

  
  

  
  

  Please note their website is under construction.

Hope everyone enjoyed the expo last night--it certainly was well attended. For anyone who missed it, it was tables with school representatives to answer questions, etc. Nothing you can't contact the school with directly, mostly interesting to see all of the schools represented.

A couple of Open Houses I've just learned about:

DCIS Informational Meeting is 11/12 from 6:30-8


Morey Middle School Open House is 11/19 from 6-8

It is my understanding (please feel free to correct me if I'm wrong), that if your child has been identified HGT during their time at Polaris, they have an automatic place in Morey's HGT program. It is the district magnet program for HGT students. They also must provide your child transportation from within the district.


Hamilton Middle School Open is 12/2 from 7-8

Denver School of the Arts (DSA)

In case anyone is interested in exploring DSA, they are hosting an open house tonight (Tuesday, November 3) from 6:30 to 8:00.

They also have three visitation days left - November 6, 16 and 23.

I believe that the online application (with personal information and selection of a major) is due by November 24.

A card came home in Thursday folders, but wanted to make sure it was on the blog:

(According to their website, this has actually replaced the Hamilton IPM parent night.)

2009 Expo: Where Will Your Student Attend School Next Fall?

Denver Public Schools 2010-2011Middle Years & High School Expo
Date: Wed. Nov. 4, 2009
Time: 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Location: Denver Museum of Nature & Science2001 Colorado Blvd.Denver, CO 80205
Parking: Museum Parking is Free

http://communications.dpsk12.org/announcements/2009-expo-where-will-your-student-attend-school-next-fall-

DSST question

I submitted an e-mail request 10 days ago for shadowing at DSST. The return automated e-mail message says that they get back to people in the order received. Have others waited this long for a shadowing appointment at DSST?

Smiley information

Please join
Kathleen Shiverdecker, Principal
Smiley Middle School
along with select faculty
for
An Informational Open House for Parents
(International Baccalaureate Philosophy,

Shadowing, Admissions, Honors, and FAQs will be discussed)
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
From 6:30-8:00 pm

At the home of
Roxana and Joel Witter (Smiley & Ebert parents)
2582 Eudora Street in Park Hill

Refreshments will be served

Smiley PTSA 720.424.1540 http://www.smileymiddleschool.com/

From Chris Adams and Cheryl Fleetwood:

A great new tool for parents: 9News launched a new school choice website this week in collaboration with the Piton Foundation, Walton Family Foundation and the Daniels Fund. The site is intended to provide parents with meaningful information for choosing a school for their children. The site includes: student growth, test scores, demographic profiles, and program information about all types of schools. The site also features a common application that over a dozen charter schools are now accepting. Visit the site at: www.coloradoschoolchoice.org

Thank you for creating this blog.
We live in Stapleton and DSST is an attractive option but I was wondering whether more advanced kids (coming from Polaris) will be challanged enough?

I'd like to know more about Hamilton IPM program, any adivce?

Neda (Abtin's mom)

Wanted to share a few things:
Also want to point out that if you are interested in a particular school, this blog has a search feature and if you put in the school of interest, all posts with that school will filter out. Please remember to check the school websites yourself as information does change! Here is the main link again:http://schoolforms.dpsk12.org/schoollist/. If anyone finds out that something has changed, could you post it so we all know!

Hill Open House is Wednesday, October 21st, 6-7:30 p.m.
Morey Open House is Thursday, November 19th at 6 p.m. You can go to their website to apply for a shadow day.

Thank you to Colleen O'Brien for sending over her research:
Rocky Mountain School of Expeditionary Learning has open house the 1st Thursday of every month at 8:30 a.m. There is a lottery 2/5/10.

Hamilton-applications are available online and are due 12/11/09. They are accepting shadow appointments now.

DCIS: applications are due 12/11/09. They have open houses coming up on 10/15 and 10/22 at 7:45 a.m. You can visit their website and sign up online to attend an open house (they will have them in November as well).

Posting and Sharing

Hello, all. Thanks for making this information available to all of us. I have a few tips for those of you new to blogging...
On this site, if you are signed in as a "follower" you may comment on posts, but your text will only show to others who click on the "comment" link below the original posting.

If you are signed in as an "author" you may both make comments AND create "posts." There are several ways to open the "New Post" screen in which you compose your message and review your post. The easiest is to click on the link in the upper right corner of our blog page after you've reviewed the recent activity. There are also "New Post" and "Edit Posts" options in other sections of the blog site to those who joined as authors.

Some of you joined as both followers and authors. You may now want to delete the name you aren't using, so that you sign in with the same options each time.

Remember you can delete anything you created, so don't be afraid to spend some time trying out your options.

Happy sharing!
Nikole (Caden's mom)

Shadowing

I feel like there is a pretty decent list of middle schools we are considering looking at. We will try to narrow it down to 3-4 to investigate further. It seems like a lot of days of school to miss to have Maya out for shadowing.
Any thoughts?
Thanks-
Megan Younoszai

Hi--this is a great idea; it's so interesting to read everyone's perspectives. We are new to town--having a 5th-grader, this means that we'll have the joy of finding new schools two years in a row. Everyone's input has been so helpful. We're also thinking of DSST for Ben (we live in Stapleton, so if we follow the process, he should be able to get in). Does anyone know much about it or have any experience there? Ben is a math/science guy, so at least at first glance, it looks like a great resource in our back yard.

My daughter is a new 7th grader at DSA (theatre) and loves it. I think the academics are adequate, but certainly not rigorous. She, however, is highly motivated and seeks out opportunities to learn. More importantly, we moved her across the country this year, and she pops out of bed everyday excited to go to her new school.

Since she auditioned from out-of-state, we were very meticulous with the DSA audition process--we wanted to make sure that she didn't get disqualified on a technicality. I would recommend that others do the same. There were several students at the auditions who obviously didn't follow the very specific rules (attire, what to bring). Also, make sure to check their website frequently--last year, they made several modifications as process went along.

Nicole Kitchen

This blog is a great idea--thanks for setting up!

Riley initially expressed interest in DCIS (Center for Intl Studies), but is also planning to apply to DSA. Though we've heard mixed reviews, she will likely visit the HGT program at Morey, in the interest of keeping her options open. Having a B.A. in International Affairs, I'm excited to learn more about Smiley's IB program!

Our son, Tyger, is a 7th grader at DSA and is happy and successful there. While we would like to see stronger academics, there is always the argument that it is an arts school and that should be the main focus. This year does seem more challenging for him, as they made the effort to place him in a math class which accelerated his studies appropriate to his level. Overall, we have found the faculty to be well-qualified, warm, and supportive. The kids are an interesting and nice bunch.

I'm happy to be a resource for anyone who has questions regarding our experience with DSA.

--Kim Allen

Park Hill Option

Having been through this one time before with our older daughter, Carolyn, the experience may be somewhat overwhelming. Although Amanda, our Ebert 5th grader will shadow at a number of schools, we are also considering Smiley's International Baccalaureate (IB)

Program. The school boasts a new principal, Kathleen Shiverdecker, who is wonderful and a rigorous honors program. At this point, the whole school is IB. Smiley theoretically feeds into GW's IB, although kids go to host of other high schools too.

Carolyn went through the program and enjoyed it, despite difficulties with the former principal and subsequent problems. She is currently a freshman at GW (IB), loves it, and felt fully prepared for high school.

Our two daughters are as different as night and day, so we don't know where Amanda will land. Smiley would be great as it is in walking distance of our home. There are a couple of Ebert families there now (6th grade), who I am sure would be happy to talk with interested folks. The school is currently figuring out shadowing dates. It is definitely a consideration for those in the northeast.

What a great idea, and great timing too! Annie will shadow next week at Hamilton Middle School in Southeast Denver. I have heard wonderful things about their IPM program. Annie really has her heart set on going to this school (and we like it to - so far), but the distance is a problem for us. There are no buses from Park Hill Elem. If there is anyone out there who is considering Hamilton and lives near the Park Hill area, let me know. I want to be sure I can get her to and home from school before we make a decision.

Thanks for starting this Blog!

Charlotte (Annie's mom)

cskern@earthlink.net

I think this is a great idea! I would be happy to offer my take on DSA (Denver School of the Arts) to anyone who is thinking of that as an option. Tallis is a Sophomore this year! If you're interested, I'd recommend getting started with the process now - check out their website: http://dsa.dpsk12.org/. They have a new principal this year that we're all very excited about, and he's already made some positive changes. The academic classes are great, and it's a very positive atmosphere - because the student body is made up of kids who have worked very hard to be there.

For Willow, we're looking at schools in Jeffco, since we've moved into Jefferson County and it would be closer for us. So for now, we're looking at Jeffco Open School...not sure if you have to live in Jeffco to attend, but it's got an exciting format - it's an experiential-based cirriculum, from what I can tell so far.

Test blog - actually 1st blog ever! Thanks for setting this up. This is something very much on my mind lately, and it will be great to share information as it's gathered - and hear what others have to say.

Here is the link to the DPS schools: http://schoolforms.dpsk12.org/schoollist/

Note that some "middle schools" will fall under other categories if they are a K-8, K-12 or other variation (Bill Roberts, Kunsmiller, RMSEL, Slavens...).

I'm told the DPS web site is a good place to start

The welcome center personnel at Hill told me the most accurate and up to date information for each school will be found on their web site and the DPS web site will take you to each schools home page.

Testing the blog, 1,2,3...