Dateline DA September 2015
Denver Academy picnic

This time of year is filled with excitement and promise. We have settled into our routines and the students are excited about all that a new school year brings. We want to welcome all of our new families to the Denver Academy community and welcome back our returning families! It was great meeting many of you at our picnic and we look forward to getting to know you throughout the school year. 

Our kick-off week was last week and we saw enthusiastic students on the quad playing games, eating their lunch, and actively participating in school. Our faculty, staff, and parent association (DAPA) are purposeful in making sure each student feels they are a part of our DA family. 

High School sports teams are off to a great start. From soccer to golf and volleyball to cross country, all students have the opportunity to participate in and contribute to DA's athletic teams. For our budding thespians, our theater department will soon be hosting tryouts for its first performance. 

The Elementary and Middle School are off to a great start as well. The 6th grade students enjoyed their hike to Elk Meadow Park and Middle School students participated in community building activities at Eisenhower Park. We'd like to extend a special thanks to all the Pony parents for the popsicles and fun they provided for the Elementary students last Friday!
 
We invite all parents to join us on September 10th at 6:00 p.m., starting in the Quad, for Back to School Night. It's a great opportunity to hear from the leaders of our school and meet your child's teachers. This year high school parents will follow their student's schedule and visit each classroom to hear what the year will bring. The Elementary and Middle School will also meet each teacher and hear from all those who make Denver Academy great. 
 
We're so excited about the new school year and are looking forward to meeting you! 

Sincerely,
Head of High School

Head of Lower School
New Faces in Counseling Department
The Denver Academy Counseling Department is excited to introduce you to their new team members: Zach Rawlings, LPC, and Lindsay Taubman. Zach is a Counselor in private practice here in Denver and has served as a group leader and consultant to DA in the past. He will be working predominantly with our Middle School Division.  Lindsay Taubman is the department's new assistant. You may recognize her from her years as a teaching assistant in the Elementary School.  To learn more about Zach or Lindsay, read about them on the DA website.

Zach Rawlings
Events, Activities, Reminders
#MustangStampede
It seems that we've caught the running bug at Denver Academy. Thirty-one middle school and 17 high school students are running cross country this year. That's over 30% of the entire middle school population! 

Be sure to cheer on our #MustangStampede at one of the next cross country meets. Check the Athletics Calendar for details.  

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IT Resources for DA Students and Parents
I f you or your student have questions about technology at Denver Academy please visit the  IT department's website for students and parents ! There are helpful how-to videos, tech tips and links to other great websites.
PE Update
Welcome back! We are so excited to implement some new resources this year in the PE Department! You may have noticed the giant television on the south side of the gym. New this year, this TV will provide us the ability to show visual breakdowns of skills, drills, actual gameplay, and strategies for the sports and activities we teach. 

In addition, the TV will be used to implement the Polar Fit technology, which students of all grade levels will be using this year. Students will wear heart rate monitors on certain days of their PE classes, which will reflect onto the large TV screen, indicating their heart rate and level of effort. Not only are the monitors motivating, but they also provide feedback to students and parents about individual performance. Our faculty will be communicating via email about how to access each student's performance summary.
 
If you have an Elementary student, please remember to send them with sneakers for PE every day. They may keep a pair with us, if easier. For Middle and High School students who sign up for PE classes, we will issue them a uniform, which you will be billed for, and assign them a PE locker.

Please feel free to contact Kyra Ruscio, Coordinator of PE and Health, with any questions or concerns.
Q1 HS & MS Clubs
First quarter clubs have been announced! Among the offerings: disc golf, middle school acting, film, and writing . Check out the full list on our website . Clubs will be offered from September 14 through October 22.


Senior Photos &
Senior Dedications
Seniors! Yearbook will start accepting senior photos on  September 8 in Arts & Media Room 107 or Ms. Booton's mailbox in the administration building. 
 
Photographer Marlo Butler (wife of DA's Mr. Butler) is available if you still need to set up an appointment. 

Parents of Seniors!
Senior dedications for the 2015-2016 yearbook will be available for purchase until  October 22. Checks and order forms must be received by then in order to reserve a space. 

More information about senior photos, photographers, contact information, and deadlines is  available on the  Parent Resources page  on our website. 
 
College & Transition News
Common App and ACT/SAT Deadlines
The next ACT test date is Saturday, September 12. The deadline to apply for accommodations for the October 24 test date is Friday, September 4. The registration deadline for the October 24 test date if you are not seeking accommodations is Friday, September 18.
 
The next SAT test date is October 3 with September 3 being the deadline to register if you are not seeking accommodations. Register by September 18 if you wish to apply for accommodations for the November 7 test.

The Common Application is now open and students can begin applying to college(s) today! Many schools encourage applicants to submit their application materials by November 1 to meet an Early Action deadline. 
College Reps 
on Campus 
Please visit the Senior Division calendar on the 12th grade curriculum webpage for upcoming visits to the Denver Academy campus by college representatives. College rep visits are being added daily to the calendar, so please be sure to check back often! Parents are welcome to attend the information sessions and chat with admission representatives while they are on campus. 
Parent Book Group
Parents of Juniors & Seniors are welcome to participate in a book group discussion during each Late Start Wednesday. Our first meeting will be Wednesday, October 14th at 8:00 a.m. Over the course of five late start Wednesdays we will discuss how to prepare your student for a successful transition from Denver Academy to college, a career, pursuing a gap year and more! 
 
Library News
Reading Programs
It's not too late for your students to participate in the Summer Reading program and earn homework passes! Forms are due Sept. 25, so students and their families still have time to participate. For more information and to download the Summer Reading form, visit our Library Google site.
 
We also offer a Hooked on Books reading/prize program for Elementary through High School during the school year. More information, including prize lists and the Middle/High School submission form, is also available on our Library Google Site. 
Book Fair 
Save the Date
Mark your calendars because the Scholastic Book Fair will be coming to campus on November 13-20. This is a great opportunity to purchase gifts for teachers, friends, and family, and all the proceeds benefit the Library. 

If you are interested in volunteering or providing food for our teacher preview, please contact Jolene Gutierrez, Librarian. 
 
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Online Resources
Denver Academy Library subscribes to many online databases and resources, including the comprehensive EBSCO databases and more specific databases like CultureGrams. To learn more and watch video screencasts that walk you through many topics, visit our Library Google Site .
Volunteer News
Thank you to the wonderful volunteers who helped get this school year off to a great start! DAPA sponsored many activities for families, students, and teachers including Welcome Faculty and Staff Appreciation Breakfast, All-School Picnic (check out pictures on the DA Facebook page), First Day Coffee, High School Kick-Off Week, Ninth Grade Tie Dye, Senior T-Shirts, and Ponies Kick-Off with Popsicles. Thank you Deb Woodward, Amanda Plank, Lorie Linnell, Roxanne Luch, Carla Rovno, Barbara White, Deborah Stevens, Rachel Petrie, Holly Salzman, Whitney Adams, Kim Tyler, Debbie Campbell, and Chris Wilde. Special thanks to Lorie Linnell for reaching out to all of our new families over the summer.

There are many ways to get involved at Denver Academy. Upcoming opportunities include:
  • The first DAPA meeting, Thursday, September 10 at 8:15 in the DAPA House. (Meetings are the second Thursday of each month.)
  • Elementary School (Ponies) parents will have their first meeting Tuesday, September 15 following student drop off. Speaker: Lisa Conte, Counselor. 
  • Middle School (Herd) parents will meet Tuesday, September 22 following student drop off.
  • High School (Mustang Connection) parents will meet Thursday, September 17 at 8:15 a.m.
  • Want to chat, meet new friends, reconnect, or ask questions? Join us for the DAPA House Coffee Tuesday, September 1. This is a casual, fun way to spend time with DA parents.

Don't forget to mark your calendars! The 2016 DA Gala to benefit tuition assistance will take place Saturday, April 30 at the DCPA Seawell Ballroom. Interested in helping put this amazing event together? Please come to our informational coffee Wednesday, September 9 at 8:15 a.m. in the Administration Building Conference Room. 
For questions or more information on any of these events, contact Jill Singer at ext. 260.
Alumni Updates
  • Class of 1990 -  Congratulations to Kevin Weckbach who was awarded the 14th Allen Award at Plein Air Rockies in Estes Park in August. His work best represented "an understanding of the abstract elements of nature."  Kevin is a graduate of Rocky Mountain College of Art with a degree in Illustration and has studied at the Art Students League of Denver for the last decade. His work is represented in galleries from Massachusetts to Texas. In Colorado, his art is available for purchase at Gallery 1261. He balances his career as a painter with work as an illustrator.
     
  • Class of 2006 -  Bryce Lawson married Isabel Rubenstein in August 2015. They live in Dillon and are parents to five dogs! Bryce is in the hot tub business in Vail, Colorado. 
     
  • Class of 2009 -  Alex Braswell has begun her Master of Special Education degree at Metro State University. She is currently working as a Teaching Assistant in the Lower School. She graduated from the University of Denver in May 2014.
     
  • Class of 2010 -  Alexandra Turgeon has begun her Master of Social Work degree at Metropolitan State  University of Denver. She graduated from the University of Denver in May 2014.