December 13, 2024

Know Truth, Create Beauty, Practice Goodness

All School Announcements

2024 School of Distinction award for MacLaren

MacLaren Honored: "Accredited with Distinction School"

The Colorado Department of Education has awarded Thomas MacLaren School its highest accreditation level, "Accredited with Distinction," for excellence in academic, financial, and organizational performance. Congrats, MacLaren!

As You Like It drama poster

Junior Drama Performances December 16 and 17


MacLaren juniors perform Shakespeare's As You Like It on December 16 and 17! Performances will be held at 6:30 p.m., in the Auditorium. Doors open at 6:00 p.m. Come support the juniors and enjoy a bit of theater. Admission is free and all are welcome!

Early Release December 18 and 19


All students will have an early release Wednesday, December 18, which is the last day of classes for the Upper School.


The Lower School last day of classes is Thursday, December 19, and will also be an early release.

List of MacLaren Best of the Springs nominations

Vote for MacLaren!


MacLaren has been nominated for Best of the Springs 2025 in several categories! Vote anytime between now and January 13 to help us win these awards.


Best of the Springs is a wonderful way to honor Mr. Humber, Ms. Burrell, and Mr. Holiday and the entire faculty and staff for their commitment to providing an excellent education.


Click the button below to vote now! If needed, step-by-step instructions are provided in the Best of the Springs email sent December 11.

Vote Now!

Parent-to-Parent Corner

Welcome to the new Parent-to-Parent Corner, where members of the School Accountability Committee (SAC) will be sharing resources for fellow parents. This year, they will be focusing on the topic of kids and screens, following the recent Screenagers viewings.

Parent to Parent Corner with gold page-turn graphic

Kids and Screens


Phones are changing our kids’ brains. Developmentally speaking, the still-maturing prefrontal cortex renders young people especially vulnerable to sustained changes in the brain’s reward system, shifting their general mood toward irritability and anxiety when separated from their phones, and reducing their ability to focus. -Jonathan Haidt

Lower School Announcements

Last Day of Classes is a Spirit Day – December 19


To celebrate a wonderful semester and all we have learned so far this school year, the Lower School will have a spirit day on the last day of the semester, December 19.

Lower School Project Days


Following Winter Break, Lower School students return to school Tuesday, January 7. January 7 and 8 are Project Days filled with hands-on activities and extracurricular days of learning! The school day schedule is as normal, and students should come to school in uniform.

Upper School Announcements

After School Study Hall Adjustments


After School Study Hall (ASSH) will not be available Wednesday, December 18, which is the last day of classes for Upper School students. Please make other arrangements for your children if they were planning to attend ASSH that day.

Project Week Packets


January 6-10 is Project Week! Project Week packets are posted on the Project Week page of the website in case parents and students need to access them. You may also find them on the Project Week email sent this morning.

Upper School Evaluation Conferences Coming Soon!


Upper School Evaluation Conferences will take place January 6 - 10. Upper School teachers look forward to meeting with parents to evaluate student performance. Sign-up links for individual Evaluation Conferences are included in an email sent December 6.


Faculty will share important details about students’ sense of wonder, depth of inquiry, acquisition of basic ordered knowledge, participation and preparation, and performance on writing assignments and tests. Parents are encouraged to take notes, and we hope that this will allow for a more engaging conversation about your child’s performance. At the end of the spring semester, faculty will provide written evaluations instead of having in-person meetings.

Highlander Athletics

Friday, December 13

  • HS Girls' Basketball @ ECA, JV 4:00 p.m.
  • HS Boys' Basketball @ St. Mary's, JV 5:30 p.m., Varsity 7:00 p.m.


Thursday, December 19

  • HS Boys' Basketball Tournament @ Denver Christian, Varsity 10:30 a.m.
  • HS Girls' Basketball Tournament @ Denver Christian, Varsity 7:00 p.m.


Friday, December 20

  • HS Boys' Basketball Tournament @ Denver Christian, Time depends on Thursday result
  • HS Girls' Basketball Tournament @ Denver Christian, Time depends on Thursday result


Saturday, December 21

  • HS Boys' Basketball Tournament @ Denver Christian, Time depends on Friday result
  • HS Girls' Basketball Tournament @ Denver Christian, Time depends on Friday result

Pre-season Conditioning for HS Athletes


Coach McClung is offering pre-season conditioning on Saturdays, December 7 through January 25. There will not be a session on December 21. Conditioning sessions are from 10:00 - 11:30 a.m. in the small gym. Athletic workout clothes and footwear are required.


There is no cost to attend but a waiver must be completed in MySchoolBucks.

Come support our Highlanders at our HOME events! HS event admission is $6 for K-12 and senior citizens, $7 for adults. MS event admission is $2 for K-12, senior citizens are free, $3 for adults.


Click for the Athletics calendar or Athletic schedules. Add the Athletics calendar to your personal calendar through Apple iCal.

Volunteer and Fundraising Opportunities

Red thank you text on white background

Masters Fund Matching Grant Reached!


Thank you for generously giving to the Masters Fund this semester. The matching grant announced at Fine Arts Night was not just reached; it was greatly surpassed! We are grateful for the MacLaren community and your support for the faculty and staff.

snowflake-cookies.jpg

Parent-Hosted Cookie Extravaganza for Faculty and Staff – December 19


Please consider contributing a dozen (or more) cookies for MacLaren's annual family-hosted cookie extravaganza for the faculty and staff. Staff will be able to make their own plates of cookies to celebrate the upcoming winter break. Cookie donations may be dropped off at the Main Entrance any time before 2:15 p.m., on Thursday, December 19. Thank you!

Sign up to bring cookies!

Save the Date!

12/16 & 12/17 - Junior Drama Performances

12/18 - Upper School Last Day of Classes, All-school early release

12/19 - Lower School Last Day of Classes, Early release

12/231/3 - Winter Break

1/61/10 - Upper School Project Week (At home)

1/6 - In-service day, No classes for Lower School.

1/71/8 - Lower School Project Days (At school)

1/10 - Coffee Cart

1/13 - Upper School First Day of Classes

1/15 - Singapore Parent Night

1/16 - Information Night, No ASSH

1/17 - Upper School Project Day, All-school half day

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