Dear GVA-DC Families,
As the weather turns colder, we want to ensure all of our Dragons are safe, warm, and ready for learning and play. Thank you for partnering with us to help students arrive prepared for Colorado’s winter months.
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🥶 Outdoor Recess & Cold-Weather Preparation
Recess is an important part of our school day—it provides movement, social connection, and a brain break to support learning. All recess periods are fully supervised.
Students will go outside for recess unless:
- The temperature (including wind chill) is below 23°F, or
- There are precipitation conditions that prevent outdoor play
To help your child stay comfortable outdoors, please send:
- A warm winter coat
- Hat
- Mittens or gloves
- Scarf (optional)
✨ Please clearly label all items with your child’s first and last name. Winter gear tends to look very similar, and labeling helps us return lost items quickly.
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👟 Uniform Reminders
Thank you for helping us maintain a consistent, safe, and school-ready appearance!
- Tennis shoes should be worn every day for safety and comfort.
- Snow boots are welcome for outdoor use — please send a change of shoes for indoor activities.
- Jackets/sweaters worn indoors must be a solid color and display the GVA-DC logo.
- Outdoor coats, boots, and snow gear do not need a logo.
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🌨️ Severe Weather Closures & Delays
GVA-DC follows the Douglas County School District (DCSD) severe weather decisions.
- If DCSD delays 90 minutes, GVA-DC will delay 90 minutes.
- If DCSD closes, GVA-DC will close.
- When GVA-DC is delayed or closed, Innovation Learning is also closed.
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📢 Stay Informed
We will send closure or delay notifications through our messaging system linked to Infinite Campus.
Please take a moment to log in to the Parent Portal to verify that your contact information is current.
Additional ways to stay updated:
- Local news stations
- GVA-DC website
- GVA-DC social media channels
- GVA-DC mobile app
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Thank you for helping us keep our Dragons warm, safe, and ready for a wonderful winter season of learning and fun. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out.
Warm regards,
Stacy Bush
Principal, GVA Douglas County
sbush@gvashools.org
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GVA-DC Event Calendar
We encourage all families to review the 2025–2026 event calendar for the most up-to-date information regarding upcoming events.
November Events
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Monday, November 3: Thanksgiving Basket Drive Begins
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November 4–14: Butter Braid Sales
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Tuesday, November 4: Coffee with the Principal
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Wednesday, November 12: GVA-DC Board of Directors Meeting
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Thursday, November 13: Spirit Night at Freddy’s & PIC Meeting
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Friday, November 21: Professional Development Day – No School
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Nov 24–28: Thanksgiving Break – No School
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Join the Science Olympiad Club!
Curious 3rd–5th graders can dive into hands-on science fun with projects like launching paper airplanes, mixing chemical “gunk,” and engineering straw towers.
Tuesdays, October 21 – December 16
3:45–5:30 PM in Room 112
Register today - Late add-ons welcome!
Read More
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Countdown to the Science Fair
⭐ 3 days until the due date! ⭐
🧪 Thursday, November 6: Projects are due!
- Make sure the student's name, PM teacher's name, and grade level are on the back of the poster.
- Turn it in to PM class first thing in the morning.
- No extra materials. Only the Trifold poster.
🎉 Thursday, Nov. 13: Science Fair & Awards
✨ Projects are required for all 3rd through 5th-grade students. The classes with 100% turn-in will earn a root beer float!
Need help? Stop by to see Mrs. Ludden after school.
Read More
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Early Bird Discount on Yearbooks: Save 10%!
Don’t miss out! Families can receive a 10% early bird discount on this year’s yearbook when ordering by October 31st.
Lock in the savings now and ensure your student’s memories are captured for years to come.
Important: Please note your student's PM teacher at checkout.
👉 Order Your Yearbook Here
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Join Us for a PIC Meeting!
Thursday, November 13th.
General Meeting (Open to all): 7:00 PM
All families are encouraged to attend. Get involved, stay informed, and help make a difference at GVA-DC.
Can't make it in person? Join us via Zoom!
- Meeting ID: 847 582 6094
- Passcode: J33sBL
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Join the PIC Leadership Team!
Are you looking for ways to become more involved in the school community? Would you like to support the Parent Involvement Committee?
We are looking for a Hospitality Co-Chairperson. This individual will work collaboratively with our lead Hospitality Coordinator, Mary Huber, on assisting with monthly hospitality events for teachers.
We are also looking for a treasurer for the next school year (2026-27). This individual will join our leadership team and train with our current treasurer this year to be better prepared to step into this opportunity. The main responsibilities of the treasurer are:
- Deposit cash, coins, and checks to the PIC account.
- Process reimbursements for GVADC teachers and invoices for vendor payments.
- Attend monthly PIC meetings and give treasurer updates for account balance, accounts payable, and accounts receivable.
- Keep record of income and expenses for various categories in Google Drive spreadsheet.
Please email pic@gvaschool.org for more information about these opportunities.
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Restock the Staff Lounge
Looking for a very easy way to earn your volunteering hours? Help restock the Staff Lounge.
As a reminder, every $10 spent on hospitality items = one hour of volunteering time.
Sign up today!
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Lunch Room Assistance?
An extremely important way you can help support your children and the GVA community is by volunteering during lunch and recess. Volunteers are requested to assist with our lunchroom and recess periods, during the hours of 10:00 AM - 1:20 PM while school is in session.
Sign up for a lunch session today!
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Annual Fall Dinner Basket Drive
Each year, PIC, along with the GVA-DC administration and staff, organize a Fall Dinner Basket Drive for families within our school in need of a fall dinner meal. The goal will be to fill 17 baskets! Please help families at our school enjoy an amazing dinner by donating to the Fall Dinner Basket Drive!
Sign up here to participate in this amazing opportunity to give back to your GVA community.
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Butter Braid® Fundraiser
Our Butter Braid® fundraiser is returning to GVA-DC! Stock up for Thanksgiving and the holidays with delicious pastries that are available in top-notch flavors like Cherry, Bavarian Crème, and Blueberry Cream Cheese. Dairy-free and gluten-free options are also available.
Watch this video to learn more!
Students will also have a small tasting with their lunch on November 4th, which they will get to
sample some of the various flavors.
Order forms will be sent home that afternoon and continue through November 14.
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November Staff Appreciation Lunch
Help show gratitude to our amazing staff! We’re hosting a Potato Bar Lunch on Wednesday, November 5th, and we’d love your help providing items.
Sign up to help.
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Science Fair Volunteers
GVA is looking for volunteers to help with set up and clean up for the Science Fair on Thursday,
November 13.
Sign up to support this event.
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Freddy’s Fundraiser Night
Thursday, November 13th
4:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers
11140 S. Twenty Mile Road, Parker
Enjoy a delicious meal while helping support our Dragons! Freddy’s will generously donate 20% of event sales back to our school.
In-store: Mention GVA-DC when you order.
Online or Mobile: Use promo code GIVEBACK at checkout.
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November Staff Birthdays
Help us celebrate our wonderful staff birthdays during their birthday month! Please bring these the morning of Wednesday, November 19th by 8 AM.
Any contribution is appreciated to help our staff feel loved.
Sign up to bring treats for our November birthdays.
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Reserve the GVA-DC Spirit Rock
Want to celebrate a birthday, recognize a milestone, or spread a little encouragement? The GVA-DC Spirit Rock is a fun way for families, students, and staff to share positive messages with our school community!
Reservations are required and can be made online only. Each reservation costs $12 per day and is non-refundable.
👉 Reserve the Spirit Rock here!
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Earn Cash Back for GVA-DC
Effortless fundraising is a way we raise money for GVA and for PIC without having to sell anything! We do this by asking our school families to save items that they already have in their homes, use cards at stores where they already shop, or shop through our online links. It’s a small act that can make a huge difference!
Learn more about our partner organizations.
| | Community Events & Resources | | | |
Need Food Assistance?
Due to the federal government shutdown, SNAP benefits for November may be delayed. School meals are still available. If you need additional food before your SNAP benefits are available, there are local resources that can help:
GVA Douglas County
Colorado 211
Feeding Colorado
Hunger Free Colorado Food Resource Hotline
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🎨 Vote for Ivy Li's Masterpiece at the Yuletide Bazaar on November 8th!
We’re proud to share that Ivy Li, one of our talented 5th graders, is a finalist in the 2025 Mountain Pine Woman’s Club Art Contest!
Families and friends can support Ivy by voting for the People’s Choice Award at the Yuletide Bazaar on Saturday, November 8, from 9:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m. at the Parker Fieldhouse.
An awards ceremony will follow at 2:00 p.m., where Mayor Rivero will recognize all student finalists and announce the contest winners.
Way to go, Ivy — we’re so proud of your creativity and hard work! 🌟
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Parker Arts Science Night
Mark your calendars for Sunday, November 9, when the annual Parker Science Night returns to the PACE Center from 3:00–6:00 p.m.
This free, family-friendly event is designed to spark curiosity and inspire a love of science through hands-on exhibits and interactive activities.
Explore the wonders of science, technology, and engineering with engaging partners, including the Denver Museum of Nature & Science, Cave of the Winds, Dinosaur Ridge, Wings Over the Rockies, and more.
Although the event is free, reservations are requested to help organizers prepare for all attendees. Please take a moment to RSVP online and let them know you’re coming.
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Learn Spanish with GVA Parent Julee Meyersieck!
If you're looking to add something fun and useful to your routine, fellow GVA parent Julee Meyersieck is offering small-group Spanish classes for adults, starting the week of November 10.
Choose online or in-person options and save 25% with code GVA25.
👉 Explore class details here.
🌟 New this session: Private daytime lessons are available for adults who prefer one-on-one instruction tailored to their goals.
✈️ Traveling soon? Check out Julee’s self-paced Vacation Spanish Course, or contact her for customized courses for your company.
Reach out to julee@thebilingualeffect.com to learn more!
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National Civics Bee ~ Calling All Young Leaders!
Colorado middle school students have the chance to make their voices heard through the National Civics Bee®, a statewide competition presented by iCivics and the Colorado Chamber of Commerce.
Students in grades 6–8 are invited to write a short essay about an issue or opportunity in their community and propose a solution. Finalists will advance to live competitions to showcase their knowledge of civics and leadership.
Entries are free and open through February 3, 2026.
View the Essay Application Guide
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Plan Ahead for the Colorado Kids Create Inc. Art Competition
Enter for a chance to become a published illustrator for the 2026 Colorado Kids Create Inc. books! This is open to students ages 5-18 and submissions are due March 1st, 2026.
At GVA, we won't be making pieces for it in class, but students can pursue the competition at home. They can come to Ms. Bowman if they need supplies or advice on their projects.
Watch a video from GVA Thornton students winning a few years ago!
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