Community Communication 8/4/2023

Posted August 9, 2023

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Good afternoon, Gust families, 

We are looking forward to the first day of school on August 21st for students in grades K-5. Our youngest learners, ECE students, start on August 22nd. Based on DPS’s Healthy Start Time Initiative, Gust’s doors will open at 7:30 this year. We will have breakfast available from 7:30-7:40.  The final bell will begin at 7:45. 

Registration Assistance

Thank you to all of our families that have already completed registration! If you need support, please plan on stopping by Gust on August 9, 10 or 11 between 7-2. All families with ECE students or students new to DPS must complete in-person registration. If you have any registration questions, please get in touch with Gust’s main office at (720) 424-6560. The main office will open on August 2, and front office staff will be available between 9:00-2:30. 

Ready to register online? Visit https://myportal.dpsk12.org/. Registration instructions can be found here.

Back-to-School Ice Cream Social 

Join the Gust Community for our annual Back-to-School Night and Ice Cream Social on Thursday, August 17, from 4:00-5:30. Classrooms will be open from 4:00-5:00, so your family can see the space where your child will learn during the 2023-2024 school year. From 5:00-5:30, our entire Gust community will move to the playground courtyard to share ice cream and get to know each other better before the 2023-2024 school year begins. 

Operations

Healthy School Meals for All: Complete ‘You Benefit!’ Form

All students in DPS will have access to free healthy, nutritious school meals for the 2023-24 school year thanks to the Healthy School Meals for All program approved by Colorado voters. While meals will be provided for free to all DPS students through Healthy School Meals for All, families will still need to complete a form to ensure DPS gets full access to available federal funding. You could access the application here.

What this means for families:

  • We ask all DPS families to please complete the “You Benefit!” Form (formerly referred to as the Meals Application) during registration for the 2023-24 school year. Completed forms will help us access all available funds to cover the cost of meals and other nutritional programs for students.
  • Families who fill out the You Benefit! form may qualify to receive discounted school fees, class materials, bus passes, utility support, and more.
  • Only one form is required for all children in a household.

If families have questions about the You Benefit! Form, the DPS Food & Nutrition Services department is available at 720-423-5600 or foodservices@dpsk12.org.

Every school within the Denver Public School District has a Collaborative School Committee (CSC) in place.  The CSC brings together staff, parents, students, and community members to create and implement a plan to promote high achievement within the school.

Being a part of the CSC is an exciting opportunity to be involved in our school community, not to mention to participate in the education of all our students.  Our school is working towards some great goals and we believe that by working together, we can achieve them!

This year we have openings on our CSC. We meet the last Monday of every month at 5:00 and will have a few extra meetings during the month of February through April.  We ask that CSC members participate in the meetings and commit to being a member for two years, or one year where it applies.

If you are interested in your name being placed on the ballot for the opening, please email Kathleen Marucheau at kathleen_marucheau@dpsk12.net.

If you would like more information concerning the CSC before making a decision, please feel free to contact Kathleen Marucheau at kathleen_marucheau@dpsk12.net. We will be happy to answer any questions you may have.

We encourage you to participate in this great work.

Thank you,

Kathleen Marucheau