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Teller Elementary School

PRIDE Post: October 12th, 2023

10/12/23, 3:26 PM

Hello Teller Families!

THANK YOU!

We are blown away by the generosity of our community. Totally Teller was a HUGE success because of you! We are humbled by the amount of support and care Teller families show our community. Thank you all from the bottom of our Teller Tiger hearts!

A Message from the Teller PTA:

Thank you Teller for an incredible night at Totally Teller last Saturday. The generosity of our community is inspiring! BUT the fun isn't over yet. The Last Chance Auction is open now through the end of the week!

What's in the Last Chance Auction?

Tiger Treats (Gifts of time for students with Teller teachers & staff) like the Kindergarten Movie Party and Hiking with Ms. Gras.
Community Parties like the NYE Murder Mystery Party, the Fascinator Making Party (never too early for Derby) and the Fall Afternoon Party hosted by the Teller Alumni Babysitters Club
Personal training sessions, pilates classes, and spa/botox packages
A great Micro Maxi scooter
Spots in the Teller Group TruFusion Yoga Class on 11/5/23
Family photo session
Bouncy house/water slide rental
And many more fabulous items.

The Last Chance auction closes Friday afternoon. There are great bargains to be had!

Mr. Smartt’s Baby Registry:

For those of you who didn’t know, Mr. Smartt and his partner Mia are expecting their first baby at the end of November (YAY!). Many families have asked about the Baby Registry, here is the link!

No School- 10/13 and 10/16:

Friendly reminder, that there is NO school on 10/13, and 10/16. Discovery Link will be offered on 10/13, feel free to contact Charise Barela or DL team at discovery_Link@dpsk12.org and charise_barela@dpsk12.net if you have any questions!

No Enrichments/Music/Number Ninjas:

Friendly reminder that there are no afterschool programs on 10/18 due to it being the last day of Parent/ Teacher conferences.

Fall CogAT Sign Up:

If you are interested in having your child (1st, 3rd, 4th, or 5th grade only) take the CogAT assessment this spring, please complete the nomination form. Applications can be found here. Applications for testing are due Friday, October 13th. Students can only take one cognitive assessment per calendar year, so if your child was already given the NNAT or the CogAT in the fall, they cannot be assessed again this fall.

During the fall semester, DPS students enrolled in Kindergarten, 2nd, and 6th grades are tested with the NNAT or NGAT as part of the universal screening process; those families do not need to submit this form unless their child was not assessed during the fall screening. If you have any questions, please contact marian_dorsey@dpsk12.org

Winter Enrichments:

Here is the link to Teller’s Winter brochure! Winter registration will open on 10/18 at 6am and close on 11/1 at 10pm. Winter classes start the week after the November break, on 11/27. Please reach out to cheryl_ruiz@dpsk12.net if you have any questions.

If you qualify for CCAP, HEN, or FRL then you are eligible for a scholarship, please complete this form to be considered for one.

School Tour on 10/18:

This year’s first school tour is on Wednesday, October 18th. We are thrilled to welcome prospective families to Teller Elementary School! To provide you with an opportunity to get to know our school better, we are excited to offer school tours before the School Choice window opens for the 2024-2025 school year.

All school tours will be held from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. There's no need to RSVP – simply show up at the Main Door, and our dedicated staff will guide you through our campus, answer any questions you may have, and help you discover why Teller Elementary is a fantastic place for your child's education.

News from the Teller Health Office

We have attached a document “Distinguishing the Difference: COVID-19 vs. Allergies vs. Flu” please review it when you are able to!

Helpful tips regarding COVID Illness:

If you test positive for COVID-19, isolate yourself by staying home for 5 days and report it here.

The day you start having symptoms or the day you tested positive is day 0.

You may end isolation on day 5 if:

You have no symptoms or your symptoms are improving
You are fever-free for 24 hours without using fever-reducing medications

After you have ended the isolation, when you are feeling better, wear a high-quality mask (e.g., KN95, N95) through day 10.

*If your symptoms are not improving and/or you have a fever, isolate until day 10.

Cold and Flu Season

Cold and Flu season is on its way here, which means germs are sneezing their way into schools. Let’s consider how sick is too sick for school?

Keep me home:

- Temperature is higher than 100 degrees
- Sore Throat, colds and persistent cough
- Vomiting (more than two times in hours)
- Diarrhea
- long lasting abdominal pain
- Rash with fever
- Strep throat
- lice before first treatment
- Illness prevents me from participating comfortably in activities
- Illness results in a greater need for care than school staff can provide

Send me to school:

- Runny nose or occasional cough, but no other symptoms
- No fever, without fever-reducing medicine in 24 hours
- Sore throat with no other symptoms
- Strep throat after 12 hours of treatment
- No vomiting or diarrhea for 24 hours

Make sure you have turned in your child's immunization record or exempt forms to the nurse. Letters for missing immunization or exemption forms will go out next week.

Just some healthy reminders please make sure your child has a water bottle at school, hydration is key to a healthy body and brain.

Lice

Please review the attached document to be prepared for the possibility of your student having lice or what to do if you think they might!

Distinguishing-the-Difference-COVID-19-Allergies-Flu.pdf Head Lice 101 for Parents - English (1) (1).pdf

Final Farmer’s Market + Halloween Swap- 10/20:

The last farmer’s market will be on Friday, October 20th. This Farmer’s Market will be led by both Mr. Gray’s and Ms. Schwarz’s 4th grade classes! Make sure swing by and grab some food!

Also at the Farmer's Market - a community Halloween swap / sale! In an effort to grow our circular economy here at Teller Elementary School (thanks, Earth Rangers!) Halloween Costumes will be available for purchase. Each costume is a direct donation from our community and is looking for another Teller Tiger to give it new life. If you have a costume that you would like to contribute ahead of the market, please deposit it in the bin at the front or back of the school on Tuesday or Wednesday. Costumes will be $2 and all proceeds will benefit The Pantry.

Naglieri General Abilities Test (NGAT) Screening for 2nd Grade Students (October 17th-19th):

Teller's 2nd grade students will participate in cognitive testing between Tuesday, October 17th through Thursday, October 19th. The Naglieri General Abilities cognitive test (NGAT) is part of the universal screening GT identification process. This assessment is nonverbal, consists of three reasoning subtests, done digitally, and takes about an hour to complete per day. Each classroom will be testing at the same time, from 9:30-10:30 AM each day of the testing dates.

If a student is unable to test on their classroom day, we will have makeup testing at a later date. Additional information regarding the NGAT can be found here. A letter was also sent home in your child's Thursday folder last week.

If your child has been identified as Highly Gifted and Talented (HGT) or Magnet Eligible (ME), any further testing would be unnecessary and redundant and is not required. If your child has been identified as Gifted and Talented (GT), they are not required to test again unless parents/guardians request additional testing.

Scores will be sent home to parents/guardians about one month after the district testing window has ended. Please contact marian_dorsey@dpsk12.org if you have any questions about 2nd grade testing.

Information on Medicaid Enrollment with Families

The Medicaid Department at Denver Public Schools (DPS) helps families apply for free or low-cost health insurance, including Health First Colorado (Medicaid) and CHP+ and SNAP food assistance. We have created a toolkit to help school leaders share this important information with families. Visit the Medicaid Toolkit for School Leaders to access these resources.

A Message from the Teller Pantry

Reminder that the Pantry will be closed through October 16th. Next week’s hours are:

10/17 12:30-2:30pm
10/20 7:15-9:30am & 1:30-5:00pm
10/21 10:30am-12:30pm

We are in the planning stages for our annual Thanksgiving Dinner box giveaway. Be on the lookout for more info on signing up to receive a box, which will go home in each student’s 10/19, Thursday Folder.

DPS Gifted & Talented Family Newsletter

Each month, the Gifted & Talented team in DPS sends out a newsletter for families in order to help them learn about the different opportunities that are available! This month includes information about the effectiveness of Advanced Learning Plans, the Fall Cognitive Testing window, e-tips and more.

Be sure to check it out here and send it out to your families!

Upcoming Events/Dates:

October: Bully Prevention Month

10/16: No School - Conference Exchange Day
10/18: Winter Enrichment Registration opens at 6am
10/20: Farmer’s Market Schwarz + Gray 4th
10/24: Author Stephan Pastis in the library 6:30-7:30pm
10/27: Fall Festival 4-7pm
10/31: Halloween

November: Native American Heritage Month

11/1: Dia de Los Muertos
11/1: ISIP K-5th
11/1/23-1/31/25: Jackson St. Storm Drain Project
11/3: Picture Day Retakes
11/5: Daylight Savings Ends
11/6-11/9: 1st, 3rd, 4th, and 5th CoGAT Testing
11/6-11/9: School Psychologist Week
11/10: Fall Enrichments End
11/11: Veteran’s Day

Best,

Sabrina Bates, Principal

Jason Smartt, Assistant Principal

Cheryl Ruiz, Dean of Operations