Teller Elementary School

PRIDE Post: January 16th, 2025

01/16/25, 3:26 PM

1) No School 1/20 and 2/14

• No School on January 20th: In observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, there will be no school on Monday, January 20th. We look forward to welcoming students back on Tuesday, January 21st.
• No School on February 14th: February 14th will be a student non-contact day and a teacher planning day. There will be no school on this day. 

2) Girls on the Run 

Calling all 3rd–5th grade girls! Join Girls on the Run this spring and get ready to activate your star power! Whether you run, walk, jump, hop, or skip, you’ll train for a 5K while having fun and learning to be happy, healthy, and confident. Teams will work together through engaging activities before completing the 5K on May 17th at City Park.

• • • Start Date: The season begins the week of March 3rd.
    • Practice Schedule: Mondays and Wednesdays from 2:30 PM to 4:00 PM.
    • Registration Opens: February 3rd.
    • Eligibility: Open to all 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade girls.

For more information, visit www.girlsontherunrockies.org. 

3) Friday Dance Party

Tomorrow's recess dance-party will be a 1950s sock-hop! Lots of Bill Haley, Buddy Holly, Chuck Berry and Elvis. So break out those bobby sox, poodle skirts, leather jackets and greased hair. We'll see how many students know The Twist!

4) Traffic Reminders for Drop-Off Safety

As the weather gets colder and snowy, we want to remind families of some important safety tips during drop-off times:

• • Be Patient and Cautious: Please be mindful of others when parking, especially on snowy days. It’s important to wait for the car in front of you to finish parking before moving forward. Speeding around parked cars with kids and parents nearby can be dangerous.
  • Avoid Blocking Intersections: Several vehicles have been seen blocking intersections and crosswalks, which makes it harder for kids to cross safely. Please make sure not to block intersections so that traffic flows smoothly and everyone has a clear path.
  • No U-Turns in the Middle of the Street: U-turns in the middle of streets is not only illegal, but it can add to congestion and can cause confusion, especially during busy drop-off times. Let’s help keep traffic moving by avoiding this maneuver.
  • Cross at Crosswalks: We’ve noticed some students and families crossing Garfield in the middle of the street. This is absolutely NOT allowed. For everyone’s safety, use the designated crosswalks and follow the traffic signals.

Thank you for your cooperation in making drop-off safer for all of our students! We will continue to follow up with local authorities to address any ongoing concerns and keep you updated. 

5)  1/14 CSC Meeting Summary + Special CSC Meeting 1/22, 5-6:30 pm

The Collaborative School Committee (CSC) met on Tuesday January 14 for their regular meeting.  During the meeting, the main topic was budget development for the 2025-2026 school year.  A summary follows and the full meeting minutes will be available in next week’s Pride Post.

Our projected enrollment for next school year is 482 students.  This projected enrollment has created an estimated budget deficit of $145,000-$169,000.  Mrs. Bates presented several areas in which we can make up this deficit with the following position cuts:  General Education Paraprofessionals by 1.5 FTE, Reading Invention by .125 FTE, Multilingual Education (MLE) by .25 FTE, School Technology Resource position by .4 FTE, Library Paraprofessional by .12 FTE.  These cuts would be long term cuts and the dollar amount would carry forward to future years.  Additionally she proposed utilizing other funding sources as one-time cuts that would likely need to be made up in a different manner next year including: extra revenue from enrichment, carry forward, and the reserve fund.  The CSC discussed several combinations of these cuts/funding sources to cover the deficit, but felt that additional time for reflection and discussion was needed before making a final recommendation.

To provide additional time for discussion, the CSC will hold a special meeting on Wednesday 1/22 from 5-6:30 pm (Agenda).  Members of the Teller community are invited to attend.  If you would like to share any feedback or thoughts on the proposed areas to be cut, please reach out to a member of the CSC prior to the meeting. 

6) Teller's Final School Tour

Teller’s final school tour will be Tuesday, January 21st. Click here to RSVP.

All school tours will be held from 8:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. Please enter through the Teller Main Doors (Door 1) located on Garfield St.

7) DINE Outs: 

Thank you all for your continued support at our DINE Out nights! Here are the next two DINE Out opportunities! 

HopDoddy Burger Bar 

• • Tuesday, January 21st 5-9pm
  • 9th and CO location only 
  • Show the attached flyer as a printout or on your mobile device to get 20% donated back to Teller! 

ParkBurger on Holly

• • Wednesday February 5th 5-9pm 
  • 211 S Holly St 
  • Applies to dine in and to go orders but no 3rd party deliveries. Show the attached flyer or mention Teller to get 20% donated back to our school!

Oblios 

• • Tuesday, February 18th  11am-10pm (all day!)
  • 6115 E 22nd Ave, Denver, CO 80207
  • Mention Teller when ordering in person or by phone, or in the special request section for online orders and they will donate 20% back to our school!

8) 1st Grade Performance on 1/23: 

Attention 1st grade families! Our 1st grade performance will take place on January 23rd at 5:00 PM in the auditorium, with doors opening at 4:45 PM. Please enter through Auditorium Door #2. Students will go to the gym to check in with their teachers, while families can find a seat in the auditorium. The performance will be just over 1 hour long. Afterward, families will pick up their students in the gym by checking them out with their classroom teachers.

Thank you for supporting your child’s participation in the performing arts at Teller!

9) Spring CogAT Testing Sign-Up

If you would like your child (1st, 3rd, 4th, or 5th grade only) to take the CogAT assessment this spring, please complete the CogAT Testing Nomination Form before the February 21st deadline.

Please note that students are allowed to take only one cognitive assessment per calendar year. If your child has already completed the NNAT, NGAT, or CogAT in the fall, they are ineligible for testing this school year. During the fall semester, DPS students in Kindergarten and 2nd grade at Teller were tested as part of universal screening, so those families do not need to submit this form unless their child was not assessed during the fall.

CogAT testing will take place from March 3rd-7th, 2025, with makeup dates scheduled as needed. Ms. Dorsey will send an email to all families who have signed up once the application window closes and she receives a roster from the GT central office.

Students who are identified as Highly Gifted and Talented or Magnet Eligible do not need to sign up for testing, as they already have a qualifying cognitive test result. However, Gifted and Talented students may still sign up if desired.

If you have any questions, please contact Marian Dorsey at marian_dorsey@dpsk12.org 

10) Teller Pantry Friends - Teller Garden Survey

A reminder to share your thoughts on what should be grown in the Teller garden this year! Please complete the survey that was sent by Teller Pantry Friends earlier this week. You can also find it here. The survey will be open through tomorrow, Friday, January 17th. 

11) Open Theatre Enrichment with Ms. Bartos

Aladdin Musical and Performance Class

Session 2. (Ages 6-10) 6:15-7:45pm. 8 weeks. January 31 - March 21

• • • Final Presentation is March 21st, starting at 7:15 pm
    • Taught by Jennifer Bartos.
    • Total cost: $295
    • Click here: ALADDIN
    • Denver: 3425 South Broadway Englewood, CO 80113
    • Contact Information: (303) 245-8150 or info@theaterforkids.net 

12) Join Us for Teller’s Annual Bingo Night!

Get ready for Teller’s annual BINGO Night on Tuesday, February 11th from 5:00pm-7:00pm. This is a fun-filled evening of Bingo, exciting prizes, and delicious free pizza, all courtesy of Teller’s amazing PTA! Space is limited, so be sure to register on MySchoolBucks ASAP to secure your spot. Remember, this event is first-come, first-served, and there’s a 6-person limit per family. Please register for the exact number of attendees in your group—late registrations and walk-ups will not be accepted. Don’t miss out on this fantastic night!

13) Yearbook

Friendly reminder that yearbook sales end in two months. You can pre-order yearbooks until March 14, 2025 on  MySchoolBucks. These can be ordered for $40 at MySchoolBucks. If you would like to pay with check or cash, please contact Treisi Martinez in the main office.

 

Best,

Sabrina Bates, Principal

Jason Smartt, Assistant Principal

Cheryl Ruiz, Dean of Operations

 

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Attachment: 17370663896822_HopDoddy2025.pdf

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Attachment: 17370663896976_Park_Burger_Holly_Teller_Elementary_2_5_25.pdf