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Barney Ford Elementary

Weekly Update: March 21, 2024

03/21/24, 5:32 PM

Dear Famlies,

It is hard to believe that Spring Break is just around the corner! We wish your family a safe and restful break. School resumes on Tuesday, April 2nd. Please do not extend your spring vacation, every day of learning makes a difference.

April CMAS Testing

Students in grades 3 - 5 will take the annual CMAS tests beginning April 9th. These important math, literacy, and science tests provide useful information about how students are growing and achieving. The full CMAS details and schedule are posted here. Please review the schedule to make sure you don’t schedule doctor’s appointments or other activities during the testing times.

Register Now for Adult English Classes!

Adult English Classes at Barney Ford on Monday, April 8!

8 weeks - April 8 - May 30, 2024
Beginner-level conversation class
8-10am - Monday and Wednesday
Cost = $50 payable by cash or credit card

DPS Family Wellness Fest: Saturday, April 6th at Montbello Middle School

Come join us for learning, food, giveaways and fun! There will be FREE Childcare, FREE Food, giveaways and MORE!

This event will include 4 sessions where families can attend and learn more about:

1. Substance Abuse Prevention

2. Social Emotional Learning: What is tSEL?

3. School Culture and Bullying Prevention

4. Restorative and Trauma-Informed Practices

There will also be a small resource fair to learn more about other resources available in DPS and Denver.

Please see the flyer (English & Spanish) for details and to request interpretation!

Raising Media Smart Kids

Learn more about how to keep your children safe online in this free interactive course. It is available in English, Spanish, and several other languages. These skills are essential for parents to learn to address the increase in cyberbullying and inappropriate content that our students are exposed to online.

Attendance Update

Our attendance rate was down to 86% last week. 5th grade had the best attendance at 91%. Please work hard to bring our attendance rate back up in April. Our goal is 95% each week.

According to the U.S. Department of Education, “Research shows that school absences take a toll on grades and performance on standardized tests. Beyond test scores, irregular attendance can be a predictor of high school drop-out, which has been linked to poor labor market prospects, diminished health, and increased involvement in the criminal justice system. Students who are chronically absent are at higher risk for these adverse outcomes.”

Attendance is important all year long, especially during CMAS testing.

Did you know attendance counts not only as days a child is present in school but also how many tardies/early pickups they have? Visit the Attendance Works website to learn more about how absences disrupt a student’s overall attendance.

Upcoming Events

March 22: Dollar Dress Down Day
March 25 - April 1: No School Spring Break
April 9 - May 3: CMAS Testing, Grades 3-5

View the full April calendar here.

Check us out on Instagram!