If you were unable to make it to Back to School Night on Tuesday, here is the welcome video from Principal  Kline.  Be sure to look over your student's syllabi and look at their google classroom and infinite campus parent portal to stay informed about what is happening in their classes! Reach out to the teacher if you have any questions or concerns.

This week was much better for drop off and pick up.  We have gotten pick up down to about 20 minutes, which is great!  Please continue to come a little bit after 4:00 if possible, and be conscientious of the local and business traffic in the area.  We are seeing busses getting here and leaving pretty close to on time, and expect things to continue to get better and more efficient.  Thank you for your patience as we all worked through the first two weeks!

If you are still overwhelmed by the traffic, please consider carpooling.  PTO has put together a system for matching carpool partners based on location.  Just fill out this Carpool Buddies form to get the process started.  SEE MORE INFORMATION BELOW IN THE PTO SECTION OF THIS NEWSLETTER.

Thank you so much for your patience as we navigated last Friday's "secure", as we worked through law enforcement activity in the area, and wanting the keep the students and staff inside the building.  We have had some questions about communication, and what to expect.  

• Regarding all communication, be sure to read this weekly newsletter and listen to any phone calls and emails via school messenger.  

• Follow us on social media (Facebook and Instagram).  In situations that we know parents need somewhat immediate communication, we work to put out a vague message with the intent of follow up- this can take approximately 5 minutes or more. 

• In the event of emergency situations, we work with Jeffco communications and other necessary stakeholders (ie law enforcement, transportation, etc) to gain an understanding of the scope of the concern.  This is simultaneous to ensuring the safety and security of all students and staff.  Jeffco communications messages the details and shares with the community as quickly as possible (in most cases, this takes longer then most people are hoping).  

• Sometimes, messaging from communication comes after the situation has been resolved, as with last Friday.  Remember that when the decision is made to send communication, then the communication is written and sent, a removal of the emergency protocol may have happened.  At this point, there is no stopping the communication.  Thank you for your understanding during these times.  Remember- there is ALWAYS more happening INSIDE the building that requires our attention, and that is our priority.  THANK YOU!

Lunch at school has taken some time to get organized.  We have about 2/3 of each grade level eating school lunch which is GREAT, AND causes the lunch room to be VERY full.  We are having school lunch students each their lunch inside, then head outside. 

Students that bring their lunch from home CAN eat inside first, but then will have to head outside as our cafeteria has limited space. We have had issues over the years with trash on the field. We hoped to mitigate that issue by having school provided lunches eat inside first. All students are asked to eat first and then head outside for some much needed fresh air. 

The Roadrunner community at Vanderhoof Elementary School needs your help with our annual Vanderfest Fall Carnival!  Help us create a memorable evening on Friday, September 15th from 4:00 - 6:30pm by volunteering for a station or two! We need LOTS of volunteers!  Anyone 6th grade and above can volunteer, plus student volunteers receive free pizza and soda! If you can work multiple times, please sign up at each time slot. A volunteer table will have sign-off sheets for those needing to log volunteer hours. Thank you for helping us make this an amazing event for our community!  Sign up today!  https://signup.com/go/yyCoDmP

Gold Crown’s newest offering – Girls Flag Football. The program will be directed at 6th-8th grade girls. This first season we will begin by offering a 3-week Clinic Series.  Attached is a link to the website for more information. The goal is to offer a league in Spring 2024 with actual feeder teams participating.  

Click HERE to find out more!

Robotics is hosting a fundraiser to raise money for new parts for the upcoming season. We would appreciate your support!  Flyer

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 6TH | 4-8PM

12550 W 64TH AVE, ARVADA, CO, 80004

Rehearsal Time Survey:

Before we make a decision about when to hold rehearsal, we'd like families who are interested in participating in the fall play to fill out the following survey. Drama Club Survey

Auditions for "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever":

An informational meeting for all students interested in auditioning for the fall play will be held during access on Wednesday, August 30. On that day, students should check in with the access teachers and then report to the auditorium when the announcement is made. There they will get all the information they nee to audition successfully.

Auditions will be held form 4:15-6:15 on September 5 (for students whose last name begins with A-L) and September 6 (for students whose last name begins with M-Z). If you have a conflict on your assigned day, feel free to attend the alternate day.

Callbacks will be held on September 7 from 4:15-5:45 by invitation only. The callback list will be posted in the Google Classroom (your students will get the code at the informational meeting on 8/30) the evening prior. If their name is on the list, they should attend callbacks. 

Tech Crew Information:

We will not be running a Tech Crew Club this fall. If your student is interested in Tech Crew, look for information coming in January about how to get involved for the spring musical.

Drake's Counseling Team will give Drake students the option to complete a support assessment September 1st during Access. The assessment will ask students who their trusted adult is, if they want to see their counselor soon and what they may need support with. The purpose of this assessment is to determine what supports Drake students need, what groups the counseling team will offer, and to make sure every student has a trusted adult. Feel free to review the google form ahead of time and let your student know if you do not want them to complete it.

When you signed your student up for school, there was a list of programs you could opt your student out of. In that list was Hazel Health. We highly recommend looking through Jeffco's Hazel Health website to get a better idea of what Hazel Health is and how it is a great resource for Drake students. 

Hazel Health's Blog has the latest news, trends, and best practices around supporting student physical and mental health. Explore ideas of industry thought leaders and the Hazel care team.

Drake Counseling Newsletter Trimester 1 

On August 28th during Advisement class, we’ll begin Second Step® Middle School, a research-based social-emotional learning program designed to improve students’ social-emotional skills, such as emotion management, impulse control, problem solving, and empathy. Each week, a synopsis of the lesson and suggested discussion topics for families.  Here is a link to the summaries of the lessons and questions you may want to ask your child to continue the lesson: SEL Lesson Questions for Parents 

Also, other social emotional resources, such as this link for FREE HAIRCUTS, will be provided in this section of the Drake Deets.

Hello Drake Families! If you are new to Jeffco, we will have a chromebook ready for your child on their first day of school.  Library Orientation will occur during the first three weeks of school through your child's ELA class. We look forward to supporting your child's literacy growth and digital learning!