THE DRAKE DEETS
A weekly communication to our families on all the things Drake!Drake Middle School12550 W. 52 Avenue Arvada, CO 80002
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Drake Middle School12550 W. 52 Avenue Arvada, CO 80002
December 8th, 2023 EDITION
A message from Drake teacher, Ms. Wolf
Dear Drake Students (past and present), Parents, PTO, and Community members,
Wow, I am genuinely touched and moved by the overwhelming kindness, support, and love this incredible community has offered me during this difficult time. The heartfelt cards, drawings of Griffin, thoughtful gifts, and generous financial support I have received from the Drake community have been incredibly thoughtful and benevolent and have also moved me to tears on numerous occasions. There simply are not enough words for me to express my gratitude or a way for me to convey my appreciation for every person who has reached out and offered their support. I am deeply grateful for everything that each of you has done for me. I am honored to teach in and be a part of such a supportive community.
Truly, from the bottom of my heart, thank you.
Laura Wolf
Upcoming Events
December 12 F.A.C.E. Parent Training (virtual) @ 6pm
December 19 Coffee With The Counselors @ 7:45 - Drake's Library
Dec. 20- Jan 3 Winter Break
Jan 4- Jan 5 No school for Middle School students
January 11 Community Conversation with Superinendent Dorland (details below)
IMPORTANT INFORMATION for FAMILIES
Coffee With The Counselors
Coffee With The Counselors
On Tuesday, December 19th, from 7:45am-8:30am in Drake's Library, Drake's Mental Health Team will host a Coffee With The Cousnelors. We encourage parents to attend to learn more about our team and resources that are available! We will be joined by our JCMH Therapist, Director of Student Services, and Coordinator of Crisis Recovery & Suicide Prevention to discuss mental health supports available to JeffCo students. Please RSVP with this form so we know how many parents to expect!
Drake Trimester 1 Honor Roll
This week at Drake we recognized over 500 students in grades 6th-8th on our Drake Honor Roll. Each student had a 3.5 GPA or higher. We had 271 students with a 4.0! These students were recognized by peers and the administration team this week during Access with a certificate and a treat. Congratulations to these students for their achievement!!
F.A.C.E. your fears
F.A.C.E. your fears
Join us on December 12th at 6pm for a virtual training to learn more about a new program at Drake called F.A.C.E. Your Fears. This program provides targeted programming for all stakeholders within the school ecosystem. This program will allow everyone (admin, staff, mental health professionals, parents/caregivers, and students) to use the same playbook with regard to understanding and addressing anxiety. This provides a non-stigmatizing approach to anxiety and other mental health issues, teaches skills/habits that grow with students as they age, and leads to better behavioral and academic outcomes for students. Here is the link: meet.google.com/tdm-voyf-qkn
The counseling department will start a F.A.C.E. Your Fears group in January for students that are experiencing higher than normal levels of anxiety. If you would like your student to be considered for this group, after attending the parent training, please contact Rebecca Ewald (rebecca.ewald@jeffco.k12.co.us) or Matt Schacht (matt.schacht@jeffco.k12.co.us).
Toy Drive
Toy Drive
NJHS will be sponsoring a toy drive from Wednesday, December 6-15. The donations will be going to Children's Hospital. Only new items will be accepted due to infection control guidelines. Click here for a wish list they have put together. Thank you and happy holidays.
Drama Club Spring Musical Info
Drama Club Spring Musical Info
If your student is interested in possibly auditioning for our spring musical, "Guys and Dolls," he/she should attend our informational meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 19th in the auditorium during advisement/access. There they will get all the information on how to successfully audition, where to access audition materials, and time commitment information. They should also join our Google Classroom with the following code: dgtvtpt.
Community Engagement Opportunities for Jeffco Families
Community Engagement Opportunities for Jeffco Families
Join Superintendent Tracy Dorland for 90-minute conversations focused on family and community feedback and provide an opportunity for community members to discuss important and current initiatives impacting Jeffco.
Middle School Career Fair
We strive to provide quality opportunities for students to engage in the exploration and connection of classrooms to careers.
This winter Drake will host a Career Fair in partnership with the district on Wednesday, February 7.
We invite our community members who are passionate about their work to come into the school and share with our students. One of the best career exploration activities is for them to hear a little about what different people do for work, what kind of skills and training it might take to work in any given field, and what you find rewarding about your work.
If you, or someone you know, might be interested, please Click Here to fill out our form.
Drake TV
Drake TV is here to keep our community Connected, Informed and Entertained.
Click Here to enjoy this week's student-produced broadcast, featuring the following segments:
Freezie Fest
Holiday Choir Concert
Make-Up for the Holidays
NBA In-Season Tournament
New Fortnite Season
Miss an episode? Click Here to visit our archive!
DRAKE ORCHESTRA ON THE RADIO
VERY EXCITING NEWS! Our Dragon Orchestra was invited to record Holiday songs for Kaleidoscope Radio in Lafayette! They will broadcast the show live with our recordings on December 12 from 6:00-8:00 p.m. and then also post a recording on Spotify for your families to enjoy. Additionally, the show will be re-broadcast periodically during this holiday season on Kaleidoscope Radio right here in downtown Lafayette! The show can be heard live at: kscope.studio/radio where folks can just press play on the player embedded in the webpage. They can also download the Kscope Radio app (the one with the pink bunny). We hope you tune in! Happy Holidays!
MENTAL HEALTH
Drake Counseling Department
Drake Counseling Department
Hazel Health
We are so excited to start offering Hazel Health session opportunities during the school day! Hazel Health is an optional support students/families can participate in to get free telehealth support. Drake has partnered with Hazel Health to offer sessions during the school day to make it more accessible to all families. Please check out JeffCo's Hazel Health website to learn more about this amazing support!
Check out the Mental Health Team newsletter on all things related to the upcoming Trimester 2. This version highlights student schedule changes, upcoming events and classroom curriculum.
Social Emotional Learning
Social Emotional Learning
Link to the SEL Lesson Questions for Parents for 12/11/23
From PTO
Important Info from PTO
Important Info from PTO
NEXT PTO MEETING
Please join us for our next PTO meeting on December 12th at 12:45 in the Drake Boardroom.
DINE OUT FOR DRAKE at Panera - December 12th from 4 - 8pm.
Mark your calendar for December 12th to eat out at Panera on 64th and Yank. You can help PTO raise funds that all support Drake Middle School.
VOLUNTEERS AND FOOD NEEDED FOR DECEMBER 18th
Hearing and Vision Screening will be at Drake on December 18th. All 7th graders will be screened for both hearing and vision The Clinic is asking for Volunteers to help at Drake in the morning with crowd control and/or other tasks. We would also like to provide some food for the screeners and volunteers. Please sign up here.
HOLIDAY TEACHER AND STAFF APPRECIATION
In December we will be showing our appreciation to all the teachers and staff. Please help us shower the teacher and staff with a holiday gift to help them feel loved and appreciated by our amazing Drake Community. The staff at Drake does a wonderful job making all our children all feel like they belong. They are truly an amazing crew!!
If you're able, please donate any amount Your help is greatly appreciated. Last year we were able to get them all gift cards, goodie bags and a barista!
CARPOOL BUDDIES
If you are interested in carpooling and wondering who lives around you that wants to carpool too, please fill out this Carpool Buddies form. Help save your time and make friends!
We will share the Carpool Buddies Spreadsheet with only those who have filled out the form. Then it’s up to you to find someone who lives near you and contact them. We hope this can help make a fantastic year!
WISH YOUR STUDENT A HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
Wish your student a Happy Birthday on the Drake digital marquee!
Get your student a "Happy Birthday!" with their name to rotate through the messages on the marquee throughout the day you choose (located at the entrance, off 52nd Ave.).
The cost is $20, with all funds going back to Drake PTO. We need a minimum of three days to get the message scheduled and uploaded to the marquee. Click here to order today!
COMMUNITY INFORMATION
Civics Bee
Civics Bee
National Civics Bee® for Middle School Students
The National Civics Bee® for middle school students in 6th, 7th and 8th grades will take place in Arvada on April 11, 2024 in partnership with the Arvada Chamber of Commerce. In the first round of the contest students will participate in an essay competition. Judges will then select 20 finalists to participate in the local competition: a live quiz event testing civics knowledge with cash prizes with the top 3 students advancing to the state competition.
Applications are open now through January 8, 2024 with more information online at www.ArvadaChamber.org/NationalCivicsBee
Colorado Gives- The Jeffco Schools Foundation
Colorado Gives- The Jeffco Schools Foundation
Can you help the Jeffco students that need it most by making a gift today?
Supporting the Jeffco Schools Foundation contributes to the success of students and educators in Jeffco Public Schools. Here's the impact your contribution can make:
A $50 donation covers essential items such as snacks and water bottles for schools in need.
$100 sponsors a school bus for students to embark on a meaningful field trip.
With $250, you can provide a month's worth of groceries for an at-risk Jeffco family.
A $500 contribution supports technology improvements in a Jeffco school.
Consider a $1000 donation to fund a grant for an educator.
With your help, we can make sure every Jeffco student thrives through access to equitable, excellent, and engaging educational opportunities.
Invest in our students today! Our brightest futures begin with you!
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