For Students
11/29/2023
Elementary
Free Entry to All National Parks for 4th Graders & Families - The Every Kid Outdoors initiative means all fourth grade students and their families get FREE admission to national parks and other federal lands and waters for a full year – September 2023 through August 31, 2024. The pass is valid for the 2023-2024 school year and grants FREE entry for the student and three accompanying adults (or an entire car for drive-in parks) at more than 2,000 federally managed sites.
All
Rosa Parks Day on Friday! - On the evening of December 1, 1955, Rosa Parks was arrested for disobeying an Alabama law requiring black passengers to relinquish seats to white passengers when the bus was full. Her arrest sparked a 381-day boycott of the Montgomery bus system and led to a 1956 Supreme Court decision banning segregation on public transportation.
You can honor and recognize this day with the activities at this link!
11/15/2023
Elementary
Emotional Well-Being Videos and Activities - from Sesame Street. Click here.
All
Cultivating Emotionally Healthy Spaces - This 4-part microlearning series teaches key concepts necessary to co-create healthy environments that foster a sense of belonging and acceptance for youth.
Friday is National Substitute Educator Appreciation Day! - This day seeks to encourage increased respect for substitute education employees and provide a reminder for school staff on effective practices to prepare for, welcome, and support substitute educators. How can your students honor our substitute educators this week and every week?
11/8/2023
Secondary
National Institutes of Health Office of Disease Prevention Youth Art Challenge - ODP wants teens and young adults between the ages of 13 and 22 to show what people or communities can do to prevent disease and injury and promote more equitable health outcomes for everyone. Original artwork may be featured on ODP’s website and social media, and winners could even be awarded up to $3,500! To learn more about the Art Challenge, click this link. Deadline for entries is Jan 24, 2024.
Nominations Now Open - for the Adams County Mayors and Commissioners Youth Awards, a program that recognizes youth in grades 6-12 who have overcome personal adversity to create positive change in
their lives. Nominations are due Jan 31, 2024. Click here for more information!
ALL
Sensory Profile Worksheet - Find out how a learning environment helps or hinders a student’s ability to be comfortable and stay focused. Click here for the worksheet!
10/25/2023
Elementary
Kids 4-9 Can Gear Up To Try Hockey For Free! - Nov 4. USA Hockey, in partnership with local associations across the country, is hosting Try Hockey For Free Day! No previous skating or hockey experience is required to participate, and all locations will have equipment to borrow at no cost. Click here for participating locations in Colorado.
Free Ute Knowledge Kit - In this program, PK-5th grade students investigate how the Ute Indians have used science, technology, engineering and math to survive and thrive in the Rocky Mountains. See more info here.
Secondary
Mini-Medical University - High school students are invited to join in a one-of-a-kind learning experience to explore healthcare careers. Attendance is free but registration is limited to the first 50 participants. Students should complete the registration form in full and email it to Nicole.Grippa@HCAHealthcare.com.
5th-12 Grades
Apply Today: CATCH My Breath Youth Advisory Board of Directors - Share this opportunity with students interested in joining teens from around the country working to inform and inspire peers to commit to a vape free lifestyle through outreach, projects, and an evidence-based curriculum. Applications due Nov 10.
For Staff
11/29/2023
Future Latiné Teachers Virtual Event - Dec 14, 4:30pm. Future Latiné teachers are invited to learn about incorporating their passion into the classroom at this free virtual event presented by TEACH Colorado. Click here to register.
Reframing Partnerships with Families: Six Mindset Shifts for Moving Toward Relationship-Centered Family Engagement - This new, free resource provides more than 20 tools to take a relationship-centered approach to family engagement. Reflect on how you interact with families and use this guide to assist in developing a mutual, effective, and equitable partnership.
Start Preparing Today - for 2024 America's Healthiest Schools! Decide which topic area to include in your application and then gather the evidence listed in the link!
Collaborative Art Project with Adams County Middle and High School Youth - in collaboration with artist Mollie Hosmer-Dillard. Mollie will go to the selected 7 schools and host 2-3 free workshops with all materials provided. Each student will paint a small tile that will become part of a larger art piece displayed in the Adams County Government Center in Brighton. Please fill out this google form if you're interested!
11/15/2023
Did Your School Participate in Wear Green Day Last Week? - If so, please send pics to Lisle.M.Reed@adams12.org! For all who have already shared, thank you so much for your support!!!
Prioritizing Well-Being Among School and District Staff, Educators and Administrators (4 Part Series) - Beginning January 25. Register for this monthly professional learning series on staff well-being practices, including relationship building, gratitude systems, and operationalizing staff breaks. Please note that these webinars are at 2pm MST, but anyone who registers will be sent the recordings for future viewing.
Get a Group of Friends Together - and play a wellness bingo like this one!
Building a Sustainable Gratitude Practice - When practiced regularly, gratitude can significantly increase
our well-being and productivity. It has been shown to improve life satisfaction and happiness, help build peer connections, and decrease feelings of anxiety and depression as well as peer conflict. Use this step-by-step guide to create and implement a regular culture of gratitude in your circle!
11/8/2023
Tomorrow is WEAR GREEN DAY - for Homeless Youth Awareness! Please send pics to Lisle.M.Reed@adams12.org (note: these may be shared on social media). Also, come anytime this month to check out the display at the ESC, including art and poetry created by youth who have experienced homelessness AND follow the Office of Whole Child Initiatives Facebook page to see different features throughout the month.
Thank You to All - who completed the Smart Commute Survey. We had 745 responses!!
The Autumn RAKtivist Toolkit - continues with the November Theme of GIVING BACK. You can download this toolkit as a PDF by clicking this link.
Please Help Us Support the Five Star Foundation - by following them on Facebook!
NOVEMBER Staff Wellness Challenge
How many days can you accomplish on the calendar below?
Yes, it’s already the 9th but you can probably squeeze a couple of things into one day 😁
Enter this month’s challenge by submitting this Google form and then logging your activity on the calendar for the chance to earn personal wellness supplies!
10/25/2023
Thriving Schools Professional Learning Series - This FREE virtual series will guide staff through identification and implementation of health and wellness strategies. Register here.
Commit to Forming Transformative Relationships - During this staff well-being recorded session, reflect on relationships, identify your needs, and make a plan to foster transformative relationships.
Identify Your 'Why' to Increase Impact - Identify areas of work that support and detract from a personal sense of meaning. Click here to access the video.
Butterfly Pavilion In-School Opportunities - Programs are offered in English and Spanish, ensuring inclusivity and accessibility for all students. Learn more here.
Solve a Community Problem in this STEM Contest for Your Chance at $100,000! - Submit your 3-question application by Oct 27.
Comprehensive Cancer Control Program at CDPHE - wants to learn about current sun safety practices happening in your schools. Take this quick five-minute survey.
Smart Commute Survey - Please participate in this North Metro Commuter Survey by Oct 31 for an opportunity to win a gift card!
For Community
11/29/2023
Thank you to our Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Education Department for the following resource!
Adams 12 is a caring, inclusive, and engaging district that represents multitudes!
Anti-Biased Education and the Holidays: Making Thoughtful Decisions
11/15/2023
High Schoolers Compete at Mile High Step Summit 2023 - Note: This is not a free event, just really cool 😃
Vista Peak Preparatory (24500 E 6th Ave, Aurora) hosts the first Mile High Step Summit on Saturday, November 18, 2023 from 4pm to 6pm (doors open at 3:30pm). This year’s step show features competition between five high school teams judged by members of the Divine 9 (historically Black fraternities and sororities).
A Step Squad is a team that performs a unique dance art form that originated in Africa. Stepping is a form of percussive dance in which the participants’ entire body is used as an instrument to produce complex rhythms and sounds through a mixture of footsteps, spoken works and hand claps. The competing step squads are:
- DSST Cedar
- Overland HS
- Smoky Hill HS
- Vista Peak Preparatory
- Westminster HS
Tickets are $20 for adults, $15 for students (with ID), and $10 for children 12 and younger. Buy tickets here.
11/8/2023
November is Family and School Partnership in Education Month - Research indicates that family, school and community partnerships lead to improved student attendance, higher graduation rates and a deeper sense of belonging. Click here for resources.
Free Entry to All National Parks on Veterans Day - All 417 National Park Service units (Parks, Monuments, Historic Sites) will be open to the public for FREE on Saturday, Nov 11. Timed entry permits are NOT required at Rocky Mountain National Park during the fall-winter season.
Free Days at Museums in November - Click here!
Overdose Prevention and Naloxone Training - The Adams County Health Department Harm Reduction team holds this training on the 4th Wednesday of every month. Attendees receive Naloxone to take home. Register here for an upcoming session.
Movement for All Ages: Practice Qigong - Nov 15, virtual. Join Usa Lee Prompongsatorn for a virtual movement event where you’ll participate in the centuries-old practice of qigong and learn about its whole-person health benefits for every generation. RSVP for the event here.
10/25/2023
Stress Management and Resiliency Training - Nov 14, 6pm, Broomfield Health and Human Services Building. See this flier.
DCPA Needs 100+ Volunteers for Current Theatre Season — Benefits include free tickets! Visit this link to register.
Families in Broomfield County! - What supports and resources are available in Broomfield County that help you care for your children? Survey link in English and Spanish.
National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day - Oct 28, 10am-2pm. Find sites here.
Bike Donations Needed! - Email jmurphy@northglenn.org or drop bikes off at the Maintenance & Operations Facility.
Northglenn Parks and Recreation Advisory Board Looking for Members - To learn more click here.
Dia de los Muertos Festival 2023 - Nov 4, noon-5pm, Thornton McAllister Park Center. The FREE indoor/outdoor event features art, face painting, a stilt walker, live music, food vendors and a Catrina costume contest.