Asbury Thursday Folders – August 29, 2024

Posted August 29, 2024

Principal Message:

Eagle Families-

What a wonderful start to the school year. We are now two weeks into the 24/25 school year and it has been wonderful to get to know our new students and meet all our kindergarteners! We have already hosted two events- one Eagles Nest Welcome Back and our Back to School night. Thanks to those that were able to join! For those that weren’t, one of the items we talked about was the revised DPS Discipline matrix that Asbury uses if incidents arise. 

As you may know, one of the items that was included in the 2023 Denver Public Schools Long-Term Safety Plan was a reworking of the DPS Discipline Matrix. This review has been conducted over the past year by a group of DPS teachers, principals, administrators, counselors, as well as parents and community members.

To follow up from our brief conversation during Back to School Night, we are sharing the updated Discipline Matrix, which is designed to be a quick reference guide that refines the DPS student discipline policy and regulation to make the implementation of discipline easier and equitable across the district.

As we share this updated version, it is important to clarify what the Discipline Matrix is, and what it is not. Simply put, the Discipline Matrix is a document that categorizes student offenses and explains permissible discipline for each level of infraction. This is to ensure that students across DPS receive similar disciplinary action for similar violations of our Code of Conduct. 

This Discipline Matrix is not the entirety of the Asbury’s  behavior prevention and intervention plans, programs and resources. It is also not the entirety of our student safety work, such as the details of search processes, threat response procedures, and emergency management.

Take a moment to read through these updates and reach out with any questions. It is important for us to start the year on the same page so that we can all support students when or if incidents arise. 

In Partnership,

Jeanna Doung  

P.S.  Please click HERE to watch this Introduction Video to meet the Teachers and Staff here at Asbury!


What’s top of Mind? 

CSC/PTSO Meetings

We will have our first CSC and PTSO meetings September 3. These meetings will be in person. Pizza and child care will be provided! 

  • CSC starts at 5:00 and goes until 6:00. We will be hosting this meeting in the library. 
  • PTSO goes from 6:00-7:00 and will be hosted in the auditorium. Interpretation services will be available for both meetings.  Please join us!

Library Letter for Asbury Families from Mrs. Drost.

Looking for a Crossing Guard at Asbury

We are looking for a crossing guard at Asbury to support before and after school to ensure students are safe as they cross the street, If you are interested, please reach out to Jeanna and let her know. 

Safety in our Community

FREE Cable Gun Lock for DPS Families in SE Denver- We received information about this community event and wanted to pass it along to you: 

How It Works:

1. Visit the Denver Police District 3 Station at 1625 S. University Blvd. any day of the week, between 7AM and 9PM.

2. Let the officer at the front desk know you heard from your school you could pick up a FREE Cable Gun Lock.

3. No questions asked – a free cable gun lock will be given to you*

*Limited quantity – while supplies last.

Community Circle

Community Circle on 9/20: We will have our first Community Circle on Friday, September 20 starting at 7:50 in person in the auditorium! Community Circle is a time for the whole school to come together and celebrate being Eagles! We will be reviewing behavior expectations, having the Green Eagles share out about composting at Asbury, sharing our B.E.S.T. awards, and of course- getting our groove on! We plan to end by 8:20 and be on the lookout for an updated specials schedule for this day!  Please feel free to join us, if you would like! 

Technology Updates from Mrs. Ravel:

Headphones Update

  • ​​Please double check with your student that they have working headphones that they are bringing to school each day (or leaving them at school). Every student in every grade level needs to have headphones.
  • If your student needs headphones, you can purchase them on your own (plug in, not bluetooth and over the ear, not earbuds)
  • OR, they can get a pair from Ms. Baca in the office. We are asking for a $5 donation if your student is getting headphones from Ms. Baca.

Technology Responsibility Agreement (3rd-5th grade families only):

  • This week we talked with students in their classrooms about their responsibility for their school chromebook.  They filled out a similar responsibility agreement in class.  We are asking that parents/guardians fill out the Parent/Guardian Technology Responsibility Agreement so you can support your student throughout the year with their chromebooks
  • 3rd, 4th and 5th graders will take their devices to and from school each day.  It is their main responsibility to make sure their device is charged.  A power cord was sent home with each student to keep at home for charging purposes.
  • Please click HERE to fill out the Parent/Guardian Technology Responsibility Agreement.  Remember, it is your student’s responsibility to take care of their chromebook.  You are just there to support them in this task.
  • Please reach out to Amy_Ravel@dpsk12.net

Open  Positions:

  • 1-1 Paraprofessional positions: We have two 1-1 Special Education Paraprofessional positions open right now. If you know anyone who would like to work with students in 4th or 5th grades, please have them reach out to Jeanna. 
  • Long Term Substitute Openings: We have Long Term Substitute positions open in both 1st grade and 3rd grade Math. If you are interested or know someone who is interested in these positions please reach out to Jeanna!

Marketing Team/100 Year Planning Committee

Asbury’s 100 year anniversary is coming up next school year (I know we have just started this school year)- that said, it is going to be amazing and to support this amazingness, we have a committee that is centered around planning for this party! If you are interested, we would love your help with planning- we will meet monthly on mondays. Please reach out to Jeanna if you are interested!


Mental Health Minute

The BESS universal screener beginning of the year window is now open for parents. Your child’s homeroom teacher will also be completing a teacher version and students in 3rd-5th complete a self report. Please visit tinyurl.com/bessparent2324 to complete this 5 minute survey. We utilize this information to target interventions and to ensure all students are having their social emotional needs met. 

Attention 5th grade parents: Riding the Waves is the DPS mandated suicide prevention program that Asbury has elected to use again this year. If you would like to learn more about the program please contact me. If you would like to opt your student out of the program, please see the form that was sent or or the 5th grade communication. 

Lauren Gourgues, School Psychologist


What’s Still Relevant? 

Opportunity to Support Asbury Staff Instruction

  • As the new school year begins, Asbury staff has been hard at work making sure they have everything they need to meet the needs of all of the Asbury Eagles.  Some staff members are still looking to add items to their classrooms.  If you are interested in supporting, please use this link to connect to classroom wishlists.  Thank you for all you do for Asbury.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1zx12nUupY-4VpKdSKu2f95UUfsAmUSOFh2gleVTLkFU/edit?usp=sharing

  • Asbury Has moved to a new message platform:  We have switched to a new messaging platform. District text messages will now come from 98900. Phone calls will come from 720-423-3000 or your school’s front office phone number. Emails will come from a DPSK12.org email address.

What’s going on with PTSO?

  • CARNIVAL 2024! Please join us and invite your neighbors to join us as well for this very fun community event!
    • September 20, 2024, 5-7 pm
    • Bring your gently used toy donations to the office
    • Tickets go on sale soon
    • We are looking for donations for our Fall Carnival Auction! Possible items of interest include:
      • tickets to Fall or Winter sporting event (eg. Broncos, Avalanche, Nuggets, Rapids, college basketball and football)
      • a vacation homestay (eg. weekend in the mountains)
      • a service you can offer (eg. fall photography session, yoga classes, music lessons for kids, etc.)

        If you have any of these things to donate, or know someone who does, please reach out to Joclyn Lawson (joclyn.lawson@gmail.com) or Lauren Walser (lkwalser@gmail.com).
  • Watch the Colorado Rockies with your friends from Asbury!
  • Asbury is an incredibly special community, and we need YOU, members of the community, to help maintain it!
    • Not sure if you can come to all the meetings? No problem! You can still join the PTSO – whether or not you are able to come to meetings. This will ensure you get our communications and stay informed!
    • Our first meeting will be in the Asbury auditorium on Tuesday, September 3, at 6 pm. Childcare, translation, and pizza provided! Please join us!

What’s going on with Enrichments?

Please visit the Asbury Website for more information and details about enrichments offered during this session:  Asbury Enrichments Schedule (update in progress)


Enrichment Flyers


Community Flyers


Upcoming Dates

  • 9/2- No School for staff or students, Labor Day
  • 9/3 – PTSO meeting, in person – Asbury auditorium
  • 9/19 – Skate City Asbury Night
  • 9/20 – Carnival 
  • 9/27- No school for students- DPS Release Day
  • 10/10- No school for Students- DPS Release Day
  • 10/11- No school for staff or students- DPS Vacation Day
  • 10/14- No school for students- DPS Conference Comp Day
  • 11/22- No school for students- Asbury Release Day
  • 11/25-11/29- No School for Staff or Students- Holiday
  • 12/20- No school for students- Asbury Release Day
  • 12/23-1/3 – No school for staff or students- Winter Break
  • 1/6- No school for students- DPS Release Day
  • 1/20- No school for staff or students- Holiday
  • 2/14- No school for students- DPS Release Day
  • 2/17- No school for staff and students- Holiday
  • 3/21- No school for students- Asbury Release Day
  • 3/24-3/31- No school for staff and students- Holiday
  • 4/18- No school for students- DPS Release Day
  • 5/9- No school for students- Asbury Release Day
  • 5/26- No school for students and staff- Holiday
  • 6/3- Half Day for students- last day of school