Jaguar Journal 5/23/25

5/26/25- No School- Memorial Day

5/30/25- 8th Grade Continuation 5:30-7pm at South High School

6/2/25- Last Day of School for 6th and 7th HALF DAY!

We will be collecting Chromebooks, chargers, and hotspots according to the following schedule:

• 8th Grade: Tuesday, May 27th

• 6th & 7th Grade: Wednesday, May 28th

Hotspots can be kept over the summer, upon email request to Joel_Niebauer@dpsk12.net, by students who will return to DPS in the fall.

Please note that fines will be issued for any missing or damaged Chromebooks in accordance with DPS policy.

The boys Soccer team made it to the Finals and had a tough match against Slavens. They played hard and came up 1-4. We're proud of you!

5/29- 8th Grade BBQ- BBQ will be at 1pm SignUp Genius HERE!

8th Graders will have a "Gear Swap" during the BBQ! The can bring their Merrill gear and swap for gear from their future high schools!

*we have gear from most major schools we feed into

5/30- Continuation! 5:30-7pm @ South HS. Cupcakes and lemonade after the ceremony.

Families, please use this form 8th Grade Continuation Photos to submit photos for continuation!

WELCOME TO OUR 2025-2026 PTSA BOARD!!

PRESIDENT – Erin Trujillo

VICE-PRESIDENT – Joanna Shear

TREASURER – Natalie Nove

SECRETARY – Alexia Eslan

COMMUNICATIONS – Alison Roberts

Click to gear up your Jaguar

Last week to collect those Longmont Dairy milk caps!

Turn those caps into cash for Merrill by dropping them off in the Longmont Dairy

milk cap box located in the front office. Make a bigger impact by asking family

and friends for their milk caps too!

We have already submitted two bags of milk caps this year! With your help, we

can schedule a pick up for more.

Thanks Merrill families for supporting our school!!

Enroll Merrill as your Community

Rewards Recipient under My Account!

Club Offerings 24-25

Summer will be here before we know it. It’s time to return Merrill library books to the school library. Please encourage students to finish reading checked out books and to return them.

We continue to encourage students to read. Students may check out electronic books in the Sora app after logging in with their DPS credentials.

Summer Reading Program Info

We encourage all students to visit their local libraries to participate in their summer reading programs.

Denver Public Library has:

Summer of Adventure and Maker Challenge: show off your creation, open to kids 0-18

End of Summer Party at Denver Zoo - August 8th or 9th, open to all registered summer reading participants

May is Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month.

Enjoy reading some of these highlighted books.

We are nearing the end of the 2024-25 school year and many families are already making exciting plans for the summer! Summer programming allows students a safe place to have fun, make friends and continue their learning. Both Denver Public Schools and the City and County of Denver offer summer opportunities and resources for our students and families. Check out some of the upcoming summer opportunities below.

DPS Programming

• Achieving Excellence Academy (AEA): This four-week culture and identity studies program is especially for, but not exclusive to, students and families with Black/African-American, Latine/LatinX, Asian American/Pacific Islander and/or Indigenous backgrounds to engage in hands-on, fun, experiential learning about the modern civic complexities that marginalized communities face.

• Athletics: Periodically check the DPS Athletics website as new summer athletics opportunities will be added.

• Extended Learning and Community Schools (ELCS) offers various summer camps open to students in all grades. Several activities have a limited number of seats and enrollment windows.

  • Discovery Link: Fun-filled summer camps for children ages three through 12 across Denver, featuring outdoor activities, arts, sports and field trips that spark curiosity and foster growth.

  • ELCS Enrichment: Subjects could include and are not limited to: Physical Education, Coding, Music, Art, Chess, Ballet, Fencing, STEAM, Science, Audio Visual and many more!

  • ELCSports: Students will learn fundamental skills in basketball, flag football, and soccer along with regular camp activities, including yard games, challenges and weekly themes.

• Ready for 202X: This program offers a sneak peek into the upcoming ninth-grade year with Math, Literacy and Science content. Students will engage in a variety of electives, which include (depending on site) virtual reality, 3D printing, financial literacy, entrepreneurship, career exploration and theater. Students will also have the opportunity to visit a college.

• Summer Academy: This is a comprehensive academic program that is open to all rising first- through fifth-grade DPS students at eligible schools. Students will engage with content they will see in the upcoming school year, which will include instruction in foundational literacy and math.

• The Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) is a federally-funded, state-administered program that provides nutritious meals to children 18 years and younger at no charge. More information about food sites and schedules will be available on the Food and Nutrition Services website after April 21.

The DPS website will be continuously updated with more information about summer programming. Keep checking the DPS Summer Programs page to see what opportunities are available!

DPS Resources

• Family and Community Engagement (FACE) provides resources and additional opportunities for families and students outside of summer programming. Please note that the Community Hubs are closed over the summer break. Visit the FACE resources page and the Youth Program Locator to find community opportunities and offerings over the break.

• Library Services: Students have year-round access to books both online and in-person through DPS Library Services. Ensure your student continues building their reading skills by accessing books through libraries such as Sora and LION.

City and County of Denver Programming and Resources

• Youth Program Locator: To learn more about summer programming and resources throughout the City and County of Denver, utilize the new Youth Program Locator and connect with events and activities near you!

• My Denver Card: Youth ages five through 18 have free access to Denver’s recreation centers, swimming pools and cultural centers with their My Denver Card.

https://ccs.dpsk12.org/page/ready-for-202x

Click here for details!

Family Toolkit

The Family Resource Toolkit (available in multiple languages here) contains information about rights, current DPS policies, Know Your Rights training, mental health support, DPS resources, community resources and more.

Tasty Food's After School Meal Program is now available providing FREE meals and snacks to youth ages 3-18. No ID or registration is required to participate.

Link HERE