Gold Rush Elementary

Inspiring Purpose, Compassion & Excellence

What a wonderful week it has been at Gold Rush Elementary! We were so excited to see so many of our families at our recent events. Thank you to everyone who joined us for Meet Your Teacher, our Opening Flag Ceremony, and Balanced Beginnings.

The Opening Flag Ceremony is always a fantastic opportunity for our school community to gather and celebrate the start of a new school year. We loved hearing from our student leaders about the adventures to come. We also enjoyed their musical performances. It's a tradition that truly brings us all together.

This past week was all about connecting and building our new classroom communities. Students had a great time getting to know new classmates and reconnecting with old friends. In addition to fun "get to know you" activities, each classroom worked together to build norms and expectations. This important process helps create the positive relationships and strong academic settings that will make this year a success.

We're looking forward to welcoming our kindergartners for their first full day of school on Monday!

In today’s world, the internet is a huge part of our lives, including for kids. Whether it's playing games, chatting with friends, or doing schoolwork, being online is something kids do almost every day. But just like in the real world, there are rules and good habits to follow online too. This is where the idea of digital citizenship comes in.

Digital citizenship means being responsible, respectful, and safe when using the internet and other digital tools. It’s about knowing how to protect your personal information, treat others kindly online, and make smart choices in the digital world. Just like being a good citizen in your community means following the rules and helping others, being a good digital citizen means using the internet in a way that is positive and constructive.

Learning about digital citizenship helps kids understand how to navigate the online world, stay safe, and contribute to making the internet a better place for everyone. It’s an important skill that will help them not just now, but throughout their lives as they continue to explore and interact in the digital world. Click here for additional information.

Your child will be using a variety of instructional websites and apps throughout the 2025-2026 school year. These tools are not provided by the district, however, each resource has been vetted by our teachers, evaluated according to district guidelines, and approved by the school administration. Each of these resources offers students the opportunity to share their knowledge and understanding of a topic in a variety of ways including photos, drawing, text, and recorded voice. These tools allow us to teach and reinforce reading skills, math skills, communication, critical thinking, collaboration and creativity. Click here for more information regarding specific apps used.

Your child is not required to use these tools, as an alternative assignment will be provided. The alternative assignment will be determined according to project, grade, and teacher on an as-needed basis.

To opt your child OUT of any of these resources please print this letter, circle the title(s) to be opted out of, sign, and return to your student’s teacher. Please fill out one form for each student you wish to opt-out. By not returning this letter, you are agreeing to the use of these tools and/or account creation for your student(s).

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact your student’s teacher or our Instructional Technology Specialist, Megan Fleet, at megan.fleet@dcsdk12.org.

Meals for students in the Douglas County School District are currently free via the Healthy School Meals for All program which is funded by the State of Colorado. While free meals will continue through December 2025; there is a possibility that the program could be eliminated in many DCSD schools in January 2026. The State plans to place two initiatives on the November 2025 ballot related to the funding of this program.

Mark your calendars for Back to School Night!

Back to School Night is a great way to get to know your child's teacher and learn about the coming school year. Please see the schedule below:

Principal's Celebrations & Goals 4:15-4:30 PM @ Gym

Classroom Presentation - Session 1 4:35-5:05 PM @ Classrooms

Classroom Presentation - Session 2 5:10-5:40 PM @ Classrooms

Outdoor Education Presentation (Fifth Grade Only) 5:45-6:30 @ Gym

Back to School Night is intended for parents only.

We hope you will join us for these informative sessions!

ARRIVAL

If you are returning to Gold Rush, you are aware that all students enter the building between 8:20-8:30 AM and head directly to their classroom. Grade levels/classrooms are assigned a specific entrance and all entrances are monitored at 8:20 AM by GRE staff.

Classroom teachers will show students how to enter the building and proceed to their classroom on the first day of school. Additional adults will be present to support students during the first week of school.

It is imperative that students are not dropped off prior to 8:20 AM unless they have a previously scheduled meeting or activity as supervision is not available.

DISMISSAL

We also had great success with our staggered dismissal times for primary and intermediate students. Please see GRE’s dismissal schedule below.

3:25 PM

Grades K- 2

3:30 PM

Grades 3-5

**Rolling car loop begins

At 3:25 PM Kindergarten teachers will walk their students out their exterior classroom door. Students in first and second grade will also follow out the main entrance at this time. K-2 teachers will meet at the same place students lined up during arrival. Please see the map below or click here.

At 3:30 PM 3-5 teachers will walk students out of the building. Third graders will dismiss out the main entrance and fourth and fifth graders will dismiss out the back gym doors. Teachers will escort students to the shade structure on the front blacktop if they are getting picked up in the car loop.

Parents can park and meet their child at their teacher's identified location or use the rolling car loop. The car loop for all students will begin at 3:30 PM. Parents cannot park in the car loop or bus loop at any time before or after school.

2021 South Swift Fox Way, Parker, CO, USA

303-387-7700

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