The Bobcat Blast

Dear Bobcat Community,

Next week is Fall Break! As we wrap up the first quarter of the school year, I want to extend a warm thank you to our entire community for helping us finish so strong. Your energy, involvement, and partnership make a world of difference for our students and staff.

A special thank you to everyone who joined us for our School Accountability Committee (SAC) meeting last week—the SAC meeting minutes are attached below for your review. We also greatly appreciate the fantastic turnout at this week’s PACCT meeting! You can find the full PACCT notes and upcoming event updates detailed in the section below. Also, thank you to PACCT and our community for the amazing meals throughout conference week. Your generosity was so appreciated during these long days/nights.

We are also thrilled to announce our new partnership with Laughing Llamas, offering our community the opportunity to purchase school spirit wear all year long! Be sure to check out the link to stock up on your Bobcat gear.

Finally, don't forget that this Saturday, October 10th, is the Larkspur Fire Open House. We hope to see many of our families there for a fun community day!

Wishing you all a restful, safe, and wonderful Fall Break with your loved ones. We look forward to welcoming everyone back, Monday, October 19th refreshed and ready for Quarter 2!

In partnership,

Julia Scott

Monday, November 23rd - Friday, November 27th -- Thanksgiving Break

Saturday, December 12th -- Holiday Bazaar

Friday, October 9th

• LATE START PLC (Breakfast and Supervision Begins 9:30a; First Bell 9:45a)

Friday, October 23rd

• LATE START PLC (Breakfast and Supervision Begins 9:30a; First Bell 9:45a)
• CRAZY HAIR DAY

Saturday, October 24th

• Annual BEASTLY BASH 11a-2p @ Larkspur Community Park

Friday, October 30th

• Halloween Costume Parade

Friday, November 6th

• Teacher PD Day - NO STUDENTS

Tuesday, November 10th

• 25th Annual Veteran's Day Assembly and Lunch 10a

Friday, November 13th

• LATE START PLC (Breakfast and Supervision Begins 9:30a; First Bell 9:45a)

Friday, November 20th

• LATE START PLC (Breakfast and Supervision Begins 9:30a; First Bell 9:45a)

Dear Parents/Guardians,

DCSD is committed to implementing equitable practices to increase access to advanced/gifted learning opportunities. Based on state and national recommendations and requirements, we implement Universal Screening for students in 2nd grade (February) and 5th grade (November).

5th Grade Universal Screen

As part of this process, ALL students in 5th grade not identified for gifted programming will take the Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) the week of November 2nd-5th, 2026. This assessment indicates the level and pattern of cognitive development of a student in comparison to grade and age mates. These general reasoning abilities, which start developing at birth and continue through early adulthood, are influenced by experiences gained both in and out of school.

If your child is already identified for gifted programming, they will not participate in this universal screen testing. Your Gifted Education Facilitator will contact you directly with information about this process.

Gifted Identification Referral Testing

• If your child is in grades 3 and 4, and you believe they need evaluation for Gifted Identification and Services, you may refer your child for testing by initiating the Gifted Identification Process.

• NOTE: Requesting this assessment automatically initiates the process to evaluate for Gifted Identification.

• Please request CogAT testing for your child by completing the DCSD Gifted & Talented Referral Form.

• Upon receipt of this form the Gifted Education Facilitator will connect with you to discuss next steps in the gifted identification process.

Join us for Crazy Hair Day on Friday, October 23rd! Student Council has created special decorated collection jars for every classroom. Bring in spare change to fill your class jar—all proceeds go directly to support our charity drive. Student Council leadership will collect the jars after lunch, so style your wildest hair and bring your coins to make a big difference!

Calling all feeder school students and families! Join us at Castle View High School on Thursday, October 29th, from 5:00–7:00 PM for our annual Trick-or-Treat Street.

Enjoy decorated haunted houses and fun activities hosted by CVHS clubs, with plenty of free candy for everyone! Admission is completely free—just bring your costume and your trick-or-treat bag. We can’t wait to see you there!

Thanks to all who attended the PACCT meeting this week (minutes can be found here). Interested in learning more about PACCT? Find out more here, join a subcommittee, or chat with us on Slack. Please reach out to us at lespacct@gmail.com with any questions, and make sure to follow us on Facebook!

Beastly Bash, 11am-2pm on Saturday October 24 at The Larkspur Community Park!

• Trunk sign-up - businesses welcome to advertise at your trunk!

• Volunteer and Bake Sale Signup

• Volunteers and trunk hosts will receive a discount code for a free wristband!

• Wristband purchase is LIVE!! ($5 per person, $15 for early-bird family 4pk, Free for ages 3 & under)

• Prize-drive CONTEST!! Bring in your gently-loved stuffies and small toys to be used as prizes at the Beastly Bash!! The class with the highest participation by 10/22 will win donuts and an extra recess; the second highest participation class will win an extra recess.

Holiday Bazaar Vendor Applications are live! Booths are first-come, first-serve and spaces are limited, so submit your application as soon as possible- early bird pricing ends Oct 15! Interested sponsors can complete the linked interest survey to get connected with the planning team, or reach out to us directly at les.holidaybazaar@gmail.com. Don’t forget to follow the Bazaar on Facebook!

Take a moment to recognize a DCSD staff member who goes above and beyond for students, brings innovation to their work, and makes a meaningful difference in our schools and community.

Know someone who deserves to be celebrated? Nominate them for an Apple Award! Let’s make sure the outstanding educators and staff who inspire, innovate, and make a difference get the recognition they deserve!

Have an announcement, update, or flyer you’d like included in this week’s newsletter? Send your details and/or flyer to jbattiatoscott@dcsdk12.org by Wednesday at 5:00 PM to be featured in that week’s edition! Submissions received after the deadline will be included in the following week's newsletter.