eDCSD High School Update
October 22, 2026
Blended Learning This Week and Next Week
Next week is our Halloween Party! Students are encouraged to wear their school-appropriate Halloween costumes for a costume contest, along with many other Halloween-themed activities, games, and trivia.
Meet our Learning Coach - Mrs. Penzenstadler
Laurie Penzenstadler is your Learning Coach for eDCSD. She is looking forward to getting to know each of you and learning about your academic goals and interests. Please feel free to make an appointment with her here: eDCSD Learning Coach Appts
You can also reach out to her via email at ljpenzenstadler@dcsdk12.org or stop by in person if you have any questions or just want to say hello.
2026 - 2027 Apple Award Nominations
Nominations are open through October 26.
Each year, the Foundation for Douglas County Schools is proud to honor exceptional educators and staff who are inspiring a love of learning in students and are trailblazing extraordinary innovation in our schools. Take a moment to recognize a fellow teacher or teammate who makes a difference in the lives of kids by nominating them! Being nominated for an Apple Award is a meaningful honor and a way to celebrate the dedication, care and impact of our colleagues across DCSD. Apple Award winners will be celebrated at a special gala in March.
Visit this webpage to submit your nomination(s) by the end of the day, October 26.
Help Us Fill Thanksgiving Baskets! š¦š
Earn community service hours while helping local families enjoy a happy Thanksgiving! Please sign up on the SignUpGenius form linked below and bring your donated food items to the school office anytime before or on the morning of Tuesday, November 17.
Please review the available slots by clicking here or use the QR code below to sign up. Thank you for your generosity and for helping make the holiday brighter for families in our community!
Community Service Hours Opportunity
A local Food Bank is asking for students to collect toiletry items to distribute to families in need.
The toiletry items are the typical travel sized soap and shampoo items that we would see in hotel rooms.
For every 10 items that a student collects, they can earn 1 hour of community service. Mr. Kellar will deliver the items to the Food Bank; students need to deliver the items to the eDCSD office.
New Resources for Families
Click the links below to find one-page resources for eDCSD Online school information.
Colorado Free Application Days
The ninth annual Colorado Free Application Days will be held on Tuesday, October 20th - Thursday, October 22nd, 2026.
The Colorado Free Application Days campaign is an initiative designed to inspire more Coloradans to continue their education. From Tuesday, Oct. 20 through Thursday, Oct. 22, 2026, many public colleges and universities in Colorado and several private institutions will waive their application fees, making it free for Colorado residents to submit an application. By waiving application feesāa common barrier to higher educationāColorado Free Application Days aims to improve access to further education and training, which is becoming increasingly critical in the stateās rapidly changing economy.
School Lunch at Blended Learning
All students may pick up a free school sack lunch while at blended learning provided by Nutrition Services. If students would prefer, they may bring their own lunch or snack.
Virtual Parent Orientation for Quarter 1
On August 25th, we held our first quarter virtual parent orientation. If you were not able to attend, see the recording of the meeting on our website.
Canvas Parent Observer Account
Due Date Policy 2026 - 2027
At eDCSD, our goal is to help students develop healthy work habits and time management skills.
Work each week will be assigned on Wednesday morning and will be due the following Tuesday night at 11:59 PM.
For most assignments, students will be able to submit the work for an additional two weeks after the Tuesday night deadline. After an assignment has been open for 3 weeks, the assignment will close and will no longer be available for submission. *There are some exceptions for synchronous assignments such as virtual class activities and PE logs.
We hope that this policy helps to encourage students to work synchronously with the class while still allowing for the flexibility that eDCSD families desire.
Academic Integrity Policy
Please review the Academic Integrity Policy for the 2026 - 2027 School Year.
Blended Learning Days
Blended Learning Days are our in person days held at 373 Inverness Parkway Suite 207, Englewood, CO 80112.
While at Blended, students will participate in projects and activities to support relationships between the teachers and students as well as peer connections. In addition, all staff including administrators, counselors, tech support, school psychologist, learning coach, learning specialist, and office staff are available to support students with any questions or needs.
High School Blended Learning is highly encouraged but not required for full time high school students.
Blended Learning is NOT required for part time students.
Virtual Classes
Each week, students should attend their virtual classes. These are live classes held on Google Meets with teachers and the students in their assigned courses.
Communication Device/Cell Phone Policy Update
This spring, the DCSD Board of Education voted to adopt a policy on Student Use of Communication Devices in Schools. Here's what this means for students at eDCSD:
High Schools: At eDCSD high school students with communication devices must keep them silenced (no vibration or sound), stored and not used during Blended Learning from 9am-12pm (unless instructed to use them by teachers).
In addition, for the comfort and privacy of all students, all communications devices must be stowed away before entering bathrooms, locker rooms, or personal spaces. This includes, but is not limited to:
- Smartphones
- Smartwatches
- Smart glasses
- Other communication devices
Learn more about what the policy means for schools, how it will be implemented in our school district and ways families can support students in developing healthy habits around phones, smartwatches and other devices.
Application and Website Use
As an online school, students will be using a variety of instructional technology throughout the 2026-27 school year. Please read the attached letter listing the applications used by our school for instructional purposes. If you wish to opt your student out of a particular resource, please follow the directions on the 2026-27 Parent Letter For App or Website Use.
Counselor Information
If you need support from your school counselor, please reach out to:
Janda Bliek Grades 9 - 12 Alpha A-L at janda.bliek@dcsdk12.org
Aaron Kellar Grades 9 - 12 Alpha M-Z at aaron.kellar@dcsdk12.org
Technology Support
If you are experiencing technology issues and need support beyond what your student's classroom teacher can provide, please contact Mrs. Blomquist at kblomquist@dcsdk12.org
2026-2027 Device Check Out
Computer Check out forms are all digital.
Students are required to pay a refundable deposit of $100 (payable in MySchoolBucks) to check-out a device. The $100 deposit fee will be added to the student account in MySchoolBucks after the request is submitted. Students will receive an email with pick-up information after the deposit has been paid in MySchoolBucks.