Dunstan Newsletter

September 4, 2026

Dear Parents and Guardians of Dunstan Students,

I hope you had a good week! Your kids and our staff have worked hard to acclimate to the new school year! I hope you all enjoy the long weekend and can do something to connect with your student(s) this weekend!

This week we reviewed school expectations, which are based on Jeffco's Student Code of Conduct, with our 6th and 7th grade teams. We will review these with the 8th grade teams next week. These presentations allow us to norm and explain expectations for students in secondary schools. The presentation will be posted on our website.

I want to apologize for the temperatures that are in the 8th grade classrooms. It has been hot and the staff and students have been dealing with this to the best of their ability. While the school is supposed to operate off of two chiller units, we are operating on one. The warmest rooms in the school are definitely in the 8th grade halls. Our school will get a new chiller next summer. I am sorry for the heat during these first few weeks!

On Thursday night, many 6th grade parents came to our presentation about supporting middle school students and teenage brain development. This is a unique age and brain development occurs at a phenomenal rate during teenage years. The relationship parents maintain throughout these years is critical. Thank you to the parents who prioritized this presentation! This presentation will be posted on our website.

Also on Thursday, I helped our area principals and Community Superintendent present information about the Bond and Mill Levy proposal at Green Mountain HS. Thank you to those of you who attended this presentation.

Please join me in welcoming Katie Lubkert as our Accountability Chair at Dunstan Middle School. Our first Accountability Meeting will take place on Sept. 23rd from 6:00 to 7:00 in Dunstan’s Library. This is the team that dives deeply into our data, provides guidance to our principal, and provides guidance for our budget. Please feel free to join us for this meeting.

Next Wednesday, September 9th, from 5:30-6:30 is our first PTA Meeting in the Library. Please come join us and learn how you can get involved.

Next week will be an official launch into content. Please make sure you are ready to talk with your kids about content, review each Google Classroom for each class, and begin to glance at Infinite Campus. Our teachers, because they have 130ish students each, take a bit of time to grade and enter grades, so please keep watching IC for the next few weeks.

As always, please let me know if there is anything we can do to support you or your child. As a quick reminder, here are the grade-level team:

6th Grade Assistant Principal, Michelle Grove; michelle.grove@jeffco.k12.co.us

6th Grade Counselor, Leslie Walker; leslie.walker@jeffco.k12.co.us

7th Grade Assistant Principal, Michael Kitch; michael.kitch@jeffco.k12.co.us

7th Grade Counselor, Ryan Cole; ryan.cole@jeffco.k12.co.us

8th Grade Principal, Jen Pennell; jennifer.pennell@jeffco.k12.co.us

8th Grade Counselor, Jen Baker; jennifer.baker2@jeffco.k12.co.us

Please have a wonderful weekend!

With much love and respect,

Jen Pennell, Principal

• Tuesday, September 1st and Wednesday, September 2nd: ELA MAP testing
• Thursday, September 3rd: 6th Grade Parent night 5:30-6:30 PM at Dunstan (library)
• Monday, September 7th: NO SCHOOL (Labor Day)
• Tuesday, September 8th: 1st On-Track Letter (handed out to students in advise)
• Wednesday, September 9th: PTA meeting at 5:30 (DMS Library)
• Wednesday, September 16th: Panorama SEL Student Survey in Advise
• Friday, September 18th: NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS (Professional Development Day)
• Monday, September 21st: On/Off Track letters go out to students
• Wednesday, September 23rd: Greece parent information meeting 6:30 PM (DMS Library)
• Wednesday, September 23rd: SAC (School Accountability Committee) Meeting 6-7 pm @ DMS
• Thursday, September 24th: Jeffco Tenor/Bass Festival 8:45-2:15 PM
• Friday, September 25th: Picture re-takes
• Monday, September 28th: On/Off Track letters go out to students, CMAS reports go out in Advise classes
• Wednesday, September 30th: Band concert 6:00-8:00 PM @ DMS

Please click HERE to sign up to support Dunstan's PTA through King Soopers Community Rewards. This is a quick and easy way to support our school!

Dear Families:

Panorama Education is a company who conducts student and family surveys in schools and districts across the country. Dunstan Middle School will be giving students the Panorama Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Student Survey 2-3 times per year.

Content. The Panorama student survey gathers information on the following areas/competencies of social emotional skills:

• Self-Awareness

• Self-Management

• Social Awareness

• Relationship Skills

• Responsible Decision-Making

• 
  

You may review the survey questions by visiting this link. For more information on the SEL competencies visit this link.

The results are compiled into both individual and group summaries of social emotional skill progress. These reports are used by district leaders and school staff to guide our development of school-wide, small group, and/or individual social emotional support. You will be notified if your child is invited to join a small group or individual intervention.

It is Voluntary. Your child does not have to take the student survey.

It is Confidential. No students will be identified in any public reports or publications. Individual student information (name, student number, school and grade) will be uploaded into the Panorama system, as with other Panorama surveys. Individual student data may be shared with school staff to provide instructional and social emotional support.

Timing: The survey will be administered in the fall, winter, and optionally in the spring. It will take about 10 minutes.

Opt Out: If you do not want your child to participate in the survey, you may contact Leslie Pruitt at leslie.pruitt@jeffco.k12.co.us by Tuesday, September 15th, 2026.

Estimadas familias:

Panorama Education es una empresa que realiza encuestas a estudiantes y familias en escuelas y distritos de todo el país. Dunstan Middle School hará la encuesta estudiantil de Panorama sobre el Aprendizaje Socioemocional (SEL por sus siglas en inglés) 2 o 3 veces al año.

Contenido. La encuesta estudiantil de Panorama reúne información sobre las siguientes áreas o competencias de las habilidades socioemocionales:

• Autoconciencia

• Autogestión

• Concienciación social

• Habilidades relacionales

• Toma de decisiones responsables:

• 
  

Pueden dar un vistazo a las preguntas de la encuesta en este hipervínculo. Para obtener más información sobre las competencias de SEL visiten este hipervínculo.

Los resultados se recopilan en resúmenes individuales y grupales del progreso de las habilidades socioemocionales. Los líderes del Distrito y el personal escolar utilizan estos informes para guiar nuestro desarrollo de apoyo socioemocional en toda la escuela, grupos pequeños o individuales. Se les avisará si se va a invitar a sus hijos a integrarse a un grupo pequeño o a una intervención individual.

Es voluntaria. Sus hijos no tienen la obligación de participar en la encuesta estudiantil.

Es confidencial. No se identificará a ningún estudiante en ninguno de los informes públicos ni en las publicaciones. La información individual del estudiante (nombre, número de estudiante, escuela y grado) se cargará en el sistema de Panorama, al igual que con otras encuestas de Panorama. Es posible que se comparta la información referente a estudiantes individuales con el personal escolar a fin de proporcionar asistencia con la instrucción y el aspecto socioemocional.

Tiempo: La encuesta se administrará en otoño, invierno y opcionalmente en primavera. Llevará unos 10 minutos.

Optar por no participar: si no desean que sus hijos participen en la encuesta, pueden ponerse en contacto con Leslie Pruitt y leslie.pruitt@jeffco.k12.co.us antes del Tuesday, September 15th, 2026.

This year, students with an ALP will complete a self-directed Passion Project during Advise class to fulfill their academic and affective goals. Students will select a research topic based on an open-ended guided question, conduct research using multiple sources, and create a tri-fold board to share their findings.

We will host a Showcase Night for families to view student work. Students will choose to showcase on either December 7th or May 10th (5:00–6:30 PM).

We will launch the project with 6th graders on Sept. 10th and 7th/8th graders on Sept. 15th. Students will access information about their project via Google Classroom.

Dunstan's Theatre Department is looking for the following items. They can be ripped/broken, but please no stained items.

• Sheets/pillow cases (any size)

• Pool Noodles (broken is fine)

• Ribbons (any width/color, at least 3 feet long)

• Hula Hoops

Donations can be dropped off in the Main Office or in Ms. Waterhouse's Classroom.

Thank you!

Hello Dunstan Families and welcome to the new school year! Over the next few weeks, starting with today, all Dunstan students will take part in grade-level assemblies during advise. The purpose of these assemblies is to discuss the student expectations of Jeffco Public Schools and Dunstan Middle School. These expectations (and more) are outlined in Dunstan’s Patriot Path Student & Family Handbook as well as Jeffco’s Student and Family Handbook.

Our grade-level administrators will facilitate the assemblies and will be supported by the grade-level’s school counselor. Teams will have their assemblies on the following dates:

6th grade Falcons - Friday, August 28th

6th grade Wolves - Monday, August 31st

7th grade Pikas - Thursday, September 3rd

7th grade Marmots - Friday, September 4th

8th grade Swift Foxes - Tuesday, September 8th

8th grade Rams - Wednesday, September 9th

We will review these expectations, including recognizing areas where our students are excelling as well as areas for growth, periodically throughout the year, specifically after extended breaks.

If you have questions, please contact your child’s grade-level administrator.

Jen Pennell, Principal and 8th grade administrator

Michael Kitch, Assistant Principal and 7th grade administrator

Michelle Grove, Assistant Principal and 6th grade administrator

Dear Families,

Student Insights is a resourceful tool for K-12 families and students in grades 6-12 to view current and historical assessment data and plans that are applicable to your student.

2025-26 CMAS/CoAlt student score reports are now available electronically in Student Insights. Our school will also be sharing paper reports with families on Tuesday, September 29, 2026, through their Advise class. If you would like your paper reports sooner, please request this with Michelle Grove at Michelle.Grove@jeffco.k12.co.us

Login to Student Insights here using your Infinite Campus parent portal login credentials to view the following applicable* information:

• Colorado Measures of Academic Success (CMAS) - 2025-26 results now available!

• WIDA ACCESS - 2025-26 results now available!

• MAP Growth results

• DIBELS 8 results

• Lectura results

• READ Plan goals and supports

• Advanced Learning Plan (ALP) goals and programming supports

• Graduation requirements progress report

• High School Transcript Grades

• PSAT & SAT results

Click here to learn more about Student Insights and here to learn more about our state and district assessments.

*Available data listed above is based on student grade levels and programming.

Students have begun our district MAP assessments in Math and English Language Arts (ELA). Students completed Math MAP testing this past Wednesday and Thursday and will complete ELA MAP testing on Wednesday, September 2, and Thursday, September 3.

MAP assessments are not timed, allowing students the time they need to do their best. Students who need additional time may continue or make up testing through the end of the testing window. All required testing accommodations are being provided to ensure students receive their appropriate supports.

The district MAP testing window closes September 17. Thank you for encouraging your student to take their time, give their best effort, and show us what they know!

Jeffco has officially launched ParentSquare as our primary platform for school communication. Families will now receive messages through email, app, voice or text, helping everyone stay informed and involved.

An account is automatically created for each parent or guardian using the contact information in Infinite Campus, our student information system. We encourage you to activate your account to download the free mobile app, set your language preferences, and choose how and when you’d like to receive messages.

What you can do with ParentSquare:

• Receive updates from your school via email, app, or text notification

• View posts, photos, calendars, and important announcements

• Communicate in your preferred language with automatic translation

• Comment on school posts and stay engaged with your school community

• Send direct messages to teachers and staff

• Participate in group conversations

Thanks to Healthy School Meals for All (HSMA), Jeffco Public Schools will continue to provide all students with one breakfast and one lunch at no cost through the 2026-27 school year, regardless of income eligibility. Research shows that students who are not hungry perform better in school. Even though meals are free for all students, families are strongly encouraged to complete a Student Benefits Application.

We use SchoolCafé to:

Families Who Need Meal Modifications - You need to communicate your needs with our new Kitchen Manager, Sandra Bartle at Sandra.Bartle@jeffco.k12.co.us. Also click for the district special diets link with info.