MARAUDERS WEEKLY

February 2

• Silver Day
• SPIRIT DAY: Sports Day
• After School Tutoring, 3:15-4:45 PM
• Boys Basketball @ Pueblo Centennial, 6 PM
• Girls Basketball vs. Pueblo Centennial, 6 PM
• THEME NIGHT: Pink Out/ Hoops for Hope
• Unified Basketball @ Harrison, 5 PM

February 3

• Blue Day
• SPIRIT DAY: Country Vs. Country Club
• ACCESS Testing CLDE Students
• After School Tutoring, 3:15-4:45 PM
• Boys Basketball vs. Elizabeth, 6 PM
• THEME NIGHT: Marauder Blue
• Girls Basketball @ Elizabeth, 6PM
• Unified Basketball @ Cheyenne Mountain, 4 PM

February 4

• Orange Day
• SPIRIT DAY: Rhyme without a Reason Day
• After School Tutoring, 3:15-4:45 PM

February 5

• Blue Day
• SPIRIT DAY: Nerd Day
• ACCESS Testing CLDE Students
• After School Tutoring, 3:15-4:45 PM
• All State Choir, TBD
• Boys Basketball @ TCA, 6 PM
• Girls Basketball vs. TCA, 6PM

February 6

• Orange Day: Marauder PRIDE Day
• SPIRIT DAY: Class Colors Day
• Winter Sports Pep Assembly
• Mid Quarter Grade Deadline
• ACCESS Testing CLDE Students, ALL DAY
• All State Choir, TBD

• All State Choir, TBD

• Unified Basketball @ Legend High School, 11:30 AM

Thank You, Superintendent Gaal

We extend our sincere thanks to Superintendent Gaal for joining us to celebrate the hard work happening each day at Mitchell through our Petals of Appreciation event.

Appreciation means recognizing and valuing the good qualities in others, and this celebration reminded our staff just how meaningful their efforts are.

Thank you to all of our incredible educators for the care, dedication, and heart you bring to our students and community. We appreciate you!

Mitchell Thespians Shine at the Pikes Peak One Act Festival!

Our Mitchell Thespians delivered an outstanding showing at this year’s Pikes Peak One Act Festival! From powerful performances on stage to the impressive work of our technical crew behind the scenes, our students represented Mitchell with creativity, professionalism, and heart.

Their dedication to rehearsal, teamwork, and storytelling was evident in every scene. A special shoutout goes to the cast and crew for bringing their characters and production elements to life with such passion. Their efforts earned well‑deserved recognition at the festival, showcasing the talent and commitment within our theatre program.

We are incredibly proud of this group—congratulations to our Mitchell Thespians for an unforgettable festival experience!

Last week, Mitchell High School proudly continued its tradition of celebrating academic excellence with our 9th-Grade ACCEPT Scholars Award Ceremony, honoring the outstanding achievements of those scholars. The ceremony recognized Class of 2029 scholars who have demonstrated strong academic performance this school year by earning a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher.

The ceremony celebrated the core values shaping the Marauder spirit: Achievement, Courage, Caring, Excellence, Perseverance, and Teamwork, principles that guide students toward graduation and life-long success.

Despite the two-hour late start due to the cold weather, families joined to celebrate as scholars received certificates, enjoyed refreshments, and took photos at the Mitchell Marauders backdrop. Thank you to those parents and families who joined, and congratulations to our ACCEPT Scholars for inspiring their peers and setting a strong example for future Marauders.

February brings two celebrations that reflect Mitchell High School’s core values: National School Counselor Appreciation Week and Black History Month.

Our counselors are essential to student success, supporting academic planning, social-emotional well-being, and postsecondary readiness. Their work embodies our Mitchell vision, which includes building, maintaining, and restoring trust through sincerity, competence, reliability, and care. From college applications to pathway planning to family support, they serve with both heart and expertise. We are grateful for our amazing counseling team and their efforts to improve student outcomes.

Black History Month celebrates the contributions, resilience, and brilliance of Black Americans while deepening our commitment to equity for every student. This month, we spotlight Educating Children of Color, Inc. (ECOC), a Colorado-based nonprofit dismantling the cradle-to-prison pipeline through education. ECOC addresses the disproportionate incarceration of students of color by fostering aspirations and equipping parents and professionals to interrupt cycles of poverty and injustice. Their impact: over 9,000 students reached $718,000 in scholarships awarded, and countless mindsets transformed through equity training. I encourage as many Marauders as possible to register and attend this year’s Educating Children of Color Summit, regardless of race or ethnicity.

Let’s make it another great week, Marauders Nation and get those WINS - We Increase Numbers by believing in our Students!

George C. Smith, Principal

The School Accountability Committee (SAC) comprises a dedicated team committed to driving student success and ongoing school improvement. Reverend Michael Bibbs and Alyssa Webb serve as co-chairs for the 2025-2026 school year, bringing strong collaborative leadership that will further strengthen the SAC’s mission. Their guidance is expected to boost parental engagement and foster greater community involvement.

The next SAC meeting will be held at its regularly scheduled time and place, Mitchell High School, on Thursday, February 12, from 5:00 PM to 6:30 PM. For your convenience, a virtual attendance option is also available via the provided link.

We sincerely appreciate everyone who has attended and contributed to the Mitchell High School SAC. Your involvement is vital to our shared success.

For more information, contact our committee:

Co-Chair Michael Bibbs at michaelbibbs039@gmail.com (719) 287-2729

Co-Chair Alyssa Webb at opuswebb@gmail.com (719) 475-7465

DAC Representative Alyssa Webb ... Substitute Representative Sharon Simpson-Dogon

Secretary Sharon Simpson-Dogon at yeswellnessmatters@gmail.com

FUTURE CENTER EVENTS:

Tuesday, February 3, 2026

Diversified Minds Mental Health Institute Field Trip

Penrose House

8:45am-3:15pm

Wednesday, February 4, 2026

Lincoln Tech Representative Visit

Future Center during lunch

Sign up in Schoolinks

Friday, February 5, 2026

FAFSA Friday

Stop by the Future Center during lunch if you still need help with your FAFSA Application

District-wide UC School of Medicine Panel

Doherty High School

8:30 am-12:00pm

Sign Up in Schoolinks

Other News:

A Note About College Applications and Post-Secondary Planning:

Senior students still needing help completing their college applications should see Mrs. Montez or Mr. Cooks in the Future Center. If students are not interested in attending college directly after high school, we still need to meet with you! There are lots of other opportunities for students who are interested in apprenticeships, internships, military, etc.

An important note about the FAFSA Application for ALL Seniors:

ALL SENIORS NEED TO COMPLETE THIS!!!

As part of the required ICAP (Individualized Career and Academic Plan) which is required for graduation, EVERY senior will need to either complete a FAFSA Application and document this in Schoolinks OR indicate in Schoolinks that they will not file a FAFSA Application. Please see Mrs. Montez or Mr. Cooks in the Future Center if you need help with this.

Students With Jobs Outside of School/Potential High School Credit:

For any student who is employed and has not filled out the application for high school credit in Schoolinks, please see Mrs. Montez or Mr. Cooks in the Future Center. Students who work a certain number of hours within a semester can earn high school credits.

A Unique Opportunity for current 10th and 11th Graders- Deadline Extended:

Impart Charitable will be selecting 250 Colorado students in 10th and 11th Grade and offering them money to jump-start their future. Students can be awarded up to $20,000 each and the money is to be used in specific ways. The deadline to apply has been extended to February 22, 2026. More information and the link to the application can be found HERE. If you have questions about this or need help with your application, please see Mr. Cooks or Mrs. Montez in the Future Center.

Attention Junior Boys! Colorado Boys State Opportunity:

High School Juniors are invited to apply for the 2026 American Legion Colorado Boys State program. These young men will experience American self-government as they create and operate in their own cities, counties and state governments. This is a "hands on" environment, and students will interact with their peers from all across Colorado to share concerns, ideas and some agreements on what and how to operate their state as they develop and demonstrate their leadership skills. This year's event will take place at Northeastern Junior College in Sterling, Colorado from May 31 thru June 6, 2026. There is no cost for the student, but students must complete an application at https://colegionboysstate.org/ The deadline to apply is May 1, 2026. Participants are also eligible to apply for college scholarships.

We want to share an exciting update about college planning for our students.

Our district (D11) is partnering with Match EAB, a college admissions platform used across Colorado. Match offers a Direct Admissions process that helps students discover colleges they already qualify for—making college applications easier and faster.

What this means for students

If a student chooses to create a profile with Match:

• Their high school transcript will be securely shared with Match
• This allows colleges to review eligibility automatically
• It saves time for both students and school counselors

Other nearby districts have seen great results using Match. For example, District 49 and District 2 had over 600 college applications submitted in just one month after participating.

Your choice as a parent

Before any transcripts are shared, families are being notified and given the option to opt out.

• An Opt‑Out Form is attached (this is the same type of form used by nearby school districts)
• If you do not want your student’s transcript shared with Match, you may submit the opt‑out form
• If no form is submitted, the transcript may be shared only if the student chooses to complete a Match profile

A Note About College Applications and Post-Secondary Planning:

Senior students still needing help completing their college applications should see Mrs. Montez or Mr. Cooks in the Future Center. If students are not interested in attending college directly after high school, we still need to meet with you! There are lots of other opportunities for students who are interested in apprenticeships, internships, military, etc.

Students With Jobs Outside of School/Potential High School Credit:

For any student who is employed and has not filled out the application for high school credit in Schoolinks, please see Mrs. Montez or Mr. Cooks in the Future Center. Students who work a certain number of hours within a semester can earn high school credits.

The Future Center would also like to wish all students a great first week back!

Winter Sports Pep Assembly Week:

Get ready, Marauders! It's Winter Sports Pep Assembly Week, and it’s packed with school spirit, athletics, and celebration. Each day features a fun spirit theme:

Sports Day (Monday)

Country vs. Country Club (Tuesday)

Rhyme Without a Reason (Wednesday)

Nerd Day (Thursday)

Class Color Day (Friday)

Seniors: Blue

Juniors: Gray

Sophomores: White

Freshmen: Orange

Winter Pep Assembly on Friday, February 6 at 2:10 PM in the Main Gym

We’ll celebrate our winter athletes and activities: Basketball, Wrestling, Unified, Cheer and Theater!

Boys and Girls Basketball, Unified Basketball, and Choir will all be in action throughout the week, so come out and support your fellow Marauders. Let’s show up, dress up, and bring the energy all week long!

Basketball Theme Nights:

Monday vs. Pueblo Centennial - Pink Out/Hoops For Hope: Free Admission if you wear Pink to the games. JV at 4:30pm, Varsity at 6pm.

Tuesday vs. Elizabeth - Blue Out: Free Admission if you wear Mitchell Blue to the games. JV at 4:30pm, Varsity at 6pm.

Keller to Represent Mitchell at Colorado All State Choir

Khylei Keller will proudly represent Mitchell High School at the Colorado All-State Choir this Saturday at the Buell Theatre in Denver. Khylei will be performing in the prestigious Treble Choir, with the concert beginning at 3:00 PM. This is an incredible accomplishment and a testament to her hard work and dedication to her craft. We are proud to have Khylei representing the Marauders on such a distinguished stage. Best of luck this weekend!

Spring Sports Season is Coming!

Registration for Girls Soccer, Baseball, and Track & Field begins this week. Complete registration as soon as possible to ensure you are cleared and ready for the start of the season. There will be a Spring Sports Parent Meeting on Monday, February 9 at 5:30 PM in the Mitchell Cafeteria. Coaches will review team expectations, important dates, and season information. We look forward to another great spring season. Go Marauders!

Last week, CLDE students successfully completed the Listening and Reading portions of the WIDA ACCESS assessment. This week, students will complete the Speaking and Writing sections.

If a student is absent during their scheduled testing time, they will coordinate with their CLDE teacher to complete make-up testing.

Please reach out to Ms. Silva or Ms. Lavery with any questions. Thank you for supporting our students as they demonstrate their language growth and skills.