Excel Academy Eagle Update
October 23, 2026
FALL CELEBRATION COSTUME PARTIES on Friday, October 30
We plan to offer fall celebration parties on Friday October 30th from 1:20pm-2:15pm.
We will have a regular school day until 1:20 when class celebrations begin. Students may wear costumes to school as part of these celebrations. Please keep this in mind, as costumes could get soiled or damaged during the school day activities. Dismissal will occur at 2:15 as usual.
All costumes must be rated "G", meet dress code requirements, be school appropriate, and follow the guidelines below:
No face masks, hats, weapons, or depictions of scary characters or violence.
Hats and hoods that go with the costumes can only be worn at the celebrations at the end of the day.
Face paint is allowed only as a small, partial design. It must still allow staff to easily identify the person.
No blood, gore, or things that could frighten our youngest students
No inflatable costumes or components that block
Students must be able to sit easily at their desk and do schoolwork
If a student arrives wearing anything outside of these guidelines, they will have the opportunity to correct or change to bring their costume/clothing into compliance. If they are unable to do so, guardians will be contacted and the student will complete schoolwork in the office until a costume or clothing that meets costume guidelines and school dress code is brought for the student to change into.
For our classroom celebrations that will involve food, we will still be following Healthy Schools Guidelines:
Nothing that needs to be refrigerated
Only store-bought, prepackaged food that come in individual servings
Half or more of the items provided must be healthy items such as fruits, vegetables, cheeses
Please see communication from your teacher regarding sign-up opportunities for food and/or volunteers. Due to space limitations and to support students for whom noise, crowds and activity can be overwhelming, we ask that classroom volunteers be limited to 2 people.
Our Middle School students will participate in our annual Dance Off in the gym instead of having a classroom party. No volunteers or food will be needed.
Your Vote Matters - Vote by November 3
All registered Colorado voters should have received their ballot through the postal mail over the past weeks. There are also voter centers open for in-person voting. There are many offices up for election as well as many measures. It's a lengthy ballot, and we encourage every eligible voter to take the time to learn about each candidate and measure and cast their vote.
Jeffco Public Schools has two measures on the ballot. As public employees, school staff cannot advocate for or against any candidate or ballot measure while at work, but we can provide factual information and answer questions with facts consistent with guidelines for charter school boards and employees. Excel Academy's Board of Directors voted unanimously in support of both 5A and 5B. Please view this short video that provides background about the measures. If passed, Excel Academy would receive a proportional share of the funds raised and hold the same reporting and accountability requirements as district-run schools. You can find factual information about these measures here in English or Spanish. You can find complete information here.
In Colorado, you can complete your one-time voter registration by completing a form and uploading ID documents on the Secretary of State Voter Registration Website or by visiting the secretary of state office in the county in which you live. You must be registered by October 26 to vote in the November 3 election. Find complete information about registering, voting, returning ballots and more on the Go Vote Colorado website.
REMINDER: October is Dyslexia Awareness Month
In recognition of Dyslexia Awareness Month, JeffcoKID and Jeffco's Division of Teaching and Learning are hosting a series of events. Please mark your calendars.
Dyslexia Awareness Community Events
Wear Red for Dyslexia Awareness - October 9th and 26th
Dyslexia for a Day Simulation for the Community - October 22
Dyslexia for a Day Simulation at the Conifer Library - October 26
For a full list of all of the events taking place this month - Dyslexia Awareness Month
Parents - Check out our Classroom Newsletters!
Want a more in-depth look into what your kids are learning every week?
Then make sure to check out our Weekly Classroom Newsletter, this includes the K-5 and Middle School newsletter curated by our amazing Excel educators!
Medication Rules for Excel Students
Students may not keep any medications, even over the counter ones, in their backpacks, lockers, or pockets at any time.
This includes but is not limited to; vitamins, dietary supplements, cough drops, herbal remedies, medicated lotions such as calamine lotion and hydrocortisone creams, eye drops, antacids, and any type of pain reliever.
All medications must be delivered by the parent to the clinic or front office directly. All medications must be accompanied by the appropriate health form, or the medication agreement signed by you, and filled out by your child's doctor. You can find the medication agreement form as well as many others on our school website; https://excel.jeffcopublicschools.org/services/health-services/medical-forms.
We strive to ensure the health and safety of all our students here at Excel Academy and we truly appreciate being in partnership with our parents to ensure the well-being of all our students.
If you have any questions, or are unsure about a specific medication or situation, please do not hesitate to reach out to Ms. Spano, our Clinic Aide, at 303-467-2294 ext. 104.
Share Your Voice: Children’s Colorado Community Health Survey
Children’s Hospital Colorado wants to hear from parents and caregivers about the health and social needs of children and youth in our community. Your input will help identify important community health needs and inform future priorities, partnerships, and investments. The anonymous survey takes less than 10 minutes and is open to adults 18 and older who have children or youth in their household or regularly in their care.
Please take the survey by October 31: Children's Hospital Colorado Community Health Survey
A note from Colorado Children's Hospital: Potty Training
Do you think your child may be ready to begin potty training? They know good and well that this transition can be a challenge, so the Children's Hospital put together a checklist to help guide parents. Read the full article here!
📆 Mark your Calendar! Super Science Saturday is coming soon! 🧪
Super Science Saturday is a public science celebration that draws thousands of excited and curious people of all ages to the NSF NCAR Mesa Lab to explore Earth system science!
This event is planned by the UCAR Center for Science Education with support from other UCAR, NSF NCAR, and UCP programs and local science education organizations.
Join us on the first Saturday in November for a fun day of exploration and discovery!
Super Science Saturday will return to the NSF NCAR Mesa Lab on Saturday, November 7, 2026, from 10:00 am - 4:00 pm MT. The theme for the 2026 event is "30 Years of Boldly Going."
Support Excel Academy when you shop at King Soopers! 🛒
You can raise money for Excel Academy just by doing your regular grocery shopping—at no extra cost to you! Simply log into your King Soopers account at kingsoopers.com, click on Community Rewards, and link your card to Excel Academy PTO.
Plus, your shopping earns you volunteer hours! At the start of each quarter, check your account to see how much money was returned to the school. For every $10 donated, you can log 1 volunteer hour (e.g., $50 = 5 hours). Sign up today to support our community with every grocery trip!
🍝 Noodles and Co Restaurant Night
Join us on October 29th for our upcoming Restaurant Night at Noodles and Co!
- Restaurant Night at Noodles & Company (4:00 PM – 8:00 PM): Skip cooking dinner and head over to Noodles & Company! A portion of the proceeds from this window will go directly back to supporting our community programs.
PTO Links
- RaiseRight online gift card fundraising site and How It Works
Excel Academy Outreach Committee: Please reach out if your family would benefit from our care or if you can support a family in need. Email Tara Schirner, coordinator or the Excel Outreach Committee at exceloutreachcommittee@gmail.com.
Full Day Out Care at the Duncan YMCA
Need care for your child on a day off from school? The YMCA offers Full Day Out care at the Duncan YMCA for Excel students! This care is available to all Excel students, even if they are not currently enrolled in YMCA Before & After School Care.
WINTER BREAK: Care is available from 7:00 AM–6:00 PM during Winter Break on December 21 - 23 and December 28 - 31.
📝 How to Register for Full Day Out (FDO) Care
Visit the Denver YMCA website.
Navigate to Programs > Education > School Breaks Camp.
Scroll down to School Break Full Day.
Select Register under the Arvada YMCA location.
Follow the prompts to complete your child’s registration.
Important Registration Information:
Registration will close 4 days prior to each day of care. After registering, you will receive additional forms that must be completed in order for your child to attend FDO care. Please make sure all required forms are completed before the day of care.
Excel Academy K-8 Charter School
Email: communications@excel-academy.org
Website: https://excel-academy.jeffcopublicschools.org/
Location: 11500 West 84th Avenue, Arvada, CO, USA
Phone: 303-467-2295
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ExcelAcademyK8