February 19th News

Posted February 20, 2024

Hello Manual Families, 

The end of quarter three is just around the corner and now is the time to help our students focus on their attendance and grades in order to be as successful as possible by the end of quarter three. It is important for me to communicate that Manual is on the quarter system which means that the grades that students earn at the end of quarter three go on their official transcripts. These are not just progress monitoring grades but rather official grades that count towards graduation. In order to help students be as successful as possible here are the ways we can come together to help them. 

Celebrations:

1. Attendance Growth: Manual has the highest attendance growth (+8%) of any school in DPS. Not just high schools. All schools in DPS! Woo Hoo! 

2. College and Career Readiness Week:

  • We had representatives from CU-Denver, UCCS, Metro State, Emily Griffith and almost 20 professionals connect with our students this week! 
  • All 9th – 11th graders took their second PSAT practice test and students took their Accuplacer in Math and English to become college ready. 

3. New Partnerships for 2024 – 2025: 

  • Manual students will have access to four days a week of free tutoring next year through Metro State University during the 2024 – 2025 School Year. 
  • Manual students will have access to mentorship in partnership with Fully Liberated Youth (F.L.Y.) starting in 2024 – 2025. 

Community Focus Areas: 

1. Attendance: Our average daily attendance dropped from 85% in quarter two to 81% in quarter three. Ensuring students attend school as much as possible is essential in their success.

2. Submitting Late Work: Manual students can turn in all missing work until 4:00 p.m. on Thursday, March 7th. If a student missed and assignment they can still submit it for full credit. 

Celebrating Black History Month:

Manual’s Black Student Alliance (BSA) has done daily announcements reminding all students about important events in Black History in Denver and throughout our nation. This Thursday, members of our BSA will be attending DPS’ Black History Gala and many of our students will be honored with scholarships and recognition for their contributions to BSA at Manual and in our school district. Lastly, Manual staff has been celebrating Black History Month by highlighting the Black Excellence that is displayed on a daily basis by our students and staff. In many ways, Black History in Denver and Manual High School are connected and it has been a great month of highlighting Manual’s central role in Black Excellence throughout Denver. 

Upcoming Events:

 Monday, 2/19: No School – Presidents Day Holiday.  

 Tuesday, 2/20: Girls and Boys Regional Tournament Basketball Games at Manual. Girls vs. Prospect Ridge. Boys vs. William Smith. 

 Thursday, 2/22: Quarter III Parent/Caretaker Conferences in School Cafeteria from 4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. 

 Friday, 2/23: Late Start for Students. Class starts at 10:00. 

 Thursday, 3/7: Last Day of Quarter III for students. All missing work due by 4:00 p.m. on 3/7. 

 Friday, 3/8: No School for Students. Teacher Planning Day to prepare for Quarter IV.

 Monday, 3/11: First Day of Quarter IV. 

 Friday, 3/15: No Late Start. Classes start at 8:30. 

Important Links:

   Community Hubs Resource Centers: DPS community hubs provide families with countless supports including food, clothing and expense relief.  

   Application for Achieving Excellence Academy: Achieving Excellence Academy is an incredible opportunity for Manual students to have great summer enrichment programming. 

   MHS_StudentCodeofConduct_23_24_English_Spanish.pdf. This is a reminder of Manual’s behavioral expectations and our updated Code of Conduct for 2023 – 2024. 

   Manual Facebook and Instagram Pages: Follow our social media pages for updates and highlights. 

Thank you for your ongoing support of your student and of Manual. I look forward to continuing this work with you this week. 

In Community, 

Dr. Chris DeRemer

Principal

Manual High School