June 3rd News

Posted June 3, 2024

Manual Families, 

It is hard to believe that this will be our final community newsletter for the 2023 – 2024 school year. We accomplished an incredible amount together this year and I could not be more proud of and thankful for the students, staff, parents and guardians that made this year so successful. I wanted to share a few celebrations from our year that will remind us of what we are able to accomplish when we come together for our kids. 

Accomplishments this Year:

School Status: Manual earned a Yellow rating on the state School Performance Framework. The highest academic rating in over a decade. 

Attendance: Manual had the largest increase in attendance out of any school in DPS. Not just high schools but all schools. Our end of year attendance rate was 84%, which is 7% higher than last year. 

Staff Retention: We have a staff retention rate of 95% this year which is a testament to the power of team that we have as a community. 

Chronic Absenteeism: Last year, only 20% of our students were above 90% attendance. This year, 50% of our students had 90% attendance. That is remarkable. 

Achievement: Our students grew at every grade level on the math and English sections of the PSAT/SAT this year. We are so proud of student growth. 

School Safety: Our students, staff and families came together this year to reduce suspensions by over 30%. Our school is safer and our students are more connected because of our focus on restorative practices. 

Enrollment: Manual also maintained its highest enrollment in a decade with 360 students calling Manual home at the end of the school year. 

Student Experience:

  • 100% of Manual students visited a college campus this school year. 
  • Manual was one of the first schools in the nation to put on the production of the musical Six. 
  • De’Shawn Fox broke the single game high school scoring record with 76 points in a single basketball game. 
  • Manual hosted the White House Education Initiative’s We Got This Event. One of just four schools in the U.S. to be selected to host this event. 
  • Manual students secured a $50,000 technology and innovation grant from the Pat Surtain II Foundation. The new innovation lab will be up and running in August of 2024. 
  • Manual’s Rap Lab is one two Rap Labs in DPS and students have enjoyed creating and producing music all year. Our Rap Lab will continue to grow in 2024 – 2025.
  • There are so many more amazing events to be proud of, this was just a quick list of the amazing things that happened at Manual this year. 

Looking Ahead: 

There are just two required school days for students this week. This week is outlined below: 

Monday, June 3rd: Finals Day #1 – Finals for classes that meet just on Blue Days. 

Tuesday, June 4th: Finals Day #2 – Finals for classes that meet just on Red Days and classes that meet daily. 

Wednesday, June 5th: Finals / Missing Work Make Up Date for students who missed finals or who still have work to turn in prior to the end of the year. Students can do that work from 8:00 – 12:00 at Manual. 

I will send out communications about the 2024 – 2025 school year in late July to give updates on important dates and events to start our year together. I hope all of our families and students have an incredible summer and I hope the time away from school is filled with joy and rest. Thank you for trusting me and the Manual staff with your incredible children. It is an honor and responsibility that I do not take lightly. I look forward to welcoming our students, staff and families back in August. 

In Community, 

Dr. Chris DeRemer

Principal