Community Involvement

Friends of Manual
Friends of Manual Logo

Friends of Manual High School is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to support the academic achievement and overall experience of students at Manual. Friends of Manual was started a decade ago by a group of alumni committed to public education in Denver. This dedicated group finds ways to positively connect with their Alma matter.

In Memory of Mr. Al Schegelberger-

Thunderbolt Family: it’s with a broken heart we announce one of our most treasured alumni and school historian has passed. Mr. Al Schegelberger, MHS ‘60 has passed on April 6, 2020. His bright smile and stories of manual history will be sorely missed. A tribute will be planned by the Friends of Manual. Please share your memories on their fb page or via email.

For more information regarding the history of Manual High School or to donate, please contact http://www.friendsofmanual.org/.

Manual Council

Manual Council an elected group of actively engaged parents, teachers, administrators, and community members who provide feedback on major school decisions regarding programming, school climate, academic performance, and budgets. The Manual Council meets monthly and ensures fidelity to the school mission and vision, as outlined in the Unified Improvement Plan.

Manual Council Meeting Agenda

9/12/2023

10/10/2023

11/14/2023

12/13/2023

1/09/2024

2/06/2024

03/12/2024

For more information, please contact:

Serina Montoya, CO-Chair School Social worker
Phone 303.423.6753
Email: serina_montoya@dpsk12.net

Reading Partners Program
VISION:

Manual Students engaged in the Reading Partners Program will increase their love of reading and improve their skills to make meaning from multiple texts.

PROGRAM:
  • Together, student and volunteers will choose reading material based on student interest
  • Student and volunteers will meet weekly during class time to engage in reading and discussion of chosen texts.
  • Students and volunteers will have opportunities to write about and share readings with a larger group.
  • Volunteers will receive training and support throughout the year. Volunteers are reading partners, providing modeling and practice for how one constructs meaning while reading.
  • Progress will be tracked based upon student and volunteer surveys, state and district assessments and increased time of student reading. This program is part of a school-wide effort to increase reading across the curriculum.
OUTCOMES:
  1. Dramatically increase reading confidence and skill of Manual High School students.
  2. Build student reading fluency and comprehension.
  3. Build relationships between Manual High School and the community.
  4. Increase the amount of relevant complex text available to students.

For more information please contact:
Julie Malek
Program Coordinator
julie_malek@dpsk12.net
303-918-9345

Manual Market

The Food Pantry at Manual Market was established in 2017 and has seen overwhelming support from our alumni community, our greater Whittier community and staff and students at Manual.

We aimed to begin a movement on campus where the Whole Child can be cared for and students and their families benefit from nutritious meals and snacks.

Highlighted in a 2018 Article in Capitol Hill Life, our Pantry at Manual started with a small vision by our school nurse who saw a large need.  She found herself assessing students for health conditions, which could solved with proper nutrition.  The nurse reached out for help from Friends of Manual and donations in time and money from community members began to pour in. Food For Thought, a local non-profit with ties to other food banks at DPS schools, provided multiple donations of food throughout the first year.

We are excited to begin a new year with your support. Please email Lucy Roberts – the school nurse at lucy_roberts@dpsk12.net if you can help this year in any way.

Areas of need are:
  • Food donations
  • Financial support
  • Volunteer time to help organize Food Pantry
  • Trucks to drive and pick up donation

Hello Incredible Supporters of the Manual Market, this is your Fall 2023 Manual Market Update (and we haven’t had an update in a few seasons)

As a refresher: The Manual Market is a free 100% community Market.   It is based out of Room 119R in the School Based Clinic on Manual High School/ McAuliffe Manual Middle School Campus. Thanks to our partnership with Food Bank of the Rockies, Five Points RiNo Rotary Club, the Friends of Manual, our staff, our families and our community we have restocked our shelves over the last four years with over 2,500 pounds of food, drinks, household and hygiene items- that’s over a TON (literally) of food and hygiene supplies!

As we gear up for a new school year here are our requests/hopes/dreams/updates:

FIRST: We are launching a Food & Hygiene Drive this month with drop off during Homecoming Week (On the following days: October 17,18,19,20) We would welcome any donations big or small dropped in our front office or at the Homecoming Games.  Thank you in advance for collecting any items from your office, your neighbors or just with your family!  Bathroom items most requested: DEODORANT (biggest request), chapstick, lotion, toothpaste and toothbrushes, feminine hygiene items, shampoo and conditioner.  Food items most requested: any snack (granola bars, pretzels, snack packs, cereal, pancake mix, syrup, boxes pasta, red sauce or white sauce for pasta, ramen noodles, canned tuna, peanut butter, jelly, cake mixes/cookies-anything sweet but shelf stable. If you think it’s a good donation, we think it is too.  If it is easier for you to just order online we created a wish list for the Manual Market on Amazon linked HERE.

SECOND: We have our FIRST Middle and High School Manual Market Committee! We meet on the first Thursday of every month.  Email Nurse LucyNaomi Rankin or Georgia Henderson  if you are interested in learning more.

AND FINALLY: in December we were able to restart our holiday HOME DELIVERIES! Stay tuned for more information and requests for holiday box makers, drivers, and overall Manual Elves. 

As always, a very BIG THANK YOU to ALL of you – that includes ev-er-y-one on this email: Principals, Assistant Principals, Teachers, Social Workers, Psychologists, Counselors, Nurses, Registered Dietitians, Coaches, students, families, community members, friends of those of us on this email, and the amazing alumni of Manual High School (and other DPS schools) and even THEIR families.  Thank you ALL for supporting this effort. 

And lastly, If you know of anyone who should be included in these email updates- please let me know- or forward it to them and cc me.

With Gratitude, 

Nurse Lucy & the Manual Market Committee

Lucy Roberts, RN, MS, CNL, AE-C

DPS Nursing Department 

Manual High School 

On campus Monday- Friday

Office: 720-423-6374 Cell: 202-531-7772

Pronouns: (She/Her/Hers)