Hello, STP Parent Community!
Welcome to our latest newsletter, November 1st, 2021! We hope that you and your family are enjoying the DSST Wellness Day!
Below you will find current STP news, STP upcoming events, volunteer and donations opportunities, and more!
Dear Byers Community,
We had a terrific turnout for this month’s Family Connections: Struggles & Strategies! Thank you to those that attended! And for those unable to participate, you can watch the recording here (and soon also available on Byers STP website). We are so appreciative of our parent panel, the phenomenal insights they provided, and the great questions we addressed as a community. Some learning highlights our panelists shared included the importance of:
- Staying engaged with our kids, despite the challenge of this time
- Normalizing some of what we are all experiencing, such as students’ perfectionism, encouraging students to ask for support through Mandatory Tutoring, the morning rush out the door stress, and more.
- Changing passive screen time to active screen time (from consumer to content creator)
- Shifting between different modalities – – nurture/independence/discipline
- Promoting active parenting by balancing being flexible and “like a hammer”
Additionally, we actively engaged in some tougher questions, with a framework that helped us navigate the difficulty with partnership. How we engage in challenge matters so much, and we discussed ways to do that effectively both at school and at home. We recognize we were unable to address all the challenges raised, particularly the deep concerns shared around classroom management and its negative impact on students. We encourage parents to reach out to the Byers administration who are best equipped to address those particular issues. Additionally, we hope all parents will continue to reach out to one another. As one of the survey respondents shared, “These (Family Connections) always leave me feeling connected and boosted emotionally.” Our Byers community strives to support one another – through the tough times and the good times! We look forward to “seeing” you at our next Byers Family Connections on Thursday November 18 (6:30-8 pm) – stay tuned for more details!
Current Events, News, and Volunteer Opportunities
Growing Together @Byers (GT@B) Annual Fund
If you haven’t had a chance to donate to DSST: Byers this year, please do so! If you already have given, thank you! As our most accessible and broadly impactful ‘plus one’ opportunity (which encourages every family to volunteer and/or contribute at least one thing to Byers), we are hoping that every member of our community will give what they can – be it $1 or $1,000 (or more) to our Growing Together @Byers Annual Fund.
Please check if your company/employer has a matching gift program. Also, consider asking grandparents, aunts, uncles and other family members to contribute! Lastly, we do accept pledges now for donations at a later date. We are so deeply thankful for your continued support of DSST: Byers so that together we can continue to be a part of a top performing school in Denver and Colorado! To set up a one-time or recurring donation, please CLICK HERE.
DSST Public Schools Education Advocates
Small Steps, Big Impact: One DSST parent’s Advocacy Story
“DSST is a community, and our involvement serves the whole,” says DSST: Byers mom Lan Spengler. “When I get involved, I know my input is helping others. Our involvement sets a path for our kids and for future kids.”
Please, click HERE to read Lan Spengler’s interview by DSST Home Office, regarding the importance of getting involved, and the steps she takes to make sure that her involvement “helps give her daughters — and the next generation of scholars — every opportunity for success.” Lan Spengler is one of our amazing parents at Byers.To hear the interview, please click HERE.
- Donate a toaster to the teachers lounge
If you have an old toaster that you would be willing to donate to the teachers lounge, it would be greatly appreciated! We would love 2 in total. To register to donate, please CLICK HERE. Thank you!
- Weekly volunteer needed for our on-site Covid testing
DSST Byers needs 1 to 2 volunteers to come in every Wednesday from 9:00 AM to 11:30 AM to help with Middle & High School Covid-19 testing. Volunteers must be fully vaccinated and masked to participate. To volunteer, please click on THIS LINK. Thanks for helping Byers stay healthy and safe!
- Family Connections Survey
We would love for you to get to know you and hear from you! Please, fill out the Family Connections survey HERE.
- DSST: Byers Community Fundraiser: Pizza Night! at Pizzeria Locale Broadway – NOVEMBER 16th (Please, let them know that you are coming from Byers, so that the school gets the 33% of the sales.)
More information:
- To get to know our current Leadership 2021-22 Team, please click on THIS LINK.
- Please visit OUR PAGE for more information regarding STP and Family Connections.
- If you would like to see the list of volunteer opportunities, please visit THIS LINK.
- Are you on social media? To check out event pictures, stay in the know about current events, volunteer opportunities and more, follow us by clicking on:
- INSTAGRAM
- FACEBOOK PARENTS GROUP
The Science and Technology Parents (STP) group works in partnership with the school to develop an inclusive parent community that supports students, teachers, and administration throughout the year. Learn more at http://stp.atbyers.com
Sincerely,
Liz Levy
STP School Support Chair
