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Parent Post 1/9/2026

Deborah Adelstein-Morrison

January 9, 2026

Cory Caregivers,

We had a great week—students returned full of joy, engaged in learning, and collaborating with one another. This Friday we celebrated students’ hard work and honored our school values. Thank you for your support in helping us create such a positive start.

Wishing you a restful weekend!

Reminders: 

  • Heelys are not allowed at school! They are not safe at school. 

  • Please pack healthy snacks for the students to eat during the snack break. 

  • On P.E. days, please make sure your child is wearing shoes appropriate for P.E.  

  • Please do not park in the handicap spots unless you have a handicap pass.

  • Please do not use the small parking lot for pick up or drop off of any students.

  • Please do not park in the Reserved family spots at any time even after school lets out as families can be picking up students later and have purchased those spots for anytime!

  • Please do not stop in the middle of the parking lot to drop off kids. 

  • When picking up your student early please give the office a little bit of time to call your student down to leave. We do not pull students before you get here. Please pick up your  students by 2:45

  • Remember we please make sure  that students come prepared for the weather as we will go outside unless it is too cold or too wet

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Illness Prevention Information and Resources to Keep Our Community Healthy

As we return to the classroom this week, it’s important for our community to know that respiratory illnesses are widespread in Colorado, including influenza (flu). 

Flu, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and COVID-19 illnesses are caused by viruses. Symptoms often include fever or feeling feverish, coughing, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, and muscle or body aches. People who get one of these viral respiratory illnesses mostly have respiratory symptoms (i.e., coughing, sore throat). If you think a child has the flu, RSV, or COVID-19, they should stay home until they've been fever-free for at least 24 hours and their symptoms are improving. The Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment (CDPHE) has guidance to help families decide when to keep children home from school.  

UPCOMING EVENTS

  • Jan 14th - Parent Book Club @ 3:30 PM - The Anxious Generation

  • Jan 19th - No School - MLK Day 

  • Jan 20th - School Choice closes @ 4:00

  • Jan 22nd CSC - Finalize Budget @ 4:00

  • Jan 22nd - PTA Dine Out @ Dave & Busters 

  • Feb 9th - Assembly  for 1st & 2nd Grade  from the PTA Arts Committee 

  • Feb 13th - No School for Students - Work day for Teachers 

  • Feb 16th - No - School - Presidents’ Day 

  • Feb 19th - Literacy Night

  • Feb 24th Field Trip 3 - 5 to the Symphony from PTA Arts Committee 

  • Feb 27th - No School for Students - Work day for Teachers 

SchoolChoice Closes on Jan 20th !

DPS SchoolChoice Round 1 for the 2026-27 school year is now open until 4 p.m. on Jan. 20! This annual open enrollment process is for any student who wants or needs to attend a new school next year, particularly incoming ECE-3, kindergarten, sixth- and ninth-grade students.* 

To apply: 

1. Visit schoolchoice.dpsk12.org/apply.

2. Create an account or log in with your Parent Portal username and password.

3. Rank up to 12 schools in order of preference and submit by 4 p.m. on Jan. 20.

You’ll be notified of your results in late February. In the meantime, find much more information on the SchoolChoice website. If you have any questions, review our FAQs, call 720-423-3493 or email schoolchoice@dpsk12.org.

*Families applying for ECE-3 with an Individualized Education Program (IEP) from the DPS Department of Special Education should submit the Universal Preschool Colorado (UPK) application to apply for funding. Families who are applying for ECE-4 must submit the UPK application. Read below for more information. 

Food for Families

We are partnering with the Merrill Middle School food pantry/ backpack program to ensure all families have access to food. If you are in need of food during this time for your family, please read below! If you would like to receive extra groceries one-time per month, please complete this private and anonymous survey, so we can provide the food items that your family likes to eat and match your preferences.  Anonymous survey 

Food will be anonymously dispersed on:  Friday, January 16 / Friday, February 6 / Friday, March 6 / Friday, April 10 / Friday, May 8

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR STUDENTS OF THE WEEK for the week of January 5th! Thank you for showing our new Cory Kindness Value of RESPECT. Go CORY COUGARS! 

Madeleine S in 1st grade 

Cecily W in 1st grade 

Adam F in 1st grade 

Maggie M in 2nd grade

Isla P in 2nd grade 

Sally K in 2nd grade

Brooke G in 3rd grade

Ryan E in 3rd grade 

Sloane T in 4th grade 

Olivia D in 4th grade 

Immanuel T in 5th grade

Sawyer S in 5th grade 

Share Your Cory Memories!

We’re collecting photos for the 2025–26 Cory Yearbook and need your help! Upload your favorite pictures from school events, classroom fun, and Cory celebrations. It’s easy — just visit https://books.yearbooks.me/ca/3r54megdwut898hesercck5w9xgmswg6p and use the code Pics4Cory! to submit. Let’s fill the yearbook with all the amazing moments that make Cory special!

Mental Health Corner: 

What is TSEAL? Transformative Social Emotional Academic Learning

“Transformative SEAL” is a process whereby young people and adults build strong, respectful, and lasting, relationships that facilitate co-learning to critically examine root causes of inequity, and to develop collaborative solutions that lead to personal, community, and societal well-being.

This form of TSEAL is aimed at redistributing power to promote social justice through increased engagement in school and civic life. It emphasizes the development of identity, agency, belonging, curiosity, and collaborative problem solving

It's critically important that school wide TSEAL implementation intentionally nurtures an environment in which educators gain social and emotional competence by learning, collaborating, and modeling their social and emotional skills. Along with these social and emotional skills, schools must also fold in conversations about race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, language and ability so that the conversation about TSEAL takes into account the student’s fullest identities. It is recommended that schools do a deep dive into understanding how educators, students, and community can navigate conversations about race, sex, gender, ableism and other social identities in order to establish systems and supports that strengthen both adult and student Social Emotional Academic Learning.

Come along on our Cory TSEAL journey! 

Our goal is that students leave Cory not only academically prepared but emotionally literate—able to repair harm, build healthy relationships, and contribute positively to their communities. Education coupled with consistent, supportive measures is what helps students internalize these skills and reduce incidents like bullying.

Below are the resources we shared during the evening:

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