Vista Academy

Important Updates: Quarter 2 Starts Oct. 26, Phone Policy, Fall Festival & Key Dates

Dear Families,
Thank you for a strong and successful Quarter 1! We truly appreciate your continued partnership and support in your student’s education.

As we transition into Quarter 2, please review the following important updates, events, and policy reminders.

Quarter 1 Final Grades
Final Quarter 1 grades will be posted and available for viewing in the Parent Portal tomorrow after 4:00 PM. Please take time this weekend to review your student’s achievements and progress with them.

Key Dates & Updates for Next Week

• Monday, October 26 — Quarter 2 Begins & Student ID Picture Day: All students will take photos for their school ID cards on Monday. Please ensure your student arrives on time and ready for picture day.

• Thursday, October 29 — Join us for our school Fall Festival! We welcome all families to come enjoy games, activities, and community fun from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM.

• Friday, October 30 — Please note that there will be no school for students on Friday, October 30.

District Cell Phone Policy & Secure Storage
To align with district phone policies and maintain a focused, distraction-free learning environment, we are implementing secure phone collection procedures every morning:

• Entry Door Collection: All cell phones will be collected at the entry doors upon arrival and safely stored in lockboxes for the duration of the school day.

• Enforcement & Confiscation: Any student found with a cell phone during the school day will have their phone confiscated immediately.

• Parent Pickup Required: If a phone is confiscated, a parent or guardian must come to the main office to pick it up—phones will not be returned directly to students.

Please review these expectations with your student before Monday morning so they arrive prepared to submit their devices at entry.

Thank you for your cooperation and help in keeping our school safe, focused, and centered on learning.

We look forward to a great Quarter 2!

Quarter 1 Finals Week & Checkout Information
Welcome to Finals Week! Please review the schedule and attendance requirements, and complete your official teacher sign-off form to finish Quarter 1 successfully.

1. Attend All Finals: Attend your scheduled exam periods and remain in class through the entire period.
2. Get Sign-Offs: Ask each teacher to sign off on your checkout form after completing the final exam on designated finals days.
3. Verify Passing Grades: Ensure all class grades are passing before turning in your final checkout document.
4. Submit to Main Office: Hand in your completed checkout form to Dr. Wachter in the main office.

Wednesday, October 21
8:25 AM – 12:05 PM: Periods 1, 2, & 3
Intervention Supports: 12:50 PM – 3:55 PM

Thursday, October 22
8:25 AM – 12:05 PM: Periods 4 & 5
Intervention Supports: 12:50 PM – 3:55 PM

Friday, October 23
Designated for students with failing grades or any missed final exams.
Intervention Supports 8:25 AM - 12:20 PM

Saturday, October 24
Beyond the Bell Learning: Designated for students with failing grades or any missed final exams.
9:30 AM - 12:30 PM

Reminder: No School Sept 28th + Upcoming Finals Support

Dear Families,

Please note that there will be no school on Monday, September 28th due to a Teacher Professional Development day. Please ensure you have made alternative arrangements for your students.

As the end of the quarter approaches, please keep in mind that final exams are scheduled for October 21st and 22nd.

To help students prepare and stay on track, we are offering Beyond the Bell support every Saturday leading up to finals:

When: Saturdays, 9:30 AM – 12:30 PM

We encourage students to take advantage of this additional academic support. Thank you for your continued partnership!

View our School Calendar Here: https://canva.link/hqgko5fb4nd48rj

Log in to Parent Portal Here: https://www.dpsk12.org/page/my-portal/

🚗 Vehicle Parking Permit Registration
High school students, please complete the Google Form linked below to register your vehicle for school parking.
Important Instructions:

• Document Uploads: Please make sure to upload all required documents.

• Verification: All requested information must be completed for verification and to issue your parking permit.

• 📌 Access the registration form here: Vista Academy Vehicle Registration Form

Why Attendance Matters in Denver Public Schools

At DPS, it is our collective responsibility as leaders, educators, families, and community members to ensure that our students not only succeed, but thrive. One critical component of ensuring our students’ success is identifying and removing barriers that keep our students from coming to school each day. When students are not at school, they not only miss out on valuable learning opportunities for the time they were absent, but they can experience long-term impacts that hinder their development in reading by third grade, achieving in middle school and graduating from high school.

One student’s absence also affects their peers and teacher as classroom instruction includes small group learning activities. For each absent student, teachers need to adjust plans, gather materials for make-up work, and follow up to get each student caught up. Make-up work does not replace the in-person learning activities that happen daily, and students miss out on important social-emotional development that occurs throughout the school.

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the percentage of chronically absent students in DPS skyrocketed to 42.55% during the 2021-22 school year. Since the pandemic, attendance rates have continued to improve, and our goal is to get the number of chronically absent students back to pre-pandemic levels. If you have any questions about your child's absences, please contact their school.

Click here to learn more: https://www.dpsk12.org/page/attendance