Message from Dr. Larkin:
You may remember that we have an attendance initiative for the month of February–each student who is on-time and present for each day of school (no early dismissals or late arrivals, no absences) will receive a token to access the Book Vending Machine. We recently received news that our attendance data for the first two weeks of February is 2.99% higher than attendance during the same period last year! Additionally, our chronic absenteeism (students who miss more than 10% of school days) has decreased by 11.04%! This is wonderful news, as increased attendance leads to greater academic success and helps maintain connections between staff and students. We love having our Aviators at school and are so proud of our students’ attendance. Thank you, parents and guardians, for helping your child(ren) get to school on time.
As a reminder, our new Departure Lane will begin on Monday, February 23. Please submit your Aviator Departure Lane Contract prior to that date (you can submit the paper form or complete this electronic version). If you have questions about the Departure Lane, please join us on Friday, February 20 at the PTO Coffee to learn more about the Departure Lane procedure. RSVP here for the PTO Coffee.
Important Dates:
February 16: No School (Presidents’ Day).
February 20:
Coffee with the PTO, 8:15 a.m. Join the PTO in the school library for a light breakfast and to hear about the new afternoon Departure Lane procedures! RSVP here.
Spring Picture Day. Students will take their individual pictures, as well as their class photos. To order, visit MyLifetouch.com. Individual Picture Day ID: EVTM6BBT3; Classroom Picture Day ID: EVTKXCTS9.
February 26: Game Night, 5:30-7:00 p.m. Join Lowry families for a fun evening of board games and food! The event is free; please bring your favorite board game play and a potluck dish to share. We will also have representatives here from the DPS Family & Community Engagement Office to lead a Black History trivia game; they will have books to give out to families (while supplies last) and we will have a door prize for tickets to the Denver Museum of Nature and Science! This is sure to be a fun evening–please RSVP here.
February 27: No School (Professional Development Day for Staff).
March 4: Basketball Game, 4:30 p.m. at Lowry. Come cheer on the Lowry Basketball Team in our gym.
March 6: 5th Grade Continuation Pictures. More information will come home soon.
What’s Happening at Lowry:
The Lowry Basketball Team has started practice and games begin soon! Come cheer them on on Wednesdays at 4:30 p.m. in our gym. The Cheerleaders will also be there!
We have so many field trips scheduled for the spring! If you are interested in chaperoning a trip, make sure you complete a DPS Background Check ahead of time (search “Volunteer Services” on the DPS website).
Family Spotlight:
February’s Family Spotlight is the Mortensen Naryan family!
The Mortensen Naryan family consists of Mattias (1st grader), sister Anika (incoming Kindergartener for the 2026-2027 school year), mom Angela Naryan and dad Joe Mortensen. Angela is a child psychologist and Associate professor and researcher at the University of Denver. You may have seen her on Denver9 News sharing topics involving parenting, child development, and mental health; Angela is currently directing a study on intergenerational resilience in mothers and grandmothers. Recently, we sent home a flyer about the study–if you would like to participate, please reach out to Angela or pick up a flyer in the Lowry main office. Angela is also an active member of Lowry’s Collaborative School Committee. Joe is a software engineer and a huge fan of the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers. Joe and Angela are both from Minnesota and don’t mind the Denver winters; in fact, you’ll probably see Joe wearing shorts at school drop-off all year long.
In addition to his mom, dad, and sister, Mattias’ grandparents live in Lowry during the winter months. Mattias’ grandfather is originally from India, which makes Mattias and Anika a quarter Indian. The family loves learning about other cultures and sharing their own; they are looking forward to visiting Mattias’ grandfather’s family in India.
Mattias and his family live in Lowry and they love Lowry Elementary. Angela writes, “it is wonderful to be a part of such a culturally vibrant community with the most dedicated, loving, and supportive teachers, administrators, and principal. We feel very lucky that Lowry is our neighborhood school, and we proudly display a Lowry Elementary sign outside our house, which is on Mustang Park in North Lowry.”
Family Activity Corner: 💛 Friendship Day Family Activity: Web of Kindness
Materials Needed
Yarn or string
Small paper hearts or circles
Markers or crayons
Tape or hole punch (optional)
Directions
Each family member writes or draws one kind action on a paper heart or circle (example: sharing, listening, helping).
Attach each heart to a piece of yarn.
Lay the yarn pieces on a table or floor so they connect into a web.
Talk together about how friendship is built from many small acts of kindness.
In partnership,
Dr. Annie Larkin