Northfield’s story has never belonged to just one voice. For the past three years, this newsletter has intentionally made space for the students, staff, families, leaders, and community partners who make Northfield what it is.
You may have already seen this throughout our newsletters. Just a few weeks ago, we heard directly from our Student Body President, Lauren Miller, one of the many Nighthawks whose voice, leadership, and perspective help shape our school. Throughout this year, you will continue to hear from students, teachers, staff, families, school leaders, and community partners who experience and contribute to Northfield in different ways.
This is intentional. As we work toward our goal of setting the standard for educational equity, academic excellence, and belonging, the voices represented in our newsletter should reflect the community we are working to build. No single perspective can fully tell the story of a school as large, diverse, and dynamic as ours.
Northfield belongs to all of us. Our students help shape it. Our staff bring it to life each day. Our families and partners strengthen it. And together, we create the community that is Northfield.
Throughout the year, I look forward to making space for more of those voices and allowing them to tell more of the Nighthawk story. If you have
Principal Rodriguez Bracey
We’re just two weeks away from one of the most spirited weeks of the year! Get ready for themed dress-up days, friendly competitions, Homecoming Game and Dance, and a chance to show your Nighthawk pride in full force. Mark your calendars for five fun-filled days from Sep. 29 – Oct 3, because the energy, the traditions, and the memories are about to take flight!
All the information is on our Homecoming & Spirit Week webpage.
Tuesday, Oct. 6 – In Person (Northfield High School, 5–8 p.m.)
Drop in to meet teachers in their classrooms. Sign-up sheets will be posted outside each classroom. Families who cannot secure a spot during drop-in can sign-up to let the teacher know they still want to schedule a conference.
Wednesday, Oct. 7 – Virtual (Google Meets,5-8 p.m.)
Conferences will be by appointment only. Details for signing up for virtual conference slots will be shared with families as soon as they are available.
The Northfield Counseling Team will host an online, evening event on Wednesday, October 14th from 6:00 – 7:00pm.
The topic will be how Northfield’s IB programming has helped our students find success in gaining admission to college, preparing for college academic rigor, and earning credits while still in high school.
🔗 Join via Google Meet: meet.google.com/ezm-capm-ztk
Northfield is participating in Denver Public School’s initiative to have parents/guardians complete a survey to provide input on your child’s social, emotional and mental health strengths and needs. The BESS is a screening tool and not a diagnostic assessment or an evaluation. Accompanied by other data, results are used to drive decisions for students’ behavioral, social emotional and mental health supports, adjust systems at the classroom-, grade- and school-level, develop tiered social emotional and mental health interventions, and track progress and determine effectiveness of interventions.
This survey, called the Behavioral and Emotional Screening System (BESS), is open for a Fall screening window from August 3rd – October 30th. It takes less than 5 minutes to complete. You will need to input your student’s ID number, which can be found in the DPS parent portal, and your child’s date of birth.
You can find the link for this survey here: BESS Parent Portal (https://review360connect.com/Prod/denverpublicschools/parent)
Students will be participating in the BESS during their Social Study courses. They will also receive an email with a link with directions if they don’t have a social studies course or were absent. During the beginning-of-the-year school registration, you had an opportunity to opt your child out of completing the Student Self-Report Form of the BESS.
El folleto a continuación está disponible en español aquí.
If you would like more information on the BESS, please contact Aoi Jackson, Assistant Principal or Dr. Reina Cruz, Assistant Principal
Thank you for your participation!
Safety and well-being are top priorities at Northfield. To keep our campus prepared, students practice required Standard Response Protocol (SRP) drills throughout the year:
We recognize that safety drills can raise anxiety. If your student needs support at any time, please reach out, their assigned school counselor is always available to assist.
We are excited to introduce Officer Alex Castro, who is joining our campus community as our new School Resource Officer (SRO) through the Denver Police Department.
Officer Castro’s primary focus on campus is student safety, positive community engagement, and building strong, supportive relationships with our students and staff. SROs serve not only as safety officers, but as informal mentors, guest educators, and trusted adult resources on campus.
I’m looking forward to getting to know the students, staff and families at Northfield High School. My goal is to ensure our school remains safe, welcoming, and a supportive environment where every student can focus on learning and growing.” — Officer Alex Castro
Please join us in giving Officer Castro a warm welcome and if you see him on campus, be sure to say hello.
Ever wonder why the month starts in the middle of September instead of the 1st? September 15 marks the anniversary of independence for five Latin American countries: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. In addition, Mexico celebrates its independence on September 16, and Chile on September 18.
Keep an eye out for special events and updates hosted by our school’s La Raza student club (La Raza translates culturally to “the community”). Throughout the month, La Raza will be sharing traditions, history, and opportunities for all students to participate and celebrate together!
If you want to experience the culture firsthand, check out two of the many events in Denver this month:
All Northfield students must complete and log 30 verified community service hours to graduate.
Download this 1-2-3 Flyer with FAQs.
Have questions? Visit Ms. Ritter in the library or email Liz Ritter.
DPS is looking for students to feature in their DPS Storytelling Campaign! In this campaign, they replace the word “Public” in Denver Public Schools with five empowering adjectives — Passionate, Personalized, Powerful, Prestigious and Proud — to highlight what makes DPS amazing.
Telling your story is an opportunity to share good news with the community and spotlight the people behind our accomplishments. Stories will be shared across district channels, with the potential for additional media coverage.
Submit your nomination on the Denver Public Schools Storytelling Nomination Form. Questions? Email communications@dpsk12.org.
Seniors planning to join the annual Senior 14er Hike on October 2 must complete all required prep steps to participate in this school sponsored event.
Please note: Completing all requirements by September 29 is mandatory for safety and to reflect Nighthawk integrity. Students unconfirmed for Passport Training completion who attempt to join the trip on October 2 will be restricted from Homecoming. Questions? Email Mr. Berry at connor_berry@dpsk12.net.
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Schedules and Tickets
Single-Game Tickets and All-Sports Pass Prices:
Note: Season-long All Sports Passes and digital single tickets can be purchased directly through the DPS Athletics Webpage.
Good luck to all our teams heading off for tournaments and games this weekend!
Join the Department of Public Safety to participate in conversations about the issues that matter most to you. Ask questions, share your ideas, and help shape the future of safety in Denver.
Learn more about the Department of Public Safety at denvergov.org/publicsafety
Hosted by Teen Nights at Girls Inc. of Metro Denver
Teens are invited to hang out, grab free tacos, play games, listen to music, and connect with friends to kick off the new school year!