Communications

At Explore PK-8, “what you see is what you get” might be the most accurate way to describe the school’s approach to attendance. Staff keep their efforts highly visual and transparent, so students and families immediately understand how important showing up is. And the results are showing. 

Explore currently averages about 93% daily attendance, and since launching a push last year to reduce chronic absenteeism, the school has seen steady improvement. Teacher on Special Assignment Jeff Sparrow said visibility is a key driver. 

“When families walk in, the first thing they see is our ‘Attendance Matters Every School Day’ banner,” Sparrow said. “It shares key facts about why being in school matters, so right from the start, families get that message.” 

Inside the building, there are plenty of attendance posters on walls and pillars. In the cafeteria, a large paper tracker displays daily attendance by grade. Whenever a class hits 100%, they earn a star and recognition at the school’s monthly Community Meeting, an all-school assembly. Attendance certificates hang proudly outside classrooms, and top-attending classes earn monthly rewards like ice cream parties. Students with perfect attendance are entered in drawings for small prizes and, at year’s end, a chance to win an electric scooter. 

“They look at the tracker every day,” Sparrow said. “Kids will come up and say, ‘We have three perfect days so far this month.’ It gets them excited, and the excitement is contagious.” 

Sparrow also works closely with families to address barriers that keep students at home. He regularly calls parents to talk through attendance challenges and emphasizes that the school is a partner. 

“I never want parents to feel bad,” he said. “I want them to feel supported. Life happens, and sometimes logistics get in the way. Our job is to help solve problems so their kids can be here.” 

Transportation is often a hurdle. Sparrow recently worked with a family experiencing homelessness who lacked a working vehicle. By partnering with Mapleton’s Integrated Services and Transportation teams, the school arranged a daily pickup. The student has not missed a day since. 

In another case, a parent avoided sending their student because the end-of-day pickup line made it difficult to get to work on time. Sparrow worked with the parent to arrange an alternate pickup spot that made the schedule manageable. 

Some barriers are more nuanced. Sparrow described a mother who lived several blocks from Explore and walked her two young children to school because she did not have a car. On difficult mornings, she worried about arriving late and sometimes kept them home instead.  

“I told her I would rather have them here late than not at all. We can catch them up, but only if they’re in the classroom,” he said. The children, once the school’s most frequently absent students, now attend far more consistently. 

For older students, Sparrow connects attendance to real-world expectations. 

“We talk about the real world,” he said. “When you have a job, you can’t just miss whenever you want. Being here every day builds habits that follow you into high school, college, and work.” 

For younger students, the message focuses on friendships, classroom activities, and the fun of being part of a community. Sparrow said most children genuinely want to be at school, and their enthusiasm often spreads. 

The school’s students echo that message. Fifth grader Alicia G., who has perfect attendance, said she plans to encourage a friend who recently missed several days. 

“When you’re not here, you miss out on important things,” she said. “And I like it when my friends are here because it makes school better for everyone.” 

Much of the school’s recent improvement is the result of consistency. This is Sparrow’s second year leading attendance efforts, and he believes the schoolwide push is becoming part of Explore’s culture. 

“Teachers do an amazing job supporting kids and encouraging them to come every day,” he said. “And the kids really are excited.” 

Why does attendance matter so deeply to Explore? 

“It is the foundation,” Sparrow said. “If kids are here, they can learn, grow, and build the skills they need. If they are not here, we cannot give them those opportunities. We want them in school so we can give them the best chance at success, not only in school, but in life.”

All Mapleton students will have access to free, delicious, and nutritious school meals this year thanks to the Healthy School Meals for All program. While all breakfast and lunch meals will be provided for free to all Mapleton students, PK-12, families will still need to complete the meal benefit application to qualify for important benefits.

When you complete your family's 2024-25 Meal Benefit Application, your family receives access to additional essential resources, including:

• Opportunities for school-related fee waivers  
• Discounted internet, phone, and utility services
• SNAP, TANF, Medicaid, or FDPRI

Your child's school receives benefits, too, including funds for: 

• Classroom resources (from books to technology to teachers!)
• Before and after school enrichment activities 
• Health and wellness services.

It's safe, it's easy, and it can be completed online today! 

• Completing the application takes less than 10 minutes!
• Application information remains private and confidential.
• Only one form per household is needed.
• A new form must be submitted every school year.
• All information on the Meal Benefit application is confidential and will not be shared or used for any other purpose.

Please contact Mapleton Public Schools Nutrition Services, 303.853.1117, or email Foodservice@mapleton.us for more information about the School Nutrition Program in Mapleton! 

Apply Now (English)

Apply Now (Spanish)

Please Note:

• Information provided on the Free and Reduced application is not shared with anyone or any entity outside of the school district.
• We cannot process an application that is not complete, so be sure to fill out all required information. Return the completed application to your child's school.
• All Free and Reduced applications will be entered into the system through a scanning process. All applications need to be in the original format. We cannot accept copies or faxed copies. Please complete applications in black ink. Complete only ONE APPLICATION PER HOUSEHOLD.
• The application does not require information about immigration, migrant, citizenship, or refugee status. It does require either the last four numbers of a Social Security number or an indication that there is no Social Security number. This information about Social Security numbers is not reported to any organization outside of your school and school district. 
• If you receive a letter stating that your application was denied due to missing information please call the Nutrition Services Department at 303.853.1117 to provide the missing information. You do not need to fill out a new application.

Senior Deputy Superintendent Mike Crawford is launching a Listening and Learning tour to hear from as many families, students, staff, and community members as possible before taking over as Superintendent on July 1, 2024.

Input gathered from the Listening and Learning tour will be used to inform Mapleton Momentum, a collaboratively created two-year plan for improvement.

Why Momentum?

The formula for momentum is P= M x V, where P is Momentum, M is Mass and V is Velocity. To determine Mapleton's Momentum or that which carries the district forward, the information gathered during the Listening and Learning tour will be used to write Mapleton's unique formula for momentum, where P is Mapleton's acceleration toward fulfilling the district's mission, M is who we are, and V is what we do to make progress.

Mapleton Momentum will serve as Mike's entry plan as Superintendent and as the pre-work for Mapleton's next Strategic Plan, to be implemented in 2026.

We hope to see as many Mapleton families as possible at one of the upcoming School Accountability and Advisory Committee meetings. The dates and locations are below. 

Please note the following important dates:

• Tuesday, Feb. 6 – Welby Community School of the Arts @ 4 p.m.
• Wednesday, Feb 7 – Meadow Community @ 11 a.m.
• Thursday, Feb. 8 – Preschool on Poze @ 5 p.m.
• Monday, Feb. 12 – Performing Arts School on Broadway @ 5:30 p.m.
• Tuesday, Feb. 13 – Global Campus @ 9:15 a.m.
• Thursday, Feb. 15 – York International @ 5 p.m.
• Thursday, Feb. 22 – Mapleton Online @ 5:30 p.m.
• Monday, Feb. 26 – Explore PK-8 @ 3:15 p.m.
• Thursday, Feb. 29 – MEC Prep @ 5 p.m.
• Friday, March 1 – Adventure Elementary @ 8:15 a.m.
• Wednesday, March 6 – North Valley @ 6 p.m.
• Monday, March 25 – Clayton Partnership @ 3:30 p.m.
• Friday, March 29 – Achieve Academy @ 8:45 a.m.

For questions or more information contact the Office of the Superintendent, at 303.853.1015, or communications@mapleton.us.