Tuesday, September 26th – Skate City Night – 5-7 PM

o 4575 Austin Bluffs Parkway, 80917

Friday, September 29th- Coffee and Conversation with the Principals @ 8 am -9 am

Hi Freedom Elementary School families,

Some of the greatest gifts we can give our students are excellent tools for learning. The need for these new resources is ongoing, and this year we have a goal of $15,000 to help our amazing teachers and students.

Last year, you supported our major fundraising event, and soon, we’re hosting our Freedom Fun Run on 10/11/2023 to raise funds & provide students with an unforgettable, FUN experience!

Would you continue supporting the gift of learning at our school? 🎁

Register on mybooster.com today to:

1️⃣ Donate to our school before our event on 10/11/2023.

2️⃣ Share your Donation Page with friends & family.

3️⃣ Access awesome rewards.

➡️ Click Here to Register NOW! ⬅️

We’re grateful to help fund Freedom Elementary School with access to resources, but we could never do this without a support system like YOU!

Thanks in advance for your support!

Do not forget to order your Freedom swag! Take a look at the link below. Lots of fun options!

For every day your child's class has perfect attendance by 8:00 AM, the teacher will color in a letter; complete all letters, and win a party for the entire class!

Who's going to be the first class to get a party??

October

Monday, October 2nd – Count Day!!! and Boosterthon Kick-Off

Wednesday, October 11th – Boosterthon Run Day (pre-k-5th Grade)

Schedule-

• 7:55-8:50 5th Grade

• 8:50-9:45 4th Grade

• 9:45-10:40 3rd Grade

• 10:40-11:35 2nd Grade

• 12:55-1:50 1st Grade

• 1:50-2:45 Pre-K /Kinder

Thursday 12th - SAC/PTA Meeting at 5 PM (flex room)

Friday 13th & Monday 16th – No School

Friday 20th – 2nd Annual Truck or Treat by PTA

o (Community Event, Food Trucks, Signup sheets sooner to event)

Monday 23rd – Parry’s Pizza Restaurant Day

o 5697 Barnes Road #130, 80917 - 20% goes to PTA

Wednesday 25th – PM Conferences

Thursday 26th – All Day Conferences

Thursday October 26th & 27th – No School

Back by popular demand, Freedom will be hosting our 2nd Annual Truck or Treat on Friday, Oct. 20th. We are working to minimize the impact on student learning and behavior with our students coming off a four-day weekend.

The PTA has agreed to organize the event, and our staff supports it by being present and participating. If you are interested in having your trunk at the event, please sign up at the link below.

https://form.jotform.com/222598523395062

In saying this, we will not do anything school-wide on Oct. 31st, which includes dressing up. My message is that it is up to classroom teachers if they want to do a small classroom party at the end of the day. I will allow our teachers to make the best choices for their classes.

If you have not already, please fill out to see if you qualify for free or reduced lunch!

• Traffic is very heavy before and after school. Please teach and encourage your child to always use the crosswalk and to watch for traffic in all directions.

• Our parking lot capacity is limited. Daycare vehicles and District 11 vehicles have reserved drop-off and pick-up spaces in our parking lot.

• IMPORTANT: All buses pick-up and drop-off in the Freedom parking lot.

• Please remember: These are your friends and neighbors, and each of you has children attending our school. Please be patient and extend courtesy to your friends and neighbors as you enter and exit our parking lot and/or pick up your children.

• PLEASE DRIVE SLOWLY in and around the school.

• The “Kiss-N-Go” traffic lane is for drop-off and pickup up only. It is not to be used as a place to park and leave a vehicle.

• Please use the “Kiss-N-Go” lane to safely drop students off at school.

All students will be dismissed at 2:50 and parents are encouraged to pre-plan pick-up location. All students will exit the building at the end of the day from the same doors that they entered the building.

Important information about Kiss-N-Go and Bus pick up and drop off:

• Kiss-N-Go is located on Butterfield Drive in the street cut-out.

• Bus pick-up and drop-off will be in the loop directly in front of the school.

• To use the Kiss-N-Go location, please access it from Range Ranch. Head east on Butterfield drive to the cut-out in the street. Pull to the end of the cut-out.

• Please access Butterfield Drive from Range Ranch so all school traffic moves east on Butterfield. Access Range Ranch from westbound Bridle Pass.

• DO NOT Block the entrance and exit to the parking lot.

• Kiss-N-Go: When students exit the vehicle for safety purposes it should always be from the right side of the car, not the street side. DO NOT PARK YOUR VEHICLE.

• BUILDING ENTRY & EXIT:

• Students using Kiss-N-Go enter and exit the school building from the double doors of the upper playground blacktop.

• Students riding the bus enter and exit the building from the front double doors.

• Students walking to and from school also enter and exit from the double doors off the upper playground blacktop.

To park and walk your child to the front entrance:

• Enter the Freedom parking lot from Butterfield Drive

• Pull into the LEFT lane

• Enter the Family Parking Lot by making a left turn into the lot (this was known as the staff parking lot).

• Staff Parking lot is now located by the preschool and kindergarten

• Park your vehicle

• Escort your student to the crosswalk to the front doors

• Your student will enter through the front double doors.

Preschool and Kindergarten parking

• Enter the Freedom parking lot from Butterfield Drive

• Pull into the LEFT lane

• Enter the parking lot by making a left turn into the lot

• Enter the Family Parking Lot

• Staff Parking lot is now located by the preschool and kindergarten playground.

• Park your vehicle

• Escort your student(s) to the crosswalk to the door of your preschool door

Pick Up - What if I can’t be here on time to pick up my child?

If you cannot be here to pick up your student WITHIN 10 MINUTES of dismissal, please make other arrangements with a family member or daycare provider. We understand everyone is going to run late at times, and we strive to be understanding of emergencies.

At the same time, late pick-ups interfere with scheduled meetings, training, and our ability to use resources effectively. Freedom staff cannot provide supervision to siblings of students practicing. Freedom staff cannot provide supervision to siblings of students participating in tutoring, athletics, clubs etc. It is the families’ responsibility to ensure students not involved in after school activities are picked up within 10 minutes of school dismissal.

The choice window is open & parents are getting ready for the next school year. Do you know about the Great Schools website? You can put your review about Freedom Elementary and help other parents make the right choice by choosing Freedom.

As the temperature changes in Colorado, Freedom students will play outside for recess as long as the temperature and wind chill is at 16 degrees or above, including light snow.

Please be sure that your children are dressed to play outside, with hats, coats, mittens or gloves, and appropriate footwear.

We love our students and know that they do best with their learning when they attend school consistently. That being said, we do recognize that illness, appointments, etc. will occur.

Attendance Reminders

As we approach the end of the first month of school, here are some clarifying reminders about our attendance policies.

The following are excused absences:

• Personal illness (if illness exceeds three consecutive days, a doctor’s note is required)

• Death of a relative

• Observance of a religious holiday

• Doctor, dental, and therapy appointments with proper documentation (If possible, please schedule such appointments after school hours) These are marked unexcused until the note is provided to our front office staff.

• Emergency situations- such cases may be approved by the administration on an individualized basis

Please note that all absences beyond those listed above are considered unexcused.

If you have any questions/concerns about your child's health and whether they should attend school, please don't hesitate to reach out to the office.

Truancy vs. Chronic Absenteeism

Truancy counts only unexcused absences and relies on administration and the legal system to force compliance.

Chronic Absenteeism counts all absences (excused and unexcused) and focuses on the impact of lost instruction utilizing a collaborative effort for attendance from school, home, and the community.

The impact of chronically absenteeism (missing 10%, or more, of school days)

• Difficulty learning to read
• Low achievement in intermediate grades (4/5) and through middle and high school
• Lowered graduation rates

We are committed to helping all our students succeed emotionally, socially, and academically and our attendance team is here to support and provide resources. Our focus on all absence types is because we know kids learn best with their teachers and peers and we love having them at Freedom.

Please help your student plan ahead. Make sure they have everything they need PRIOR to leaving home. This includes items such as lunch, homework, jackets, water bottles, etc.

If they forget their lunch, they need to eat the school lunch that day. ALL food deliveries, except in emergencies, will be turned away. This includes fast food or restaurant food that you bring to them.

Our main office is protected for school operational tasks, not deliveries of items or food.

We are continuing to experience a large number of parents picking up students early from school on a regular basis. Please know that our school day runs from 7:50-2:50. Patterns of picking up a student early may result in the administration contacting the family about an attendance plan as part of our truancy process.

Reminder your child has to stay home without medicine for fever free, free from throwing up, and no diarrhea for at least 24 hours.

Freedom prioritizes the safety and security of our staff and students. We ask our Freedom parents/visitors to help us in the effort to keep kids as safe as possible. Please check into the office before going into the building. However, we ask that you do not interrupt instruction. If you are visiting the classroom, you must have cleared it with the teacher first.

Freedom appreciates your patience as we follow these procedures. To learn more about how you are approved as a visitor or volunteer, please use the QRL code below to fill out your online registration.

Register to become a volunteer at Freedom

Click the registration link below and set up a username and password. Once you are registered you can log in and view your volunteer hours as well as search for available volunteer opportunities at all D11 schools.

Already a registered volunteer? No need to re-register every year. If updates are needed the system will notify you via email. If you need your username or password you can request it through the website.

Request a volunteer badge

Save time when you arrive. Your badge will be in the plastic bin under the sign-in desk. Scan your badge and wear it while you’re in the building. Scan again when you leave. Your hours will be logged on the Engage website.

https://www.d11.org/Engage/Registration

Click on the blue registration link to register online, fill out the forms, print, sign, and bring them by the school office with your identification.

For questions or to request a badge contact Freedom’s F.I.T. Volunteer Coach Jonna Ward at 719-641-3964 or Jonna.ward@live.com

With the exception of service animals, dogs are not allowed on school grounds, playgrounds, or sports fields at any time throughout the calendar year during the school day.

This is for the health and safety of our students and staff members.

When there are no students (after hours, on weekends, and on holidays), dog owners may walk their pets on a leash along the school property borders, such as on sidewalks/school roads. Please clean up and properly dispose of pet waste.

Freedom Office Hours: 7:15-3:30

Freedom School Hours: 7:50-2:50

Students will be allowed in the building at 7:40 am

Duty teachers do not start duty until 7:40 am

Tardy bell rings at 7:55

At Freedom Elementary, we care about your children's developmental needs! That is why our mission is to ensure that each and every student has access to the learning tools and programs they need to succeed in school, and in life. We strive for a higher standard of excellence and take the time to focus on those who need extra support. Joining our S.A.C. is a fantastic way to keep up to date with the initiatives our school has put in place to better our learners, and to also voice your opinions and concerns!

We look forward to the bright and brilliant future under the leadership of Rochelle Williams, and welcome her to the Freedom Family!

If you are interested in joining Freedom's SAC committee, please reach out to Justin Edmisson @ 719-332-3615 or justin.edmisson@gmail.com.

Freedom is looking for PTA members!

Contact Justin Edmission at 719-332-3615 or justin.edmisson@gmail.com.

If you are interested. Come be a member and have a voice in Freedom's PTA.

Email: Rochelle.williams@d11.org
Website: https://www.d11.org/Domain/23
Location: 5280 Butterfield Dr, Colorado Springs, CO 80923, USA
Phone: 719-228-0800
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100057589540892