The Pony Press

Families,

It has been yet another month of deep learning, relationship building, and providing countless opportunities to our students. Perhaps most exciting of all, it's been a month of connecting with our families and community in purposeful ways!

We had incredible feedback on our fall family conferences, and appreciate your partnership in providing the best education possible for your child(ren). Thank you for taking time out of your busy lives to complete our fall family survey, write notes of appreciation to our staff, visit our fall family gathering space to paint pumpkins and enjoy snacks, and the time you spent writing a secret message to your child and collaborating with teachers.

November and December typically fly by, and we are already excited about the opportunities these months will bring to showcase the incredible learning happening at Ute Pass Elementary School!

As you look through the pictures below, and as you listen to the stories from your amazing young people that we have the privilege to educate, I hope you feel the joy, hear the laughter, and appreciate this truly unique little gem that we get to call our school.

#watchusgrow

Your partner in education,

Jackie Powell, Ute Pass Principal

November

1- Late Start

3- 5th to Catamount

3- Furry Friends Dismissal (Please bring your dogs through the family pick-up lane for a treat)

8- Late Start, 4th to Wolf Center

9- 5th to Catamount

10- Veteran's Day Concert 2 pm (families welcome)

13- Board of Education Meeting 5:30 pm

15- Late Start

16- Thankful Thursday Literacy Luncheon

17- 5th to Catamount

17- Furry Friends Dismissal (Please bring your dogs through the family pick-up lane for a treat)

20-24 Thanksgiving Break

27- Fire Drill 1:30 pm

29- Late Start

December

2- Sweets with Santa (Previously Breakfast with Santa) 3-5 pm at UPES

6- Late Start

6- 1st, 3rd, 5th Grades Winter Concert (Rehearsal at 2 pm, Concert at 5 pm)

12- 6th Grade Band Concert (Rehearsal at 2 pm, Concert at 5 pm)

13- Kindergarten, 2nd, 4th Grades Winter Concert (Rehearsal at 2 pm, Concert at 5 pm)

18- Craft Day

20-Jan 5th- Winter Break (Staff returns Jan 4th, Students on Jan 8th)

We are so excited to partner with an amazing company to offer UPES spirit wear this year! The site is live now, but stay tuned for an upcoming sale in November!

https://1stplacespiritwear.com/schools/CO/Chipita%20Park/Ute+Pass+Elementary+School

• If you know your child will be getting home a different way then he or she typically does, please try to notify the front office before 2:15 pm so we have ample time to get the notice to the student.
• We love pets at UPES! However, in order to keep a safe environment, please keep pets in your vehicles at arrival and dismissal.
• Morning duty begins at 7:35 am. Please do not drop students off before that time so we can make sure we have adequate supervision and they are not waiting outside.
• Please utilize our family drop-off and pick-up lane if you plan on quickly dropping off or picking up your students. We have staff members there to help open doors and get students in and out to make it so you don't have to park and get out of your vehicle. Please pull all the way forward to help us get more students in/out quickly. Thanks!

Mrs. Wilson, our school counselor, provides lessons every other week to our 1st-6th grade classrooms (preschool and first graders participate in Dinosaur School in the classroom). She utilizes the Zones of Regulation curriculum as well as Second Step to help students increase their emotional vocabularies, learn to identify their feelings, and develop strategies to be their best selves.

Mrs. Wilson's small groups are starting based on students who indicated they might benefit from extra opportunities to learn and practice skills on their recent surveys. Please be on the lookout for permission slips in backpacks.

Ute Pass Elementary students are learning about the Zones of Regulation. Students learn that while no emotion is "bad," there are emotions that are appropriate for the activity they are trying to accomplish. For more information and how Zones' language can also be helpful at home, click on this link https://zonesofregulation.com/how-it-works/

Duty/supervision/breakfast begins at 7:35.

The first bell for students to enter classrooms is at 7:55, and the tardy bell will ring at 8:00. Dismissal is at 2:50.

Here are the ins and outs of our pick up/drop off lane:

• The family drop-off/pick-up lane will allow children to be picked up all the way to the end of the central sidewalk (to the gas meters against the street).
  
• Teachers will supervise students in the locations noted on the map above.
• No car will move into or exit the lane until every car has been loaded. (If you do not have the time to wait, please consider parking and walking in the areas marked above.)
  
• When all cars are loaded, the line of cars will exit together.
• The crossing guard will then allow walking parents to cross the parking lot at crosswalks to gain access to their vehicles.
  
• When these vehicles are loaded and moving, the next line waiting on Chipita Park Road will be allowed in to begin the process again.
• Furry Friday dismissal- on Fridays, bring your dogs through our pick-up lane for a treat!
  
• Friday afternoon concerts- Mr. Ferguson will be playing every Friday afternoon at dismissal (weather permitting)!
  

Please note the available areas for parking and walking above. If your child is sitting on the wall with their teacher, please ask a staff member to get your child for you to avoid excess traffic near the pick-up lane. As always, your patience is deeply appreciated!

The City of Manitou Springs Parking Enforcement Unit recently painted the guardrail yellow on the north side of the street from Manitou Springs Middle School up to Manitou Springs High School with the intent of making this a no parking zone.

We explained to the Director of Parking Enforcement that we use that area for overflow parking for students during the school day as well as spectators for events held at Manitou Springs Middle School and Manitou Springs High School.

MSSD14 Security Director has been assured by the Director of Parking Enforcement that we will be allowed to continue to use this area as overflow parking and that there will be no citations issued to people parked in this area.

Free Meals for Students, Plus Important Reminders for Families

We are excited to share that all students in Manitou Springs School District will receive free breakfast and lunch starting in 2023-24 through the Healthy School Meals for All program! This new statewide program, approved by Colorado voters, is helping Colorado children and teens have access to nutritious food at our schools.

Even though breakfast and lunch will be provided for free, we need families to continue sharing household income information through this form in order for our school to receive full access to federal funding.

Be sure to fill out the form as part of your back-to-school registration! If you have questions or would like additional support, please reach out to Paula Faucette-Director of Nutrition Services, 719-685-2005 or email pfaucette@mssd14.org for more information.

The school district will be providing supervision for a limited number of students during all late start Wednesdays during the 23-24 school year. To sign up, follow the Google Form link below and register your student(s).

It is important that registration is completed only for students who would otherwise not be able to attend school if not for late start childcare. If you have any questions, please reach out to Danny Tramel at dtramel@mssd14.org. Thanks!

https://forms.gle/aSXVZcH3RirNaUMC7

Late Start Wednesdays for first semester:

• August 30
  

• September 13

• September 20
• October 4
• November 1
• November 8
• November 15
• November 29
• December 6

Connect 14 is an incredible opportunity for students that attend Manitou Springs School District 14. They offer several amazing K-12 classes that highlight the importance of arts integration! Registration is open!

One of these classes will be held at UPES, but transportation is provided for students who wish to attend a session at Manitou Springs Elementary School. Please visit www.connect14.org to sign up today!

Manitou Springs Elementary School will host an after-school program through Champions After School Care. This opportunity will be offered to Ute Pass Families also, and transportation would be provided from UPES to MSES after school.

We have a very active and incredible Parent Action Committee who supports our little school in BIG ways!

The PAC meets on the second Tuesday of each month at 3:00 pm for one month and at 5:00 pm the next month (to allow working parents to attend) at UPES. Moving into the 23-24 school year, the PAC is excited to have a larger presence in the school, continuing to take care of the amazing staff at UPES, putting on events and meeting new families, and to get new members! They will have a table set up at our Open House/Open Outdoors with more information and opportunities to join in on the fun! Please contact Janelle Berndt, PAC President, at upepac@gmail.com with any questions.

Upcoming PAC Meetings/Events:

• November 14th- PAC and SAC Meeting 3 pm
• December 2nd- Sweets with Santa 3-5 pm
• December 12th- PAC Meeting 3 pm

Mica Wood will be assisting Ute Pass Elementary with attendance and truancy conversations. Please know that while we know things will always come up, it is incredibly important for your student to be at school on time each day!

at the foot of Pikes Peak in the Rocky Mountains.

Email: tdudley@mssd14.org
Website: http://upe.mssd14.org/
Location: 9230 Chipita Park Road, Cascade, CO, USA
Phone: 719-685-2227
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/upesponies