FVE NEWSLETTER
SEPTEMBER 2024
DEAR FRONTIER VALLEY FAMILIES,
Frontier Valley has had a great first few weeks of school “imagining the possibilities!” We wanted to give a special shoutout to our kindergarten students & classrooms. They are doing a wonderful job getting adjusted to their full day schedule and they are a wonderful addition to our HERD. Kindergarten is a big transition, and we are seeing this group of kids navigate it with incredible resilience and eagerness. We are excited to see them grow this year!
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All of our classrooms are back in the routines of school, and look great! We enjoy seeing the new friendships being formed at school, and the joy of learning taking place in our classrooms. Our student safety patrol is up and running, and we are so proud of our student leadership. You might have noticed these students wearing yellow vests in the morning during arrival. The main goal of this program is for the students to help maintain a positive and safe environment for the school. Our student ambassadors will be greeting fellow students in the morning, and helping to create a positive start to the day. They might remind students to walk bikes on school grounds, assist in the car lane, or give other gentle reminders about safety (ie-staying off the hill, out of the landscaping, and using the staircase). If you see our safety ambassadors outside, please give them a “thank you” for helping to keep our school a happy place for all!
We hope that your little buffalo is enjoying our wonderful school. There are lots of fun events planned in September! We have our annual fun run on September 13th (see the FVEA section for more details), and the Legend High School feeder Homecoming parade on September 25th at 5:00pm. All of our 5th grade students will have the opportunity to walk in the parade to represent our wonderful school. In addition, we hope to see you at our Back to School Night showcase of learning on September 19th from 5:00-6:00pm. As always, thank you for choosing FVE as your child’s school!
Cheerfully,
Kiersten Hall
Frontier Valley Principal
🏴☠️ Ahoy, Families! 🏴☠️
Get ready to set sail on an adventure of discovery and excitement at our Pirate-Themed Showcase of Learning! Join us on Thursday, September 19th from 5-6pm for an unforgettable journey through our students' incredible learning and achievements.
The school will transform into a lively pirate port, complete with treasure maps, eye patches, and plenty of swashbuckling fun. Come and explore the creative treasures our students have unearthed as they present their learning in the most exciting ways.
Don’t miss this chance to complete a treasure hunt and even earn some pirate treasure! We can’t wait to see you there, ready to embark on this fantastic voyage with us!
Arrr, let’s make this a treasure-filled evening to remember!
POSITIVE PHONE CALL PROGRAM
We would like to highlight our Positive Phone Call program. Teachers/staff have been nominating students for outstanding behavior since our first day of school. The students are so proud to share their accomplishments with all of you through a quick phone call home from Mrs. Hall or Ms. Pursley. Please join us in celebrating the accomplishments of our little buffaloes!
FVEA RESTAURANT NIGHT
Join us September 17th at Panera for our first spirit night of the year.
September 2nd: Happy Labor Day!
September 20th: Teacher Professional Development
LOOKING TO THE FUTURE
We are faced with growing challenges in our school district, including capital investment for the future and the need for new schools. This is why the DCSD Board of Education is considering a Bond initiative for the November ballot.
For more information regarding the Bond and how it would benefit FVE, please click HERE.
SCHOOL FEES
Please log onto myschoolbucks.com and pay your student's 2024-2025 school fees. Thank you!
FVE CHOIR
Open to ANY and ALL 3rd, 4th and 5th grade Frontier Valley students. Students will learn the fundamentals of correct singing, experience singing in unison, rounds, and two-part singing as well as the performance techniques of singing in a large ensemble. Performance practices will include stage presence, exposure to various genres of music, music theory, small group solo singing, and vocal technique. Elementary music students will experience performances of large ensemble singing.
Wednesdays beginning September 4th through April 2025.
7:30 am - 8:15 am
Music Mobile Classroom
COST: $75 Sign up @ My School Bucks
CMAS MAILINGS
Current 4th and 5th grade students should be receiving their Spring 2024 CMAS results via mail. If you have any questions, please contact your classroom teacher or Christin Pursley, Assistant Principal at cfpursley@dcsdk12.org.
ATTENDANCE POLICIES & PROCEDURES
Regular attendance is an important ingredient in a student’s overall school success. We monitor students’ attendance carefully and will contact parents if a pattern of frequent absence (10 or more days), 5 unexcused absences or consistent tardiness exist. Please call the 24-hour attendance line at 303-387-8477 or use the attendance LINK to report all absences/tardies.
Children arriving at school after 8:35 am will be marked tardy and must sign in at the office before going to class.
TRUANCY PROCESSES
School attendance is mandatory for students between the age of 6 and 17
Initially, all absences are unexcused until verified.
Decision on when to take action is at the discretion of the administration.
Leaving During the School Day
If your child must leave school early due to special circumstances such as a doctor appointment, you must come to the office to sign him/her out. Parents may call ahead to have their child pulled from class, but we ask that you call when you are no more than a few minutes away. Please bring a photo ID with you when checking your child out of school.
FVE FUN RUN
Our Fun Run is September 13th!
Leading up to the event we have lots of fun rewards for your child!
Every donation helps at mybooster.com
Check out your child's class progress under our Goal and Stats Tab at mybooster.com
Our school wide goal is $45,000. Can you help us get there!?
The grade level with the most donations at the end of our event will get to spend time in a game truck at Frontier Valley. All games will be age appropriate, supervised and max 40 minute
Race Day Details:
4th/5th Grade race time: 8:45 - 9:15
2nd/3rd Grade race time: 9:25 - 9:55
Kindie/1st Grade: 10:05 - 10:35
Check out some other fun we will have leading up to the event!
Grab a dollar and take a chance at winning a prize.
Before school 8 - 8:30 Sept 9 - Sept 12
Would you like to have a shout out for your child the day of the event!?
Forms will come home with your child soon
Fill out and return with $10 by September 11th, with your child to their teacher!
ORDER YOUR FVE SPIRIT WEAR NOW
NEWS FROM OUR LIBRARY
It has been so fun having the kids back in the library! I hope you have seen the books your children are checking out each week and sharing them together. If your child has not checked out a book I would love for you to encourage them on your end as I will continue to do so on mine.
Your child should have shared with you a handout that showed their assigned library day of the week. Books can be kept for two weeks. If your child finishes it early it can be turned in early. If they would like to renew it and keep it longer they just need to ask me. I can renew it as long as no one has put a hold on it. Kindergarten - second grade can check out one book per week. Third grade - fifth grade can check out two books per week. These numbers often increase as the year progresses.
Here are some book care tips we have discussed during library classes that you can help your child with at home.
Wash your hands before reading your library book.
Do not eat or drink while reading the book.
Keep your books out of the reach of pets and small children.
Do not draw/write/color in the books.
Have a “spot” where you keep your FVE book so you always know where it is (it could be your child’s backpack).
Put your book(s) in a large Ziplock bag when transporting them to and from school - this helps to protect them from accidental spills in the backpack.
Thank you for your help in keeping our library books in tip-top shape!
LET'S GET PHYSICAL IN PE
Monthly Fitness Calendars are here: Each month I will post a monthly fitness calendar. Each day there is a fun suggestion for an activity that helps students and families get active! These are not mandatory, and students can use after school sports, or any other activity that gets them moving for at least 15 minutes or more! This could include walking the dog, going to the park to play, jumping on the trampoline or even riding their scooter! The important part is to move, and HAVE FUN! If students complete all activities boxes in the month, have a parent sign the bottom and return it to me! They can pick out of my prize box!! If they complete multiple months throughout the year, I will give them opportunities to earn other fun items!
Mrs. Thrasher
FVE PE Teacher
BATTLE OF THE BOOKS
Each year, Frontier Valley Elementary joins other DCSD schools to participate in the Douglas County Library’s Battle of the Books program. Battle of the Books is a bowl-style trivia tournament that’s all about books.
This literacy program challenges students in 3rd-5th grade to read up to ten books, set by Douglas County Librarians, and compete in teams to demonstrate their mastery of the content of those books. The program begins in the fall with battles at the school level. In January and February, the top teams at FVE continue on to competitions at the Parker Library where they could earn the opportunity to compete at the PACE Center against the top teams from all over Douglas County.
Battle of the Books provides an amazing opportunity for students to foster a love of reading, increase their reading ability and learn excellent communication and sportsmanship skills.
Please register your child at www.myschoolbucks.com
If you have interest in coaching, co-coaching, assisting the teams or have questions, please contact the following Parent Representatives directly:
Jessica Gaal
(614) 326-9812
Jaime Jenkins
(206) 607-7719
Please click HERE for the 2024-2025 schedule.
DID YOU KNOW?
Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) are a powerful approach to improving student outcomes. In a PLC, teachers collaborate regularly to analyze student data, share teaching strategies, and support each other in refining their practices. This teamwork ensures that all students receive the best possible instruction.
COUNSELOR'S CORNER
Counselor lessons: This month we are focusing on including others and teamwork. We are learning about how wonderful it feels to be included and how working as a team can help us accomplish our goals.
Resources: I have a growing Community Resource List for families in Douglas County that can be found here. Please let me know if you would like any assistance in getting connected to community resources. Our school partners with Parker Task Force to provide weekly bags of food for families. Please let me know if this resource would be helpful to your family.
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED! Please send me an email if you would like to be on our School Counseling Advisory Committee this year. We meet once in the Fall and once in the Spring. Feedback from parents helps me drive our school counseling program goals and new interventions each year.
AAI Program at FVE
Frontier Valley Elementary School is excited to announce that an Animal-Assisted Intervention (AAI) program is continuing at FVE this year to promote social/emotional well being. AAI is a goal-directed intervention, in which an animal that meets specific criteria is an integral part of the treatment process. This intervention will include a certified professional working within their scope of competency. AAI is designed to promote improvement in human physical, social, emotional, behavioral, and cognitive functioning. Liz Van Otten, the school counselor at FVE and Courtney Barondeau, a 3rd grade teacher, will utilize this program through research based practice and interventions specific to the needs of students. The therapy dogs and their handlers have been insured for liability and have undergone extensive training and certifications for animal-assisted interventions. Should you have any other questions, concerns or comments, please contact us. It is our priority that everyone feels comfortable around Andie and Charlie! Thank you to our families for understanding that non therapy dogs should be kept on the outer boundary of school property.
FVE BUFFALO CART
As we start back to school, we need your help stocking our monthly Buffalo Cart! The Buffalo Cart provides snacks and treats for our FVE staff. Please see the link below to volunteer to send in items. All items should be labeled "Buffalo Cart" and brought to the front office by Friday, September 6.
Thank you so much for your support in treating our teachers! If you have any questions feel free to reach out to us.
Lauren Storey (storeylk10@gmail.com) and Katie Oliver (knewman528@gmail.com)
Teacher Appreciation/FVEA
Celebrate your child’s birthday with a personalized greeting on our school’s new digital marquee! Cost is $10 and you can sign up here.
How can you help keep students safe on their way to school in 2024?
Douglas County, the Douglas County School District, Sheriff’s Office and Denver Regional Council of Governments work together to encourage student safety
Did you know that 62,000 students will start school in Douglas County Wednesday, Aug. 7? For perspective, more than 76,000 fans pack Empower Field at Mile High when the Denver Broncos take the field. That’s a lot of students heading back to school – and it takes all of us to keep them safe on their way.
Douglas County traffic engineers, the Douglas County School District, the Sheriff’s Office and the Denver Regional Council of Governments work together to ensure that students have safe routes to school. We can all do our part by following a few safety guidelines.
Drivers who drop off children or travel through school zones should:
Use extreme caution
Drive slowly
Keep an eye out for children.
Remember – it takes about one month for everyone to settle into a new routine.
Students who walk, bike, or skate to school are asked to follow these simple steps:
Choose a safe route to walk to school with less traffic and intersections, avoid crossing busy or high-speed streets, and limit the number of streets crossed.
Look for traffic at every driveway and intersection. Be aware of drivers in parked cars that may be getting ready to move.
Obey all traffic signs and signals, push pedestrian push buttons at signals, and wait to walk across the street until no traffic is coming. Listen to crossing guards if present, and walk, don’t run, bike or skate across the street.
Carpooling helps reduce traffic, lets kids meet their friends and helps parents. The Denver Regional Council of Government’s Way to Go program offers SchoolPool to connect you with your community. Learn more on their website.
Learn more now about School Zone safety including tips for drivers.
INTERESTED IN VOLUNTEERING FOR FVEA? PLEASE SCAN THE QR CODE BELOW.
FVEA MEETING
FVEA is Frontier Valley's version of a school PTO. Our first meeting of the year will be Tuesday, September 17th at 5:00pm in the library. Please join us!
Thank you to everyone who has worked so hard to get this school year off to a great start! FVEA is looking forward to a fun year. If you’d like to get involved, please scan the QR code above.
Stay tuned to what’s happening in our school by following our Facebook and Instagram pages.
Tuesday, Sep 17, 2024, 05:00 PM
23919 Canterberry Trail, Parker, CO, USA
SOCCER SHOTS
HELLO PARENTS!
We are so excited to be partnering with Frontier Valley Elementary School! All children 5-8 years old are welcome to enroll. Our classes are on Wednesdays at 3:30pm and our season will run from September 11th to November 20th.
We encourage you to watch our video- there is no better representation of why we do what we do at Soccer Shots.
Enroll now at den.soccershots.com! We hope to see all our Friends out there on Soccer Island!
Soccer Shots is an engaging children's soccer program with a focus on character development. Our caring team positively impacts children's lives on and off the field through best-in-class coaching, curriculum and communication. Our coaches are the best-trained in the business. Our expert-approved curriculum is age-appropriate and aligns with childhood education standards. In addition we provide an exceptional customer experience and ongoing communication with parents.
MINI
2 TO 3 YEAR OLDS
Soccer Shots Mini is a high-energy program introducing children to fundamental soccer principles, such as using your feet, dribbling and the basic rules of the game.
Through fun games, songs and positive reinforcement, children will begin to experience the joy of playing soccer and being active.
CLASSIC
3 TO 5 YEAR OLDS (PRE-K)
Soccer Shots Classic utilizes creative and imaginative games to focus on basic soccer skills like dribbling, passing and shooting.
We also highlight a positive character trait each session such as respect, teamwork and appreciation.
PREMIER
5 TO 8 YEAR OLDS (K-2ND)
Soccer Shots Premier focuses on individual skill, fitness and sportsmanship, providing an opportunity for children to be challenged through fun games and team interaction.
Children will also be introduced to competition in a developmentally appropriate manner.
ROCKIES FUNDRAISER
Discounted Rockies Tickets and FVEA fundraiser!
Rockies VS Cubs on 9/13, 9/14, and 9/15
Click here to purchase tickets, be sure to select “Frontier Valley” when you purchase.