The Pony Press

Families,

Happy March! We are ready for warmer temperatures and increased opportunities for our learners to be outside and learning in their natural environment! We are also excited to team up with our families for Spring Conferences next week. This is such an important time to discuss your child's strengths, contributions to our school community, and anything we can do to partner better with you in their next steps. To sign up for a conference, please use the following link- Family Conferences or click on the QR code below. In an effort to allow time for teachers to meet with each student's family, please sign-up for one slot per child only. With the number of slots available, we unfortunately cannot accommodate multiple conferences for each child during the timeframe. Should one family member wish to attend virtually, or if legal paperwork is in place requiring family members to be separated, we can help set that up. We appreciate your understanding in order to allow our amazing teachers time to collaborate with each child.

Our amazing UPES Variety Show is happening THIS Wednesday. I spoke about this in the newsletter last year also, but this is the event that made me fall in love with this little school! As a parent, even when my children were not performing in the show, we would come and watch the Variety Show together, and I am forever blown away by the way our students perform without reservation. It might seem insignificant, but actually speaks so highly of the confidence and the bravery of this generation of future leaders we are building together. I encourage you to attend, even if your own child is not performing!

Many of you have had the opportunity to meet or speak with Mrs. Mica Wood. She is our district's attendance and truancy coordinator at the secondary level, and has also started helping at UPES a couple days a week to support attendance, discipline, and coaching. We know with a new attendance policy this year, it has created some questions and growing pains.This policy was created last year at the district level including staff, community members, and parents. I received feedback during my last SAC (School Accountability Committee) meeting that despite frequent communication, there still feels like some misunderstandings around attendance. I'm going to give you the Cliffs Notes version (did I just age myself or is that still a thing?) When your child is going to miss school, please call the front office (685-2227) as soon as you can. You are welcome to leave a message before we open, or even email Mrs. Dudley at tdudley@mssd14.org. If you call your child out for a reason, such as illness, it is counted as an excused absence. Once you accrue 10 excused absences, you will receive an initial attendance letter. At that point, you have 5 more excused absences (for a total of 15). We will meet to problem solve how to better help your child be at school, as they would've missed 3 whole weeks of learning at that point. After the 15 excused, it moves to unexcused (even if you call in). That begins leading towards the truancy process. Our handbook describes "Habitual Truancy" as a student who has reached age six by August 1 and is under age seventeen and who has four total days of unexcused absences from school in any one month or ten total days of unexcused absences during any school year. At that point, the district would move forward in the truancy process, which may result in different interventions and possibly include truancy court through the state of Colorado. If you take your child to an appointment (doctor, therapy, dentist, etc), and you provide a note to the front office, that absence does not count towards excused absences at all, and is coded differently in our system. We know there are so many viruses and illnesses that can impact school attendance, but our goal is to have every kid here learning in our amazing school as often as possible! Thank you for your support with getting your child to school on time and as much as possible!

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

March

4th-8th- School Social Worker Week

5th- Variety Show Rehearsal 3-4:15 pm

6th- UPES Variety Show (Rehearsal at 2 pm, Show 5-7 pm)

8th- Staff Work Day, No Students

11th-15th- UPES Book Fair in the Art Room!

12th- PAC

13th- Preschool, 1st, and Riffle's Class to Flying Pig Farm

14th- Noon Dismissal, Report Cards Go Home, Family Conferences 12:40-7 pm

15th- No Students, Family Conferences 8-12

18th- BOE Meeting at MSHS Media Center

20th- Late Start, Kinder/4th to Flying Pig Farm

21st- 3rd Grade and Groth's Class to Flying Pig Farm
22nd- 4th Grade to Paint Mines

25th-29th Spring Break

Ute Pass Elementary Book Fair is March 11-15! Volunteers are needed Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday between 7:30am-3:00pm. Please contact Mrs. Kettler if you are available for a 2-3 hour shift! kkettler@mssd14.org

We are so excited to partner with an amazing company to offer UPES spirit wear this year! The site is live now!

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!

Please help us prepare for the upcoming school year by completing the 2024-2025 Intent to Return Survey. We ask that all parents and guardians complete this survey regardless of whether they will be attending MSSD14 in the fall for the 2024-2025 school year.

Parents/Guardians of graduating seniors do not need to complete this survey.

Please use the link below to complete the survey. Your participation is appreciated.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeGFyFi597QHaZxgt2ygfWnQwq7IIgxRJfUd20hZ8fKySrpUQ/viewform?usp=sf_link

Passing a stopped school bus in Colorado

We recently are receiving complaints from our bus drivers that vehicles are not stopping and passing buses when they are stopped to pick up or drop off students even though they have their flashing lights and stop sign out.

What is the penalty for passing a stopped school bus in Colorado?

A first-time Failure to Stop for School Bus Signals violation is a Class 2 Misdemeanor Traffic Offense and a conviction may result in a scheduled fine of $150.00 to $300.00 plus court costs and surcharges, a possible jail sentence of 10 to 90 days (usually only ordered in cases where there are aggravating factors, such ...

Please help keep our MSSD14 students safe by not passing a stopped school bus.

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 currently up and running! Please contact Mrs. Wilson at swilson@mssd14.org if you have any questions or concerns.

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!

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 second semester:

• January 10, 24, 31
• February 14, 28
• March 20
• April 3
• May 1, 8, 15

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 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:

• March 12th- PAC Meeting 3-4 pm
• April 9th- PAC/SAC Meeting 3-4 pm
• May 6th- PAC Fun Run

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