The Ram Roundup

October 22, 2023

Celebrating Quarter 1 Successes

Dear Ram Parents,

I hope this message finds you well and enjoying the amazing fall weather. I am excited to share some fantastic news about the remarkable achievements of our students during the first quarter of the school year. The last few weeks have been filled with various celebrations, and there is so much to be proud of that it's hard to know where to begin.

When evaluating student success, I often consider the fundamental ABCs - Attendance, Behavior, and Coursework, as these factors have a direct impact on high school graduation and post-secondary success. So, let's dive right in:

A is for Attendance

During the first quarter, we witnessed a remarkable increase of 1.5% in attendance compared to the same time last year. Our current attendance rate stands at 93.3%, and our school's goal is 95%. Research indicates that 95% or higher attendance rate allows students to gain the most advantage from educational opportunities. I want to express my sincere gratitude to you for ensuring that your child arrives at school each day, on time and ready to learn. As we approach the holiday season in quarter 2, please refer to the school calendar when planning your vacations. We currently have 63 students with perfect attendance and 234 with above 95%. Way to go!

B is for Behavior

Our students have done an outstanding job during the first quarter in terms of following school expectations. We celebrated their achievements this week, and it was heartening to see that students were able to identify areas where they are excelling and areas where they can continue to grow. I am truly proud of our students for understanding the crucial role they play in making our school a welcoming and safe environment that is focused on learning.

C is for Coursework

One of the most remarkable achievements of the first quarter was the significant decrease (almost 30%) in the number of classes failed compared to quarter 1 of last year. Our students reported this week that they take pride in their grades and the effort they are putting into achieving grade-level standards. For those students who did not pass classes during the first quarter, please know that we are committed to working tirelessly alongside them to support their academic growth and achievement.

All these accomplishments are a testament to the hard work and dedication of our students, but we also recognize that this would not be possible without the unwavering support of their families. Your involvement in their education, from asking about their day, checking on their grades, and attending school events, is truly inspiring. From volleyball, cross country, baseball, soccer, and basketball to choir, band, and orchestra, our parent community's commitment is deeply appreciated and incredibly motivating.

Once again, I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to you for being an integral part of our school community and for helping our students achieve their best. Your support is invaluable, and we look forward to more success and celebrations as we continue our journey through the school year.

As a reminder, I will be on medical leave until December 19th, Ms. Ann Reed will be serving as Interim Principal beginning Monday, October 23rd. I can't wait to see all that the students accomplish during quarter 2.

Thanks again for your support!

Karin Blough

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Orchestra

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Basketball

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Cross Country

5th Grade - Language Arts

Fifth grade students practiced their interviewing skills by writing questions and interviewing other students in the class. They came away having built stronger connections and a deeper understanding of each other. Students also bravely read the short stories they wrote to their teams. Ask your child about how it felt to share their writing with their peers.

6th Grade

All 6th grade students had the opportunity to watch a version of Romeo and Juliet in our LPMS parking lot! They enjoyed the drama and tragedy of this play, and were able to ask great questions of the professional actors after the performance. It was a great extension to all they have learned about narrative structure in Language Arts.

7th Grade

Our 7th grade students had an amazing visit to the Denver Museum of Nature and Science on Friday. They learned about the Mysteries of the Ice Ages and explored many other exhibits. For many students, this was their first opportunity to visit the museum. There are tickets to the museum available at the Longmont Public Library for families to attend free of charge! It was incredible to watch them learn in this environment. Thank you to our parent volunteers for your help. We could not have done this without you!

8th Grade

The 8th grade year is a pivotal one, setting the stage for their transition to high school. We cannot emphasize enough the importance of this year and the steps we've put in place to ensure a smooth transition.

On November 8th, Longmont High School staff and students will visit Longs Peak Middle School during Ram Ready for Trojan Hype Day. This event is a wonderful opportunity for our 8th graders to learn more about the amazing academic and extracurricular opportunities available to them in high school.

Following that, on November 13th from 6-8 PM, we invite you and your child to attend the Longmont High School 8th Grade Visit Night. This event is designed to provide both students and parents with valuable insights into the offerings, opportunities, and expectations at the high school level and meet teachers, interact with current high school students, and start feeling comfortable in the new environment. We highly encourage your child to participate as it will help alleviate some of the anxieties associated with the transition.

This week, we've been reminding our students about the significance of their academics. Passing their classes and working diligently on iReady lessons to achieve grade level standards are crucial to their success as they move into high school. The effort they put in now will lay the foundation for their future educational pursuits.

Students will begin registering for classes in January, therefore we will be collaborating with Longmont High School to ensure that students are aware of their options.

Cafecito/Coffee Chat

Food and translation services are available! We would love to have you join us!

If you have a particular topic that you would like us to cover, please feel free to reach out to our Parent Liaison, Maria Perez at 3030-776-5611 or perez_maria@svvsd.org.

Literacy Practice at Home

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Are you wondering what you can do to support increasing academic achievement at home?

The answer is 20 minutes of reading at home every night!

Reading might include…

Books from library, home, or teacher

iReady Reading app

Online books (Sora, MyOn, or LearningAlly)

Magazines

Reading books to younger siblings

Parents:

Help support your child's progress by ensuring they read for 20 minutes each night at home. This regular reading routine will significantly enhance their reading fluency, comprehension, and vocabulary as we work to get them reading on grade level by the end of the school year. Please monitor their reading sessions, offer encouragement, and engage in discussions about the material they are reading. Your active involvement and support will motivate your child to embrace the joy of reading and will further grow their reading skills.

As a way to honor our military veterans of the United States Armed Forces we would like to extend this invitation to recognize Veteran's in our Longs Peak community. If you have a family member or friend who has served, please complete this form and we will include them in our video announcement slides in the main hallway. Additionally, we will give the student nominating the veteran a flag to place in the front lawn to honor their special veteran.

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BOOK FAIR

Scholastic Book Fair is coming to LPMS from October 23 to 27. The Book Fair will only be open during school hours. If you prefer to order online please click here: https://www.scholastic.com/bf/longspeakmiddleschool1. Both options will open on October 23rd.

SchoolPool

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Looking for help getting your student to and from school?
Need a ride for the days your student has after school activities?
Want to make new friends on the way to school?

Longs Peak Middle School is pleased to partner with Schoolpool, a free program to make it easier to get to school and activities through carpooling.

Why consider carpooling? Carpooling has a number of different benefits for Longs Peak Middle School.

It helps YOU: Carpooling helps share the load of transporting kids to and from school and after-school activities.
It helps our school: Carpooling eases congestion on the road and around our school campus, creating a safer environment for students walking and biking.
It helps our community: Carpooling is a way to meet nearby families who attend our school and get more connected to our school community.

Signing up for Schoolpool is free, easy, and secure! There is no cost to participate. Your information will only be shared with families from our school. To maintain the highest level of privacy and security, Longs Peak Middle School’s registration link is unique to families attending our school.

How do I participate? It’s simple!

Go to https://mywaytogo.org/s/schoolpool-longs-pedhf23 and create an account and enter your address or intersection.

Pro-tip: Use a computer. While it works on a smartphone and tablet, there is more functionality on a computer.

Add comments to indicate interest, such as “can provide morning rides in exchange for afternoon rides,” “student is in after-school activities,” or “looking for a walk buddy in the mornings.”
Find and contact interested families.

Advanced Choir - Students will have the opportunity to develop their skills as a musician, gain practice time with Ms. Bailey, and meet other musicians. This is primarily student led, and Ms. Bailey is happy to provide resources. Join us weekly on Wednesdays.

Advanced Orchestra - Students will have the opportunity to develop their skills in orchestra and gain practice time with Mrs. Schlieper. Join us weekly on Monday and Wednesdays.

Art Club - Come as you are and be creative with Mr. Wysong as we work on various art projects. Join us weekly on Tuesdays.

Baseball Club - Are you interested in the game of baseball? Join the baseball club with Mr. Hancock to learn more about the game and prepare to play the game at the next level! Join us on Mondays and Wednesdays from 4-6.

Battle of the Books - Join Mrs. Olsen and Mrs. Large-Swope as you build your competitive reading skills. Compete against other students in teams in various reading challenges. Join us on the 2nd and 4th Monday of each month.

Bike Shop - Do you want to learn hands-on bike repair skills? See Mrs. Tucker for more details. Join us every 3rd Monday of the month starting in October!

Business Club - Come get some real-life business experience! Help us design and run a Longs Peak Middle School Store. We will be working together to design products to sell at school and sporting events. See Mrs. Tucker for more details. We will meet every other Wednesday beginning in October.

Board Game Club - Do you like board games? Do you like hanging out with friends and making new ones? The Ram Fam Board Game Club is starting soon! Meet with Mrs. Scovill & Mrs. Schuller after school once a week to have fun playing board games! The only rule is that you can’t be on a screen.

Cheer Club - Come bring school spirit to Longs Peak! Learn cheers, routines, and dances that will be performed at various school events. Join us Tuesdays and Thursdays 6:30am - 7:30am

Musical/Drama Club - TBD, see Mrs. Bailey with questions.

National Junior Honor Society - NJHS is a service based club serving LPMS and our community. Membership is by invite only for 7th and 8th grade students. Members work with Ms. Heien to maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher and complete a minimum of 20 service hours each school year. Join us on the first Wednesday of the month.

Poetry at the Peak - Calling all poets, writers, and dreamers! We will have our annual Poetry at the Peak Workshop after winter break. Bring your ideas, your passion, your creativity, and your curiosity. You don’t need any prior experience. Work with Mrs. Scovill, Mrs. Schuller, & Mrs. Large-Swope to write every week and end our time together with a Poetry Reading. Meeting dates TBD.

Robotics Club - This club will work with Mrs. Goble to explore the world of robotics through the building and testing of your own robots. We will use VEX IQ robotic kits. Meeting dates TBD.

Roots to Shoots Garden Club - Students will work with Mr. Freeman & Mr. Jiron to be involved with every step of taking care of the Peak Patch garden including but by no means limited to planning, planting, repairing drip lines, composting, harvesting, and general upkeep. Join us Fridays in September and May.

Sewing Club - Want to learn how to sew and the useful skills that come with this knowledge? See Mrs. Alford for more details. Join us weekly on Wednesdays starting in January.

Skittles Club - Skittles Club is Longs Peak’s GSA (Gay-Straight-Alliance). This club is for anyone that identifies as LGBTQ+ and allies. This club will consist of team building, crafting, and advocating with Mrs. Laquatra. Join us once a month on Tuesdays.

Stem Club - Are you interested in Science, Technology, Engineering, or Math. This is the club for you. Come explore science through hands-on activities with Mr Hancock. Join us weekly on Tuesdays.

Wildlife Rangers - Students will work with Mr. Freeman to explore types of urban and rural wildlife in Longmont and the surrounding area while monitoring and maintaining remote cameras on City of Longmont and Boulder County open space property. Students will also communicate their findings with Park Rangers and Wildlife Biologists! Join us on Fridays.

Yearbook - Come build the school yearbook with Mrs. Delong. Take pictures, organize the pages, and sell the final product. Meeting dates TBD.

Yoga Club - Yoga Club is a place where students can learn basic Yoga poses and understand how to use their breath and intentional breathing practices to calm themselves when they are dysregulated. They will learn from Mrs. Schuller about the importance of self care and learn mindfulness practices to use in their everyday life. Meeting dates TBD.

Coming SOON! ~ ESports Club

Student Behavior Expectations

Students are required to adhere to the following expectations throughout the entire school day, without exception:

No cell phones or bluetooth headphones/earbuds during class time. Cell phones are a distraction to the learning environment and are required to be put away at all times. If you need to reach your student or they need to reach a family member, the are always welcome to use the phone in the front office.
Students are not allowed to wear hats or hoods inside the building, this includes in the cafeteria, hallways and the classrooms.
Students must use public language at all times in the building, at recess and school related events.
Bathrooms are technology free zones.

In St. Vrain and at Longs Peak Middle School, we are part of a championship team, where everyone is working together to ensure student success.The expectations are that we all go above and beyond what is stated in the Code of Conduct, as well as in our academic coursework and co-curricular activities, in order to ensure that all of us - ourselves and our teammates - reach our full potential.

The following behaviors are unacceptable on a championship team. These include behaviors that:

Threaten or cause harm to the school or individual staff members or students
Demonstrate discrimination
Involve weapons or physical violence
Use social media or other written communication to harass other students or staff members.

It is important to know that school staff will take appropriate action if certain detrimental behaviors occur, even if the behaviors are off of school grounds.

Behind every championship team is a community of supporters to celebrate and champion your success. In St. Vrain and at Longs Peak this includes our teachers, counselors, nurses, school staff, administrators, parents, families, and many others.

We ask that our entire Longs Peak community:

Treat others with kindness and respect
If you need help, reach out to others for support.
Get involved in school programs, clubs and activities.
If you see something, say something.

Thank you for supporting your student, their peers and our entire school community! Our staff is always available to support you in anyway. Please reach out to us!