A message from the Principal & Assistant Principal
Dear Cactus Valley Families,
It’s hard to believe the official start to spring is around the corner, and in a few weeks we’ll be enjoying a week off for Spring Break! These longer, warmer days bring about a sense of renewed energy and a brightened spirit for the possibilities that lie ahead!
Pick Up and Drop Off Zones - As the weather warms many more students will be walking to and from school. This means we all need to work together to keep everyone safe! Please be sure to drive slowly in the dropoff and pickup lines. Remember to wait for the car in front of you to start moving before you do, passing in the pickup and dropoff lines can make it difficult to keep track of our kids' safety. If you are picking up, please wait for the crossing guard to guide your child across the street. Safety is always our first priority!
Spring 23/24 CMAS News
With spring also comes our state testing windows. Third through fifth grade students are given the CMAS assessment each year, which is designed to give schools and teachers more information about students’ understanding of the Colorado Academic Standards, and data that can be used to improve our instruction. The testing is only a portion of the students’ day, and for the remainder of the school day they will be participating in regular classes and learning. We appreciate your help with the attendance of your student(s) during these days. Testing at Cactus Valley Elementary School will begin the week of April 8th. A formal schedule for each grade level and their testing sessions will be shared at the beginning of April.
3rd Grade
Monday, April 8th, Tuesday the 9th, and Wednesday the 10th
4th Grade
Monday, April 15th, Tuesday the 16th, and Wednesday the 17th
5th Grade
Monday, April 8th, Tuesday the 9th, and Wednesday the 10th
Monday, April 15th, Tuesday the 16th, Wednesday the 17th
Attendance is key in your students' learning and growth. When students are in the classroom they are gaining a great deal from our fabulous teachers! We understand that there are times our students get sick, when this happens and they need to miss school, please be sure to call us and let us know. If your student is out for a doctor's appointment, be sure to grab a doctor's note and turn it into Brandie in the office. Communication is always key!
The Yearbook Order Form for the 2023-2024 school year can be accessed at the following link:
https://www.plicbooks.com/go/UFNNFW OR send in $30 in an envelope with your child’s name and teacher’s name. Deadline to reserve a copy is March 14th!
Calendar Reminders:
Friday, March 8th at 6:00 pm, Glow Dance at CVE sponsored by our CVE PTA
Thursday, March 14th - 2nd Grade Performance 6:00 at CVE
Sunday, March 10th Daylight Savings Begins...spring ahead one hour!
Thursday, March 14th is the end of our third quarter
Spring Break begins Friday, March 22nd. Students return to school on Monday, April 1st.
Remind your child to check the lost and found!
Here’s wishing you all a sunny, warm spring! Thank you again for your support of the staff and students at CVE. Together WE CAN, WE WILL continue to make a positive difference in the lives of our children as we help them GROW to Green!
Sincerely,
Kelly Detlefsen, Principal
Stacy VanHercke, Assistant Principal
Counselor’s Corner
Third quarter is coming to a close. Longer days and warmer weather are around the corner. We are all looking forward to our much needed Spring Break to give us renewed energy to finish off the fourth quarter strong. Our Student Council raised $844 to donate to Meals on Wheels in Rifle, by selling Candy Grams for Valentine’s Day. It was a huge success!
Here’s what we’ll be learning in Character Education this month.
Kindergarten is focusing on handling waiting as part of the Second Step skills to teach them to use calming strategies to help manage feeling impatient or overly excited.
1st grade will tackle tattling. We will read, A Bad Case of Tattle Tongue by Julia Cook and learn that you should get an adult if someone is hurt, in danger or being threatened. If none of those issues are happening with a friend, then you are trying to get them into trouble, which is tattling.
2nd grade will work on the Second Step skill of finishing tasks. This lesson applies calming-down strategies students have learned to help them with this important challenge. Once students get control of themselves by calming down, they can use positive self-talk to stay focused and finish a task.
3rd grade will focus on managing test anxiety. CMAS will start in April and this lesson will help them name their feeling and then use some calming-down strategies to help them regain self control.
4th and 5th grade will work on the Second Step skill of making a plan. Plans help you break down a big task into smaller, more manageable parts.
Totes for Hope, a program run through the River Center, gives families 6-7 non perishable food items weekly and is distributed on Wednesdays. If you are a family that could use the supplemental food, please contact me and I can get you signed up. If your family needs emotional support or other types of assistance, contact me, Amy Chabin, at 970-665-7764 or achabin@garfieldre2.net.River Center Information
