AES Community Connection 4/26/24

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Wahoo! Congratulations to our 3rd and 4th graders who worked diligently and completed this year's CMAS testing in English Language Arts and Mathematics. We are so proud of our students' perseverance and demonstration of skills and knowledge. Results will be available to families in the Fall of 2024.

May will bring many exciting year-end activities for students and families. Take a careful look throughout this newsletter for opportunities to join your child in these community events. Please consider volunteering and/or making donations to support our many year-end activities.

This month's learner profile focus will be on being BALANCED. Those who are balanced understand the importance of intellectual, physical and emotional balance to achieve personal well-being for themselves and others. At AES we strive to create an environment in which intellectual, physical and emotional growth is supported and celebrated.

The International Baccalaureate Organization will be visiting AES virtually on May 28th and 29th for our school's virtual PYP Authorization. Following this visit, we will be officially recognized as an IB Primary Years Programme school. The authorization visit is the culmination of 3 arduous years of professional learning, curriculum writing and enhancements to our teaching and learning practices. This will be a HUGE accomplishment for our students, staff and families. Please keep an eye out for future communication.

Next Friday's Spirit Day --- Career Day

(Dress as what you want to be when you grow up)

Kindly,

Ashley Bodkins

Aspen Elementary School Mission:

To empower an innovative, mindful community of learners in a challenging and nurturing environment that promotes inquiry and academic excellence.

• Tuesday, May 2 - AES School Accountability Committee meeting 8:30am-9:30am, AES Conference Room
• Wednesday, May 8 - Early Release Wednesday
• Thursday, May 9th: 3rd grade Theater Aspen Performance @ 1:30 PM (school) and 5:30 PM (families)
• Tuesday, May 14 - Kindergarten Kick-Off 5-7pm
• Friday, May 17- AES Dance Party with DJ Naka G., AES Gym and Playground 5-7 PM
• Wednesday, May 22 - Early Release Wednesday
• Friday, May 24 - March of the AHS Graduates 1:00
  
• Monday, May 27 - NO SCHOOL, Memorial Day
• Tuesday and Wednesday, May 28th and 29 - IB PYP Authorization virtual visit

• Tuesday, June 4th - Field Day and Family BBQ - Volunteers wanted! Please sign up below.

• Wednesday, June 5 - Bike Rodeo for 2nd & 3rd Grade
• Thursday, June 6 - Last Day of School, 4th grade Clap-Out, regular dismissal at 3:00 PM
• Monday, June 10 - Report Cards available in PowerSchool

Click here for the 23-24 School Year Calendar... Please mark your calendar and plan your vacations accordingly. This year, one of our School Improvement goals is to REDUCE high absenteeism. Please prioritize your child's attendance at school .

Lost and Found.....come and get it!!

Sale on ALL items 4/25-5/2. $1/item. 5/3 anything left will be bagged and donated! All items are out on tables in front of AES.

Do you have any pans or pails you would like to get out of your cabinets!? Bring them by the front desk and we will give them a new life on the playground! Thank you!

Click HERE for a cute video!

Check THIS great article in the Aspen Times! AES students use the flight simulator to better understand the novel they are studying. The lesson exemplifies International Baccalaureate Curriculum at the elementary school.

We are looking for bakers or buyers to bring in muffins, croissants, or breakfast snacks the morning of May 9th. We also need volunteers to help cover lunch and recess duties on May 10th so teachers can enjoy the food trucks. Please use THIS LINK to sign up to help out on one or both of these days!

It is hard to believe Teacher Appreciation Week is right around the corner! All three school PTOs and the Cottage are teaming up once again to make it a fabulous week for all ASD staff! Please click HERE for more information, please click HERE to donate!

Calling all volunteers for June 4th! The PTO is planning the most fun day, but we need volunteers to make it successful!! Please click HERE to add you name to join us for a day of FUN!

Click HERE for the flyer in English.

Click HERE for the flyer in Spanish.

You can also RSVP to Virginia Leffler.

Registration for Kindergarten is NOW open!

If you have a child entering kindergarten register NOW.

Click HERE for the flyer in English.

Click HERE for the flyer in Spanish.

It is time to get those Yearbook orders in! Please click HERE for the link to purchase your 2023-24 YB!

Aspen City Camp's programs are recreation based, play-focused camps for children ages 5-10 years (attending Kinder—4th grades in Fall 2024) who are locally enrolled in school in the Aspen area and Roaring Fork Valley. Our focus is on supporting local working families during out of school time with our Summer Camp programming June 10—August 20th 2024. Our summer program takes youth on fun adventures in and around the Aspen area and on field trips throughout the Roaring Fork Valley. Aspen City Camp uses Aspen Recreation facilities for swimming, ice skating, roller skating, and rock climbing on a regular basis, as well as all sorts of outdoor activities. Aspen City Camp is offered through the City of Aspen Recreation Department. Please go to our website to register online and for more information: www.aspenrecreation.com

Click HERE for the flyer in English.

Click HERE for the flyer in Spanish.

Please click HERE for tons of information on summer programming from AMFS!

Where: Aspen District Theater

When: Saturday, May 4th 4pm

Tickets on sale HERE. (in view class schedule tab)

Click HERE for the flyer.

Learn more by clicking THIS LINK.

Check out all the upcoming activities at the Library!

Please click HERE or HERE for the link to a video of the presentation with Brooke Shannon founder of Wait Until 8th.

I am ready to take the pledge to Wait Until 8th to delay giving my child a cell phone!

Sign up here

Are you about to say yes to a phone?

Smartphone Alternatives

Good digital training guides to get your child ready

Does your kid have a phone already and you need help?

Wait Until 8th Phone Plan

My kid just got an iPhone. Help!

Are you about to say yes to social media or need help managing it as a family?

Social media guide

Great Organizations!

Protect Young Eyes (Christian)

Defend Young Minds

Books on parenting in a digital age

The Surgeon General thoughts on Social Media & Kids

Good to read with your kid - Harry Potter and the Magical Phone

Good to watch

The Social Dilemma

Childhood 2.0

Cost of Beauty - Dove Self Esteem Project (only a few minutes long but super powerful)

Monitoring services /filters/ tech help

Gryphon Router

Bark technologies

Canopy

Please consider making a donation to our nonprofit so we can help more families delay the smartphone!

Follow Wait Until 8th on:

Instagram Facebook Twitter

www.waituntil8th.org

• Haga clic AQUÍ para obtener instrucciones sobre cómo traducir este boletín.
• Click HERE for the Bus Change Request Form.
• Aspen Family Connections
• Aspen School District Absences and Excuses Policy (Click here for Spanish)
  
• AES Attendance (Click here for Spanish)
• Pre-Arranged Absence Form
• Click HERE for information about fingerprinting for volunteers.
• Click HERE for the latest document from the state about when to exclude students and staff from school/work because of illness.
  
• Please click HERE to see the staff's favorite things!
  
• Order SPIRIT WEAR anytime with this link!

We have recently received our Final Consultation Report from our IB PYP consultant, Gayle Westerburg, who has been working with our school since the Summer of 2023 in our final stages of our candidacy phase. This report indicates that the Aspen Elementary School has clearly demonstrated all of the PYP Standards and Practices, and are now ready for our Authorization visit. We are awaiting dates from the IB Organization, and anticipate our Authorization visit will be at the end of April/beginning of May.

Are you passionate about promoting healthy eating habits and making a positive impact in our community? Come and join us as a lunchroom volunteer!

Our dedicated chef prepares delicious and nutritious meals, and we're looking for enthusiastic volunteers to help serve these wholesome lunches. By contributing your time, you'll play a pivotal role in ensuring that everyone in Aspen Elementary School has access to healthy, balanced meals.

Volunteer Responsibilities:

• Assisting in serving lunches
• Engaging with our AES community members in a friendly manner
• Collaborating with our team to maintain a welcoming lunch environment

Benefits of Volunteering:

• Being part of a meaningful initiative promoting healthy eating
• Connecting with our vibrant community
• Contributing to the well-being of our [school/organization/company]

Details: Sign up here!

Students will be able to enter the building at 7:35am. Please be sure to talk to your child about whether or not they have your permission to purchase breakfast. The cost is $3.50 and there are NO free seconds. (if your child gets seconds there will be another charge for $3.50).

Breakfast is now following Free & Reduced guidelines. If your child qualified for Free/Reduced lunch they also qualify for Free/Reduced breakfast and will be charged accordingly. We want to make sure no child is hungry during the school day.

Please click HERE for more details.

Keeping students safe is our number one priority at ASD. Therefore, during the school day you will find all AES doors locked. However, please know you are WELCOME to visit and volunteer at AES.

• Visiting - Please remember your ID (driver's license) if you are visiting the building for any reason. Virginia and Carrie will meet you in the office with a smile and issue you a sticker/ visitor badge that must be worn while in the building.

• Volunteering - We love including "fingerprinted" parent volunteers in the classroom or on field trips. If this interests you, be proactive and get ASD Fingerprinting for Volunteers Procedure completed ASAP. This certification will last five years. More details below.

Here are the protocols we follow in an emergency. Families will be notified in the event of an emergency. Please do not come to or call the school.

• Standard Response Protocol
• Spanish Version

AES has had a longstanding relationship with AVSC and their youth ski programs. We have a number of students who are practicing on weekdays. In order to ensure that we have the most accurate and current information, please complete this form. Students must maintain good standing in regard to academics, behavior and attendance. Please reach out to Ashley with any questions.

Please join our staff for virtual parent/caregiver information sessions from 12:00-1:00 on the dates listed below. Please click on the date for the link to the Google Meet.

Other dates...Topics TBD

Jan 11, Jan 25

Feb 8, Feb 22

Mar 7, Mar 21

Apr 11, Apr 25

May 9, May 23

Missed a session? Click below to view.

Nov 9- School Safety and Social Emotional Learning at AES. Please click HERE to see the video of this presentation.

Sept 21 - Assessment Overview and Curriculum Updates. Please Click HERE to see the video of this presentation.

Oct 12 - IB Primary Years Programme overview. Pleas click HERE to see the video of this presentation. Click HERE for the slideshow.

Getting your child to read is not always an easy task. But, by allowing them to choose what they are reading, and asking questions that encourage them to interact with the text, you are helping them see books as FUN.

The benefits of reading 20 minutes a day are abundant and worth the time. Make reading 20 minutes a day a priority to improve test scores, grow vocabulary, build empathy for others, decrease stress, and increase your sleep. That is a win-win.

At AES not all teachers require a nightly reading log, however if you are interested in keeping your own, please reach out to your teacher for suggestions.

Mark your calendars and reach out to Virginia to volunteer!

Click HERE for the flyer.

The International Baccalaureate® (IB) learner profile describes a broad range of human capacities and responsibilities that go beyond academic success.

They imply a commitment to help all members of the school community learn to respect themselves, others and the world around them.

Each of the IB's programme's is committed to the development of students according to the IB learner profile.

The profile aims to develop learners who are:

• Inquirers
• Knowledgeable
• Thinkers
• Communicators
• Principled
• Open-minded
• Caring
• Risk-takers
• Balanced
• Reflective

This month as a school we are focusing on being a Risk Taker. Students and staff can "catch" someone demonstrating any of the learner profiles and write them a ticket. Tickets are read on the morning announcements and posted on a wall in the school.

We love our volunteers! The Aspen School District requires our volunteers get fingerprinted. We are back up and running to do fingerprinting in the District Office. Please use THIS LINK to schedule an appointment at the DO.

Here is the Board of Education approved 2023-24 Aspen School District Calendar and information about Early Release Days.

Early Release

Early Release Days have been added back to the calendar. Early release times are as follows:

1:15 PM Aspen Elementary School

2:00 PM Aspen Middle School

2:00 PM Aspen High School

Tenille and the amazing lunch crew at AES are in need of parent volunteers to help serve lunch. This is a wonderful way to help the school staff and get a glimpse of the AES lunchtime in action! There are two time slots available each day, 11:00-12:00 or 11:50-12:40, with two volunteers each. So, grab a friend and sign up for shift HERE!

All students were assessed an $85 supply fee and a $25 technology fee on August 16th for the 2023/24 school year. The supply fee covers all the supplies your student will need for the year. You will not receive a list of items you need to purchase. We are asking that all current and outstanding fees be paid by August 31st. These can be paid through e~Funds or by check or cash in the front office. If you have questions regarding payments please reach out to Virginia.

FREE & REDUCED LUNCH
We know that many families rely on schools for meals. We encourage families to submit a Free & Reduced Meal application, which provides families with access to additional benefits as well. Please know that even if you qualified in previous years, an application must be submitted every school year.

To access the application and instructions for English click HERE.
To access the application and instructions for Spanish click HERE

You must complete the application and submit it to finance@aspenk12.net or drop it off at the District Office or Admin Office at the school.

School begins promptly at 8am. Students arrive on campus at 7:45 AM. Please make sure your child arrives on time, as this sets them up for a successful day.

Please be sure to make travel plans that coincide with our school breaks. Elementary students thrive when learning is in person with their teacher and classmates. Families will be notified of excessive tardies and/or absences.

At AES our essential agreements guide the way we behave and interact with others throughout our school in every setting. This year, we've adopted the SKIER acronym as a way to frame our essential agreements school wide. We hope that you will reinforce these positive attributes with your child at home.

Website: https://www.aspenk12.net/Domain/8
Location: 235 High School Road, Aspen, Colorado, USA
Phone: 970-925-3760