Adventure Elementary

**Para traducir este boletín a otro idioma, haga clic en "traducir" y seleccione su idioma.**

**To translate this newsletter to another language, please click "translate" and select your language.**

Dear Adventure Families,

Each school year, January and February can get a bit hard for students at school. The winter holidays have passed, it's cold outside, there's lots of testing, and people feel worn out. While all of those feelings are valid and true, there's still a lot of joy and things to look forward to.

Some of the moments that have brought me joy lately: a kindergartener who exclaimed "saying these words is so much fun!" while learning English/Spanish cognates, observing a 6th grader support a distressed classmate in the cafeteria not because an adult asked him to but merely because he wanted to, getting hugs from several students who were overwhelmed with pride by their recent MAP test growth including one who told her teacher "I've never felt proud of myself like this before!," and watching staff surround some families in our community who are experiencing the hardship of loss and struggle. Oh, nd baby chicks visited some classrooms this week! There's nothing better than seeing children's excitement for baby animals! Even if one poops on the rug!

Lately, you might have noticed some of our staff wearing buttons that say "Our community is our power; Nuestra comunidad es nuestro poder." The Adventure community is what makes our school exceptional and next week Wednesday, nine students will present to Mapleton's Board of Education about this very topic. Thanks in advance to José, Anna, Avery, Carla, Cesar, Geraldine, Irina, Emma, and Mateo. Their presentation showcases our school's mantra, "Language is an asset; biliteracy is a gift."

Lastly, it's not too late to order new Adventure spirit gear, be sure to shop using the link. There are some affordable prices to show your school pride.

Saludos,

Sarah Kopperud

Principal

kopperuds@mapleton.us

Marisa Abreo

Assistant Principal

abreom@mapleton.us

2024-25 Academic Calendar

• Feb. 21 - 1st grade field trip, "Lyle the Crocodile"
• Feb. 21 - PIE meeting, 8:15
• Feb. 28 - 5th grade guest speaker, Molly Brown Museum
• Feb. 28, March 3-4 - Eye Care Love
• Feb. 28 - 5th grade guest speaker
• March 6 and 7 - no school, PK-6
• March 10 - Adventure's Spanish Spelling Bee, 10am
• March 13 - Kindergarten field trip, Denver Zoo
• March 17-21- Spring Break
• March 24 - 3rd grade guest speaker
• March 24 - Author Visit, Lindsey Lackey
• March 28 - Class Picture Day
• March 28 - PIE meetings, 8:15am

Kindergarten, first, and second grades have all been trying something new and exciting in their classrooms. Teachers have begun to explore and implement the Sound-Spelling Transfer Kit from Benchmark Universe, which is our literacy curriculum. The Sound-Spelling Transfer Kit is special because it helps bilingual students transfer their literacy skills from their dominant language to their second language. In Kindergarten, students are learning which letters make the same sound in both English and Spanish, like the letter “B.” In first and second grades, students are learning which letters make different sounds in English and Spanish, like the letter “A.” The goal with using this program is to support our dual language students in leveraging their dominant language literacy skills in order to learn to read in their second language. We are very excited about the use of this promising program and how it will help our students grow their Biliteracy Superpowers!

Today, the 2nd graders will participate in a virtual visit with Lizardo Carvajal, a Columbian author of the children's book, Los ingeniosos mecanismos de Jerónimo della Testa. The main character, an inventor, is dedicated to making the most ingenious invention in the world.

On March 24, Lindsay Lackey, author of Farther than the Moon, will visit Adventure and meet with students in the upper grades. This award-winning author releases her newest book next week which is about a boy who wants to become an astronaut and wonders if his dreams can include his brother with disabilities. If you'd like to order a copy through Adventure at a reduced rate of $7.70, Ms. Lackey will autograph and personalize books purchased prior to her visit. Email AdventureOffice@mapleton.us to place your order!

Adventure is excited to partner with Eye Love Care, an organization that provides free comprehensive eye exams and glasses to students. Eye Love Care will set up a full optometry clinic at Adventure on February 28, March 3, and March 4. Students whose families have signed them up will get a free eye exam and, if needed, a choice from over 200 glasses frames. Eye Love Care will also repair or replace any broken eyeglasses by either delivering them to us at school or mailing them to your home. Eye Love Care will support your student's vision need through the duration of their educational journey, K-12. You can learn more about this program here (español).

Please sign your child up using the links below!

English:
https://pdf.ac/19qBBk

Spanish:
https://pdf.ac/2WRiEh

Hello there, Parents! WE HAVE MORE CLUBS! If your child has participated in Fall and Winter clubs, we ask that you give an opportunity to other students to sign up for clubs. At 5:00 pm today, the school website will have a description and registration links of all clubs being offered in the Spring (except Running Club and Gardening Club).

Spring Season is from March 24 - May 23, 2025. (clubs begin the Monday we return from Spring Break)

Mondays

3:30 - 4:30 pm:

• HERO Kids Sports (grades K-3) - 11 spots available

4:30 - 5:30 pm:

• Sticky Fingers Cooking Club (grades K-3) - 11 spots available

Tuesdays

3:10 - 4:10 pm:

• Running Club (grades 3-6) begins March 4
  Registration sheets have already been sent out by Ms. Nonies.

3:30 - 4:30 pm:

• DreamBox Club (Year Round Reading Program) for grades 3, 5, 6
  

• Movie Club (grades 3-5) - 20 spots available
  

• The "ANY" Book Club (grades 3-6) - 20 spots available
  

• 4-H: Chemistry 4 Kids (Grades 3 & 4) - 15 spots available

4:30 - 5:30 pm:

• 4-H: Chemistry 4 Kids (Grades 5 & 6) - 15 spots available

Wednesdays

3:30 - 4:30 pm:

• DreamBox Club (Year-Round Reading Program) for grades 3, 5, 6
  

• Gardening Club (grades K-6) begins March 5, 2025
  Registration is now closed for this club as it has reached its capacity.

Thursdays

3:30 - 4:30 pm:

• DreamBox Club (Year Round Reading Program) for grades 3, 5, 6

• Adventure Spotlight Club (grades 4-6)

Fridays

3:30 - 4:30 pm

• "CHILL" Club (grades 4-6)

3:30 - 4:45 pm

• Chess Club continues!
  If you registered in January for Chess Club, you are still registered and will continue attending every Friday. We currently have 34 students in the Chess Club!

A few reminders:

• Our current winter season finishes the week of March 10th .
  

• Spring clubs begin on March 24 when we return from spring break.
  

• If you signed up your student for a club that begins at 4:30 pm, but is not in a club at 3:30 pm, you must pick up your student and return them to Adventure Elementary at 4:30 pm so they can attend their club. We do not have the availability for students to wait until their club begins as we have limited staff available.
• UNLESS you have spoken to Ms. Xochitl and made arrangements with her.
• If there is no school, we do not have clubs.
• If your student misses 3 times, we will remove them from the program and we will reach out to students that are on the waitlist.
• We will notify families if we have space available in our clubs.

Thank you all so much for all of your support and for encouraging your students to be in our after-school programs! Please direct any questions to Xochitl Ruiz at ruizx@mapleton.us

Our next PIE meeting is TODAY (Friday, February 21 at 8:15). Please join us!

Thank you to Jazmin, Deja, Courtney, Celina, Claudia, Laura, and Paige for treating all students to a special Valentine last week! 500 hearts is no small project, thank you for all your time and effort to make the day special for each and every student!

Also, our PIE has their own brand new Facebook page! The purpose is for members to communicate and coordinate school projects and events. Please join!

Originally from Guatemala, Ms. Tania moved to Colorado years ago. She joined the Adventure staff in March of 2024, but her Mapleton roots go back much earlier than that. Ms. Tania graduated from Skyview High School and worked at Western Hills a long time ago. Since then, she's held different roles in both the Adams 12 and Adams 14 district before returning to us at Adventure. This year, Ms. Tania supports students in the primary grades, mostly the 1st graders.

Her passion for education is closed tied to her values of bilingualism, diversity, and relationships. She says, "I absolutely love the fact that we are a dual language school. I feel like it is extremely valuable for students to learn a second language." Ms. Tania is an outgoing person who quickly builds relationships with students and families. She is proud to maintain contact with former students, having attended their graduations, weddings, baby showers, and other important life celebrations.

Ms. Tania proudly identifies as a HUGE book nerd and spends lots of her free time reading. She is proud to have become a US citizen with her father in 2017. She believes her biggest accomplishment is her adult daughter who is getting married in June 2025.

Email: kopperuds@mapleton.us
Website: https://adventure.mapleton.us/
Location: 7725 Conifer Road, Denver, CO, USA
Phone: (303)853-1410