AES Community Connection 12/9/24

A huge shout-out to our amazing PTO for hosting a holiday happy hour for the AES staff last week! It was such a joyful occasion to celebrate the season together. We’re also incredibly grateful for their generosity in funding teacher wish lists through the funds raised during the Boosterthon.

The Flamingo was another wild success this year! We are deeply thankful to the AES families who serve on the Aspen Education Foundation (AEF) Executive Committee and Board of Directors, as well as the many generous donors who support education in Aspen. At Aspen Elementary School, AEF funding enriches our students’ experiences by supporting the IB Primary Years Programme, Outdoor Education, Mr. G Science in Schools, and our second school counselor. These contributions make a tremendous impact, ensuring we can provide these exceptional opportunities for all students.

I am thrilled to proudly share that two of our teachers, Katie Fox and Carrie Devlin, were awarded National Board certification and re-certification. National Board Certification is the most respected professional certification available in education and provides numerous benefits to teachers, students and schools. It was designed to develop, retain and recognize accomplished teachers and to generate ongoing improvement in schools nationwide. Congratulations to both of these outstanding educators. Other teachers at AES who are National Board Certified include: Jeff White, Jamie Mahaffey, Lauren Micheli, Kerry McGonigle and Ada Friedman.

It was so exciting to see the "Best of..." in the Aspen Times this weekend and recognize so many of our parents for their outstanding contributions to the community. Of course, we’re especially proud of our three AES teachers who were honored: Trevor Root (winner), Beth Wille (finalist), and Jenny Beltman (finalist)! We also had our very own Jeff White as the finalist for the Best of Farmer's Market for Aspen Kettle Corn.

As we head deeper into the holiday season, please remember that while this time can bring joy, fun, and family togetherness, it may also bring stress and anxiety for some children due to changes in routines or high expectations. As caregivers, your role in providing stability is essential. You can support your children by maintaining routines, managing expectations, creating a calm and safe environment, and practicing self-care. It’s also important to prioritize school attendance during this season. Events like Outdoor Education and holiday celebrations are integral parts of our school program, and we value the unique learning opportunities they provide.

I’m looking forward to seeing you all on Tuesday evening for Family Literacy Night and the Book Fair.

Wishing you a wonderful week ahead!

Warm regards,

Ashley Bodkins

Normal Weekday Schedule for AES:

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 8:00-3:15

Wednesdays 8:00-1:45

EVERY WEDNESDAY IS EARLY RELEASE AT 1:45!

Monday, December 9- Friday, December 13th- Scholastic Bookfair

Tuesday, December 10 - Family Literacy Night and Scholastic Book Fair 4-7:00 pm- more info below! Spirit Wear sales too! (accepting cash, check, or mobile payments)

Thursday, December 12 - High Mountain Harmony- Choir Concert 5:30 District Theater

Friday, December 13 - Festive Friday - Long Winter’s Nap… wear holiday pajamas

Friday, December 20 - Festive Friday - Festive Friday! Go all out with sweaters, hats, socks or dress as a favorite holiday character.

December 23- January 3- Happy Winter Break- No School!

Monday, January 13- PTO Meeting AES Conference room or virtual with THIS link.

Swim Weeks: Your child's swim day will be the day they have Physical Education

• Dec 16-20
• Jan 27-31
• Feb 24-28
• Mar 17-21
• Apr 14-18

Looking Ahead: 3rd and 4th grade CMAS testing

Thursday, April 17th, Monday, April 21 and Tuesday, April 22

Please do not schedule appointments or vacations during this window. Thank you!

Tommorrow is Family Literacy Night, a time to come together and celebrate the power of reading and learning as a family. Sharing stories, exploring books, and enjoying learning moments at home builds strong bonds and supports your child’s success.

Join us in making reading a daily family activity! Whether it’s a bedtime story, a family trip to the library, or writing a story together, every moment counts. Let’s inspire a lifelong love of learning—together!

Take some time to check out our Literacy Landing for Families to learn more about the resources we use for instruction as well as some curated resources for home support!

The AES Literacy team will have tables set up in the lobby for you to come and explore our literacy resources and ask questions of our experts!

Please click HERE for the flyer in Spanish!

Our AES Spirit Wear makes great gifts! We will be taking cash, check, and mobile forms of payment! (Venmo, Apple Pay, Google Pay and PayPal) When paying with cash or check there is no fee. Fees are associated with all forms of mobile payment.

AES is proud to announce that it will be partnering with LIFT-UP for a food drive during the first two weeks of December. LIFT-UP is an organization that works to provide access to fresh, healthy, and sustainable food for members of our community. In 2023, LIFT-UP saw an increase in the number of meals served in the Roaring Fork and Colorado River Valleys of over 128% and there has been an additional increase of 60% thus far in 2024 as food insecurity continues to grow in our area.

Please read THIS FLYER for more information on the food items that are needed. You can bring them anytime to the front office!

Has your child missed 6 or more days of school? If so, they are at risk for chronic absenteeism. Missing more than 2 days of school per month can put your child at risk academically. If you have questions or concerns about your child's attendance and need support getting them to school, please reach out to Ashley Bodkins or Shea Robinson.

Check out First Graders in action as they work on imaginative ways to help animals cross Highway 82 during their Adaptation unit-thank you to Roaring Fork Safe Passages for the inspiration!

There will be a FREE Covid-19, flu, HepA, MMR, Varicella and DTap and TDap vaccination clinic on Monday, Dec. 16th at the Pitkin County Public Library (120 N Mills St. Aspen Co. 81611) from 1:30pm-5:30pm

Click HERE for the flyer in English.

Click HERE for the flyer in Spanish.

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Olaf the Elf will be visiting Hallam Lake on Wednesday, December 11 from 4-5:30pm. This magical afternoon event is geared toward pre-K through 1st grade students.

This year, ACES' Winter Explorers holiday break camp for students in grades K-4 will be offered on December 30-31 and Jan 2-3.

Flyers for both are below:

Flyer in English & Spanish for Olaf HERE.

Flyer in English & Spanish for Winter Explorers HERE.

Please join AGS Ballet Aspen for their Winter Performance-"Winter Wonderland", on Saturday December 14th, 4 pm in the Aspen District Theater! Please click HERE for the flyer.

We’re excited to announce that registration for Youth Boys Basketball at Aspen Recreation is now open! This program is available for boys in grades 3rd/4th and 5th/6th, with the season running from December 9th through February 27th. Practices will be held on either Monday/Wednesday or Tuesday/Thursday, depending on the team.

Registration Details:

• Open Registration Period: Now through November 25th
• How to Register: Parents can easily sign up by scanning the QR code on the attached poster or by visiting aspenrecreation.com under the "Basketball" section.

Please note, we will be offering basketball for Kindergarten and 1st/2nd grade in the spring season, so stay tuned for those details if interested!

Click HERE for the flyer.

Registration for Spring semester opens December 16 @ 10 am

Accepting scholarship applications and renewals December 2—13th. Scholarship applications are available in English and Spanish at AspenRecreation.com > More Info > Scholarships & Financial Aid

All Aspen area students attending Kindergarten through 4th grade, ages 5—10 years, are eligible to attend.

Afterschool Club, Early Release, and Full Day Camp days must be purchased separately.

Aspen City Camp is an enroll-by-day program for all three programs.

Any questions can be directed to citycampdirector@aspen.gov or Jay Slater at jay.slater@aspen.gov

Click HERE for the flyer in Spanish.

This year, every Wednesday at AES is an early release Wednesday. Students are released for the day at 1:45. Please mark your calendars and prepare accordingly. We will not be sending weekly reminders.

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 and you can get it done up at the District Office connected to the High School.

Below 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

• Academic achievement: Students who attend school regularly are more likely to succeed academically. Research shows that attendance is a strong indicator of success.

• Learning: Students who attend school regularly are able to learn more and participate in classroom discussions and activities. They can ask questions and get clarification from their teachers.
  
• Building relationships: Students who attend school regularly can build relationships with their peers and teachers.
  
• Developing good habits: Regular attendance helps students build routines and develop good habits for the future.
  
• Foundation for learning: School is critical to building a strong foundation for learning that will help students succeed in middle school, high school, and beyond.
  
• Missed opportunities: Each day a student is not in school is a missed opportunity to learn something they will need in order to understand more difficult material later.
  

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 click HERE. If you have any questions or problems please reach out to the finance department, or, if you need a paper form, please reach out to Virginia.

We love dogs!! However, only approved or authorized service animals, including dogs, are allowed on campus. Thank you for respecting our campus guidelines.

Click HERE for the poster in English.

Click HERE for the poster in Spanish.

Join the many AES families who have already taken the pledge to Wait Unitl 8th grade and delay giving children smartphones. Interested in learning more? Click here.

All students were assessed an $85 supply fee and a $25 technology fee on August 15th. If you have not paid your fees yet please do so as soon as possible. The Supply Fee covers all the supplies your child will need for the year. The technology fee covers your child’s device and licenses for the year. These can be paid through e~Funds, or you can bring cash or check attention Virginia to the front office.

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!

Please check in with the front office of the building you are visiting. You will receive a badge and a temporary parking pass. Please make sure your pass is clearly visible on the dashboard of your vehicle. If you do not have a parking pass, your vehicle may get a ticket or be booted.

Parking is available in the middle school lot. The parking lot located behind the high school is for staff only.

• Be sure to stay in your car if you are in the active loading and unloading zone. Parking and walking up to the school is highly discouraged.
• All kindergarten and 1st grade students play on the Little Playground at the side of the building before the bell rings. They will alternate going into the Library if they would like.
• All 2nd, 3rd and 4th grade students will cross the plaza and go down to the Big Playground.
• Students who would like to buy breakfast may enter the front doors and go down to the cafeteria.
• The bell rings at 7:55am for students to line-up and enter the building.

At the end of the day...

• The dismissal bell rings at 3:15pm
• Teachers on duty will walk the pick-up students down to the gate and will wait with children until their ride has arrived. Please do not walk up to the school. This will help to reduce congestion and ensure we have a smooth dismissal.

Adults will be on duty to help direct students to the proper locations.

Alternatives include: stickers, pencils, extra recess, dance party, cards, star student etc.

• 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.
• Volunteer to work in the Cafeteria.
• Click HERE for the latest document from the state about when to exclude students and staff from school/work because of illness. How Sick is too Sick Spanish version.
  
• Please click HERE to see the staff's favorite things!
  
• Order SPIRIT WEAR anytime with this link!

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 follows 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.

Last year, Aspen Elementary School became an authorized International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme. The International Baccalaureate® aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect. To this end the organization works with schools, governments and international organizations to develop challenging programmes of international education and rigorous assessment.

These programmes encourage students across the world to become active, compassionate and lifelong learners who understand that other people, with their differences, can also be right.

Aspen Elementary

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

International Baccalaureatae

The International Baccalaureate® aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect.

To this end the organization works with schools, governments and international organizations to develop challenging programmes of international education and rigorous assessment.

These programmes encourage students across the world to become active, compassionate and lifelong learners who understand that other people, with their differences, can also be right.

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