Trailside Academy

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First graders recently hosted a Celebration of Learning for their families! They studied tools and work, and read the book, The Magnificent Thing by Ashley Spires. They then invented their own tool and brought it to life using recycled materials. Well done, first grade!

As we settle in to November, learning in classrooms continues to deepen. Teachers and school leaders have been noticing the growth students have been making as they take on more challenging work and read complex texts. Kindergarteners are beginning to sound out CVC words, and 3rd-8th graders have all written at least one multi-paragraph essay. We are grateful to our teachers, who plan and execute lessons each day that guide students forward in their learning journey.

We know that students can sometimes provide one-word answers when their families try to ask them about the school day. We encourage you to connect to your child's classroom on Bloomz, where teachers frequently post updates about the work students are doing at school. That can help you ask more specific questions to open up conversations with your children at home. Some other prompts include:

• Tell me about a project (or assignment) you are working on.
• Who did you play with at recess today?
• Did you have any questions for your teacher today?
• What did you learn today that surprised you?
• What is a challenging concept you are learning about?

We are also grateful for Trailside families, our students' first and primary teachers. Thank you for your ongoing partnership and support. We are CREW.

We are so fortunate to have the financial support of the 21st Century Community Learning Center grant! But the grant alone cannot serve the breadth of students at Trailside. We are hoping to expand club offerings in second semester by hosting some volunteer led and organized clubs! Do you have a special talent, interest or hobby to share? Or maybe just time to support another club after school?

The next session of clubs will start in January and will run for 6 weeks. Clubs run from 3-4:15pm. Kelly Dent, our grant coordinator, will create rosters, order supplies and support volunteers with club execution and management. Volunteers can select the ages of students they would like to support! Club leaders will need to complete the Volunteer Application, including a background check. Complete this quick form to get started, or check out the flyer below for some ideas!

• Nov. 15 at 8:15am - PIE Meeting
• Nov. 21 - Leader of the Pack Assemblies
• Nov. 22 - Kindergarten Field Work to NCAR
• Nov. 22 - Preschool No School (Childcare Open)
• Nov. 25-29 - No School (Thanksgiving Break)
• Dec. 6 - 2nd grade Field Work to DMNS
• Dec. 13 - 3rd grade Field Work to the Aquarium
• Dec. 13 - 6th grade Field Work to CO History Center
• Dec. 18 - 6th grade Field Work to DMNS
• Dec. 18 - SAAC Meeting for Families at 5:30pm
• Dec. 19 - Leader of the Pack Assemblies
• Dec. 20 - Winter Parties
• Dec. 23-Jan. 7 - No School (Winter Break)
• Jan. 8 - Students Return

Last week brought the first snow of the season! As you experienced, if schools are closed or delayed due to weather, and email will be sent to all families. We will also post communication on Bloomz. Sometimes, we might experience a 2 hour delayed start. That 2 hour delay includes our tuition preschool program which would open at 8:45am. Our YMCA partners will also be delayed by 2 hours, so they will open at 8:30am.

Please make sure your students are prepared with warm coats, hats and gloves or mittens! We will play outside at recess as long as the "feels like" temperature is above 24 degrees Fahrenheit and the precipitation would not soak students. We encourage you to label your belongings with your students' name! On days where the sun is shining, many students take off their coats and forget to bring them inside. When belongings are labeled, we can help get them back to your student.

To that end, our lost and found is overflowing! Come stop by the main entrance to see if any items belong to your student. Items remaining in lost and found after December 20th will be donated.

Ms. Stephanie's preschool students explore pumpkins in October as part of their unit studying farms!

Please join Trailside PIE in the cafeteria tomorrow, November 15, at 8:15am! Grab a donut and hear about upcoming opportunities to support our school community. All are welcome to share ideas, hear about upcoming events and help plan the rest of the school year!

Trailside attendance has still been a strong point this year. Although we did see a small dip in attendance last month, we are well above our averages from last year. Shout out to 2nd and 3rd grades, who had the highest attendance rates in October!

As the weather gets colder and we approach the holidays, please remember that every day still counts. Any day out of school means students are missing valuable learning and community time. Please plan trips around the school calendar to allow for continued great attendance. We look forward to seeing every Timberwolf here every day!

As part of Mapleton's ongoing efforts to improve student attendance, automated phone calls now go out to each family of a student with an unexcused absence. Please continue to alert our front office if your student will be absent, by calling 303.853.3043 or emailing TrailsideOffice@mapleton.us.

Operation Freebird

Operation Freebird will take place on Saturday, November 23, from 10am to 2pm at Mountain States Toyota's overflow lot on 70th and Broadway. The event is hosted by Adams County Sheriff and Mountain States Toyota. Residents in need are welcome to attend, with no registration or sign-up required. Each household can receive one box of food but may not pick up boxes on behalf of others. Alongside the food distribution, various community groups and county services will be available to offer free medical and dental screenings, flu shots, mental health resources, housing assistance, educational services, and more.

Mapleton Holiday Shop

Sponsored by the Mapleton Education Foundation, the Holiday Shop provides invited families with the opportunity to shop for gifts while their children participate in fun activities. We will be hosting a gift drive at Trailside to support the MEF Holiday Shop! You can also give your time by volunteering in the Holiday Shop on Saturday, December 14th. Sign up here! Please bring new, unwrapped items to the front office by Friday, December 6th.

• Toys (ages 0-18)
• Hats
• Gloves
• Coats
• Socks
• Hygiene Products
• Wrapping Paper
• Large/Oversized Gift Bags
• Gift Cards

Email: TrailsideOffice@mapleton.us

Director: Jessie Massey, masseyj@mapleton.us
Website: www.mapleton.us/trailsideacademy
Location: 2300 West 67th Place, Denver, CO, USA
Phone: (303)853-3040