Alpenglow School Newsletter
December 2024/January 2025
Home of the Snow Leopard
Mission: It is the mission of the Alpenglow Elementary School staff to create confident learners for academic and social success.
Vision: Kids come first at Alpenglow
Land Acknowledgment
We acknowledge that our school is on the traditional lands of the Dena'ina People of Upper Cook Inlet. For thousands of years, the Dena'ina People have continued to be the stewards of this land. ASD is committed to diversity and inclusion, and it is with honor and respect that we recognize all Indigenous people who live and learn in our community.
It’s hard to believe that the school year is already halfway over, and the holiday season is upon us! Time certainly flies when you enjoy what you do and the company you keep. There is a lot of festivity and excitement during this time of year, and our minds and bodies eagerly await the upcoming two-week break from school.
Visiting classrooms and observing students interacting with each other and their teachers while applying their new learning has been rewarding. There is still plenty of learning happening. Please take a moment to remind your student to stay focused on their schoolwork and to follow our positive school-wide behavior expectations: Be Safe, Be Respectful and Kind, Be Responsible, and Be Ready, both in the classroom and on the playground. Our children will truly benefit from your continued support and encouragement at home.
As we embrace the final few weeks of the first semester, I look forward to the New Year. This time of year allows us to reflect on our past successes and accomplishments, to look forward, and to make new resolutions. My door is always open; please stop by and say hello.
Wishing you a happy December, a joyful holiday season, a pleasant winter break, and a happy New Year. The next newsletter will be sent out in February.
Denise Demetree-Trombley
Principal, Alpenglow
Would you like to show appreciation or recognize a staff member for their outstanding work? You can do so HERE. These acknowledgments will be shared with the staff members and will uplift them.
Play is Essential, No Matter the Weather
Now that winter is in full swing, please give reminders and encouragement daily to have your child prepared for and dressed appropriately for the weather.
More days than not, we go outside for recess unless the temperature is below -10 degrees. It is important that students come to school with the appropriate winter gear.
To maintain students’ safety during recess and to share expectations.
10 degrees or below ALL students must have proper gear
Kinder, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd graders all the time, every time
4th and 5th graders, depending on temperature, natural consequences MIGHT be appropriate
Is this a myth or a fact? “Absences are only a problem if they are consecutive.”
It’s a myth!
The cumulative effect of lost instructional time is what really matters. Studies indicate that just two or three nonconsecutive absences per month can significantly impact a student’s ability to succeed in school.
Every day counts! Good attendance is essential for success.
**Attendance Reminders**
The first bell rings at 8:50 a.m. on Mondays and 7:50 a.m. on Tuesdays through Fridays. Students should enter through their designated grade-level door.
School begins at 7:00 a.m. on Mondays and at 8:00 a.m. on Tuesdays through Fridays. Students who arrive after the bell rings are considered tardy and must stop by the front office to obtain an admission slip before heading to class.
If your student will be absent, please call 742-3300 or email us at alpenglowoffice@asdk12.org.
Attendance rate - Our goal is 95% attendance.
October 92.7%
November 92%
December has just begun, and we can hit 95%. #BePresentBePowerful
As winter is upon us, we can expect more snowfall, which will soon crowd our streets and parking lots, creating additional challenges. Icy conditions will also become a concern—no pun intended. One of the busiest times on our campus is during the arrival and dismissal of close to 300 students.
We need your help to practice and follow proper driving etiquette.
If you need to exit your vehicle, please park in the designated lot. Parking in front of the building impedes traffic flow.
Refer to the 2024-25 Arrival and Dismissal Map for guidance.
Do not block the crosswalk.
Pull all the way forward when dropping off or picking up your child.
Observe the speed limit of 5 mph.
Be patient.
Always model the behavior you want to see.
Stay aware of your surroundings.
Using your cell phone and making U-turns are unsafe and illegal in a school zone. Please inform others who may be driving your child about these safe drop-off and pick-up guidelines.
Remember, the staff and volunteers are parents just like you, and they want to ensure that all students arrive and depart safely. Your continued cooperation is essential for keeping our students and community safe.
Please check out the 24/25 DROP-OFF AND PICK-UP Guidelines for more information and a map for reference.
In an effort to encourage students to read, this month in the library we are having a December reading challenge! Students can enter as many times as they earn an entry! To earn an entry a student needs to read a book with any of the following:
- green or red lettering on the cover
- about a holiday in December
- about family traditions
- about animals
- about trees
- about loving, caring, or sharing
- that has a song in it
- that has a recipe in it. Bonus entry if you make the recipe!
- that became a movie
- About a winter sport
- That has won a Caldecott or other award
There are green forms outside the library that they can fill out. It does require a parent’s signature verifying that they have read the book or had the book read to them in December this year.
The students can turn their forms into the box on my desk anytime that works for them and their teacher – before school/after school or doing their library time.
On December 19 I will do a random drawing for K -2 and one for 3 -5 and the winner will receive a Squishmallow! There will only be 1 winner for each of the half of the school. I did go over that there will only be 1 winner several times in class, but there may be some sorrow if they do not win.
Happy Reading!
Kids Heart Challenge kicked off! We are excited to learn how to keep our hearts healthy & happy while raising lifesaving donations for the American Heart Association to fight America’s #1 killer, heart disease! Check out our VIRTUAL ENVELOPE to learn more. Thank you for being a Heart Hero!
- Sign up TODAY at www.heart.org/schools
- Start Finn’s Mission in your HQ to learn Hands-Only CPR.
KHC GOALS & CELEBRATIONS:
The class with the most registered students will get an AHA Sleeping Dragon Clip for everyone in the class. Ms. Neff’s Class is currently in the lead.
Students who complete Finn’s Mission will earn their AHA Hero Cape and be entered into the Western States regional drawing for two tickets to the 2026 Super Bowl.
When 18 students complete Finn’s Mission, our school will be entered into the Western States regional drawing for a $10,000 NFL PE equipment giveaway.
So far, Alpenglow has had 33 students registered online, and five have completed Finn's Mission! We just need 13 more to be entered to win a PE equipment giveaway!
Our students have already raised $1,187.74 to fund research, patient care, innovation, health equity, education, and community outreach.
Let's keep up the good work and reach our goal of raising $3000.
We are now fully into respiratory virus season (colds, flu, covid, RSV, etc). In an effort to keep our students healthy, please keep your child home from school if they have any of the following symptoms:
Fever over 100.4
Vomiting
Diarrhea more than twice in one day
Severe cold symptoms where they are unable to concentrate on school, or risk making their classmates ill
We will call you to pick up your child if they exhibit any of the symptoms above during the school day. Students that have fevers, vomiting, or diarrhea should stay home for 24 hours after symptoms have cleared without the use of medications such as Tylenol (acetaminophen) or ibuprofen.
If your child needs cough drops at school, please contact me at netter_sally@asdk12.org or 907-742-3304. Per ASD policy, students cannot carry cough drops (or any other medications) in their backpacks for personal use. Cough drops must be dropped off by a parent/guardian, in their original container, unexpired, and with a form signed by a parent authorizing their use. I am happy to walk you through this process and send you the correct form.
Sally Netter, RN
School Nurse
Alpenglow Elementary School
907-742-3304
Please consider being a school volunteer for the 24/25 school year. Our students can greatly benefit from your involvement and contributions to the school’s program and operations. Complete the Volunteer Form to get started. Applications must be approved before you can get started. So, don't delay, fill out the application today.
We seek volunteers to help us with the following activities:
Parent/Teacher Association (PTA)
Teacher-led instructional support, usually in the classroom
Reading with children who need extra help
School-wide events
We always invite parents and community members to join our Parent-Teacher Association. By joining, you are helping make Alpenglow a better place. You will work together with teachers to volunteer in classrooms, raise money for school supplies, and generally support the school’s efforts to provide the very best for our students. And, students perform better at school when you are involved. When parents and teachers become part of the same team, student learning improves. If you are interested in joining our PTA, click the link below.
