CFL March Family Newsletter

See what's happening at CFL

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Mission and Vision Statements

Garfield 16 Overarching Mission Statement:

As a result of our efforts, all students will be successfully prepared for life in a safe and nurturing environment.

Our School Mission Statement:

Engage ~Empower~Improve

Our School Vision Statement:

Our vision is that all graduating first graders leave CFL as critically thinking young citizens with strong academic and social/emotional foundations

A Note from Mrs. Frees

Happy March Families,

Happy March! I hope you are as excited as I am about the spring weather on the way. It is a great time to be outside and get fresh air. Outside exercise such as, taking a walk, playing with friends, siblings or pets, going to the park are great activities for your child to engage in. I have also reminded students that another way to be ready for the school day is to get a good night's sleep.

Research shows that elementary students need 8-12 hours of sleep a night.

As a parent and educator, I am concerned about how vulnerable our children are when it comes to the internet and social media. Many of our children are becoming very knowledgeable about ALL the new social media programs available, some which are not safe or appropriate. I have heard about some very concerning sites and Apps. Common Sense Media is a great resource for you to stay knowledgeable. All children need guidance about being cyber safe. We teach it at school and I would encourage parents to talk about cyber safety at home and periodically browse histories on phones, computers and tablets.

Attendance Update:

I would like to bring to your attention the importance of regular attendance for your child's academic success. Consistent attendance is crucial for maintaining a positive learning environment and ensuring that your child doesn't miss out on valuable instruction and collaborative activities.

Please make an effort to ensure that your child attends school regularly and arrives on time. If there are any concerns or challenges affecting your child's attendance, please do not hesitate to reach out to us. We are here to support and work with you to address any issues that may arise.

Lastly, I want to express my sincere thanks to our parents that took time to support during our recent field work. Your involvement greatly enriched the experience for our students. From supervision to engaging with the kids, your commitment is truly appreciated. We are fortunate to have such dedicated parents like you. Your contributions make a real difference, and we look forward to more opportunities for collaboration in the future.

With gratitide,

Kim Frees

Attendance Information

Parent Teacher Conferences

Parent-Teacher Conferences are just around the corner, and we are eager to discuss your child's progress and achievements with you. For the Monday, April 1st conference, teachers will reach out to you if you need to attend. We will meet with parents of students that are on READ plans. However if you would like to visit with your child's teacher and don't get an invite don't hesitate to reach out and set up a time to meet with your child's teacher.

Conferences provide a valuable opportunity for us to collaborate on your child's progress toward their READ plan goals. Teachers will reach out to you and invite you if your child is on a READ Plan. We encourage you to actively participate, ask questions, and share any insights you may have about your child's learning.

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Intervention News

Spring is in the air. It seems like it will never come, but yet, here it is. The crisp cool weather, rain, and birds chirping. It is a wonderful time of renewal.

This Spring I hope you can find time to enjoy the outdoors with your child. Did you know that exploring, and enjoying nature are a wonderful way to build vocabulary and early literacy skills with your child? If you do get a chance to go for a short walk with your child, talk to them about the signs of spring. Show them the buds on the trees. Maybe you will even see footprints from some animals you don’t normally see. This is also a great time for younger learners to practice letter sounds. For example, if you see some birds you can ask them what sound they hear at the beginning of the word bird. Older children can work on blends, like the fl at the beginning of the word flower.

I encourage you to find a nice spring afternoon and spend a few minutes with your child. I promise you it will be worth it in more ways than one.

Sincerely,

Melissa Bradley

Reading Interventionist CFL

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Spring is just weeks away and our school year is more than half over! We are working harder than ever to grow in our bilingual journey!

We will continue working on our vocabulary and other skills until the last day of school. Your children have come so far and as I have said before they have grown so much and I absolutely love teaching them.

***Bilingual brains function akin to a “super storage box,” capable of housing vast linguistic knowledge and retrieving words and phrases as needed. This empowers ELLs to excel in tasks requiring working memory, attention control, and language comprehension.

See the attachment for 5 ways to practice reading at home.

Thank you again,

Melanie Kerrigan ELL~ CFL

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Counselor News

February has been filled with listening skills across the school! Your students have practiced the school wide "show me 5" skill, what a good listener looks like, and how a good listener avoids distractions. March will be filled with SEL lessons around emotions. This month we will be talking about emotional recognition in ourselves and others as well as coping skills when we feel these emotions. Lunch Bunch groups have been having so much fun talking about being a friendship leader! Ask your students about their friendship skills! If you have any questions or concerns regarding SEL and school counseling, please feel free to contact me!

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What's Happening in PE at CFL

Hello CFL Families,

Students will continue to have the opportunity to work as a team in a variety of games and activities. We will progress our skills into striking with objects (Baseball). Please remember that your kid needs a pair of tennis shoes to be safe in the gym everyday. I have a few shoes that can be borrowed during class if they need them. As always, thank you for sending your kiddos to school everyday and reach out to me with any questions.

-Mr. Cora

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Goal Setting at CFL

At CFL all students, preschool through first grade, set individual literacy goals. When they meet their goal they sign their name on a frog and put it up on their class lily pad. The lily pads hang in our hallway and we are excited to see them filled up with goal frogs.

We set a school goal of students meeting 300 goals. We are more than halfway there! Great job students! Keep up the great work!

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Music News

Hello CFL Families!

Can you believe we are almost to Spring Break?? This year has been flying by and it has definitely been filled with adventure and so much learning!

We are starting to practice for our Spring Concert which promises to be filled with a lot of amazing things!

1st graders are working on "Australia ABCs" and Kindergarteners are working on songs to help tell the story of "Harold and the Purple Crayon!"

Our concert will be on April 18th at 6pm for Kindergarten and 7pm for 1st grade.

More information about our concert will be coming home after we return from Spring Break.

As alway, if you have any questions please feel free to reach out! I would love to hear from you!

Musically,

Mrs. Volk

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Pre-School News

Dear Preschool Families,

Mathematics is all around us, and at preschool age, children are beginning to explore the wonders of numbers, counting, and quantities. Here are three strategies you can use at home to help support your preschooler's development in rote counting and identifying quantities:

1. Counting Everyday Objects:

Encourage your child to count everyday objects around the house. Whether it's counting toys, crayons, or pieces of fruit, this hands-on approach helps reinforce the concept of counting and understanding quantities. As your child counts, provide praise and encouragement to boost their confidence.

2. Number Games and Activities:

Make learning math fun by incorporating number games and activities into your daily routine. Use flashcards with numbers or create your own counting games. For instance, you can hide objects around the house and have your child find and count them. Matching games with numbers and objects also help reinforce the connection between numerals and quantities.

3. Math Through Play:

Utilize toys and games that promote counting and quantity identification. Building blocks, puzzles, and board games that involve counting or sorting can be excellent tools for learning math while playing. Encourage your child to count blocks as they stack them or sort toys by color and count each group.

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We are thrilled to announce that Universal Preschool Enrollment (UPK) is now open for the 2024/2025 academic year.You may start the registration on Feb. 29th at 12 pm. To learn more about UPK and to begin the enrollment process for your child, please visit the official UPK website:https://upk.colorado.gov/ Here, you will find comprehensive information about the program, eligibility criteria, enrollment procedures, and more. Click on the link to learn more-UPK_2024-25FamilyHandbook_V1_Approved_02282024

If you have any questions, please feel free to call our front office for more information.

Important Upcoming Dates-

Coffee with the Principals-March 1st 8:00-8:45 Join us at CFL for coffee and pastries

Spring Break-March 19-22nd

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