AES Community Connection 6/6/24

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Thank you all for an incredible school year! It has been a joy and a privilege to work with so many wonderful students and families. The growth we have seen academically, socially and emotionally has been unbelievable. Our students are thriving at AES.

Over the summer we anticipate receiving our letter of authorization for the IB Primary Years Programme. I will be sure to share this news with everyone once we have received it. Speaking of over the summer, be sure to keep your students' skills sharpened with our at home Summer Learning Experiences. See below for links and details.

Please be sure to check your child's backpack this afternoon for STAR and DIBELS end of the year data reports. Report cards will be available in PowerSchool on Monday, June 10th. Finally, be sure to return all library books ASAP. Thank you!

Thursday's Spirit Day is Rainbow Day!

Have a wonderful summer holiday!

~Ashley

• Thursday, June 6 - Last Day of School, 4th grade Clap-Out, regular dismissal at 3:00 PM
• Monday, June 10 - Report Cards available in PowerSchool
• Monday, August 12 - Class placement posted in PowerSchool
• Monday, August 21 - 1st day of School
• Thursday, September 5 - Back to School Night
• Tuesday, September 17 - Boosterthon Fun Run

Click here for the 24-25 School Year Calendar... Please mark your calendar and plan your vacations accordingly. This year, one of our School Improvement goals is to REDUCE high absenteeism. Please prioritize your child's attendance at school .

Please pay all of your student fees and lunch balances!! You can pay through e-Funds, bring cash or check into Virginia, or call Virginia with a Credit Card to ring over the phone.

We distributed Yearbooks on June 3rd! We have a limited number still available to sell, so when we are out we are out. You can pay Virginia or Carrie at the front desk with cash or check, or Virginia can help with a CC. First come, first served!

HUGE thank yous from all the staff and students to the PTO and parent volunteers for making Field Day SO MUCH FUN!!!

Click HERE for a video of some of the action!

C in 2nd Grade: "Miss Ashley, I just love this school!" Giggle giggle "What!? I can't lie!" :)

This is an annual award presented to one Aspen Elementary School Parent. This award has been created in honor of Dawn Pendarvis, a mother of three children in our school who passed away on December 25, 2014. Dawn’s presence at school was a gift to all the teachers that she supported. Dawn’s way of volunteering was special! She was a volunteer willing to serve unconditionally and had no agenda of her own. She flew under the radar. We celebrate her with this award.

Thank you to Vanessa Adam and all of this year's nominees: Allison Mangelsen, Emily Farrell, Kirsten Schmit, Lauren Waldron, Liz Bollinger, Mae Bory, Meredith Musselman, Stacy Vidamour, and Tess Weaver.

It's hard to believe we are at the end of this school year! Aspen Elementary School is excited to offer the Summer Learning Experience again this summer.

CLICK ON the links below to access the information to print.

Please have your child return the reading, math and SEL sheets back in the fall to the front office. Lexia and Symphony math are still available to your child over the summer for reading and math. If your child DOES NOT KNOW how to log in at home, please reach out to your classroom teacher before the year ends!

We will have a big celebration with an ice cream party, extra recess and Paradise Bakery is partnering with us again with a FREE cookie card.

Click below for direction for the Learning Experience and the Reading and SEL:

AES SUMMER LEARNING EXPERIENCE

Click below for the appropriate math packet for your grade:

AES Incoming 1st Grade Math Road Trip

AES Incoming 2nd Grade Math Road Trip

AES Incoming 3rd Grade Math Road Trip

AES Incoming 4th Grade Math Road Trip

If you need support printing these documents, please reach out to your classroom teacher or Meg Dangler mdangler@aspenk12.net

Click HERE for the Summer Slump Slide Deck.

Click HERE for the Summer Slump Presentation in English.

Click HERE for the Summer Slump Presentation in Spanish.

Just in! AES blanket- great for Field Games, Picnics, Camping, Gifts, or just keep handy in your car! Available for purchase in at the front office.

Connect! Social, Emotional and Ethical After School Program

Registration is open for the 2024-2025 school year for students in grades K-4.

Connect! is a cumulative program and each session has a different curriculum

Session #1 – Exploring Kindness – September 10 – October 10

Session #2 – Building Resiliency – October 15 – November 21

Session #3 – Strengthening Attention/Self Awareness – January 7- February 6

Connect! meets at Aspen Elementary School from 3:15-5:15

Students may sign up for either Tuesday OR Thursday session.

(3:15-3:45 is outdoor/snack time which allows students from other schools to join

us in time for the first lesson)

Tuition is $150 per session and scholarships are available.

Please go to the Connect! website to find out more information and register. Registration is on a first come/first serve basis. We will post on the website if/when a session is full.

https://sites.google.com/view/kidsconnect/home

Hope to see you in the fall!

Elaine Bonds and Mimi Hauenstein, Co-Executive Directors

Summer camp for kids 6-16 years old.

Scholarships available.

Please click HERE to see the flyer with more information!

Click HERE for the flyer in Spanish.

Click HERE for the website.

Students will be planting the AES Magical Garden this Spring! We are looking for families who would like to commit to caring for the Magical Garden for a week or two during the summer. The garden has irrigation. Responsibilities will include weeding, caring for plants and harvesting as available. There will also be beds available for additional planting. If interested, please reach out to abodkins@aspenk12.net. I'd LOVE to see this garden GROW!

AES Current Pledges:

Kindergarten Status - 22 Pledges
1st Grade Status - 40 Pledges
2nd Grade Status - 20 Pledges
3rd Grade Status - 22 Pledges
4th Grade Status - 32 Pledges

Please click HERE or HERE for the link to a video of the presentation with Brooke Shannon founder of Wait Until 8th.

I am ready to take the pledge to Wait Until 8th to delay giving my child a cell phone!

Sign up here

Are you about to say yes to a phone?

Smartphone Alternatives

Good digital training guides to get your child ready

Does your kid have a phone already and you need help?

Wait Until 8th Phone Plan

My kid just got an iPhone. Help!

Are you about to say yes to social media or need help managing it as a family?

Social media guide

Great Organizations!

Protect Young Eyes (Christian)

Defend Young Minds

Books on parenting in a digital age

The Surgeon General thoughts on Social Media & Kids

Good to read with your kid - Harry Potter and the Magical Phone

Good to watch

The Social Dilemma

Childhood 2.0

Cost of Beauty - Dove Self Esteem Project (only a few minutes long but super powerful)

Monitoring services /filters/ tech help

Gryphon Router

Bark technologies

Canopy

Please consider making a donation to our nonprofit so we can help more families delay the smartphone!

Follow Wait Until 8th on:

Instagram Facebook Twitter

www.waituntil8th.org

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

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!

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 is now following 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.

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. More details below.

Here 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

AES has had a longstanding relationship with AVSC and their youth ski programs. We have a number of students who are practicing on weekdays. In order to ensure that we have the most accurate and current information, please complete this form. Students must maintain good standing in regard to academics, behavior and attendance. Please reach out to Ashley with any questions.

Please join our staff for virtual parent/caregiver information sessions from 12:00-1:00 on the dates listed below. Please click on the date for the link to the Google Meet.

Other dates...Topics TBD

Jan 11, Jan 25

Feb 8, Feb 22

Mar 7, Mar 21

Apr 11, Apr 25

May 9, May 23

Missed a session? Click below to view.

Nov 9- School Safety and Social Emotional Learning at AES. Please click HERE to see the video of this presentation.

Sept 21 - Assessment Overview and Curriculum Updates. Please Click HERE to see the video of this presentation.

Oct 12 - IB Primary Years Programme overview. Pleas click HERE to see the video of this presentation. Click HERE for the slideshow.

Getting your child to read is not always an easy task. But, by allowing them to choose what they are reading, and asking questions that encourage them to interact with the text, you are helping them see books as FUN.

The benefits of reading 20 minutes a day are abundant and worth the time. Make reading 20 minutes a day a priority to improve test scores, grow vocabulary, build empathy for others, decrease stress, and increase your sleep. That is a win-win.

At AES not all teachers require a nightly reading log, however if you are interested in keeping your own, please reach out to your teacher for suggestions.

Mark your calendars and reach out to Virginia to volunteer!

Click HERE for the flyer.

The International Baccalaureate® (IB) learner profile describes a broad range of human capacities and responsibilities that go beyond academic success.

They imply a commitment to help all members of the school community learn to respect themselves, others and the world around them.

Each of the IB's programme's is committed to the development of students according to the IB learner profile.

The profile aims to develop learners who are:

• Inquirers
• Knowledgeable
• Thinkers
• Communicators
• Principled
• Open-minded
• Caring
• Risk-takers
• Balanced
• Reflective

This month as a school we are focusing on being a Risk Taker. Students and staff can "catch" someone demonstrating any of the learner profiles and write them a ticket. Tickets are read on the morning announcements and posted on a wall in the school.

We love our volunteers! The Aspen School District requires our volunteers get fingerprinted. We are back up and running to do fingerprinting in the District Office. Please use THIS LINK to schedule an appointment at the DO.

Here is the Board of Education approved 2023-24 Aspen School District Calendar and information about Early Release Days.

Early Release

Early Release Days have been added back to the calendar. Early release times are as follows:

1:15 PM Aspen Elementary School

2:00 PM Aspen Middle School

2:00 PM Aspen High School

Tenille and the amazing lunch crew at AES are in need of parent volunteers to help serve lunch. This is a wonderful way to help the school staff and get a glimpse of the AES lunchtime in action! There are two time slots available each day, 11:00-12:00 or 11:50-12:40, with two volunteers each. So, grab a friend and sign up for shift HERE!

All students were assessed an $85 supply fee and a $25 technology fee on August 16th for the 2023/24 school year. The supply fee covers all the supplies your student will need for the year. You will not receive a list of items you need to purchase. We are asking that all current and outstanding fees be paid by August 31st. These can be paid through e~Funds or by check or cash in the front office. If you have questions regarding payments please reach out to Virginia.

FREE & REDUCED LUNCH
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 for English click HERE.
To access the application and instructions for Spanish click HERE

You must complete the application and submit it to finance@aspenk12.net or drop it off at the District Office or Admin Office at the school.

School begins promptly at 8am. Students arrive on campus at 7:45 AM. Please make sure your child arrives on time, as this sets them up for a successful day.

Please be sure to make travel plans that coincide with our school breaks. Elementary students thrive when learning is in person with their teacher and classmates. Families will be notified of excessive tardies and/or absences.

At AES our essential agreements guide the way we behave and interact with others throughout our school in every setting. This year, we've adopted the SKIER acronym as a way to frame our essential agreements school wide. We hope that you will reinforce these positive attributes with your child at home.

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