The Ute Pass Press

Families,

Happy March! We have really enjoyed the warmer temperatures these past couple weeks which have provide increased opportunities for our learners to be outside and learning in their natural environment!

We have several exciting events coming up in the next few weeks! Monday, March 3rd kicks off Read Across America Week. We are celebrating by having a Book Character Dress-Up Day. Students may come to school dressed as their favorite book character. We will have time throughout the day to "Drop Everything and Read". Students are welcome to bring a favorite book from home, or we will provide books in each classroom. That evening, please join us for our rescheduled Spaghetti and Stories event from 4:30-5:30 pm in the UPES gym. We will begin with literacy activities and then enjoy a spaghetti dinner. Every student who attends will receive a free book!

Our amazing UPES Variety Show is happening on March 13th. I spoke about this in the newsletter the past two years, but this is one of the many events that made me fall in love with this little school! As a parent, even when my children were not performing in the show, we would come and watch the Variety Show together, and I am forever blown away by the way our students perform without reservation. It might seem insignificant, but actually speaks so highly of the confidence and the bravery of this generation of future leaders we are building together. I encourage you to attend, even if your own child is not performing! Our PAC will have pizza and snacks available for purchase that evening. Please bring cash if you would like to buy anything. Students participating in the Variety Show will have a rehearsal on Wednesday, March 12th directly after school.

We are very excited to team up with our families for Spring Conferences this month. This is such an important time to discuss your child's strengths, contributions to our school community, and anything we can do to support your child's next steps. To sign up for a conference, please use the following link- Family Conferences or click on the QR code below. When you get to the sign-up, please click on your child's teacher's tab and then sign up for a slot that works for your family. In an effort to allow time for teachers to meet with each student's family, please sign-up for one slot per child only. With the number of slots available, we unfortunately cannot accommodate multiple conferences for each child during the timeframe. Should one family member wish to attend virtually, or if legal paperwork is in place requiring family members to be separated, we can help set that up. We also ask that you utilize the devoted days for conferences rather than asking our incredible staff to schedule conferences before/after school on other days. We appreciate your understanding in order to allow our amazing teachers time to collaborate with each child.

The choice window opened on January 1st for our district. If you are a current out-of-district (choice) family, you do not have to fill out a new application each year, although choice enrollment is reviewed each year by a team to consider attendance, special plans, and behavior. If you know of interested families that are out of district, encourage them to complete a choice application as soon as possible to begin the process of securing a spot at this special little school. All new choice applications must be submitted to Christina Baker at the district office either in person or via email at cbaker@mssd14.org.

As you look through the pictures below, and as you listen to the stories from your amazing young people that we have the privilege to educate, I hope you feel the joy, hear the laughter, and appreciate this truly unique little gem that we get to call our school.

#watchusgrow

Your partner in education,

Jackie Powell, Ute Pass Principal

March

3 Book Character Dress-Up Day, Spaghetti and Stories 4:30-5:30 pm

4-5 2nd Grade CoGAT Testing

5- 2-hour Late Start

11- PAC Meeting

12- 6th Grade to Mueller State Park, Variety Show Rehearsal 3-4:30 pm

13- Middle School Dance 3:30-5 pm, Variety Show 5-7 pm

14- Staff Work Day, No Students

17-21 Book Fair

17- Board of Education Meeting 5:30 pm at MSHS

20- Noon Dismissal, Report Cards Home, Family Conferences 12:40-7 pm

21- No Students, Family Conferences 8 am-12 pm

24-28 Spring Break

Let's raise readers! All students will visit the Book Fair in the art room during the week of March 17th. Students are welcome to bring cash to school during the week to purchase items from the Book Fair. Families are also welcome to stop by during spring family conferences! If you are interested in volunteering at the Book Fair, please contact Mrs. Kettler at kkettler@mssd14.org.

We ask that all parents and guardians complete the Intent to Return Survey as to whether or not your student will attend MSSD14 for the 2025-2026 school year.

Please complete one form for each student currently enrolled at MSSD14. For additional submissions, a link will be available to begin the survey again after submitting responses.

Parents/Guardians of graduating seniors do not need to complete this survey.

All parents and/or guardians of returning students will receive instructions to complete the 2025-2026 Returning Student Registration Form in the beginning of July. The Returning Student Registration will need to be completed prior to the first day of school on Friday, August 15, 2025.

Individual schools will send specific information during the summer months such as calendars, activity/sports information and required check-in days.

Your participation in this survey is appreciated.

https://forms.gle/Kra1KdEDECsvviAd8

When your child is going to miss school, please call the front office (685-2227) as soon as you can. You are welcome to leave a message before we open, or even email Mrs. Dudley at tdudley@mssd14.org. If you call your child out for a reason, such as illness, it is counted as an excused absence. Once you accrue 10 excused absences, you will receive an initial attendance letter. At that point, you have 5 more excused absences (for a total of 15). We will meet to problem solve how to better help your child be at school, as they would've missed 3 whole weeks of learning at that point. After the 15 excused, it moves to unexcused (even if you call in). That begins leading towards the truancy process. Our handbook describes "Habitual Truancy" as a student who has reached age six by August 1 and is under age seventeen and who has four total days of unexcused absences from school in any one month or ten total days of unexcused absences during any school year. At that point, the district would move forward in the truancy process, which may result in different interventions and possibly include truancy court through the state of Colorado. If you take your child to an appointment (doctor, therapy, dentist, etc), and you provide a note to the front office, that absence does not count towards excused absences at all, and is coded differently in our system. We know there are so many viruses and illnesses that can impact school attendance, but our goal is to have every kid here learning in our amazing school as often as possible! Thank you for your support with getting your child to school on time and as much as possible!

Student safety is paramount to everything we do at UPES. Per our Family/Student Handbook (linked above), please note the following expectations for all visitors and volunteers to Ute Pass Elementary:

Partnerships with our schools are an important piece in a child’s education. Volunteers are expected to make arrangements prior to volunteering in the school or classroom. In some instances where volunteers or chaperones are supervising students alone, a background check is required. If you think you’ll want to chaperone for events, please contact your child’s teacher to find out about needs and opportunities. For the safety of our students and staff, during school hours, all family members, visitors, non-district workers, and volunteers must sign in at the office and receive a badge to be visible at all times when in our building. State-issued identification is required by school personnel for check in through our Raptor system. Visitors during lunch will sit at a visitor’s table with their child(ren). When leaving, all visitors must check out at the office.

In the mornings, family members may walk their child(ren) to the entryway, but we ask that you give all your "have a great days" and "goodbyes" at the door. This helps us ensure that only staff members and pre-arranged visitors are in the building once school begins. Thank you for helping us provide a safe learning environment for all students!

Families,

We are updating our contact information in Powerschool to improve alignment with all our systems.

A test message was sent out via email, phone call, and text on Thursday, December 5th at 4:00pm. If you do not receive an email message, text or phone call, please email Christina Baker at cbaker@mssd14.org.

If you prefer not to receive phone calls, or emails, please contact Christina and she will remove you.

Duty/supervision/breakfast begins at 7:35.

The first bell for students to enter classrooms is at 7:55, and the tardy bell will ring at 8:00. Dismissal is at 2:50.

Here are the ins and outs of our pick up/drop off lane:

• The family drop-off/pick-up lane will allow children to be picked up all the way to the end of the central sidewalk (to the gas meters against the street).
  
• Teachers will supervise students in the locations noted on the map above.
• No car will move into or exit the lane until every car has been loaded. (If you do not have the time to wait, please consider parking and walking in the areas marked above.)
  
• When all cars are loaded, the line of cars will exit together.
• The crossing guard will then allow walking parents to cross the parking lot at crosswalks to gain access to their vehicles.
  
• When these vehicles are loaded and moving, the next line waiting on Chipita Park Road will be allowed in to begin the process again.
• Furry Friday dismissal- on Fridays, bring your dogs through our pick-up lane for a treat!
  
• Friday afternoon concerts- Mr. Ferguson will be playing on select Friday afternoons at dismissal (weather permitting)!
  
• Do not utilize the bus lane parking lot for drop-off or pick-up.

Please note the available areas for parking and walking above. If your child is sitting on the wall with their teacher, please ask a staff member to get your child for you to avoid excess traffic near the pick-up lane. As always, your patience is deeply appreciated!

Free Meals for Students, Plus Important Reminders for Families

We are excited to share that all students in Manitou Springs School District will receive free breakfast and lunch through the Healthy School Meals for All program! This new statewide program, approved by Colorado voters, is helping Colorado children and teens have access to nutritious food at our schools.

Even though breakfast and lunch will be provided for free, we need families to continue sharing household income information through this form in order for our school to receive full access to federal funding.

Be sure to fill out the form as part of your back-to-school registration! If you have questions or would like additional support, please reach out to Paula Faucette-Director of Nutrition Services, 719-685-2005 or email pfaucette@mssd14.org for more information.

The school district will be providing supervision for a limited number of students during all late start Wednesdays during the 24-25 school year. To sign up, follow the Google Form link below and register your student(s).

It is important that registration is completed only for students who would otherwise not be able to attend school if not for late start childcare.

https://forms.gle/yM9kLatxQKw7eU1F6

Late Start Wednesdays for first semester:

• January 15
• February 5
• March 5
• April 2
• May 7

Connect14 is an incredible opportunity for students that attend Manitou Springs School District 14. New this year, Connect14 will be run by individual schools. UPES is currently holding after school summit classes (contact Mrs. Dudley to sign up) and multiple tutoring sessions by invitation.

We have a very active and incredible Parent Action Committee who supports our little school in BIG ways!

The PAC meets on the second Tuesday of each month at 3:00 pm in the music room at UPES. Moving into the 24-25 school year, the PAC is excited to have a larger presence in the school, continuing to take care of the amazing staff at UPES, putting on events and meeting new families, and to get new members! They will have a table set up at our Open House/Open Outdoors with more information and opportunities to join in on the fun! Please contact Janelle, PAC President, at upepac@gmail.com with any questions.

at the foot of Pikes Peak in the Rocky Mountains.

Email: tdudley@mssd14.org
Website: http://upe.mssd14.org/
Location: 9230 Chipita Park Road, Cascade, CO, USA
Phone: 719-685-2227
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/utepasselementaryschool/