Mustang Tales

Dear MSES Families,

What a wonderful year it’s been! We’ve celebrated so many milestones—from exciting classroom discoveries and creative projects to community-building events and gatherings. Our students have grown academically, socially, and emotionally, and we couldn’t be prouder. With summer just around the corner, here are a few important dates and reminders as we wrap up:

Wednesday, May 7
• Last Late-Start Wednesday of the year
• Bike to School Day—helmets on and pedal safely!

Wednesday, May 7 – Friday, May 15
• End-of-Year Testing: All students will take DIBELS and i-Ready assessments.

Monday, May 19
• Field Day at our playpark and Memorial Park—permission slips and volunteer sign-up links have been sent via SignUpGenius. All students must return a signed permission slip to participate. Families are welcome to join us for a picnic lunch (bring your own!), but please be badged in the office before heading to the MSES playpark.

Thursday, May 22
• Fifth Grade Promotion Ceremony begins at 9:00 AM. Fifth grade families are invited to celebrate with us!
• Fifth Grade Picnic immediately following the ceremony at Memorial Park.
• Last Day of School—early release at 12:00 PM. Students will receive lunch before dismissal.

Summer Construction & Programs
Over the summer, our building will undergo ADA upgrades, including:

• A new ramp and flooring in the cafeteria and arts atrium

• Accessible sinks in the south-wing bathrooms

Many areas of the school will be closed during construction. However,

• Growing Gardens will meet in the north building and adjacent playground from June 2–19.

• Jumpstart will be held at UPES from July 21–August 1.

Staff Announcements

• Retirements: Lisa Mussi and Maria Woytko are retiring after many years of dedicated service. We wish them all the best in their next chapter!

• 2025–26 Grade Level Teachers:

  • Kindergarten: Lindsay Hammel & (teacher to be hired)

  • First Grade: Missi Thomson & Paige Carley

  • Second Grade: Sophia Marchiando & Merry Monk

  • Third Grade: Danae Duke, Christi Marquardt & Megan Hunsdale

  • Fourth Grade: Maddie Goldman & Jessi Larsen

  • Fifth Grade: Drew Norkoli, Rachel Kazmier & (teacher to be hired)

• Exploratory Teachers: Danny Tramel, Carrie Dunlap, Amy Bradbury, Tiffany Allen & Alex Lillemon

• Special Education Teachers: Vanessa Roberts, Jenny Romano & (teacher to be hired)

Take Note: Classroom teachers are in the process of creating class lists for next year. Teachers will create student cohorts rather than placing individual students with a specific teacher. This approach protects the integrity of each group and allows our teachers to build and maintain strong, collaborative relationships with one another. Please refrain from requesting specific teacher placements. If you have questions about this process, reach out to Carolyn or Jenny.

Thank you for your support and partnership this year. We look forward to celebrating these final events with you and can’t wait to see our students shine on May 19 and 22!

Carolyn Leyes

cleyes@mssd14.org

719-685-2195

5/1: Kindergarten to Cheyenne Mountain Zoo

5/1: Larsen and Goldman 4th Grade to Mueller State Park

5/2: Fitness Friday

5/2: 3rd Grade to Cheyenne Mountain Zoo

5/5-5/9: Teacher Appreciation Week

5/5: Marquardt Walking Field Trip

5/6: PreK to Flying Pig Farm

5/7: Bike to School, 9 am

5/7: Late Start Wednesday, students arrive at 9:55 am

5/12: 4th Grade to Capitol

5/13: Coffee with the Principal, 8 am

5/13: 3rd Grade Walking Field Trip

5/14: SAC Meeting, 3 pm

5/16: 2nd Grade to Red Rocks Open Space

5/19: Field Day

5/20: Field Day Rain Date

5/20: Last Day of Preschool

5/20: 5th Grade Gallery Night

5/21: Preschool Picnic at Memorial Park

5/21: End of Quarter 4
5/22: 5th Grade Promotion, 9 am

5/22: 4th Grade Pool Party

5/22: Last Day of School, Early Release at 12:00 pm

MSES calendars are also available online (link).

Visit the MSSD website for a text and printable version (link) of next year's calendar.

Teacher Appreciation Week is May 5th-9th. Each day, there will be a different way to show our talented teachers how wonderful they are!

• Monday, May 5th: You Make Us Bloom. Bring your teacher flowers, seeds, or a drawing of a flower.
• Tuesday, May 6th: Supply Them With Thanks. Bring in class supplies that are running low, or write your teacher a nice note or card.
• Wednesday, May 7th: Wacky Wednesday. Tell your teacher your favorite joke, draw them a silly picture, or write them a silly short story.
• Thursday, May 8th: Treats for Thursday. Please see the Signup Genius for a treat signup (link).
• Friday, May 9th: Festive Friday. Dress in your teacher's favorite color.

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.

If your student(s) has/have medication(s) in the school's health office please come pick them up by the end of the school day of May 22nd. Any medication not picked up will be properly disposed of by the School's Nurse. ALL HealthCare Plans, Med administration forms, and Non-Medical Exemption forms expire on June 30th; they will need to be redone after that date to be compliant with the next school year. The forms can be found on the District's website under the health department.

A reminder for next school year: ALL Over The Counters will need to have a Med administration form, this includes but not limited to eye drops, cough drops, ointment creams, pain killers, ect. Please reach out to the school's health office if you have any questions or concerns about your student's medications or immunizations.

Thank you,

Your School's Health Team

Sarah Lee, RN

Tanya Aldrich, Health Tech

In preschool this year we have grown so much. We have built amazing relationships in our wonder community and have built friendships that will last and last. This year we have learned that our community is what makes us special and we can't wait to continue growing here.

As we wrap up the school year, I want to take a moment to share just how proud I am of our classroom community. What began as two distinct class cultures has grown into one united, supportive group. Our students have worked incredibly hard—not just academically, but socially and emotionally too.

They’ve made big strides: writing in complete sentences, reading decodable texts with confidence, and beginning to understand place value in math. We’ve celebrated all kinds of growth—academic leaps, new friendships, and even a few lost teeth along the way!

It’s been a year filled with teamwork, laughter, and learning, and I couldn’t be prouder of each and every one of them.

Dear Almost Second Graders,

Can you believe that your first grade year is coming to an end? We wanted to take a moment to remind you of all of the AMAZING things you have done this year:

• August- Met your Teacher. First day of school!
• September- Homecoming and Spirit Week.
• October- Halloween and Maniboo.
• November- Honored our Veterans at the Veterans Day program.
• December- Winter concert with Mr. T.
• January- Met our fourth grade buddies for the first time.
• February- Annual Tea Party. Cave of the Winds.
• March- Space Foundation field trip.
• April- Sleeping Beauty Play and Planetarium.
• May- Field Day, Poetry recital.

We are reading books, we are writing small paragraphs, we are adding two-digit numbers with one-digit numbers.

We learned what kindness was, how to be a good friend, be an upstander instead of a bystander, memorized lines and poems, ran races, shared snacks, laughed and yes even sometimes cried. We became a first grade family.

We are so proud of you and know you will continue to grow and bloom in second grade! Have a great summer.

Miss Carley and Mrs. Thomson

If our year was a painting it might be vibrant streaks of bold oil colors enthusiastically applied in a ‘pardon the mess we’re under construction’ spirit; and part calmly applied water colors, finished with the flair and ease of a seasoned artist. All the students have achieved competency in their unique areas of strength, while some still need support and encouragement in their growth zones.

No matter their style, each of them showed a wonderful ability to create and problem solve even in the face of ‘c’est la vie’ curve ball moments. They've all found a place in my teacher's heart and I'm so grateful for our time together! They will share their highlights and reflections with you at our 'Gallery Night' on May 20th. Onwards and upwards to middle school!

What a year it has been. Field trips have been a highlight for sure! Creek Week clean up and our RMFI trail volunteering demonstrated to fifth grade that "It feels good to DO GOOD"! Stewardship is a key component to fifth graders growth! How can we sum up camp? Many fifth graders say it was the best two days ever! Students went outside of their comfort zones to have a night away from parents, tackle rock climbing, tomahawk throwing, kayaking, canoeing, science based explorations, and a good old s'mores bonfire! We got musical on our Philharmonic field trip and learned all about what makes a symphony work as well as the lesson of grit and determination from our Olympic athlete who was the narrator! The exposure to the outdoors, arts, and stewardship through our field trips has made a tremendous positive impact on these future leaders! Keep exploring and giving back to your community Mustangs!

The 5th graders have been working tirelessly on their Culmination Project. This project is focused around reflecting on their time in Elementary School. It has been incredibly rewarding to see them look back fondly at their times here at Manitou Springs or at other elementary schools. They have completed thinking maps to reflect about their favorite memories from Elementary School, written a letter to a former teacher or staff member who impacted them, and written poetry about MSES. In the final weeks of the year, they will write a memoir about their time in elementary. They'll also compile it together to create a Google Slide presentation to share with you all on Project Gallery Night on Tuesday May 20. We are looking forward to this incredible evening to wrap up their time in Elementary!

The fifth grade teachers, along with the students, are excited for the fifth grade promotion ceremony! Promotion will begin at 9:00am on May 22. Following promotion there will be a fifth grade picnic, families included, down at Mansions Park behind City Hall! We look forward to this monumental celebration!

What an exciting finish we’re having in our art classes at MSES!

Kindergarten artists are busy drawing imaginative monsters for next fall’s annual Manitou Monster Project. Each child’s drawing will be shared with a local artist this summer, who will then reimagine it as a unique work of art. This magical collaboration will be celebrated at a special gallery opening at MSES in October 2025.

Meanwhile, 1st and 2nd grade artists have been exploring the Elements of Art—specifically color, value, and space—through vibrant handprint trees and primary-colored tulips. Our 3rd–5th grade artists have demonstrated their understanding of shape, form, space, and value through a variety of exciting projects, including paper stars, 3D drawing exercises, and even plaster pencils that actually write!

To wrap up the year, 5th grade artists will be working with parent volunteers to create ceramic monogrammed flowers that will be added to our third annual 5th Grade Legacy Mural on the chain-link fence by the playpark.

What a great year it has been for our K-5th grade musicians at MSES! Fourth and 5th graders kicked off the year with a patriotic salute to our veterans during the Veterans Day Concert and our K-2nd graders followed that up with a sweet and spirit filled Holiday concert! Despite delays, our 3rd-5th graders delighted the audience during their Winter concert that occurred in January! In April, 4th graders entertained dinner guests with an energy filled flash mob performance of "Best Day of My Life."

Fifth grade musicians are working hard until the last day of school where they will put on a final show at their promotion ceremony! Thank you to parents and family members for supporting our young musicians and Mr. T hopes you all have a fantastic Summer!

Wow, the year went by in the blink of an eye! Maestra Lillemon wants to thank the parents for trusting us, allowing us to teach their children, and giving me the privilege of watching them grow, learn, and transform into the fabulous individuals they are today. To the parents of 5th-grade students, I'm happy to see them graduate and sad to see them go, but I'm confident they will continue to flourish. To all our wonderful families, enjoy your family time and have a fabulous summer.

Among the recent topics taught are:

• Kindergarten: Introduction to farm animals. La vaca Lola tiene cabeza y tiene cola/Lola the cow has a head and a tail. Introduction to the four seasons, emphasizing primavera/spring.

• 1st Grade: They are practicing the month of the year with the seasons. En Abril comienza la Primavera/Spring begins in April. Introduction to the four seasons in Spanish.

• 2nd Grade: They are learning about the seasons in Spanish. Vocabulary: Primavera/spring, verano/summer, otoño/autumn, invierno/winter.

• 3rd Grade: They are working on the story of "Diego and His Friends at Sea."

• 4th Grade: They are learning about cognates and geometric figures in Spanish.

• 5th Grade: They are developing vocabulary to read the book "The Lemonade Fight" in Spanish.

In TEAMS, students have been enjoying the following in science:

• Kindergarten and 1st Grade- Light and Sound/Sink and float
• 2nd Grade- Light and sound unit with lots of hands on projects
• 3rd Grade- Forces and Interactions- designing a playground and describing what forces are happening
• 4th Grade- Forces and Interactions- designing an amusement park and what forces are happening
• 5th Grade- Scientific process/experiment including an upcoming egg launch. Students had a $1,200 balance to "buy" supplies with their team and design something to protect their egg when launched.
  
  

For the rest of the year, we will be coding and hopefully digging in the garden the last week of school.

This semester has been a BLAST. Stay tuned for report cards for some fun summer activities your child might enjoy at home!

What a fantastic evening at the Night of Excellence! Thank you from the bottom of our hearts to everyone who joined us and helped bring this celebration to life. From the delicious food and incredible entertainment to the inspiring showcases of our students' amazing work—it was a night to remember!

2024-2025 MSES Yearbooks are still available. The cost is $25.00 cash or check made out to MSES. Students can see Ms. Woytko before school or send the money or check to the office with your student’s name and Ms. Woytko will get the student a yearbook.

Looking for a rewarding role that fits your family’s schedule? Consider becoming a paraprofessional in our Manitou Springs School District!

• No degree required—just a passion for helping students succeed

• Work hours align closely with the student calendar

• Access to professional development opportunities

• Health, dental, and vision insurance available

• Participation in the PERA retirement program
  
  

It’s a great way to make a difference in our schools while supporting your own family. Apply on our district website today (link) and become part of a dedicated, caring team!

Manitou Springs Kiwanis Club is offering financial aid for summer baseball.

District 14 students who need financial assistance in order to participate, MS Kiwanis Club will reimburse 50% of the registration fee for summer baseball. Register to play through Colorado Springs Park N Rec or West El Paso Baseball, request a Manitou team. Registration ends May 9th . Email a paid receipt along with mailing address to: manitouspringskiwanis@gmail.com Kiwanis will mail you a check.

Funds are limited and will be paid in order of receipt. Kiwanis is proud to support the

kids of Manitou Springs and Ute Pass areas.

Who: Boys & Girls Grades K-2nd

When: May 12-15, 3:00-4:30pm

Where: MSES Gym

Cost: $50 per student ($25 per additional sibling or for MSSD14 staff students)

Register for K-2 volleyball and basketball camp (link)

Please remember an afterschool snack, water bottle, athletic wear and closed toe shoes. Contact Gabby Santos with any questions at gsantos@mssd14.org

Who: Boys & Girls Grades 3rd-8th

When: May 27-30 10:00am-1:00pm

Where: MSHS Gym

Cost: $85 per student ($40 per additional siblings or for MSSD14 staff students)

Register for 3rd-8th basketball camp (link)

Please remember court shoes and water. Contact Gabby Santos with any questions at gsantos@mssd14.org

Calling all curious minds and nature lovers entering 1st-6th grade. No green thumb required! Our camp is packed with fun, immersive experiences in the beautiful mountain environment of Manitou Springs.

Each day is designed to spark curiosity, creativity, and connection through:

- Outdoor-based learning across reading, math, science, art and social studies.

- Experiential education with daily learning where we'll get dirty, get wet, explore nature, and build community.

Location: Manitou Springs Elementary School

Dates: June 2nd-5th, June 9th-12th, June 16th-19th

From 8:00am-11:00am

Cost: $220 per student for all 3 weeks

Register for growing gardens (link). Contact Jacob Sampson with questions: 719-466-3001, jsampson@mssd14.org

Mondays & Wednesdays

Registration Open: 1st of each month
Monthly Fee: $54

For more information and registration: https://manitousprings.recdesk.com/Community/Home or call at 719-685-9735

110 Pawnee Ave. Manitou Springs, CO 80829

(719) 685-2195