Groundhog Gazette

As we enter the Holiday season, I want to take a moment to reflect on the wonderful first half of our school year. I am filled with gratitude for the dedication and support of our school community. From engaged students and committed staff to involved families like yours, our community continues to make Amity Elementary a special place for learning and growth. We have some important events happening this month so please see the Important Dates below for information. Finally, I want to celebrate the Amity Girls Basketball Team who made it to the Boise School District Tournament Semi-Finals this year. They had a tremendous season and we are so proud of them for their great play and sportsmanship.

Dec 5 - 3rd/4th Grade Music Performance

• 10:30 AM [Doors open @ 10 AM] & 2:30 PM [Doors open @ 2PM]

Dec 12 - Amity Band/Orchestra/Choir Concert

• 2 PM [Doors open at 1:30 PM]

Dec 18 - Amity PTA Idaho Steelheads Night 6 PM

Dec 19 - Early Release 1:45 PM

Dec 20 - End of 1st Semester Early Release 1:45 PM

Dec 23-Jan 3 - Winter Break [No School]

Jan 6 - Staff PD and Teacher Work Day- [No School for Students]

Jan 7 - School Resumes for Students

Amity Instagram

Be sure to follow @amityelem on Instagram this school year!

Our great groundhogs have had another wonderful quarter focused on GRIT! This quarter we continue to focus on 'R', which stands for RESPONSIBILITY. As we get close to the end of the 1st Semester we challenge our students to remain focused on Responsibility in the classroom and on the playground. Also, with the weather continuously changing, we ask students to stay off the ice and to leave snow on the ground. Currently, we have earned 211 GRIT cards. Keep up the good work groundhogs!

Happy Holiday season to those who celebrate! I hope all are staying warm! Holiday help for food and gifts will not be available through the school due to issues of equitability and means. I have an extensive list of places in the community offering help with this. Please reach out if you would like more information on how to access help or follow the links below.

English:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1uetHEZkGluVGwO65_7dNib27DlOIA2ks/view?usp=sharing

Spanish:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-PQjf0shL4yiwouiyZXXWUN5jFk6nlnW/view?usp=sharing

Please do not hesitate to reach out if your student needs a resource such as warm clothing!

Thank you,

Taylor Denko

Our lost and found is overflowing! Please make sure to remind your student/s to check it before leaving for winter break. ALL lost and found not claimed will be donated to charity at the end of the semester. Furthermore, if you put write your child's name on their clothing item we are able to help relocate them.

2025-2026 School Year: Applications may be submitted from 2/1/25 - Last Day of School, 2026

If your student is currently Open Enrolled with us (does not live in the Amity boundary), it is time to touch base with the office and let us know your plans for the 25-26 school year.

If you have a 6th grader that is Open Enrolled and you are wanting them to attend West Jr High, and that is not their “boundary school” you will need to apply for Open Enrollment for their 7th grade year.

Education is important and every missed day of school represents lost learning opportunities. However, the Boise School District’s primary concern is for the safety of all students, including students riding busses and walking or biking to school. If students cannot safely travel to school or if schools are not able to operate safely because of citywide dangerous weather conditions, school may be cancelled.

We will not cancel school on days with normal wintery conditions. Light snowfall, cold mornings or areas of ice are not sufficiently dangerous to force the closure of schools. With proper precautions including appropriate clothing, road deicing, and careful driving, students can travel to and from school safely.

The Boise School District covers over 450 square miles of Ada County. We recognize that conditions vary throughout the District, even from street to street, in some cases. Conditions may be extremely dangerous in one area, while perfectly safe everywhere else. If parents believe it is too dangerous for their children to travel to school they have the option to keep their children home. If school is cancelled, it will be cancelled for the entire District, including Boise Online School.

The most frequent dangerous weather conditions facing Boise schools are:

SNOW: Snow levels within the City of Boise are typically light or moderate. However, there is always the potential for a heavy snowfall to make traveling by vehicle or on foot dangerous. Historically, most snowfall only results in slow traffic and minor accidents throughout the City. Normal snowfalls would not result in school closures.

COLD: Frigid temperatures are more serious than snow when making school closure decisions. On bitterly cold days our concern is for students walking to school. Extremely cold weather also impairs our ability to get busses running, which causes delays in pickup routes, delays which are much more dangerous to riders because of the low temperatures.

ICE: Ice is our most dangerous winter weather condition. Freezing rain and/or refreezing of melted snow make our roads, streets and sidewalks extremely treacherous for pedestrians, and vehicles. Icy conditions may force us to close, even if it appears that no other dangerous conditions exist.

How is the decision made to close or not to close school? Representatives from transportation agencies, the weather bureau, the highway district, city and county law enforcement agencies, and school administrators, including the Superintendent, check the roads and monitor information throughout the night and early morning hours. We confer by telephone early in the morning to reach a decision.

If school will be closed, we will communicate in a number of ways to spread the word. In addition to notifying local radio and television news stations, we will send text & email messages to parents/guardians, send an emergency alert via the District’s mobile app, post closure information at www.boiseschools.org, on each school’s website, and on our Twitter, Facebook, Instagram accounts. Parents/guardians can sign-up to receive emergency text messages by texting “Y” or “YES” to the number 67587. Non-parents (e.g., other family members, staff, news media, etc.) can also receive emergency text alerts via the Boise School District's mobile app (available in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store)

Winter driving can be challenging for drivers of all ages, but especially for high school students who are new to driving. With winter weather forecasted for our area over the next several days, here are some tips to help keep you safe on the road this winter:

• Slow down and leave more space between you and the car in front of you.
• Avoid sudden movements, such as hard braking or sharp turns, which can cause you to lose control of your vehicle.
• Keep an eye out for all commuters including pedestrians, bicyclists, and other vehicles. Always look both ways before turning.
• Be extra mindful of school zone speed limits, especially during busy drop off/pickup times. During winter months, there is less sunlight, making pedestrians harder to see in school parking lots and surrounding areas.
• Do not block crosswalks when waiting to turn or cross traffic.
• Keep your windshield and windows clear of snow and ice.
• Use your headlights, even during the day, to increase your visibility to others on the road.
• Make sure your tires are properly inflated and have good tread.
• Keep an emergency kit with a blanket, winter clothing, water, food and flashlight in your vehicle in case you get trapped in bad weather while traveling.
• DON'T CROWD THE PLOW! Give snow plow crews plenty of room and NEVER pass a plow on the right.

Remember, it's always better to be safe than sorry. Stay alert and cautious when driving in winter weather conditions.

In addition, If parents believe it is too dangerous for their children to travel to school they have the option to keep their children home.

• WAHOOZ Fitness logs are due DECEMBER 6!

• Second Quarter PE Grades:

• Standard 1-Demonstrates skilled movement and movement knowledge.

• Volley Skills

• Movement Skills

• Standard 2-Understands a physically active lifestyle and personal fitness.

• Participation

• Instagram @groundhogpe

As noted above - we have several performances coming up. Dec. 5 is 3rd and 4th grade, and Dec. 12 is band/orchestra/choir. I can’t wait to meet you afterwards! If you ever have any questions about what’s going on in class or about performances, I encourage you to e-mail me at kathy.bailey@boiseschools.org

Mrs. Bailey’s wild wish list

We are working on an amazing musical for you this March with 5th and 6th grade. To help us set the scene (literally), I have a bizarre wish list. If you already have any items that you’d like to donate, I would be so grateful for them!

• Solid yellow t-shirts

• Solid black t-shirts

• Grey, black, and dark brown felt

• Leftover spray, acrylic, or house paints - greens especially

• Packing paper (like from Amazon boxes)

• Caster wheels

• Removable hooks

• Unusable solid color bedsheets

Do you regularly shop at Fred Meyer? Have you added a non-profit to your rewards card? If not, please consider adding Amity PTA as your non-profit of choice. It’s an easy way to continuously donate to the PTA without even thinking about it or costing you any money. Go to www.fredmeyer.com/communityrewards. Search for Amity Elementary PTA (BN303) and link your card. Amity PTA will receive a portion of sales when you use your rewards card and you still receive your gas rewards and coupons.

Idaho Steelheads Night with Amity Elementary is on Wednesday, Dec 18th! See flyer below for details and Click here to order tickets.

Spring is a busy time for the PTA and we are looking for volunteers to help plan the events below. Many hands make light work and we need more hands!

• BINGO Night: Feb 21, 2025

• Teacher/Staff Appreciation Week: May 5-9, 2025

• Amity Field Day: May 16, 2025

Please email us if you are interested in helping.

We are also looking for a few people to serve on the PTA board next year. If you are interested or have questions about serving on the board, please reach out to Molly.

The Boise School District invites you to watch LIKE, a documentary that highlights how social media impacts our children's lives. This event serves as a CALL TO ACTION for parents/guardians in the Boise School District to watch LIKE together with their family, neighbors, or other groups. To facilitate meaningful discussions, we are including discussion questions and resources. Families that complete the discussion questions will have a chance to win a fun family night! Please make sure to watch the film and hold your discussion by December 15th, as this will be the last opportunity to view LIKE. To get started, view this flyer or check out our website!

The West Cheerleading Squad is offering a Cheer Clinic in December. Please see details and contact information at this link (and information below): https://docs.google.com/document/d/1q_UAOaGlj0wjNer3BuE643JwiW90iVBpEu0W5AZellM/edit?tab=t.0