SIERRA SCOOP
January 26, 2024
FROM FOERSTER'S DESK
Over the last few weeks, we have received numerous complaints from our families, crossing guards, community residents, and Sierra staff members about adult driving behaviors in our parking lot, hug-n-go, and surrounding neighborhood streets. Please remember that safety is my #1 priority, and it should be yours too NO MATTER WHAT! We all need to ensure that we are obeying traffic laws on city streets and following expectations on school property. Our crossing guards are volunteers giving up their own time to keep kids and families safe while crossing Oak. Please do your part to help them out. Our staff members are outside before and after school ensuring student and family safety upon arrival and dismissal. Doing this along with managing the flow in hug-n-go is no easy feat, so please remember to treat them with respect. There are little eyes watching all of us and how we treat each other, so please be a positive presence throughout the Sierra community and help everybody feel a sense of safety and belonging.
Have a remarkable weekend 😄
VALENTINE PARTY INFO
Valentine parties will be on Weds., 2/14 starting at 1:45pm. Families are welcome to join us; please sign in at the table just outside the office in the hall and wear a visitor tag is a visible spot. Students are welcome to bring in valentines and small, individual treats for all students in their class (see more information regarding individual class parties and sign-ups from classroom communications). Families coming to decorate are more than welcome to do so after school on Tues., 2/13 (starting at 2:35). Please do not arrive prior to 2:35 or make individual arrangements with teachers as this is a disruption to learning. Thank you and we look forward to seeing you during the parties on 2/14!
Social Emotional Learning (SEL) at Sierra
Managing Anxiety by Finding Your Calm
To effectively manage anxiety and promote mental well-being, identifying and developing calming skills is crucial. In the FACE Your Fears curriculum, by Dr. Scott Cypers, PhD, calming skills are categorized into four different buckets:
When individuals find calming skills that work for them through consistent practice, it not only provides immediate relief during moments of heightened anxiety, but also cultivates resilience over time, empowering individuals to navigate life's challenges with greater ease and composure. In future issues of the Sierra Scoop, we'll go deeper into exploring some of the different calming strategies and how to choose tools that are right for you.
OFFICE INFORMATION
Grub Club Food Drive (Click on upper right corner of picture to enlarge)
Box for donations will be set up outside the Sierra Library
February 2 - ROAR Day, Super Bowl Shuffle
February 7 - Accountability meeting 4:45 and PTA meeting 5:30 (more in Did You Know)...FYI, the PTA meeting will probably start closer to 5:45 due to a lengthy Accountability agenda
February 8 - Science Fair Community Night 5:00
February 13- Coffee with T n B n B at 7:50am in the cafeteria (Becky Gonzales, Sierra's Instructional Coach, will be joining us)
February 14 - Valentine's Party 1:45
February 16 - No School, teacher work day
February 19 - No School, President's Day
February 20-23 - Used Book Fair
February 22 - Conferences 3:00 - 7:00
February 23 - End of 2nd Trimester
February 29 - Read Across America Day
LIBRARY NEWS - USED BOOK FAIR
We will be collecting gently used picture and chapter books for the Used Book Fair. This is a great opportunity for our students to buy books (for a dollar or less!), and it serves as a very helpful fundraiser for our Sierra library!
We are looking for gently used children’s books in decent condition to be donated to the library February 5 - 14, so please start setting aside any used books you may find at home!
I would also love to have volunteers who can be present for collection times as well as help pre-sort the books. I will then need as many hands as possible to help on February 15 to set the whole thing up in the library. Lastly, I’d love for some people to help with sales the week of February 20 - 23. If you are interested in volunteering, please sign up here.
Contact Kaela Lazek at kaela.lazek@jeffco.k12.co.us with questions.
SCIENCE FAIR JUDGES NEEDED
We are looking for around 4 more volunteers to assist us with judging projects for the Science Fair. Judges need to be at Sierra on Thursday, February 8th, from 8:00am - 11:30am. Some sort of science background is preferred, but not necessary.
If you're interested, please reach out to Kaela Lazek at kaela.lazek@jeffco.k12.co.us
DID YOU KNOW?
Sierra Accountability 2/7
Join us on Weds., 2/7 at 4:45 in the library for our next Accountability meeting. There is going to be a lot of information shared regarding mid-year testing and budget. Those in attendance will also have an opportunity to provide input on Sierra's budget for the 2024-25 school year. FYI...the meeting will probably run past 5:30 (the PTA start time). Hope to see you all there!
Coffee with T n B
Please join us on Tues., 2/13, at 7:50-8:20am in the cafeteria for coffee, light pastries, and informal conversations with Sierra's instructional coach, Becky Gonzales. Come learn and ask about Sierra's curriculum, assessments and we use the data, interventions, etc.
Jeffco Panorama Family Survey
Please read district communication and information regarding the Family Survey in the communication letter. You will/should have received the survey via email or the letter provides the link and a QR code. The survey close on 2/23/2024. I hope we hear from all of our families as this data and your feedback is important to help us continue to grow our systems. As of today, we have 41 completed surveys (7%). Thank you for taking the time to complete the Family Survey!
Grades 3rd-5th Student Survey
Students throughout Jeffco in 3rd grade and above will be participating in the Panorama Student Survey. The survey will be open Tuesday, January 16 through Friday, February 23. All students in grades 3-12 are expected to take the Panorama Student Survey. The purpose of the survey is to collect data on student perceptions of the school climate and address student needs. Please read more about the survey in the Panorama Student Survey Family Letter.
Family Healthy Habit: Kindness
Please checkout the Family Healthy Habit flyer. This is a great resource on practicing kindness and the positive health benefits for both the giver and the recipient of kindness.
Neighborhood Safety
If you are driving and/or parking on a community street near Sierra, please be sure that you are following traffic laws and aware of all students. Many of our families choose to bypass hug-n-go or the parking lot and use a surrounding street for drop off and/or parking. Although the streets are not Sierra's jurisdiction, we still want to ensure all our students, families, and community members are safe.
Please ensure that you read through the Sierra Student-Family Handbook for additional school information.
CROSSING GUARDS NEEDED
Our tiny Sierra crossing guard team is in need or more members. If you are interested and/or would like additional information, please email Nancy Hardy nancyhardy2005@gmail.com
or Becca Rehme becca.rehme@gmail.com.
PTA PARTICULARS
Our next restaurant fundraiser will be Monday 1/29/2024 at GB Fish and Chips in Arvada. More details in this week’s Friday Folders.
YMCA CAMP INFO
Find out about YMCA camp information by downloading the flyer attached below.
SIERRA ELEMENTRY
Email: tennille.foerster@jeffco.k12.co.us
Website: sierraelementary.net
Location: 7771 Oak Street, Arvada, CO, USA
Phone: (303)982-0821
Facebook: facebook.com/sierraelementary