The Pony Press

From the Principal...

Families and Community,

We kicked off our CMAS testing this week with 3rd-6th graders! Students (of all ages) showed amazing determination and resiliency! Thank you for your efforts getting students to school on time and ready. Next week, students will finish testing with Math (3rd through 6th) and Science (for 5th grade only). Our younger learners have done such a great job cheering for our older students and making sure the hallways are nice and quiet, which is not always typical for our happily bursting with noise little building!

Our Fun Run is off to a great start! As of this morning, students have raised $3685 and we have 39% of students registered! Currently, Ms. Harriman's 1st graders are in the lead with $650, and have earned a pajama party. Whichever class is at the lead on Thursday at 4 pm gets to pie me! The first class to get everyone registered will earn a dance party. Visit getmovinfundhub.com and enter school ID: 6408884472250d to register! Let us know if you need help getting registered.

Have a great weekend!

#watchusgrow

Your partner in education,

Jackie Powell, Ute Pass Principal

Important Info for next week...

Green Week

Monday, April 17th-

Specials Day 3
CMAS Testing- 3rd-6th grade Math Unit 1; 5th grade Science Unit 1
Honor Choir Practice 3-3:45 pm
Board of Education Meeting 5:30

Tuesday, April 18th-

Specials Day 1
CMAS Testing - 3rd-6th Math Unit 2; 5th grade Science Unit 2
Groth and Babcock to Flying Pig Farm

Wednesday, April 19th- No Late Start!

Specials Day 2
CMAS Testing- 3rd-6th Math Unit 3; 5th grade Science Unit 3
Clothing Drive tubs available after school
Connect14 Cookie Monsterz and Creative Movement classes at UPES
Landsharks Practice after school

Thursday, April 20th-

Specials Day 3
Ping Pong Connect14 Club at UPES
New Superintendent Meet and Greet- MSHS 6-7:30 pm

Friday, April 21st- No School- Teacher Work Day

Important End of the Year Dates

April

17-19 3rd-6th CMAS Testing

18- Groth and Babcock to Flying Pig Farm

21- Staff Work Day- No Students

24-28- Fun Run Dress Up Week

24- 1st Landsharks Meet

26- Late Start

27- Fun Run

May

1-5 Staff Appreciation Week

1- All School Field Trip to Red Rock Open Space

2- 1st, 3rd, and 5th Grade Spring Concert

3- 2nd and 3rd grade field trip to Catamount

4-5 4th grade to John Martin Reservoir (overnight)

5- World Language & Culture Night

5- Last Day to Collect $ for Fun Run

8- Fun Run Awards Assembly

8-10 2nd Grade CoGat testing

9- 6th grade Spring Band Concert

10-12 6th Grade to Sand Dunes (overnight 2 nights)

15- Student Council and Honor Choir Field Trip

16- 6th grade rafting trip

16- K, 2nd, 4th grade Spring Concert

19- 6th grade to GMF for fly fishing

23- UPES Fun Day (put on by student council)

24- Whole School Field Trip to Bear Creek Park for Field Day

25- Last Day for Students- Noon Dismissal

UPES Fun Run

When

Thursday, April 27th, 8am

Where

9230 Chipita Park Road

Cascade-Chipita Park, CO

More information

The Fun Run is up and running! We had a kickoff assembly on Friday, April 7th. Students received information on collecting funds during this assembly. Students will collect funds from April 7th through May 5th, with out big event taking place on April 27th (schedule below).

Get Directions

End of the Year Library Info

Library notices are going home today! Students have received a list of all materials checked out from the UPES library. It is not too early to start finding those books and getting them back to school! All library books will be due May 5th. UPES does not charge fines for lost books, but it does cost money to replace them. Please consider donating $10 for each book not returned.

Specials Schedule for April

Our 3-day rotation schedule for specials classes allows students to have more access to PE, Music, and Art! We know it might be a bit more confusing for families instead of every Monday being one special, but we want our kids to be exposed to more of these amazing classes while avoiding students always missing a certain special if there is no school on Friday or Monday. Should there be a snow day, we will just move that day to the following day. Here's a calendar to help you navigate this at home. Please reach out with any questions!

UPES Morning Announcements

Our morning announcements are such a wonderful way to start the day! We have student-led announcements and singers every single day!

We want to share some of this Pony Pride from our "home" to yours! If you'd like to watch morning announcements, we are live-streaming them each day! Simply subscribe to the Ute Pass YouTube channel at this link- UPES YouTube

Information about Universal Preschool

Colorado Universal Preschool Program (UPK)

Last April, Gov. Jared Polis signed a bill that works towards “every child in the year before they are eligible for kindergarten is eligible for half-day (15 hours), state-funded, voluntary preschool beginning in the 2023-24 school year. Three-year-olds with qualifying factors are eligible for part-time (10 hours) preschool programming. Families of children in the year before they are eligible for kindergarten with certain qualifying factors, are eligible for an additional 15 hours stacked on top of the half-day programming, bringing those children to full-day programming.”

Manitou Springs Elementary School and Ute Pass Elementary School will continue to offer our exceptional preschool programs for both three-year-olds and students that are in the year before they are eligible for kindergarten. Information for families

Families are now able to submit an application through the state-wide Universal Preschool System for the 2023-24 school year. Here is the link to the application: https://upk.colorado.gov/

Families will still need to complete our preschool enrollment process as well as the UPK application. Here is the information for MSSD: Student Enrollment

Counselor's Corner

Small Group Counseling, Classroom Counseling, and Individual Counseling is underway!

Please reach out to Stephanie Wilson if you have any changing needs where we can better support your student!

Her email is swilson@mssd14.org. You may also call her at 719-685-2209 if you have any questions.

Ute Pass Elementary PTO/PAC

PAC is the team that works hand in hand with the staff and community, to enrich how education is experienced within our mountain school. We have found ourselves uniquely positioned to move forward; steeped in tradition but with all the promise of new ideas. UPE has the highest enrollment to date and with that comes fresh perspective. If you are a parent or caregiver from the littlest of littles in preschool up to the "Where did my baby go?" 6th graders, please consider coming to our meetings on the second Tuesday of each month. Kids are welcome!

If you are unable to make it to meetings and would like to be a part of PAC please reach out.

Thanks so much,
Amanda McCloskey
PAC President

Upcoming Events:

Fun Run 4-27-23

Landsharks is Back!

UTE PASS ELEMENTARY SPRING TRACK SERIES

We offer a non-competitive youth program to introduce running to young athletes in a safe and fun environment. The focus is on self-improvement, being an encouraging teammate, and making new friends. The Spring Track Series is a fun running program led by Sara Striegel and is open to students in kindergarten through 6th grade. Please remember to purchase a RED team race shirt if this is your first season running.

Practices are scheduled for Wednesdays/Fridays beginning April 12th with a celebration practice on May 10th. Practices consist of running games and track workouts with a strong focus on fun.

Races are held on Monday evenings at Woodland Park Middle School’s track at 5pm on April 24th, May 1st and May 8th. Runners run TWO of the following distances:

Meet #1
All runners will run the 50m sprint,
followed by the 400m OR 800m race

Meet #2
All runners will run the 100m sprint,
followed by choice of a 400m OR 800m race

Meet #3
All runners will run the 200m sprint,
followed by the 400m OR 1600m race

Registration opens February 1st and closes April 12th at 5pm OR until we reach CAPACITY

Runners must be registered prior to their first practice. Please register online at www.Landsharksrunningclub.com $65 registration fee through April 5th then an additional $10/runner fee applies until registration closes.

I look forward to working with your athletes! Please consider volunteering to help coach or work at our race site. If you have any questions or would like to volunteer.

Coach: Sara Striegel

Email: striegels2@gmail.com

Breakfast and Lunch Information

A healthy breakfast and lunch is a key factor in growing a healthy mind and body! Ute Pass Elementary will offer breakfast to students for $1.45 and lunch for $2.95. See below for information on accessing menus.

You can find the new free and reduced application on the district website- https://www.mssd14.org/departments/food_service.

If you don’t qualify for free and reduced price meals, please make sure that there is money in your student’s account. You can add money online at this link- https://mssd14.org/cms/One.aspx?portalId=57448&pageId=13267314

Any questions or concerns, please call Paula Faucette, Director of Nutrition Services, at 719-685-2005 or email pfaucette@mssd14.org.

Late Start Wednesdays

Thank you to families who submitted the form to sign up for Late Start Wednesdays. It helps tremendously with staffing and preparation. If you missed the opportunity to sign up, and are in need, please contact Danny Tramel at dtramel@mssd14.org for approval, as we are at our capacity.

Breakfast will be served until 8:00am, however, due to changes in the federal funding, we can no longer offer free breakfast.

Late Start Wednesdays for second semester: