UPE News Update

walk-a-thon fundraiser

Dear Parents, Family, and Community,

Thank you for raising over $1000 so far for our 2022 Pony Fun Walk Fundraiser. Please join me in making this our biggest fundraiser yet. As we emerge from the Pandemic, UPE is positioned for wonderful, amazing years ahead. Help us celebrate and fund this time of renewal and rejuvenation with your new principal, Jackie Powell, and our wonderful current and future UPE staff members!

We are shooting to break our $19,000 record to help ensure our tiny school can deepen environmental education, amazing field trips, and support academic learning in the classroom. Every dollar you donate can go a long, long way in this tiny Village School with a Global Reach. Thank you, in advance, for your generous support!

Chris Briggs-Hale, Retiring Principal

Reminder: All School hike

All School Hike In Red Rocks Open Space

April 27, 2022 (We will depart UPES @ 10:15 am and return to UPES at 2:30pm)

Why? Following two years of Pandemic learning disruptions, we are celebrating our ability to gather outdoors, connect with each other in our amazing local environment, and enjoy each other’s company before we all go off for the summer. This will be a powerful, relationship building experience that is a unique opportunity for our tiny school community.

Who?: All UPES students and staff will attend (Pre-K through 6th)! The hike will be in groups of two buddy classes City of Colorado Springs Park Rangers will each help lead a group hike and offer interpretive activities/information.

What to Know:

Students will be provided a bag lunch that they will pick up at school and bring with them to Red Rocks.
Our School Nurse will be present for any needs that might arise.
A weather rescheduling may be enacted if conditions warrant.
Students will stay with their classroom groups
Volunteers registered with the Manitou Springs School District Central Office, with a current, 2021-22 Background Check are welcome to meet us at Red Rocks and join their child’s classroom with the teacher present. If you do not have a current background check registered with Manitou, we still welcome you to contact your child’s teacher for any school-based, subsequent volunteer opportunities in the future. To find out if you have a current background check on file, please contact cbriggshale@mssd14.org

What to pack:

Water bottle
Lunch from home or order from the cafeteria. Please note that all students will have to pack out all trash. Please keep packaging to a minimum.
Comfortable shoes and socks
Sunglasses, hat, sunscreen, etc.
As the date approaches, we will pay attention to the weather and might need warm layers or pants.

If your child is lacking any of these items, please contact swilson@mssd14.org.

Spring cleaning?

Ute Pass Elementary Art and Library is accepting donations! New and like new books for the library! Art and craft supplies including beads, gluesticks, dry erase markers, watercolor paper or whatever you want to bring in to help us get creative! Drop off donations at the front office or email kkettler@mssd14.org with any questions.

spring concert schedule

Dear Ute Pass Parents and Students,

I am excited to be able to plan end of the year concerts again this year! We will be sticking to the same format as the first semester, which means K-5 concerts will be during the day. They will be in person as well as streamed and available to watch after the event. 6th grade band will happen during the day and in the evening. I am always interested to hear any feedback families have about concert times, so please don’t hesitate to let me know your preferences and I will take them into account as we plan for a more normal year next year.

Concert Dress: K-5 – I don’t require any specific dress for concerts, but I encourage the kids to dress up.

6Th grade band: In general, kids in band wear black performance clothes. For example, black pants and a black collared shirt, or a black dress. That said, there will not be any penalty for not wearing black and it will not be mentioned to anyone.

Ute Pass Elementary Spring Concert Schedule :

Thursday April 28th – Kindergarten and 4th Grade – 1:45-2:30

Thursday, May 5th – 2nd and 3rd Grade – 1:45-2:30

Monday, May 9th – 6th Grade Band – 1:45 and 6:00

Tuesday, May 10th – 1st and 5th Grade – 1:45-2:30

Thanks, and let me know if you have questions or concerns!

Mr. Ferguson iferguson@mssd14.org

variety show returns

Dear Ute Pass Elementary Parents and Students,

I am thrilled to announce the return of the UPE Variety Show! Any Ute Pass student is welcome to participate in the Variety show, but they need to have something they have practiced and prepared. Students could sing, dance, do gymnastics, play an instrument, etc. I will be talking with the kids in class and I will help them prepare for the performance. Please feel free to reach out with any questions or if you want to inform me of your student’s participation. Acts with inappropriate material will not be included in the show.

Ute Pass Variety Show Schedule
Tuesday May 24th – Variety Show Rehearsal – 3:00-4:30 – Students are not required to be

there the whole time. As soon as we run their act they can leave with a parent.

Wednesday, May 25th – Variety Show – 6:00 – 7:30

Thanks, and let me know if you have questions or concerns!

Mr. Ferguson iferguson@mssd14.org