Pine Lane Updates4/5/2024
April 5, 2024
April 5, 2024
Principal Message
Pine Lane Crew,
This concludes one of the most incredible weeks of the year. The theme “Magic for Micah” encompasses the exact impact this Chap Fam event has on our selected Wish Week Kid and all our students as we witness what happens when an entire community comes together for an important cause. This year the Chap Fam raised $105,056 and Pine Lane Elementary contributed $7,225. What a tremendous effort. Great job Pine Lane Crew!!! And a special thank you to Ms. Horne and our Pine Lane Student Council for leading the charge.
Next Monday, we have a unique opportunity to experience a solar eclipse. You have probably received information regarding this from your child’s teachers. To enhance this experience, I would encourage you all to check out some of NASA’s resources to give your child some background information: https://science.nasa.gov/eclipses/future-eclipses/eclipse-2024/. Please be aware that looking directly at the sun without adequate protection is very dangerous and can cause significant damage. We do have approved Eclipse Glass for all students. We would ask that you have a conversation with your child about safety and following all of their teacher's directions during any eclipse viewing activities. Thank you for your cooperation in making this a great learning experience and keeping everyone’s eyes safe.
The month of April also brings attention to a couple of things. April has been declared the Month of the Military Child. Many of our students have parents who serve in our Armed Forces. This can mean that they go for significant periods without one of their parents at home or that they have to relocate frequently leaving friends and family behind. We are grateful for the sacrifice and service of those of you who serve in our Military. April is also Autism Awareness Month. Autism Speaks, an organization dedicated to research and advocacy, claims, “Autism, or autism spectrum disorder (ASD), refers to a broad range of conditions characterized by challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviors, speech and nonverbal communication.” Take a few moments this month to learn about this neurological condition and how we can support.
Lastly, I want to personally thank, Ms. DeRose and Ms. Roberts, our Assistant Principals, for their amazing commitment to our mission at Pine Lane. This week was Assistant Principal Appreciation Week and I am very grateful for all they do to care for our students and staff. If they have impacted your family I encourage you to share that with them. We are very fortunate they are part of our Crew!
Have an excellent weekend!
Chris Stairs
Principal
Pine Lane Elementary
Upcoming Dates at a Glance
- April 6 - CHAP Wish Week 5k run & festival
- April 8th - 10th - 5th Grade CMAS Testing
- April 15-18 - CMAS Testing
- April 18 - Spring Concert 6:00-7:00 pm
- April 19 - No School (Comp Day)
- April 23 - Spring Concert
- April 24- Discovery Carnival
- April 26 - No School (Professional Development Day)
- May 2nd - Talent Show
DCSD Transportation
Bus Cancellations
- April 8th - April 12: Bus 143, 151 & 186
- April 15th - 19th: Bus 145 & 183
- April 22nd - 26th: Bus 146
- April 29th - May 3rd: Bus 141
- May 6th -10th : Bus 142
- May 13th -17th: Bus 143, 151 & 186
- May 20th - 24th: Bus 145 & 183
Solar Eclipse
Waivers Needed by Parent/Guardians to Participate
On April 8th in Colorado, we will experience about a 65% eclipsed sun. Please mark your calendars to highlight this amazing event.
Here is a good article on what we will experience in Colorado: 2024 Eclipse Denver Area
We have ordered Solar Eclipse glasses for all our students to be able to participate. In order for students to participate they need to have the waiver below signed and returned to school by Monday April 8th.
StuCO - Chap Wish Week
April 6th - Chap Wish Festival
Wrapping up Wish Week, Chap is hosting a festival Saturday April 6th from 11:00am - 2:00pm
CMAS - Starts in April
The CMAS testing is approaching quickly. For our first-timers, CMAS is a series of assessments that students from grades 3-6 (and beyond) will take each year, typically in April.
- 5th-grade students will start with Science CMAS.
- They will test from April 8th - April 10th.
- 3rd - 6th Grade students will take the ELA and Math CMAS
- April 16th - April 18th.
Punctuality is always important, but it is especially crucial during this period. We will start testing soon after arrival, so it’s essential that your student(s) arrive at school on time. No one will be admitted into their classroom after the testing session starts, and they will have to complete the missed session during a make-up session.
To ensure your child performs at their best, we recommend they get a good night’s sleep and eat a healthy breakfast each morning. If possible, we ask that all phones, AirPods, Smartwatches, etc., be left at home during testing, as they will be powered down and collected during all testing sessions.
Please refer to the link for more information about CMAS and the testing schedule. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact Katie Roberts: kroberts3@dcsdk12.org
Field Trips
Every class over the next 4 months will be participating in some type of Field Trip. This could be off campus or presentations that come to Pine Lane. Here is a list by date of our upcoming trips:
At a Glance:
- April 11th - 2nd Grade History Colorado Center - Register by March 28th
- April 29th - 4th Grade & Littrell History Colorado Center - Register by April 15th
- April 30th - Kindergarten Denver Zoo - Register by April 14th
- May 3rd - 3rd Grade Denver Zoo & Gerren- Register by April 19th
- May 13th-1st Grade Swallow Hill Music presentation @PLE - Register by April 29th
Click on the link below for specific information about our Field Trip Procedures and registration links for all upcoming Field Trips.
Talent Show
PLE 2024 Talent Show Is Coming!
Submit Your Audition Video By Friday, April 12, 2024
Do you love to sing, dance, play an instrument, tell jokes, do martial arts, gymnastics or are really great at some other talent?
AUDITIONS
- Sign Up and Upload a video of your talent show audition below:
- Audition submissions should be 3 minutes or less in length.
DEADLINE
- Google Sign up and video submission must be turned in by midnight Friday April 12th.
SELECTION
- Students selected to perform in the Talent Show will be notified by April 19th.
- The top 10-12 acts will have a maximum of 4 minutes to perform at the Talent Show
May 2nd at 6:00 pm!
Discovery Carnival
Join us on Wednesday, April 24, 2024
We will play games, laugh a lot, and
raise money to support a good cause - Maui recovery.
Who: K - 6th Grade PLE Students, Parents, DCSD Staff
When: Wednesday, April 24 from 9:45 am - 3:00 pm (teachers sign up online to bring students)
Where: PLE’s South Gym
Why: Students have been learning about Maui and its current state since the devastating fires. Feeling concerned, the students have decided to make a positive impact. All money raised will be donated to non-profit organizations who are focused on helping humans and animals impacted by the wildfires.
How it works: Tickets will be sold at the rate of 4 for a dollar. Tickets may be purchased the day of the event, but pre-ordering tickets will save you time and allow for more game interaction! A few FREE games will be available. During the carnival, students will be permitted to play games of their choice. Game rates will vary between 1 - 3 tickets. Prizes will be awarded based on winning criteria.
PRE-Order Tickets and/or make donations, please order using one of the options below
Online Here: PLE 2024 Carnival.
Complete a paper form found here:
PLEA Updates
Public Meeting - April 11th
Our final public meeting will be held on April 11th
3:00pm
North Campus Library
At this meeting we will be organizing our chairperson(s) and committees
for our early fall events for next year.
Bear Crawl - May 21st
Our last fundraiser of the year will be our Bear Crawl Fun Run on May 21st!
We are looking for business partners, to donate $250 to help us offset the cost of T-shirts for all students and staff. Sponsors will have their logo on the back of the T-shirts, and we will have a banner thanking all the sponsors for their support.
If you are Interested in sponsoring our event please reach out pleabears@gmail.com.
Our deadline for sponsors, in order to be on the back of our T-shirts is April 13th.
Nutrition Services
We are thrilled to announce that the Pine Lane Elementary Kitchen (Grades 4, 5 and 6) will be offering the option to purchase a second entree through the end of the year. The price for a second entree is $3.00. Students will need to have money in their lunch account or bring cash to purchase a second entrée. Occasionally we will be offering ala-cart snack items for sale depending on availability through the end of the school year.
Lunch Accounts: We encourage you to manage your student's lunch account through My School Bucks. By adding funds to their account, your child can enjoy seconds, ala carte options, or purchase drinks separately. You can also set up auto payments on My School Bucks. My School Bucks
Cash Option: For those who prefer using cash, students must have money on their account or cash in hand to purchase second entrees, ala carte options, or drinks. Ala Carte Sales: Our ala carte offerings are carefully selected to meet USDA Federal Smart Snacks Nutrition Standards. These items have strict limits on calories, sodium, sugar, and whole grains to promote healthy choices. The products may resemble those found in grocery stores but are specially formulated for schools to prioritize reduced sugar and sodium, along with the incorporation of whole grains. A full snack list
including dietary information can be found under the Pine Lane Elementary lunch menu. Pine Lane Menu
Setting Purchase Limits: If you wish to establish restrictions on your students purchases, kindly fill out the provided form 23/24 Student Account Restriction Form. This will help us tailor the snack options to align with your preferences.
We believe that this addition will add an exciting dimension to our students lunchtimeexperience.
6th Grade Families
Continuation Ceremony
We are excited to announce that we are planning something new this year to make the transition from Pine Lane to seventh grade a memorable and special occasion for our sixth-grade students.
This year, we will host a Continuation Ceremony for our sixth-grade students. This event is scheduled for Tuesday, May 21, from 6:30 to 7:30-ish PM. The purpose of this ceremony is to celebrate the students’ journey through Pine Lane and to mark their progression to the next stage of their educational journey.
The venue for this event will be Sierra Middle School, which is significant as it is where many of our students will continue their education as seventh and eighth graders.
To ensure that we can accommodate everyone comfortably, we are trying to get an estimate of the number of students and their accompanying adults who will be attending the Continuation Ceremony. Please fill out this form to confirm or decline your child's/families attendance.
We appreciate your cooperation and look forward to celebrating this important milestone. Thank you very much!
Community/DCSD Updates
SMS is Hosting the College Funding Coach
Dear Sierra Middle School Feeder Area Parents and Guardians,
We have been working hard to provide college resources for your family. It is never too early to begin planning for your student's future education. I am excited to announce that Sierra Middle School is hosting the College Funding Coach on Tuesday, April 16th from 6:00-7:30pm for a web workshop. This event is for any family wanting to learn how to pay for college (Preschool - High School).
The College Funding Coach was founded in 2002 to help families better understand the complex strategies for paying for college and making higher education more affordable. Mark DeBord, from The College Funding Coach, is on a mission to help Colorado families pay for their children’s education. This interactive workshop, Little-Known Secrets of Paying for College, teaches parents the rules of the game when it comes to paying for your child’s education.
This is a free educational web event. Please register by clicking HERE or on the flyer attached to this email.
SMS is hosting our 8th annual Sources of Strength Healthy Activities Night!
SMS is hosting our 8th annual Sources of Strength Healthy Activities Night Tuesday, April 9th from 5:00PM -7:00PM. All Chap Family Feeder students and their families are invited to attend! We will have a bounce house, therapy dogs, sports, arts and crafts, food, dancing, and so much more! Please see the flyer for more details. Hope to see you there!
FOUNDATION COMMUNITY EVENTS 2023
FROZEN at Denver Center for the Performing Arts
Buell Theatre
Saturday, June 22 at 2 pm
Friday, June 28 at 7:30 pm
Tickets start at only $71!
Direct ticket link: https://www.foundationdcs.org/store/disneys-frozen-dcpa-buell-theatre
Information and ticket link for all Foundation Community Events is: https://www.foundationdcs.org/community-events
Summer Camps
Hosted at PLE
Camp Invention is a summer camp that is held at Pine Lane Elementary. This year Sahvanna LLewellyn one of our 3rd grade teachers is hosting this event.
DCSD - Stone Canyon Edventures
Register your student for a summer to remember today! Energetic and attentive staff, a wide variety of activities, and the potential for lifelong friendships await you when you arrive at our beautiful 99-acre location in the Rampart Range.
We offer week-long Overnight Camps for 9-15-year-old campers and 3-day Day Camps for 6-9-year-old campers.
More information can be found at www.StoneCanyonEdge.org/summercamp