NES MOUNTAIN MEMO
December 13, 2019
From Principal Reckert
Dear Nederland Elementary Families,
I’m so excited to announce that we are composting again at Nederland Elementary School! After a hiatus of several years, we are thrilled to have composting back in our cafeteria and for the paper towels in our bathrooms. We have been working with Eco-Cycle, BVSD, and the transfer station to make this a reality. We are well on our way to becoming a Green Star School for our efforts in composting and recycling. There is more information attached to this newsletter if you’re interested in learning more.
There are many other things you and your family can do to help the environment. Please encourage your child to take the bus to and from school every day. Not only can students build friendships on the bus, but it’s also a great way to cut down on emissions. If you live close by to the school, walk, cross country ski, snowshoe, or sled to school. Again this will help the environment, and help our congested parking lot.
Enjoy the incoming snow,
Laurel
EVENTS
Monday, December 16th - 3:45-4:30 School Accountability Committee meeting
Friday, December 20th - Last day of school before winter break
Tuesday, January 7th - First day of school after Winter break, Blue Sky Bridge Parent Presentation at 6:00pm
Who's Who on the NES Staff?
Katie Sylvest, Second Grade
Teaching is an absolute passion of mine! I am so excited for another great year at NES. It’s going to be a year full of fun, learning, and lots of adventures. This year I’d like to become a better listener and continue to form close social relationships. Most importantly, I’d like to support my students to the best of my abilities. Staying at the cutting edge of teaching practices is important to me. I try to model what continuous learning looks like for my students; we talk frequently about how I am always trying to be a better teacher. Last year I really grew by studying innovative teaching practices like Project-Based Learning and how to teach essential Social-Emotional Learning. Both of these make learning even more powerful. Fun, integrity and hard work are the essentials for what makes this classroom work.
I have been married to my wonderful husband, Andrew, for seven years. We enjoy living at the top of Coal Creek Canyon with our two cats and Great Pyrenees, Bear. When I'm not teaching you can catch me on a plane or photographing wild animals. I have backpacked through 53 countries and love to bring those cultural learning experiences into our classroom. Backpacking is one way that I try to model growing as an adult and what learning can look like outside of the classroom. Other cultures and global issues really interest me. I love to learn; that’s why I became a teacher. I want my students to love learning like I do. Before my teaching career, I attended Louisiana State University. I have taught fourth grade and third grade and try to stay in touch with the families from previous years. It’s neat to watch our young people grow into people who make a difference in the world.
Hobbies: traveling, photography, writing, yoga, staying active and healthy
Color: Yellow
Hike: Moffat Tunnel East Portal
Book: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Drink: Chai Tea
Food: enchiladas, tacos al pastor, y burritos . . . yum!
Animal: kitties and Alaskan Coastal Brown Bears
National Parks: Gates of the Arctic, Lake Clark, Glacier, and RMNP
Quote: “Life is the school and love is the lesson” - Kate McGahan
Katie Ness, Second Grade
A little about me: I attended the University of Minnesota, earning my Masters in Education. I feel lucky to teach with such an inspiring community at Nederland Elementary. I love spending time outside, whether it's sliding down a volcano, skiing, climbing to the top of Devil's Thumb or playing games in the woods. Over the summers I can be found in the gardens, wandering in nature, or sitting on a lawn chair in Minnesota's St. Croix River.
A little about my family: My husband, Blair, and I spend time exploring the trails around our house in Nederland. Our handsome cat, Kittie, enjoys going on adventures in the backyard. It's hard living away from our families, but we look forward to our visits back to Minnesota. While my sister introduced me to Ned, she and her husband now live on the other side of the mountains. Blair and I love helping out at their farm, Twisted Root, in Paonia, CO. She pays us in deliciously sweet carrots. My puppy nephews, Elko and Marlo, like them too.
My favorite book: Matilda
My favorite hobbies: Skiing, hiking, reading, crafts, and music.
My favorite color: Changes every day.
My favorite food: Chocolate Ice Cream
My Favorite Animals: Owls and Kittie the Cat.
My Favorite Quotes: "But sometimes my shadows do return, I just turn towards the sun and they fall behind me." Mark Murphy -- "Spread your light, radiate" Xavier Rudd
Noteworthy
NEDERLAND FOOD PANTRY HOLIDAY BOX DISTRIBUTION
For Mountain Residents
Saturday, December 14th from 9 am to Noon
Nederland Community Center
Food, Clothing, and Holiday Toy Shop
Open to all-mountain residents who need a little help this holiday season.
Health room in need!!!
The health room is in desperate need of size 5, 6, 7 and 8 pants for boys and girls. Easy on off pants like leggings and sweats are ideal. Thank you!
Blue Sky Bridge
Blue Sky Bridge is coming on Tuesday, January 7th at 6:00 pm to give a presentation to all parents about child abuse prevention. They will be teaching third graders valuable strategies in January, but all parents can benefit from this valuable information.
Volunteers Needed
For Hug ‘N Go help in the afternoons. Please respond to this email if you’re able to help once a week.
PTA NEWS
Hello NES community!
Thank you for getting your NED SHRED forms in! The volunteer organizers (a small hard-working group) greatly appreciate the timely return because of all the data entry that this event requires. If you see Cheree or Scott, be sure to thank them for all their hard work.
*NED SHRED DATE CHANGE DATE CHANGE DATE CHANGE DATE CHANGE*
4th/5th: Jan 28th (Tuesday) and Jan 31st (Friday)
K/1st: Jan 29th (Wednesday) and Feb 5th (Wednesday)
2nd/3rd: Jan 30th (Thursday) and Feb 6th (Thursday)
To accommodate Eldora’s schedule, we had to make adjustments to the dates that students are attending. Many of you have already completed a permission slip with the old dates.
IF YOU DO NOT GIVE YOUR CHILD PERMISSION TO ATTEND ON THE NEW DATES, PLEASE EMAIL Scott ASAP at scottjrainey@gmail.com.
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
Ned Shred - coming up in January of 2020. Volunteers are needed for the day of the event. Get kids in and out of gear, through rentals, and ready to enjoy the slopes. Contact: Scott Rainey (scottjrainey@gmail.com)
Silent Auction - yes, this happens in May but we need to start soliciting for donated items NOW. This silent auction is our major fundraiser for the year and ensures that the NES PTA can continue to support various school programs and activities. Help is needed to contact businesses, pick up items, enter items into the auction system, and help set-up the silent auction. Contact: Jess McElvain (treasurer@nespta.com)
Enjoy your weekend,
Jess McElvain, NES PTA Treasurer
The Counselor's Corner
Presentation at NES:
On Monday, kindergarten-5th grade attended a resilience-based assembly program called “Nametags” led by Chris Waddell, recent Olympic Hall of Fame inductee. Chris spoke about his own story of having to overcome many obstacles after a ski injury left him paralyzed from the waist down. The students learned about The 4 S's of Resilience including:
Self: Am I a victim or a survivor?
Situation: Is it overwhelming or a challenge?
Support: Will I stand alone or build a team?
Strategies: Will I develop one or many to overcome
For more information about One Revolution’s Nametags™ Educational Program and Chris’s amazing journey please see below:
https://one-revolution.org/about/our-story#chris
Parent Resources:
Social Emotional Learning at NES
Social-Emotional Learning at NES (Dec 9-13, 2019)
How we talk matters. When we're upset about something, our Lizard Brain often wants to spew words that blame, hurt, and exaggerate. In order to use more effective communication skills, we need to stop and think about how to say our concerns and what impact they will have on getting us the change we desire. Students learned how to separate factual descriptions of a problem from ones laced with opinion and judgment.
They practiced the following~
~ objectively describing the problematic behavior or decision instead of describing the person,
~ refraining from exaggerating by avoiding the words" always, never, nobody"
~ taking responsibility for their own emotions and perceptions about the situation
Mastering the art of speaking in "I-messages" instead of "You-messages" is a lifelong process. Rather than choosing passivity or aggression when we are faced with a problem, our Wizard Brains help us stop and think about how to speak assertively. Help your child verbalize their concerns into words that convey "I feel _____ when I see/hear/notice______."
Read more about parenting skills covered in the Mountain Strong Families Series: Mountain Parents at their Best
~Ann Sherman, Social Emotional Learning NES, Parenting Matters Coordinator TEENS, Inc
Nederland Elementary
Attendance Line: 720-561-4802
Transportation: 720-561-6241
Email: Juanita.Gloe@BVSD.org
Website: http://nee.bvsd.org/
Location: 1 Sundown Trail, Nederland, CO, USA
Phone: 720-561-4800
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BVSDNederlandElementary/?hc_location=ufi