Aspen Parent News
Preparing Today's Learners for Tomorrow's Opportunities!
February 9, 2020
Aspen Elementary School is a family-friendly school committed to you and your children. We encourage you to be involved in your child’s school year and communicate with our highly supportive and capable staff. Our teachers prepare outstanding music performances, literacy nights, EL nights, and science fairs. New this year we hosted a ‘Taste of Learning’ event with parents joining their child in class for a learning activity and a slice of pie!
Also, we teach our students to be responsible environmental stewards through recycling, trash management, sustainable energy, gardening, and service projects. This year we converted to a Zero Waste lunch program and added a fruit and vegetable bar that offers healthy choices. Our new makerspace is equipped with a 3-D printer, Sphero robots, and cardboard construction tools, which offer student creative engineering opportunities.
Additionally, we believe that our students and staff should always feel physically and emotionally safe at school. Our Safety Team works to ensure that the staff and students learn safety protocols and follow district emergency procedures. Our Social Emotional Team leads the staff in implementing Conscious Discipline, which is grounded in the ideas of School Family and turning misbehaviors into learning opportunities.
Finally, our supportive PTO hosts many family-friendly events and recently completed a playground improvement project. At Aspen our students learn to care for others and become leaders in our collective future.
I wish you well!
Mrs. Altherr
Tiger Paws in the Gym, Request for Volunteers!
Help add a little school spirit to the Aspen gym! We are requesting volunteers to put up yellow paw print decals on the green stripe in the gym on February 27th (6-8PM) and 29th (9AM-Noon). Decal installation takes teamwork and patience, but goes quickly once you get the hang of it. We have people that can train you. Please review the available slots below and click on the button to sign up. If you can only attend for part of the time, that is fine. Just let us know what works for you. Thank you!
Sign-up Genius https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080444ADAE22ABFB6-tiger
Questions? Email Mrs. Altherr (mi.altherr@laschools.net) or the Aspen PTO
Tiger News Bites!
Tantrums, Tears, and Tempers: Behavior Is Communication
"What’s really going on when a child throws a tantrum at a store or cries incessantly before bedtime?
Most likely, the child is trying to express something that he or she can’t say in words. In the first case, it might mean the child wants a candy bar or toy. In the second, it might mean the child is afraid of the dark.
For young children, behavior is communication that’s used to meet needs. It’s how they let you know they either want something or want to avoid something.
The reason they sometimes use such challenging behaviors is because it works. By understanding what your child is trying to express, you can better respond to his or her needs and help your child learn more positive ways to communicate. Here are some questions you can consider asking about your child’s challenging behaviors and some steps you can take to help decrease the likelihood of that behavior from happening again. . . ."
The full article can be accessed at the NMPED Early Childhood Education page, which has several family resources. https://webnew.ped.state.nm.us/bureaus/early-childhood-bureau/
What's Up with Preschool?
Next fall, Aspen, Mountain, and Barranca are planning to start or expand preschool programs at their sites. Chamisa will follow with a preschool the next year. Pinion already has a successful preschool. Currently there is a broad framework for implementing new public preschools and more details will follow. Students must live in Los Alamos County and register to be in the selection lottery. April 1st is the tentative start date to register for the lottery. Preschool will be a half day program. Students will be enrolled for either the morning or the afternoon program. 20 slots will be available for each.
"New Mexico PreK is a voluntary preschool program created by the Pre-Kindergarten Act of 2005. The PreK program is jointly administered by the Public Education Department and the Children, Youth, and Families Department. Children who have reached their 4th birthday by September 1st are eligible to attend a PreK program. The purpose of PreK is to ensure every child in New Mexico has the opportunity to attend a high quality early childhood education program before kindergarten." Further information can be found at https://webnew.ped.state.nm.us/bureaus/early-childhood-bureau/
I Heart Zero Waste Month!
February is Aspen's I Heart Zero Waste Lunch month which will continue into March-March into Zero Waste Lunches. Students and staff are encouraged to produce as little lunch waste as possible by using reusable containers and water bottles to pack their lunch. There is a great 2 minute video Chamisa students made to show how they pack zero waste lunches.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9pIpDTGzGU
Way to go Aspen Green Team!
Mark Your Calendars this Week!
In additions to all our great PTO events described below, please make sure to mark you calendar for the dates this week.
February 12th. All families with students who can ride the bus to school, should ride it Wednesday morning. These counts provide funding for our transportation department.
February 13th @ 5:30 is the 1st and 2nd grades music performance for families.
February 14th @ 8:30 AM is the playground dedication of the new equipment. Parents are welcome!
Youth Mental Health First Aid
Learn about common mental health challenges, typical adolescent development, and a 5 step plan for helping youth in both crisis and non-crisis situations. This daylong training is FREE to adults who work with youth ages 10-18. Wednesday, February 26th, 8 am - 5 pm Register at www.losalamosjjab.com/events
Smith's Shopping Rewards for Aspen!
Smith's Inspiring Donation, Linking your Rewards Card to Aspen School
We have 76 people signed up for Smith's Inspiring Donations Program.As of the October through December 2019 period, we raised $803.71.
Smith's Food & Drug donates 0.5% of every eligible purchase made by participants to the organization their rewards card is linked to. You do this by setting up a Smith's digital account to link your rewards card to Aspen.
The FAQ is here. https://www.smithsfoodanddrug.com/topic/community-rewards-9
PTO News
Playground Dedication, Friday, February 14 at 8:30am
If you've haven't heard from your student(s), we got our new playground equipment installed! We are having a ribbon cutting ceremony. It will be brief but we'd love you to come out and see the new improvement to the playground. The students appear to be enjoying it and the pieces are always full!
Spirit Wear Orders Due 2/14
The Spirit & Pride order forms went home last week. This is the last chance to order spirit wear this school year. You can order with the paper forms sent home or online at https://www.spiritandpride.com/sap/SAPHomePage?persontype=student&schoolid=0000078936&type=2
Free Family Movie Night, February 21st @ 6:30PM
As in the past, the PTO will sell snacks. They will update you on the movie they will be showing. Please contact the PTO if you would like to help.
Dr.Seuss Reading Spirit Week, March 2-6.
This is in the planning phase. Psst - this may involve taping the principal to the wall! Please contact the PTO if you would like to help.
Aspen School's Spring Fling and Recycled Art Show, April 3rd
This is an annual event that the children look forward to. The Recycled Art Show is a new event and your children have been busy creating their artworks! Please contact the PTO if you would like to help.
Your Opinion, What should be the PTO's next goal?
Now that we've completed our goal of improving the playground (almost $30,000!), we need your help to determine what goals we should have next! Goals can be small or big. In the Google Form below, we've listed a couple ideas but we'd also love to hear what you want! Keep in mind our goal is still to support teachers through classroom monies and fund field trips. These would be goals beyond our yearly plans. Please fill out the form, getting input from your children too!
https://forms.gle/sBWqJuZLsJwEE9PJ7
PTO Meetings
We had a great first meeting of 2020 and a new IA joined us! Just a reminder, you are always welcome to come to our meetings - kids too! Our next meeting is Monday, February 24 at 3:30pm. The meeting minutes can be found here (our website!): https://aspenpto.weebly.com/meetings.html
Aspen PTO Email: mailto:helpaspenpto@gmail.com
Boxtops, Monthly Competition Deadline, February 17
Calendar
Upcoming Events
February 12
120th Day, Ride the Bus to School Day
February 13
5:30PM 1st and 2nd Grades Music Performance
February 14
Valentines Day
This is a regular school day
8:30 AM Playground Ribbon Cutting Ceremony, parents welcome to attend
February 17
Presidents' Day (no school for students or staff)
Boxtop February Deadline
February 21
6:30 PTO Free Family Movie Night
February 27
3:30 PTO Meeting, Lounge
4:00 GATE Advisory Meeting
March 2-6
Dr.Seuss Reading Spirit Week Hosted by PTO
March 11-13
Parent Conferences
End of 3rd Quarter, Mid-Semester Reports
March 16
9:30-12:00 Aspen Speech Contest (5th and 6th grade winners participate)
March 17
5th Grade Assessment of Science Readiness Test (ASR)
March 23 -27
Spring Break
April 1
Kindergarten Registration Opens
Preschool Lottery Registration Opens
April 3
Aspen School Spring Fling and Recycled Art Show!
April 8
Aspen Kindergarten Roundup for next year's kindergarteners
Aspen NM-MSSA for grades 3-6
April 22
Returning Student Enrollment Starts
April 27 - May 1
Aspen NM-MSSA for 3-6
Google Translate Feature
Aspen School . . .
Mission
Aspen is a student-centered learning community that prepares today’s learners for tomorrow’s opportunities.
Vision
All students will achieve mastery of core subject knowledge and thinking skills at each grade level as well as the dispositions and habits to use it.
The Aspen School community believes in . . .
Supportive Culture: OUR school teaches, models, and provides opportunities to practice kindness, empathy, and compassion.
- Engaged Learning: OUR teachers use active learning strategies that promote students’ curiosity, critical thinking, and passion to learn.
- Challenges as Opportunities: OUR school fosters a growth mindset by encouraging resourcefulness and resilience in response to challenges.
Helpful Links
Michele Altherr
Aspen Elementary School Principal
Aspen Absence Line: (505) 663-2276
Aspen Information Line: (505) 663-2277
Email: mi.altherr@laschools.net
Website: http://laschools.net/aspen/
Location: Aspen Elementary School, 33rd Street, Los Alamos, NM, USA
Phone: 505-663-2321