Rhino Weekly Connection
4.10.23
Note from the Principal, Kristen Smetzer!
What incredible spring weather we had this weekend and today! I was able to be outside for most recesses and loved getting the extra sunshine and seeing our kids enjoying it too. I also have had quite a few lunch bunches lately and am really loving the informal chat time with kids. It's a great way to get to know them on personal levels - I'm learning all about pets and preferred sports and I even took the quiz on which Harry Potter house I would be assigned to (HufflePuff, it turns out).
Thank you for prioritizing cmas this last week! Students have consistently been on time, prepared, and relaxed. We appreciate your support on this! We have cmas math assessments for the rest of this week, and 5th graders will be taking cmas science tests next week.
See below for a lot of fun activities that we have planned as we move into our final months of school. Also - be sure to mark your calendars that there is no school on April 21 and 24 for conference exchange days.
Go Rhinos!
Kristen
In this week's update you will find:
- Autism Acceptance Month information
- CMAS testing information
- Impact on Education mental health panel opportunity
- PTA update
- Student Council Happenings
- District Choir details
- Ryan's got Talent details
- Fitness Fun Day and Ninja Nation announcement
- Lost & Found announcement
- Garden to Table opportunities
- Festival information in May
- Prearranged Extended Absences instructions
- Many volunteer opportunities, including donating breakfast for Wednesday mornings
- FAQs-past newsletter posts
Go Rhinos!
Autism Acceptance Month & Spirit Week!
Spirit Week: April 24-28, 2023
April 24 - No School Today
We encourage you to celebrate, learn more about, and empower individuals with autism. Share with those around you how to support, include, and understand people with autism.
April 25 - Red and /or Hearts Tuesday
Love and acceptance go a long way! Wear red or hearts today to show your support and acceptance of people with autism.
April 26 - Wondrous Wednesday
Autism is a neurological variation, which means the brains of people with autism work differently than the brains of allistic (non-autistic) people - and that's wonderful! Celebrate how amazing it is that all our minds work in different ways by wearing a fun hat or wild hair-do!
April 27 - Sensory Friendly Thursday
Some people on the autism spectrum often have a variety of sensory sensitivities. Dress up today in your most comfy clothes or pajamas. Use as much natural light as possible to light up your house or classroom instead of fluorescents, go outside and enjoy the sounds and smells of nature. Wear sunglasses too!
April 28 - Neurodiverse Friday
Celebrate the beauty in the diverse spectrums of the human mind…
wear rainbow and/or tie-dyed clothes to school!
Show your Autism Acceptance this Week and EVERY Week!
For more information and resources:
CMAS testing
Make sure your student gets a good night's rest, eat a healthy breakfast and GETS TO SCHOOL ON TIME!!!
Please read this letter from Mrs. Smetzer.
Click here for standard testing time schedule.
Impact on Education to host free mental health panel discussion for parents
PTA Update
PTA Community Meeting
Our final community meeting of the year will be Wednesday, April 19, at 6:30pm in the Ryan library. Our incoming principal, Ms. Jackman, will be there to introduce herself! Childcare and pizza will be provided for kids. All members of the Ryan community are welcome!
Eats & Sweets Food Truck at Ryan on Movie Night!
Come early to the Wall-E Movie Night hosted by Student Council on Friday, April 28, and enjoy some ice cream! The Eats & Sweets Food Truck will be at Ryan from 5-6:30pm with a selection of ice creams. This will be a Dining Night Out event, and they will donate 25% of ALL sales at the truck back to Ryan! Have fun playing on the playground and have some sweet treats before heading inside Ryan for the movie at 6:30!
Dining Night Out - Liquid Mechanics
If ice cream isn't your style, we'll also be holding our final Dining Night Out event of the year at Liquid Mechanics (297 N. Hwy 287, Lafayette) on Thursday, May 4, from 5-8pm! Liquid Mechanics will donate 10% of ALL beer sales (not food truck) that evening to Ryan—no need to show a flyer or mention Ryan! We hope to see you there!
STUDENT COUNCIL HAPPENINGS:
April 18th - Sucker Sales after school. All money raised from this event will be shared with Save the Rhino. The organization exists to save rhinos and grow the global population. https://www.savetherhino.org/what-we-do/protecting-rhinos/
April 28th - MOVIE NIGHT!
You are invited to join us in the gym for a showing of Wall-E. Eats & Sweets HITS THE STREETS will be at the school serving up tasty treats, starting at 5pm. Enjoy your treat on the playground. Doors for the movie will open at 6:30pm. Much like movie night in the park, bring your own blankets to sit on in the gym. Children must be accompanied by their grown-ups to attend this event.
BVSD Elementary All-District Choir
Friday, April 28, 5:30 p.m.
BVSD Elementary All-District Choir
Monarch High School
329 Campus Dr
Louisville, CO 80027
BVSD 4th & 5th grade students from across the district are coming together to celebrate the joy of connecting through music. They will spend the day rehearsing together, and the event will culminate with a concert in the evening. Tickets must be purchased in advance.
Congratulations to the students representing Ryan in this event:
Galia Gomez, Carlos Hernandez, Claire Schreiber, Tula Onyango, Leanna Foote and Maddy MacGregor
Sharing Days and "Ryan's Got Talent" are coming soon!
If your child has a talent to share with their peers and you would like more information please see this link: Sharing Days and Ryan's Got Talent Information and if interested, please complete the online audition form.
Save the Date - Fitness Fun Day AND Ninja Nation, FRIDAY, MAY 5, 2023!
Fitness Fun Day is back and it will be combined with Ninja Nation, on FRIDAY, MAY 5, 2023! Fitness Fun Day is our school's version of a field day, and all students will get to participate! This year with fitness fun day being combined with ninja nation, your student will be able to participate on the ninja course for half of their time, and participate in fun fitness field stations designed by our very own 5th grade students for the other half of their time. Students will follow their Specials schedule for their field time. See schedule below. We also need volunteers to help make this event a success! Please see the volunteer link below for opportunities to help. We are looking forward to a great event!
- Ms. Wehr and Mr. Chavez :)
Schedule:
8:40 - 9:30 - 3rd Grade
9:35 - 10:25 - 4th Grade
10:30 - 11:20 - 5th Grade
12:05 - 12:55 - 2nd Grade
1:00 - 1:50 - Kindergarten
1:55 - 2:45 - 1st Grade
Click this link to volunteer for Fitness Fun Day Station Help!
https://bvsd.helpatschools.com/schools/16/events/10879
Click this link to learn more about Ninja Nation, fill out the participation waiver, and volunteer!
Lost & Found
Lost and Found will be around for a couple more weeks.
Please come and check to see if any items belong to your child.
Items will be donated after April 20th
In the Garden
Jarabe Mexicano: Fiesta En Familia
May 6th 12pm
Click here for more information and a QR code for free tickets
Vacation/Attendance Reminder
We understand sometimes our students need to be out for an extended period of time, we encourage you to be in touch with your child's teacher as students are responsible for making up missed work upon their return. BVSD policy requires that after 10 absences all absences are marked as unexcused without a doctor's note. If you know your child will be out for more than 3 days or longer, please fill out this form and contact the attendance line at 720-561-7002.
Volunteer Opportunities
Volunteering is a fun, simple way to get involved within the Ryan community. We have all sorts of opportunities to get involved. Whether you volunteer regularly in your teacher’s classroom or the office copy room or just as needed, the impact can be huge. Not only does it benefit the school but it benefits your kids and families in our community as well! Please take a moment to fill out the background check through raptor: https://www.bvsd.org/parents-students/get-involved/volunteers and click here to see what opportunities we have available Help at School
Please consider signing up to donate breakfast goodies on Wednesday mornings.
https://bvsd.helpatschools.com/schools/16/events/9525
We appreciate your help! Thanks
If you have any questions please be sure to reach out!
Ryan Elementary STEAM School
Website: https://rye.bvsd.org/
Location: 1405 Centaur Village Drive, Lafayette, CO, USA
Phone: 720-561-7000
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RyanElemSTEAM