Keeping Up with Colden
October 2023
From the Principal's Desk
Dear Colden Elementary School Families,
We've had a wonderful first month here at Colden Elementary School. I continue to be amazed at how quickly and wonderfully the kids have re-entered and adjusted to being back.
It was wonderful to see so many of our families here for Open House. I hope you've had the chance to get to know your child's teacher, and see what their everyday life here is like! There are SO many opportunities to get involved at school through volunteering in the classroom or at school events, to joining our wonderful PTA, which sponsors so many fun experiences for our students!
Each year, we would like to continue to improve the student experience. Our Character Education program is back and better than ever, as we focus on a character trait each month, and reward students in creative ways. Students are partaking in a new class each month, STEAM. Please see more in this newsletter about these changes that we are proud of!
Thank you for trusting us with your child(ren). I feel as if I have the best job in the world and look forward to the best school year yet! Any questions or concerns, please know you can always reach me at blangworthy@springvillegi.org or (716) 592-3217.
Best,
Mrs. Langworthy
How would you prefer the set-up of Open House?
Spirit Week 2023
Jersey Day with SRO Pickering
Mrs. McCloud & her UPKers Supporting the Buffalo Bills
Country Day
UPK Showing Off their Camo & Flannel
GET THE RIDE 360 APP NOW!
Springville Schools are excited to let our families know that this year, we will be utilizing the Ride 360 Application for our Transportation Department. This app allows parents to see where their child’s bus is along the route to better inform them of when the bus will arrive for pick-up in the morning and drop-off in the afternoon. Additionally, parents can use the app to communicate with the Transportation department by using the “messages” feature.
Download and sign up by entering your child’s name, student ID and date of birth. This process can be repeated for multiple children.
⚛️New at CES: STEAM Classes⚛️
In September, Colden Elementary School began offering a monthly STEAM session for all students. This month’s challenge was to build a wind-powered vehicle out of the materials provided.
After watching a short video and receiving basic directions, students worked in teams to make a sail car. Kindergarten, first grade, and second grade groups received design and building support from teachers and staff, while third, fourth, and fifth grade teams planned, designed and built mostly on their own. After teams finished building, they tested their vehicles using an electric fan.
The challenge emphasized working effectively in groups, creativity in design, understanding how wind can move a vehicle, and being persistent even when the first (or second or third!) design doesn’t work.
The hard work and creativity that the kids showed was impressive. The vast majority of the sail cars worked on the first or second try with only minor tweaks, and the ones that didn’t were very close. Next month, students will work on a completely different challenge related to fall!
📆 Our Schedule This Month
🍕 October Breakfast/Lunch Menu 🥞
🙌 September Shout-Outs
Intermediate classes, for being brave
STEAM Classes, for their creativity
Fifth Grade, for their Safety Patrol members keeping our school safe
Partnering with PTA
Colden PTA members have been busy planning for Fall Fest, our biggest family event and fundraiser of the year. Fall Fest will take place on Friday, October 27, from 5 to 7 p.m., and will feature a Trail of Treats, kids’ craft, “haunted” maze in the gym, the fall Scholastic Book Fair in the library, and our always popular basket and 50/50 raffles! Wendel’s chicken dinner will be available by pre-sale only for $15 per person (cash or check payable to Colden Elementary School PTA).
Want to help make this year’s Fall Fest the best one ever? We are still in need of whole baskets or individual items that can be combined into baskets for the raffle. Baskets / items can be dropped off in the front office. The next Fall Fest planning meeting is Wednesday, October 4 at 7 p.m. via Zoom (meeting ID 238 445 7202, passcode CES). If you want to help but cannot attend the meeting, please contact Maggi Preston at mpreston@springillegi.org or Jennifer Embt at jembt@springvillegi.org.
The next regular PTA meeting is planned for Wednesday, October 11 at 7 p.m., also via Zoom with the same meeting ID and passcode as above. If you would like to join the PTA but haven’t yet, there’s still time! Membership is only $5 a year, and that helps fund activities for all Colden students.
🗣Character Education 2023-24
I hope students and staff are excited for this school year’s character education program at Colden! This year, there will be monthly character education traits of emphasis, as well as awards. For September, we focused on Kindness. Each month, character education award winners will get to partake in a pretty neat experiential learning experience. All staff can nominate students, though we ask teachers to nominate only one student per month. This year, we are including staff members who best exhibit the character trait of the month! Last month, nominated students took a trip to the Blueberry Tree House for lunch and playground time.
Next month, our Character Education winners will be Trick-or-Treating with some special guests from our school! October's character trait is initiative.
This month's character education winners!
Pizza Party in the Treehouse
Kindness Matters
Colden Cares
Having trouble affording school snacks for your children? Would having a few more items in your pantry at home benefit to your family? If so, you may wish to consider enrolling in the “Colden Cares Cupboard.” The Colden Cares Cupboard is a supplemental food program run right at Colden Elementary. Enrollment is quick and easy. Snacks are provided for those who would otherwise go without. Weekly backpacks are sent home every week beginning in October. Simply return the bag to school for it to be filled up again. Interested or have more questions? Please call the Colden Elementary School Social Worker Deb Skok Watson @ (716)592-3277.
🗓 Coming Up!
Fall Fest 🍁
Sponsored by our PTA
Friday, Oct 27, 2023, 05:00 PM
Halloween Parade 🎃🦇👻
Tuesday, Oct 31, 2023, 02:30 PM
💡 Reminders
1. UPCOMING NOVEMBER IMPORTANT DATES 📆
No school for students on Wednesday, November 1st.
Thanksgiving Break- Wednesday, November 22nd - Friday, November 24th
2. ASK YOUR CHILD ABOUT ❓
- What is the character trait you a focusing on this month?
- Ask your child what it means to be a "bucket filler".
- Tell me about something you learned today.
- Tell me about the best part of your day.