Newsletter
August 30th, 2018
Administrative Address
Conversations About School
 
When you think of parent involvement at AVA, do you envision moms and dads volunteering in the classroom, helping in the lunchroom or with carpool? Certainly, those are valuable ways to be involved, but research shows that supporting your child's education at home is extremely important as well. Here are four conversation starters that will help you stay involved with your child's education:
 
"Let's see what you brought home today."
Look at completed work whenever possible to see what your child is learning and how well they are doing. You could comment on their social studies work or their math progress. Make positive comments about their work and show that you are proud of them.
 
"Show me what you have for homework."
It is your child's job to do their homework, but you play a role too. Make sure your children know what they are supposed to do by having them explain the assignments to you. After they finish, glance over the work to see that it is complete.
 
"Describe a book you enjoyed today."
This gives you an idea of what your child prefers to read. Then, build a daily reading habit by asking what they would like to read tonight. Encourage their reading and listening skills by reading aloud with them and letting them read to you.
 
"Tell me what you learned that you would like to know more about."
Use your child's interest as a jumping-off point for activities to share. If your child likes geometry, you might do tangrams together. If they are fascinated by a lesson they learned in science, talk more about it with them and look for ways to explore their interests.


Bob Barber, M.Ed.
Principal
Aspen View Academy


Middle School News
Calling All 6th Grade Parents

The Parent Information Meeting for 6th grade Outdoor Ed will be Tuesday, Sept. 4th at 6:00 in the cafeteria.
Attention all 8th grade families!!  

There are still spots left to join us on a fabulous trip to Washington D.C. and New York City! There will be an information meeting on September 6th at 6pm in the AVA Cafeteria, and we hope you will join us! You will be able to learn about all the exciting things the students will see and do and the great opportunities awaiting them with this wonderful experience! If you are already signed up to join us this year, you are welcome to attend as well, but is not necessary as we will have a separate meeting later this year. Looking forward to traveling with you all! 

If you have questions please feel free to reach out to Alicia Mund at amund@aspenviewacademy.org .
7th Grade trip to Keystone Science School 10/1/18-10/3/18

We are so excited to let the 7th Grade parents know that we will be going to Keystone Science School this year, on Monday, October 1, 2018-Wednesday, October 3, 2018. We will have an informational Parent Meeting about the trip TONIGHT, August 30, 2018, at 6:00 PM, in the AVA Library. If you can't make this meeting, we will be giving the information and forms to students tomorrow, August 31, 2018. We will also have the information and forms on Mrs. Fanning's website by tomorrow. We hope to see you, for the Parent Meeting, tonight at 6:00 PM in the AVA Library.
Announcements

Tomorrow is the last Friday of August, meaning it is dress of choice day. Click here for the Dress of Choice Guidelines.
Friday, September 14 will be AVA’s first Spirit Day.

On Spirit Days students can wear spirit wear shirts provided by the PTO along with the rest of the uniform. Spirit wear items include t-shirts with the official AVA Wolf/logo. For example, on a Spirit Day, a student may wear a T-shirt purchased through the PTO along with uniform shorts, pants, skirt.... Other Spirit Wear includes t-shirts or sweatshirts purchased while playing an AVA sport at or an AVA Field Day shirt or other official AVA shirt. Spirit days at AVA will be on the following dates:
  • Friday, September 14
  • Friday, October 19
  • November – Spirit Day will be Friday, November 9 and will be a patriotic theme (we will have a Veteran’s Day assembly on this day).
  • Friday, December 14
  • Friday, January 11
  • Friday, February 8
  • Friday, March 8
  • Friday, April 12
  • Friday, May 10 
An AVA Family is looking for your support

Tom & Katie Ruekert and their two boys have been a part of the AVA community since the school was a mere thought back in 2011, and they are a Founding Family of the school.

We are asking that you please consider joining the Ruekert Family as they walk towards a cure for FSH Muscular Dystrophy (FSHD). Katie was diagnosed with this form of Muscular Dystrophy in 2011 and in 2016 they created a local fundraising event, known at the Colorado Walk & Roll to Cure FSHD. The event supports researchers working towards a very first treatment for this devastating muscle disease. 

This year’s 3rd annual event will be help at Philip S. Miller Park (also known at the MAC) on Saturday, September 8th from 8am-11am. Registration is FREE and a post walk pancake breakfast is included. This family friendly event supports such a great cause.  

To learn more about this community fundraiser and FSHD or if you are looking to support this event, please click on the link provided: https://fshsociety.rallybound.org/COWalkAndRoll/RUEKERT.
Dress of Choice Day – Wednesday, September 5

How about an EXTRA dress of choice day? Please send your student (s) in with a donation - all proceeds will benefit the 3rd Annual Colorado Walk & Roll to Cure FSHD.
Compassion to Action

Our Middle School Community Give Back Elective is having a coat drive for those in need. We will be collecting your gently used coats from Sept. 4-14th! If you have coats you have outgrown, this is your chance to help the community! Starting next week there will be a box in the front lobby.  Let's make the winter WARM! We have a goal of collecting 500 coats. Can you help up make that happen??  
Click here for the DCSD Foundation Community Events. The Foundation offers discounted tickets AND raises money for Douglas County Schools!
Tardies

We will begin to enforce our Tardy Policy in September.

Any student not seated and ready to learn by the beginning of class will be marked tardy. Students who accumulate five or more tardies in a month will lose dress of choice privileges. K-5 students who arrive after the start of school must be signed in at the Main Office by a parent or guardian. Middle school students may sign themselves in at the front office. A tardy is considered excused if the student is at an appointment, and the parent provides a signed doctor’s note.
Options for picking up students during a lightning dismissal:

  • You can park your car and bring your carpool tag to the front of the building where a staff member will be putting numbers into the system, and wait there for your student. If you go with this option, please do not leave your car in the carpool line. You will need to find a spot in the parking lot or park on the street.
  • You can wait in your car for the lightning to pass. Once the lightning passes, all students will be dismissed.
  • If you do not know your carpool number (the number on your carpool tag), then you can come into the front office with your ID.
Hello AVA parents!

With the year back in full swing, the art dept can use your help. We are looking for common household things that instead of throwing away, we will take and reuse. We would be grateful for the following:
  • Paper towel/ Toilet paper rolls
  • Lids and containers from yogurt/cream cheese/sour cream etc. (for paint palettes and water containers)
  • Any oversized shirts that could be used as art shirts
  • Food themed magazines
  • Newspapers
Needed: Before and After Care Assistant Director 
Hours: 6:30 - 9:30 AM and 3:00 – 6:00 PM

Applicants must meet the minimum qualifications as stated in the rules regulating school age child care programs (7.712.42)
As we enter the 18-19 school year, Aspen View Academy will again be providing families with two great resources. The first is to help your family with transportation to and from school. We have partnered with School Pool to help you identify other AVA families within your neighborhood who you can reach out to to create carpools to and from school.  If you do not want your information shared with other families for carpooling, please complete the School Pool OPT OUT FORM.  You have until TOMORROW, August 31st to opt out of this program.

The second resource we provide to our families is the All School Directory available on the AVA Smart Phone App. You can search and download this app from your phone's app store. You will search Aspen View Academy. The All School Directory is password protected on the app once the new directory is available. The password will be emailed to parents.  If you would like to opt out of the directory, please complete the DIRECTORY OPT OUT FORM by TOMORROW, August 31st. You may opt out some or all your information.


Spirit Night is TONIGHT at Papa Johns

Fill out and present the attached flyer with your order and help a teacher win a pizza party for his/her class!!  
AVA Carnival

On Saturday, September 15 from 2:00-6:00 pm (weather permitting), the PTO would like to invite all AVA families to the AVA Carnival. The Carnival will take place on the field, basketball court, and along the back side of the school. We still have plenty of space if you would like to be a volunteer. 

We are looking for volunteers to help with Set up, Games, Face Painting, Ticket Sales and more. Please sign up here.

If you are interested in being a vendor at the carnival, please contact avacarnivalvendors@gmail.com for additional information.

Click here for the Events Calendar
Click on this link to pre-register yourself as a volunteer in the Raptor System. 
After School Activities

After School Clubs are now open for sign up for grades K-8. Please click here to see what we are offering this session.


Sports News
Students in Middle School (beginning with 6th Grade) are encouraged to participate in at least one sport per year. Students may only participate after the following have been submitted to and verified by the Front Office:
  • Athletic Packet (this includes three pages: AVA Participation, Physician Permit, and DCSD Participation). Please submit completed packet.
  • $115 per player, per sport

STUDENTS MUST HAVE AN UP-TO-DATE ATHLETIC PACKET TURNED IN TO THE SCHOOL NURSE BEFORE YOUR SON OR DAUGHTER CAN TRY-OUT. Click here for the packet.

Girls Cheer



Click here for our sports page.


**AVA Sports are for students in grades 6-8**
PTO News
Up-coming PTO Events with Volunteer Opportunities

Take a peek at all the up-coming AVA PTO events here, dates are subject to change. The AVA PTO is only successful with the help of our dedicated parents. If you would like to become a PTO volunteer, please view current opportunities and sign up here!
Wolf Shack Hours

Stop by the Wolf Shack every Friday from 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm to purchase AVA Spirit Wear.

If you prefer to shop online, follow this link. If you have questions, please
email: pto@aspenviewacademy.org – we are happy to assist you!
Volunteer Corner
Please click on a link below to sign up to volunteer in one of the following areas.





Thank you for all that you do.
Contact Us
General Information: (720) 733-3436 office@aspenviewacademy.org  
Fax: (303) 660-5959
Attendance Line: (303) 660-5940
Volunteer Line: (303) 660-5941 scahill@aspenviewacademy.org
Before/After Care: (303) 888-3040 tlund@aspenviewacademy.org
Lunch Line: (303) 660-5943 xsknight@dcsdk12.org
Student Tech Support: studentsupport@aspenviewacademy.org
Aspen View Academy
2131 Low Meadow Blvd.
Castle Rock, CO 80109