December Parent Newsletter
Happy December! Who's ready for 2020?

November flew by and December is upon us. A time to not only be grateful, but to reflect and plan for the upcoming year. We've been in school for 12 weeks now and not only have we set a strong foundation for learning and growing, we've already begun to see goals being met by our students and staff in both academic and social/emotional areas. We are on a great trajectory for success!

So far this year, we've leaned that Everything is Possible; Passion Comes First and that We ARE Connected through our 7-Mindsets study. For the next two months (December and January) our focus will turn to 100% Accountability, the key for well-rounded students and adults.

Within Mindset #4: 100% Accountability, we'll learn and practice:
Owning YOUR Life
Overcoming Limiting Beliefs
Focusing Your Energy
Growing Through Life

Want to learn more? Click HERE to read the parent newsletter and see how you can incorporate this mindset at home, too.

We are also in the midst of open enrollment, both at Aspen Ridge and in the St. Vrain Valley School District. This is an important time of the year as we for the 20-21 school year. Our enrollment numbers guide many decisions that will need to be made (how many classes we'll offer at each grade level; how many teachers we'll need at Aspen Ridge; what elective offerings we'll have for our middle school students, if we are able to add language back into our enrichment schedule, etc). As you begin planning for the 20-21 school year, your transparency in sending your child to Aspen Ridge or to another school is very appreciated. It helps everyone in the long run and it especially helps with middle school planning (for both ARPS and YOU). Be on the lookout for the Aspen Ridge Intent to Return form and thank you in advance for returning it to school BY December 13th. You can download and print a copy to send back to school after the Thanksgiving Break (click HERE ), or you can check your child's yellow folder for a hard copy of the form after the break.

We hope to see you in the next few weeks as we have quite a bit going on at school. Make sure to mark your calendar for all things Aspen Ridge on the horizon. Also, don't forget that we area always seeking input, ideas and positives for what you see from a parent perspective. By clicking
HERE and providing some feedback, we are able to reflect and plan for positive experiences and changes for all.
Thank you for being a part of Aspen Ridge, a school built BY the community that builds UP the community!
Mrs. Salmeron, Principal 
Dates for your Calendar
DECEMBER
December 2: Back to School from Thanksgiving Break
December 3:
  • Spring Gala Committee Meeting, 8:30am, in the Heart
  • Chick-Fil-A Restaurant Night
December 4:
  • 1st Trimester Perfect Attendance Recognition (K-8), 7:30-8:00am in the Heart (students should have received a pink invite stapled to the attendance letter/information)
  • Early Release, 12:15pm
  • Girl's Home Basketball Game, 3:30pm
December 6: Erie Parade of Lights (our band will be marching)
December 10: Colorado Give's Day! Click HERE for more information.
December 11:
  • Annual Lottery for new families
  • Girl's Home Basketball Game, 3:30pm
December 12: Middle School Winter Concert, 6pm
December 12:
  • Holiday Luncheon at Aspen Ridge (RSVP window open through Dec 1; so far we have almost 200 RSVPs!!)
  • Middle School Winter Concert, 6pm
December 13:
  • Intent to return forms due for ALL K-8th Students (Click HERE)
  • Parent's Night Out, 6-8pm (to support the International Club)
December 15: "Try Scuba" Fundraiser at Ocean's First, 3-5pm (see flyer below)
December 17-19: TIDES I trip to Homestead Crater, Utah
December 18:
  • Spring Gala Committee Meeting, 8:30am, in the Heart
  • Board Meeting, 4:30pm
December 19:
  • Last Day of Semester for Middle School
  • Winter Classroom Celebrations (after 1pm)
December 20-January 5th: Winter Break, No School
December 21: Winter Solstice (First Day of Winter)
JANUARY
January 5th: Try Scuba Fundraiser at Ocean's First, 2-6pm (an added date for your calendar)
January 7th (TUESDAY): Students 1st Day Back from Break
January 8th: Girl's Basketball Game, 3:30 (Away)
January 11th: Girl's End of Season Tournament (More info to come)
January 13th: Restaurant Night: Next Door American Eatery
January 14th: Spring Gala Committee Meeting, 8:30am, in the Heart
January 15th: Board Meeting, 4:30pm
January 17th: No School--Enjoy your long weekend!
January 20th: No School
January 24th: Parent's Night Out, 6-8pm (supports Intramural Sports)
January 29th: Spring Gala Committee Meeting, 8:30am, in the Heart
January 30th: Spring Classroom and Individual Pictures (Wear uniforms, please.)
FEBRUARY
February 5th:
  • Early Release Day, 12:15pm
  • Coffee and Cocoa House Fundraiser (4th-8th)
February 13th: Class Valentine's Parties, after 1pm
February 14th/17th: No School--Enjoy your long weekend!
MARCH
March 20-27: Spring Break, No School
Our Spring Gala Committee is looking for volunteers to help with donation procurement. This is our biggest fundraiser of the year and many hands helping ensures many Silent Auction choices and fun! If you are interested in working from behind your computer or putting your feet to work, please contact our committee at auction@arprep.org. Your service will make a BIG impact for all!
Be on the lookout for a "Save the Date" coming soon!
What's Parent's Night Out?
PNO is a fundraiser that supports various groups around the school and is a GREAT reason to go on a date with your spouse, partner, friends or by yourself! Students can begin being dropped off at 5:45pm in the heart; the PNO fee is $10 per child (not including concessions that cost between $1-$2.50 per item); Students should be picked up at 8:00pm; Students will start the night off with a movie and end it with "open gym.
Other PNO opportunities coming up this year (for your calendar):
January 24, 6-8pm (supports Intramural Sports)
February 21, 6-8pm (supports Tides)
April (date and pricing TBD based on date of the Gala)
May 15, 6-8pm (supports Music Program)
Board Briefs
Notes from the 11/20/19 Board Meeting and 11/21/19 Coffee with the Principals
  • Brooke Whittern, from the Owl's Nest, was recognized as the Owl of the Month. She's done a great job keep our before and after school program running smoothly, with a great attitude the whole time. Congratulations Brooke!
  • Our school meets the CDE Immunization expectations with 100%. Thank you, families, for getting the appropriate paperwork turned in; thank you, Ms. Collard, for your perseverance in getting all necessary records documented and turned in.
  • The 5th grade trip to Calwood received many kudos as a great opportunity for our AR Owls. The teachers were amazing and the students not only learned a lot about forestry and taking care of our environment, but had a great time throughout. They made Aspen Ridge SHINE!
  • Safety drills at Aspen Ridge are being performed and align with SVVSD and Colorado standards. We are working with our campus SRO and SVVSD safety personnel to ensure our procedures and practices are strong and understood by staff and students. You are in good hands at Aspen Ridge.
  • Open enrollment is upon us and enrollment counts will be much needed to plan and budget for the upcoming school year.
  • 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 Academic and Staff Calendars were introduced to the board for discussion. Voting will take place at the December meeting.
  • Fall Fest was a another great community event! Although it is not intended to be a fundraiser, we raised a little over $5000 that goes into our general budgeting fund. This fund goes straight back into the operating budget, ensuring teachers and staff have the materials and resources they need to be successful at school.
Aspen Ridge is a charter school authorized under the St. Vrain Valley School District. This means that while we contract out some services (Special Education, lunch service, district substitutes) we operate independently as Aspen Ridge employees. As a charter school, we operate under our own bylaws, have our own Board of Directors and parallel with district schools from time to time (but not always). While we are in the middle of some beautiful neighborhoods, we don't draw our enrollment as a typical neighborhood school with zoned boundaries; we are a school of choice for 100% of our families.

Our Board of Directors consist of five volunteer members associated with Aspen Ridge. Most recently, at the annual meeting, board positions were voted on. They are:
Board President: Randy Drennen
Board Vice President: Eric Rinard
Board Treasurer: Stefanie Deters
Board Secretary: Liz Locricchio
Board Member: Krista Burnell

Each member plays a valued and viable role as a group and oversees the governance of our school as a whole. While they don't get into the daily ins and outs of school business, they are great resources for our school community.

Board meetings are held every 3rd Wednesday of the month. They start at 4:30pm with public comments at the beginning. (End times vary based on agenda items.) Board agendas are posted 24 hours prior to each meeting on the front doors of the school. All parents and community members are invited to join monthly meetings. If you every have any questions about how our board operates or if you are interested in discussing board meeting notes, please feel free to join Coffee With The Principals, Friday mornings from 8:30-9:30, following each board meeting. It's a great way to hear the briefs, ask specific questions or bring ideas to the table.

If you have a chance, make sure to send kuddos to our board members. They are hard-working members of our community and we appreciate their support.
Fundraising & Community Events
The ARPS Middle School Difference
Why Aspen Ridge Middle School? What makes us different?

For starters, we encourage our students to be authentic without the drama. We KNOW drama (and we are not talking about drama/theater class) will show up where ever you are, but with our small class sizes, engaging and rigorous curriculum and a focus on authenticity and diversity, our students don't take for granted that differences are expected and okay; they are what make us valuable to our community. This year, all of our middle school students will be a part of a homeroom class (approx. 20 minutes a day) that will focus on a growth mindset and social/emotional learning (7 Mindsets). They'll focus on being a team and a community that takes care of each other, the school and our community. They'll focus on highlighting strengths and differences, and not try to make everyone fit into the same box.

Our middle schools will have opportunities to socialize through:
Middle school dances (one each semester)
Engaging electives (*see list below)
Differentiated core academic classes (with opportunities for advanced math classes)
Intramural Sports (Soccer, Volleyball, Basketball, Cross Country, Track and Field)
National Junior Honor Society (with academic and behavioral requirements)
Academically challenging competitions (Math League, Geography Bee, Spelling Bee)
Social Role Models (having a student buddy with younger grade levels)
Optional, life-changing International Trips

We are a small school but we are bold, we are caring, we like to try new things and we don't get bogged down with a one-size fits all model. Our middle school (with the goal of 3-classes per grade level) co-habitates on the 2nd floor of the "upper building" (with art and the school library). They have their own lockers, they have passing periods from one class to the next, they rotate through academic classes (all middle school teachers are certified and highly qualified in their subject area) and have a choice of FOUR elective classes each semester. And while many of our curricular options are on a digital platform, we take pride in face-to-face human interactions and communications. While we want our students to stay up-to-date in 21st century technology, students are not allowed to use personal devices from home (phones must stay secured in lockers). We want down times (lunch, recess, homeroom-to name a few) to offer opportunities for socialization and communication, not a endless abyss of technology and gaming.
Our students are given the freedom to learn and grow in their own time, with persistent nudges in the right direction. Most importantly, we work towards understanding the need for kindness, empathy and diversity.

Growing up is hard! Growing up at Aspen Ridge is like family.


*Elective classes offered at ARPS:
Newsletter
Strategy and Logic
Leadership and Service Learning
THRIVE 1 (includes becoming a middle school student and the Google Classroom platform)
THRIVE II: Financial Literacy (Dave Ramsey)
STEM
Public Speaking and Debate
Mutlimedia/Technology
Project Lead the Way: 3D Design and Modeling
Project Lead the Way: Robotics
Foundations in Art
Sculpture and 3D Design
Drawing and Painting
Choir
Blues/Rock Band
Concert Band
Beginning Ukulele
Advanced Ukulele
Musical Theater
Strength and Conditioning
Fall Sports
Spring Sports
Nutrition and Physiology
Marine Biology/Tides I (in collaboration with Ocean's First of Boulder)
Academic Lab