August 18, 2022

Hey AVA Families,

I have met many families throughout the last month, but would like to formally introduce myself.  My name is Kristen Krieger and I am looking forward to working with you as the K-5 Assistant Principal here at Aspen View Academy.  My husband, Matthew, and I moved to Colorado in 2004 and now have a family of five that stay active outdoors.  I have been fortunate to work at private, neighborhood, and charter schools over the past 15 years.  My most recent experience was spending nine years at a charter school similar to AVA, American Academy.  It is an honor to be part of the Administrative Team here at AVA and I look forward to serving our students.      

I hope you enjoyed a relaxing and rejuvenating summer with your families.  We are off to another incredible and productive school year here at AVA.  Our devoted and talented teachers are building amazing relationships with our students.  Our knowledgeable and enthusiastic front office staff (including our IT and Finance Department) are actively answering questions and implementing the systems that hold us together.  Our hard working facility and custodian staff have been busy all summer and continue to ensure our school is prepared and clean for our students each day.  Our much-loved PTO is gearing up with plans to make our staff feel appreciated and provide a variety of fun family-focused events.  Last but not least, our patient and supportive parent community are soaking in the stream of consciousness stories that come home with their students each day.  

Thank you to all of you for the warm welcome at AVA.  I look forward to working with you all over the years to come.

Kristen Krieger

K-5 Assistant Principal

Middle School Soccer Coach Needed

We are in need of a boys soccer coach(es). Please contact Shannon Sherburne if you are interested in coaching or just need some information. This is a paid coaching position or you can trade your coaching time for your volunteer hours. Thank you all so much.

Carpool Reminders

While safety is always the top priority here at AVA, it is especially important at carpool.  We appreciate your patience as all of our families get used to our new routines.  Please review these rules carefully and reach out to one of our administrators if you have any questions.  

• Times: 
• Middle School Carpool: starts at 7:45 (classes start at 8:00)
• Elementary Carpool: starts at  7:45 (classes start at 8:15)
• PreK parking is at the front of the school (this is only for PreK families) from 7:45-8:15 and 3:15-3:45
• Loading and Unloading:
• Students need to enter or exit only where staff members are present
• Parents need to remain in their vehicle at all times in the active carpool line
• If your child needs help, flag a staff member to assist
• The parking lot is our queue zone for our afternoon carpool. Do not park and exit your vehicle as you are in the active carpool line
• Please have your child(ren) ready to exit the vehicle as soon you come to a stop
• Pull all the way forward in the line so we can load and unload vehicles in a timely manner (when you stop in the middle you shorten our line) 
• Safety First:
• DO NOT use your cellphone while in active carpool
• Crosswalks are maned by our staff (please do not use crosswalks without a crossing guard) from 7:45-8:15 and 3:15-3:45
• Follow the posted traffic laws- NO turning left on Fiddle Road from Low Meadow Blvd
• RESPECT: follow the same expectations we have for students
• Respect the directions of our carpool attendants
• Speak and behave respectfully to neighbors (don’t park in front of driveways)
• Show patience with staff members trying to help you connect with your children

REGISTRATION

Just a reminder that all families must complete a two-step registration process every year. The first is through Douglas County School District (DCSD). This is the Express Check-in process. All families also need to complete several AVA-specific forms which are available on the AVA website. 

MIDDLE SCHOOL REQUIRED SUPPLY

Just a reminder that all middle school students must have a headset marked with their name in a baggie that can be kept at school in a locker. Several classes this year will require them. More information can be found here. 

COMMUNICATIONS

There are several ways the school sends out communication. For many communications we use Infinite Campus to send messages. Please do not unsubscribe or you will not receive any communications through that means. Also please be sure your contact information in Infinite Campus is up-to-date.

STUDENT ATTENDANCE

Report Absence or Late Arrival:

To report a student absent or late arrival please call the Attendance Line: 303.660.5940 This is available 24 hours a day. Or report their absence through the AVA Website, click on the Attendance button.

If you know someone who didn't receive this newsletter, have them check their spam folder and if they still didn't receive it. Please have them email  dcarson@aspenviewacademy.org

All School Directory

Every year we provide this great tool to the AVA Community. The All School Directory is provided on the AVA website and it is password protected. The password will only be emailed to the parents or guardians listed on their student registration. But before it can be published, those families wishing to opt out must complete this form. Please note that you may opt out to all or partial information. If you wish to opt out of all your information, please know your student's name will still be listed in the classroom list within the directory.

The directory will be available on the website beginning of September. Once the directory is available it will be password protected so please look for the password in an email in early September. All families are automatically opted in to the directory.

To  OPT  OUT of the All School Directory you MUST complete this form. The deadline to complete this form is Sunday, August 28th.

School Pool by Way to Go

Each year we provide families with resources to help with carpooling to and from school. This service is provided by a third party, Way to Go. We share the information with them and they will mail families vicinity maps to help you in coordinating a carpool with other AVA families who live in your area. We give families the opportunity to opt out of this program if they do not wish to have their information shared with other AVA families in your area. If you choose to opt out please click here. You will have until August 28th to opt out. 

Paid meals will resume on August 8th, 2022 for the 2022-23 school year. The waivers that the USDA issued during COVID to allow schools to provide free meals to all students will not continue into this school year. Students who are approved for Free and Reduced Meal benefits will still receive free meals. Lunch Price at Aspen View Academy will be $3.90. You can easily put money on your child's lunch account for these purchases by visiting MySchoolBucks.com

A message from the nurse

Please remember to drop off any prescription and Over the Counter Medications with the signed MD orders this week. All the medication forms can be found here on our website. If you have any questions please reach out to our school nurse, Jacenta Wirth or our health room assistant, Mindy Baumann.

IMPORTANT IMMUNIZATION INFORMATION  

Colorado law requires all students attending Colorado schools and licensed child cares to be vaccinated against certain diseases, unless an exemption is filed. Below are the vaccines required for students attending Colorado licensed child cares and schools.  

Vaccines required to enter school (K-12)  

Hepatitis B.  

Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (DTap).*  

Inactivated poliovirus (IPV).*  

 Measles, mumps, rubella (MMR).*  

Varicella (chicken pox).*  

Tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis (Tdap).**  

*Students 4 through 6 years of age are required to have their final doses of DTaP, IPV, MMR and Varicella prior to kindergarten entry.  

**Students are required to have Tdap prior to entry into 6th grade. One dose of Tdap is required for 6th through 12th grades. 

If you choose not to have your student vaccinated according to the current recommended schedule because of personal or religious reasons, you must submit a Certificate of Nonmedical Exemption to AVA when school begins in August.  

Nonmedical exemptions must be submitted annually, which means parents must submit the certificate every new school year. (The school year begins on July 1 and runs through June 30 of the following year.) There are two ways to file a nonmedical exemption:

File the Certificate of Nonmedical Exemption WITH a signature from an immunizing provider, OR 

File the Certificate of Nonmedical Exemption received upon the completion of the online education module.

Downloadable certificates and the online education module are available at 

https://cdphe.colorado.gov/vaccine-exemptions

For additional information: https://cdphe.colorado.gov/schoolrequiredvaccines

School Accountability Committee (SAC)

The SAC’s purpose is to inform, encourage and provide opportunities for parent and community members to be involved in the planning and evaluation of the school’s instructional program and quality improvement processes.

We have an open at-large parent position for SAC. This is a 2 year term. Contact the SAC committee by emailing SAC@aspenviewacademy.org with any questions.

Saturday August 27th 5:00-9:00pm

Cub Scouts

Come join 

Cub Scouts Pack 786!

Informational Session and Pack Meeting 

August 23rd 6pm AVA Cafeteria

For more information:

Andre Gignac (517) 403-8710

cubscoutpack786crco@gmail.com

Welcome to another school year at Aspen View. We have a lot of volunteer opportunities so keep a look out for Sign-up Genius', Newsletter announcements and emails from the PTO. Below is an excerpt from the AVA Handbook.

VOLUNTEERING COMMITMENT – AVA believes that the success of each student will be a shared responsibility of students, teachers, parents, staff, and community leaders. Volunteers enhance the school and its culture and character through their involvement. Accordingly, a strong family involvement program will be implemented. AVA expects 30 volunteer hours per family per school year. Single-parent families are expected to volunteer 15 hours per school year. The volunteer school year shall coincide with AVA’s fiscal year, and hours shall accrue from July 1 through June 30. If your family has special circumstances that make it difficult for you to meet the expected volunteer hours, please contact the Volunteer Coordinator. Many volunteer opportunities exist within AVA’s PTO. The PTO is an organization comprised of parent volunteers for the purpose of providing community support, fundraising and planning various events within our school community.

Preregistration on the Raptor Volunteer site is required, this only needs to be completed one time.

To log volunteer hours, please visit the Volunteer Portal.

These volunteer opportunities can also be found on the volunteer page of our website. *We are working on these volunteers pages and they will be up and running in the next week*

Morning Carpool

Lunch Recess

Afternoon Carpool

Watch D.O.G.S.