Newsletter
August 29th, 2019
Admin Address
Student safety is our number one concern at Aspen View Academy. 

Carpool Safety
I need your help to bring our carpool safety to the next level. As the school year goes on, there is a tendency to get complacent with our expectations and, as drivers, to forget some very important procedures we have in place.
 
Lately, we have seen quite a few cars driving way too fast while on school property. It does not matter whether you are driving during morning or afternoon carpool or in the middle of the day, we need you to keep your speed down while on the property. We have visitors in the lot all day long and driving too fast reduces your reaction time and could cause a potentially serious situation. Our request is simple, for the safety of all our students and adults, please slow down!
 
We have also seen quite a few people on their cell phones or other electronic devices while in carpool. Again, for safety reasons, we are asking you to stay off any device that will take your attention away from safe driving and making sure you are paying full attention to the task at hand. It takes only a split second to divert your attention from the carpool lanes and have a student dart in front of you. We have started to install some Hang Up your Cell Phone signs along the drop-off/pick-up route as a reminder. We also understand that there may be times that taking a call is unavoidable. If that is the case, please pull out of line and park so you can focus your attention solely on the call and not try to navigate carpool while on the phone.

Please keep in mind that kids will be kids meaning they may not always pay attention during carpool. That is why, as adults, we must be extra careful.
 
Thank you so much for making carpool safety a priority. 

New Park Concerns 
The park usage is pretty significant and we want to do everything we can to ensure the safety of our students. The first item we want to address is a fence. We want to install a fence and plan on moving forward with that. We will keep you updated as this progresses. AVA will be installing restricted parking signs at the entrance to our property and parking lot to help ease the parking congestion. This should be complete by early next week. I also want to share some other safety procedures we are implementing to keep our kids as safe as possible. For supervision, we have created designated areas where staff needs to stationed during recess to ensure proper supervision. I also have hired more Paras to not only help our kids in the classroom but to increase supervision outside. I have also hired a dedicated recess Para to also provide more supervision and would like to hire two more dedicated recess Paras. AVA has already installed multiple cameras on that side of the building as well.

Low Meadow Blvd
For those of you who may have missed our email blast regarding concerns on Low Meadow Blvd, I want to provide a brief summary. We met with Castle Rock Police Department’s Community Partnership Unit and one of the traffic engineers for the Town of Castle Rock. We observed the traffic congestion occurring during carpool. Please keep in mind that most of the procedures created for Low Meadow were established before the homes went in. We are looking at ways to safely increase parking options on Low Meadow while maintaining safe lines of sight as you exit AVA, around our crosswalk, and the side streets. The town will be painting stripes on Low Meadow in various locations as an added visual of where NOT to park. 

Dean of Safety
I am very pleased to announce that I was able to hire a Dean of Safety. This person brings an amazing background and expertise to AVA. Todd West (formerly Officer West) is AVA’s Dean of Safety. His bio can be seen in the next section.

Bob Barber
Principal
Dean of Safety
Hello Aspen View Family, some of you may know me as Officer West but I have recently retired from Law Enforcement and now have the privilege of working for this great school.

A little bit about me. I grew up in North Idaho (where the movie Dante’s Peak was filmed) and at 18 years old I joined the United States Army. I spent six years in the Infantry at which time I was able to “visit” South Korea for 15 months. After the Army I started working at the Douglas County Sheriff’s Department, working in the Detention Division as a Detention Specialist. During that time, I was able to get my bachelor’s degree in Business Management and was able to get my law enforcement certification to be a Deputy Sheriff. I then transitioned to Castle Rock Police Department where I spent the majority of career. The last five years I was able to be a School Resource Officer for Castle View High School and Castle Rock Middle School. I then transitioned to be a School Marshal, which encompassed seven schools. During my time working with various schools, I received a lot of training from keeping schools safe, anti-bullying programs, and programs for threat assessments.  

While keeping the community and schools safe, I am married with four children (they are all grown up but I still call them children), one grandchild, and two Corgi’s.

Having been in numerous schools, when I was given an opportunity, it was not a hard decision to make. I joined Aspen View. The Aspen View board, staff, students, and parents are by far the best I have seen. Every single person has the same goal in mind, keep kids safe in an environment for outstanding learning. 

Todd West
Dean of Safety 
Middle School News
Announcements
For Spirit Days, students may wear any AVA shirt (shirt purchased from the Wolfshack, Landsharks, Fun Run, etc). Students MUST wear uniform bottoms.
Annual AVA Fun Run on 9/25 

This year’s main fundraiser is the Aspen View Academy Wolf Run! It’s a two-week program that kicks off with a Pep Rally on September 16th. Families will then gather pledges for every lap your student runs (30-35 laps) at the Wolf Run, which will happen on September 25th. This year our goal is to raise $60,000 for literacy, technology, and STEAM. We need your help! We’ve asked the experts at Booster to power our fundraiser to make it easier, more profitable, and more fun. Donations for the duration of the entire two-week experience will go toward literacy, technology, and STEAM. More information to follow in this week’s Thursday folders! 
Tardies

We will begin to enforce our Tardy Policy for elementary students in September (middle school started in August).

Any student not seated and ready to learn by 8:15 each day 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.
Fall and Spring time we experience adverse weather with lightning. AVA would like to maintain safety when releasing students when the weather is bad. We will conduct a lightning dismissal when the lightning is within a 6 mile radius of our building. No students will be released. In the event of lightning we will delay dismissal until the lightning has passed and it is safe for students to be released. If you choose not to wait in your car please follow the instructions below. Here are your options for picking up students during a lightning dismissal.
  • You can park your car and come into the building and sign your student out with their teacher. 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, and, once that happens, ALL students will be dismissed as normal.

Lightning delay notifications will go out both in an email and on the AVA Smart phone app and we will do our best to display it on the marquee.

Thank you for your help in keeping your students safe.
Aspen View Academy’s lunchroom could not run efficiently without our wonderful parent volunteers. Our Lunchroom League (think Justice League) volunteers assist our lunch aides in the following ways:

  • setting up the lunchroom tables
  • helping students open food and drink containers
  • monitoring student safety and activity
  • cleaning tabletops between lunch sessions
  • assisting with final cleanup after all students have eaten

The Lunchroom League volunteer sessions is from 11:00 am to 2:30 pm (3.5 hours).  Lunchroom League volunteer hours are doubled, so you will get 7 volunteer hours for volunteering for 3.5 hours (being a superhero is tough work). The extra hours will need to be logged from home.

Click here for signups for the Lunchroom League (be sure to sign up under "cafeteria". You are welcome to sign up in advance or walk-in. Please note, younger siblings are not allowed during volunteer shifts. 


The Wolf Shack will be closed this Friday. Online orders received through yesterday will still be delivered. 
Box Tops for Education 

Box Tops is an easy way for you to help AVA buy what it needs. Box Tops are each worth 10¢ and they quickly add up to real cash for our school. This school year, our school’s earnings goal is $1,500. Make sure to download the new app as the program is going digital. We will still be counting slipped box tops thru mid-October. You can turn them in to the Box Tops collection box at the front office. Please bundle them in bags of 50 and write your child’s name on the bag. The class with the most collected will win their choice of a pizza or cupcake party! For any questions, please contact Kelly McNeil at DKM38@msn.com
An AVA Family is looking for your support.

Tom & Katie Ruekert and their two boys ( Ayden: 6th & Nolan: 4th) have been a part of the AVA community since the school was a mere thought back in 2011 and they are also a Founding Family.

We are asking that you please consider joining the Ruekert Family as they walk towards the very first treatment for FSH Muscular Dystrophy (FSHD). Katie was diagnosed with this form of Muscular Dystrophy (not to be confused with Multiple Sclerosis or MS) 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 4th annual event will be held at the Amphitheater at Philip S. Miller Park on Saturday, September 7th 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 walk with the Ruekert Family or make a direct tax deductible donation, please click on the link provided: Team Ruekert Warriors

Last year, the AVA community was able to help raise $1,800 towards the event’s $68,000 grand total!! Lets see if we can beat the amount we raised last year and help out all those in our community living with FSHD.  
Third Annual AVA Family Fall Carnival 

Back by popular demand, Saturday, September 21st from 2-5pm on the AVA field, we invite you to join us for a fun-filled afternoon full of games, food, music and festivities! Save the date and we will provide more information as the event gets closer. 

Click here for the Events Calendar
Middle School Sports
We understand that there has been some confusion on how to pay for middle school athletics. Please follow these steps:

  1. Login to "myschoolbucks"
  2. Using the search icon in the upper right corner, search "program"
  3. Click the "Aspen View Academy" box on the left side of the screen. DO NOT click "athletics."
  4. Select your sport from the options
  5. Register

Students MUST be registered by the end of next week, September 6th.

Thank you!

Athletic Director/Physical Education Teacher
Students are required to have a complete Athletic Packet (which includes a physician's visit). Please click here for all of the information regarding middle school sports.


PTO News
AVA Wolf Shack

Wolf Shack hours are Fridays from 3-4 pm (closed Friday August 30th).

If you prefer to shop online, we will deliver to class if you provide the student's name and homeroom teacher.

Click here for the online store.

Thank you for supporting the Wolf Shack- all funds raised go directly towards AVA!
If you have questions, please 
email: wolfshack@aspenviewacademy.org – we are happy to assist you!
Volunteer Corner
Click on this link to pre-register yourself as a volunteer in the Raptor System. 
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
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