At Aspen View Academy, we strive to teach the whole child. One way we talk about teaching the whole child is using the four H’s: Heart, Head, Hands, and Habits. We want to capture our students’ hearts through a positive environment, relational capacity, and rich, thoughtful content. We want to teach their heads as we pursue truth in each discipline of study and to grow culturally literate and joyful learners. We curate our days to shape healthy habits of character, leadership, and continual growth. And we coach student hands as they apply ideas to varied situations and contexts.
Coaching hands can take many forms. Obviously, hands and practice go together. Hands-on-activities are those in which student involvement is central. One cannot simply observe a hands-on-activity. One must do.
Much of the time coaching hands is an orchestrated affair: 5th graders sing the Marine Song after hearing the tune and reading the words aloud in chorus; 1st graders experience the properties of mater as they test water, ice, and steam; 4th graders synthesize medieval history through performing skits they have written. But sometimes, the best coaching is to offer time and space and see what the students will do. The gift of freedom within healthy parameters is coaching hands as well. For this type of coaching step by step instructions, rules, or rubrics are not offered. Charlotte Mason suggests that in these instances, masterly inactivity is the teacher’s role. The student’s role is to decide and to act, often to play. Students experience this kind of freedom through recess, Fun Friday options, Intervention/ study times once or twice a week in which students can work on what they choose, or even moments from time to time of free play in the classroom.
We are often busy with good content and important skill building. But we need to remember, in the midst of all this learning, that maturation is a slow process. As a community, we need to slow down a little and offer some time and space to be. Tracy Gillett explains in “Our Children’s Busyness is Not a Badge of Honour (And Why We Need to Change It),”“…childhood is not a dress rehearsal for adulthood; it is its own unique and magical period of life that needs to be respected and preserved. I refuse to over-schedule my son’s time because in doing so it would leave no space for him to live his childhood. Even though he may be little, he deserves to feel a sense of control and at his age free play is the answer.” We would be wise to appreciate that a part of coaching kids’ hands is to allow time and space for them to create and experiment and play. We would be wiser still to join them!
Melissa Clemmons
Dean of Academics
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2019-2020 Lottery for Enrollment
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Sibling Priority for 2019-2020 Lottery
The Lottery for 2019-2020 will be held the first week in December. Please be sure to read to these entire instructions before applying.
Current AVA Parents - if you have a child who is eligible to attend AVA next year and
is not currently enrolled as a K-7th grader, please
click here to complete the Open Enrollment Tool. This is the only way we can ensure they receive "Sibling Priority." The first round of open enrollment is available from today (November 1st)-December 3rd at 4:00pm.
There is no need to complete this for students who already attend AVA as an elementary or middle school student. They will automatically be enrolled the following year. Current AVA PreK students must complete the
Open Enrollment Tool.
Click here for the step by step instructions. Please be sure to follow the instructions with the headline "
Current DCSD Parent (Parent who has a current or previously enrolled student or sibling of a current or previously enrolled student) steps"
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8th grade students entering high school for the 19/20 school year will automatically be enrolled into their neighborhood high school. If you would like your 8th grader to attend a school other than their neighborhood school, you must go through the
Open Enrollment Tool. The first round of open enrollment is from November 1st-December 3rd at 4:00 pm.
Click here for the step by step instructions. Please be sure to follow the instructions with the headline "
Current DCSD Parent (Parent who has a current or previously enrolled student or sibling of a current or previously enrolled student) steps"
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Tomorrow is Spirit Day, and since we are celebrating Veteran's Day, students may wear any red/white/blue top along with uniform bottoms.
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Click here for more information or to sign up to volunteer.
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The Fall Parent Teacher Conference Sign ups are now available. Conferences will be held on Thurs. November 15th from 12:00 pm - 8:00pm and on Friday November 16th from 8:00am - 12:00pm. Please click on the appropriate link(s) below to sign up for a conference.
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CONGRATULATIONS to our three winners of our Book Character Pumpkin Decorating Contest!! Everybody did such a great job and the voting was close.
From left to right: Olina H., Marissa P., Chloe O.
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Panera Spirit Night
- When? Wednesday, November 14th 4:00 pm – 8:00 pm
- Where? Panera Bread, 32 E Allen Street, Castle Rock, CO 80108.
You must bring or show this
flyer to the cashier.
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Trunk or Treat
Cub Scout Pack 786 would like to thank those that participated in the Trunk or Treat. We were able to donate 1006 pounds of food and toiletries and $116 in cash! The Help and Hope Task Force is truly grateful for your support and generosity.
Thank you,
Pack 786 Trunk or Treat Committee
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Casino Night
Looking forward to seeing you at Cielo 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm tomorrow night – Friday, November 9. Wear your red, white, and black!
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Veterans Day Assembly
- When? Tomorrow, November 9
- Time?
- 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM Prek-4th
- 1:30 PM – 2:30 PM 5th thru 8th
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The town of Castle Rock has a program that helps purchase presents for the children of families in need during the upcoming holiday season. Our school has a limited number of slots to nominate students and their families. If you feel you could benefit from this program, please reach out to our school counselor, Kim Ness at
kness@aspenviewacademy.org. The deadline is approaching, so don’t wait long.
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Box Top Winner
The class who turned in the most Box Tops was Mrs. Monheiser's 2nd grade class, and they won their choice of a pizza or cupcake party! Their class brought in 968 Box Tops. Aspen View as a whole collected 7,292 Box Tops which earned our school a check in the amount of $729.20 . Great job everyone! We will be collecting again in February, so continue to clip and save all your Box Tops for our next contest.
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Donuts with Dads
Wednesday, November 14, starting at 7:15 am in the AVA Cafeteria
Back by popular demand! Start your morning off with donuts, drinks, and smiles at AVA. In addition, after you've enjoyed your tasty breakfast treats, make sure to check out the Scholastic Book Fair. Please be sure to
RSVP HERE!
Please be considerate of staff parking.
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After School Clubs are now open for sign up for grades K-8. Please
click here to see what we are offering this session.
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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.
**AVA Sports are for students in grades 6-8**
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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!
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Wolf Shack Hours
The Wolf Shack will be closed tomorrow, November 9th. Shop
online, and we will deliver to your student’s classroom.
If you prefer to shop online, follow
this link. If you have questions, please
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Please click on a link below to sign up to volunteer in one of the following areas.
Thank you for all that you do.
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Fax: (303) 660-5959
Attendance Line: (303) 660-5940
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Aspen View Academy
2131 Low Meadow Blvd.
Castle Rock, CO 80109
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