Principal Message
Hello, Owl Families!
 
The fall colors are in full swing, and the season focused on family, gratitude, and caring is upon us. We have much to be grateful for at Aspen Ridge, including wonderful, caring staff, supportive parents and community members, and incredible students, who challenge themselves every day. Our partnership with you, our Aspen Ridge parents, creates a team of support for our students that allows excellent learning to happen academically, socially, and emotionally. 
 
I am grateful and honored to share our success on the Colorado Measures of Academic Success (CMAS) assessment, which our 3rd through 8th grade students took in the Spring of 2021. Aspen Ridge students showed positive growth from the 2019 assessment in nearly all content areas, which was not the case for many other schools in the district. Join me as we celebrate our students, teachers, and school community for a job well done! We remain committed to providing all of our Owls, at every grade level, with the tools and skills they need to think independently and participate in our integrated world.
 
ARPS CMAS Highlights:  
  • Grade 3 ELA and Grades 4 and 6 Math scored above the district and state average.
  • Grades 3, 4, 5, and 6 showed significant positive growth from the 2019 assessment.
  • Grade 6 Math scored in the top three performances, district-wide, in percent Met and Exceeded Expectations.
 
Throughout November, we will focus on learning and living the "We Are Connected" mindset. This mindset helps us understand that everyone who comes into our lives can help us live our dreams. I invite you to help model living this mindset by sending a simple note of appreciation to someone who has positively impacted your student. Click HERE to learn more!

November is the perfect time of the year to show that We Are Connected as a school community while reflecting and practicing gratitude.

"The greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members." ~Coretta Scott King

Thank you for...
  • Supporting our teachers and staff.
  • Modeling kindness through your words and actions.
  • Volunteering your time and talents.
  • Your continued support and dedication to our school and students!
 
With gratitude,
Rachel Miller, Principal

Upcoming Events for Your Calendar
November

11/2 - ARPS Open Enrollment School Tour, 5:30pm
11/3 - Early Release, 12:15pm
11/4 - Parent Academy, 4:00pm
11/4 - CAP Training, 5:30pm
11/9 - ARPS Open Enrollment School Tour, 5:30pm
11/16 - Studio 5 Picture Retakes
11/17 - ARPS Board Meeting, 4:30pm
11/22 to 11/26 - Thanksgiving Break
11/30 - Middle School Open Enrollment Tour, 5:30pm
December

12/1 - Early Release, 12:15pm
12/7 - Colorado Gives Day
12/8 - New Student Lottery
12/15 - ARPS Board Meeting, 4:30pm
12/20 to 1/5 - Winter Break
Girls' Basketball at Aspen Ridge!
Aspen Ridge is excited to offer intramural sports for the 2021-2022 school year. Please note that as a charter school within St. Vrain Valley School District, we will be required to follow their masking policies. More information can be found at https://www.svvsd.org/coronavirus-information/additional-covid-19-information/clubs-activities-and-athletics/.

Registration: November 8th - November 19th
Season Dates: November 29th - January 29th
Fee: $55, payable through RevTrak
Required Equipment: Athletic attire and tennis shoes

Practices will be held on Mondays and Wednesdays from 3:30 - 4:30 beginning November 29th. (Practice dates will be adjusted once competitions begin.)

Click HERE for more information.
Teacher Spotlight: Owl of the Month
Carrie White
Art Studio Teacher
Carrie White joined the Aspen Ridge community three years ago as our K-8 Art teacher. Throughout this time she has used her creativity and passion for art to elevate the program by instilling the belief that everyone can be an artist. Carrie has aligned the art curriculum to enhance the academic curriculum being implemented in each classroom, designed art enrichment opportunities for our Middle School students, and provided students with additional time to learn through a variety of art media in the Art Club. We appreciate and value her commitment to brightening and enhancing our school community through art!
ARPS Open Enrollment School Tour
It's once again time for open enrollment, for school lotteries, and for new families to determine if Aspen Ridge is the right fit for them.

Tell your friends and neighbors that our lottery is right around the corner, and if you know of anyone interested in taking a school tour, have them fill out this form to come and learn more about Aspen Ridge.

We will have a special Middle School Open Enrollment Tour for ALL 5th grade parents (to learn what our Middle School is all about) and for all incoming 6th, 7th, and 8th graders on November 30th. Make sure to mark your calendars!

Also, don't forget to save a spot for any siblings who are currently not enrolled at Aspen Ridge. Do you have a PreK student or Kindergartener starting next fall? Fill our the Intent to Enroll form and turn it in to Carrie Cantwell by December 3rd in order to save a spot for your child next year. Visit our website to access the Intent to Enroll forms.

Please note that only students who are new to Aspen Ridge and current PreK 3 students need to fill out an Intent to Enroll form at this time to be eligible for an open spot next year.

Please reach out to Charla Salmeron (csalmeron@arprep.org) or Carrie Cantwell (ccantwell@arprep.org) if you have questions about enrollment. #itsagreatdaytobeanowl
Sponsor Spotlight!
Kimberlee Clancy
Did you know that Kimberlee Clancy with Mindful Mortgage Group moved to a BEAUTIFUL new office right in the heart of downtown Erie?! This office will be open during Erie's Parade of Lights, so be sure to stop in and grab a snack and hot cocoa!

For the months of November and December, Kim and her team are waiving the appraisal fee for any ARPS families that refinance through Mindful Mortgage Group! Thank you, Kim!
ARPS Community
Thank you to all who have donated, helped with resources, or just been there for the Clieves family. It's amazing to see our school community wrap our arms around this family in their time of need.

There are still ways you can support the Clieves:

  1. Donate through GoFundMe.
  2. Sign up for a spot on their Meal Train.
  3. Bring cash or checks (made out to Audrey Clieves) to the front office.

Not only has our ARPS community wrapped their arms around this family - the greater Erie community has too! Join us on Thursday, November 4th, at local Erie restaurant Piripi from 11:00am to 8:00pm and they will donate 10% of sales PLUS match this amount for the Clieves family! Click here for more information.
What could be more important than the safety of your child?
During the next few weeks, Aspen Ridge Preparatory School will be participating in the Child Assault Prevention (CAP) Program. As parents concerned about the safety of your children, we hope you will participate in this program by attending this adult training on November 4, 2021, from 5:30 - 7:30pm in the school Library.* Parent participation is crucial for program success.

In the days following this parent presentation, we will be conducting CAP classroom workshops for Kindergarten, 3rd grade, and 6th grade students with the teacher and educational assistants present. CAP’s mission is to prevent child assault by teaching children to recognize and deal with potentially unsafe situations (bullying, stranger abduction, & sexual assault). CAP also prepares adults who are part of the child’s community (teachers and parents) to help children in this journey.

The success of the CAP program depends on the support of the school community. Because we encourage children to share their experiences and concerns with adults it is so important that parents and school personnel be willing and able to respond to these concerns appropriately.  

Please click HERE for more information about the program and to access the opt-out form.

*This meeting is for adults only.  
Spring Gala 2022
After missing out on the fun in 2020 and 2021, we're so excited to host our Spring Gala once again on Saturday, April 2nd, 2022 at Stonebrook Manor!

The Spring Gala is our school's biggest fundraiser of the year, and volunteers are an integral part of making it happen! Whether you have a lot of time, just a little, or can volunteer only from home, our school and community will benefit greatly from your support.

There are many moving parts involved with putting this gala together, and many different ways in which you can offer support. Do you own a business that wants to donate a silent auction item? Do you work for a business that would like to be a sponsor of the gala? Or do you want to volunteer to support gala logistics? We will be hosting an in person meeting at ARPS on November 17th from 2:00pm to 3:00pm. Join us to learn more about how you can help, and click here to sign up to volunteer!

Please reach out to Andi Johnson at auctions@aspenridgeprepschool.org or Sean Cortes at scortes@aspenridgeprepschool.org with any questions.
Winter Weather is Quickly Approaching!
How does Aspen Ridge determine delays in school start time and cancellations when bad weather is in the forecast?
  • Aspen Ridge will take the lead from the St. Vrain Valley School District when making the call to delay school start times or cancel school.
  • Because we are a smaller school responsible for our own plowing and snow removal, late start days are often called to ensure safety for all.
  • On occasion, Aspen Ridge will delay or close school when SVVSD does not. This is because we take into account that many of our families and staff members travel to get to school each day.
  • Before school is delayed or canceled, we will:
  • Monitor weather forecasts and predictions, and
  • Keep an eye on nearby districts and their closures
  • At Aspen Ridge, safety is our priority. If ever you feel driving conditions are treacherous or unsafe, we encourage you to do what's best for your family and call in an absence if warranted.

How will my family know if school is delayed or cancelled?
  • If school is delayed or cancelled, Aspen Ridge will post to Facebook and our website, in addition to sending out updates through email.
  • Constant Contact is our primary source of email communication. If you know of someone who is not receiving Aspen Ridge Parent Newsletters or information from the school, please email Carrie Cantwell (ccantwell@arprep.org) or Charla Salmeron (csalmeron@arprep.org) to have their email addresses added.

What is the difference between a delay in school start time and a cancellation?
  • When a delay in school start time is communicated, school will start 2 hours later than normal. Doors will open at 10:00am (instead of 8:00am), and classes will start at 10:15am (instead of 8:15am).
  • Lunch schedules will remain the same; class schedules and enrichment schedules will be abbreviated.

What if my child attends lessons or 100 Mile Club before school, and school is delayed?
  • If school is delayed or cancelled, ALL before school activities will be cancelled.
  • If school is delayed, all after school activities will continue as normal, unless weather conditions worsen.
  • If school is cancelled, no activities, including Owl's Nest, will be open for services.

How is "indoor" recess determined?
  • On any given school day, all recess times (before or during school) will be held outside unless the weather is 20 degrees or lower (including wind-chill).
  • Please make sure to dress your Owl in layers and bring snow boots and snow pants if it is snowing or if there is snow in the forecast.
  • If rain or cold, ongoing drizzle is present, students will remain inside for recess.
  • Wind will also be monitored to ensure that our students are safe playing outside.
  • At any given time, campus administration may move recess indoors if weather conditions are unsafe or not conducive to playing.
  • With colder weather comes a spike in Lost and Found items. Remind your Owl to check lost and found daily! All Lost and Found items are donated at the end of each quarter.

Will my child have to log on for asynchronous learning on days that school is cancelled due to the weather?
  • No. If school is cancelled due to weather conditions or dangerous travel, we hope that you will stay home, light a fire in your fireplace, and enjoy the time with your family.

Don't hesitate to ask if you have any questions, and as always, thank you for your ongoing support! Happy weather watching!