Message from the Principal
Hello, Owl Families!

We are kicking off the month of February by recognizing our Owls that have demonstrated the 100% Accountable Mindset, participating in the Great Kindness Challenge, celebrating the 100th day of school, and starting up our Spring Clubs! Despite being the shortest month of the year, February brings many opportunities for learning, service, friendship, and fun for our entire school community!

Did you know that Aspen Ridge is a Kindness Certified school? Each year our school community participates in The Great Kindness Challenge. We dedicate time to help our students put kindness into action throughout the week through small acts and a school-wide service project. This year we are asking students to bring in at least 100 pennies (or at least one dollar in any form - coins or bills) on Thursday, February 3rd, to support our neighbors in Louisville and Superior following the Marshall Fire. Together we are dedicated to creating a culture of kindness and compassion in our local community and beyond.

We will carry the message of kindness throughout the month as we learn and practice the Attitude of Gratitude Mindset. This mindset teaches us the importance of seeking the positives from every experience and being thankful for all we have - and we have so much to be grateful for at Aspen Ridge! By choosing to focus on the positives, we can continue on our path towards extraordinary success. Click HERE to learn more about the Attitude of Gratitude Mindset!

Another way to practice kindness and gratitude is by recognizing the hard work of our teachers. Each year the St. Vrain Valley Schools Education Foundation hosts the Tribute to Teachers award celebration and recognizes and honors our outstanding teachers for their excellence in teaching. Please help by nominating an Aspen Ridge teacher whom you believe exemplifies excellence for a Teacher of the Year Award. Click HERE to submit your nomination! The deadline for nominations is Wednesday, February 23, 2022.

While our Owls practice kindness and gratitude, we're excited to share their successes and growth at Parent/Teacher conferences on Thursday, February 17th. The sign-up is currently open, and both in-person and virtual options are available. The conference scheduler is located on the Aspen Ridge webpage for grades K-8, and you can access the online scheduler instructions by clicking HERE. Classroom teachers will send out additional information with the option to indicate whether you would like to meet in person or virtually. Preschool families, please follow this LINK to schedule your conference time.

I hope you will join us in our efforts to demonstrate kindness and practice gratitude throughout the month. The words of Maya Angelou remind us that "People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but they will never forget how you made them feel." Kindness is a gift that everyone can afford to give.

Love,
Rachel Miller
Principal

P.S. Be on the lookout for additional communication regarding Spring Clubs, including club descriptions and information on how to sign up. The registration deadline will be Wednesday, February 16th, and clubs will begin the week of February 28th!
COVID-19 Updates
For the most updated COVID-19 procedures, please click here.
Upcoming Events for Your Calendar
February

2/3 - 100th Day of School
2/3 - National History Day Project Demonstrations
2/4 - School Championship Spelling Bee
2/7 - 2/11 - Candy Grams for sale!
2/9 - School Pictures - Individual (Dress Down)
2/10 - 2nd & 3rd Grade Music Performance, 6:00pm
2/16 - ARPS Board Meeting, 4:30pm
2/17 - No School, Parent Conferences
2/18 - 2/21- No School, Presidents' Day Weekend
2/22 - Restaurant Night, Papa John's
March

3/2 - Early Release, 12:15pm
3/10 - Parent Academy: State Assessments 3rd-8th Grade, 4:30pm - 5:30pm
3/10 - Middle School Choir Performance, 6:00pm
3/16 - ARPS Board Meeting, 4:30pm
3/21- 3/25 - Spring Break, No School
Staff Spotlight
Joelle Vallort has been a member of the Aspen Ridge community for many years. She began as a very involved parent, transitioned to a substitute, jumped in and helped with our virtual program, and is now leading our Upper School Special Education Department.

Joelle's work ethic exceeds all others, and she embraces every challenge with a smile on her face and a positive attitude. She has revived the Upper School Special Education Department to ensure that our students are meeting their goals and that staff and families feel supported.

We greatly appreciate her hard work and dedication!
ARPS Spirit Wear
We know you are all waiting for your ARPS spirit wear, and we apologize for this delay. Due to global staffing shortages and supply chain issues, we are experiencing much longer than expected wait times. We are just as anxious as you are to see our Owls in their school spirit wear!

Thank you for your patience and understanding.
Buy Your Candy Grams Next Week!
Want to warm your Owl's heart this Valentine's Day? Our NJHS students are here to help! Next week they'll be selling Candy Grams at front driveline and in the Heart for just $2 each. Purchase a Candy Gram to have a personalized note and small bag of candy delivered to your child on Valentine's Day. Students can also buy Candy Grams for their classmates, friends, siblings, or teachers!

This is an NJHS fundraiser, so you can support NJHS and make your Owl smile at the same time! Buy your Candy Gram before or after school next week!
Sponsor Spotlight
We are thrilled to announce our newest school sponsor! Please join us in welcoming Brittany Maracine with Edward Jones to the Aspen Ridge Family! Hear what Brittany has to say about how she supports her clients and the Erie Community, below.

Allowing someone into the world of your finances can be deeply personal, and it is important to select someone with a wealth of practical knowledge, personal experience and passion for people to be your trusted financial advisor.

I am proud to serve a diverse group of clients with wide ranging goals. I regularly work with multigenerational families to develop unique strategies of wealth transfer and federal employees with whom I create strategies to help with asset growth and tax reduction. My clients are assured that I will work tirelessly to help them achieve their goals.

Regardless of whether a client has complex wealth and estate needs, is saving for a child's education, just retired or just started saving, I am here to help.

Being active in the local community is extremely important to me. I am a member of the Colorado State University Alumni Association, the Erie Chamber of Commerce, and the Erie Economic Development Council. I currently serve as a Chamber Ambassador for the Erie Chamber of Commerce! And I am so very proud to be a sponsor of the local schools in our little town!

My personal story includes my three children, Madeline (10), Maverick (7) and Ezekiel "Zeke" (1). My husband Serban and I just celebrated our 14-year anniversary with a trip to Mexico! It is important to us that our children experience different cultures, so traveling is a passion!

We are self-described foodies and are always looking for fun new spots to try in the Denver Metro area. My husband and I also enjoy a good bourbon and date nights at local distilleries.

I have many 'heart projects' and partner with non-profits both locally and nationally.
Community Event