Aspen Ridge

April 4, 2023

Informed Parents Make Great Partners

Time Flies When You're Having Fun!

Happy April, Owl families! We blinked and it's the final quarter of the year! We're not surprised that time is flying by, as in addition to learning, growing, and SOARing throughout the year, we're also having a whole lot of fun along the way. You can see the latest fun in the Spirit Week collage above, with kiddos celebrating spirit days in all kinds of creative ways. We had pajama crews, Einstein look-alikes, cutie Pis, scrabble letters, college team fans, and so many Owls dressed in green. Thanks for showing such spirit, Aspen Ridge families!

We have lots to share in this April newsletter. Thank you for taking the time to read through and stay up to date on all that's happening at ARPS!

Upcoming Dates: Mark Your Calendars

04/03 | Breakfast with Dad Fundraiser at The Dugout, 5:00-9:00pm
04/03 | Co-Ed Intramural Track Meet @ Erie Middle School, 2:30pm
04/04 | ARPS Informational Tour, 5:00pm, Sign up here!
04/05 | Character Awards Assembly, 8:45am | Early Release, 12:15pm
04/06 | Breakfast with Dad (K-5), 7:15am - 8:00am, RSVP here.
04/07 | Last Day to Purchase Gala Tickets! Click here to join us!
04/10 | CMAS Testing Begins
04/10 | Co-Ed Intramural Track Meet @ Skyline High, 2:30pm
04/11 | Music Concert, 3rd & 4th Grade, 5:30-6:15pm
04/11 | Music Concert, 5th Grade, 6:30-7:15pm
04/12 | Middle School Night & PTO Meeting, 5:00-6:30pm, RSVP here.
04/15 | 10th Annual Spring Gala - The World Awaits!
04/17 | Co-Ed Intramural Track Meet @ Lyons Middle School, 2:30pm
04/18 | Variety Show Demo Day, 3:30-5:00pm
04/19 | Teacher Appreciation Planning Meeting, 8:30am (All are welcome!)
04/19 | 8th Grade DC Trip Parent Info Meeting, 4:30pm
04/20 | 6th Grade Track Meet @ Lyons Middle School, 1:00pm
04/24 | Co-Ed Intramural Track Meet @ Erie Middle School, 2:30pm
04/25 | Variety Show, 5:30-7:30pm
04/26 | Superhero Day for Cystic Fibrosis!
04/26 | ARPS Monthly Board Meeting, 4:30pm
04/27 | Breakfast with Dad (Middle School), 7:15-8:00am, RSVP here.
04/27 | 7th/8th Grade Track Meet @ Longmont High School, 1:00pm
04/28 | No School for Students
04/29 | National History Day State Competition

Last Week to Purchase Your Spring Gala Tickets!

Do you have your tickets for our school's biggest fundraiser of the year? It's going to be a whole lot of fun - and even more fun if you're there to join us! Hop online today to purchase your tickets! We'll be auctioning off Teacher Treasures (special outings with your favorite staff members), silent auction items for every budget (restaurant gift cards, special school coupons, summer camp certificates, and so much more), and big ticket items (like luxury getaways, a hot air balloon ride, and concert tickets). Thank you for supporting the teachers, students, and community of Aspen Ridge!

Join Us for a Spring Music Concert!

To spread out the fun, we're asking families to attend the concert at the following times:

5:30 - 6:15pm: 3rd and 4th Grade Families
6:30 - 7:15pm: 5th Grade Families

Interested in learning the ins and outs of middle school at Aspen Ridge? Whether you have an incoming middle schooler or your Owl is still years away but you're curious to know more, this night is for you! Sign up for Middle School Night on Wednesday, April 12th!

Visit the PTO page on the Aspen Ridge website to stay up to date on all things PTO, and feel free to reach out anytime to share your thoughts, suggestions, and questions at pto@aspenridgeprepschool.org.

Last Week to Order Yearbooks! Order by 4/7!

A Note from Our Head of School

Owl Families,

Thank you for your continued support and collaboration as we maneuver the last few months of school. The world of education is “heavy” right now. Knowing that we have our community to lean on during these trying times is just a reminder of why Aspen Ridge is the place to grow your children.

At Aspen Ridge, we:

Show up for each other, each and every day;
Foster love, grace, and compassion for all students, staff, and families;
Work together as we figure out today’s landscape of education;
Listen to understand and work as a team to make the best decisions for all;
Follow and model the expectations that are meant for all (and take accountability when we fall short);
Focus on what we can control, and
Continue strengthening our model for educating our students, both academically and social/emotionally.

If we all continue to hold to high standards and maintain the perseverance to do what is right, we will continue to model for our students in our care that Aspen Ridge is a safe place to come and to learn every day. We may not know the answers to everything, but we are able to put our heads together to come up with strong solutions.

In the realm of safety, our current focal points at Aspen Ridge are:

Working with CU Boulder on a Safe Schools/Safe Communities project;
Meeting with a company this week to see how a 3M security film on all of our lower windows and doors can be installed for extra protection;
Continuing to practice safety drills (evacuations, lock-downs, etc) so that our students and staff know what to do in the event of an unexpected event, and
Continuing to grow our positive relations with surrounding businesses and emergency personnel, all while continuing to hold on to our amazing staff and families during a turbulent time in education.

Please know that your fears are our fears and we are working tirelessly to lessen the stress and anxiety associated with them. This school was built BY the community to build UP the community. Thank you for continuing on this journey collectively with us.

I look forward to seeing you at this year’s gala as we raise funds to strengthen our community goals and I hope these final few months of school bring great joy and fond memories for your Owl and your family!

#itsagreatdaytobeanowl

Charla Salmeron, Head of School

Show Off Your Talents at the Variety Show!

Have a special talent that you'd like to show off? Want to impress your friends and classmates by singing, dancing, juggling, performing magic tricks, telling jokes, playing an instrument, or with any other talent? Come to the Demo Day on Tuesday, April 18th, at 3:30pm to show us a sample of what you'd like to perform!

Congrats to Our Co-Owls of the Month!

Mr. Keenan

Chandler Keenan joined the Aspen Ridge team this year as the 7th and 8th grade Social Studies teacher. He has prioritized connecting with students and staff and is already making an impact on our community. Chandler uses his content area knowledge to make cross-curricular connections, asks questions when he needs guidance, and continuously makes student-first decisions. Along with teaching and continuing his own personal education, Chandler also took on the role of the lead for National History Day, which resulted in six groups qualifying for the state competition in April. He is developing a passion for history in our students, and we are so fortunate to have him on our Middle School team at Aspen Ridge.

Ms. Hellbaum

Cathy Hellbaum has been a member of the Aspen Ridge team for 7 years. She is dedicated to helping the front office run smoothly and consistently works with students and staff to implement and improve systems and processes. She advocates for academic excellence and initiated, planned, and implemented the Middle School Science Expo and National History Day, which have become standing traditions at Aspen Ridge. Cathy goes above and beyond to make our Owls feel accomplished and recognized, while simultaneously supporting staff and administration with scheduling, projects, and activities. She approaches every situation or project with grace and positivity. We are so lucky to have her knowledge and expertise at Aspen Ridge.

Save the Date for Superhero Day!

We Love Our ARPS Sponsors!

We have the best sponsors around, and we hope you'll show them some love when you're in need of a local service. Thank you, ARPS Sponsors!

ASPEN RIDGE PREPARATORY SCHOOL

705 AUSTIN AVE | ERIE, CO

Phone: (720) 242-6225

info@aspenridgeprepschool.org

Aspen Ridge

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Time Flies When You're Having Fun!