Message from Our Principal, Paige Gordon

Dear Families,

Thank you to our families and staff for partnering together for parent-teacher conferences in late September and early October; we have a goal of 100% completion rate. We love to connect with our families during these important conferences — and it’s a treat to talk about goals and growth as we work to develop individual learning plans. We appreciate the opportunity to work hand and hand with our families to create a shared commitment, geared toward growth of each student. Thank you to our Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO) for feeding our staff during conference nights — we so appreciate the generosity and care you all show us!

As the fall weather begins to turn, it’s time for parents to start to work on skills with preschoolers to include how to: a) put coats on, b) zip zippers, c) put hats on, d) put gloves on, and so on. As parents, we know how challenging getting one student ready for outdoor plan can be; at school, 2-3 adults work to get up to 18 preschoolers ready to play outside.

We will be hosting our annual Trick-or-Treat-Street for current Spark! Discovery Preschool families, including their siblings, on Friday, October 27, 2023, from 4:30-6:00 pm. We are in need of additional assistance: Use the SIGN UP GENIUS TO VOLUNTEER HERE! We are seeking donations of bags of candy (no nuts please) and trinkets (pencils, mini-bubbles, mini play-dough, stickers, etc) for our students with dietary restrictions by Tuesday, Oct 24, 2023, which can be delivered to the front office. Also because we would never want resources to be an issue for a child or a reason for them to not come to this celebration, we are collecting any unwanted Halloween costumes and will have free resources for any family needing a costume for their child in the FAMILY RESOURCE CENTER, located at the front of the school.

Because we are hosting an after school event, children will not wear Halloween costumes during the school day on Tuesday, Oct 31.  There will be fall-based activities during the preschool that day, with individual teachers planning and instructing classes based on the needs of their students. 

We invite our families to join us on our social media outlets:

Facebook: Spark-Discovery-Preschool-of-St-Vrain

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sparkdiscoverypreschool/

Twitter: @SparkDPS

LUNCH / SNACK Menus: Families can now find the monthly Lunch Menu at LINQCONNECT. This online system allows you to filter for allergens and see the Breakfast Menu. You change between Breakfast and Lunch in the upper left hand corner.

Thank you to Ms. Mimi, from Anima Arts, and all the families that participated in our fall class series of FAMILIES MOVING TOGETHER. Thank you to the PTO for sponsoring this great family engagement partnership!

With respect – Paige Gordon, Principal ([email protected])

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Important Dates

Oct 16 – 20, 2023

• All week: Mathematical focus on NUMBER SENSE for October
• All week: STEM PROFILE OF THE MONTH:  Responsible
• All week: Fundations letter and letter sound learning: Mm, Nn
• Two week Mini-Unit–teacher choice/student interest.
• Mon, Oct 16- Non Student Contact Day, No preschool / no childcare / office is closed.
• Tues, 10/17/23 5:00 – 6:00 pm – St. Vrain Preschool Literacy Night with Author Rosemary Wells. Preschool families in St. Vrain Valley Schools are invited to a special literacy night featuring renowned author Rosemary Wells on October 17 from 5:00 – 6:00 p.m., at the Innovation Center of St. Vrain Valley Schools. Rosemary Wells, celebrated for her beloved characters like Max & Ruby, Noisy Nora, and Yoko, will read her new book “If You Believe in Me,” which preschoolers have received as part of our early reading initiative. Bring your copies for Rosemary Wells to sign, and the first 100 students without a book will receive one at no cost. Learn more here —>>
• Tue, Oct 17- PM Preschool session- Fire Fighters visit for Fire Prevention Week.
• Wed, Oct 18 am – 11am- Fire Fighters visit for Fire Prevention Week.
• Thurs, Oct 19 – 6:00 pm: Speech night with Ms. Mandy, Ms. Kelly, and Ms. Katie — CAFETERIA. Babysitting provided.

Oct 23 -27, 2023

• All week: Mathematical focus on NUMBER SENSE
• All week: STEM PROFILE OF THE MONTH:  Responsible
• All week: Fundations letter and letter sound learning: Oo, Pp

• STEM UNITS:  From Oct 23 – Dec 1, students will experience STEM UNIT 2 (Read more about our ’23-’24 Program of STEM here):
  • Life Cycles of Animals: Ms. Mary, Ms. Marie, and Ms. Kelli’s classes
  • Transportation: Ms. Julia and Ms. Moira’s classes
  • Drama and Theater: Ms. Noreen and Ms. Kaylee’s classes
  • Moving & Grooving: Dance / Fitness: Ms. Kiersten and Ms. Tori’s classes
  • Ooh-Aah Science: Ms. Blair, Ms. Miranda, and Ms. Amy’s classes
• Tue, Oct 24- Please bring in all candy donations for Trick or Treat street if volunteering to bring candy for the event.
• Thurs, Oct 26 – Positive Behaviorial Intervention Supports (PBIS)– Obstacle course REWARD for those classes that earned enough STAR POWER awards. Seek information from your child’s teacher.
• Thurs, Oct 26- PTO meeting 6 pm to 7:30 pm in the school’s cafeteria. Babysitting provided for free.
• Mon, Oct 27 – 4:30 – 6:00 pm – Trick or Treat Street (see information above)

A message from the Spark! Campus Supervisor, Alicia Hall ([email protected]). Fall is a beautiful time of year. With Fall comes a very unpredictable time weather wise where it may feel very cold in the AM but hot in the PM. Weather also changes very quickly where one day to the next can feel like completely different seasons. Spark! students will go out side for gross motor play if the temperature is 20° or above (factoring in the wind chill). We recommend dressing your student in layers that can be taken off or put on in the event of a weather shift.  Once snow starts to fall our district staff try to clear all parking lots and sidewalks as quickly as possible. There are times that freezing temperatures cause ice to form. At Spark! we will put down ice melt that is green or purple in color. Please help us keep our students safe and remind your kiddo that the “colorful” ice shouldn’t be handled or eaten.

If you as a parent see a safety concern please reach out to me, Alicia Hall @ [email protected] so I can help address any concern.

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A message from the Spark! Health Clerk, Amanda Rivera ([email protected])

If you are checking your infinite campus and notice that your student’s immunizations are “non-compliant” know that we are in the process of entering immunizations from the record each parent shared. We will complete these entries by the end of October. At that time we will reach out to families of students if they are non-compliant. Reach out to our Health Clerk- Amanda Rivera, with any questions.

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A message from the Spark! Attendance/Registrar, Amy Yanez ([email protected])

Parents entering the building to drop off children must enter the school through the main office, sign in, and wear a school-provided sticker. To leave the building, sign out, take off the sticker, and exit through the same main office doors. Entry is only allowed through the front doors.

Please remember that if your child is going to be absent for any reason email or call Amy Yanez at 720-652-7906.

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