February 15, 2024Updated on February 15, 2024

Spark! Newsletter 2-15-24

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A Message from the school Principal, Paige Gordon

Join us for our preschool Art Show! – SAVE THE DATE

Thursday, March 14, 2024, 3:30 to 5:00 pm (Main Event) in the halls of the school. It won’t take 90 minutes to walk through the displays.All preschool teachers will be there from 3:30 pm – 4:30 pm. The school’s book exchange program will also be open during this after school event. Families are welcome to do a self-guided look from 3:10 – 3:30 pm this day and should know that staff will be working to get fully set up at that time as their primary goal.

Friday, March 15th, 2023, 8:00 am to 1:00 pm open for self-guided family visit.
New this year: Some student work will be selected for display in our school’s portion of the district-wide art show at the Boulder County Fairgrounds later in the school year.

Families can view their child’s art projects, which will be with their class display in hallways of the school. You can also add to our school’s school-wide art project that will be created during the event and displayed for years to come using the supplies provided.

Project Launch this summer

This summer we will not host Project Launch at Spark for preschoolers transitioning to kindergarten like we did last year. We have a summer construction project making our school unavailable for programming at this location. Questions about programming should be directed to Cathy O’Donnell, the SVVSD Project Launch Coordinator at [email protected]. Summer childcare (see below) will be held at an alternative location.

President’s Day

As a reminder, we are closed for the federal holiday on Monday, Feb 19.

Universal Preschool (UPK) Link goes live – Thursday, 2/29/24:

Mark your calendars! According to the Colorado Department of Early Childhood, the UPK link for the 2024 – 2025 school year goes live on Thursday, 2/29/24. More info to come! For those that are pre-registered, we will be able to send an email with the link through Infinite Campus to let you know to fill out this important application. See more information below about registration.

Nominate a Spark! Teacher for our Teacher of the Year:

One teacher from each St. Vrain Valley School will receive the Teacher of the Year recognition for their school. Two other teachers from each school will be honored as Teacher of the Year finalists. The Teacher of the Year for each school will receive a financial gift. In order to qualify as a nominee, the teacher must be a licensed educator in the State of Colorado and employed at a St. Vrain Valley Schools campus for the current school year. If a teacher won the Teacher of the Year honor for their school the previous year they are not eligible. Click Here to see the 2023 winners. All St. Vrain Valley Schools are eligible for these awards! All nominations must be received electronically no later than Thursday, February 15, 2024 at 11:45pm. The recipients and finalists all receive a certificate of recognition during the Tribute to Teachers event on April 20, 2024. From the school Teacher of the Year honorees, a district wide Teacher of the Year and four finalists will be chosen. More information can be found here —>>>> and families can Nominate a teacher Here!

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THANK YOU PTO for conference meals for our teachers and staff!

We wanted to extend a heartfelt thanks to the entire PTO team for organizing and providing dinners during the recent conferences. The dinners not only provided nourishment but also created a welcoming and supportive atmosphere for everyone involved. It’s clear that their dedication to enhancing our school community knows no bounds, and we are incredibly grateful for your generosity and hard work. Warm regards — The Spark! Team

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Pre-Registration Placement Letters for 2024 – 2025:

For any families that completed the pre-registration process during December and January for the 2024 – 2025 school year, we have already home placement letters on 1-26-24. Here are some things to know regarding placements.

AM or PM Schedules: Most students have been placed in an AM or PM schedule. We generally place older students in the PM (those heading to full day kindergarten after the 2024-2025 school year), as we need to have space available for children who are as young as two years old, turning three by October 1, 2024, as it is generally more developmentally appropriate for children who are very young (as young as 2 and 3) to have an AM spot for napping in the PM.

FULL DAY: At this time, the school and school district cannot guarantee we will be offering full day programming, as we are awaiting an update from the State to ensure it is an option for participating UPK locations for the 24-25 school year. We have conducted a tentative lottery process for a limited number of spots in full day programming. If a child has been placed in the full day program, documentation showing how a child has qualified for full-day UPK funding will be required. The Early Childhood Department placement committee will be reaching out for this information from each family. A fee of $404.00 per month (September through May) may be required to cover the remaining portion of the day for families who qualify for half-time UPK but desire a full day placement. If for some reason full day programming is not available from the state, the children we tentatively placed in the full day classes will be guaranteed placement in another classroom at Spark! for a half-day session. Anyone’s child not drawn in the full day lottery process has been placed on a waitlist for full day.

Retention Process: Our school district highly supports students moving on into kindergarten when they are age qualified. St. Vrain believes in the concept of each elementary school being a “ready school” for all children entering kindergarten, with no prerequisite skills/knowledge expected to enter kindergarten. It is on a rare occasion that retentions are accepted. If you’re interested in discussing retention, please let your child’s teacher know after the winter conferences, and a meeting will be scheduled with families/parents, the teacher, the principal, and the Early Childhood Coordinator for SVVSD.

I didn’t get a letter – what do I do? These are being mailed today, 1/29/24. Give it a day or two, and if you didn’t get a letter, please call Amy Yanez at 720-652-7906. If you haven’t completed a pre-registration, they can be completed here: https://sdpk.svvsd.org/2023/11/15/2024-2025-fall-preschoolpre-registration/

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Reading Club: A partnership between Spark! Discovery Preschool

and the Carbon Valley Library

The next Reading Club is on Thursday, February 22nd, 2024. We are excited to announce an opportunity to get involved in early literacy as a family! Amanda Pittman, Librarian from Carbon Valley Regional Library and Mary Stivison, Teacher at Spark! are partnering together to bring Saturday story time to Spark! during the week! Come engage in literacy activities with us! Families are welcome. We have room for 30 students each session, and families can attend more than one session. Students can choose a book to read and take home. A link to register was sent out to parents earlier. We haven’t included that link here because this newsletter is published on the internet and we’d like the form to stay private to families/parents of our school. Questions? Email Mary Stivison, preschool teacher, at [email protected] — she can help anyone wanting to come on 2/22/24.

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A message from the Spark! Discovery Preschool Parent-teacher Organization

The most delicious fundraiser of the year is coming up, on February 26th through March 11! We will be having a Butter Braid fundraiser sponsored by our Spark PTO. These funds help us put on free events for students and their families such as, Trick or Treat St in October, grants, and the Spring Carnival in May, as well as supporting teacher grants twice a year, to bring educational and fun materials into the classroom for lessons on various topics throughout the year! We are also able to bring in Anima Arts for drama and dance in the classroom, and family movement classes in the evenings at no cost. If you haven’t tried these delicious pastries yet, this is the perfect time! They will be delivered to school just before Easter, and freeze well if you’d like to save for Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, or any other time you would like a sweet morning treat to start your day! Packets will be sent home with your student at the end of the month with more details.

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HIRING:

We are hiring a half-time Counselor for the remainder of the 23-24 school year. Qualifying candidates must hold a “Special Services Provider” Credential through the Colorado Department of Education, with an active endorsement in “School Counselor (ages 0-21)” or “School Counselor (PK-12). Information can be found here. Please help us share! We are excited to have assistance with mental health needs.

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SVVSD NUTRITION SERVICES PARENT ENGAGEMENT:

SVVSD’s Nutrition Services is hosting an upcoming Parent Advisory Committee Meeting on Wednesday, February 21st, from 6:00-7:30pm. The meeting can be viewed virtually through zoom. The meeting will include a Guest Speaker from Colorado Beef Council, What’s new through Nutrition Services (recent farm-to-school movement actions), and Committee’s Mission & Goals. You can Zoom into this meeting by clicking on the text. PAC Nutrition Services Meeting Link Please reach out to Amy Gray, MDA, RDN, Menu and Special Diets Coordinator for SVVSD, at [email protected] for any questions.

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VOLUNTEER TRAINING:

We are excited to host Volunteer Training at various points through the year in our cafeteria at Spark! Volunteer training is required by the Department of Human Services, as we are a licensed preschool. A sign up form was emailed to families in a separate communication– please check emails for the link. If unable to find the email with link, please call Stacey Petering, principal’s secretary to confirm your attendance. Because of some sensitive topics, this training is best attended by adults (babies are okay to attend). Childcare is not provided during volunteer training. If translation is needed, please indicate this on the form. The dates for volunteer training for the next three months are:

Thursday, Feb 29, from 4:00 – 5:30 pm in the cafeteria.

Tuesday, March 12, from 8:30 – 10:00 am in the cafeteria (this will be the last offering this school year)

If you have questions, please call (720-652-7906) Stacey Petering, school secretary, and she can help you make a reservation if you can’t find the link to sign up.

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Feb 19 – 23, 2024 – IMPORTANT DATES

All week: Big Ideas of Early Mathematics: Measurement (see info sent home in Thursday folders on 2-1-24)
All week: STEM PROFILE OF THE MONTH: Risk-Taker (see info sent home in Thursday folders on 2-1-24)
All week: Fundations letter and letter sound learning: p, j
Mon, Feb 19, 2024- President’s Day (National Holiday) – No Preschool or Childcare
Thur, Feb 22, 2024, 4:15 – 5pm- Reading Club- With Miss Mary Stivison and the Carbon Valley Library (See information above for details).
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Feb 26 – Mar 1, 2024 – IMPORTANT DATES

All week: Big Ideas of Early Mathematics: Measurement
All week: STEM PROFILE OF THE MONTH: Risk-Taker
All week: Fundations – I, (h & K (taught on the same day))
STEM UNITS: #4 for 2023-2024
LIfecycles of Animals: Ms. Noreen and Ms. Kaylee
Transportation: Ms.Blair, Ms.Miranda, and Ms.Amy
Drama and Theater: Ms.Julia and Ms.Moira
Moving and Grooving- Dance and Fitness: Ms.Mary, Ms.Kelli, and Ms.Marie.
Ooh-Aah Science: Ms.Kirsten and Ms.Tori
Mon, Feb 26, 4:45pm – Anima Arts (Winter) Families Moving Together – with Miss Mimi- in the Gym (reservations required) – Thank you PTO for sponsoring this event!
Tues, Feb 27, 2024 – 8:30 am – School Tour
Tues, Feb 27, 2024 – Butter Braids fundraiser (PTO)
Wed, Feb 28, 2024- Butter Braids fundraiser (PTO)
Wed, Feb 28, 2024 – Farm To Table Programming
Thurs, Feb 29, 2024 – Leap Day!
Thurs, Feb 29, 2024 – Butter Braids fundraiser (PTO)
Thurs,, Feb 29, 2024, at 4 – 5:30pm – Volunteer training in the cafeteria
Thurs,, Feb 29, 2024, at 6 – 7:30pm – PTO meeting in the cafeteria
Fri, Mar 1, 2024 – Tuition is due

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A Message from the Community Schools Manager, Tasha Lugg, [email protected]

About Childcare at Spark!

Community Schools provides a nurturing, caring, educational and fun filled childcare program, under the direction of St. Vrain Valley School District in partnership with the school. All of our Child Care programs are licensed through the Colorado Department of Human Services. At Spark! Discovery Preschool, we offer a Pre-K Care program for 3 and 4 year old. For program details reach out to Tasha Lugg, Program Manager, at [email protected] or 720-652-7908 or contact the Community Schools central office at 303-702-7924.

Pre-K Care Fees:

$40 per day if enrolled in SVVSD Preschool
$50 per day if not enrolled in SVVSD Preschool
All students must attend two days a week minimum

How to register for Pre-K Care Wraparound at Spark! 2024-2025

Go to: https://stvrain.revtrak.net/

Find CS Spark! Discovery Preschool

Click on Pre-K Care Program

Click on 24-25 Spark! Pre-K Care. Make sure it is for the ‘24-’25 school year

Please pay attention to prompts asking for the parent name or the child’s name. This will save families/parents from re-doing their child’s registration paperwork.

Registration opens Tuesday, February 6th, 20024 at 9:00 am.

If you have any questions please feel free to reach out to Tasha Lugg, Program Manager, at [email protected] or 720-652-7908.

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Summer Camps – Pre-K Summer Childcare

K-5 Camps Open 7am – 6pm
Pre-K Camps Open 7am – 5:30pm
ALL CHILDREN MUST BE ENROLLED IN AN SVVSD SCHOOL
PRE-K CAMPS ARE OPEN TO 3, 4 & 5 YEAR OLDS
K-5 CAMPS ARE OPEN TO ENTERING KINDERGARTEN & OUTGOING 4TH GRADERS
CLICK THE SCHOOL NAME TO BE TAKEN TO THE REGISTRATION FOR THAT CAMP
For more details on SVVSD camps, visit our website.
Click here to be linked to the Community Schools website.
Camp dates: June 3 – August 2, 2024 (closed 7/4/24 & 7/5/24)
Registration fees: $50 for individuals, $75 family (nonrefundable)
Daily Cost: $50 per day per child
Pre-K Camps
Open 7am – 5:30pm
Accepting 3, 4 & 5 year old
Legacy Pre-K
Mountain View Pre-K
Questions? Call Tasha Lugg at 720-652-7908, at Spark!

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A message from our Campus Supervisor, Alicia Sheahan Hall–[email protected].

Please know that safety is a priority in everything we do each day at school. Part of our overall plan to ensure safety is to conduct various drills throughout the school year and at unannounced/unexpected times. The 5 types of drills we practice are Evacuate(Fire Drill), Secure, Shelter in Place, Hold and Lockdown. For more information about drills that are conducted in the St Vrain Valley School District please click here: English and Spanish

The purpose of these drills is to practice what to do in the event of a threat or hazard inside and outside the building. Teachers do a great job of preparing and debriefing with the students and it is important to continue the conversation at home. It’s crucial to emphasize the significance of drills for our students’ safety and preparedness. Many of our students will experience these drills for the first time, laying the foundation for a lifetime of understanding and readiness. Your support and follow-up at home are invaluable in ensuring that these drills have maximum impact.

Because of state licensing regulations, March-Oct we practice a monthly Shelter in Place drill for tornado hazards. Evacuate/Fire drills are conducted monthly as per fire code, and Lockdown drills are practiced twice a year per district policy.

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A message from the Spark! Registrar/Attendance clerk, [email protected]

What do I do if my child is going to be absent or tardy for Preschool?
If your child is unable to attend school or is going to be tardy, we ask that you first contact, Amy Yanez, Attendance Clerk, before you inform your teacher. It is important that you call or email us everyday your child will be absent, so that we can properly document it.
Tips to improve punctuality for school:
1. Know your timetable- Make sure you have everything ready the night before.
2. Make sure you have a good bedtime routine and get lots of rest.
3. Try to ensure you have a balanced breakfast- (we provide a snack prepared by of District Nutrition Services).
4. Allow plenty of time for your commute to Preschool.

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

Here is some helpful information for low cost immunization clinics. More information and other helpful resources can be found at ShotsForTotsAndTeens.org https://www.immunizecolorado.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/ShotsForTotsAndTeens_4ClinicFlyer_2024_Q1_ENG_SPA_FINAL-v2.pdf

We have sent out notifications on all expired General Health Appraisal forms again this week. Please call the office to speak to Amanda or Alicia regarding any questions you may have.

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SVVSD Nutrition Services- Lunch and Snack Menu- https://linqconnect.com/public/menu/DCN3CB?buildingId=482fe7e5-3406-ee11-a17a-83fe6e630216

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We invite our families to join us on social media and on the web:

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

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

Twitter: @SparkDPS

Website: https://sdpk.svvsd.org/

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