Spark! Newsletter Feb 17 – Feb 28, 2025

Message from Our Principal, Paige Gordon

Good afternoon! We are celebrating the way so many families came to participate in our Valentine’s Day celebrations last week with their children in preschool. What a fun day to share caring, kindness, and the message that LOVE is important.

Thank you also to families who have attended parent/family-teacher conferences recently with their children’s preschool teacher. We are working toward our goal of 100% participation. If the teacher reaches out again if the conference was cancelled, please know that I’ve asked them to continue to reach out to have a discussion about progress. Teachers in high-quality preschool programs share information about children’s progress with families frequently — and it’s important as parents and families to advocate and share your wishes for your children, as well as any concerns they may have.

The PTO is excited to start planning the Spring Carnival (see note below), a beloved tradition that has taken place on a Friday night in late April or early-to-mid May for over a decade! To make this event possible, we need volunteers. If you’re interested in helping, please email [email protected] by March 13 so we can determine if we have enough support to move forward.

Our dedicated staff plays a huge role in making this event a success, but we can’t do it without additional help before, during, and after the carnival. Let’s work together to create a fun and memorable experience for our community!

Our school is an incredible place — we appreciate your support, our terrific staff, and the amazing minds of our early learners!

Warmly – Paige Gordon, Principal, Spark! Discovery Preschool ([email protected])

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Kindergarten Family Literacy Night, Feb. 19

St. Vrain Valley Schools invites kindergarten families to an engaging evening focused on supporting early literacy. Hosted by members of St. Vrain’s Priority Programs and kindergarten teachers, this event will provide valuable insights into the Colorado READ Act, strategies to strengthen early reading skills at home, and digital tools that enhance literacy growth.

Kindergarten Family Literacy Night will take place on February 19, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., at the Timberline PK-8 Community Room. Childcare and Spanish interpretation will be available.

Visit the website to learn more about Kindergarten Family Literacy Night

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Colorado Symphony Event at the Longmont Museum

Autumn Stolle is the Community Education Coordinator for the Colorado Symphony. She wanted to write and personally invite friends and family of Spark! Discovery Preschool to attend a free upcoming Mini Música: The Three Little Pigs performances at the Longmont Museum and Cultural Center on Saturday, March 22nd at 10:00am and 11:30am. The beloved children’s tale, The Three Little Pigs comes to life in the form of “Mini Música” – an interactive, bilingual educational concert for young audiences. Featuring a 16-piece orchestra and a narrator who dances and sings in English and Spanish, Mini Música is designed to engage young children through a musical telling of a classic children’s story.  You can find more information about The Three Little Pigs on our website and submit a reservation through the Longmont Museum and Cultural Center below: 
 Mini Música Reservation Form

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Parent University Session February 20th

St. Vrain’s Parent University program provides training, information, and resources to parents and caregivers to support the well-being and success of their children.

Join us on Zoom, Feb. 20, 2025 from 5-6:30 p.m.

Adolescent RISE with Nicholas Thompson, Licensed Clinical Social Worker. Adolescent RISE is a presentation that takes a fun and informative look at the developmental period of adolescence (ages 10-25). It includes debunking myths about adolescence, understanding the four qualities of adolescence (risk taking, identity formation, social reorientation, and emotional intensity), and learning about the tweenage brain. With this foundation established, ways to better support our kids will be discussed.  Please register online to assist with planning purposes. Learn more about St. Vrain’s Parent University and register for upcoming events

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SVVSD Accessibility Night

We are a group of high schoolers at the Innovation Center that is advocating for inclusion and accessibility within SVVSD. We are working to make a world where everyone can do what they want to do in the way they want to do it. 

We are hosting an event on February 21st, 2025, from 4:00-6:00 at the Innovation Center to promote accessibility within the community and embrace all abilities. A district approved flier about our event is attached below. Would you be willing to send this flier out to your school to promote the event? For example posting it in weekly newsletters, reviewing it over the announcements, posting on social media, or posting it up around the school. Additionally, a link to an article by SVVSD Communications is linked below if you are interested and willing to share it. https://lhs.svvsd.org/2025/01/28/innovation-center-hosts-second-annual-accessibility-night/

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Imagination Library – Free Monthly Book Membership for Children Birth to Age 5

dolly

Country music star, Dolly Parton, smiles at the camera while holding a book. The text on the image reads, “Celebrating! 1 in 7 Children under the age of five in the USA receives Imagination Library books.

Reading starts at birth, and having a home library offers benefits that extend well beyond just reading. Research demonstrates that reading at home cultivates a love of books, prepares children for kindergarten, and enhances social and emotional intelligence.

The Imagination Library Colorado supports families by providing them with books at no cost every month. This initiative boosts childhood literacy rates, encourages a passion for reading, and promotes a culture of reading among families throughout Colorado. SIGN UP HERE!

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library: loved by families, validated by research.

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A message from our Spark! PTO

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Important Dates at Spark! Feb 17 – Feb 22

STEM profile of the month: Risk-taker (see handout sent on 1/30/25 to families- English and Spanish)

Month-long Math focus / Big Idea of Early Mathematics: Measurement (see handout sent on 1/30/25 to all parents – English and Spanish)

FUNDATIONS focus on lower-case letters (writing them, identifying them, and naming their sounds): e, r

Mon, Feb 17, 2025

Presidents’ Day- No Preschool or Childcare

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Important Dates at Spark! Feb 24-28, 2025

FUNDATIONS focus on lower-case letters (writing them, identifying them, and naming their sounds): p, j

Stem Profile of the month of Feb – Risk – Taker

The Big Ideas of Early Mathematics Feb- Measurement

Mon, Feb 24, 2025

UPK Steps- Families are notified from Universal Preschool Program (UPK) of the first round matches (general applications)

11:10 am – Enrichment class: Build a Sloth – Contact Tasha at 720-652-7908.

Wed, Feb 26, 2025

3:05 pm – Enrichment class: Build a Sloth – Contact Tasha at 720-652-7908.

Thurs, Feb 27, 2025

Positive Behavior and Intervention Supports reward day – Hat Day (check with your child’s teacher)

PTO Meeting- 6:00 – 7:30 pm in the cafeteria (PTO provides childcare)

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A message from our Health Clerk, Amanda Rivera

Please see the important information from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment about Immunizations. Consulte la información importante del Departamento de Salud Pública y Medio Ambiente de Colorado sobre vacunas. Amanda Rivera, [email protected] or at 720-6582-7906.

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A Message from our Campus Supervisor, Kara Mahan

You may, occasionally, hear from your student that there was a fire drill, or that there were alarms going off during school. We regularly run safety drills in order to remain compliant with the District and State requirements and to prepare our students and staff for what to do in various emergent situations. I hope you use this as an opportunity to reinforce the importance of practicing being safe, and to plan for your own household’s response to similar types of emergencies.

Practicing regular safety drills enhances emergency preparedness. Through practice individuals can build confidence and gain familiarity with protocols, allowing for quicker more coordinated responses during real emergencies. Additionally, drills at school help to provide a safe, controlled practice environment, minimizing unnecessary stress while maximizing preparedness. One of the primary benefits of regular safety drills is their ability to build muscle memory. Participants who repeatedly practice emergency procedures internalize their roles and responses, making actions feel more automatic and manageable. When participants know exactly what steps to take, they are more likely to remain calm, respond promptly, and avoid panicking during a real emergency situation. 

If there are any safety concerns, please contact, Kara Mahan, [email protected] or at 720-652-7906.

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A message from our Attendance Clerk / Registrar, Amy Yanez

As a school we expect all our students to have attendance above 96%. Children do not get ill from cold weather. In fact it can be very refreshing to get out of the house and into the cool, fresh air.

Tips to improve punctuality for school

  • Know the timetable for arriving on time- Make sure everything is ready the night before (clothes, backpacks, etc).
  • Have a bedtime routine and get lots of rest.
  • Try to ensure students have a good breakfast- snack is provided.
  • Allow plenty of time for the commute to Preschool 

What do I do if my child is going to be absent or tardy to Preschool?

If a child is unable to attend school or is going to be tardy we ask that parents/families contact  Amy Yanez, attendance clerk at [email protected] or 720-652-7926 to inform her of the reason for the absence. It is important that families call or email the front office every day their child will be absent so that we can properly document their absence.

Registration information for the 2025-2026 school year: Please contact Amy Yanez @ [email protected] or call the mail office at 720-652-7906 with registration, paperwork, or enrollment questions. If there are questions about placements, full day preschool, please contact the Early Childhood Education Department at 303-702-7815. More information is available here.

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ST. VRAIN PRESCHOOL EXPANDS TO FIVE-DAY-A-WEEK PROGRAMS

Starting in the 2025-2026 school year, St. Vrain Valley Schools will offer five-day-a-week preschool programs. Families can explore a variety of high-quality preschool options tailored to meet families’ unique needs, including half-day morning and afternoon sessions, with full-day programs available at select locations.

Visit svvsd.org/preschool for more details and registration information.

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Extend Your Child’s Preschool Experience with Wraparound Pre-K Care at Spark! Discovery Preschool

St. Vrain Valley Schools offers licensed Wraparound Pre-K Care, and is separate from the preschool program, for children ages 3 to 5 at our school, providing a safe and enriching environment to complement preschool or as a childcare option for younger learners. With activities in STEAM, literacy, and creative play, children will build skills and confidence in a nurturing setting. Registration for the 2025-2026 school year opens February 6, 2025. Childcare will begin in August of 2025. This programming is not included with Universal Preschool and requires a separate registration. Childcare programming at our school accepts tuition, CCCAP funding, or possible scholarships (determined by the department). If there are questions about childcare for the 25-26 school year, please call or email Tasha Lugg, Childcare manager at [email protected] or 720-652-7908 (direct line). More information about the program can be found here: https://sdpk.svvsd.org/activities-childcare/childcare/.

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