Alice Smith Families,

THANK YOU for partnering with us during our Spring Parent Teacher Conferences.

Alice Smith Book Store!!

This spring, in lieu of hosting a large vendor like Literati or Scholastic for our Book Fair, our AMAZING Media Center Team is creating the New AS Book Store!

• The AS Book Store will allow ALL scholars to get a new or gently used book to love and read at a very very low cost!
• All profits of the Book Store will go directly back to the Media Center to buy more books for our school
• We NEED your help! We are welcoming donations of gently used books! (See Flyer Below!!)

Mr. Eduardo Navidad

Direct Line: 952-988-4201

Email: eduardo.navidad@hopkinsschools.org

Alice Smith Elementary Principal

Follow Alice Smith on Social Media

Twitter: @AliceSmith270 and @NavidadASE

Facebook: @AliceSmithElementarySchool

Alice Smith Weather Station

3/12/24 - PTO Meeting @ AS - 6p - 8p

3/21/24 - Imagination Fair @ AS - 5p-7p

4/1/24-4/5/24- Spring Break - No School

4/10/24 - Eid al-Fitr holiday - No School

4/12/24 - Heritage Fest @ AS - 5:30p-8p

Every Wednesday ICA/AS Food Market From 3:30pm-6:30pm (Click Here For Appt)

As of Monday, Hopkins will adjust our COVID policy to follow recent CDC recommendations. This means staff/students who test positive for COVID-19 can return to school/work when the following are true:

Alice Smith yearbooks are now on sale! The yearbook is a great way for students to remember all of the friends, staff and fun they will have this year. Yearbooks cost $22 and will be sold from now until April but don't waste any time in ordering! Yearbook order forms should be coming home with your scholar but in case it doesn't find its way, here are your purchase options:

1) Go to ybpay.com and enter Yearbook ID: 14430324

2) Use this QR code and enter Yearbook ID: 14430324

March PTO Meeting: The next PTO meeting will be March 12, 6-8, in the media center. Join us to hear about the fun events coming up this spring!

We need your feedback! Please respond to this community survey pertaining to recent changes in our district (e.g., school start times, 6/9th grade transition, etc.). The purpose of this survey is for us to check in with families, staff, and students around these transitions and to understand any positive or negative impacts. Your responses are anonymous. The survey will take 5-10 minutes to complete. We will use the results to determine how to support staff, students, and families moving forward. Take the survey here.

Minnesotans can now claim the Child Tax Credit, with no limit on the number of children claimed. You must file a 2023 individual income tax return in order to claim the credit. Most taxpayers who are eligible to claim the new Child Tax Credit are also eligible for free tax preparation assistance. Learn more about income requirements and qualifications on the Child Tax Credit webpage.

The tax credit of up to $1750 per child is estimated to cut child poverty by up to one third in Minnesota. Nearly 300,000 households including 513,000 children are estimated to qualify for the credit.

The Minnesota Department of Revenue offers two valuable tax benefits for parents who purchase school supplies for their K-12 students: the K-12 Education Credit and Subtraction. These benefits can reduce parents’ taxes to increase their refund, but are only available for those who keep their receipts. Purchases for most school supplies, field trips, and musical instruments for school band are eligible.

Most Minnesota parents qualify for the K-12 subtraction, which reduces their taxable income. Parents under certain income limits may also qualify for the K-12 credit, which can refund up to 75% of their costs – even for parents who do not owe any taxes. Visit Revenue's website for details.

Automaticity is about being automatic - to know something quickly and without having to think about it. Automaticity is important in word recognition and is the foundation of fluent reading. Fluency adds in additional components - voice inflection, stress, and intonation. It combines automatic word recognition with the ability to make meaning in real-time. Beginning readers often are so focused on decoding and word recognition that they sound robotic or flat. Repeated readings - reading the same book/passage/sentence more than once - and adding expression, can help develop fluency. As the brain moves the words into automaticity, it frees up space to focus on meaning, which allows expression to develop. The goal of reading - both aloud and in the readers’ head - is to sound like natural speech. Use the chart below to know if your scholar is meeting fluency goals. Make sure to read grade-level passages when checking for their reading rate. The goal should be to have high accuracy and be able to read like natural speech.

Looking for ways to support the development of fluency in your scholar?

1. Read aloud to your scholar. This models fluency and helps readers develop an ‘ear’ for expression.

2. Engage in repeated reading. Have scholars read books/passages/sentences multiple times, each time improving automaticity and increasing fluency and natural language sound.

3. Work to increase vocabulary so scholars have a wide range of words they are familiar with and can recognize in print.

4. Read and memorize poetry. Poems for two voices are great fun!

Reading Rockets Fluency

Reading Rockets Fluency Module

Book recommendations: It’s International Friendship Month!

A Friend Like You by Mo Willams

Stick and Stone by Beth Ferry

Harbor Me by Jacqueline Woodson

The Bridge Home by Padma Venkatraman

Is your 5th-8th grade student looking for a spring sport? Consider playing Ultimate Frisbee! Registration for Hopkins Ultimate Middle School League is now open! The Middle School League is co-ed, focuses on building endurance and skills, and is centered in good sportsmanship. Practices are Sunday afternoons throughout March (local gyms/domes until the weather is warmer) and then will switch to twice a week once games begin on Sundays in April. You are welcome to come try out a practice or two before registering!

We will be hosting a spring informational meeting on Wednesday, March 20th at 6:30pm in the Hopkins High School cafeteria. Check out our website for more information/schedule or to register www.hopkinsultimate.com. Scholarships are available!

Please take a look in our Electronic Backpack to find a variety of offerings & information for our scholars:

Hopkins Ultimate Frisbee

Hopkins Softball

Hopkins Little League

Try Hockey For Free!

Hopkins Youth Box Lacrosse

School Supply List 23-24

Cub Scouts Flyer

Winter Indoor Soccer Flyer

School Day: 7:50am - 2:20pm

Arrival Basics

School doors open: 7:30am.

Breakfast Available: 7:30am - 7:50am

No students are allowed to go to their classroom until the first bell rings at 7:43am. Class begins promptly at 7:50am. Late arrivals will check-in at the front office for tardy pass.

Dismissal Basics

Class ends at 2:20pm. If there is a change your students' end of day arrangements, please notify the school 2 hours in advance by calling the office at 952-988-4200 to ensure safety and avoid any miscommunication.

To Report your students absence:

• Attendance Line: 952-988-4210
• Online Attendance Form

Website: https://hopkinsschools.org/schools/elementary-schools/alice-smith-elementary
Location: 801 Minnetonka Mills Road, Hopkins, MN 55343, USA
Phone: (952) 988-4200
Facebook: facebook.com/AliceSmithElementarySchool
Twitter: @AliceSmith270