Ryan's Weekly Family Update

Dear Ryan Elementary Community,

We are so excited to be in week THREE of Ryan’s Read to RIDE program! Today, three firefighters from the Lafayette Fire Department will visit Ryan Elementary and read a book with each class or grade level.

Ryan Elementary is also in year two of our No Place for Hate school Initiative. Below is a link to the pledge we discussed with students at the beginning of the school year and will continue to emphasize throughout the year:

NPFH-pledge-FINAL.pdf

If your child shares or reports anything that you believe is not aligned with BVSD’s values and Ryan’s commitment to a safe, supportive, and inclusive community for all, please contact your child’s teacher or reach out to me directly at stephanie.jackman@bvsd.org.

It’s always a great day to be a Rhino!

Go Rhinos!

Sincerely,

Stephanie Jackman

Principal

In this newsletter you will find details on the following:

• Letter from Principal Jackman
• Important Dates and Events
• Sign Up for Parent/Teacher Conferences
• Ryan PTA's VIP Dance is THIS WEEK!
• Ryan's Read to Ride-Week 3!
• Spelling Bee Results and Regional Volunteer Opportunity
• Ryan's Got Talent Details - Auditions are NEXT WEEK!
• Spring Book Fair Details & Volunteer Opportunity
• Garden To Table Camp Information
• Kinder and Neighborhood Registration NOW OPEN!
• Preschool & SAC Registration information
• PTA Updates & Store
• Centaurus High School STEAM Night & Mini Cheer Clinic Details
• Family STEAMfest 2026 Information
• Parent Portal Information
• BVSD Weather Delay/Closure System
• Health Insurance Resources Available
• Important Parking Instructions
• Attendance Policy Information
• Volunteer Instructions
• BVSD Messenger Notifications
• Calendar Links

If you have an immediate need, please call the main office at 720.561.7000

February 7th - Sign Up for Parent/Teacher Conferences are now open through February 15th

February 9th - Firefighters are coming to Ryan to read and encourage participation in Read to Ride

February 9th - F.E.T. Meeing at Ryan (Families and Educators Together) 6-7:30pm

February 16th NO SCHOOL for President's Day

February 17th NO SCHOOL for Parent/Teacher Conference Exchange Day

February 18th Wednesday, NO SCHOOL FOR PRESCHOOL for a pk teacher professional development day.

February 19th, 24th and 26th Spring Parent Teacher Conferences

March 12 - Ryan's Got Talent Show

March 16-20 - NO SCHOOL Spring Break

Spring Conference dates are February 19th, 24th and 26th.

For all Preschool to 5th grade students, you should have received an email invite from HelpatSchools on Saturday morning, February 7th. You will sign up for a conference time through that personalized email.

NEW! Available to all 5th Grade Parents: You have the opportunity to sign up for a Spring Conference with our school counselor, Mrs. Short, for a 5th to 6th Grade Transition Meeting. This is an optional opportunity to discuss ways to prepare your child for the transition from 5th grade to 6th grade in Middle School.

If you are not a 5th grade parent, PLEASE DO NOT SIGN UP FOR A CONFERENCE WITH MRS. SHORT

The sign up window will be 2/7 6am - 2/15 11pm.

If you need assistance, please contact your child's teacher or Jamie Hanes at 720.561.7007/jamie.hanes@bvsd.org

Our second annual Ryan Read to Ride, a partnership with the Lafayette Fire Department, is in full swing!

Our students will continue to track their reading minutes. Information went home in a family letter, along with your child's reading log. One student from each grade level will win BREAKFAST AT THE FIRE STATION and a ride to school ON THE FIRE TRUCK! Classes have the opportunity to win a pizza party (with most combined minutes read), and a whole school recess party if 80,000 minutes are read.

You can watch our Ryan Read to Ride 2026 Kickoff Video by clicking the link.

Spelling Bee 2026
What a nail-biter! Our 2026 School Spelling Bee featured 27 incredible finalists who wowed us with their focus, grit, and spelling skills.

Congratulations to our Spelling Bee Champion, Nora from Ms. Montoya’s class—an amazing achievement!

Interested in watching the excitement unfold? You can catch the full bee here.

Boulder Valley Regional Spelling Bee officials - volunteers needed

Parents and community members, we are looking for volunteers for this year's BVSD Regional Spelling Bee which will take place on March 7th in the New Vista High auditorium.

Volunteer Roles and duties include: On the day of the spelling bee, organizers are needed to do everything from checking in spellers, setting up the stage and physical event space, and receiving appeals and communicating them to the officials, to answering questions from parents, spellers and audience members. We cannot do this work without our amazing volunteers! Please fill out this interest form if you are interested.

Ryan's Got Talent is back on March 12, 2026! All students are invited to audition for the show during Music Class. Please click here for all the information. Click here to submit the required audition form. Contact Ms. Shauna at shauna.keene@bvsd.org or 720-561-7031 for any questions or concerns.

Each Book Fair is a fundraiser for the Ryan Library!

The Book Fair will be open late for Parents to participate on Thursday, March 12.

You won't want to miss the Art Show 4-6pm, Choir Concert 4:30pm and Ryan's Got Talent 5:30pm all on Thursday, March 12!

Set up an eWallet for the easiest, safest way to shop.

Also, please consider donating to our Share the Fair fund so ALL students can get a new BOOK of their own!

The Ryan Library is looking for volunteers for our Spring 2026 Book Fair! Use the HELP at SCHOOLS site to view volunteer opportunities and to sign up. Thank you!

Dear Ryan Families,

Do you have a child who will be an incoming Ryan Rhino next school year?

Do you have friends, family members or neighbors with a rising Kindergartener?

If so, NOW is the time to register and help us plan ahead to ensure we have staffing for the number of students starting their journey at Ryan!

To register, please click here.

Get to know our wonderful Kindergarten teaching team by checking out the Kindergarten Website!

Please also Join us for the KINDERGARTEN OPEN HOUSE!

Wednesday March 4th, 5:30-6:30pm

Families can explore Kindergarten classrooms, gather welcome packets and information and connect with other rising rhino families

Please reach out with any questions!

The Universal Preschool Program (UPK) application for four year olds is now open. The pre-registration period for children returning for a second year of preschool, preschool siblings of children already attending, and parent employees closes on February 2nd. Returners will have a spot reserved for them but they must apply through the UPK website to keep it. Siblings and parent employees will be enrolled first come, first served. Apply here.

The Preschool Tuition Lottery window for three year olds closes on December 17th at 4 pm. Children must turn three by October 1st, 2026 to be eligible. Apply here.

In 2026-27 we will continue to offer half-day Preschool sessions five days a week, morning and afternoon, at all of our sites. The majority of our sites also offer Preschool Enrichment to extend the day.

Families who are paying tuition for more than one child can apply for a 15% sibling discount in either Preschool or Preschool Enrichment. A 15% discount to Enrichment tuition will be offered to parent/guardian employees. (Please note that only one discount can be applied.)

Children do not need to be potty trained to enroll in a BVSD preschool!

Email us at preschool@bvsd.org or call 720-561-5075 if you’re interested or would like to find out more.

Families may sign up for the Lottery any time during this window to be considered in the tiered selection process. After 2:00 pm on April 24, any remaining available spots will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis. All details are posted on the SAC Lottery Webpage. Families are encouraged to review the timeline and instructions in advance, and may direct any questions to the Child Care Enrollment Team (720)561-5974.

Questions? Contact Jasmine Bailon

Do you have a Very Important Person in your life?

Invite them to join us for our first ever VIP Dance!

This free event will be Thursday, February 12th from 5:30-7:30 in the school gym. We will have a DJ, photo booth, Eats 'n Sweets food truck, and more!

Dress your best or come as you are! Each student must be accompanied by a VIP Adult (18+). 1 free picture for all who register BEFORE the event.

Onsite photo booth pictures will be $1.

Get ready to boogie down!

Register here to get your free photo booth picture with your VIP!

Check out our volunteer opportunities here!

Check out our volunteer opportunities here!

PTA Website

PTA Facebook

Ryan Parents Facebook

Ryan Spiritwear Store

Are you looking for some Ryan Rhino gear? Please click on the link below for tshirts, sweatshirts, mugs, etc! These items would make great gifts for your favorite Rhino.

PTA Family Store

Starting on January 1st, you will not be able to add/change emergency contacts for your student(s).

Please contact Jamie.Hanes@bvsd.org for assistance with adding/changing emergency contacts or updating address information.

You are still be able to update your own parent email and phone number by following these instructions.

BVSD weather delay and closure procedures

Under all but the most extreme conditions, school officials have a responsibility to keep school in session. During Colorado winters, snow and ice may result in a delay or closure if necessary. No notices means no closures or significant delays have been reported.

As always, BVSD respects a parent's decision to keep students home from school or delay their arrival due to weather conditions. Contact the school's attendance office and the absence will be excused.

BVSD Health Services is sharing the following information for families who may be in need of health insurance or would like to explore their options, knowing that preventive and supportive services provided through this coverage helps keep students healthy and ready to learn.

Open Enrollment for health insurance through Connect for Health Colorado is happening now through January 15, 2026. This is the time when individuals and families can find affordable health coverage for the coming year.

We’ve included helpful flyers with information about both Connect for Health Colorado and OmniSalud, a program that offers health insurance options for Coloradans regardless of immigration status.

Families who would like support can contact the Boulder County Enrollment Center for free assistance with Connect for Health Colorado, OmniSalud, Health First Colorado (Medicaid), and CHP+. The Enrollment Center provides confidential, unbiased guidance in English and Spanish, and in other languages through an interpreter.

To schedule an appointment with a Health Coverage Guide, visit boco.org/HealthCoverage, call 303-441-4530, or email HealthCoverage@BoulderCounty.gov.

Questions? Contact Joanna Harrison(joanna.harrison@bvsd.org), Resource Nurse

The bus lane is reserved for buses only at all times!

Our school is a busy place! We have buses coming and going throughout the entire school day with Preschool pick ups and drop offs, field trips and early arrivals.

We also have the bus lane available to Emergency Vehicles, when needed.

Please use the Northeast parking lot or park in the neighborhood.

Also, do not park in the South parking lot, which is a staff parking lot, or in the Handicap parking spaces unless you have a sticker displayed in your vehicle.

Thank you for your cooperation!

Volunteering is a fun, simple way to get involved within the Ryan community. We have all sorts of opportunities to get involved. Whether you volunteer regularly in your teacher’s classroom, bring breakfast and coffee to teachers for late start or volunteer for the book fair, the impact can be huge. Not only does it benefit the school but it benefits your kids and families in our community as well!

bvsd.org/volunteer

Volunteers and field trip chaperones that volunteer once and are under line-of-sight supervision by BVSD staff at all times only need to go through the front office Raptor check-in process.

Individuals interested in volunteering and interacting with students on an ongoing basis under line of sight supervision of BVSD staff, complete the appropriate yearly application; ENGLISH or SPANISH. Please note, there is a $32.00 background fee due at the time of submission.

For volunteers, partners, or field trip chaperones who will not be under line-of-sight supervision of BVSD staff at all times – CBI fingerprint check is required through a third party vendor (these background checks are now valid for 5 years), paid by the volunteer or partner AND volunteer must sign a BVSD volunteer agreement (Spanish) each year.

Please see the Volunteers/Visitors Flowchart and the Volunteer/Visitor FAQ for additional details.

Daily Attendance

Please help your child develop good attendance habits. Research shows that missing just two days per month severely impacts reading and math growth. To make expected academic and social emotional gains, students should be at school at a rate of 95% or more. Habits developed in elementary school often carry over into middle school and high school.

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If your child will be absent:

• Please let us know online via Infinite Campus OR call Ryan’s attendance line at 720-561-7002 by 8:05 a.m. If your student is arriving late, please note that in the comments section online. Always notify the office of an absence or late arrival, not just the classroom teacher.

• Attendance - Ryan Elementary School. Please include the following information in your voice message: your name, student’s name, grade & teacher, and the reason for the absence.

• As a safety precaution, all primary contacts of students marked as unaccounted absences will receive notification by BVSD’s automated attendance system to verify a child’s absence. Promptly calling in absences and tardies will prevent your home or workplace from being disturbed.

• If at all possible, make every attempt to schedule doctor and dentist appointments before or after the school day, as this tends to take away from a student’s learning time. If your child does have a medical appointment, providing us with documentation helps us code these absences properly.

• Automated calls are made by 9:00 a.m. for students who are marked as “unexcused absence”.

• Procedures and information about student absences are explain in the March 2024 Revised Board Policy, JH and Attendance & Engagement - Boulder Valley School District

We understand sometimes our students need to be out for an extended period of time. We ask, if you know your child will be out for more than 3 days, to please fill out this form in addition to reporting the absence through the portal or attendance line.

Attendance Letter Communication Details

When students in BVSD reach a certain number of absences (you can find the breakdown below), you will receive an AUTOMATED attendance letter. All absences excused or unexcused will receive these communications when the number of absences reach the particular threshold. Also please note, three (3) unexcused partial absences or five (5) unexcused tardies will equal one unexcused absence.

Letter Criteria:

• Friendly Letter after 5 days missed

• Letter A after 10 days missed

• Letter B after 15 days missed

BVSD uses School Messenger to communicate with families as needed via email, phone call and text message to those opted in to receive BVSD Communications.

Users can adjust their communication preferences and opt-in to text messages as desired via instructions found on the BVSD School Messenger Support webpage.

BVSD Calendar Link

• 2025-26 Parent -Teacher Printable (English)
• 2025-26 Parent-Teacher Printable Calendar (Spanish)

• 2025-26 Academic Calendar Printable (English)

• 2025-26 Academic Calendar Printable (Spanish)

• 2025-26 Preschool Calendar Printable (English)

• 2025-26 Preschool Calendar Printable(Spanish)

• Elementary ABC Specials Weekly Rotation Calendar (English)

• Ryan's Specials Schedule Color Rotation

• Calendario de clases especiales ABC (Español)

Website: https://rye.bvsd.org/
Location: 1405 Centaur Village Drive, Lafayette, CO, USA
Phone: 720-561-7000
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RyanElemSTEAM