AES Community Connection 10/26/26

Normal Weekday Schedule for AES:

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 8:00am-3:15pm

(There is no supervision for students before 7:45 am- if you

arrive before that time you must stay with your child until 7:45.)

Wednesdays 8:00am-1:45pm

Empower an innovative, mindful community of learners in a challenging and nurturing environment that promotes inquiry and academic excellence!

and

The International Baccalaureate® aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect.

• Monday, Oct 12- Friday, October 30 - Food Drive with Lift Up
• Monday, October 19th - Pumpkin Carving Contest begins- send pics of your carved pumpkin to Virginia. Photos due October 27th 10:00pm. More info below!
• Oct 22- Nov 2- Dia De Los Muertos, more info below!
• Thursday, Oct 29 - Picture Retakes & 4th Grade
• Friday, Oct 30 - AES Halloween Parade and School Wide Treats, 2:15-3:00pm - ASD Turf/Track and AES Field, Trunk or Treat with Aspen Police and Fire.
• Week of November 9 - Swim Week - bring swimsuit and towel for swimming lessons during Physical Education classes at the ARC.
• Week of November 23 - Thanksgiving Break- NO SCHOOL
• Tuesday, Dec 8 - Family Literacy Night at the Book Fair

Swim Weeks... October 19-23 ~ November 9-13 ~ December 7-11 ~ January 11-15 ~ February 8-12 ~ March 8-12 ~ April 12-16

Aspen School District Calendar - 2026-27 (Updated and approved as of 5.13.26)

• Students and families work together to carve or decorate your Halloween pumpkin.

• Once you’ve finished, snap a photo of your masterpiece and email it to vleffler@aspenk12.net; include your child(s) name, grade and teacher

• Categories

• Best traditional

• Most original design

• Silliest Face

• Scariest

• Photos must be submitted by Tuesday, Oct 27th at 10:00pm

• Students will vote on Wednesday and the winners will be announced Friday! Winning photos will be included in the Community Connections newsletter. All pictures will be on display in the lobby.

Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) is a joyful Mexican holiday celebrated from October 31 to November 2. Instead of being a spooky time like Halloween, it is a special festival of love and memory where families honor and celebrate relatives who have passed away

At AES volunteers are setting up a Community Ofrenda Oct 22- Nov 2

Your child can participate by bring a photo of a family member, pet, or someone special who has passed away to the front office. They can add it to our shared ofrenda as we celebrate and remember our loved ones.

If you'd like to learn more, check out this website which explains Dia de los Muertos in a child-friendly way. Your child might also like to listen to this read aloud, Dia De Los Muertos.

Get your costumes ready! Our annual Halloween Parade is happening on Friday, October 30th at 2:15pm. Families are warmly invited to join us on the turf and cheer on our little ghosts, superheroes, and everything in between. As a reminder, costumes should be school-friendly, so please leave masks, weapons, offensive costumes, and anything too scary at home.

After the parade, each class will enjoy a treat table. Please sign up here to bring a healthy Halloween treat for your child's class. Click here for some healthy snack ideas.

This year we're also honoring Día de los Muertos with a community ofrenda (altar), on display from October 22nd – 30th. Día de los Muertos is a joyful tradition celebrated in Mexico and across Latin America to remember and honor loved ones who have passed. Families are invited to contribute a photo or small memento of a loved one, a pet, or someone special to your family. Please label items with your name so we can return them. The ofrenda will be set up after school on October 22nd around 3:15pm, and we welcome anyone who would like to join in setting up and decorating.

The food shelf needs our help! Let’s find these items at the grocery store so we can support local kids in our valley. Fill your grocery bags donated by Whole Foods.
You do not need to buy everything - Any little bit helps! Bags to fill will be coming home with your kiddos! Any non-perishable goods appreciated! The last day to bring your bags in is October 30th! Thank you for helping families from Parachute to Aspen!

High Mountain Harmony, our AES choir, is back!! Choir is available for any student in 3rd and 4th grade. Choir rehearsals will be held on Tuesdays, beginning October 27, from 12:15-12:55 during recess.

We will have two concerts this year, on December 15 and on March 16. We will perform during the day for the school and in the evening for families at 5:30 in the District Theatre. If your 3rd or 4th grader is interested in joining choir, you can sign them up at this website: https://bit.ly/3tyKD5E. Students must be registered before our first rehearsal on October 27 in order to participate. For more details about choir, including scholarship information, please click here. Please contact Marnie White at mwhite@aspenk12.net or x3023 with any questions.

Coming home to you soon is your child's custom catalog for the Square 1 Art fundraiser catalog - featuring their own name and art on the cover, WITH FREE STICKERS OF THEIR ART!

Get a head start, and start ordering keepsakes and gifts featuring your child's art online NOW, if you like! Simply search for your child's art using Art Search, and enter state, school name, and your student's name. Your student's art and code will appear, and you may order! NEW - *Ship to Home FREE. (*Customer pays a small processing fee at checkout and order ships to home.)

Order by: 11/12/2026

Upload additional art if you like, using Art Upload!

If you have questions, or need anything at all, contact customer care online .

Thank you for supporting our school!

We hope you received your TinCan phone at conferences – thank you again AES PTO!

If you haven’t received your family’s Wi-Fi enabled landline phone, please pick it up at the AES Front Office by October 30th.

Check us out in the Aspen Daily News!

A simple, screen-free way for your child to practice communication without distractions from apps, texts, or video calls. This basic phone helps build language skills and only allows calls from approved contacts!

Weekly Tip:

Set family ground rules. For example, if your friend doesn’t answer, we can only try them twice, and then we wait for their call back!

Click here to add your phone number to the AES directory.

Reach out to dwc.roaringfork@gmail.com if you’re interested in getting involved or learning more about the Digital Wellness Coalition (DWC).

We’ve recently wrapped up our main soccer unit, and it has been exciting to see so much growth in skills, confidence, and teamwork! We’ve sparked an interest in soccer and discovered many budding soccer stars along the way.

We’re also finishing up our first week of swim lessons, and it has been a great success! Thank you for making sure students came prepared with their swimsuits and everything they needed to participate.

Next up in the gym, we’ll be diving into our basketball unit. I’m looking forward to another great unit filled with learning, skill development, and fun!

Arts & L Arts & Letters empowers all students to build knowledge and skills through productive struggle, engaging students through high expectations and offering opportunities for extension. Explore the resources below to learn how you can support your student's learning at home.

Curriculum Overview for Families

Tips for Families

• Level 1 Nivel 1

• Level 2 Nivel 2
• Level 3 Nivel 3
• Level 4 Nivel 4

Home Support Packs (Levels K–4): Unit-by-unit packets provided by teachers containing unit overviews, letters to families, trick words, sound lists, and practical practice activities.

The Family Support Hub is a one-stop destination for parents and guardians seeking educational resources tailored to their child's Illustrative Mathematics learning journey.

• Kindergarten
• Grade 1
• Grade 2
• Grade 3
• Grade 4

Check out this article from Scholastic, "5 Tips to get your Child Reading at Home."

1. Create a reading space at home
2. Set a schedule - "Relaxing Family Time"
3. Use a calendar or monthly reading tracker
4. Talk about it - discuss the books your child is reading with them
5. Let your child choose - level matters less than interest (easy books build fluency, read harder books to your child)

Learning in Action: A Peek Inside Our Classrooms!

There is amazing learning happening all over our building! Here is a quick snapshot of what our students have been up to:

• Kindergarten (Who We Are): Exploring Community by practicing what a strong school community looks, feels, and sounds like. They are also studying the five senses, which included a collaborative outdoor nature walk with Jared (PSPE).
• Grade 1 (Who We Are): Wrapping up a unit on inclusion and literacy by exploring how children around the world access books. To enhance this, Lisa May, Marnie, and ACES teachers taught storytelling and library skills, while Emily (Spanish) helped students write Spanish books for their classrooms.
• Grade 2 (How We Organize Ourselves): Studying Fall and seasonal change through reading, writing, and an ODE trip to Maroon Bells. They also collaborated with Hallie to create beautiful murals based on their literacy unit, now on display near their core.
• Grade 3 (Sharing the Planet): Diving into ocean exploration across science, math, and literacy. Students compared themselves to giant squids, researched ocean life, learned how oceanographers map with sound, and worked with Ms. Marnie and Ms. Hallie on arts integration, including an exclusive whale song film and a "Great Wave" mural.
• Grade 4 (How We Organize Ourselves): Concluding a unit on government by traveling to Denver to present research inside the State Capitol. They are also connecting year-long science and literacy through an upcoming elk heart dissection with Jared to study a "Great Heart."

• AEF Supported Programs & Initiatives
• AES Innovation Lab
• AES School Counselor Support
• ODE Coordinator & Ex Ed Scholarships
• Free & Reduced Breakfast Program
• After-School Robotics Club
• Anderson Ranch Creative Programming
• The International Baccalaureate (IB) Program
• Aspen Family Connections Alliance
• Mr G! Classroom Support

Please click HERE for the Back to School Nutrition Newsletter!

Please click HERE for more information and menus.

October is AAC Month!

• Haga clic AQUÍ para obtener instrucciones sobre cómo traducir este boletín.
• Click HERE for the Bus Change Request Form.
• Aspen Family Connections
• Aspen School District Absences and Excuses Policy (Click here for Spanish)
  
• AES Attendance (Click here for Spanish)
• Pre-Arranged Absence Form
• Click HERE for information about fingerprinting for volunteers.
• Click HERE for the latest document from the state about when to exclude students and staff from school/work because of illness. How Sick is too Sick Spanish version.
  
• Please click HERE to see the staff's favorite things!
  
• Order SPIRIT WEAR anytime with this link!
• Application for Free/Reduced Lunch linked HERE.
• Click HERE for the AES Student & Family Handbook.

Help raise money for AES and get a discount for yourself doing something you may be doing anyway! If you shop at Minted, use code FUNDRAISEASPENES when you check out to get 20% off your order AND have 10% of the purchase donated to AES with no effort on your part! You can shop for Holiday Stationary and gifts all season. Some exclusions apply.

The Hazelden Betty Ford Children’s Program, in collaboration with Aspen Hope Center, is providing a free, 3-day substance-use prevention group for kids in 1st-8th grade. This evidence-based group is designed specifically for families with a history of substance use & has been serving children & families in Colorado for 20 years.

Please click HERE for the flyer with more information.

Bill Koch League (BKL) and Pre-Devo.

Grades K-5

Click HERE for the flyer.

Hello from across the street at the ARC!

Did you know we offer swim lessons for ages 18months-12 years old?

Classes run for 4 weeks and are only $52!

Classes are available to register the 2nd -4th Wednesdays of the month

Click Here to register!

After School Art

Early-Release Wednesdays

Aspen Elementary School Art Room

Monthly Registration; 7-10 year olds

1:30pm – 3:30pm | Wednesdays | Nov. Dec. Feb. Mar. Apr.

Join us after school on early-release Wednesdays for hands-on artistic exploration! Young artists will experiment with painting, printmaking, ceramics, sculpture, photography, and mixed media while building creativity and confidence.

Additional community programming coming up:

Anderson Ranch Arts Center

Free; Open to all Ages

3pm – 5pm | Friday, October 30th

Bring the whole family to Anderson Ranch to celebrate Halloween! Dress in your Halloween costume and make a spooky craft, go trick-or-treating through our artist studios, and compete in the costume contest while you enjoy hot chocolate and Halloween treats. It’s hair-raising fun for the whole family! The costume contest will take place at 4:15PM. Awards will be given out for “Most Creative” and “Best Homemade Costume.” Free and open to the public. Don’t forget to BYOB (Bring Your Own Basket)!

Keeping students safe is our number one priority at ASD. Therefore, during the school day you will find all AES doors locked. However, please know you are WELCOME to visit and volunteer at AES.

• Visiting - Please remember your ID (driver's license) if you are visiting the building for any reason. Virginia and Carrie will meet you in the office with a smile and issue you a sticker/ visitor badge that must be worn while in the building.

• Volunteering - We love including "fingerprinted" parent volunteers in the classroom or on field trips. If this interests you, be proactive and get ASD Fingerprinting for Volunteers Procedure completed ASAP. Fingerprinting is done in the District Offices. (the little blue building up by the High School)

Below are the protocols we follow in an emergency. Families will be notified in the event of an emergency. Please do not come to or call the school.

• Standard Response Protocol
• Spanish Version

Aspen Elementary School is an authorized International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme. The International Baccalaureate® aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect. To this end the organization works with schools, governments and international organizations to develop challenging programmes of international education and rigorous assessment.

These programmes encourage students across the world to become active, compassionate and lifelong learners who understand that other people, with their differences, can also be right.

At Aspen Elementary School, we use a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) to ensure that every student receives the academic, behavioral, and social-emotional support they need to succeed. MTSS is a proactive, team-based framework.

Please click HERE to learn more.

• Please keep your students home if they are sick! They should be free of fever, vomiting, and diarrhea for at least 24 hours without the use of medication, and symptoms should be improved before returning to school.
• Friendly reminder: Per school policy, all medications including prescription, over-the-counter, creams, and cough drops require a physician’s order signed by a parent or guardian before administration. Medications must be delivered directly to the health office by a parent or guardian. Students may not transport or self-carry medications. When in doubt, please contact the health office for clarification.

Thank you for caring about the health of your students and our school community.

We know that many families rely on schools for meals. We encourage families to submit a Free & Reduced Meal application, which provides families with access to additional benefits as well. Please know that even if you qualified in previous years, an application must be submitted every school year. To access the application and instructions click HERE. Families may apply for financial assistance before the October 1st deadline (unless there is a change in circumstance; then the deadline will be extended). If you have any questions or problems please reach out to the finance department, or, if you need a paper form, please reach out to Virginia.

All students will be assessed an $100 supply fee and a $25 technology fee on August 7th.. The Supply Fee covers all the supplies your child will need for the year. The technology fee covers your child’s device and licenses for the year. These can be paid through e~Funds, or you can bring cash or check attention Virginia to the front office. (please be sure to mark with your child's name)

Please click HERE for more information about ASD fees.

Please click HERE to apply for Free or Reduced Lunch.

• Academic achievement: Students who attend school regularly are more likely to succeed academically. Research shows that attendance is a strong indicator of success.

• Learning: Students who attend school regularly are able to learn more and participate in classroom discussions and activities. They can ask questions and get clarification from their teachers.
  
• Building relationships: Students who attend school regularly can build relationships with their peers and teachers.
  
• Developing good habits: Regular attendance helps students build routines and develop good habits for the future.
  
• Foundation for learning: School is critical to building a strong foundation for learning that will help students succeed in middle school, high school, and beyond.
  
• Missed opportunities: Each day a student is not in school is a missed opportunity to learn something they will need in order to understand more difficult material later.
  

Please check in with the front office of the building you are visiting. You will receive a badge and scan for a temporary parking pass. If you do not have a parking pass, your vehicle may get a ticket or be booted.

Parking is available in the middle school lot. The parking lot located behind the high school is for staff only.

• Be sure to stay in your car if you are in the active loading and unloading zone. Parking and walking up to the school is highly discouraged.
• All kindergarten and 1st grade students play on the Little Playground at the side of the building before the bell rings. They will alternate going into the Library if they would like.
• All 2nd, 3rd and 4th grade students will cross the plaza and go down to the Big Playground.
• Students who would like to buy breakfast may enter the front doors and go down to the cafeteria.
• The bell rings at 7:55am for students to line-up and enter the building.

At the end of the day...

• The dismissal bell rings at 3:15pm
• Teachers on duty will walk the pick-up students down to the gate and will wait with children until their ride has arrived. Please do not walk up to the school. This will help to reduce congestion and ensure we have a smooth dismissal.

Adults will be on duty to help direct students to the proper locations.

Students will be able to enter the building at 7:35am. Please be sure to talk to your child about whether or not they have your permission to purchase breakfast. The cost is $3.50 and there are NO free seconds. (if your child gets seconds there will be another charge for $3.50).

Breakfast follows Free & Reduced guidelines. If your child qualified for Free/Reduced lunch they also qualify for Free/Reduced breakfast and will be charged accordingly. We want to make sure no child is hungry during the school day.

Please click HERE for more details.

We love dogs!! However, only approved or authorized service animals, including dogs, are allowed on campus. Thank you for respecting our campus guidelines.

Click HERE for the poster in English.

Click HERE for the poster in Spanish.

Alternatives include: stickers, pencils, extra recess, dance party, cards, star student etc.