Summit Elementary

November is a time for gratitude and thankfulness! Our children may not know it yet, but they would be really grateful for more chores, more responsibility, and more opportunities to help! This might sound counterintuitive! Isn't it typical for children to groan about the small tasks we ask them to complete! Don't they complain at the thought of having to exert extra effort! And the whining! Don't get me started on the whining when it comes to helping out! Wouldn't they be grateful if we took those tasks away...NO!

There is actually a lot of research that connects a person's well-being to how helpful they are! Children who help around the house, complete simple tasks, and contribute to the family are better off! Not only does it ease our growing list of to-dos, but it builds our children up! They learn valuable skills on how to be helpful and become independent! We teach them that they are an important part of something bigger than themselves! We show them that our family functions better when they are positive contributors!

So the next time you are tempted to pick up their dirty laundry, make their bed, do the dishes or sweep the floor, I am encouraging you to pass the baton to our wonderful children! Sharing those responsibilities is a gift greater than you know! Let's empower our children by giving them the gift of responsibility! Trust me, they will thank you for it (eventually)!

Katie Rexford, Principal

First quarter is long gone and we are knee deep in quarter two! I am so impressed with everything we continue to accomplish as a team and I am looking forward to all the fun and wonderful opportunities that we have ahead! Jot down these dates for upcoming events and don't miss a thing!

November 6...E3 Begins for 4th and 5th graders! They will travel to Aspen Valley Ranch!

November 6...Elementary Math Night at Columbine from 5:00 - 7:00! This is for ALL elementary students and their families!

November 7...Open Gym from 5:00 - 7:00!

November 10...Volunteer Training from 3:15 - 3:45!

November 10...SOS Meeting at 4:00! We will be selecting our top 3 tee shirt designs!

November 11...Veterans Day Assembly! Summit Assembly at 9:15 and District Assembly at 1:30!

November 12...Our EA students will head to the Space Foundation!

November 13...SAC Meeting at 5:00!

November 19...Thanksgiving Feast for lunch! Families are welcome to join us!

November 19...Spelling Bee at 4:00 in the cafeteria!

November 20...Family Fun Night! Get ready for some fun!

November 22 - November 30...No school! Happy Thanksgiving!

December 1...Students return to class after a nice break!

December 4...Parent Academy; Let's do MATH from 6:30 - 8:00!

December 5...Open Gym from 5:00 - 7:00!

December 6...Breakfast with Santa! Our K-Kids will be there!

Please note, we typically have a book fair in November. We would like to connect our book fair to the read-a-thon this year. Therefore, this event will take place in the spring!

Remember to check your e-mail and GOLD folders! Please don't hesitate to reach out if you ever have any questions! The best way to reach me is by e-mailing me at krexford@wpsdk12.org. You can also call the front office at 719-686-2401! I am looking forward to making the most of every day and every opportunity we have together!

The first Friday of every month we are offering open gym from 5:00 - 7:00! This is an opportunity to come and play catch, throw a frisbee, shoot some hoops, kick the soccer ball around, or whatever you choose to do with your child! We want families to have a safe, wind-free, and flat space to play!

Come any time between 5:00pm and 7:00pm! You will enter through the doors by the gym (to the right of the main doors) and parents must stay with their child. Come and play!

Join us Friday November 7th!

We meet the 2nd Monday of every month. Our next meeting is Monday November 10 at 4:00 and everyone who wants to support Summit is invited! Children are welcome! Our goal is to come together as a school community to support Summit in all aspects! We will look ahead at future opportunities and work together to provide the very best for our children! See you there!

Can't come in person?! Join us remotely! CLICK HERE

We will celebrate our Veterans as a school on Tuesday November 11th! We would like to invite all our Veterans to a small reception at 8:30am in the Summit Library! Veterans who are interested in speaking to a class are welcome to go to classrooms to share their stories and answer questions! We will then have an assembly with performances by all students at 9:15 in the gym! Families are welcome to attend! We would like to encourage our children to dress nicely on this day as we want to honor our Veterans!

There will also be a district assembly at 1:30 at the High School! Our 6th graders will attend the assembly and they will perform a song together! Let's make this day special for our Veterans!

If you, or someone you know, would like to speak to a classroom, please e-mail me at krexford@wpsdk12.org so we can coordinate a speaker for everyone room!

Chartwells will host a Thanksgiving meal and we invite our families to join their child for lunch on this day! Lunch for all students continues to be provided at no cost. However, visitors will need to pay for their meal. You can add money to your child's lunch account through Infinite Campus or you can bring exact change/check on the day of lunch! An adult meal costs - $5.00 and a child's meal if they are not in school costs - $3.70. Please let me know if you have any questions!

LUNCH TIMES

• Preschool - 11:35 - 11:55
• Kinder - 11:35 - 11:55
• 1st Grade - 12:00 - 12:20
• 2nd Grade - 12:25 - 12:45
• 3rd Grade - 12:25 - 12:45
• 4th Grade - 11:10 - 11:30
• 5th Grade - 10:45 - 11:05
• 6th Grade - 12:50 - 1:10
• Enrichment Academy - 12:50 - 1:10

Click the button below and let us know that you are coming! You can also let us know if you are able to volunteer for the event! Thank you for your support! I am looking forward to seeing everyone on Wednesday November 19th!

Thank you to everyone who has connected with their Grade Level Links! Once you have signed up, your information is shared with your grade level!

We have already had some wonderful opportunities to connect families with learning and with each other! Let's keep the connection strong! Please let me know if you need anything! If you are new to Summit, be sure to click the link below and get connected with your grade level!

We had our first session in October! Thank you for everyone who joined the conversation! I really enjoyed coming together! If you missed the first session and you want to see what we discussed, click the link below to access the video and articles that we looked at!

Our next session will be focused on math! We will look at our resources and why we teach math the way we do! I was a former high school math teacher and I am looking forward to our discussion! Click the button below to RSVP so I can plan ahead for snacks and materials!

Thursday October 23 from 6:30 - 8:00...Focus = Screens - LINK to resources

Thursday December 4 from 6:30 - 8:00...Focus = Math 😀

Thursday February 12 from 6:30 - 8:00...Focus = Reading and Writing

Thursday April 30 from 6:30 - 8:00...Focus = Routines and Structure

Is there something you would like to know more about? Click the link below and add your thoughts under additional comments!

Check out 5th grader Dean Crippen and his mom Heidi at the DI tournament sporting their cool Summit gear!

Have a picture you want to share? Click the button below and you will be featured in the next newsletter!

We have an online store that offers a variety of options! CLICK HERE and start shopping! There are Holiday Sales from November 3rd - December 10th with guaranteed delivery by December 23rd!

Click the link below to access a copy of the school breakfast and lunch menu! You can always check the menu online!

• November Menu
• Website Link

A free breakfast is available to all our students daily! If your child is going to take advantage of this great option, please remind them to go DIRECTLY to the cafeteria upon arrival! No need to go to the classroom first! We want students to get their meal and then get to class on time! Thank you for your help!

In case of a 2-hour delay, breakfast is not served! We begin serving lunch 45 minutes after we start the delayed day!

Breakfast and lunch are available free of charge for all children! Your family may qualify for additional support with school fees! If you complete the application and you qualify, everything from bus fees to activity fees can be waived! To complete the application...

• Log into the Parent Portal through Infinite Campus - CLICK HERE
• On the left hand side click MORE
• Go to Meal Benefits
• Complete the Meal Benefits Application

You must complete a new application each school year! If you have already received an email about being directly certified through the state, you do not need to complete the meal benefits application.

Parents are always welcome to join their child for lunch! It can be a nice way to surprise your little one and engage with them in their school environment. Check the list below to see when your child has lunch:

• Preschool ~ 11:35 - 11:55
• Kindergarten ~ 11:35 - 11:55
• 1st Grade ~ 12:00 - 12:20
• 2nd Grade ~ 12:25 - 12:45
• 3rd Grade ~ 12:25 - 12:45
• 4th Grade ~ 11:10 - 11:35
• 5th Grade ~ 10:45 - 11:05
• 6th Grade ~ 12:50 - 1:10
• EA ~ 12:50 - 1:10

All visitors must check in at the front office and go directly to the cafeteria! Thank you for help in maintaining a safe and productive learning environment.

We have a fabulous community that is ready and willing to support our families! Click on the button below to see resources around town to help anyone in need! If you want to support our community, you can click the 2nd button to see how you can donate!

Each month we focus on character traits in our morning meetings, our weekly lessons with our counselor and woven within our school day! As we move into November, our focus will be RESPONSIBILITY!

"You cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today." ~ Abraham Lincoln

The more we allow our children to learn responsibility and take responsibility for all they can do, the more we empower them within their lives! Let's give them the power and control they deserve!

We want students here! The benefits of regular attendance are undeniable! Absences occur for a variety of reasons! I understand that sickness happens, appointments are necessary and family needs arise! However, the more we can prioritize attendance, the better off our children will be!

Not only are we helping our children with their learning NOW when they have regular attendance, but we are training our children for the future! We are helping them to understand their commitments!

In the month of October, we had 86 students who were present EVERY DAY! I want to see that number increase! Let's aim to have students present every day possible!

Do you know about all there is to do here in Divide? Consider checking out the local library! There's a ton of activities and options right around the corner! Click the links below to learn more about options in our backyard!

• Inventors Club
• Story Explorers
• Wiggle Wednesday Storytime

Mindsight is one of our partners at school! They are offering an exciting new opportunity for in school skills coaching! Students who would like to benefit from having a coach, will meet with their personal coach once a week for 6-8 weeks! They will develop specific goals geared towards their personal growth and success! If you are interested in learning more or you would like to sign up, click the button below! You can also e-mail me at krexford@wpsdk12.org!

The holidays are right around the corner and it is never too early to start planning! Our Sheriff's Department offers a tremendous program - Shop with a Hero! They take our children shopping for gifts! If you are interested in having your child participate in this event, please click the button below and complete the simple form! If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to me at krexford@wpsdk12.org or our school counselor, Rebekah Ross at rross@wpsdk12.org.

As the holidays approach, if you could use some help, let us know! We want everyone to have an enjoyable season!

Each school has a School Accountability Committee (SAC)! This committee comes together about once a quarter to hear about the happenings of school while also sharing input and insights on things like budget, safety, and family engagement! The members of our SAC are:

• Kristi Hensley
• Joni Miller
• Heidi Crippen
• Lee Lanucha
• Bridget Curran
• Andrea Gardener
• Cheri Porter
• Thersia Payne
• Katie Rexford

We have meetings set for the following days!

• Thursday November 13th from 5:00 - 6:00
• Thursday January 22nd from 5:00 - 6:00
• Thursday March 19th from 5:00 - 6:00

You are always come to join the discussion and learn more about Summit!

If your child needs to go home with another family (for a play date, sleepover, child care, etc.), your first step is to contact the front office and make us aware of the change. This is not new! The number for the front office is 719-686-2401.

Then you give the front office the car tag number of the family that your child will go home with! This is the new part! The office will then call to the classroom at the end of the day and say, "Please send 'child A' home with the new car tag # provided."

Thank you for your help in keeping our children safe and our system running smooth! If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to e-mail me at krexford@wpsdk12.org.

On a 2-hour delay students will complete a short activity to get in the 'learning' frame of mind! If a snow day is called, there are no activities to complete...just enjoy the day!

There's an APP for that! Download the BoxTops app, scan your receipt and support Summit!

We have learning opportunities that allow our children to run, paint, create, and explore! Each specialty may require a little preplanning so you child is set up for success! Know when your child has what!

Click the button below to access our family handbook! If you have any questions please send them my way at krexford@wpsdk12.org.

Need childcare before school, after school, or during breaks? Champions can help! Contact them at heather.lintner@discoverchampions.com.

K-Kids is still collecting those pop tabs, so keep them comin'!

Check out flyers for numerous activities around the school and around the town by going to the DISTRICT VIRTUAL BACKPACK!

If you want to come into the school, please have your ID ready to scan!

Want to get updates and highlights from the school?! Follow us on Facebook!

WPSD - Summit Elementary School

Please try and schedule your family fun with school in mind! CLICK HERE

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• October Newsletter