Falconer Peek At The Week

Good morning, Foothills~

Happy Mother’s Day to all our wonderful moms! I hope your families spoil you with the love and kindness you so richly deserve.

Teacher Appreciation Week was a smashing success. Thank you for making our educators feel truly valued and loved. A huge shout-out to the PTA for providing a week of delicious treats and thoughtful goodies for our staff!

Our Spring Community Clean-Up on Sunday, May 3rd, was both productive and memorable. Nearly 40 volunteers—adults and children alike—joined forces to move rocks, plant flowers, weed the grounds, and refresh our blacktop games. We even had an unexpected game of "cat and mouse" when some tiny visitors scurried out of a soil bag! It was incredible to see our community working together. In fact, first-grade teacher Val Cunningham shared how wonderful the Foothills campus looks thanks to your hard work.

Finally, I can’t wait to see you at our Annual Spring Carnival on May 13th from 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM on the blacktop. With bouncy houses, food trucks, face painting, and carnival games, it’s going to be a fantastic evening. See you there!

If you have not had the chance to look at the calendar for May, I would like to highlight the LAST TWO DAYS OF SCHOOL- May 27th and May 28th.

May 27th:

Preschool Water Day (behind main building)
1/2 day AM Ms. Kristin - 10:15-11:00
Full Day Ms. Lindi - 12:45-1:30
Full Day Ms. Tricia - 1:30-2:15
1/2 day PM Ms. Kristin - 2:15-3:00
Last day of school for Preschool Children
Kindergarten graduation at 8:45 a.m. on the front lawn. Kindergarten children dismissed for the year following graduation.
5th Grade Continuation at 4:00 p.m. on the front lawn. Our 5th grade students DO NOT attend school on May 28th!

May 28th:

Last day of school for 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th grade children.
Early dismissal- 12:50 p.m.

In partnership and with gratitude,

Shannon Schneider, Principal

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Yearbooks

For those families who purchased yearbooks online, they will be distributed on May 18th.

Yearbooks will also be available for purchase in the office (cash or check payable to Foothills) for $17.00 while supplies last.

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Library Books due no later than MAY 13th

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Staffing Updates

We will be posting a 5th Grade position this week and plan to interview early the following week.

Farewell

We bid Elaine Doyle farewell and thank her for supporting learning at Foothills. Elaine will be joining the 2nd grade team at Prospect Valley in the 26/27 school year. Goodluck, Ms. Doyle!

We bid farewell to one of our special education teachers, Heather Goeddel. Heather will be leaving us to join the SpEd team at Lawrence Elementary for the 26/27 school year. Best of luck, Ms. Goeddel!

Join me in wishing Elise McKenna much success as she moves to Green Gables Elementary School. Elise is excited to join a 4th grade teaching team and we wish her only the best. Goodluck, Ms. McKenna!

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Summer Enrichment and Camps

Green Mountain Cheer Camp

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1zdIS-W6NJ-JHAwOJsdMQfPR1dphUKmY8zZQ1KClSGlg/edit?usp=sharing

Green Mountain Soccer Camp

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1TgdniSL9EIxyR1bIh-ppe3Q-v0o-SP5b/view?usp=sharing

Green Mountain Youth Softball Camp

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1XJHBuCHmKiqHeIh0uSYymqHqi29BhrR1/view?usp=sharing

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May STEM Newsletter:

https://new.express.adobe.com/publishedV2/urn:aaid:sc:US:1eba89d2-6bee-59d5-8e5f-ff5b295af3a7?promoid=Y69SGM5H&mv=other https://new.express.adobe.com/publishedV2/urn:aaid:sc:US:1eba89d2-6bee-59d5-8e5f-ff5b295af3a7?promoid=Y69SGM5H&mv=other

Monday, May11th- Donuts with Mrs Schneider for SOAR award winners (8:40) Cafeteria
Monday, May 11th- 5th Grade Field Trip- Museum of Nature and Science (9:00- 1:30)
Monday, May 11th- Pictures for SOAR award winners (10:00)
Monday, May 11th- Girls on the Run (3:20- 4:45)
Wednesday, May 13th- Robotics (3:20- 4:20)
Wednesday, May 13th- Coffee Chat- Year in Review (8:30) Library
Wednesday, May 13th- Girls on the Run (3:20- 4:45)
Wednesday, May 13th- Spring Carnival (5:00- 7:00) Blacktop
Thursday, May 14th- 5th Grade Visit to Dunstan (10:00- 11:30)
Thursday, May 14th- Chess (3:20- 4:35)
Friday, May 15th- Green Mountain High School Graduation at Red Rocks (7:00- 9:00)

MAY Calendar- The LAST month of school!

May is Jewish American Heritage Month, Asian Pacific American Heritage Month and Mental Health Awareness Month

May 1st- Flex Testing (8:30-11:30 A-L & 12:30-3:30 M-Z)
May 3rd- Community Cleanup Day
May 4th-8th- Teacher Appreciation Week
May 5th- Cinco De Mayo
May 6th- PTA/SAC (5:00 p.m.) Library
May 7th- SOAR Assembly PK-2nd (8:30 a.m.) Gym
May 8th- SOAR Assembly 3rd-5th (8:30 a.m.) Gym
May 13th- Coffee Chat (8:30- 9:00 a.m.) Library
May 13th- Spring Carnival (5:00-7:00 p.m).
May 15th- Green Mountain High School Graduation (7-9:00 p.m.) Red Rocks Amphitheatre
May 19th- 5th Grade Band/Orchestra Concert (6:00 p.m.) GMHS
May 20TH - PK Teddy Bear Picnic

AM and Full Day (9:30-11:30 a.m.)
PM (12:30-2:30 p.m.)

May 25th- Memorial Day- NO SCHOOL
May 26th- ASD End-of-Year Party (8:30- 9:30 a.m.) ASD Room
May 27th- Kindergarten Continuation 8:45 a.m. (K children are done for year after continuation)
May 27TH - PK Water Day

1/2 day AM - 10:15-11:00
Full Day Ms. Lindi - 12:45-1:30
Full Day Ms. Tricia - 1:30-2:15
1/2 day PM - 2:15-3:00

May 27th- Last day of school for PK students
May 27th- 5th Grade Graduation 4:00 p.m. (5th grade students are done for year after graduation)
May 28th- LAST DAY OF SCHOOL (12:50 dismissal 1st-4th grade)

Foothills HUB and Food Pantry Update:

The Hub will be open Tuesday from 2:45pm-3:45pm and Wednesdays from 7:45am-8:45am.
Need another time? Contact me at katy.evans@jeffco.k12.co.us.

We have toiletries!

We currently have shampoo, conditioner, lotion, soap, and detergent.
Contact me, katy.evans@jeffco.k12.co.us or on talking points to come free shop at any time Tuesday-Friday

Free Clothes: Fridays!

We will be displaying free clothes in front of the building every Friday. Please take whatever you can use! We have a variety of sizes and items. Need something in particular? Contact me!

Please check out our Family Engagement Website at tinyurl.com/katyfoothillsfel for updates on events at school, cool ways to support your student, and great recommendations from other parents!

You may contact Katy Evans, Family Engagement Liaison at

katy.evans@jeffco.k12.co.us or 303-882-4554.

SEL Theme for May:

For the month of May, we are focusing on responsibility. This trait is all about being dependable, making good choices, and taking ownership of our actions. As we head into the final weeks of the school year, it’s a perfect time for students to practice finishing strong by staying organized and following through on their commitments.
Below are a few simple ways to foster responsibility at home:
- Encourage your child to check their own backpack or folder each evening. Ask, "What do you need to be ready for tomorrow?" rather than doing the check for them.
- Ask your child to pick one small goal for the week (like making their bed or finishing a chore without being asked) and celebrate when they follow through.
- If a mistake happens, try asking, "How can you make this right?" This helps them focus on taking ownership and finding solutions.

Mental Health Awareness Month:

May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Just as we care for our physical health, tending to our emotional well-being is vital for both students and adults.

Free Resources in Jeffco:

Jefferson Center Crisis Services: Offers 24/7 support. You can call 303-425-0300 or visit their walk-in crisis center at 4643 Wadsworth Blvd, Wheat Ridge.
Second Wind Fund: Provides free counseling sessions for children and youth struggling with mental health challenges. thesecondwindfund.org
Hazel Health: Jeffco families have access to free virtual physical and mental health visits via jeffcopublicschools.org.
Colorado Crisis Services: Text “TALK” to 38255 or call 1-844-493-8255 for confidential, 24/7 support.

Ways to Stay Well Over Summer:

Below are some resources to engage your child in activity over the summer:

Lakewood Fitness in the Park: The City of Lakewood offers free fitness sessions and campfire programs at Bear Creek Lake Park. On select Friday or Saturday evenings, the park hosts free ranger-led campfire programs. It’s a great way for kids to learn about local wildlife and enjoy the outdoors.
40 West Arts District: Located right in Lakewood, they often host "First Friday" events that are family-friendly and free, featuring outdoor art, music, and activities.
JCPL Summer Reading Program: The Jefferson County Public Library hosts a massive summer reading challenge with the theme "Roar into Reading" for 2026. Kids can earn prizes just for logging their minutes! They also host free events like sidewalk chalk art shows, craft days, and STEM workshops at branches like Belmar and Lakewood. Jeffcolibrary.org
Lakewood Possibilities Fund: Lakewood offers financial assistance through the Possibilities Fund to help residents access summer camps and recreation programs for free or at a reduced cost.

Lastly, if you have any questions or concerns regarding your student’s social-emotional well-being as we head into summer break, please feel free to contact me, Evan Sumner (Social Emotional Learning Specialist), at evan.sumner@jeffco.k12.co.us.

Wishing you a wonderful and healthy month of May!

Foothills Elementary School Mental Health Team: