Bea Underwood Family Newsletter

Bea Underwood Families-

April is here, and we’re heading into a season full of energy, growth, and learning! As spring settles in, our students continue to make strides academically, socially, and emotionally. We truly appreciate your ongoing partnership and the support you provide at home—it makes a meaningful difference every day.

Important Dates

• All School Crew April 3rd

• Invitation Only Parent Teacher Conferences April 6th 8:00 - 4:00

• Scholastic Book Fair April 6th - April 10th

• NGAT Universal Testing 2nd Grade April 7th - April 10th

• CMAS Testing 3rd - 5th Grade April 7th - April 10th

• CMAS Make-up Testing 3rd - 5th Grade April 14th - April 17th

• Penny Wars! April 7th - April - April 17th

• 2nd Grade Field Trip April 17th

• Hat Day Fundraiser for Yearbook April 17th

• Enrichment Field Trip April 30th

• Peter Pan & The Lost Girl May 4th @ GVMS 3:00

• Parent Teacher Conferences May 4th 10:30 - 6:30

• Parent Teacher Conferences May 11th 8:00 - 4:00

Instructional Update

This year, teachers at BUE have been trained in the Orton-Gillingham approach to teach reading, writing and spelling. We are implementing Orton Gillingham as part of Tier 1 instruction for all students. Orton-Gillingham is a structured, sequential, and multisensory approach to reading that focuses on building strong foundational literacy skills.

Through this approach, students receive explicit instruction in phonics, decoding, encoding (spelling), and word recognition. Lessons are designed to be engaging and interactive, incorporating visual, auditory, and kinesthetic strategies to support all types of learners. This means students may be saying sounds aloud, writing, and using hands-on activities all within the same lesson to strengthen their understanding.

Instruction is also diagnostic and responsive, allowing teachers to adjust their teaching based on student needs and progress. By breaking skills into smaller, manageable steps and providing consistent practice, Orton-Gillingham helps build confidence and ensures students develop a solid foundation in reading.

We are excited to see the growth our students are making and appreciate your continued support as we work together to strengthen literacy skills for all learners.

Our teachers will participate in a second training with Orton Gillingham on April 20th to further increase our skills and practice.

Behavior & School Expectations
We are continuing to build a strong, positive school environment by reinforcing behavior expectations each day. We would appreciate you taking a few minutes to talk with your child about the importance of being respectful, responsible, and safe throughout the school. Partnering together helps create a supportive and successful experience for all students.

Thank you for helping us make every day of learning count!

Amber Scott - Principal

Jessica Hartman - Assistant Principal

The Colorado Measures of Academic Success (CMAS) are based on the Colorado Academic Standards and measure how well students have mastered grade-level expectations in math, English language arts, science, and social studies. Results provide one measure of academic progress relative to the standards.

Bea Underwood Students 3rd - 5th grade will take these assessments beginning April 7th.

Colorado Department of Education (CMAS) Information

School Hours 7:45 - 3:30 PM

• Tuesday - Friday

• Supervision for students begins at 7:35 AM

• School Start Time: 7:45 AM

• Tardy Bell: 7:50 AM

• Dismissal Time: 3:30 PM

• Main Office Hours: 7:00 AM – 4:30 PM

Parents, we need your help to keep our students safe and ensure timely drop-offs and pick-ups. Please pull all the way forward in the drop-off zone before allowing your child to exit the vehicle. Students should not get out of the car before the crosswalk.

These procedures help ensure that all students remain safe, that staff are available to assist students exiting vehicles, and that traffic continues to move smoothly. We truly appreciate your cooperation and support in following these safety procedures.

Being at school every day and on time is one of the most important ways to support your child’s success. Each day of learning builds on the next, and even missing a small amount of school can make it harder for students to keep up with new skills and concepts.

We understand that occasional absences happen, but we encourage families to prioritize regular attendance whenever possible. Establishing consistent routines—such as a set bedtime and morning schedule—can help students arrive at school ready to learn.

If your child is experiencing challenges that impact attendance, please reach out. We are here to partner with you and support your child’s success every step of the way.

We are excited to announce another Theatre Aspen program for students in grades 3-8. Students will be performing Peter Pan & The Lost Girl. The program will take place on Mondays from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm at Grand Valley Middle School. Transportation and lunch will be provided to student participants.

Please register by March 31st by filling out this form: https://forms.gle/7jnRMSsotcbw3ThE8

Here is the rehearsal schedule. Please see the attached flyer for more details.

Current rehearsal schedule:

Book Fair Hours

April 6th - 9:00 - 4:00

April 7th - April 10th - 3:30 - 4:30

You can set up an e-wallet for your student to purchase books at BUE during the fair.

The School-Based Resource Center is here to support you! We are open Tuesday–Friday from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, and on Mondays by appointment.

Our services include student mental health support, substance education, family resources, help with government assistance, adult education classes, legal aid, a clothing closet, and a food pantry. Stop by and see us at 251 Parachute Avenue, or give us a call at 970-285-5700 ext. 5190 to learn more.

Follow us on Facebook to stay updated on all our programs and events!

Garfield County School District NO. 16 School-Based Family Resource Center

We are excited to invite you and your organization/business to participate in the 2nd Annual Mayfest, a youth-led community event organized by the G16 Family Resource Center with help from the Town of Parachute, the Aspen Community Foundation, and JDMCL Foundation.

The event is designed to bring youth, their families, and community organizations together to learn about local resources, career opportunities, and internships, all while enjoying a day of fun activities and ending with a Battle of the Bands competition!

If your band is interested in entering the Battle of the Bands competition, please register before April 1st here: https://forms.gle/5DtF9TqFeAYNqWUG7

Please contact the Family Resource Center if you are interested in becoming a sponsor or entering a car in the car show.

Mrs. Scott and Mrs. Hartman

Principal and Assistant Principal