The Weekly Line
Aspen Middle School Family Update
"THE CULTURE CODE"
Monday, November 3, 2025
Dear AMS F-A-M-I-L-Y (Students, Parents/Guardians & Staffulty),
Happy Monday! We wrapped up the last few weeks embracing fun student, parent and staffulty culture-building opportunities: Parent-Teacher Conferences, The Tough Middler High Altitude Adventure Race, Aspen Words Poetry Week Student Showcase, and our Halloween Fun Run. Congrats to 3x Fun Run Champion 8th grader Aiden Haynie! Our core mission at AMS is teaching and learning, and both are more likely to occur in a culture of joy and optimism. CEO's should be the Chief Energy Officers of their organizations, and I’m all about bringing positive energy to AMS so innovation flourishes, problems get solved, and expectations are exceeded. A Wisconsin superintendent once told me about Daniel Coyle’s successful book, The Culture Code: The Secrets of Highly Successful Groups. There are many nuggets of wisdom in this book, like culture is not something you are, it’s something you do. Coyle boils The Culture Code down to 3 skills: 1) Building Safety, 2) Sharing Vulnerability, and 3) Establishing Purpose. Some ways we do this at AMS are by:
Embracing the messenger when he/she demonstrates the courage to raise problems so that the messenger is willing to do so again. You can't fix what you don't know, and you can't lead where you won't go.
Saying please and thank you, which reinforces cooperation, and is just plain polite.
Creating formal and informal safe, collision (interaction) rich spaces so team members are able to have multiple and continued conversations.
Making sure everyone has a voice through rituals and policies that demonstrate organizational commitment, like starting meetings with SMACs (6 Minutes of Affirmative Celebrations) and our small grade level and/or content area Professional Learning Community (PLC) meetings rarely end without everyone sharing something.
We use catchphrases like staffulty (licensed faculty and classified staff all matter), All In (it's what you go when you know you know you can’t lose), and F-A-M-I-L-Y (Forget About Me I Love You).
Picking up trash. It sends a clear message we’re all in this together.
If you’re looking for a good read, The Culture Code is one. Here’s a summary. Let’s pick up some trash this week. We’re all in this together!
Shine on,
Dr. Tom
Tom Dodd, PhD
#AMSAllIn #AMSF-A-M-I-L-Y #TheAMSDifference
ANNOUNCEMENTS 11-3-25
AMS Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO), Tuesday, 11/18, 8:15 - 9:30am, AMS Conf. Rm.
Our next PTO meeting is Tuesday, 11/18, 8:15 - 9:30am in the AMS Conference Rm. The agenda will be a review of the proposed PTO budget for 2025-26, additional student and staffulty culture building activities this year, PTO’s insight on the outcome of ASD’s 4 November ballot measures, etc.
Important PTO Announcement
This AMS Staffulty's Favorite Things document helps parents know teachers' birthdays, and what gifts or kind gestures staffulty would appreciate over the holidays, during teacher appreciation week, etc.
AMS School Accountability Committee (SAC) #2, Thursday, 12/11, 4 - 5pm, AMS Conf. Rm.
We had a great SAC meeting #1 on Thursday, 10/16: AMS SAC Mtg. Agendas 2025-26. The next AMS SAC quarterly meeting to discuss school performance will be December 11th. Dr. Tom will email a calendar invite to the parents/guardians who let him know of their interest in serving on the AMS SAC.
Lost & Found is full of lost sweatshirts, jackets, lunch boxes, water bottles and more. We have moved it up in the front vestibule as you walk in the main AMS doors. If your child is missing an item please have them check Lost & Found.
Thank You
Thank You to Chef Matt Zubrod and his staff at the Viceroy Hotel for the awesome Burger Day for AMS Students
Lunch Information
Every week the AMS Lunchroom is looking for volunteers to support our staff by volunteering from 11:40am - 12:30pm on Mondays - Fridays. Please sign up for a volunteer shift HERE!
AMS Upcoming Dates
Add our AMS Family Calendar to your Google calendar and see important upcoming dates:
Tuesday, November 4th ~ 7th / 8th Grade Boys Basketball Games 4:30pm vs Riverside - 7th Grade AMS Gym / 8th Grade at Riverside (New Castle)
Wednesday, November 5th ~ AMS Retake Picture Day
Thursday, November 6th ~ 7th / 8th Grade Boys Basketball Games 4:30pm vs Rifle - 7th Grade at Rifle / 8th Grade AMS Gym
Saturday, November 8th ~ Boys Basketball Rifle Tournament - 7th Grade Red Team / 8th Grade Red & White Teams
Tuesday, November 11th ~ 7th / 8th Grade Boys Basketball Games 4:30pm vs Carbondale - 7th Grade AMS Gym / 8th Grade at Carbondale
Thursday, November 13th ~ 7th / 8th Grade Boys Basketball Games 4:30pm vs Grand Valley - 7th Grade at Grand Valley (Parachute) / 8th Grade AMS Gym
Saturday, November 15th ~ FLL Qualifier in Grand Junction
Tuesday, November 18th ~ 7th / 8th Grade Boys Basketball Games 4:30pm vs Glenwood Springs - 7th Grade AMS Gym / 8th Grade at Glenwood
Thursday, November 20th ~ 7th / 8th Grade Boys Basketball Games 4:30pm vs Riverview - 7th & 8th Grades both at AMS Gym - No Black Teams Games
November 24th - 28th ~ THANKSGIVING BREAK / NO SCHOOL FOR STAFF & STUDENTS
Important Information
RETAKE Picture Day ~ Wednesday, November 5th
Dear Parents,
School picture retakes are coming soon! Attached is a PDF flyer with all the details.
You can also order online at www.mymjthomas.com using our school’s event code: C440
Retakes are available for:
*Students who were absent on picture day
*New students
*Students who want a retake
Important: If your child wants a retake, they must bring back their original photo package to receive a replacement.
For any questions, please call MJ Thomas Photo at 1-800-219-0199.
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Estimados Padres,
¡Las repeticiones de las fotos escolares serán pronto! Se adjunta un folleto en PDF con todos los detalles.
También puede hacer su pedido en línea en www.mymjthomas.com usando el código del evento de nuestra escuela: C440
Las repeticiones están disponibles para:
*Estudiantes que estuvieron ausentes
*Nuevos estudiantes
*Estudiantes que desean una repetición
Importante: Si su hijo desea una repetición, debe traer su paquete de fotos original para recibir un reemplazo.
Para cualquier pregunta, por favor llame a MJ Thomas Photo al 1-800-219-0199
AMS Candy for First Responders
If you have leftover candy or any treats you don’t want or like, AMS is collecting it for our First Responders!
This great idea came from some of our students — let’s show our appreciation by sharing our sweet treats with those who help our community every day.
Bring all your extra candy to the front office, where you’ll find a collection box with this sign on it.