Tiger News

Dear AES Families,

As we move into the spring months, it is a great time to remind our students about the importance of positive behavior at school. At Arrey Elementary, our two school rules are simple: Be Kind and Be Respectful. We also use our CHAMPS expectations to help guide students in making good choices in the classroom, hallways, cafeteria, playground, and on the bus. Spring can sometimes bring increased energy and excitement for students, so regular reminders at home about kindness, respect, and making responsible choices can go a long way in supporting a positive school environment for everyone.

Thank you for your incredible support of our Jog-a-Thon fundraiser in February. Because of your generosity, our school raised $4,046.23! These funds will help support student field trips and other student incentives throughout the year. We truly appreciate our AES families and community for always supporting our students.

Our attendance rate for February was 92.1%. Our chronic absenteeism rate for the month of February (missing two or more days) was 31%, and our chronic absenteeism rate for the school year is currently 28%. I understand that students do get sick, but when they are healthy, it is very important that they are at school each day. We cannot teach an empty chair! Every day of learning matters and consistent attendance plays a big role in student success.

For the safety of all students, I would also like to remind families about morning drop-off procedures. Please park in the parking lot and avoid dropping students off in the driving lane. If there is no staff member outside, please walk your child safely across the bus lane. Additionally, please do not pull into the bus lane, as it must remain open for our buses at all times. Following these simple expectations helps keep all of our AES students safe.

Spring Break will take place March 30 – April 3. All students will receive a meal snack kit to take home during the break. These will be sent home with every student on Thursday, March 26th. Monthly Progress monitoring for all grades will be the 1st week we return, and state assessments for Reading and Math will begin April 13. Teachers will spend the week after spring break reviewing key concepts, so it is very important that students return from vacation ready to learn and prepared to show what they know. Our goal is to set every student up for success and the highest level of academic achievement possible, and consistent attendance plays a big role in that success.

Thank you for your continued partnership and support. Together, we can ensure that every AES student has a safe, positive, and successful remainder of the school year.

Warm regards,

Ms. Brandy Williams

Principal

Arrey Elementary

Hi Families!

Happy windy season!

For the past month, all students, grades K-5 have been working to make some amazing self-portraits. Our student artists learned about portraiture and facial proportions, and then created a self-portrait using watercolor paint. This work is being sent to Square 1 Art. All kids will receive stickers that are emblazoned with their art, and families will be able to purchase merch! Not only is this a great opportunity to recognize your child’s art, it’s also a fundraiser for the PTO. Look for stickers and order forms at the beginning of April.

Moving forward, students in grades K-4 will be working to create three dimensional art. For inspiration, they will look at and respond to a variety of sculptures. Fifth graders will continue working with the personal symbols that they created this past fall. They’ll also explore analog photography as weather and supplies permit.

We will be again offering a Family Art Night. This year, local artist Kyle Cunningham will be bringing a small letterpress to the school. Participants will have the opportunity to create posters. This will take place in April. Watch for more information.

In case you were wondering, we are in need of egg cartons. If you finish a carton, please send it in with your student.

As always, please reach out with questions or concerns or ideas. We welcome your input about current and future art projects!

Be well,

Thea Storz

Rhonda Nickles

tstorz@torcschools.net

rnickles@torcschools.net

Art Supplies to have at home:

Crayons, markers, glue, scissors, watercolor paints, paper, modeling clay, model magic clay.

Here’s the link to the film that 3rd and 4th graders watched in art: Sculptor Alexander Calder using his small kinetic sculptures to perform a circus. Enjoy sharing this with your child. It’s quite engaging!

https://www.ubu.com/film/calder_circus.html

Fun art websites:

https://www.tate.org.uk/kids

https://archived.metmuseum.org/art/online-features/metkids/

https://artsology.com/

https://www.sfmoma.org/visit/sfmoma-for-kids

Hello, Arrey families and community,

Last month, representatives from NMPED and MC² visited Arrey Elementary as part of the process for our school to become a Certified Community School. We were proud to showcase the many ways our school works together with families and community partners to support our students. We are grateful to everyone who participated and helped represent AES so well, and we look forward to hearing the results of their review.

On March 6–7, AES hosted a Free Market in collaboration with Aprendamos and Twice Blessed. The event was a wonderful success, with a great turnout from our families and community members. We are incredibly thankful for these partnerships that help provide important resources and support to our AES families and the Arrey community.

We are also excited to begin preparing for our Annual Cinco de Mayo Fiesta, which will take place on May 7, 2026, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. This is one of our favorite events of the year, celebrating the culture and community of Arrey while connecting families with helpful resources. We are currently looking for community agencies, organizations, and food truck vendors who would like to participate by providing health services, community resources, or food for attendees.

If your agency or business would like to participate, please use the vendor sign-up link included in this newsletter. Vendors who plan to sell items are kindly asked to provide a minimum $50 donation to Arrey Elementary, which helps support student activities and events throughout the school year. Your participation helps make this event possible for our students and families.

Finally, we invite families and community members to join us for our monthly AES Community Council meeting on March 18th. We truly value the shared leadership and ideas from our families and community partners as we continue working together to make Arrey Elementary School an even better place for our students to learn and grow.

Alfredo Aguirre

AES Community Schools Coordinator

aaguirre@torcschools.net

• 3.2-3.5 Dr. Seuss Week
• 3.5 AES Scholarship Fundraiser Dinner
• 3.6-3.7 AES Free Market w/Aprendamos & Twice Blessed, 12-2pm
• 3.9 TCMSD School Board Meeting 5:30pm
• 3.10 5th Grade ASR Science Test
• 3.12 AES Food Pantry, 12pm
• 3.26 AES Food Pantry, 12pm
• 3.26 AES Student Meal Kit Distribution (all students will take home a snack pack for break)
• 3.30-4.3 SPRING BREAK
• 4.6 All Students Return to School
• 4.13 NM-MSSA State Tests in Reading & Math begin! Grades 3-5
• 4.20 End of Year assessments for grades K-5 begin