Irish Elementary School

Thank you for joining us for this year's Back to School Night. Our staff loves getting to know our students, families, and caregivers. We look forward to many more opportunities throughout the year to build community with you!

• Thursday, September 12, 8:00am-8:45am: Jaguar of the Month
• Thursday, September 12, 5pm-7pm: Reunión de Padres en Acción/PTO Meeting
• Thursday, September 19: Student Picture Day
• Monday, September 23: Professional Development Day (No Students)
• Week of September 23: Grades Open in ParentVue
• Friday, September 27: September Birthday Lunch w/ Principal Mozer

Parents and Caregivers: Please review these important procedures when picking up and dropping off your child at Irish.

Please SLOW DOWN when approaching for drop off and pickup. We appreciate your patience as we work to ensure safety for students and staff.

If someone other than a parent/guardian is planning to pick up your child, they MUST be listed as an emergency contact in our school's Student Information System. Please update your records with Ms. Aceves, our Office Secretary, at 970-488-6900.

Morning Drop Off Begins at 8:45am. Please do not drop your child off at school before 8:45am, as we do not have staff available to supervise until 8:45am.

When dropping off your child, please take them to their designated playground area.

Morning Playground Areas:

Kinder: Fenced pre-k playground

1st: South playground

2nd/3rd: Northwest playground

4th/5th: Southwest playground

For safety reasons, we cannot accommodate parents/guardians inside the school building during the school day without a visitor's badge.

Afternoon pickup begins at 3:43pm. If you are running late, please contact the school ASAP at 970-488-6900.

Please click here or download PDF for the Traffic Safety Routes 2024-25.

Spanish Version

English Version

We are excited to tell you that we will be using a program called PurposeFull People this year. This program teaches skills that will help students be successful in school and in life. We believe that students should have safe, predictable places to learn where they feel included. Students should have healthy and helpful connections with teachers and classmates. They should also experience learning that will help them tackle challenges inside and outside of school. PurposeFullPeople is more than a set of lessons - it is a partnership between schools and families to create a place where students feel like they belong and learn skills that will help them be the best they can be!

PurposeFull People will be used as a Tier 1 support. Tier 1 supports represent the foundation of school success. Tier 1 is universal and reflects that we do for all students delivered by every staff member. From social skills to emotion regulation to effective goal setting, research shows us that there are a few key competencies that all students should have to be successful in their community, in their academics, and their life beyond school. Each month will have a theme based upon the PurposeFull People program. This month's theme is RESPECT. Please click on this month's family newsletters in English and Spanish to learn more.

This month we will be kicking off Hispanic Heritage Month with a student assembly, as well as several Friday themed celebration days for everyone to participate in!

As we prepare for our Hispanic Heritage Month celebrations, we wanted to provide some clarity

around cultural appropriation* vs. appreciation*. This is an important distinction as we aim to

celebrate and honor the diverse cultures that make up our Hispanic community. When preparing

for the celebrations, please avoid wearing costumes that appropriate, mock, disrespect, or

misrepresent the culture/identities of others.

For clarity, we wanted to provide some examples related to our celebration week. Please review the image to your right:

We also want to acknowledge the importance of cultural exchanges. For example, in Flor

Antigua, students, including those who are not Mexican, wear traditional Mexican outfits to

perform. This is considered a cultural exchange because students learn the history and

significance of the songs and dances. In this context, wearing traditional clothing is a sign of

respect.

As we move forward with our celebrations, let us all strive to “do the best you can until you know

better. Then when you know better, do better.” - Maya Angelou

Thank you for your understanding and support in making this celebration respectful and

inclusive for everyone.

Irish students will rotate through various interactive sessions learning about a variety of health topics (physical activity, nutrition, social & emotional learning, mindfulness, being outside, creativity, leadership, and so much more!) The entire day will be spent learning and connecting through all things health and wellness! Click the photos below to access Mr. Bartlett's QR code to sign up!

It’s important for students to make and keep good attendance habits from the very first day of school to have a successful school year.

Students who attend school regularly perform better academically and are more likely to graduate from high school than students who are chronically absent (defined as missing 10% or more of school days, excused or not). Unfortunately, one in three Colorado students are chronically absent, according to the Colorado Department of Education.

PSD has a goal of 95% average daily attendance. To help families track absences and offer support, schools will send parents and guardians a letter if their child passes the following thresholds:

• Absent 10% or more of school days so far in the school year
• Absent 15% or more of school days so far in a school year
• Absent 25% or more of school days so far in a school year

Absences can add up quickly and negatively impact a student’s progress. Missing just a couple days each month means a child is losing out on more than 10% of in-class learning.

PSD staff want to partner with families in getting students to class. Please contact your school if you have questions or need attendance support.

Liliana Aceves - School/Attendance Secretary

970-488-6900 or laceves@psdschools.org

Ana Ordonez-Velasco-LCE Family Liaison

aordonez@psdschools.org or 970-488-6906

Diana Villa - McKinney-Vento/Family Liaison

dvilla@psdschools.org or 970-488-6912

Lindsey Mozer, Principal

limozer@psdschools.org or 970-488-6903

Monica Ramos Carlson, Asst. Principal

mramoscarlson@psdschools.org or 970-488-6928