NYCU Newsletter
Week of September 4, 2026
With all the clubs happening throughout the week, please make sure to make the changes in School Dismissal so that teachers/substitutes know where your child should go after school. We want to make sure that your student goes to where they should go after school.
Late Pick Up
As a reminder, students must be picked up at 2:40 p.m. or at the designated dismissal from a club or sport. We have had a number of families picking up their students after 2:40 p.m. or late from a club or sport.
- If they are registered to attend Boys and Girls Club then they must go to Boys and Girls Club.
- If you are not going to use the Boys and Girls Club afterschool program, please let Alondra know so she can give the slot to someone who needs it. We have many families who are in desperate need for the afterschool program. If you are not using the program and/or don't need it and your child is signed up, please consider giving up the spot to a family who really does need it.
- Students may not wait in the lobby, inside the school or outside the school as there is no one to attend to them.
Run 4 Funds Volunteers, Unite!
Thank you to all of the amazing folks who have already signed up to help us with this event! We are still in need of a few more volunteers to ensure that our Quest students have a fantastic day running at warp speed and earning those donations. If you can spare an hour or two on September 24th (especially for our 7th graders from 9:00 - 10:30 am) we'd be so very grateful for the help! Take a look at the available times and sign up here: Run 4 Funds Volunteer Sign Up
Support Quest While You Shop
You can earn money for Quest every time you use your King Soopers Loyalty Card! Simply add Quest as the community program you want to support, and from then on, you'll be earning a donation for our school with each purchase at King Soopers. Here's how:
In the App
- Open the King Soopers app and tap the profile icon (person silhouette) to access your account.
- Go to "Payment & Resources," then select "Community Rewards."
- Type "Aurora Quest K-8" into the "Search Organization" field, and select it from the results.
On the Website
- Go to www.kingsoopers.com and sign in to your account.
- From your account menu, select "Community Rewards."
- Search for "Aurora Quest K-8" and select it to link your account.
2026–2027 Aurora Quest K-8 PTA Board
Maria Sandoval, President
David Byrd, Vice President
Martha Hernandez, Secretary
Raymond Armstrong, Treasurer
"Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much"
~Helen Keller
Join Wrestling!
Boys and Girls
1st Practice Monday, Sept. 14, 2026
Practices at Hinkley HS - Mon - Fri. 4pm-5:30pm
Parent Meeting: Monday - September 14, 2025 @ 4:00pm
For more information see Ms. Trail at 303-343-3664 or email: tjtrail@aurorak12.org
Or Contact Coach Cortez @ 720-828-9954 or email: rlcortez@aurorak12.org
K5 News You Can Use
A variety of topics were covered this week during kindergarten and elementary social-emotional learning (SEL).
In kindergarten classroom, students reviewed the Zones of Regulation. Students identified and connected their own emotional states during various times in the school day. “What Zone of Regulation am I in upon arriving at school?” “What Zone of Regulation am I in during recess and lunchtime?” “What Zone of Regulation am I in when the class lines up?” We continue to work on fostering common language to communicate our emotional states. We continue working to identify our emotional states during various school activities which proactively supports managing our behaviors.
Students also listened to a read aloud on Interrupting. We discussed how interrupting makes others feel, and how learning not to interrupt supports friendship development.
In second grade classrooms, students also reviewed the Zones of Regulation as well as further discussed what it means to be respectful of others’ personal boundaries. Following this conversation, we moved into a discussion specific to managing friendships. Topics that were discussed included how terming a classmate as a best friend or bestie is an exclusive term. We discussed instead using a more inclusive term such as close friend, or simply, friend. Students were introduced to other valuable types of friendships such as casual friends and acquaintances.
Rob Lipson, Elementary School Counselor
Robert Townsend, Middle School Counselor
Aurora Public Schools and Advanced Learning Plan Goals
If your child is identified as Gifted and has an Advanced Learning Plan (ALP), ALPs were sent out through our data system called Link It. The Link It system uses email addresses that are recorded in Infinite Campus.
You should receive an email from interventionmanager@linkit.com. The subject should include Aurora Public Schools and Advanced Learning Plan Goals.
Students in grades 3-8 are invited to participate in their Classroom Spelling Bee the week of November 9-12.
Top spellers in each grade will be invited to compete in the Schoolwide Spelling Bee on December 10.
The top 3 spellers from Quest will go on to compete in the District Spelling Bee on January 30.
Here are the Classroom Spelling Bee Study Lists.
For questions please contact Kim Opferman (kjopferman@aurorak12.org) or Ellen Kruschwitz (emkruschwitz@aurorak12.org)
Students Pursuing Academic Rigor and Knowledge
What if your ideas could shape the future of Aurora?
Ignite Your Potential: The SPARK Initiative
Join a year-round learning community to design projects that shape the future of Aurora. Transform your passion into meaningful impact.
Where Ideas and Community Connect.
Sept. 16th, 2026 5:00-7:00 pm
Location: A.P.S. P.L.C.C. 15771 E. Centertech Parkway
Register for the Launch Summit here: https://bit.ly/APS_SPARK
Building Our Culture. Our new Guiding Principles have taken root across the building, and we're seeing them show up in classrooms and hallways every day. This month, our focus is Integrity doing the right thing, even when no one is watching.
Yondr Bags in Middle School. Our phone-free initiative is off to a strong start with our 6th–8th graders, and we're grateful for the way families continue to reinforce it at home. A quick reminder: pouches that are lost or damaged carry a $30 replacement fee, so please encourage your student to keep theirs in good shape.
Aurora Quest Swag. Show your Quest pride our spirit gear store is open now. Shop here. You'll find a wide range of designs and brands, including Lululemon and Nike, and every purchase is a great way to support our athletes and students.