FAIRMOUNT FOCUS
Published monthly by Fairmount PTA
Editor, Deb Hall
(editor@fairmountpta.org)

EXECUTIVE BOARD
President, Kristi Mladenovic
(president@fairmountpta.org)
Vice President
(External Enrichment),
Jodi Williams
(VP@fairmountpta.org)
2nd Vice President,
Sally Mills
(smills@jeffco.k12.co.us)
Secretary, Angie Parsons
(secretary@fairmountpta.org)
Treasurer, Becky Asbury
(treasurer@fairmountpta.org)
Vice President of Finance, Kristina Klug
(finance@fairmountpta.org)
Vice President of Fundraising,
Jessica Nauslar
(jnauslar@yahoo.com)
3rd Vice President
(Classroom Support),
Mara Orchard
(classroomsupport@fairmountpta.org)
4th Vice President
(Internal Enrichment),
Laura Warren
(enrichment@fairmountpta.org)

For additional
coordinator info,
click here.

FAIRMOUNT ELEMENTARY
15975 W. 50th Ave.
Golden, CO 80403

Main Office: 303.982.5422
Attendance: 303.982.5400
Bus Terminal: 303.982.1998

GROCERY

CARD

FUNDRAISER

CLICK HEREfor detailed information about how the reloadable grocery card fundraiser works and how to get your cards today!

So far for the 2017–18 school year, Fairmount PTA has received $31,710. We are still nearly $15,000 away from our $46K goal.  Each reload benefits our school and our children!

* NEW *
5th and 6th grade parents:
Thank you for your support of this fundraiser. If you continue to reload your card, we can reimburse you for your Jeffco fees for TWO years after you leave Fairmount!

GROCERY CARD
RAFFLE WINNER

Congratulations to

WILLIAM GIVEN

for being this month's
raffle winner.

He will receive a $25 gift card to Amazon for simply buying/reloading his card.

Next month . . .
it could be YOU!

YEARBOOKS

ON SALE NOW!


Check the Fairmount PTA website to see if you have already purchased your yearbook(s) by Clicking Home, Previous Orders at the top right of screen, Order Number.

Click here to see a list of packages and individual items!

For more info about how to order, click HERE!

BOX-TOPS
SPRING RESULTS

Well, Fairmount families, you did it again! You came through again in our Box-Tops Race! We collected $588.80, making our total for the year $812.30!!! This is amazing! Thank you so much for your efforts! Many thanks to Bob and Joi Huebels and Amy Kline for their invaluable help. Remember to keep collecting and trimming those Box-Tops over the summer. Next year we will keep track of grade level totals all year, so every Box-Top will count toward the February Race. We are shooting to collect $1,500 next year!

FAIRMOUNT FIREBIRD 5K CHASE

SUNDAY,
MAY 6, 2018!

 
To register for the race or to sign up to volunteer, visit the Fairmount PTA website!

Register before April 18th to receive a discount.

Be sure to LIKE our new Facebook page as well!

The class with the most race entrants will win a class party! Click here for more details.

Art & Slogan Contest Winners

Kindergarten: no entries
1st Grade: Kylie Cookann
2nd Grade: Violet Havens
3rd Grade: no entries
4th Grade: Sofia Cuartas
5th Grade: Georgia Wade
6th Grade: Emerie Nausler

Slogan Winner:
Sofia Cuartas
"The Fire is Fierce"

Art Winner Grand Prize: Georgia Wade

FROM THE CAFETERIA

Click here for this month's LUNCH MENU!

Mark Your Calendars :
Teacher Appreciation
Week

Please note that Teacher Appreciation Week is
April 30–May 4.

Show your appreciation for your classroom teachers, specials teachers, and staff anytime during this week. The PTA will be providing some special treats for the teachers and staff during this week to show them how much we APPRECIATE them!

Dates to

Remember

APRIL 3: PTA Meeting @ 3:45 p.m. in the LMC

APRIL 6: 5th grade field trip to Denver Museum of Nature & Science

APRIL 10: 2nd grade field trip to Children's Museum

APRIL 10: 1st grade field trip to CO School of Mines (Goad/Vanlandingham)

APRIL 11: 1st grade field trip to CO School of Mines (Weaver/Peck)

APRIL 19: Multicultural Night

APRIL 20: Sock Hop

APRIL 24: Kindergarten Student-Led Conferences

APRIL 24: String Showcase @ Ralston Valley HS

APRIL 25: Band Showcase @ Ralston Valley HS

APRIL 27: Early Release @ 1:05

APRIL 28: Golden Community Wellness Fair @ Golden HS

APRIL 30: Parent University, 5:45–8:00 p.m.

APRIL 30–MAY 4: Teacher Appreciation Week

 HAPPY

SPRING!

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

• Grocery Card Program
  
• PTA Happenings
  
• Yearbooks on Sale Now
  
• Box-Tops Spring Results
  
• Campbell-Deane Scholarship
  
• Fairmount Firebird 5K Chase
  
• Parent University
  
• PTA Survey
  
• Lunch Menu
  
• Teacher Appreciation Week
  
• C.A.R.E. Awards
  
• Golden Community Wellness Fair
  
• News from the LMC
  
• Milk Caps for Moo-La
  
• Accountability Committee Report
  

PRINCIPAL'S MESSAGE
—Sally Mills

School Safety at Fairmount

The safety of our students is our number-one priority! With all that’s been happening around the country, I thought this would be a good month to talk about school safety at Fairmount. We follow all of Jeffco’s School Safety/Standard Response Protocols with our students. Those protocols include procedures for lockouts, lockdowns, evacuations, shelter in place, and holds in classrooms. Details of these protocols are posted in every classroom and included on our school website under Parent Resources. Every month we practice one of our drills. We always practice a lockdown drill during the year where we coordinate with Jeffco security experts and the Jeffco sheriffs. We practice our drills frequently so that students and staff have no doubt what they should do if an emergency happens.

In addition to our safety protocols, we also secure our building. We have had locked doors during school hours for the last several years. Parents must ring the bell and identify themselves when checking in during the school day. We ask parents to not hold the door open for anyone who has not identified themselves through the speaker system.

Since the increase in school threats these last couple of months, we have added security measures. Previously, the school doors were unlocked before and after school to allow building access for our daycare and after-school programs. Beginning on April 2nd, the building will no longer be unlocked during these times. The families who use our YMCA daycare program will use the door that leads to the cafeteria—not the front entrance. This door will also be locked, and families will need to ring that doorbell to alert the YMCA staff that you are here. Those families also have access to the YMCA coordinator’s (Bianca) cell phone number if they are outside on the playground or not answering the doorbell. We have extended the school office hours to 5:00 p.m. on days where there are after-school activities. This will allow parents to ring the usual school doorbell at the front entrance for our secretaries to let you in to get your student. In addition, we encourage you to have the cell phone number for whoever is coordinating the after-school event (e.g., Bricks for Kids, Guitar Class, etc.). Special arrangements to access the building will have to be made for other groups who request to use the building in the evening.

By increasing the security of the building, our school environment might seem less welcoming. Unfortunately, that will have to be the price we pay as a school community to go that extra measure in making sure our students and the school building itself are as secure as possible. Thank you for your understanding about this trade-off.

As always, if you have a question, comment, or suggestion, please call the office, stop by, or email me at smills@jeffco.k12.co.us.

PTA HAPPENINGS

Welcome back everyone! We hope everyone had a relaxing and fun spring break. We would like to invite you to attend our next PTA meeting on Tuesday, April 3, at 3:45 p.m. Elections for your PTA board will be held, so come and make your voice heard! Also at this meeting, we will have our very own Digital Teacher Librarian, Andi Johnson, speak about the new and exciting Learning Lounge and STEM programs that will begin next year. Child care will be provided, so please join us.

The Fairmount Firebird 5K Chase is fast approaching. You can now register for the annual 5K family fun run scheduled for Sunday, May 6, on our website. Online registration will be open until April 25. This event will be a great time for the whole family, so don’t miss out. Register today! Registration forms will also be coming home in Friday folders, or you can pick one up in the main office.

Fairmount has been fortunate to have so many volunteers helping to make our school what it is today. We are very appreciative to all those who give of their time, energy, and effort to create the quality events and programs we are proud to have at Fairmount. There are a few open positions we would like to fill before the end of the year. Click HERE  to see all the open coordinator and committee positions. Please contact Laura Warren at enrichment@fairmountPTA.org if you are interested in or would like to receive any more information on any of the open positions.

A BIG THANK-YOU TO . . .

Mrs. Smerchek for keeping our kids fit in Running Club.
Thank you to all the hard-working Read Naturally volunteers. Your dedication to the students is amazing.

Liz Bravman and the Learning Garden Committee for the fabulous work that they are doing in the classrooms, garden, and after-school Garden Club.

Adria Lucerna and her team, Mary Keith Floyd and Megan Castle, for their countless volunteer hours working on the Safe Routes to School Sidewalk Project.  As well, Adria Lucerna has been working with the fifth graders on creating a safe route to school for the second half of the project.

Visit www.FairmountPTA.orgtoday!
—The Fairmount PTA Board

PROGRAMS & EVENTS TO WATCH FOR:

Our next PTA meeting will be held on Tuesday, April 3rd at 3:45 p.m.

Monday, April 13th is the last day to turn in applications for the Campbell-Deane Scholarship.

Please come to the Fairmount PTA Multicultural Night and Heritage Fair on April 19th from 5:30 to 8:00 p.m. There will be a variety of cultural activities for kids of all ages to participate in.

The Fairmount PTA is very excited to sponsor Parent University on April 30th from 5:30 to 8:00 p.m. Dr. Jason Glass, Superintendent of Jeffco Schools, will be our keynote speaker! There will be a variety of workshops to choose from.

CAMPBELL-DEANE SCHOLARSHIP

The Fairmount PTA offers a scholarship to former Fairmount students. These past students are eligible for a $1,000 scholarship when they are high school seniors. This scholarship is available to any high school senior who was enrolled at Fairmount Elementary School for a period of three years or more, has a satisfactory grade standing, citizenship record, and community service experiences.

To apply, print the Scholarship Requirements and return your application to Fairmount by April 13, 2018.

PARENT UNIVERSITY
Monday, April 30th
5:45–8:00 p.m.

The Fairmount PTA and teachers/staff are sponsoring Parent University on Monday, April 30, from 5:45 to 8:00 p.m. Wonder what it is? Watch this short video by our Principal, Mrs. Mills, and our Digital Teacher Librarian, Mrs. Johnson!

Thanks to our PTA, this event is free to all Fairmount families. The evening will begin with pizza for parents and all children at 5:45. Then, kids will stay in the cafeteria for teacher-led literacy, art, and outside (weather permitting) activities. Child care will also be provided by school staff for preschoolers. At 6:30, parents will proceed to the gym for our keynote address by Dr. Jason Glass, Superintendent of Jeffco Schools. He will speak about the Generations vision for our students as they progress through Jeffco and then enter either college or the workplace. Beginning at 7:00, parents will have the choice to attend 2 of 6 sessions listed below. Each session will be presented twice, once at 7:00 and then again at 7:30. The evening will conclude at 8:00. Our Fairmount staff is working to create a stronger partnership with our parents, and we believe these learning sessions will greatly benefit our students. We’re hoping all families will attend. A link to a digital RSVP will be provided via Mrs. Mills’s Sunday email soon so that we can provide enough pizza and adults to lead the activities for children. Thanks, and welcome to class!

7 Keys to Comprehension — Presented by Leanna Leisenring, 3rd grade teacher. All teachers at all grade levels teach students the seven thinking strategies that are important to lifelong learning. Come and learn what they are so you can do the same for your students at home.

Internet Safety — Presented by George Mumma, Interim Morrison Chief of Police. Mr. Mumma will share strategies for how your children can stay safe online. He has spoken to our fifth and sixth graders this school year, and will be sharing this information with you parents so you can support your child’s safety online at home.

STEM/Robotics — Presented by Angie Blomquist, STEM teacher 2018–19, Risa Wakefield, 3rd grade teacher and Robotics Club mentor, and several students. Angie Blomquist and Andi Johnson, Digital Teacher Librarian, will be teaming next year to bring STEM learning and activities to all students. Risa Wakefield will facilitate a demonstration by Robotics Club students who will share how their robots competed in the Ringmaster Challenge. Angie Blomquist will facilitate a demonstration by students who will share their learning of new robotics equipment. Students will also demonstrate how they use Spheros, which are other robots.

Balancing Screen Time at Home — Presented by Mary Beth Bazzanella, Jeffco Director of Educational Technology. With the advent of so many screens, parents have new challenges with balancing screen time at home. Mary Beth will share concrete tools that you can use at home to ensure your students’ screen time is in balance with the rest of their lives.

Diversity and Equity through Children’s Literature — Presented by Jane Hampleman and team. Our school is raising awareness about the differences among us and how to treat each other equitably. There are amazing books that highlight the beauty of our differences; these books will be shared with everyone and then reside in our school library for all to enjoy.

Protecting Your Child's Mental Health — Presented by Sarah Bontrager, Licensed Marriage and Family Psychotherapist Associate, and Jeff Bontrager, MD. Learn strategies for managing your child’s mental health, from stress to sleep to scheduling. These experienced and highly qualified presenters are Fairmount parents.

C.A.R.E. AWARDS

Each month, the Fairmount teachers recognize students who demonstrate C.A.R.E. behaviors by posting their accomplishments on the Hall of Fame. The Hall of Fame is located in the hallway leading from the cafeteria to outside. Below are the students being recognized for the month of April 2018.

Hufford & Co. Real Estate & Property Management  will make a donation to charity of client’s choice for every real estate transaction handled by us associated with Fairmount Elementary.

NEWS FROM THE LMC
(Library Media Center)
—Andi Johnson

Robots, Robots, Robots!

We are coding robots! We’ve started with 1st graders and plan to provide all students K–6th with the opportunity to program Sphero robots using block code. It has been amazing to see the critical thinking in our students as they work to navigate their robots to go forward and back, roll in a square, rectangle, or triangle, and go through a maze. The engagement (and laughter) in the library has been fun to see and hear!

Devices for Every Student and

Computer Lab and Library Makeovers

Our District Superintendent, Dr. Jason Glass, and his team have created a Jeffco Generations document that provides a vision for the future of our students. It includes access to a device for every student. Here at Fairmount, every kindergartner will have access to an iPad next year, and every 1st–5th grader will have access to a Chromebook. That will allow our students to access current digital content as guided by their teacher to support their learning. Also, our computer lab and library are getting makeovers. Our computer lab will become a Learning Lounge for our students where they will bring their devices. It will have flexible multi-height seating to allow for more collaboration and creativity. Our library is also getting new furniture that will allow for the same. We’re excited about the opportunities these updated learning spaces will provide for our students.

Colorado Children’s Book Award Winners

All students at Fairmount voted for their favorite Colorado Children’s Book Award (CCBA) book. I have compiled and turned in the votes to the state committee, and the results are in! The state winners were the same as the winners here at Fairmount except that the Picture Book runner-up at Fairmount was The Bear and the Piano.  It has been fun to read all of these great books!

PICTURE BOOKS
Winner:The Princess and the Pony
Runner-Up:Please, Mr. Panda

CHAPTER BOOKS
Winner:Ghosts
Runner-Up:Took: A Ghost Story

Spring Paws for Books Book Fair:

Come. Stay. Stay. Read a Great Tale!

Our Spring Book Fair is coming! The dates are May 14–18 which includes both Field Days. We hope this Spring Book Fair will put great books into the hands of our students for summer reading and help to offset the “summer slide” when learning often takes a dip. Be sure to mark your calendars! Come on by when you’re here to cheer on your student(s) at Field Day!

Library Collaboration

• Our kindergartners have incorporated a tech component (Google Slides to write facts and insert pictures about the sun) into their Sun and Sky science unit. Class books of the students’ work are being assembled, and after they have been shared in the classroom, they will be available for viewing in the library.
• Our 2nd graders are researching extreme weather and animals for their Just the Facts nonfiction writing unit. Their projects—they’re the first students in the school to use Book Creator to create digital books—include facts, pictures with captions, and a Works Cited section.
• Some 3rd graders are researching topics they’re passionate about. They’re producing brochures using LucidPress to share their learning.
• Veldman’s 5th graders and their 2nd grade study buddies in Mrs. McQuaid’s class are doing a research project about the sprinklers that accidentally went off in our front office. They’re interviewing experts, researching, and will use a digital tool of their choice to share their learning with the rest of the school.

SAVING MILK CAPS = $ MOO-LA FOR FAIRMOUNT!

Thank you to those families who have contributed to the success of our partnership with Longmont Dairy for the “Milk Caps for Moo-la” program!

With your support, so far this school year we’ve collected 9,900 product caps, raising $495 for our school! Not only does Fairmount benefit by receiving 5 cents for every cap we collect, but we save many caps from going to a landfill by returning these to the dairy so they can be recycled.

How can you help if you aren’t already participating? Just start saving Longmont Dairy product caps if you already have products delivered to your home (or sign up with Longmont Dairy if you wish to be part of their delivery program at http://www.longmontdairy.com/sign-up.php). Collect caps from family, friends, and neighbors too! Clean caps should be placed in plastic bags with the student’s name, grade, and number of caps enclosed written on the outside of the bag. Place bags of caps in the “Milk Caps for Moo-la” collection box right inside the main entrance of our school.

Our Fairmount PTA sponsors the monthly prize drawing from students who have collected and contributed caps. To compete in the monthly drawing, students must place caps in the collection container by the last school day of each month. The monthly winner is then revealed the next week during the morning announcements.

This school year’s “Moo-la” monthly winner has received a $5 gift certificate to Dairy Queen:

August/September               Max Bianco, 3rd grade
October                                 Tehya Metzinger, 6th grade
November                             Jack Dixon, 5th grade
December/January              Tyler Alcock, 2nd grade
February                               Aidan Howery, 6th grade
March                                    Drawing on April 2

Be sure to have your caps in by April 30for the next drawing! Feel free to contact the Fairmount “Moo-La” parent volunteer Kim Wheeler, afwheels@earthlink.net, with any questions you may have.

THANK YOU to 1ST BANK of Arvada at Westwoods for their continued support of Fairmount!

ACCOUNTABILITY COMMITTEE REPORT

The Accountability Committee met on March 15, 2018, in the LMC.

The District is imposing new standards for building safety. Beginning in April, the school will be on a 24-hour locked status. This means during the YMCA after-school program as well as any after-school activity, visitors and parents will need to ring the bell and be let in by an administrator.

A reminder to all parents that the Fairmount PTA and teachers are hosting a Parent University. Dr. Jason Glass will join to talk about the Jeffco Generations plan and answer questions. There will also be presentations on a variety of education topics for parents.

Enrollment for next year will most likely be lower. Currently we have enrollment for three kindergarten classes. Mr. Robinet will be moving to the fifth grade team. Our assistant principal will be moving on to a full-time position at Weber Elementary next year. We were lucky to have her part-time this year and wish her the best. Mrs. Cruz will be returning to Fairmount as our full-time assistant principal next year. Mrs. Goad and Mrs. Wagner are retiring. We will have a new psychologist next year and have planned for this positon to be full-time. Mrs. Blumquist will become our STEM teacher for next year. Along with Mrs. Johnson, she will work with teachers to provide curriculum and projects that are activity specific. This schedule will not be fixed, nor take the place of our AMP. It will be a specific partnership and create learning projects for all grades.

Safe Routes to School Grant Update:Two years ago, our Fairmount PTA began the process of exploring and obtaining grant funds to create a safe walking area around our school. Parent and engineer Adria Lucerna spearheaded the onerous task of collecting data, contacting the district and local governments, and completing the application. This was a success! We were awarded monies and also received some funds from the districts. However, we have hit a snag in the project. The result is that a public meeting must be held to present the safe route options, obtain feedback from the community, and reach a consensus about the next step. If you are interested in a safer way for our students to maneuver on 50th Avenue, please attend this meeting on May 15, 2018, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Fairmount. Please make your voice heard and encourage as many others to do the same. We are in jeopardy of losing our grant monies if we cannot obtain adequate support. See the school web site for the detailed sidewalk presentation.

Budget time is underway. Dr. Glass has been meeting with the community talking about our district. There is one session left on Tuesday, April 3, 6:00-7:30 p.m. at Conifer High School, 10441 Highway 73, Conifer. Or go to the Jeffco Public Schools web site for the presentation: http://www.jeffcopublicschools.org/news/recent_news/talking_dollars_sense_with_superintendent_dr_glass

At the March 1st Board of Education meeting, the Board adopted a resolution in support of the Colorado Education Network. Along with others, this group is in the process of obtaining signatures to place a statewide initiative on the November 2018 ballot. Initiative 93 would create a tax on federal income over $150,000 and on corporations to be used solely in support of public education, early childhood through high school. For more information please go to http://www.greatschoolsthrivingcommunities.org/questions.

Please join us for our last meeting of the 2017–18 school year in May. More details to follow.