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FOLLOW FAIRMOUNT ELEMENTARY ON SOCIAL MEDIA
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PRINCIPAL'S MESSAGE—Sally Mills, Principal
Colorado Schools Testing Program: The Colorado Measures of Academic Success (CMAS) will be given in English language arts and math for students in grades 3 through 5, and science for students in grade 5. The testing will all be given in one state testing window—March 18th through April 26th.
Standardized tests inform our school in many ways. Our teachers, for example, review the results from the state tests to adjust their instruction. Students and families will be provided a fuller understanding of their student mastery of grade-level expectations from the CMAS. In addition, Fairmount is accredited, in part, based on CMAS results.
We will send home a detailed testing schedule by grade level as we get closer to the testing window. We will also post it on the school website.
Spring Break is March 25–29. We hope all of you have a safe and enjoyable break with your family! We will see everyone back on Monday, April 1st.
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.
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FEATURED PTA COORDINATOR OPENING: HOSPITALITY COORDINATOR
The Hospitality Coordinator plans menus and organizes volunteers to feed teachers dinners during parent/teacher conferences and Teacher Appreciation Week. They set up dinners and clean up afterwards on the days we provide meals. We have a lot of families volunteer to bring in food, so the main job is to plan the meals. They also organize a teachers’ luncheon the week before school starts. If you are interested or have questions about this opportunity, please contact Laura Warren at enrichment@fairmountpta.org.
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*NEW* KING SOOPERS GROCERY CARD SYSTEM 
Attention Fairmount Families!
- Do you shop at King Soopers?
- Do you use your King Soopers Card (also called a Sooper Card, Loyalty Card, or Alternate ID)?
If you answered yes to these questions there is an even easier way for you to fundraise $$ for Fairmount! It is a simple, one-time, one-step process!
If you register your King Soopers Card number with Fairmount, every time you make a purchase, Fairmount receives a donation from King Soopers! It’s that easy! Once your card is registered, there are no additional steps you need to take!
If you use ClickList (aka Pickup), Delivery, or Scan-Bag-Go, this new system allows you to earn money for Fairmount without ever having to step foot in the store!
And you can register as many Sooper Cards as you want! That means any numbers your family uses, as well as your neighbors, grandparents, aunts, uncles, second cousins twice removed . . . any Colorado King Soopers shopper willing to help Fairmount!
Your King Soopers Card number can be found on the Sooper Card or Sooper Card keychain you scan at the register OR the Alternate ID you input at the register (e.g., your phone number).
King Soopers is changing the current reloadable gift card program to this Loyalty Card/Alternate ID system, and it makes the fundraising process even easier! Current gift card users will continue to get credit for reloads through March 31st. Beginning April 1st, Fairmount will earn funds through the new Loyalty Card/Alternate ID program. Gift cards will maintain their balances and are still usable, but Fairmount will only receive rewards if you use your Sooper Card (Alternate ID) after March 31st. Please register your number(s)!
There are three ways to register for this easy-to-use, set-it-and-forget-it program!
- Email grocerycards@fairmountpta.org with your name all Sooper Card/Alternate IDs you’d like connected to Fairmount, or . . .
- Visit www.FairmountPTA.org and enter your name and Sooper card information here, or . . .
- Visit www.KingSoopers.com/CommunityRewards and register (site activates February 18th).
Please do not hesitate to get in touch if you have any questions!
Amy Kline
Grocery Cards Coordinator
grocerycards@fairmountpta.org303-229-1826
*This is for King Soopers only. The current Safeway reloadable gift card program will continue as is.
What about the 2.5% “Give Back†Program?
Instead of the previous set 5%, King Soopers is now awarding $2,500,000 per quarter to all participating organizations based on how much each group spends compared to the other groups. This is as much as we currently know. Within the new program, we find that our previous system of connecting gift card numbers with individuals is obsolete. Additionally, King Soopers does not currently have a safe, legal way in which Fairmount community spending can be associated with a particular household and reported to us. As such, we are still waiting to find out how we can “give back†the 2.5%, but regardless, we will still reward the earnings from July 1, 2018 through June 30, 2019. You will see everything you've earned this year in your PTA account for the coming fall. Currently, the PTA is working to find a formula for April 1, 2019 through June 30, 2020 earnings. The new program was rolled out quickly by King Soopers. We will continue to share as we know more. Thank you for supporting Fairmount!
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GROCERY CARD PROGRAM
February Gift Card Raffle Winner!
Thank you to everyone who purchased or reloaded their grocery cards in January.
A $25 gift card to Amazon goes to SARAH PAGE!
Congratulations, Sarah!
Who wants to win a $25 gift card to Target next month?
All you need to do is purchase a reloadable gift card OR reload the card you already have, and you will automatically be entered to win! It is so easy to help the PTA fund school projects, earn cash back, and even win a gift card! If you don’t have your reloadable gift card yet, visit the PTA website for more information. If you have a card from last year, keep using it! We pick a winner each month, so don’t miss out!
So far this year, Fairmount has raised $25,832 with your reloads. That’s 65% toward our goal for the year. Keep reloading those cards! Each reload benefits our school and our children!
Did you know?
If you have a child going on the D.C. trip, Fairmount’s PTA will give you the entire 5% reward you earn from your reloads, from mid-July 2018 through February 2019, to be applied toward your final payment. You can also use any remaining account credits (2.5% on prior years) toward the trip. Please email grocerycards@fairmountpta.org to have your account flagged for the D.C. trip. 
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LAST MONTH TO BUY A YEARBOOK
The deadline to purchase a yearbook for your student is MARCH 29th!
Click HERE for yearbook package info!
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PTA HAPPENINGS
PROGRAMS & EVENTS TO WATCH FOR:
Please plan on attending our April 2nd PTA meeting at 6:30 p.m. Child watch will be provided free of charge. We hope to see you there! PTA Board elections will take place during our April meeting. Click HERE to see a description of the open positions.
The Fairmount community has been fortunate to have so many involved parents helping to make our school what it is today. Unfortunately, many of those wonderful parents will be departing us after this school year. 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. Remember that if we do not fill these open positions, the program/event runs the risk of going away. Co-coordinators are always welcome. So grab a friend and volunteer today!
The Fairmount Talent Show was a great success once again this year. Congratulations to all those students who participated and showcased their talents. Thank you to all of you who came out to cheer on the participants and to those who helped out behind the scenes.
The PTA Board wishes your family a safe and fun filled spring break! A BIG THANK-YOU TO:Kristy Dragul, Shanna Grimes, Stephanie Sprenger, and Jessey Hays, and all the other volunteers who helped pull together the Fairmount Talent Show. You guys did an amazing job with the organization of showing off our very talented students at Fairmount.
We would like to extend a big thank-you to the Classroom Representativesand parents who coordinated the Valentine’s Day parties this year. You helped make it a special day for the students!
Amy Kline for her efforts towards selling, tracking, and overall management of our Kings Soopers and Safeway Grocery Card program. There is a ton of work that goes on behind the scenes, especially now with King Soopers changing their program. Please bear with us while we work through these changes.
Angie Spann and all the hospitality committee volunteers for providing such delicious meals and tasty treats for our teachers during the February teacher conferences.
Carmen Bauer for putting together the displays every month on the PTA bulletin board, and for coordinating the donations to replenish classroom supplies.
Have a great spring break!
Visit www.fairmountpta.org today!
—The Fairmount PTA Board
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NEWS FROM THE LMC
(Library Media Center)—Andi Johnson, Digital Teacher Librarian
Author Visit!
Thanks to our PTA for sponsoring our recent author and illustrator visit. Karla Oceanak and Kendra Spanjer, the team that created the Aldo Zelnick series, talked to all students on Wednesday, Feb. 13, about the writing process and the importance of reading in making them good writers.  These six lucky students were randomly drawn to have lunch with our visitors: Logan Corbin, K-Arleth; Hattie Walker, 1-Peck; Brendan Marquardt, 2-Peters; Ferryn Jones, 3-Wakefield; Lev Staub, 4-Lozano; and Sophia Dodge, 5-Heaviland.
Robotics Club Competition
 CONGRATULATIONS to all 19 Fairmount students who participated in the Robotics Competition on Saturday, Feb. 9, at Kullerstrand Elementary. This competition was the result of 16 weeks of work. Our teams worked hard showing lots of all five mindsets: optimism, resilience, empathy, flexibility, and persistence. One of our teams, the BFRs, made it to the finals, and they tied for 2nd Place! This team also won the Skills Competition and the Judges Award. They received trophies for both of these awards. The trophies are on display in the library. Congratulations to the BFRs—Big Friendly Robots: Owen Heimeman, Iver Larsen, Logan Lessen, and Harrison Lynam.
Battle of the Books
Forty-eight 5th graders competed in our school’s first ever Battle of the Books competition. These students read the same ten books and answered questions about the books to test their comprehension. Six of the students will advance to the Jeffco competition. Winners will be announced next month!
Library Collaboration: - Our kindergartners will be using the My Story iPad app to share their learning about the Sun, connected to their Sun and Sky science unit.
- Our 1st graders are researching national symbols. They’re using e-books from the Jefferson County Public Library to take notes, and then they’ll write about what they learned using Google Docs.
- Our 4th graders will also be using JCPL e-books as they research for their Colorado unit.
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FAIRMOUNT LEARNING GARDENFor the latest edition of "Root to Fruit," including detailed updates on the Fairmount Learning Garden,
please click HERE!
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MINDSET MASTERS
At Fairmount, “We C.A.R.E.†(Community, Attitude, Respect, and Excellence) has been a standing phrase through our Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports system (PBIS). Aligned with this focus, we promote and teach five growth mindsets within the classrooms:
Persistence
Empathy
Resilience
Optimism
Flexibility
Every month students are recognized as “Mindset Masters†for their use of the different mindsets. The following students were chosen by their teachers for this month, and their names will be posted, throughout the entire month of MARCH, in the hallway leading from the cafeteria to outside.
If you have any questions, please contact Mrs. Kruse at christine.kruse@jeffco.k12.co.us.
Persistence | Empathy | Resilience | Optimism | Flexibility | Easton Norris | Alana Baillie | Sullivan Mckeon | Evelyn Nelson | Brad Goldstein | Only Navarro | Dylan Baron | Alexis Waller | Jackson Lien | Zack Kaplan | Adalaide Wilson | Isabella Bontrager | William Hall | Summer Stuart | Aerin Zender | Kolter Shoemaker | Eevah Cozzi | Lucas Marsh | Caleb Lemieux | Silas Bach | Asher Weborg | John Kos | Quinn Pollard | Blake Devitt | Grady Blackwell | Colin Cranford | Dax Weidenhamer | Hudson Hall | Ellie Le | Laila Gibbons | Ainsley Saunders | Ryder Schneck | Amelia Hicks | Max Madacsi | Charlie Lindenschmidt | Logan Longseth | Isabella Perez | Lula Vessell | Georgie Courrier-Kriesel | Dylan Penney | Riley Parker | Hattie Hermsen | Gavin Snyder | Layton Bilger | Sam Schillie | Matteo Quinto | Cailyn Hirschberg | Noah Weil | Elle Buchanan | Vincent Marino | Cade Nauslar | Carter Pearson | Joey Cross | Rowan Eadens | | Bella Bernal | Mataya Farling | Blake Grenier | Fin McKeon | | Maverick Cleveland | | Hunter Liebsock | Ariano Guerra | | Kenzie Flick | | | Xavier Allen | | Dax Drogsvold | | | Max Given | | Danae Major | | | Chase Holtman | | Henry Vecchiarelli | | | Bella Marquardt | | Sienna Murray | | | Ben Ha | | Gabrielle Knappe | | | | |
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STEM UPDATE
—Angie Blomquist, STEM teacher
K — Technology in kindergarten is growing exponentially as they have been writing their own books using the My Story App. As authors, students have learned how to import and take pictures, record their voices, and type text.
1st — First graders are making playgrounds a safer place to play with a redesign project! Following the design process, students have either selected a piece of recess equipment to improve or have created a new, safe piece of equipment and are learning the art of both prototyping and using models to make their idea a reality. Their self-standing playground prototype had to withstand a fan simulating a typical Colorado day in the foothills. Creativity was thriving!
2nd — Second graders are extending their coding knowledge from the Hour of Code in December to robots. Students received their Dash driver’s license after successfully completing a series of challenges. They then attempted further puzzles to show mastery of the coding process. Talk about collaboration, communication, and compromise!
3rd — Third graders have moved on to geometry in math and are using their Dash driver’s licenses to show their understanding of perimeter and polygons by programming their robots using specific algorithms. Many students learned how to loop their code to decrease the amount of steps. Shortcuts are a mathematician’s best friend!
4th — Fourth graders used their circuitry knowledge to create an original, one-of-a-kind light-up paper circuit card using a 3V CR lithium button cell battery, conductive copper foil tape, and a LED light. Science and art collided for a cool end product that will hopefully literally and figuratively brighten someone’s day!
5th — Fifth graders are still working on their redesign project. Using the bladeless Dyson fan as their example, students have picked something in their lives at school or home that could be improved and are learning the art of both prototyping and using cardboard models to make their idea a reality. Check out their 3D cardboard prototypes in the display cases in the halls. Innovation at its finest!
All pictures are available HERE on my website under student work.
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THANK YOU
to
1st BANK of
ARVADA
at WESTWOODS
for their continued
support ofFairmount!
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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 have collected 7,700 product caps, raising $385 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: 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 Little Caesars:
August/September Talon King, 3rd grade
October Charlotte Kline, 1st grade
November Ben Wheeler, 4th grade
December/January Taylor Kelley, 5th grade
March TBD, Drawing Mar. 4
Be sure to have your milk caps in by March 22 (before spring break) to be included in the next drawing! Feel free to contact the Fairmount “Moo-la†parent volunteer, Candace Vorthman, at candace@vorthman.com, with any questions you may have.
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FAIRMOUNT FIREBIRD 5K CHASE*** SAVE THE DATE *** RACE DAY IS SUNDAY, MAY 5!
The Fairmount Firebird 5K Chase needs your help!
Did you know that the first Fairmount Firebird 5K Chase was held at our school back in 2006 and has been held at Fairmount Park since 2007? It has continued to grow every year because of the support of Fairmount families, teachers, and the community. It continues to be our largest school fundraiser, and it sure beats selling magazines and gift wrap to support our kids and school!
We’re currently looking for new business and family sponsors and volunteers to join our planning team.
To help with growing race sponsorships or in-kind donations, or to inquire about being a sponsor, please contact Rebekah Kovarik at Rebekah.j.kovarik@gmail.com or 720-320-9101.
To help with registration and volunteer coordination, art and classroom contests, race packet stuffing, or race day logistics, please contact Carolyn Smith at goldensmitty@q.com or 303-482-7929.
Whether you can contribute a little or a lot of time, your efforts will help with the continued success of this event and keep it going for another fourteen years!
Thank you, Fairmount! We had over 550 registrations last year, and the kids love this event!
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