Originally delivered on 2/1/2022 7:59 am

SUBJECT: February News & Events

Message from Sally Mills, Principal

Winter Conferences
We have set aside time for Winter Conferences on February 9th. These conferences are different than the fall conferences, where teachers meet with every family. For the Winter Conferences, teachers only request meetings for some students. However, please let your child’s teacher know if you would like a conference, even if they didn’t request one. As always, if you have a question or a concern, please get in touch with your child’s teacher anytime!

Covid Update
Since Winter Break, we have continued to manage Covid by wearing masks indoors and spacing kids out during lunch. We have been able to cover classrooms when teachers have been out through substitutes and reassigning other teachers in the building. We had an uptick of student and staff Covid cases when we returned from Winter Break. Since then, we have had a steady decrease in cases. We are hopeful that the community spread will continue to decrease through the next weeks and months. For now, it does not appear that Fairmount is at risk for any closure due to staff shortages. Our number one priority is for kids to be at school every day!

If you have a question, comment, or suggestion, please call the office or email me at Sally.Mills@jeffco.k12.co.us.

Proud parent of a Mindset Master? Download a copy here.

A Note From Your President

Books with the Birds
The PTA would like to thank everyone for your help in fundraising for Books with the Birds! Fairmount read a total of 408,788 minutes, which is more than 6,800 hours! We also raised $37,899! Congrats, Firebirds!

Thank you to Deb Brannon, Randell Davenport, and Julie Kreyche for organizing a successful fundraiser! Also, thank you to Laura Warren and Michelle Henricksen for assisting the team with getting awesome donations! Finally, parents, please don't forget to check out to fulfill your pledges on Bookswiththebirds.com.

PTA Meeting
Please join us today, Tuesday, February 1st, at 6:30 pm for our PTA meeting. We'll be meeting in the school library. You can also join online via zoom here. 

Valentine's Day Parties
Classroom parties will be held on Monday, February 14th. Room parents will be working with teachers to communicate party needs with parents soon!

Monthly Updates
  • Stock the Fridge
    This month, we welcome ALL families to sign up to bring in an item(s) to help stock the staff lounge. Items will be due on Tuesday, March 1, and collected by the main doors from 8:40 am-9:00 am. Sign up here! Thank you to all families who already donated treats for our staff this year! We appreciate your generosity!
  • Spirit Fridays
    Don't forget to send your kids in their Fairmount spirit wear on Fridays! Classes with the most spirit will win fun prizes throughout the rest of the year.
  • Fit Fun Club
    Students are invited for a morning of exploring yoga poses and building mind-body connection through meditation, breathing, and self-awareness on Thursday, February 17 at 7:40 am. Yoga mats provided. Sign up here. If you are in the fitness industry and would like to teach a class, please email Laura at 1laurakaufman@gmail.com.
  • Yearbooks on Sale
    Yearbook packages and individual items are available online at Fairmountpta.org through Friday, April 1, 2022. Yearbooks are distributed at the end of the year and can be signed by classmates. Purchase now, as you must preorder for end-of-year distribution.
  • King Soopers Rewards
    Thanks to everyone who is enrolled in King Soopers Community Rewards! For our participation between October and December, we earned $6,365.20! As always, the PTA refunds a portion of a participating family's earned rewards back to them, so if you submitted a screenshot in January, be on the lookout for that credit in your www.FairmountPTA.orgaccount by mid-February. If you are not yet enrolled and are interested in the program, please visit www.FairmountPTA.org or email GroceryCards@FairmountPTA.org for more information.
  • Before and After School Enrichment
    We are constantly updating the enrichment classes throughout the year and have a diverse selection for your child from dance, cooking, baking, art, music, STEM, etc. Make sure to check out our PTA Student Enrichment Website for the latest offerings, and be sure to click on "register here" to sign your child up for the class. Email enrichment@fairmountpta.org with any questions! 
  • Girls on the Run (GOTR) comes to Fairmount Elementary!
    Girls on the Run® is a physical activity-based youth development program for girls in 3rd-5th grade. Volunteer women coaches teach life skills through dynamic, interactive lessons and running games.

    We are excited to bring this fantastic program for young girls to Fairmount! Starting in the second week of March, the commitment is two practices a week for ten weeks on Mondays/Wednesdays after school for an hour and then ends with a celebratory 5K at the Colfax Marathon in May. Girls in grades 3rd-5th can register and it is $170 per child. More details on registration are coming soon. 

Talent Show Coming Soon!

Save the Date for Fairmount Elementary’s Annual Talent Show on Friday, April 22nd at 6:00 p.m.

Dress Rehearsal: April 21st after school 

Auditions: March 30h & 31th, 4:30-7 P.M.

Sign up here. 

We Need Parent Volunteers!

 Open Positions:

  • Fairmount 5K Committee to help organize our spring 5K fundraiser. No running experience is necessary! 
  • Sponsorship Coordinator to help with business and family sponsorships, and inclusion in our events.
  • Staff Appreciation Coordinator(s) to plan and facilitate staff appreciation week during the first week in May. 
  • Supply Tree Coordinator to work with teachers/staff on replenishing supplies after the first half of the year. 

If you're interested in helping us, please contact PTA VP, Laura Warren for more information. 

Cafeteria Menu
Library & Media Center Updates

Congratulations to these students who qualified to participate in our school Spelling Bee, which was held on Tuesday, Jan 25: Annie King, Ava Hasenkampf, Charlie Kline, Charlotte Wright, Chase Feaster, Chase Robinson, Eli Baron, Ellie Khailova, Emmett Blackwell, Everett Konegni, Isabella Bontrager, Jack Allen, Julia Becker, Julia Wilson, Kevin Kim, Noah Bierbrauer, Quinn Feaster, Rowan Eadens, Scarlett Hamilton, Shriya Chakraborty, and Vivian Pearson

CONGRATULATIONS to our winners! These two students will represent Fairmount at the Area Spelling Bee on Thursday, Feb 10: Champion - Julia Becker, 1st Runner Up - Isabella Bontrager.

Make Your Voice Heard
Students in grades 2-5 are in the process of completing our District’s Make Your Voice Heard survey. The survey allows students to provide feedback on our school’s climate, student-staff relationships, rigor, and relevance.

Colorado Children’s Book Award
All students at Fairmount will vote for their favorite Colorado Children’s Book Award (CCBA) book. Ten picture books and ten chapter books are nominated by students in Colorado each year. Primary students vote on their favorite picture book, and students in grades 3-5 have the opportunity to vote on their favorite picture and chapter books. The votes will be compiled and turned into the state committee that sponsors this event, and they will inform us of the state winner. It has been fun to read all of these great books!

Battle of the Books
The Fairmount Battle of the Books competition will take place on Wednesday, February, 23. Eight teams of 5th-grade students will test their knowledge of 10 different books. In addition, our top 2 teams will compete in the Jeffco Battle of the Books competition held virtually on March 1. Good luck to all of our competitors!

Digital Citizenship
Our students will engage in digital citizenship learning related to Relationships and Communication during February. Students will learn the importance of communicating respectfully with others while online. Whether chatting in games or texting with family members, having specific skills will help them build positive relationships. You can best support your child by modeling positive online behaviors.

Family Tips: Help Kids Make Friends and Interact Safely Online

English Spanish

Family Activity: Relationships & Communication

English Spanish

STEM Updates

Kindergarteners captured the wind! They learned about different tools scientists use to study the wind, and they learned how we use the wind to make our lives better. Students built a windsock and a weather vane in class. It won’t take long in Colorado to wait for a windy day to test the new tools!

First graders learned how Emperor Penguins care for their young. After rubber banding flippers to their feet, holding a pillow to their tummies, and placing an “egg” between their ankles, they had to waddle to their partner and transfer the “egg.” Snowy terrain (blankets and towels) and an arctic wind (fans) added to the already difficult challenge.

Second graders received their Dash driver’s licenses by completing 12 challenges, each more difficult than the last. Troubleshooting was in full throttle as students navigated new technology with their partners.

Third graders worked on mastering multiplication basic facts. Kahoot! Quizzes provided a friendly competition among mathematicians. Memorizing basic facts will make math so much easier this year and for many years to come. Keep practicing, third-grade math masters!

Fourth graders scientists stayed with the renewable energy theme this month. Using wind power (fans), these student engineers had to design a contraption that could catch the “wind” and transport “food” across a chasm. Engineers learned from failures in this activity, and innovation was thriving as designs were being altered and adjusted after each test.

Fifth graders explored Root Robots. Taking what they have learned about the coding world from Hour of Code, Mice, Dash, and Drones, students could code within their comfort level, choosing block, hybrid, or javascript. Creativity combined with coding!

Upcoming Events - Select Calendar(s) to be presented
Tuesday, February 1
6:30p PTA Meeting
Monday, February 21
President's Day - No School
Monday, March 21
Spring Break
Tuesday, March 22
Spring Break
Wednesday, March 23
Spring Break
Thursday, March 24
Spring Break
Friday, March 25
Spring Break
Friday, April 1
Last Day to Order Yearbooks
Friday, April 15
No School
Wednesday, May 25
Last Day of School
Thank You Sponsors

Please join us in thanking our 2020-2021 Sponsors. When you visit their business please let them know you are with Fairmount Elementary! Interested in sponsoring? Let us know!

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