Dear Family and Friends of ACS,

Next week we will be holding Parent/Teacher Conferences. Please review the conference information below:

• Parents of Elementary students-
  1. Don’t forget that it is at your Parent/Teacher Conference time that you can discuss or turn in a written request to your student’s teacher, if you would like to request a teacher for your student(s) next year. Our teachers do the best they can to honor requests as they complete the class lists for next year; however, we cannot guarantee that all requests will be honored, since this is impossible. Thank you for your support for this school policy.
  2. The allotted 20 minute conference time is for teachers to share each student’s progress on report cards and SSLP’s. If you have a concern to discuss with your student’s teacher, please request a future meeting with the teacher at the end of the conference.

• Parents of Middle School students-
  1. Report cards will be available for parents to pick up at carpool on Thursday.
  2. Thursday will, once again, be an open time that all parents can visit their student’s teachers. No appointment is necessary and you may visit all classes or the classes you choose.
  3. Friday will be Parent/Teacher conferences with parents our Middle School teachers have requested. Parents may also request a conference if they feel they need one. This day is by appointment only!

• All Parents-
  1. Once again, we tried to coordinate Elementary and Middle School times for your convenience.
  2. Don’t forget that these days are Early Release days. Students will be released for carpool starting at 12:40.
  3. Conferences will start at 1:40 and run until 6:00 each night.
  4. PTO is also still looking for parents who would be willing to bring a potluck item for the staff luncheons on both Thursday and Friday. If you can help out, please contact Jackie Radcliffe at 303-663-7498 or Jackie_radcliffe@msn.com and let her know which lunch you can help out with:
     • Thursday – Mexican Lunch
     • Friday -- Italian Lunch

The week of April 3 -7 is Educational Assistant Week! This year our theme is ‘The Ladies Club.’ Please give our wonderful assistants a ‘thank-you’ as you drive through carpool or when you come into the building for all they do for our kids!

Soaring Hawk Elementary is offering a Parent Workshop about Internet Safety for Kids. There are alarming statistics about the exploitation and solicitation of school age children over the internet, and this workshop will center around keeping your students safe while on the internet. If you would like more information about this workshop, please stop by our office for a copy of the registration form.

A Look Ahead:

• Thursday, March 16- Parent/Teacher Conferences- Early Dismissal
• Friday, March 17- Parent/Teacher Conferences- Early Dismissal
• Friday, March 24- Dress Down Day
• Friday, March 24- Elementary Virtue Assembly, 8:50, Cafeteria
• Friday, March 24- MS Virtue Assembly, 2:50, Cafeteria
• Friday, March 24- MS and Specials Newsletter goes home
• Friday, March 24- MS Movie Night!
• Monday, March 27-March 31- Spring Break- School Closed
• Week of April 3-7- Educational Assistants Appreciation Week!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Kindra Whitmyre-Nelson
Dean of Academy Charter School
email: nelsonk@academycharter.org
web: http://www.academycharter.org/deannelson

Dear ACS Families and Friends,

Students in grades 3-8 will be testing for CSAP starting next week! Please keep in mind that all testing times in the morning begin at 9:45 a.m. and afternoon times begin at 1:30 .m. We would ask that you schedule any appointments around these times if at all possible so we can have the best testing environment for our wonderful ACS students! Elementary teachers have CSAP snack sign up sheets posted outside their classrooms and classroom coordinators for middle school have sent out communication to organize the snacks for our middle school students. We appreciate your assistance with this!

3rd Grade:

• Tuesday, March 14th, and Wednesday, March 15th, in the morning both days.
• Tuesday, March 21st in the morning and afternoon.

4th Grade:

• Tuesday, March 14th, morning and afternoon; Wednesday, March 15th, morning and afternoon; Thursday, March 16th, morning only.
• Tuesday, March 21st, morning and afternoon; Wednesday, March 22nd, morning and afternoon.

5th Grade:

• Tuesday, March 14th, morning and afternoon; Wednesday, March 15th, morning and afternoon; Thursday, March 16th morning; Friday, March 17th morning.
• Tuesday, March 21st, morning and afternoon, Wednesday, March 22nd, morning and afternoon; Thursday, March 23rd, morning and afternoon.

6th Grade:

• Tuesday, March 14th, morning and afternoon; Wednesday, March 15th, morning and afternoon; Thursday, March 16th morning only.
• Tuesday, March 21st, morning and afternoon; Wednesday, March 22nd, morning and afternoon.

7th Grade:

• Tuesday, March 14th, morning and afternoon; Wednesday, March 15th, morning and afternoon; Thursday, March 16th, morning only.
• Tuesday, March 21st, morning and afternoon; Wednesday, March 22nd, morning and afternoon;

8th Grade:

• Tuesday, March 14th, morning and afternoon; Wednesday, March 15th, morning and afternoon; Thursday, March 16th, morning; Friday, March 17th, morning.
• Tuesday, March 21st, morning and afternoon, Wednesday, March 22nd, morning and afternoon; Thursday, March 23rd, morning and afternoon.

Please remember, for the most favorable testing experience, it is important to have your student well rested the night before these tests, that they have a good healthy breakfast, and come to school on time!

Student Council hosted an All School CSAP Spirit Week this past week and it has been fun to see so many students and staff showing off their spirit! We will conclude Spirit Week with a CSAP kick-off rally in the ACS gym on Friday, March 10th.

Student Council is also hosting a Middle School “Movie Night” on Friday, March 24th, from 4:00-8:00 in the gym. The movies that will be shown are: The Corpse Bride and Star Wars Episode III. Details regarding movie night will be listed under the “Movie Night” banner later in the newsletter.

Mrs. Runyan will be hosting a Talent Show for grades 3-5 on Thursday, April 27th, from 5:30-7:30 in the ACS gym. A sign-up sheet for auditions will be posted outside Mrs. Runyan’s room when we return from spring break. These auditions will be held the week of April 10th. More details will be coming soon!

Parents of 8th Graders: We need your help! Mr. Hall is preparing the 8th grade graduation video and he needs some “baby” pictures of each of our 8th grade students. These pictures can be anywhere from infant to 3-4 years of age! Please send the pictures in a marked, sealed envelope and turn them into the office. We want this to be a surprise for our graduates! Your pictures will be returned once the video is completed!

Since spring is just around the corner, I’d like to share with you this year’s Spring Music Program dates:

• Tuesday, April 25th, after school orchestra, will be performing in the library at 6:30 p.m.
• Tuesday, May 2nd K-1 spring program, 6:30 p.m.
• Tuesday, May 9th, Band Spring Concert, 6:30 p.m.
• Tuesday, May 16th, 2-3 spring program, 6:30 p.m.
• Tuesday, May 23rd, 4-5 spring program, 6:30 p.m.

Mark your calendar now for these events. Dean Nelson will be including them in her “Look Ahead” section of the newsletter in the very near future.

Thank you as always for your support of Academy Charter School!

Kendra Peters
Assistant Dean of Academy Charter School
email: petersk@academycharter.org

Our ACS volunteers are doing a great job! Thanks for being so faithful in contributing time to our school. A special thanks to Joanne Secrist and Julie Witonsky for helping to prepare the CSAP math tools for our students. We also need parents to contribute snacks for our CSAP testing the next two weeks. Please sign up with your individual teachers for the elementary students and contact the classroom coordinators for middle school students.

As I see all these wonderful baskets that you all have put together for the PTO, I know many of you have contributed your time and talent to this project—thank you! You will be able to view these baskets next week during Parent/Teacher Conferences.

I have some volunteer needs now---we are really in need of a soccer coach for the girls’ soccer team. If you have played or feel you can encourage our soccer players, please contact Lisa Arnell or me. Practices should start next week after school and games are scheduled from April 4 through May 11th.

We also need volunteers to prepare food for the teachers’ lunch on our parent/teacher conference days, March 16th and March 17th. They are doing a Mexican lunch on Thursday and an Italian lunch on Friday---this is an easy way to get some volunteer time and this is something you do at your own home! Please contact Jackie Radcliffe at 303-663-7498 to let her know how you can help.

Please note the special request for volunteers in this newsletter for help with the Education Expo.

The following have completed at least 20 hours: Marta-Karin Bolling & Jim Tsurapas, Lori & Jorge Burgos, Kristen & Brad Bushlack, Barb & Dave Cocetti, Sara & Michael Connolly, Denise & James Cooper, Kathleen & James Goings, Kathleen & Thomas Hedeen, Renee & Don Helvey, Diane & Bill Henry, Cherylyn & Andy Holdefer, Alice & Chris James, Danniele & Conrad Lagace, Victoria & Scott Mann, Kelly & Curt Miller, Kathleen & Mark Neel, Jennifer & Richard Orr, Devne & Timothy Patterson, and Greg Polashock.

We have accumulated a total of 7414 hours! Thanks for “Making a Difference”!

PARENTS! WE NEED YOUR HELP!

The Education Expo is a wonderful opportunity to get those volunteer hours in. We have plenty of needs and would appreciate the help!

Below is a list of volunteers we still need:

• 2 more for Silent Auction Baskets on 3/16 (1 a.m. & 1 p.m.)
• 6 more for Silent Auction Baskets on 3/17 (3 a.m. & 3 p.m.)
• 3 more for Sign In/Sign Out committee on 5/13 (all day)
• 4 Bathroom Monitors (9-12:30) on 5/13
• 4 Bathroom Monitors (12:15-4:00) on 5/13
• 4 Hall Monitors (9-12:30) on 5/13
• 4 Hall Monitors (12:15-4:00) on 5/13
• 4 Classroom Volunteers (9:00-12:30) on 5/13
• 4 Classroom Volunteers (12:15-4:00) on 5/13
• PHOTOGRAPHER

If you are able to volunteer, please contact Wendy Walker via e-mail at dwwalker1990@msn.com , or by calling 303-814-9192.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THOSE WHO HAVE ALREADY STEPPED FORWARD TO HELP!

ACS ART GALLERY OPENS NEXT WEEK!

The halls of ACS will be covered with masterpieces created by our students. Please come in during parent / teacher conferences or during carpool times and enjoy these beautiful creations. This year we will be awarding first, second and third place ribbons to the students whose artwork is voted best in their grade by our panel of distinguished ACS judges. These award winners will also have a special showing of their artwork at the Philip S. Miller library!

Need a gift for Mother’s Day? Original Works has introduced a brand new product for Spring. It is a mini photo album that holds thirteen 4x6 photos with your child’s artwork on the cover. You could also have your child’s artwork made into garden flags, posters, mugs, ceramic tiles, aprons, note cards, potholders, shirts, sweatshirts, journals and more. We’ll be sending order forms, product brochures and your child’s artwork home in their Friday Folders on March 24th. Orders will be due on Monday, April 10th.

This is a wonderful fundraiser for the art department. We thank you for your support. If you have any questions, please call me at 303-688-9134 or speak with Ms. Marsh or Ms. Heiberger after school.

Cindy Hazlehurst
ACS Original Works Coordinator

Click here for more details on movie night

The March Governing Board meeting will be held at 6:00 p.m. Monday evening, March 13, at the school. This is a reminder to all ACS parents that they have only a few more opportunities to fulfill their one Governing Board meeting requirement for the year.

Also, results from the recent parent survey have been compiled and summarized. They will be available at the Governing Board meeting on Monday, and will also be sent out next week. Many thanks to those parents who participated in the survey.

And coming up in April is the election for open Governing Board positions for the 2006-2007 school year. Complete election details will be included in next week’s ACS newsletter.

ATTENTION ACS COMMUNITY

One of our final fundraisers for the 8th graders going to Washington, D.C. will be selling Butter Braids. These delicious light and flaky pastry treats will be available for order during Parent-Teacher Conferences, March 16th and 17th. Don’t find yourself or your freezer without a couple of these stored for any occasion. Look for our table in the Lobby. They will be delivered just in time for Easter on April 13th.

Cay Schweers
303-660-5235

Remember, during parent teacher conferences on March 16th and March 17th, classroom baskets will be displayed for bidding. The baskets will also be displayed for bidding before and after school on March 20th and March 21st, and again before the 6:30 p.m. PTO General Meeting on March 21st. Basket Winners will be announced after the March 21st meeting, but you do not have to be present to win! Baskets will be on display in the hall of the school during the above mentioned times, where you can view the baskets and enter your bids on the bid sheets attached to each basket.

Due to state requirements, the PTO ended up having to auction the baskets instead of the original idea of raffling them during the Education Expo. The PTO searched for an alternative to auction the baskets that would not require an excessive need for volunteers. The display and bidding of the baskets during Parent/Teacher Conferences and before and after school a couple of days prior to the General PTO Meeting, was the best alternative to hold the auction with minimal volunteer requirements. The PTO felt that managing the need for parent volunteers prior to the Education Expo fundraiser in May, which will be the “big” fundraiser for the year, would be appreciated by the ACS community.

Thank you for your patience and support through the unavoidable changes that had to occur for this fundraiser!

Thank you in advance, to all the parents that supported their classroom’s basket. Sincerest thanks to the classroom coordinator’s that gave so much of their time organizing this effort.

Let the bidding begin!!!!!

Chick-fil-A Monthly Restaurant Day

Mark your calendars for the Thursday, March 16th, for Chick-fil-A Restaurant Days. You can stop by the Chick-fil-A on Founders Parkway ANY TIME (breakfast, lunch or dinner) and tell them you are with Academy Charter School. Drive-thru is fine too. Best of all, this year they are offering more generous splits above the standard 10% based on the ACS generated sales that day. Please take advantage of this easy fundraiser to help the school, enjoy some good food and friends, and hopefully make your life easier as well.

We raised $102 in February because we reached the 15% donation level. If the turnout is good enough, we can even reach 20%. Thanks to all who ventured out on that cold and snowy night.

Reminders will be sent home in the Friday folder the week before and in the various newsletters and emails. There will be one more big Restaurant Night before the end of the year as well.

Check out our Spirit Week website. Students and Staff were asked to dress as their favorite hero or villian. Click here to see some of ACS's most notorious heroes and villians. See if you can recognize who these people are.