Dear Family and Friends of ACS,

A Look Ahead:

• Tuesday, May 2- Scholastic Book Fair Ends!
• Tuesday, May 2- Girls Soccer Game- home- 4:00
• Tuesday, May 2- K-1 Spring Program, Gym, 6:30 pm
• Monday, May 8- Friday, May 12- Teacher Appreciation Week!
• Tuesday, May 9- Band Program, Gym, 6:30 pm
• Saturday, May 13- Education Expo
• Tuesday, May 16- 2-3 Spring Program, Gym, 6:30 pm
• Wednesday, May 17- 6th Grade Prince and the Pauper plays, 9:15, 11:30 and 1:45
• Tuesday, May 23- 4-5 Spring Program, Gym, 6:30 pm
• Thursday, May 25- 8th Grade Graduation, Gym, 6:30
• Friday, May 26- Last Day of School- End of Fourth Quarter & Dress Down Day!
• Friday, May 26- Kindergarten Graduation, Gym, 9:00

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

Dear ACS Families and Friends,

We’re keeping very busy here at ACS with a lot of fun and entertaining events.

The 3-5 grade Talent Show will be held tonight in the ACS gym and the performances begin at 5:30 p.m.

Shadow day for our 5th graders will be held the week of May 8th. Each 5th grade class will be taking a day that week and each student in that class will be shadowing a 6th grader for the day. Your 5th grade teacher will have information regarding this in their newsletter this week as well as next week. If you have any questions, please let them know!

The Book Fair is set up in the Library and Mrs. Zoetewey is ready for our ACS students and families to come in and shop for your reading pleasure! The Book Fair will run from Thursday, April 27th, through Monday, May 1st. Mrs. Zoetewey has more information regarding this under the banner, “Book Fair” later in the newsletter.

Parents of 8th Graders: We’ve received many baby pictures of our 8th grade graduates, but we still need your help! Please send the pictures in a marked, sealed envelope and turn them into the office. We want to be sure ALL of our 8th graders are included, so please send those photos in! Your pictures will be returned once the video is completed! Thank you to those who have already sent your photos in and we’re anxiously waiting to see the rest of our 8th grade graduates!

The Middle School Student Council has been in full swing with their fundraising campaign which will help support the battle against Leukemia and Lymphoma. Ms. Been will be finding out tomorrow how much money was raised as well as which class will be entitled to the catered lunch! She will let everyone know the amount collected and the classroom winner in next week’s newsletter! Thank you to everyone who made donations to this fundraiser!

The orchestra concert this past Tuesday was such a treat! It was evident students had really practiced on their musical pieces! Thank you to Mr. Ross, Mrs. Sowter, and the orchestra students for such a nice evening!

The rest of our musical performances for the spring are listed below:

• 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.

Don’t forget, our last testing day for the school year will be held this Friday, April 28th.

Last but not least, Six Flags-Elitch Gardens in conjunction with Mix 100 is offering an incentive for students who have straight A’s. On Friday, June 9th, 2006 bring your report card or proof of grades to Six Flags Elitch Gardens before noon and you’ll get in that day for FREE! Call Elitches for more information and details at 303-595-4386.

Thank you again for you support of ACS, our staff and our students!

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

How is everyone doing? I am sure you are thinking that the pace is quickening and you can’t keep up. May is always such a busy month with so many events scheduled. The one event that I would like for you to keep in mind is the Volunteer Appreciation Breakfast. The staff will be preparing a wonderful breakfast in your honor and we would love to see all of you come and have breakfast on Thursday, May 4th, from 8:00 to 9:00. I look forward to seeing many of you here! Click here to see your official invitation….

The following families have completed at least 20 hours: Melanie Chipman, Carolyn & Harold Kouts, Melanie & Steve Spooner, Teresa & George Tracy, Jenny & Scott VerBerkmoes, Elizabeth White, Denise & Twain Wilkins, Julie & Barny Witonsky, and Michelle & David Wilson. Congratulations, and please stop by the office for your license plate holder!

To date our wonderful volunteers have completed a total of 8,726 hours, which is an average of 26 hours per family! Unfortunately, 46 of our families have yet to contribute a single hour toward their commitment. Please, if you haven't yet logged your time, do so. And if you are still short hours, please contact one of our PTO committee members to help with the Education Expo. Remember, you committed to giving 20 hours of volunteer time when your student enrolled at ACS.

On a happier note, the following families have really been over-achievers---they all have more than 100 hours!

• Kate Fischer, 262 hours
• Mary Anderson, 254 hours
• Misty O’Leary, 240 hours
• Brenda Knight, 237 hours
• Cindy Hazlehurst, 188 hours
• Eileen Woodzell, 155 hours
• Mauri Mays, 131 hours
• Shelly Silla, 130 hours
• Jaynee Hodgkins, 120 hours
• Jessica Herbert, 112 hours
• Emily Whittemore, 111 hours
• Scott Mann, 110 hours
• Clayton Watson, 105 hours
• Julie Harkins, 104 hours

Congratulations, and thank you for working so hard and “Making a Difference” at ACS!

Anne Belfrage
Volunteer Coordinator
belfragea@academycharter.org

Governing Board News
April 27, 2006

Only Two GB Meetings Remain – Have You Been to One This Year?

This coming Monday, May 8, is the second-to-last Governing Board meeting to be held for the 2005-2006 school year. The meeting will be held at the school at 6:00 p.m. in the cafeteria. All ACS parents are required to attend at least one GB meeting per year, so if you have not yet done so – here’s your chance to find out what’s going on at ACS! Remember – the Governing Board is made up of ACS parents just like you. Come to the meeting and be an involved member of the ACS community. Please contact board member Cynthia Heikes at cdfheikes@msn.com or call 303-814-1589 if you would like more information.

ACS Spring Art Show and Opening

Winners of the 2006 ACS Spring Art Show will have their work on display at the Philip S. Miller Library in Castle Rock from May 5th through May 17th. Come to view the exhibit of colorful and creative pieces made by our very own students!

Plan to join the artists at the show’s opening on May 5th for a reception held at the library from 5 to 7 p.m. Refreshments will be served.

Many thanks to ACS Elementary Art teacher Amy Marsh, for making this exhibit possible!

Student Council:

Pennies for Patient Drive ends today! We will be collecting the coins and determining the winners on Monday. I will announce in next week newsletter which class won the lunch party and what our totals are!

Drama:

Set aside some time next weekend to come see the Drama club production: Hurricane Smith and the Garden of the Golden Monkey! It’s adventure and fun for the whole family! Friday, May 5th at 6:00 and Saturday, May 6th and 2:00. $3.00 for adults and $2.00 for students. Click here for more info.

Mrs. Solita’s 6th grade Language Arts classes will be performing The Prince and the Pauper, one of their core literature pieces. Performances will be held at three different times on Wednesday, May 17th. The first block will perform at 9:15; the second block will perform at 11:30; and the third block will perform at 1:45. Parents of 6th graders are cordially invited to come and enjoy their budding actors and actresses perform this touching story which explores “walking a mile in someone else’s shoes”.

Six Flags Elitch Gardens Night

Douglas County School District is having a special night at Six Flags again this year on Friday, May 5th, 4:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.. The Douglas County Educational Federation sets up this private night for our school district to go and enjoy all the fun at Elitch’s when it is not so crowded. Tickets are only $20.00 (regular admission is $44.99)—what a deal! Please come to the school office to purchase your tickets. Academy Charter does receive a portion of the proceeds from this event.

Soy Milk Available for Lunches

Soy milk is now the substitute for milk for students that have allergies/intolerance to milk. The Soy milk will replace the juice that is substituted at this time. The Soy milk will be included with the reimbursable lunches for those students. All other students will need to pay the ala carte price of $.75. Starting July 1, 2006, only Soy (Silk) milk will be offered as a substitute for allergies/intolerance to milk. At that time, juice will no longer be available as a substitute for milk.

Spring Pictures – 2nd Chance

Skow Photography has generously extended the deadline for ordering the class pictures. We have more order envelopes in the office for you to order the group class pictures that were taken yesterday. The deadline to order these pictures is Wednesday, May 3rd.