Dear ACS Families,
A new program for our Core Virtues called the
Human Bean Awards has begun at ACS. Children and
staff can be given these awards during the week.
These awards are given anonymously to those people
who go above and beyond what is expected! We will
announce each week on Thursday afternoon the “winners” and
these names will also be displayed by the front
office. Please encourage your children to be “human
beans”.
We have had an increasing number of tardies throughout
this school year. To give you some hard data, in
August we had 409 tardies which averages out to
27 per day, in September we had 934 tardies which
averages out to 52 per day and so far in October
we have had 310 tardies which is 44 per day. We
expect students to be in their classrooms at 8:25,
not walking in the front door at that time. To
encourage more timely entry into our school, after
fall break, the front doors will be locked at 8:25
and those students not inside the building at this
time will have to be walked into the building by
their parents. Please model punctuality and timeliness
to our students. Parents are the greatest teachers
and role models for our students!
On Friday, our teachers will be working hard on
report cards and information for conferences on
October 25-26. Please check those backpacks for
conference confirmation forms. We look forward
to discussing your child’s success after
fall break!
This fall weather has been wonderful but Colorado
has a way of fooling us! I just wanted to let you
know of a Douglas County School District change
with snow days and late start days. Academy Charter
School will follow the “Castle View Feeder” schedule
for snow. DCSD has set up snow days according to
feeder areas instead of directional areas. Please
look for Castle View Feeder on bad weather days
on the news or the DCSD website.
The ACS staff and I want to wish you a fabulous
Fall Break. We hope you have fun, get rested, and
return ready to learn! Enjoy!
“Kind words can be short and easy to speak,
but their echoes are endless.” Mother Teresa Sincerely,
Yvette Brown
Academy Charter School Dean
browny@academycharter.org
Important
Dates
- October
12 Teacher Work Day
- October 13-21 Fall
Break
- October 22 School Resumes
- Week
of October 22 Book Fair
- October 24 Flu Shot
Clinic
- October 25-26 Parent/Teacher
Conferences
Fun Fact
The camel is sometimes called “the ship of
the desert” because of the way it seems to
roll as it walks. This rolling motion is caused
by the fact that a camel moves both legs on one
side of its body at the same time. Then it moves
both legs on the other side. The giraffe is another
animal that moves that way!
Fun Website
The Geography Guide
A world of geography quizzes and crosswords.
http://www.factmonster.com/spot/99geography1.html
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Dear Families and Friends of ACS,
I can’t believe it’s already time
for Fall Break…whew; the first quarter has
flown by! Here are some things to keep in mind
of when we return from break:
- Parent Portal Training-We
will be offering Parent Portal Training during
parent-teacher conferences
in the Middle School Computer Lab. You will
receive your log-in information as well as a
brief overview
regarding how to use the portal and some of
the features ACS will be using to communicate
to our
parents. The hours for this training will be
from 1:40-4:30 and from 6-7 on Thursday. On Friday,
the hours will be from 1:40-4:00. Parents of
elementary
students only will have limited information
on the portal such as attendance and reports.
Parents
of middle school students will have this information
as well as access to their student’s grades.
- Please note: If you already have a student
in a DCSD Middle School or High school, then
you
have your password to get into the portal.
When we return from Fall Break, you will be able
to
see your ACS student information in the parent
portal.
- EXTRA DRESS DOWN DAY FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL
STUDENTS ONLY: The extra dress down
day will be on Wednesday, October 24th, 2007.
Our middle
school students are being rewarded for their
commitment
for staying in dress code on a consistent
basis! Keep up the great work!
- Don’t forget, Parent-Teacher Conferences
are the week we return from Fall Break. Confirmation
slips have been sent out from elementary teachers
in grades K-5 and Middle School students who were
requested for a conference have been called and
verified by our office staff. Remember, conferences
will be for a 20 minute time frame, so if you have
more to discuss, please be sure to set up another
time to meet with your teacher while you’re
at conferences.
- Middle School report cards will
be available for pick up in the front lobby
on Thursday, October
25th, and Friday, October 26th, from 1:40-6:30
on Thursday and from 1:40-3:40 on Friday.
You can also pick up your Parent Portal log-in
number
at
that time.
- Middle School parents who have set appointments
for Thursday, October 25th, will meet with their
student’s teachers in their classrooms. Friday,
October 26th, will be a “drop-in” day
where parents can come by and visit with their
student’s middle school teacher(s) in the
Gym. Please note: If you still want to schedule
a specific time to meet with a middle school teacher,
please call the office on Friday, October 12th
to schedule a time for Thursday only. After this
date, teacher’s schedules will be set.
- Harvest
Parties will be held this year on Friday, November
2nd. Elementary teachers will
be sending out information regarding what time
their class party will be held, as well as how
to help in either this week’s newsletter
or in next week’s letter. Classroom Coordinators
for Middle School need to contact Dean Peters
regarding the Middle School Harvest Parties so
we can set
up a time to meet the week of October 22nd to
plan for this!
- I’d like to thank Mrs. Greer and
Mrs. Lindburg for treating the ACS staff and students
to the wonderful performances they provided us
this past Tuesday. Their Musical Drama elective
class performed, “Children of the World”,
a musical drama to our elementary and middle
school students. These talented students did
a fantastic
job and showed a great deal of courage. We are
so proud of them!
"Success is never final; failure is seldom
fatal. It is courage that counts." (Winston
Churchill) I hope you all have a safe and relaxing Fall Break!
Kendra Peters
Assistant Dean of Academy Charter School
email: petersk@academycharter.org
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ACS PTO & SKOW Photography present…
FAMILY PORTRAIT NIGHT!
Get that perfect family photo for the holidays
right here at ACS!
When: November 6, 7, & 8
Where: ACS Cafeteria
Cost: $20.00 Sitting Fee
Time: Appointments will begin
at 5:30 p.m.
Contact Misty O’Leary to schedule
your appointment today!
jimandmisty@comcast.net 303-688-6631
FREE 8x10 Photo Included!
Please click on the following link for the monthly
PTO newsletter.
ACS
PTO NEWSLETTER
ORIGINAL WORKS ORDERS DUE TODAY!
Just a quick note to remind you your Original Works
order(s) is due today, October 11th. Please complete
the order form, enclose cash or checks made payable
to ACS, your child’s artwork and bring it to
the front office by 3:30pm. We MUST have
all the orders by end of day to ensure we get our
products
in time for the holidays.
Thank you for supporting the art department! Please
contact me if you have any questions.
Cindy Hazlehurst
303-688-9134
2007-2008
Four Application/Information meetings have been
scheduled for your convenience to learn more about
the International Baccalaureate Program at Douglas
County High School.
“The International Baccalaureate (IB) offers
high quality programmes of international education
to a worldwide community of schools. Our three programmes
for students aged 3 to 19 help develop the intellectual,
personal, emotional and social skills to live, learn
and work in a rapidly globalizing world. There are
more than 566,000 IB students at 2,121 schools in
125 countries.” IBO
Current 8th grade, 9th grade and 10th grade students
who enjoy learning and an educational challenge are
invited to attend. Your parents/guardians are invited
to attend as well.
All meetings will be at 7 PM and the location will
be in the Commons/Cafeteria Area.
We invite you to the evening of your choice. A presentation
will be made, there will be a time for questions
and answers, and application information will be
shared.
Websites of interest prior to attending a meeting
are:
www.ibo.org
www.huskieibpo.com
www1.dcsdk12.org/secondary/dchs/index.php?pagenum=
119
- Thursday October 25th Cresthill Middle School – Highlands
Ranch – 303-387-2800
- Thursday November 1st Sagewood
Middle School – Parker
(south) – 303-387-4300
- Thursday November 8th
Douglas County High School - Castle Rock – 303-387-1109
- Monday
November 12th Sierra Middle School – Parker
(north) – 303-387-3800
Application Deadline for the IB Program at DCHS
for the school year of 2008-2009 is Monday,
December 3rd, 2007.
Saturday,
November 3rd, Douglas County School District is sponsoring
a Community Night with the Colorado Avalanche. The
Avalanche will be playing the Vancouver Canucks at
8:00 p.m. at the Pepsi Center. Tickets are available
in the school office for $20.00 each (normally a
$25-$38.00 ticket). Let’s support the Douglas
County Educational Foundation by enjoying an exciting
hockey game!
The deadline to purchase Avalanche tickets
is fast approaching—October 12th! Order
forms for tickets are available in the school office.
Take Care of your yard winterization needs and help
Academy Charter School 8th Graders raise money for
their trip to Washington D.C.
Aerate (Front and Back) $30.00
($5.00 of each job towards trip)
Winter Fertilization $20.00 ($5.00
of each job towards trip)
Sprinkler Blow-out $30.00 ($10.00
of each job towards trip)
Special Package Deal Save $5.00:
All 3 services for $75.00 ($20.00 still will go to
trip fund)
Jobs done by Dennis and Katelyn Caldwell
303 660-3815
Don’t Miss Bead Like That!
What: PTO Enrichment is excited to offer something
different this year! Open to boys and girls, K-8,
Charis James from “Bead Like That” will
be offering three classes. Students will make bookmarks,
key chains and necklaces. For a less feminine look,
twine leather and various wood beads will be available,
as well as a wide variety of other beading materials.
When/Where: Mondays, October 29th, November 5th
and November 12th from 4:00 to 5:00 in the Elementary
Art Room.
Cost: $35 (includes all materials)
How to Sign up: Please email or call Emily Ragan
at ceragan1@msn.com or 720-733-1483 to sign up. If
emailing, please include child’s name, parent’s
name(s), phone number and number where you may be
reached during class time. Please make checks payable
to ACS and specify in the memo line: Bead Like That.
Remember, Christmas is just around the corner. What
a great gift one of these projects would make for
a friend or family member. Come in and try something
new!
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Governing Board News
Sept 13, 2007
GB Meeting highlights
The Governing Board held
its monthly general meeting this past Monday
evening. Highlights are given
below, but plan to attend meetings for more
complete information. There was discussion about
monies
the school receives from the bond election,
from having a functioning SAC, and by being compliant
with the new World Language requirement,
and what parameters exist as to how this money
can
be spent.
It was recommended by a police officer to get
two, and possibly three, more security cameras
so that the parking lot and the day care/pre-school
area will be covered. Our security system is set
up so that it can handle several more cameras.
We are looking into whether we can upgrade the
resolution of images and get color rather than
black and white.
Dean Peters explained that the University of Virginia
has approached ACS about participating in a research
study on the positive effects of Core Knowledge
on children’s learning. ACS is one of several
Core Knowledge Charter Schools selected nationwide.
A select group of students would be monitored from
Kindergarten through second grade. Teachers involved
would be eligible for a small stipend and the school
would receive funds for participating as well.
The administration is looking into whether ACS
will be involved or not.
The entire ACS teaching staff will attend a Core
Knowledge conference in Colorado Springs November
9-10. Dean Brown reiterated how excited everyone
is to attend as a group and focus on the Core Knowledge
curriculum. The in-service day scheduled for Monday,
November 12 was moved to Friday, November 9 to
accommodate attending the conference. As
a result, there will be no school for students
on November
9.
Plans are underway to have a Parent Portal up
and running for the second quarter of the school
year. The Parent Portal utilizes Infinite Campus,
a program designed to allow parents to access their
student’s assignments and grades online.
It is currently in use at Douglas County high schools.
ACS parents will have an opportunity to learn how
to access this information during the upcoming
parent-teacher conferences.
Middle school students have earned an extra dress
down day due to their impressive behavior in following
the school’s dress code. Wednesday, October
24th will be the extra dress down day for middle-schoolers
only.
The School Improvement Plan was detailed at the
meeting. The deans and the staff have come up with
three main goals and actions plans on how to accomplish
these goals. Attending the Core Knowledge conference
in November will serve to accomplish Goal Number
2 - aligning our Core Knowledge curriculum with
district and state standards.
Technology purchases are underway, with 45 new
computers planned for our teachers. We are updating
our webpage, and also hope to eliminate any spam
you have been receiving. Additionally, there will
be upgrades to our email software and servers.
SAC report
Thanks to everyone who attended last night’s
SAC meeting! The School Improvement Plan which
outlines the goals and action plans for ACS this
year was discussed. We had great parent involvement
and input which really impacts the quality of our
school! Dean Brown and the staff did a great job
putting the SIP together. ACS is on a clear path
for academic excellence with the plan that’s
been laid out. We’ll be getting updates through
the year on how the goals are being reached and
whether the school is on track. Watch for details
coming in our next meeting in November!
Homeschool report
The homeschool program continues to do well, according
to director Elizabeth Lawson. She is currently
is working on having all three off-site locations
stocked and self-sufficient. Like ACS, the homeschool
has also had to adjust their daily time schedule
to meet district standards.
Committee reports
Academic - The name of the Gifted/Talented Committee
will change to Enrichment Programming. The Academic
Committee would like to help parents understand
the importance of CSAPs, and a letter of explanation
should be coming home in the future.
Operations - Exterior painting of the maroon accent
color on the building will be completed over fall
break.
Strategic Planning – Plans are underway
for the next Middle School Information Night, sometime
in mid-November. The committee is also looking
at teacher retention and comparing ACS to the Douglas
County School District to see where we are and
how we can improve.
Communications
The fall parent survey will be given online during
Parent-Teacher Conferences in the elementary
computer lab on October 25 and 26, or by email
to your home from October 29 through November
9.
GB Meeting Night to Change in November
The next general Governing Board meeting is set
for Tuesday, November 13 at 6 p.m. in the cafeteria.
Please note that we moved this meeting to a Tuesday
night! This is in direct response to comments
from the last parent survey, when parents asked
to change at least one GB meeting night to something
other than a Monday. A working session for the
board will be held Wednesday, October 24 at 5
p.m. in the conference room. All interested parents
and staff are welcome.
Shoo the Flu and Pneumonia Too!
Front Range Flu Shots, LLC will be providing
flu and pneumococcal immunizations here at
ACS in the Cafeteria on Wednesday October
24th from 8 am to 10 am. This is for all family
and friends of ACS.
Note, staff will be allowed to go ahead of the
line so that they can get back to class.
Cost:
-
Flu Shot $23
-
Flu Mist $30
-
Pneumococcal Shot $42
See Policies below. For questions, indications,
side effects go to the Front Range Flu Shots’ website
at http://www.frontrangeflu.com
Contact Jaynee Hodgkins at JMHodgkins@msn.com to reserve a Flu Mist Nasal Spray or for additional
questions. Shots do not have to be reserved.
Front Range Flu Shots’ Policies
FLU SHOT
-
Age Policy: Must be
4 years or older to receive a flu shot. A parent
or legal guardian
must be present.
-
Insurance: No cost for those covered by the
following insurance plans: Medicare Part B or
Railroad
Medicare Part B (when your primary insurance
plan), Humana Gold Choice PFFS, Rocky
Mountain Health Plans or Secure Horizons. Insurance
card must be presented. Other insurances may be accepted.
-
Age Policy: Must be 18 years or older to receive a pneumonia
shot.
-
Insurance: If Medicare Part B or Railroad
Medicare Part B is your primary insurance,
ask the
nurse if you are eligible for a pneumococcal shot at
no cost when insurance card is presented.
**FluMist NASAL SPRAY (Upon Availability)
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