Weekly Update
Denver Options Update
March 5, 2010
· Hey! Look! The Friday Update is actually out on FRIDAY instead of Saturday morning! It is a big one, so get a cup of tea or whatever, and enjoy the news…
· I have heard such wonderful things about our kids and teachers again this week! It sounds like Ameritowne was a spectacular success. I can’t wait to hear about International Towne next week. It also sounds like the robot presentation was enjoyed by all. The officers who came were very impressed by our kids!! Thank you Mrs. McCormick for getting us excited about robots!! Great Job Guys!!!
· Make sure and read the updates from our Art and Spanish teachers at the end of the Update this week! The classes are doing such great things; you don’t want to miss out!!
· Look for details about our Spring Chorus Concert in next week’s update!
· Parent teacher conferences are this month. Be aware that we’ll have early dismissal March 23, and a room where the kids can play while you talk to teachers. I’ll also have a table for a group discussion, and to listen to your suggestions for next fall.
· Please return your re-enrollment information ASAP. They are DUE before Spring Break. So we can begin planning. I’ve attached it here in case you missed the one in your box last week! We’ll hold an Open House/ Shadow day on April 20. Feel free to invite your friends who would like to check DO out to come with you that day. If they enroll, they can attend the May book fair and order free books. (See below)
· If you have registered your child for the IOWA test, please remember that this is a life experience, (learning to take a standardized test), and not the final word on what you’ve taught them. These kids have been taught so many things that don’t register on a ‘fill in the bubble’ test. No test can measure the gifts you give your kids every day!!
· Dr. Synnott and members of the administration met with the members of CDE this week. Options continues to be accepted as a part of APS and the Colorado Department of Education. All current locations will be funded for the future. Contrary to any rumors you may have heard, we continue to have a good relationship with both the CDE , APS and the homeschooling community. Pretty cool hu?
What is coming up at Denver Options?
March 9 Parent Helper: Nancy Stewart
March 10 International Towne Field trip- 9:15 – 2:30
Volunteers Wendy Bristol and Ivette Pisano
Young Americans Center for Financial Education
3550 East First Avenue
Denver, Colorado 80206
March 16 Wear Your Green!
Parent Helper:Michele Connors
March 17, 19 IOWA Test at Galilee 8:45-12:15
March 23 Early Dismissal- 1:30 as per the calendar.
Conferences Offered, 2-4 A bell will ring every 10 minutes. If you need longer than this with a teacher, please make an appointment.
Parent Helper: Jennifer Woodworth-Smith
March 30 Spring Break – NO CLASSES!!
April 6 Parent Helper: Becky Vermeer
April 13 Slippers day- (Bring Shoes for PE and recess)
Parent Helper: Esther VanHeukelem
April 20 OPEN HOUSE! Bring your friends to have their questions answered, and allow the kids to ‘shadow’ for the day. We’ll have a parent question/ answer session as well as welcoming the kids to experience the classes.
Parent Helper: Jennifer Woodworth-Smith
April 27 Parent Helper: Janice Tepper
** 2nd – 10th grade PE Classes will go to the park sometime in April weather permitting, details will follow.
May 4 Biography Fair- Dress as a famous person
Parent Helper: Andrea Toupin
Wednesday May 5, 2010- Book Fair!!
9am-3pm (Book Fair crew packs books at 3pm and departs thereafter)
Fellowship Community Church
6263 S. Parker Rd.
Centennial, CO 80016 (from Parker Rd and Arapahoe Rd intersection, go one stop light north, and church is on west side of street)
This is for the following sites: FCC, Castle Rock, Aurora, Denver, New Life, Orchard, Greenwood , Village
May 11 Parent Helper: Esther VanHeukelem
May 18 Last Day Celebrations and Clean- Up
Parent Helper: Lindsey Shaklee and Janice Tepper
BOOK FAIR INFORMATION MAY 2010
Dear parents of currently enrolled Options students:
Please note and plan to attend one of the book fairs below. There are three book fairs. Please realize that there are 16 sites all the way north to Greeley/ Ft. Collins area and south to Castle Rock. With the hundreds of books available and over 1600 students enrolled in the program this year, we are attempting to strategically accommodate all families. The 3 book fair dates, times and locations are below:
PLEASE NOTE THAT ANYONE CAN ATTEND ANY BOOK FAIR. WE STRONGLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO ATTEND ONE OF THESE FAIRS TO VIEW YOUR CURRICULUM SELECTIONS FOR NEXT YEAR. THERE WILL BE LIMITED ABILITY TO VIEW THESE TEXTBOOKS UNTIL THE FALL, THEN YOU RISK YOUR ORDER NOT BEING PLACED. Watch your email for further book information, Curriculum Description, price list,Book Fair Guidelines etc.
For students new to Options in 2010-2011 school year: parents are welcome to attend the Book Fairs, we will take your completed book order, and check to pay for any consumables purchased on the Book Fair day and hold it until registration paper work (including copy of birth certificate and immunization record) is completed and received by the main Options office in Aurora. Remember that all sales are final, so no refunds will be available.
Parents, please realize that viewing the books can be time consuming and difficult with children present. Your children are welcome but need to remain with you at all times and have quiet activities to keep them occupied while others are reviewing the books.
Please ask your site coordinator for any further questions.
Wednesday May 5, 2010
9am-3pm (Book Fair crew packs books at 3pm and departs thereafter)
Fellowship Community Church
6263 S. Parker Rd.
Centennial, CO 80016 (from Parker Rd and Arapahoe Rd intersection, go one stop light north, and church is on west side of street)
This is for the following sites: FCC, Castle Rock, Aurora, Denver, New Life, Orchard, Greenwood , Village
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
9am-3pm (Book Fair crew packs books at 3pm and departs thereafter)
Loveland Seventh-Day Adventist Church
950 N. Cleveland Ave
Loveland, CO 80537 970-667-1295 church phone for emergency
This is for the following sites: Loveland, Longmont, Ft. Collins, Greeley
Wednesday, May 26, 2010,–Note New Book Fair location
9am-3pm (Book Fair crew packs books at 3pm and departs thereafter)
North Hills Church 5061 E. 160th Ave., Brighton, CO, 80602 (4 miles east of I-25 on Hwy 7) Emergency number: 303-907-9880 Serving sites: Brighton, Broomfield, Rocky Mtn, Boulder
SPANISH UPDATE
Building projects are due Tuesday. This project involves 1)creating a building to show the class, 2)a written paragraph in Spanish describing the building, and 3)making a presentation to the class (read the paragraph). Our “who” last week was Antoni Gaudi, a Spanish architect who created some fabulously interesting and wild buildings. In fact, we get the word GAUDY from his name!
Students are busy constructing all kinds of wonderful edifices with all kinds of recyclables, tape, clay, wire, cardboard, popsicle sticks, jars, and more! At the end of the day we’ll have a show of our talent for the whole school!
Students should use the handouts in their notebooks to write a short paragraph in Spanish. They need to keep it simple — they’ll want to say more than they are able to express but I would rather have them practice mainly what they’ve been learning. It will be short but sweet. Here is a sample paragraph that I showed them in class. It includes some places, transportation, descriptions (using adjectives), me gusta (I like…). The prepositions are brand new but they can try them out if they want to.
Voy al Restaurante Barcelona. Voy en aeroplano y luego taxi. El restaurante esta en España, lejos de Colorado. El restaurante es alto, bonito y grande. Tambien es interesante y elegante. Me gusta comer comida del mar. El restaurante esta en frente del mar y cerca del parque. Es un lugar muy divertido!
luego = then/ later
tambien = also
mar = sea
en frente = in front of
cerca = near
Kids may use a dictionary or internet to look up individual words but NO computer translations of sentences please!
2nd and 3rd graders will write a much simpler version in class.
Thanks,
LeeAnn
Art News!
The students are working hard on their plaster (”stone”) sculptures of Henry Moore. They will need to bring in wood blocks for finishing the project starting this next class session 3/9. Please have the blocks about 5-6 inches in length and 3- 4 inches wide. I discovered that Home Depot/Loews has “scrap” wood bins that are wonderful treasure spots for this kind of thing. They actually cut them to size for you while you wait and they are free or pocket change. I have a few scraps I will bring to class for those who can’t find a wood block or forget to bring in one.
Thanks for being to generous and willing to work with us in making the Art projects the best they can be. The students are doing fantastic work and you will be amazed at their work! I am.
Dawn Robertson
Art Instructor
Snow Policy-If we do need to cancel Denver Options due to snow, you will get an e-mail. Whether or not you’d like to drive in the weather is always your judgment. If Denver Public Schools or Aurora Public schools are closed, you can bet we are too. We do not have ‘late start’ days, since we already start later than most schools. Keep in mind that there is a ‘Denver Options’ organization that serves disabled adults. They may be listed on newscasts, where we will not. If you have a question, you can always call me!
Denver Options Teacher Contact Information
Bess Mary Ann bess.mary@msn.com PE
Egli Lee Ann leeannegli@hotmail.com Spanish
Inman Paige ppiggy22@gmail.com Kdg/ 1st
McCormick Lara laramccormick@hotmail.com Science/AT/IT
Robertson Dawn cloudrobertson@msn.com Art
Wolf Jamie jamie.e.wolf@gmail.com Music/ Choir
Klap Lanae denveroptions@comcast.net Coordinator
