Launch Pad - McAuliffe Elementary School

Christa McAuliffe Elementary at Cimarron Hills
830 Hathaway Dr.
Colorado Springs, CO 80915
Phone:
(719) 228-0900
Attendance:
(719) 228-0936
Fax:
(719) 574-8372
Launch Pad
Volume 8, Issue 10
May 2015
We’re on the Web!
Visit us at:
Home of the Comets
www.d11.org/mcauliffe
INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
Principals’ Message
Information From the Office
Important Parent Reminders
Comet Safety
Other News
Coming in August
May Calendar
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2-3
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From Mission Control
Dear Parents,
May!!!! Unbelievable! The year has flown! We have an exciting
number of activities during this month! Many classes have field trips
planned, so be sure to read the notices that your child’s teacher may
send home.
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May 22 is the last day of school. We will be sad to see the year
end as it has been a fantastic year with your children. Thanks for
sharing them with us!
McAuliffe will host a district-directed Summer Enrichment
Program during the mornings of June 8 – 26. It is a free program.
Please check out the D11 website for more details. Registration is
online on the D11 website as well. Free breakfast and lunch will be
served during this time frame.
Also, free lunch will be served for all children under the age of 18
from May 27 – July 31 in the cafeteria. More details regarding the
free lunch program will be forthcoming.
We know that some of you will be relocating this summer. If so,
please fill out the yellow form that was sent home or contact the
front office. It will help us greatly as we plan for next year.
Again, please keep safety in mind when dropping off and picking
up your students in the front driveway. Please do not drop your
children off in the lane furthest from the curb. Only drop off your
children next to the curb. Please do not park and leave your car next
to the curb as that is only a ‘Kiss and Go’ lane. Also, please slow
down. We appreciate your kind consideration of these very
important matters.
Have a great month!
Sincerely,
Pat Ring and David Morris
From the Office
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4 Quarter Report Cards
End-of-year report cards will be sent home with students on the last
day of school (May 22, 2015). Students who will not be present on
the last day of school to pick up their report cards need to make
arrangements to pick them up in the office, or provide a selfaddressed, stamped envelope to mail the report card. The office
will close for the summer on June 10, 2015.
Student Withdrawals - If your student will be withdrawing from
McAuliffe, please come by the front office prior to the withdrawal
date, if possible, to complete a Student Withdrawal Form. This helps
the office get the necessary paperwork ready for the student to
transfer to another school.
Planning for Next School Year
You should have received a form asking about your plans for next
school year and whether or not your student(s) will be returning to
McAuliffe Elementary in the Fall. The information on these forms is
vital to creating class lists for the 2015/2016 school year and will
assist us in determining whether or not we are able to grant new
choice permits. Please return these forms to your child’s teacher as
soon as possible. The information provided on these forms helps
teachers create balanced classes by size, gender, and student needs
for the upcoming school year. Please return one form for each
student. If you have not received a form for each of your students,
please contact the office at 228-0900.
Skate City Summer Cards
Once again, we are offering Skate City summer membership cards.
The cost is $3.00 per card and allows the cardholder to skate for just
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$1.00 per session throughout the summer (May 26 through
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August 17 ), and on Saturdays and Sundays during the month of
September. There is no limit on the number of cards that may be
purchased, so pick one up for everyone in the family, including
friends and family that will be visiting this summer! They are also a
great deal for scout troops, etc. Skate City summer cards are
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available for purchase from the office, May 1 through May 22 ,
cash only please.
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LAUNCH PAD
Important Parent Reminders
Lost and Found
Parents, please check the Lost & Found whenever you are in the
building for items that may belong to your children. By checking on
a regular basis, we may be able to keep our Lost & Found closet
from overflowing. Remember that items left in the Lost & Found at
the end of the school year will be donated to a local charity.
PTA Carnival
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Please join us on Friday, May 1 , from 5:00-7:00 pm, for our PTA
Carnival. It’s going to be great fun! Watch for further information
to come home with your children.
Band & Orchestra
Our Band & Orchestra students will be performing
their Spring Concert on Tuesday, May 5, 2015 at 6:30
pm in the McAuliffe Gym.
Choir Concert
The McAuliffe Choir will present a music concert
on Thursday, May 7, 2015, at 6:30pm in the
McAuliffe Gymnasium.
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5 Grade Continuation Ceremony
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The 5 grade Continuation Ceremony will be May 22, 2015, at 8:30
am in the McAuliffe gym. Cake and punch will be served after the
awards ceremony.
information about enrolling your Kindergarten student for next
school year at:
http://www.d11.org/Enrollment/Pages/kindergarten.aspx
All children entering kindergarten must be 5 years old on or before
October 1, 2015.
 Please bring a completed enrollment form for each of your
students. If you do not have access to a computer and a printer,
computers are available at McAuliffe Elementary.
 You will also need to bring the following documents:
1. Birth certificates
2. Immunization records
3. Current proof of residency Click here for acceptable forms of
Proof of Residency.
4. If student is not living with both biological parents, a copy of
legal paperwork (custody/guardianship) may be necessary.
5. If your student has an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) for
special education services, a copy of the current/latest plan.
6. Name and address of student’s previous school to request
academic records.
If you wish to enroll your students at McAuliffe, but you do not live
within the McAuliffe boundaries, you may come into the office to
complete a Choice Open Enrollment Application (click here for
form).
Please share this registration information with friends and neighbors
who may not know about Kindergarten registration for next school
year. If you have questions, please call the office at 228-0900.
McAuliffe Elementary will be accepting new enrollments (Grades
K-5) for next school year through June 8, 2015.
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Parents of 5 Grade Students
If you have been notified by a District 11 middle school that your
child’s Choice Open Enrollment Application (permit) has been
approved for next school year, please let the office know which
school they will be attending as soon as possible. The District 11
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middle schools need to have next year’s 6 graders future-tracked
to their buildings in order to create next year’s class schedules. If we
do not hear from you, your child will remain future tracked to their
“home” school, and their records will be sent to that D11 building at
the end of this school year. If you live outside of District 11
boundaries and your student will not be attending a District 11
middle school, your student’s records will remain at McAuliffe until
we receive a record request from the receiving school, or October,
2015, whichever is sooner.
District 11 Preschool
Do you have a child who will be 3 or 4 years old by October 1, 2015,
and live within School District 11? Most program options are
available at no cost to you!
You may qualify to enroll in one of our preschool programs.
Preschool Intake packets are available in the McAuliffe Office. To
find out more, call the School District 11 Early Childhood Preschool
at 520-2540.
Uniform Donations
Please remember that McAuliffe will gladly recycle used uniforms. If
you would like to donate used uniform clothing, please bring
washed items to the office.
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Immunization Requirement for Students Entering 6 Grade
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All 5 grade students who will be entering Middle School in the Fall
are required to obtain a Tdap immunization. This is a Colorado State
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requirement for all students entering 6 grade. If your student
already received or will receive a Tdap immunization before the end
of this school year, you may bring your student’s updated
immunization record to the office and their school record will be
updated. If your student’s school record is not updated before the
end of this school year, proof of the immunization is to be given to
the middle school before the first day of school, in order to receive a
schedule of classes.
Kindergarten Enrollment for Next School Year
Kindergarten Registration in District 11 began on Friday, April 17,
2015. For information regarding Kindergarten enrollment for next
school year, please visit the District 11 Enrollment website for
Comet Safety!
Playground Supervision - Staff members will supervise children on
the school playground during school hours. Before and after school,
there is supervision for 15 minutes. Please do not send your child
to school before 7:45 am, and do not allow them to stay on the
playground to play after 2:45 pm.
Kiss-n-Go Lane & Parking Lot Safety
Proper use of the Kiss-N-Go lane will ensure safety for students,
parents and staff. Remember, the outside lane is never to be used
to drop off or pick up students. This lane is for entry or exit only.
When dropping your students off, please drive to the curb and have
them exit the vehicle on the sidewalk side. Never stop in the
crosswalk, and always give pedestrians the right-of-way. Please,
LAUNCH PAD
never park in the Kiss-N-Go lane and leave your car unattended, as
it is a fire lane and must be kept clear at all times. When possible,
use the parking lot or park on the street and always walk in the
crosswalk. Please do not block cars parked in the parking lot by
parking behind them. Also, please do not park by the fire hydrant.
This is illegal and unsafe. Legally parked cars need to be able to exit
their parking slots, as needed, and not have to wait for someone
blocking them to move their vehicle.
Our children are far too
valuable to take a
chance with!
Visiting McAuliffe Elementary
The Board of Education encourages parents and other community
members of the district to visit classrooms at any time to observe
the work of the schools. The Board of Education believes that there
is no better way for the public to learn what the schools actually are
doing as long as such visits do not disrupt the educational process.
In order to help ensure that no unauthorized persons enter buildings
with wrongful intent, all visitors to the schools will report to the
school office when entering to receive authorization before visiting
elsewhere in the building. The principal has final authority to
authorize a visitor.
All visitors must report to the Office before going to a classroom or
any area on school grounds.

All visitors are required to sign in.

All visitors will wear a visitor’s badge at all times they are on
school grounds.

All visitors will not interfere or intrude upon the educational
program.
Other News
2015/2016 District 11 School Year Calendar
The District 11 calendar for the 2015/2016 school year is now
available on the District 11 website. Click here for the 2015/2016
School Year Calendar.
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Physical:
1st Noah Lancaster
2nd Lucie Speakes
3rd Jasmin Rosales
Engineering:
1st Layla Paet
2nd Brayden Simic
3rd Landin Langridge
Solo and Ensemble Medalists
Congratulations to the following Band students for performing so
well at the Solo and Ensemble Festival. These students will receive a
medal based on their score.
Superior Score
Tondaleya Phillips, flute solo
Hailee Walters, trumpet solo
Shania De Leon, flute solo
Sadie Kimmel, Trumpet solo
Excellent Score
Angel Romine, Clarinet solo
Stephanie Molina and Bonnie Guerrero, flute duet
These scores are awesome! If you see them at school, please take a
moment and pat them on the back for a job well done.
Get the Most Out of Your Summer!
Exclusively for Kids & Teens – 18 years and Under: Mountain Metro
Transit is offering Summer Haul Passes for $25.00. This pass is good
for unlimited bus rides all over town from June 1 – August 31, 2015.
The Summer Haul Passes can also be used for awesome discounts on
food, drinks, entertainment and more at participating businesses.
Click here too order Summer Haul Passes and to see a list of
participating businesses.
Summer Outdoor Science Camps
Summer camp registration is underway at Catamount Institute. In
the coming weeks we will highlight the details of each camp. Camp
sessions will sell out fast, so reserve your space today! We will keep
a wait list, so if the camp session you want is sold out-or if you have
any other questions-please call us at 719-471-0910 x106.
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5 Grade Science Fair 2015 Award Winners
Health & Behavior:
1st Diego Sosa
2nd Nicole Rodriguez-Berry
3rd Idin Ocampo
Consumer:
1st Keylnn Lewis
2nd Monika Ortiz
3rd Bonnie Guerrero
Biological:
1st Zoe Roberts
2nd Bobby Liles
3rd Nathan Francois
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Save the date for a Camp Open House on May 9 at Catamount
Institute (MAP). Thank you for supporting Catamount Institute and
we look forward to having an epic summer of adventure! Click here
for the Summer Camp Home Page.
Come Celebrate Rockies Baseball!
In appreciation of Colorado Springs School District 11’s support for
this season, the Colorado Rockies and The Foundation for School
District 11 would like to invite all students, family members,
employees and volunteers to come and enjoy an exciting game at
Coors Field. A portion of each ticket sold will benefit the
Foundation’s work in District 11. This is a great opportunity to enjoy
a game at Coors Field while supporting your local community.
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Please join us as the Colorado Rockies take on the Los Angeles
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Dodgers on Saturday, May 9 at 6:10 pm.
$20.00 tickets - Lower/Mid Level
$14.00 tickets - Upper Level
Order tickets online at: www.ROCKIES.com/D11 and use Promo
Code: D11
Summer Enrichment at McAuliffe Elementary
McAuliffe Elementary will be a Summer Enrichment site, June 8-26,
for Grades K – 5. Half-day morning classes will be available in a
wide-variety of FUN subjects. Transportation will be provided at no
cost for students currently enrolled in District 11. For more
information on registration and transportation, please click here.
Looking for a Part-time Position?
Substitute Food & Nutrition Services positions are now available at
both District 11 elementary and secondary schools. Work the days
your children are in school and spend weekends, holidays, and
vacations home with them! No experience necessary. Please go to
www.d11.org/careers to complete an application.
McAuliffe Elementary is also looking for a Lunch Room Aide for the
2015/2016 school year. This is a 2-hour per day position working in
the lunchroom. Hours are 10:30-12:30 on school days. Click here to
apply.
Food & Nutrition Services at McAuliffe this Summer
D11 Food & Nutrition Services is pleased to inform
families that a summer food service program is available
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at McAuliffe Elementary May 27-July 31 . A free
breakfast will be served to children ages 1-18 from 7:20th
8:10 am (breakfast is only served June 1-26 ) along with
lunch from 11:30-12:00 Monday through Friday. Children will also
have the opportunity to choose a book to keep. Please join us for
this great program. Watch for program flyers to come home in your
student’s backpack.
For more information on District 11’s Food and Nutrition Services,
click here.
If you have questions or concerns about your child’s meal account,
please call our Kitchen Manager, Susan Roberts, at 228-0932.
News from our School Nurse
Medication Pick-up Reminder
Please plan to come by the school office on the last day of
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school, Friday, May 22 , to pick up your student’s
medication. It is the policy of School District 11 not to send
medication home with students. We will dispose of any medication
left at school after the end of the school year.
Superintendent's Quarterly Quick Tip
Did you know you can keep up with district-wide news and receive
my weekly e-newsletters, Nick's Notes, and monthly video updates,
LAUNCH PAD
Nick's News, by signing up for NTouch notifications? The NTouch
system is an online contact center that allows D11 and your
student's school to stay in contact with you. If you aren't already
receiving NTouch notifications, simply click on the NTouch logo on
your school's home page and follow the instructions. Look for these
regular quarterly newsletter tips starting next school year to stay
better connected to D11!
Stay Connected
McAuliffe NTouch is a digital communications system
that allows us to send targeted announcements and
messages by email and text message to our parents and
community members interested in news and events at
our school. If you are new to McAuliffe NTouch and would like to
receive these communications, please sign up now. Don’t forget to
choose McAuliffe as a school you wish to receive communications
from. If you are a returning user, please use your email address and
password to login. If you forgot your password, click on the ‘I
cannot login’ link and your password will be sent to the e-mail
address you registered. District 11 also has a mobile app that you
can download to your smartphone
Volunteer Opportunities
All persons wishing to volunteer must first complete a Volunteer
Registration form online. Click here to register as a volunteer at
McAuliffe Elementary. A separate form needs to be completed for
each volunteer. Completed registration forms should be printed and
brought into the office, along with a picture ID. If you do not have
access to a computer and/or printer, you may complete your
volunteer registration form at McAuliffe. If you have previously
completed a Volunteer Registration form, there is no need to
complete another one. The office can check to see if you are still a
registered volunteer.
If you have questions regarding the volunteer registration process,
please call the McAuliffe office at 228-0900.
Also, please remember to sign in on the gold Volunteer Sign-in Form
in the office, every time you volunteer at McAuliffe. In order for our
Volunteer Coordinators to properly keep track of our volunteer
hours, it is important that you log your volunteer hours online
through the McAuliffe VMS Kiosk. Click here to log your volunteer
hours. There is also a link to the Kiosk on the community computers
in the hallway at McAuliffe.
Coming in August
Aug 3
Office Opens
Aug 17
Class Lists Posted – 4:00
Meet & Greet/Ice Cream Social – 5:00-7:00
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Aug 18
1 Day of School (K-5)
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Aug 19
1 Day of School (Preschool)
Aug 28
Data/Collaboration Day – No Students
May 2015
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Main Phone: 228-0900
Attendance Line: 228-0936
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
1
Saturday
2
Operation Purple Up!
5th Grade Field Trip
8:45-12:00
PTA Carnival
5:00-7:00
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4
5
6
7
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Band & Orchestra
Spring Concert
6:30-7:30
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SAC Meeting
5:00-5:30
12
Ron Hein Track
Meet
13
Ron Hein Track
Meet
(Make-up Day)
14
15
Preschool Jean Day
Fundraiser for WW
18
19
20
Preschool Field Trip
No Preschool Classes
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Grades K-5 Jean Day
Fundraiser for WW
Papa John's Day
PTA Meeting
5:30-6:30
17
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Choir Concert
6:30-7:30
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22
23
5th Grade
Continuation
Ceremony
8:30-10:00
Preschool Field Trip
No Preschool Classes
Report Cards Go
Home
End of 4th Quarter
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25
Memorial Day
26
27
28
29
30
Teacher Work Day
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Find Us on Facebook!
Check out and “like” McAuliffe’s Facebook page.
We will post special events, announcements, and
other important information as it happens. Search
for “Christa McAuliffe Elementary at Cimarron
Hills”.