Issue #24: February 20, 2025

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From the Principal

Ms. Michelle Alzamora

Dear Families,

At ACS, we believe in creating a positive and supportive learning environment for all students. A key part of this is our shared commitment to our three ES Promises, which guide our behavior and interactions in every space at school:

Our Three Promises:

I am Safe: This means making choices that keep ourselves and others physically and emotionally safe. It includes following safety rules, being mindful of our surroundings, and speaking up if we see something unsafe.
I am Kind: Kindness is at the heart of our community. It means treating everyone with respect, empathy, and compassion, including ourselves. It includes using kind words, helping others, celebrating our differences, and practicing self-compassion.
I am Responsible: Responsibility means doing our best, being accountable for our actions, and contributing positively to our school community. It includes completing our work, following directions, and taking care of school property.

These promises are not just words; they are the foundation of our school culture and values. We teach and reinforce these promises daily, helping students understand what they mean and how to live them out in all areas of the school – from the classroom to the playground, the cafeteria to the LC.

Extending the Promises to Home:

We believe that reinforcing these promises at home will significantly strengthen the connection between school and home, creating a more consistent and supportive environment for our students. We invite you to join us in using this language at home. Here are some ways you can incorporate the promises into your family routines:

Discuss the Promises: Talk about what each promise means and brainstorm examples of how to live them out at home, at school, and in the community.
Use the Language: Refer to the promises when discussing your child’s behavior. For example, "Remember, at school we promise to be kind. How could you show kindness to your brother right now?" or "I appreciate you being so responsible by cleaning up your room without being asked."
Role-Play Scenarios: Practice different scenarios with your child, exploring how they can be safe, kind, and responsible in various situations.
Positive Reinforcement: Acknowledge and praise your child when they demonstrate these qualities. "I noticed how kind you were to share your toys with your friend. That was wonderful!"
Family Meetings: Dedicate some time during family meetings to discuss the promises and how your family can work together to uphold them.

By working together to reinforce these promises, we can help our students develop strong character, build positive relationships, and become responsible and compassionate members of our community. We believe that these promises are essential for creating a safe, kind, and responsible learning environment where all students can thrive.

Yours,

Michelle

Class Placement - Family Feedback Requested

Believe it or not, we are already beginning to think about classroom placement for next school year. Creating class lists is a complex process that requires great thought and time involving many perspectives. We will consider each individual child’s needs as well as the make-up of the class as a whole. Our overall goal is to create balanced classrooms where each child has adults and peers that support them as a learner.

We invest a great deal of effort in the development of homeroom class rosters to create the best learning situations for all our students and classes. In order to do this well, we do appreciate your input about your child. Please note that we will not consider requests for specific teachers or other children in the class.

When considering class rosters we place more of an importance on placing students who will be good learning partners together than we do on placing children with friends. The biggest concern that we hear from parents at the beginning of the school year is that their child is not placed in a class with their closest friends. While we understand that when this happens children feel sad and worried, in nearly every situation like this, the child feels significantly better about their class within a week or two and by the end of the first month, they do not even remember that they were worried or sad about their class placement.

Please complete this form to let us know about factors unique to your child’s needs. The survey is available until Thursday, March 27th. All information from this survey is confidential and will only be seen by the teachers at your child’s current grade level, our counselors, and our administrators.

Parent Talks

Parent Talk - Coming Up!

Please join us on Sunday evening, February 23rd at 6:00 pm for an online Parent Talk - Rethinking Rigor: Nurturing Critical Thinkers Link here

Does "rigor" in elementary school conjure images of endless worksheets and rote memorization? Think again! Join us for an informative online presentation where we'll debunk the myths surrounding rigor and explore its true meaning: fostering critical thinking and problem-solving. Discover how we are cultivating deep understanding and what you can do at home to support your child's journey towards becoming a confident, capable learner.

Please mark your calendars for the following parent talks. More information will be coming soon about the time and location.

Feb 23 6:00 pm (NOTE CHANGE OF DATE) Rethinking Rigor: Nurturing Critical Thinkers Link here
April 28 - Generative Artificial Intelligence - How are we handling GAI at school?

Snowy Day Expectations

If a single day snow closure is announced late at night or early in the morning, ACS invites everyone to enjoy the fresh snow!

If the closure stretches beyond a single day or is announced in anticipation of a major storm, virtual schooling will be the norm. We understand that not all students will have access to technology or an adult to support them throughout the day so teachers will provide families with different options. In the Elementary School, you can expect the following -

Teachers will send an email to parents in the morning with a list of student learning activities. Some of these activities will be online and others will be things that students can do without access to technology. Most activities will be practice of concepts and skills that students have already been introduced to.
Grade 5 teachers will use Google Classroom for students to access their learning activities.
Teachers will be available via email to answer any questions that parents or students have throughout the day.
If an extended period of school closure occurs, we will contact families with our plans. These plans will vary depending on if we can get students' devices to families or not.

Parent Teacher Conferences

Dear ACS Families,

We invite you to participate in the Spring 2025 Parent-Teacher Conferences on February 27. There are no classes for students on this date.

** Please understand that the PowerSchool sign-up process applies only to Elementary homeroom, Learning Support, and Counselor conferences.

ES Information

Our Spring Conferences are student-led conferences. Families will spend an extended time in the classroom looking at student growth and learning. Each family will have time to meet with the classroom teacher during the scheduled time.
ES Students are expected to attend conferences with their parents, as they are student-led conferences. Students will be sharing their learning with you and you will have the opportunity to speak with teachers.
For Conference Manager support please contact Ms. Farhan
For PowerSchool support please contact Ms. Khuloud
Conferences with elementary classroom teachers, elementary counselors, and elementary Learning Support teachers are by appointment only; parents/guardians must book through the Conference Manager which opens for sign-ups on Saturday, February 8th at 12:00 pm and closes on Sunday, February 23rd at 12:00 pm. Click here for instructions.
The Arabic, Art, Music, and PE teachers look forward to meeting with you. They will be available to speak with children and their parents in their classrooms for walk-in conferences.
The Arabic, PE, Music, and Art teachers have scheduled lunch breaks. The specialist teachers’ breaks are when classroom teachers are meeting with families. To help you plan your time effectively, please note the following break times:

Morning Break:

Arabic and PE Teachers 10:15 - 10:30
LS Teachers and Counselors 10:20 - 10:40
Art and Music Teachers 10:00 - 10:15

Lunch Break:

Arabic and PE Teachers 1:30 - 2:15
HR Teachers 12:30 - 1:30
LS Teachers and Counselors First Break 1:20 - 2:00
Art and Music Teachers 1:00 - 1:45

Afternoon Break:

Arabic and PE Teachers 3:30 - 3:45
LS Teachers and Counselors 3:20 - 3:40
Art and Music Teachers 3:15 - 3:30

From the ES Counselors

Updated Resource Webpage - Discussion ideas and coping strategies when approaching unfairness, violence, crime and war with your child.

Talking about topics like unfairness, violence, crime and war can be hard. You might not know what to say in the moment. Being ready for these talks can help. Please check out the resources on this page and let us know how we can support you!

Tim Steadman and Hayley Jeanes