October Principal Message

October 1st, 2019

Dear FSE Families,
The last month has been busy for students and staff at FSE. We are gearing up for conferences next week (please make sure you sign up if you haven't already), and your students are so excited to share everything they have been working on! Please read on to see all the wonderful things your children have been doing during the month of September.

Kelli Smith, FSE Principal


OCTOBER is Liver Cancer Awareness Month! In support of one of our own student's fight, we are asking our school and school community to wear emerald green every Friday in October.  Let's show our support for this incredibly brave student!

Conferences

Here is the link for the conference online scheduler.  Please get this sent out to families asap: online scheduler.  The password is mustangs.

Writing Curriculum

We have launched our new writing program and are loving the rigor and engagement it provides to our students.  As you come into conferences next week look at your child's writing growth.  Ask your child to show you the tools they are using in their writing, like the student checklist document and the anchor charts throughout the room.

DCHS Homecoming Parade

Flagstone Student Council participated in the DCHS Homecoming parade!  The theme this year was DC under the Sea!  They did a great job representing!

Student Council Speeches

Our student council kids have recorded speeches for the student body to vote for elected offices.  The President, Vice President, Treasurer and School Store are all positions that students are running for!  We wish them all good luck as voting occurs this week.

Strategic Plan Launch

On Friday, September 20th DCSD transported all staff to the Pepsi Center for a presentation for the launch of our new Strategic Plan.  Please see this link for the plan.  It was an inspiring and unifying event for our staff and the entire DCSD community.  See our pictures below!

Restorative Practices

This year we are intentionally focusing on teaching restorative practices to our students.  The chart below describes the idea behind restorative practices.  We believe that when it comes to teaching students how to handle conflict, rather than going to punishment alone, we set limits and set expectations with a lot of teaching and support.  Below is a chart describing this concept, explicit limits with lots of guidance and support.  We work WITH students to teach behavior.  When students do make mistakes we support them in figuring out how they will right the wrong that they did.  

FSE Mad Scientist Obstacle Course

Our grand total of pledges for the Fun Run this year was $26,929!! For achieving our Fun Run Goal of $25,000, the Kona Ice Truck will be here for all students to enjoy a Kona Ice treat on Tuesday, October 8! Great job FSE!

Note From Our Wonderful Counselor

Hello, Wonderful FSE Families!

Things at school are in full swing. Our students have settled into their routines and I have happily settled into being a full-time school counselor at FSE. Know that I am here to support your students academically, emotionally and socially in any way I can.

Last year, we implemented Second Step as our social-emotional learning curriculum in the classroom. This year we are working towards deeper integration of the program school-wide. The lessons students receive focus on Skills for Learning, Empathy, Emotion Management, and Problem Solving. Watch for a Homelink for each lesson to engage with your child at home.

Another focus at school this year is the use of restorative practices when managing conflict. Restorative practices focus on repairing and restoring relationships when harm has occurred. It has been shown to build community, foster a positive, healthy school climate and help students to learn from their mistakes. Ask your student about the last “circle” they did in class. Our teachers are engaging in regular restorative circles to build their classroom community and allow their students’ voices to be heard.

Please feel free to contact me with any questions, concerns or thoughts you may have.

Sincerely,

Patti Roberts

proberts1@dcsdk12.org

(303) 387-5243

Other School Happenings!

NONDISCRIMINATION NOTICE: The Douglas County School District does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, religion, national origin, ancestry, creed, age, marital status, genetic information, or physical characteristics, disability or need for special education services in admissions, access to, treatment of, or employment in educational programs or activities. The School District’s Compliance Officer is Ted Knight, Assistant Superintendent, 620 Wilcox Street, Castle Rock, Colorado, complianceofficer@dcsdk12.org, 303-387-0067. Complaint procedures have been established for students, parents, employees, and members of the public. 

September Principal's Message

Dear FSE Families,

August has been an exciting month for our staff and students!  Check out all the awesome things that have happened at FSE since school started!

Welcome Back FSE Families

Our theme this year is One School, One Purpose, One Family: #oneflagstone (see logo above).  You will see our staff wearing this logo on the back of their staff shirts this year! 

Balanced Beginnings

Our newest FSE Mustangs started school a little different this year.  We did a rolling start called Balanced Beginnings.  The kindergarten students attended school for a few hours for the first 2 days of school so they could get used to the structure before starting their regular schedule on Monday the 12th.  We felt this was a great success!  (Lots fewer tears by students and parents!)  This also gave our staff valuable information on programming for our newest little mustangs.

Sunshine Cart

We love our staff and Faith Lutheran Church does too!  They donated a Sunshine Cart for a late Friday afternoon pick me up for our teachers!  It was filled with drinks and yummy treats for our hard-working staff!  Thank you to our partners at Faith Lutheran Church!

Sixth Grade Outdoor Education

Our sixth graders just arrived back from Outdoor Education this past Friday afternoon.  They attended Stone Canyon Outdoor Education Center (a DCSD run education center) for three days last week.  This is a camp that focuses on science standards in the outdoor environment along with valuable life skills like team building, an overnight experience away from home, and outdoor activities such as archery. Our kids came back excited and energized after this amazing experience.

Lucy Calkins Kickoff Event

As many of you know our staff adopted a new writing program last year.  We launched our first professional development day this year with a one-day training to help classroom teachers understand the content and the workshop model.  We are very excited to begin this implementation!  4-6 teachers will begin the first unit in Septemeber and K-3 teachers will begin in October.  We will end the first semester before winter break with a Writing Winter Wonderland for families to come and see the writing that students will produce in this program.  More to come on Lucy!

Bond Money Technology

Last November our community voted yes to the Bond initiative for our district.  We have been very fortunate to see that money directly in our schools!  We have been able to purchase staff computers (something we have not done in 4 years!) so that all our staff has computers that are 4 years old or newer.  We will be able to do that again this spring so all staff computers will be 1 year old or newer!  This allows our staff to have the very best technology to meet the needs of all their students.  We were also able to ensure that we have Chromebooks for ALL 2-6 students (one to one) and ipads for K-1 students to share.  We are so grateful to our community that we were able to have this money!

Fun Food Friday in Mrs. Ripp's Class

Mrs. Ripp's class is at it again!! Fun Food Friday.  This week we got to partake in neon-grilled cheese sandwiches--DELICIOUS!

Social-Emotional Learning Supports this Year!

Over the last year, our staff has spent a considerable amount of time researching ways to support the changing social-emotional needs of our students.  Our students spend a considerable amount of time outside school engaging on phones, social media, and video games.  This time on screens has changed the way we support students in their development.  At school, we have found our students need more time engaging in face to face discussions, explicit instruction on how to regulate their emotions when stressed or upset and support solving normal conflict that arises during the creation of friendship, all while providing structured choice in their learning environment.  As a result of this learning we have spent considerable time implementing the following program supports:

• Zones Curriculum:  This curriculum is taught in every grade K-6 to support students in understanding strategies to regulate their emotions.  We teach them to identify different feelings or emotions through colors.  Ex.  The green zone means that your body is calm and is ready for learning.  The yellow zone means that your body is excited or anxious and needs some strategies to get back to the green zone.  The red zone means that your body is angry or upset to the point that you cannot be reasoned with.  In the event of this feeling, students are given strategies to remove themselves from the learning environment so they are able to get themselves back in the green zone.  To support this teaching we have opened a regulation room staffed by Ms. Stephanie and Ms. Mary, two highly trained staff in behavior management, that work with kids working to learn how to stay in the green learning zone.
• Second Step: Our school counselor Patti Roberts is supporting our staff in the implementation of a school-wide social-emotional curriculum.  This curriculum teaches specific lessons to teach students how to interact in various situations that they will come in contact with during their lives.  Examples include: how to navigate a disagreement with a peer, how to take someone else's perspective or how to handle peer pressure.
• School Counselor:  Our counselor, Patti Roberts is here full time this year.  She works on school-wide mindfulness, Second Step, and sees one on one and small groups of students to support their learning environment.
• Calming Corners:  Every classroom has been given tools to keep in their classrooms to assist students when they need a minute to regroup and get back to the learning zones.  Right now our teachers are teaching the students how to use these tools effectively.

Classroom Happenings!

Students have been busy working and learning this month too!  Check out #oneflagstone on Twitter to see more!

Upcoming Events

Fun Run Kickoff

We had the Mad Scientists of Colorado come out and demonstrate some science experiments for our students on Tuesday to kick off our fundraising event.  We are hoping to raise money to help bring out more science demonstrations and offer more science-related field trips in addition to supporting some STEM carts for our teachers to use with their students.  Please log on to FunRun.com and register to get your pledges going!

DCHS Homecoming Parade

The parade is Thursday, September 12th.  Please come out to see our students march in the parade, the theme is Under DC (a sea and Hawaiian theme).

FSE Spirit Assembly

Our spirit assembly is at 3pm this Friday!  Please come and see our student council host this first assembly!

Some Things to Remember

• Homework:  At FSE we believe that students get more out of spending time with family and engaging in after school activities than spending hours on homework each night.  We do agree that practicing math facts and reading is a must to ensure long term success.  Our school board policy is that each grade level should have 10 min x the grade of homework a night.  Ex. 1st grade 10 min, 2nd grade 20 min. and so on outside of reading and math practice.  Please talk with your classroom teacher if you have questions about their homework policy or your child is spending too much time on homework.

19-20 FSE Welcome Back!

July 2019

Dear FSE Families,

Welcome back to the 19-20 school year at Flagstone Elementary!  I hope you all had a fantastic
summer and are getting geared up for the new school year!  Here are some highlights of things
to come this year:

* New writing curriculum!  We have adopted Lucy Calkins, a very rigorous and impressive
writing curriculum and are rolling out this adoption in its first wave this year.  

* The addition of a full-time counselor this year to support the social and emotional health
of our students.  Through the mill levy money, we were able to add Patti Roberts to full
time from the half time we had her last year.

* Additional layers of intervention support for our students will include not only academics
but social-emotional supports this year.  This will include classroom instruction on

self-regulation, problem solving and mindfulness. We have dedicated staff to support
these initiatives this year!

* Year three of our Envision math adoption will bring greater depth in our instructional
plan to include accelerated pacing as students master concepts.

* The continuation of our instruction in guided reading with our newly purchased book
room.

* A new dismissal procedure to alleviate the back up during pick up times.

Please see the calendar of events and beginning of the year happenings and mark your calendars!

See you soon!

Kelli Smith, FSE Principal

Monday, July 15th -August 15th Online Express Check-In: Grades K-6
All parents must register their child through Online Express Check-In Click here to login.  You will use Online Express Check-In to update your contact information, pay school fees and sign up for volunteer opportunities.  Please remember when you are checking in to click TEXT (SMS) under your contact information if you would like to receive any emergency alerts via text.  If this box is not clicked any emergency messaging from FSE or DSCD will not come to you.  All students must register via Online Express Check-In by August 15th.  For assistance please contact one of the individuals below:

*FSE Registrar: Kellie McKenzie at kellie.mckenzie@dcsdk12.org 

*FSE Administrative Assistant: Jennifer Talley at jennifer.talley@dcsdk12.org

*Student Data and Information Services Summer Hotline: 303-387-0016
*IT Support Center: 303-387-0001

During portal check-in, you will be required to read/print/sign the following information:

*FSE Family Handbook: Please read prior to school starting so you are aware of FSE’s procedures.
*FSE Arrival and Dismissal Policy: Sign and drop off at the Meet and Greet: Dismissal is NEW
*FSE Emergency Dismissal Form--Sign and drop off at the Meet and Greet
*FSE Student Directory Information- Sign and drop off at the Meet and Greet
*ROCKS Agreement 2019-2020 Sign and drop off at the Meet and Greet
*Volunteer Handbook: Please read if you are interested in volunteering
*Parent volunteer agreement: Sign and drop off at the Meet and Greet if you are planning on volunteering

Monday, July 22nd-Class Placement for Grades 1-6 ONLY

We are finalizing class lists and you will be able to see what teacher your child has in parent

portal on Monday, July 22nd.  Click here to access the Parent Portal, you will find your child’s teacher under the schedule tab.  
This year due to enrollment we have two combination classes (one first/second and
one second/third class) taught by Adriann Valdez and Chelsey Mallory respectively. 
The reason for creating this class was driven by our enrollment which then drives our
staffing. The probability of combination classes will continue to be something we must
consider as more and more schools move into our neighborhoods, allowing parents
choices between several schools for their children.  While choice is a great thing for
parents to find the right fit for their children, it becomes a challenge for our neighborhood
schools to have stable enrollment from year to year. This instability is driving the decision
to create these combination classes this school year. If your child was selected for a
combination class the teacher will be sending you a letter to explain how your child was
selected and the makeup of the class.

Monday, August 5th Meet and Greet 3:00-4:30:  You Otta Pop in and Say Hi! GRADES 1-6 ONLY
SIGN UP REQUIRED: We continue to believe that it is essential that students meet their teachers and visit their classrooms prior to the first day of school.  We want to ensure that families are able to spend time with the teacher in a small group setting so we ask that you sign up for one of the times shown below by clicking here for our online scheduler.  The online schedule will be available July 24th through Aug 4th and the password is mustangs.  The sign up is first come first serve, so please sign up as soon as possible if you have a preferred time or wish to align siblings times.  If you ordered school supplies through the PTO they will be delivered to your child’s classroom.  

Monday Meet the Teacher Time Slots are:

3:00-3:30
3:30-4:00
4:00-4:30

Please bring school supplies (if you need access to the supply list please see this link). If you ordered supplies through the school they will be in your new classroom. We do need you to bring a pair of headphones for your child to leave in the classroom this year to use with their ipad or computer.  Please label it and leave it at the meet and greet.

Drop off any medication students will need during the school day in the office with our health assistant in the front office.

Otter Pops: After students meet their teacher, drop off any meds they have, drop off their supplies and pick up their teacher welcome packet, head out the front door of the school and get your otter pop from your Principals!  

Grade Level Locations in the building

*Kindergarten: Between the Blue and Berry Pods

*1st, 2nd 3rd  Grade Classrooms: Blue Pod

*3rd and 4th Grade Classrooms: Berry Pod

*5th and 6th Grade Classrooms: Green Pod

First Day of School: Wednesday, August 7th: Full Day! Grades 1-6 ONLY
Students will enter the building using our rolling start protocol.  Please see procedures here.

NEW Dismissal Policy: Please read so you know where to pick up your students after school on the first day.  Arrival policy remains unchanged.

Monday, August 12th, Balanced Beginnings Schedule for Kindergarten ONLY

With the transition to free full-day kindergarten, we have the opportunity for additional transition days for our youngest students. Please see the information below regarding our start of the year events for kindergarten students only. These opportunities allow our kindergarten students and families a comfortable transition to their new school.

Kindergarteners will NOT attend the Meet and Greet on the 5th with the other grades.

You will receive notification of the time to bring your child to come and meet with the kindergarten team to participate in getting to know you and readiness activities. These times will be on August 7th and 8th from 9:00-11:30 or 12:30-3:00. Your child will attend both days at their assigned time.

There will be no school on Friday the 9th. On this day you will receive communication from your child's assigned teacher welcoming them to their class and introducing themselves.

Kindergarten students will start school on August 12th.

Calendar of Events

Click here for the 19-20 Conventional Calendar
Flagstone Elementary School Website:  Please refer to the master calendar at the bottom
of the front page for updated information.
19-20 Digital Boot Camp: Week of August 12.  Students will learn digital citizenship prior
to receiving their tech for the year.

FSE Ongoing Communication 
You will get an email each week with calendar and event information.  Please contact

Kellie McKenzie in the office to ensure your email is correct. Her email is:
Kellie.mckenzie@dcsdk12.org.  Please make sure when you register your child you sign

up for text alerts if you would like to be notified via text during emergencies.

Monthly Principal Blog:  This will be updated the first Thursday of each month and
emailed to families

Follow us on Twitter at #oneflagstone

Follow us on Facebook

See you soon!

Kelli Smith, FSE Principal