Eagle Crest Family Newsletter

Dear Eagle Crest Families,

I hope this message finds you well and filled with the spirit of our remarkable feeder system. As we reflect on the exceptional journey we are undertaking together, I am thrilled to share the extraordinary aspects that set our schools apart in the St. Vrain Valley School District.

Our feeder system, comprising Eagle Crest, Blue Mountain, Longmont Estates, Altona, and Silver Creek, is not just a collection of schools but a tightly-knit community that values continuity and excellence. Unlike many other schools in SVVSD where families explore different educational paths, a majority of our families choose to stay within the Silver Creek feeder system from PK to grade 12. This commitment is a testament to the trust and satisfaction our community places in the education we provide.

Last month, the principals from each of the five schools came together to showcase the unique features that make our feeder system stand out at the October school board meeting. The goal was to illustrate how we are not just preparing students for the present, but actively shaping their future. It was a moment of pride for each school to share its distinctive contributions to the holistic development of our students.

From Eagle Crest, we highlighted our commitment to Leadership, STEM, and Design Thinking. Our engagement with the global community through a sister school connection in Uganda was emphasized, showcasing the broader perspective we aim to instill in our students. Additionally, our unique programming, such as the Handchime Choir, robotics, and Late Start Wednesday Coding For All, adds a touch of creativity and cultural enrichment to our curriculum.

Collaboration between the administrative teams at Eagle Crest, Altona and Silver Creek has been paramount in ensuring that our students experience smooth transitions and maintain academic excellence throughout their educational journey. The seamless coordination between these schools reflects our dedication to providing a consistent and enriching educational experience.

I invite you to watch a video presentation that we shared with the school board, highlighting the incredible work and initiatives undertaken across our feeder system. This video provides a glimpse into the passion and dedication that our educators bring to the classrooms every day.

As we continue to evolve and grow, I am confident that our feeder system will remain a beacon of educational distinction. Together, as a community, we are fostering an environment where our students not only learn but thrive, preparing them to become the leaders and innovators of tomorrow.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend!

Warmly,

Amanda Holden

Principal

Eagle Crest School

PS- This week was our final week of welcoming local Veterans to join us in saying the pledge of allegiance. This has been a wonderful experience for our students and I am hopeful that this will continue to be a tradition in our school as we recognize Veterans Day and service to our country. Special thanks to Officer Shawn and Officer Augie, who both served in the US Army, and now work in our Longmont Police Department. In addition, my cousin, Lauryn Demspey served in the US Navy, and is now a local realtor.

Amanda Holden

Principal

Eagle Crest Elementary School

holden_amanda@svvsd.org

Silver Creek Video:

Hello Eagle Crest Families!

Is your child missing something? We have over 200 items in our Lost and Found! Our amazing PTO has snapped some photos of the items waiting to be claimed. However, please note that the slideshow isn't exhaustive. New items have been added daily, and some have already been reunited with their owners. Please plan to make a trip to school today or tomorrow to claim your items before they are donated this weekend.

Recommended Lifehack: labeling your child's coats, gloves, layers, lunch boxes/containers, and water bottles with their names can work wonders! We often check items for names, but none of the items in the slideshow had any names.

Thank you for your support and diligence in reducing the number of lost items at our school!

All the best,

Lindsey Cheney

Dean of Students

Eagle Crest Elementary School

cheney_lindsey@svvsd.org

December 1st-15th - Preschool & Kindergarten Enrollment, and Middle School Open Enrollment Window for 2024-2025

December 2nd - Innovation Center Day of AI

December 6th - Late Start

December 6th - Innovation Center Open House

December 22nd-January 8th - Winter Break - NO SCHOOL

Dear Eagle Crest Families,

Welcome back from Thanksgiving break. I hope you had some time to slow down and breathe before the holiday season revs up.

In advance of the holidays, PTO surveyed our amazing teachers and staff to find out what supplies they want and treats they love! If you’re looking for ideas, check out our Staff Interest List. Drawings and notes from students and family are treasured by staff; a short note expressing appreciation means so much!

A big thanks to all who contributed to the Staff Gratitude Fund this year. On your behalf, PTO volunteers will be providing a full holiday brunch for all of our teachers and staff during late start next Wednesday. Looking forward to an exciting December with you all at ECES!

Best,

Katie Lancaster

PTO President

COMING UP

• December 11: Proto’s Pizza (Longmont) donating portion of proceeds to Mwebaza Annex Club!

Sign-up for the PTO Newsletter.

Opt-in to the class directory.

Follow PTO’s NEW Facebook Page

Students, parents, educators, and AI enthusiasts are invited to this community event hosted by the Innovation Center on Saturday, December 2 from 2-5:00 p.m. This unique experience will offer interactive AI activities, informative sessions on St. Vrain’s initiatives in AI education, and hands-on STEM activities with the Future-Ready Innovation Mobile Lab. An outdoor drone light show will conclude the day’s events. A Day of AI also coincides with the World Artificial Intelligence Competition for Youth (WAICY), the world's largest AI competition for youth, which is hosted by the Innovation Center this year.

Learn more about the event details >>

As part of Computer Science Education Week, St. Vrain PK-5 elementary families are invited to explore STEM at the Innovation Center’s Open House & STEM Night. The event will take place on Wednesday, December 6 from 4:00-7:00 p.m. at the Innovation Center. Students will have the opportunity to explore a variety of educational offerings including coding, robotics, videography, design, aeronautics, cybersecurity, and much more. All activities are hands-on and planned and led by Innovation Center student designers and staff.

Way to Read Eagles!

Over the fall break, students really rocked their reading. As a school, we have now read 182,000 minutes so far! We are really close to reaching our school wide reading goal so keep up the good work. Remember, if everyone reads 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week, we will reach our goal. And don't forget to log your reading minutes each week for a chance to win a free book.

Here are this week's FREE BOOK winners:

Preschoolers - Maeve in Torres, Liam in Woolaway

Kindergarteners - Declyn O. in Coffelt, Ulani in Fink and Nayeli in McDaniels

1st graders - Gemma in Doyle and Elliott S in Phillips

2nd graders - Vivian in Bauer, Ezrah G. in Dean and Floyd in Rickel

3rd graders - Harrison in Drennan and Finn in Whitt

4th graders - Thomas in Cooper, Lauren in Potter and Julianne in Sudbeck

5th graders - Claire S. in Butterfield, Edward in Gaccetta and Ilan P. in McEvoy

Congratulations to our winners. We are so close to our goal of reading 250,000 minutes before Winter Break. So grab a book and get reading!

Our health room, a space dedicated to the well-being of our students, is in need of spare pants for those unexpected moments that can happen during the school day. To ensure the comfort and dignity of our little ones, we kindly ask for donations of pants in a variety of sizes, with a particular emphasis on smaller sizes. Your thoughtful contributions will make a significant difference in providing a nurturing and caring environment for all our students. Thank you for your ongoing support.

To better serve families and to support a more timely student preschool placement, St. Vrain’s Department of Early Childhood Education is offering families the opportunity to complete the district’s online pre-registration process prior to the state’s Universal Preschool (UPK) application. Families who pre-register in December will receive a notification of their placement from St. Vrain Valley Schools by the end of January, 2024. Pre-registered families will receive ongoing support and communication from St. Vrain Valley Schools if they choose to navigate the UPK process.

Learn more about St. Vrain’s new preschool pre-registration process >>

St. Vrain Valley School District offers free full-day kindergarten at every elementary school. For the 2024-2025 school year, kindergarten applications will be accepted between December 1-15, 2023. Registration continues after December 15.

To enroll in kindergarten, students must turn 5 on or before Oct. 1 of that school year. Please submit kindergarten enrollment information (see below) to your school of choice. Any additional questions can also be answered by calling the school (school contact information) you are submitting your application to.

As your child enters Kindergarten, we want to make you aware of the Kindergarten programming options available for the upcoming school year.

Registration Information

Please join us on December 2nd at 10:00am for our annual Ugly Sweater Run at Silver Creek High School. All ages and ability levels are welcome at our fun run. We even invite your four-legged family members. We will have food trucks, music, games and prizes!

See the flier below for more info.

While students will no longer be charged for lunch or breakfast, we encourage all families to complete the Free & Reduced Fees Application. This not only benefits your family but also supports our school in terms of funding, staffing, and reduced fees for activities. Remember to renew this application annually for access to various benefits.

Apply for free and reduced fees today to take advantage of these opportunities!

You can now find the monthly Lunch Menu at LINQCONNECT. This online system allows you to filter for allergens and see the Breakfast Menu. You change between Breakfast and Lunch in the upper left hand corner.

Eagle Crest's specials follow a three-day rotation: RED, YELLOW, PURPLE. Every month, a new calendar is provided, outlining the rotation. This helps your family plan and ensure the right shoes are ready for PE activities.

If you use Gmail in dark mode, you may not be able to read this newsletter very well. There is a setting under the ... at the top of the email that allows you to toggle into light mode. Check out the photo to see the steps.

Email: holden_amanda@svvsd.org
Website: eces.svvsd.org
Location: 4444 Clover Basin Drive, Longmont, CO, USA
Phone: 303-485-6073
Facebook: facebook.com/EagleCrestES
Twitter: @EagleCrestES

Have questions about anything covered in this newsletter? Reach out via email to holden_amanda@svvsd.org or cheney_lindsey@svvsd.org.

Need support in Spanish?

Contact Natalie Boggess at: boggess_natalie@svvsd.org , 303-702-7872