December 9, 2016

Dear Fireside Families,

Another exciting week at Fireside! A shout out to Stacey Forsyth, her team from the CU Science Discovery Center, Jenn Hart, Mr. Millard, Ms. Pischke and all of those who made this week's Hour of Code such a success. Critical thinking, problem solving, collaboration and math are just a few of the skills honed through the various programming opportunities K-5 this week. Please take a moment to view "Fireside moments" from the Hour of Code week. Your child can continue to practice coding using the following free resources: Code.org, Cs-first.com and Scratch.mit.edu 

Our star-studded 4th and 5th grade Fire Choir delivered quite a performance during this week's Fire Choir concert. So heart-warming to see students returning year after year for the culminating Fire Choir song. 

Congratulations to all of our geography participants this week- including those who engaged in the daily geography questions via morning announcements as well as our participants in Wednesday's school Geography Bee. Let's give a shout out to 5th grader, Finn Myers, for winning this year's Fireside Geography Bee! 

Just a reminder, when temperatures dip below 20 degrees (factoring in windchill), students are brought indoors before the start of the school day and will be indoors for recess until temperatures rise. I'm glad to see the temperatures are warming up a bit!

A shout out to Trey Chance, Olivia Alessandrini, Kaya Eriksson and Luke Robinson for their student leadership during our two open enrollment tours. Thanks for being the voice of our exemplary school!

During our last School Accountability meeting, we discussed our current Fireside homework policy as well as some of the research regarding homework. The School Accountability Committee would like to hear from our community regarding our policy and gather input via a survey. Please take a moment to review the Homework Policy and complete our Homework survey

Our district's State Assessment schedule for this year is available at THIS LINK. For grades 3-5, we kindly request parents schedule any vacations outside of this window

As always, thank you for your partnership in learning!

Nov. 18

Dear Fireside Families,
     As we approach the Thanksgiving holiday, it is a time to step back and be thankful for our many blessings, including family and friends as well as our safe and stable Louisville community. Here's a video clip, An Unsung Hero I shared with staff this week and felt it was timely to share with our families as well. As we approach the holiday season, how might we spread the same idea of "paying it forward" within our family circle and community? Participating in our "Giving Tree" program is just one example of this.
After hearing rave reviews from Perry Conway's visit to Fireside last year, we've invited him to return again this year with a different topic- Helping Wildlife Survive. Having traveled the world and experienced the affects of global warming firsthand, Perry will bring his teachings, photography and insights to our Fireside Falcons on November 30th. Be sure to ask your child/ren what was learned.
    Based on the tech survey we distributed to parents a couple weeks back regarding parent tech support/training, Ms. Pazour will host some tech informational sessions in January. Dates TBD and shared in the December 2 Chat. 
     This year, BVSD will not be offering an Impact on Education Award for Teachers as the district is in the process of revamping the award with plans to continue it next school year. 

Community events/resources:

• Community Resources for Latino Families
• Tuesday, Nov. 29 from 6-7pm Gun Safety Class in Fireside Amphitheater. Open to all Louisville schools.
• Common Sense Parenting courses starting after winter break.
• Screenager- a film about growing up in the digital age is taking place at Monarch K-8 on January 9 and open to the Louisville community. Please see attached flyer for details. 

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday!

Many blessings,

Nov. 4

Dear Fireside Families,
I am pleased to report that we had almost 100% attendance for parent teacher conferences (99%). Thank you for valuing your child's education and being active participants in your child's learning!
We've heard positive comments from families about our new way of reporting Fireside highlights via our Fireside Falcon News crew.  This is a wonderful avenue for empowering students to have a voice in our school, while developing reporting and communication skills.
Speaking of news crews, 2nd graders learned all about weather patterns from Dave Aguilera from Channel 4 News today. Check out tonight's 6:00 news for Fireside celebrities accompanying Mr. Aguilera with his news reporting.

As we transition into the next season, I hope your family took advantage of our glorious fall in Colorado. Here's a short video clip from preschool reminding all of us of the simple pleasures of appreciating nature and playing in the leaf piles.

      SAC Agenda, Nov. 10, 5:30-7pm A special thanks to our SAC committee members. Elected positions include:
Doug Cotton-Chairman
Corinne Johnson-Co-Chair
Keith Pieper-Secretary
Carolyn Harvey-PTO and PAC Representative
Anna Siepmann-DAC Representative
New this year, we are building in time for topics of interest to support community discussions. Please see our SAC agenda if these topics are of interest to you.

Halloween fun!

October 21

Dear Fireside Families,

It's been a wonderful past couple of weeks of conferences. If for some reason, you were unable to attend, please contact your child's teacher to reschedule. Our teachers sure appreciated the homemade meals during conference nights!  A special thanks to our volunteers for your contributions and Lucky Pie night- my first slice of our locally owned pizza place- yummy!

 

Thursday afternoon, we were the recipients of the Green Star School Award for practicing zero waste for the past five years. Ask your child/ren what Eco-tips they've learned this past week and how might they apply this learning in your home?  We will also be recruiting 4th and 5th graders to participate as "green advocates" on our newly formed, "Green Team." Look for a flyer in this Friday's folders. To learn more about ways to conserve and reuse, please visit the Eco-guide 

Would you like to learn more about TAG programming at Fireside? Join Ms. Fitzgerald, Kate LeMere, and myself from 8:15-9am on October 25th in the Fireside Amphitheatre for a TAG Coffee . Please RSVP for this event by contacting Kathryn Wolf in the front office: 720-561-7900. 

BVSD is sponsoring a special film series: 

Families are welcome to attend, on October 27, the first of the Innovation in Education Film Series: Most Likely to Succeed. The Innovation in Education Film Series was created as an opportunity for us, as a larger community (teachers, parents, students, community members and other partners), to consider these national shifts in education and what we might learn from the experiences of other schools and districts who are also embracing this challenge. Most Likely to Succeed offers an inspiring look at what students and teachers are capable of — if we have the vision and courage to transform our schools. Audience members call it the most compelling film ever created on the topic of school. For more information and to reserve seats, visit: https://goo.gl/WpkcoI.

As always, thank you for your partnership in learning!

October 14

Dear Fireside Families,

On Monday, staff engaged in "design thinking"  by working collaboratively and creating structures. The design process is an example of using the "Innovator's Mindset". We hope to ignite design thinkers at Fireside!

Next week Fireside will be recognized for their environmentally conscious practices during the Green Star Assembly on October 21st. Students will also participate in a variety of eco-friendly activities hosted by Eco-Cycle.  Be sure to check out the Eco-guide to incorporate green practices into  your home. 

If you have any gently used Fireside spirit gear your children have outgrown, feel free to drop it off in our red collection bin in our entryway. 

Congratulations, Nora Moynihan, for being recognized for your artwork at the BVSD art show!

Reminders:

-With the change in seasons, we begin to see an increase in tardies and lost and found items. To support your child and family with attendance and timeliness, check out these helpful tips here.

-Halloween Parade: We look forward to our Halloween Parade on Monday, Oct. 31st at 8:15am, families are welcome to join us! Students may come in costume and parties will follow immediately thereafter.  We kindly request no blood, gore or weapons with costumes. Any parents choosing to come in costume, we request that no masks are worn.

Community events:
FREE S.T.E.A.M. educational shows given by CU Faculty Professors from several academic departments. See here for more information:  http://www.colorado.edu/cuwizards/

As always, thank you for your partnership in learning!

Oct. 7

Dear Fireside Families,

Another exciting week at Fireside! During today's PRIDE assembly our Mad Hops student jump-ropers demonstrated their "Excellence" and "Determination" with a lively show. Be sure to check out JumpNrope in downtown Louisville if your child was inspired!

Some parents have asked for training and support on the different types of technology being used at Fireside. Please help us meet your needs by completing the brief Parent Technology Survey.

Fireside Fall Conferences  begin next week. The last day to sign up is October 10th. Our attendance goal is 100% participation!  As we all know, staying well informed about your child's learning makes all the difference. 

Interested in hearing what was discussed during last night's School Accountability Committee meeting? Please click Here. An ongoing topic is educational funding. I encourage our parents to be well informed about the Operational Levy 3A on the November ballot. Following are two other resources that show Colorado in comparison to other state educational funding.

• Comparing state changes in per pupil spending between 2002-03 and 2012-2013
• Comparing state by state per pupil spending in 2002-03 and 2012-13

Did you know October is Dyslexia Awareness Month? Here's an event that will be hosted in Longmont. Simulations are quite powerful experiences for understanding Dyslexia.

Would you like to learn more about TAG programming at Fireside? Join Ms. Fitzgerald, Kate LeMere, and myself from 8:15-9am on October 25th in the Fireside Amphitheatre for a TAG Coffee 

Parent Technology Presentation:

Parenting in the Digital Age is still uncharted territory. How can we use technology to empower our children without it causing them harm? Professor Brian Housand from East Carolina University will equip parents with tools and strategies to help them navigate in this ever-changing digital world.

Register online at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/todays-technology-and-gifted-s…

As always, thank you for your partnership in learning!

September 23

Dear Fireside Families,

     It's been a fun-filled week with parent and community engagement. We had close to 35 parents in attendance at our first PTO meeting of the year where we voted on this year's budget and celebrated raising close to $50,000 from our Jog-a-thon. A shout out to our dedicated Jog-a-thon committee and the participation from our families. We had a 90% participation rate in our fundraising efforts. 

   During this week's Principal/Parent Coffee for grade 1 and 3 we discussed the Operational Levy, which will be on this year's November ballot. I highly encourage parents to stay well informed about issues related to educational funding. Parents also inquired about the status of the district work on the Ideal School Day as well as the new graduation requirements, which will begin with the class of 2021. Please visit the following links to gather additional information about these relevant topics:
Operational Levy, 
Ideal School Day 
Graduation Guidelines  

Student Directory:
Out of respect to student and family privacy, the school does not distribute student contact information. However, playdates and birthday party invites can be arranged via our school directory- to be released soon!  Thanks to Diane Ballard for coordinating these efforts:

Please submit your family's contact information online (one entry per family):  goo.gl/CzTVZa Information is collected each year, so even if you were included in last year's directory, please submit information again this year.  The deadline to submit information for the directory is Wednesday, September 28, 2016. If you would like to advertise in this directory that is viewed by over 300 families, please see (https://docs.google.com/document/d/19a2bWSJgRCmDdHrlgW77wfi3RDqiUmOP4l6ucNK_W7U/edit) or contact Diane Ballard (dballard_69@yahoo.com). 

Dreambox:
I have secured funding for the remainder of the year for our new adaptive math technology. I'm continuing to gather feedback on the program, so please share any of your observations with your child's teacher. The purpose for it's usage is to address gaps and extend learning for advanced mathematicians. Teachers are also able to monitor student progress on concepts taught- so far I've heard positive remarks from students, parents and teachers. 

PARCC: 

Individual student score reports will be delivered to schools in October and made available to families. Fireside saw some significant growth scores, particularly in 5th grade. For more information and to access our results, please go to http://www.cde.state.co.us/schoolview/coloradogrowthmodel).

• Following are additional PARCC resources for parents in English and Spanish, as well as other languages: http://www.cde.state.co.us/communications/resourcesforparents
• Colorado PARCC scores: http://www.cde.state.co.us/assessment/cmas-englishmath-dataandresults

Keagan Rapp illustrates his Fireside PRIDE

Conferences:
Please sign up by October 10th
Fireside Fall Conferences

As always, thank you for your partnership in learning!

Sept. 16

 Dear Fireside Families,
      Given that we are now full swing back into the school year, it is time to step back and check-in on our family balance. At the Keppler household, with two daughters in competitive soccer and a spouse who's also a principal, sometimes it's easier said than done.  Yet, somehow, what helps us strike that ever delicate balance is when we each realize how we contribute to support the family as a whole and stop and accept that's it's ok if those shoes don't get picked up off the entryway floor. 

     As our lives get filled, we often get caught up in the chase versus the moment. Listening to parents share "moments" about their Kindergartner's beginnings at Fireside during our Principal/Parent Coffee reminded me about how important it is to find the joy in each moment. Hearing our kinders come home and share about how they "love to learn" is truly what matters most. How do we share these joys each day at home and within our classrooms? Instead of our continued emphasis on "How hard did you work?" what if we asked, "What brought you joy today?"

     Watching our kids in the garden and seeing our 5th graders journaling in our outdoor classroom are some of those experiences our kids benefit from at Fireside- both bring me joy to watch!  


     Speaking of outdoor spaces, I'm not sure if our families have noticed, but thanks to Christ the Servant Church, families joined together to beautify our grounds last weekend- everything from trimming shrubs and general maintenance to creating a new red-stone pathway. 

     Another joyful moment- take a look at what our 1st grade film crew created - a blockbuster videoclip for our Jog-a-thon. 
First Grade Jog-a-Thon Movie

Other Important News:

• We are still actively seeking new members to join our School Accountability Committee. Don't let the word "accountability" scare you away. While we will use some of the time to discuss achievement goals, it is also an opportunity for rich discussion regarding topics of interest. Please email me if you are interested in serving on this committee christa.keppler@bvsd.org. Our first meeting is October 6th from 5:30-7pm.
• Assessment Day: Monday, September 19th
• Parents have been notified by teachers about grade level plans. 
• Parent Teacher Conferences: Oct. 13, 18, 20
• A Google Doc will be sent home on Sept. 23rd for parents to sign up.

I hope to see our parents at the upcoming Principal/Parent coffees. It's a wonderful opportunity to meet other parents, stay connected with your school, and be a part of our Fireside Family.

September 9

Dear Fireside Families,

This week's news is short and sweet...

Thanks for coming out to show your Fireside spirit at this year's Louisville Parade. A shout out to our fearless cheerleader, Matt Schwartz, for his enthusiasm and energy and for leading the community.








The Jogathon was a huge success today! Thanks to Ms. Rosquist, the PTO and Jogathon committee for making this an event about fun and wellness- a memorable fundraiser for our students indeed.

Here's a video clip from our beginning of the year, Pride assembly. Feel free to practice the lyrics at home so students are ready to sing along at our next Pride Assembly.
https://youtu.be/27-SlOiHrUo

September 2

Dear Fireside Families,
        Thank you for attending our Parent Information Night this week. Our hope is that parents left well informed and are excited about the school year ahead! If you were unable to attend, please visit the teacher's website Fireside webpage and connect with your child's classroom teacher to ensure you have all the information for a strong start to the school year. I am also attaching my presentation slides to provide a snapshot of what's to come in the year ahead. Parent Information Night
     We kindly request that all families read the Student and Family Handbook and return the accompanied form indicating it's been read and signed by September 9th. This will help familiarize new and returning families about policies and procedures at Fireside Elementary.
Safety reminders:

• While we are a dog friendly community, for the safety of our children, dogs are not allowed on school grounds.
• Please use designated crosswalks to ensure we are all modeling safety for our children.

Assessment Day: Sept. 19th, No School:

• Expect to receive communication within the next week from your child's teacher to gain a better understanding of how the day will be used. 

Jogathon: Sept. 9th: We welcome our community to come cheer on our Fireside Falcons!

• 3rd Graders: 8: 10 - 9:00 
• 4th Graders: 9:05 - 9:55 
• AM Kindergarten & AM Pre-school: 10:00 - 10:30 
• 5th Graders: 10:35 - 11:25 
• PM Kindergarten & PM Pre-school: 12:10 - 12:40 
• 1st Graders: 12:45 - 1:35 
• 2nd Graders: 1:40 - 2:30

Students are finding all sorts of creative ways to raise money for the PTO sponsored "Raise it or Write It" fundraiser-from hosting garage sales to setting up lemonade stands.

A big shout out to Jordan Ellerington, as she took the initiative to sell flower arrangements to raise money for our Jogathon. Way to go Jordan!

Students showing their "Fireside Pride" during our welcome back PRIDE assembly.

Destination Imagination Imagination is Back at Fireside!

• 4th and 5th graders- today's Friday Folder has a flyer for an informational meeting about Destination Imagination. DI is a volunteer-led, educational non-profit organization that teachers 21st century skills and STEM principles through creative and collaborative problem solving challenges. If interested, parents and students are invited to this informational session in the Amphitheater on Thursday, Sept. 8th at 2:45.

Community Event:

• Wear red and march with us in the Louisville Labor Day Parade: Sept. 5th, gathering at 9:30am on Lafayette Street. Parade begins at 10am.
• Still room to join. This is hosted at Fireside-Register today:  Click on the class titles below, visit us online at bvsd.org/lll (enter the class#), or call 720-561-5968.  Disney’s Aristocats! with CenterStage Theatre Company / grades 1-5    #10984Schedule : Weekly - Tue 2:35 PM - 3:55 PM; 12 sessions; starting 8/30/2016, ending 11/15/2016  
• Saturday, September 24, 2016, 9:30-10:30 a.m. in Duane Physics G1B30. Professor Lew Harvey presents “Illusion & Reality: The Science of Perception.” Students will learn about how the brain works by exploring the conditions under which visual and auditory illusions occur. CU Wizards show takes place once every month on Saturday morning at University of Colorado Boulder.   Visit www.colorado.edu/cuwizards

Here's a videoclip that captures students using their "Innovator's Mindset" 
Kiran Sethi: Kids, take charge | TED Talk | TED.com

Aug. 19

Dear Fireside Families,

What a great start to our school year! We sure enjoyed welcoming parents this week at our Kinder Information Night as well as the Ice Cream Social. Starting back to school during a shortened week helps everyone settle back into routines- including early to bed and early to rise.

As you enter our school and see our bulletin display in the entryway you may be wondering, "What is the Innovator's Mindset all about?" The eight key characteristics will be incorporated in a variety of ways throughout the school year and align with the book I'll be sharing with every classroom starting next week. If you'd like to learn more, feel free to read the short piece we dipped into as a staff from George Courous's book, The Innovator's Mindset.
Innovator's Mindset


During our staff training days we also invited a consultant to join us to learn more about brain research related to reading and the importance of brain-based literacy instruction. We continue to deepen our understanding and refine skills for how to best serve students in the area of reading.
Brain Based Literacy Instruction


Our staff is embracing an "Innovator's Mindset" as they start the school year bringing new ideas, a continued commitment, and a true passion for teaching and learning to best serve our students. We truly are an amazing community. Our welcoming sidewalk chalk says it all...

Your partner in learning,

Mrs. Keppler, principal

Aug. 12th Fireside Chat

Dear Fireside Families,
     We look forward to welcoming our students back to school next week. Teachers are busy getting ready for the their first day, August 18th. Here are a few "Fireside Moments" of teachers in action. 

            


 
A few important dates and reminders:
If you haven't accessed the Parent Portal in Infinite Campus to determine your child's class placement, please do so before the first day of school on Thursday, August 18th.

Aug. 16, ​5-6pm​  Kind​ergarten ​Information Presentation (parents only please).

Aug. 17, 2:30-3:30 PTO Sponsored Ice Cream Social

Our first community event of the year- hope all families can make it!

Thursday, August 18, 8am FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL!!! Grades 1-5

August 18, 19: Kindergarten Assessment Days Please sign up if you haven't already done so. Kindergarten Assessment Day Sign-up

August 31, 8am: First Day of Preschool