Monday, December 4, 2023

Dear Elementary Parents,
I hope your first few days of December have been joyous. It certainly has been interesting for my family, new to La Paz, to see the weather patterns changing as summer arrives. My first few weeks here in July, I thought clouds didn't exist in La Paz! 

I have a few important announcements to share, below, and in keeping with last week, a calendar of the coming days, at the very bottom of this blog post, to help you keep the many upcoming school events squared in your own calendars. 

Parent Coffee this Friday POSTPONED: Our Parent Coffees over the past month have been on hot parenting topics, but have had low attendance. We are learning that the "holiday season" is not ideal for these types of events. We are also working to create a better system for getting the word out and reminding parents. For now, we've postponed Nicole Fedio's presentation, titled "Different Ways to Think About Math" until Friday, January 19th. Then, Nicole will help us explore a variety of sample math problems that help to develop mathematical fluency in new ways. No registration is required, we hope to see you there!

Positive Elementary Parent Partners (PEPP) Invitation: We are actively seeking parents to join a small group to share feedback, generate ideas and help ACS Elementary fulfill its mission and vision. For more information, and to indicate your interest, please scan the QR code below. 

Open House for Prospective Families on Thursday: This Thursday, we will host prospective parents who may be interested in joining the ACS community beginning in January. If you know families who have their children in other schools, please share the poster below. Thank you!

Holiday Concert Information & Invitation: On Wednesday, December 12th, we will host our Holiday Concerts for KG3 through G1 at 10:45am, and G2 through G5 at 8:30am. We look forward to seeing you at this special event!

Thank you so much for reading, I wish you a calm and mindful week. 

Sincerely,

Eric Crabtree
Elementary Principal

End of Semester Calendar

Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
3	4	5	6	7 • 8:30-10a: ACS Open House • 830-230p: G5 Field Trip	8 • 815-915a Parent Cofee: Different Ways to Think about Math • 1230-3p G5 PBL Event	9
10	11	12	13 • Elementary Holiday Concerts 8:30-9:30am - G2-5 10:45-11:45am - KG3-G1	14	15 • 1045-1145 - Class Parties • 12p Dismissal • ~3p Report Cards Sent Home • December Break Begins	16

Monday, November 27, 2023

Dear Parents,
I sincerely hope that you had a wonderful Thanksgiving and 4-day break. Mine was wonderful, I enjoyed some camping and rock climbing with my family. Now, we're back in action and heading into the final 3 weeks of the semester. These weeks will be action-packed, there are many, many events coming. To make this slightly easier to manage, I've created a calendar of events, which you can find at the bottom of this post, with links to more information.

Positive Elementary Parent Partners (PEPP): I would also like to announce a new initiative in the elementary school. I am inviting parents to share their interest in joining a small group in service of the elementary community. If interested, please see the poster below for more information:

Tomorrow - Parent Coffee - CFG Edition: Technology Usage at ACS and at Home: Tomorrow we look forward to hosting parents as we talk about one of the most confounding concepts of parenting in the 21st Century - technology usage and children. Please check out the poster below for more information and to register:

STEAM Day Recap: Our STEAM Space Day was a wonderful success. It was so rewarding to work with your children across the elementary school as they took on challenges, collaborated with classmates, and worked to solve problems related to science, technology, engineering, art, and math. The day was incredible and we look forward to our next STEAM event, STEAM Family Night, scheduled for March 7, 2024!

Thanks so much for reading, I wish you a week of curiosity and discovery!

Sincerely,

Eric Crabtree

Elementary Principal

Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
Nov 26	27	28 • 815a Parent Coffee: CFG - Tech Usage at ACS and at Home	29	30	Dec 1	2
3	4	5	6	7 • 8:30-10a: ACS Open House • 830-230p: G5 Field Trip	8 • 815-915a Parent Cofee: Different Ways to Think about Math • 1230-3p G5 PBL Event	9
10	11	12 • Time TBC: KG3-G1 Holiday Concert	13 • Time TBC: G2-G5 Holiday Concert	14	15 • 1045-1145 - Class Parties • 1200p Whole School Dismissal • ~3p Report Cards Sent Home • December Break Begins	16

Monday, November 20, 2023

Dear Elementary Parents,

We find ourselves at the front of a short week, with a 4-day weekend drawing near. I know everyone is looking for a little break before the busy weeks leading up to December break. This week, though short, has some great learning opportunities and important announcements!

Space STEAM Day is this Tuesday! We are very much looking forward to a day of fun, imagination, and creative problem-solving. And a big thank you goes out to all of the parents who have helped to equip us with recycled materials to use on this day. We can't wait to get started! Children are encouraged to wear SPACE-themed clothes tomorrow. Another big thank you goes out to Mrs. Janet Inofuentes, who is our STEAM Coordinator and has helped to bring this special day to life! Thank you, Mrs. Janet!

Library Reminder: This is a friendly reminder that our elementary library is open on Tuesday mornings, from 8:00 until 8:45 for parents. Research findings have consistently found that there is nothing more impactful on a human being's success in life than having parents who read to them as children. Take advantage of our wonderful library - the largest collection of English books in Bolivia, I'm told!

Upcoming Parent Coffee: Technology Use at ACS and at Home. Please join us on Tuesday, November 28th at 8:15 am for a CFG Edition Parent Coffee focused on addressing family and parenting challenges related to technology. To learn more, or to register for the event, please scan the QR code on the poster below. We hope to see you there!

Food Drive for Casa Amandita: The Elementary School Leadership Council is continuing its food drive for Casa Amandita. We have received an incredible amount of food donations in the past week - our community is so generous. Thank you for your continued support! For more information on the food drive and the specific foods needed, click HERE. The drive ends on December 8th. 

Thanks for reading! I wish you a zesty and spirited week!

Sincerely,

Eric Crabtree
Elementary Principal

Monday, November 13, 2023

Dear Elementary Parents,
Seeing so many parents at our Parent Coffee on Child Protection at ACS this past Friday was a thrill. Our Parent Coffees, both the presentations and the CFG Editions are intended to bring you into the community, share with you the educational approaches we are taking as a school, for your children, and help to share perspectives and ideas that may benefit you as a parent. We all know there's not a more difficult job in the world than raising a child in these times. As an educational institution, it is our duty to not just settle for educating our students but to serve as a support and resource for parents as well. If you haven't joined a Parent Coffee yet, our next one is a "hot topic" in most households I know of; "Technology Use at ACS and at Home." We'll discuss screen time, how we use tech at school, and how to establish and use boundaries with your children. It's not intended to be the solution to every problem, but a time and space for you to give some thought to the role that technology plays in your household. For more information or to register, please see the poster below and scan the QR code. We hope to see you there!

Announced Fire Drill on Wednesday, November 15th at 9:00am: Our previously postponed evacuation drill has been rescheduled for this week. 

High School Friendship Games this week: This Thursday, ACS will be hosting teams from all over Bolivia for the annual Friendship Games! Below is the schedule - you are welcome to come on campus to watch any of the games, but please note that children must be supervised by a parent to attend. Thank you!

Open House for Prospective Families: On Thursday, December 7th, from 8:30 until 10:00 am, we will be hosting an Open House for prospective families. We ask for your support in getting the word out to your friends with children in other schools in La Paz! Thank you!

Art Class run by ACS Secondary Students: Parents of ACS! Are your kids into arts and crafts? Do you love seeing their pieces of art? Do you want an opportunity to have a free few hours on a Saturday morning? We are offering an art workshop for elementary kids every Saturday morning from 9 am to 12:30. It includes a 2D piece, a 3D piece, and a snack break for only 100bs! Your kid would work with ACS high schoolers with extensive art and teaching experience. For more information, contact +591 767 72004 (ESP) or +591 625 50878 (ENG).

Space STEAM Day is coming up next Tuesday, November 21st! Our students across elementary will be engaged in activities that challenge them to solve problems while learning about science, technology, engineering, art and math! We are so excited. We do need more recycled materials to prepare for this exciting day. Please see the poster to the right for more information! 

STEAM education, which incorporates Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics, plays an important role in nurturing students in ACS. The community helps little learners grow their curiosity by encouraging them to explore the world around them through hands-on experiences. Through STEAM activities, our students not only find meaning in education but they connect classroom lessons to real-life applications, fostering a deeper understanding of concepts. Furthermore, STEAM education raises awareness about the world, environment and its needs, instilling a sense of responsibility for the planet by teaching children about sustainability, innovation, and the role they can play in creating a better future. In essence, STEAM activities empower our students to become inquisitive, informed, and environmentally conscious global citizens.

Thanks for reading! I wish you a windy, warm week!

Sincerely,

Eric Crabtree
Elementary Principal

Monday, November 6, 2023

Dear Elementary Parents, 

Happy Monday everyone - thanks a million for your presence and support during last week's Halloween Costume Parade and ACS Halloween Fair. It was such a joy to have so many of you on campus, cheering on our young Cougars in the parade. Don't forget - next year, you're invited to participate in the costume parade too!

Child Protection Awareness Month: I mentioned on Class Dojo last week that this month is Child Protection Awareness Month at ACS. We have learning in store for students, teachers, and parents and we hope you will join us in our commitment to doing everything in our power to prevent child abuse and neglect. 

Parent Coffee: Child Protection at ACS - Next Friday, November 10, 2023, we will host a Parent Coffee presentation on our proactive approach to child protection & safeguarding. The team will share details on faculty training that takes place, the student-centered curriculum promoting safety rules, and what you can do, as parents to help keep your child safe from abuse and neglect. No registration is necessary and we hope to see you there!

Kindergarten Showcase Reminder: Tomorrow, Tuesday, November 7th at 8:30 am, we will host parents of prospective students in our Kindergarten 3 & 4 classes on campus. We would very much appreciate your help in getting the word out to families you know that may be interested. Thank you!

Scholastic Book Order Ongoing: In case you missed it in ClassDojo, we have a book order out to families at ACS. Please click this link for information on how to order books and other details. Orders are due this Friday. 

Thank you for reading. I wish you an adventurous and daring week!

Sincerely,

Eric Crabtree

Elementary Principal