Monday, February 26, 2024

Dear Elementary Parents,

I hope that you had a lovely weekend - I noted that there were lots of students going to birthday parties and playdates on Friday afternoon - so perhaps parents are slightly more tired than usual after this weekend! We had a Monday Morning Meeting (MMM) with the elementary school this morning. This was our 10th of the year, and is a nice opportunity to bring our young cougars together for community building, some celebrating and some singing - we believe heartily that a school that sings together sticks together! We talked about all of the events we have to look forward to this year - many of which were announced today! You will see more information on these below:

This Week - Yearbook Photos: Please remember to check the schedule linked below for information on when your elementary child will have their yearbook photo taken. Additionally, please rest easy knowing that we will have several parents on hand to ensure that every child's hair is combed and that they don't have any food on their faces!

Friday, March 8th - Parent Coffee - Curricular Review & Looking to Next Year: Join us to learn about the exciting Curricular Review taking place in our Elementary School this semester. We are looking at a variety of subject areas, evaluating how our current curriculum and programming in each area are meeting the needs of our community, and exploring opportunities for growth and innovation! We hope to see you there!

Friday, March 22nd - Student-Led Conferences: Please save the date for this important date in the school year. We love this year as it's an opportunity for our students to reflect and share their learning progress with their biggest fans - parents! Sign-ups will start in a few weeks and more information is coming soon!

April: We are so excited to share a new event at ACS - Literacy Celebration Month! The month of April will be jam-packed with fun events that promote a love of reading and writing. We have author visits, parent workshops, a book fair, a book swap, and tons of other things coming. April will be a busy month and parents are encouraged to get engaged and be part of the fun! Stay tuned for the exact days and times of these exciting events!

Friday, April 19th - Earth Day at ACS: That's right - on Friday, April 19th ACS will be coming together as a true "Green Team" to celebrate Planet Earth and raise awareness on sustainability and environmental topics. We are very excited for this day!

Lots more is in the works and coming in May, including a family STEAM event, International Day, the Elementary Talent Show, and other end-of-year events! I'll save you the details of all these, but there's always lots happening here in our Cougar Den!

Thanks for reading and best wishes for a fun and fabulous week!

Sincerely,

Eric Crabtree

Elementary Principal

Monday, February 19, 2024

Dear Elementary Parents, 

I hope that you had a nice weekend after the beautiful Carnaval celebration and long weekend last week. It was such a joy to see your children dancing and celebrating Bolivian culture and traditions, and to see so many of you enjoying the fun!  I enjoyed my first trip to Tarija and found the Carnaval celebration there to be beautiful, awe-inspiring, and a little wet!

We turn now to the next big events on the horizon. Please see below for all the things to look forward to in the coming weeks and months!

STEAM Family Event: On Friday, March 8th from 3:30-5:30 pm, we will host a STEAM Family event. This is a great opportunity to engage in Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math challenges with your children and ACS faculty! The event will have a variety of different events that will be extremely fun and snacks and food for all participants! More details are coming, but please save the date! We hope to see you there!

Student-Led Conferences: On Friday, March 22nd we will host students and parents for celebrations of learning. Sign-ups will be shared starting in early March. If you are unfamiliar with Student-Led Conferences, these are blocks of time when you and your children come to the classroom and your child will lead you through the learning that they have done over the past weeks and months. They will share goals, areas where they struggle, and areas where they are proud of their accomplishments; all through a celebratory lens! This is a special event in the school year, and a favorite of students, teachers, and parents alike! Watch for more information in the coming weeks!

Yearbook Photos are Coming! Next week, the week of February 26, we will have professional photographers on campus to take photographs for the yearbook. These photos will also be available for purchase - some info will be sent out soon with details on how to order. For now, you can see the day and time that your child will have their photograph taken on this schedule.  <https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_L3amG2v5xJFAKhWtsjNIRkdKQDuyi5lDKHLFTtTpB8/edit?usp=sharing> 

Thanks so much for reading. I wish you a week of sunshine and smiles.

Sincerely,

Eric Crabtree

Elementary Principal

Monday, February 5, 2024

Dear Elementary Parents,

We have an exciting week ahead of us here on campus, and it's ending with a 4- day weekend. I hope that following our busy Friday you are able to get away, kick back and relax, or do whatever it is that recharges you and your family!

Carnaval de Entrada this Friday:

Our students and teachers have been preparing for Friday for several weeks. They've learned about the history of their dances, and have been rehearsing together to show off their moves! Friday will be a busy day - please read on for details on what to expect.

• Dance Performances:
• Our KG3 through Grade 1 students will be in the gymnasium doing their traditional Bolivian Carnaval dances from 8:45 am until 9:45 am. Parents of these Lower Elementary students are asked to send their children into school that morning with their costumes on and their hair done! Parents will be allowed into campus starting at 8:40 am.
• Likewise, our Upper Elementary students will be in the gymnasium for their dance performances from 10:45 am until 11:45 am. Parents are allowed on campus to help with costumes and hair at 10:05 am. General admission to the gym will begin at 10:40 am. 
• Potluck:
• On Friday, all students from KG5 through Grade 5 will have recess from 12:40 until 1:05 pm. During this time, classroom parents and those parents who have signed up to help will be putting the food that's been brought in on tables in 1 of the 2 grade-level classrooms.  One classroom will host the food service, and the other classroom will host the eaters. 
• At the end of recess, all students will return and, in an orderly fashion, get their food and eat it in the other classroom. Parents will be allowed in to set up for the lunch at 12:35 pm. 
• Please note that if you are renting a Carnaval costume for your elementary student, these need to be returned on Friday, before leaving for the weekend. 

A Reminder: No school next Monday and Tuesday for Carnaval de Entrada!

Lost & Found: ACS is inundated with unclaimed clothes & other items. During your visit to campus on Feb. 9, please take a look through these items to see if your child lost anything. They will be displayed on tables near the Elementary front entrance. Please note that anything left at the end of the day will be donated to a local charity. 

Operation Smile Cookie Decorating Party - Friday, February 16th: Several passionate ACS high school students are raising money and awareness for Operación Sonrisa - a charitable organization that helps to pay for surgery for children in Bolivia with cleft palates. They are inviting all elementary students to attend a cookie decorating party next Friday to raise money and learn about the organization. The details are below - please register if your child would like to attend. Thank you for your support of these students and this cause!

Thanks so much for reading. I wish you a festive and fabulous week!

Sincerely,

Eric Crabtree

Elementary Principal