Academy of Tucson Elementary School
May and June, 2011
Principals Message
As I reflect on my first year as Principal of the Academy of Tucson Elementary School , it’s hard to believe that this is our final newsletter of the year. I have enjoyed getting to know the students, staff, and families of The Academy of Tucson and have been privileged to be a part of this wonderful community. I am happy that you have entrusted us to serve and guide your child in their journey towards academic and personal success.
Once again we have had some exciting things happen since the April newsletter. To recap, we made it through AIMS/Stanford testing in part because of the conscientious efforts of parents/guardians who made it a priority to get their child to school and because of the hard work displayed by the students and teachers. The fourth graders had a wonderful time on their Grand Canyon trip and surprising to me a majority of the students had never been to the Grand Canyon . Mrs. Brown, Mrs. Fata, and Mrs. Van Hise put in endless hours getting prepared for this adventure. We also appreciated all the parents/guardians who agreed to be chaperones for the trip. Our parent organization had a McDonald’s Family Fun Night and it was a success due to all of those who participated in the event. We also celebrated the culmination of Brownie Troop 1131’s water bottle and recycling project.
May until the end of the school year will be very busy with different activities and celebrations so please keep current on what’s happening at the school through teacher communication, this newsletter, our website and PASS. Because I am getting this newsletter out to you a little later than usual, we had a terrific day on Wed. the 11th at Water Day. Mrs. Mitchell was instrumental in making the day a success as well as all the parent and family volunteers. In addition to Water Day we had presentations on sun safety and water safety. We were fortunate to have representatives from the OTT Y and Tucson Fire Dept. speak on these important topics prior to the summer vacation. The first week in May was Teacher Appreciation Week and the parent organization did a fantastic job recognizing our teachers. There were recognition gifts the entire week and a delicious luncheon served to the teachers on the Wednesday of that week.
The next upcoming event is our music concert on May 17th at Rincon Mountain Presbyterian Church at 6:00 pm. Grades 3 & 4 need to be at the church by 5:30 and Grades K-2 need to be there at 5:45. There will be overflow parking available at the “Cool Church ” adjacent to the Presbyterian Church. We look forward to seeing you at the concert. A special “Thanks” goes to the Bacon family for their recent donation of a new American Flag and Arizona Flag to the school. They look great!
We are in the process of closing out this school year and getting ready for the 2011-2012 school year. You will receive a mailing from the school in June and then one in July. The July mailing will designate which class your child has been assigned to and any other pertinent information for the upcoming school year. I am including our revised dress code policy in this newsletter so that you have the necessary information to make appropriate clothing choices during one of your shopping excursions over the summer. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us at your earliest convenience. In closing I hope you have a safe and restful summer!
Calendar
May 17th: Spring Music Concert
May 27th: After School Play Day
June 2nd: Kindergarten Promotion (Teachers will
notify families of times)
June 3rd: Fourth Grade Promotion Ceremony
(Teachers will notify families of times)
Last day of school with students/Early
Release Day
The PAC organization is working on their goals for next year and would appreciate any input that you have. They have done a terrific job in sponsoring many events and supporting the students and staff at the school. If you have some ideas or suggestions for next year, please do not hesitate to come to one of the meetings, contact one of the members, or drop off a note to put in the PAC cubby in the front office.
Science Fun Fest: There will be a planning meeting for Science Fun Fest for the 2011-2012 school year on Wed. May 18th at under the Ramada. Please plan to attend if you can. For those of you that are not able to attend but have ideas or suggestions for next year, feel free to contact Jaime Lines at: jandjlinesfam@hotmail.com.
Yearbook Update:The yearbook is at the printers and will be ready to distribute soon. A special “Thanks” goes to the students who participated in the after school yearbook club and to Ms. Sanchez and Mrs. Siath for all their time and effort they put into this project to make it a success.
Safe Routes To School Grant:
The Academy of Tucson Elementary School was fortunate to be the only charter school in Tucson to be awarded funding to participate in the Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Grant.
“This grant is part of a national and international movement to create, safe, convenient, and fun opportunities for children to bicycle and walk to and from school. It can also play a critical role in reversing the alarming nationwide trend towards childhood obesity and inactivity. The program is a comprehensive community-based program based on the “Five E’s” (education, enforcement, encouragement, engineering, and evaluation).”
A team of grant coordinators, parents, and Mr. Mitchell will be hosting an afterschool play day on Friday, May 27th at . This event will focus on how to properly use the new playground and fitness equipment purchased for the school from the grant. A parent/guardian must accompany the student to the event. Check your child’s Friday and/or Monday folders for more detailed information.
Updated Dress Code Guidelines:
THE ACADEMY OF TUCSON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENT
DRESS AND APPEARANCE CODE
2011-2012
ITEM | FABRIC | COLOR | SPECIFICATIONS | |
Pants | Docker Style (Flat fronts or Pleated) Capris Flat pocketed cargo pants gauchos | Cotton/Twill/ Corduroy | Navy, Khaki, Black | Fitted at waist; NO sagging, spandex, or denim Flat pockets OK; no tight fits; NO oversized pants for males All clothes should be in good repair |
Skirts | Pleats/A-line/Straight | Any fabric except denim | Navy, Khaki, black | Length: tip of middle finger with arms to side or longer; no front, back or side slits more than 1 inch above knee |
Dresses | Polo Type or Uniform Jumpers | Polo: Cotton/poly blend for, Jumpers: Cotton/Twill/ Corduroy | Polo Type: Any color or stripes Jumpers: Navy, Khaki, Black | Length: tip of middle finger with arms to side or longer; not front back or side slits more than 1 inch above knee |
Shorts | Walking shorts | Cotton/Twill NO denim | Navy, Khaki Black | Length: tip of middle finger with arms to side or longer. |
Shirts | Polo type: collar/sleeves Not form fitting | Cotton/poly blend | Any color or stripes | Short or long sleeves; max top two buttons may be unbuttoned; tucked at waist and tails long enough to stay tucked when arms are raised |
T-Shirts | Crew Neck | Cotton/poly blend | Solid color or stripes | Solid color T-Shirts can be worn as a substitute for collared shirts 1st and 4th quarter only because of the hot weather. The only exception to this is that |
Sweater/Vest | Any type | Any fabric | Any color | No inappropriate language, graphics, stickers, patches, logos |
Sweatshirt | Any style/ appropriate sz. | Sweatshirt fabric | Any color | No inappropriate language, graphics, stickers, patches, logos |
Shoes | Athletic, sandals w/back straps, dress shoes | NO flip-flops, slides or platform shoes NO Heelies tennis shoes | ||
Hats/Sunglasses | Baseball, floppy/hoods | May NOT be worn inside buildings or hats worn backwards |
Interpretation of appropriate dress will be determined by School Administration. If questions exist, check with specific school BEFORE shopping for clothes. Fair and consistent application of this dress code will be applied at each campus. Slight variations may exist due to age differences. For example: Elementary School children are required to wear a school polo shirt on field trips. Polo shirts can be ordered from the school office. Students should be groomed in a manner that does not draw attention to themselves.