April Newsletter

Bear Cub News

                   Academy of Tucson Elementary           School

April, 2012

Principals Message:

As I mentioned in the March newsletter, it was going to be a busy month and to recap it definitely was! We did kindergarten screenings, had fun at Skate Country Night, celebrated St. Patrick’s Day at the carnival, and learned about solar energy at the Science Fun Fest. We also had a cast member from “Up With People” visit our school who was from Japan. She worked with students in Mrs. Pierson’s class making star “origami” designs. The second grade classes went on a field trip to the stamp museum. The band and orchestra students from the  middle school came over to the elementary school to play for the third and fourth grade students during their music classes.  A note of “Thanks” goes out to all of the volunteers, PAC members, teachers, students and participants who helped to make these events a success.

In the classroom for this month, students are transitioning into the expectations of next year’s grade level so you may have noticed some different levels of work. The kindergarten classes have started their planting unit for science so there are many nicely potted flowers for all of us to enjoy. The fourth grade classes are gearing up for their Grand Canyon adventure at the end of the month.

We are going to take a little break from multiple school wide activities this month because we are getting ready for our AIMS/Stanford testing. It is imperative that students be in school the week of April 16^th due to our testing schedule. The students need to be, as always, well rested, nourished, and hydrated especially now that the weather is getting warmer.

We are on Spring Break the first week in April and will welcome everyone back on April 9^th. Have a safe and happy holiday!   

Calendar

April 2nd-6th: Spring Break-No School

April 10th: Elementary School Open House for

                 Prospective New Families 

                 Academy of Tucson Elementary

                 4:30-6:00 pm

April 11th: Early Release Day

April 13th: Parent Advisory Meeting

April 26^th-27th: 4^th Grade Grand Canyon Field Trip

April 27th: Spirit Day

Parents Corner:
There will be a parent advisory meeting under the ramada at 8:00 am on April 13. This meeting will focus on planning for next year and to review the bylaws. 


Recap of Science Fun Fest:
The Science Fun Fest event was wonderful and covered many exciting activities which focused on solar energy. The students learned about UV protection, solar cooking, and solar panels. The fourth grade students made rockets which were launched on the field in the afternoon for everyone to observe. It is important to note that Science Fun Fest is parent and community driven event. The core group of parents who organized this event were: Maya Hendrickson, Jaime Lines, Marilyn Montrose, Mary English, Tina Thomas, June Olsen, Beth Demarco, Maggie Jackman, Czarrina Hurn, and Berrye Mahaffey. Thanks to all of the parents who volunteered at each of the stations as well as a group of students from the Academy of Tucson High School.

Recap of Carnival:
Mrs. Van Hise, Mrs. Fata, and Mrs. Brown need to be commended for all their hard work in organizing the carnival. The staff of the Academy of Tucson Elementary School along with the fourth grade students and parents also need to be acknowledged for their efforts in making this event a success. Remember that the primary goal of the carnival is to raise funds to support the fourth grade trip to the Grand Canyon.

Open House For Prospective Students:
We will be having open house events for prospective students who are new to the Academy of Tucson Elementary School. This is a designated time to tour the school, get questions answered about the school, meet teachers/principal and complete registration forms. The following are the dates and times of the Open House Events for the elementary school including the dates and times of the other Academy of Tucson Schools:

Elementary School Open House Dates and Times:   
Tuesday-April 10^th 4:30-6:00 pm
Tuesday-May 1st 4:30-6:00 pm
Please Note: If new families are unable to attend any of the open house events, call to schedule a tour of the school in order to become familiar with the Academy of Tucson. We accept registration packets year round.

Middle School Open House Dates and Times:
Tuesday-April 10^th 4:00-5:30 pm
Tuesday-May 8th 4:00-5:30 pm

High School Open House Dates and Times:
Tuesday-April 10^th 4:00-6:00 pm
Tuesday-May 8th 4:00-6:00 pm