Skip to main content
Monthly Archives

April 2021

Eagle News 4/26/2021

By Newsletters
Staff Appreciation Week
It is Staff Appreciation Week! Our incredible PTA and other parent volunteers have scheduled multiple ways of saying thank you to our staff this week. Check out (see attached photo) how our main door entry by the flag pole is decorated on Monday.
We would love to show appreciation from the parents to all of our wonderful teachers and staff this year with a flood of thank you notes.
If you choose to participate in this effort, you can E-mail the teacher/staff directly (see school website if you don’t know the email: https://alpine.alpineschools.org/faculty-staff/)
If you have a desire to give the teachers/staff more than a thank you note, here is a document with a list of faculty favorites:
Here is what the happening this week:
Monday—Thank you notes
Tuesday—Soft ice cream bar in faculty room
Wednesday—Lunch provided by the PTA
Thursday—Waffle kits delivered to classrooms with Susie’s Original Syrupdipity Spread
Friday—Taco Food Truck serving lunch
The Alpine Elementary staff do an incredible job of working with your students in any given year. Having said that, students, parents and staff will always remember the “Year of the Pandemic”. The fact that our staff has been face-to-face with students since August 17 when so many other places in the country have not opened their schools is reason for celebration. We appreciate all that the PTA is doing this week to say thank you to the Alpine Elementary faculty!
Fourth Grade Utah Program
At 1:45 pm on Thursday, April 29 our 4th graders will be performing their Utah State Program. Parents are welcome to attend but must be wearing masks. We will livestream the program if you want to stay home and watch it. I will send you a link later in the week.
Acadience Testing
The third and final Acadience reading assessment will be administered on Thursday, April 29. Acadience is the diagnostic test all K-3 graders takes to assess their foundational reading skills.
No Kindergarten May 10 – 14
There will be no kindergarten May 10 – 14 as our kindergarten teachers will be administering the Kindergarten Entry and Exit (KEEP) Assessment. The final day of school for kindergartners will be May 26.
School Schedule 2021 – 2022
I have had some questions as to whether a decision has been made on next year’s schedule. We have received feedback from our faculty Leadership Team and almost everyone wanted to recapture lost instructional time, but find some sort of schedule that gives teachers the opportunity to work with students that need extra interventions. I and other principals have shared the feedback we are getting from teachers with our Supervisors, who in turn, have communicated with other District leaders. On Tuesday, April 27 the Alpine School District School Board will be discussing next year’s schedule and will probably vote on the 2021 – 2022 proposed schedule in the May 11 School Board Meeting.
State Testing Opt Outs
Our 3rd – 6th graders are beginning their end-of-year state standardized tests called RISE Assessments. All 3rd – 6th graders take a English Language Arts (ELA) and Math assessment and the 4th – 6th graders also take a Science assessment. If you do not want your child to participate in the state assessments, please notify your student’s teacher and you will need sign an opt out form.
Teacher Requests
We will be accepting Teacher Request Forms (attached) until April 30. Because of the staffing changes next year, we will only be accepting Teacher Requests in grades K, 1, 2, and 3. There will only be one non-Chinese teacher, Mrs. Keller, in 4th grade. Both non-Chinese teachers in 5th grade are newly hired staff members. The students in Mrs. Hill’s 5th grade class will be in her class for 6th grade; consequently, there will be no teacher requests in the non-Chinese classes in grades 4, 5 and 6.
In May, our grade level teams will place students into next year’s classes. We make every effort to create classes that are balanced by gender, and academic/behavioral factors. We do our best to honor Teacher Requests from parents, but please know that turning in a Teacher Request Form does not guarantee class placement.
Ink and Toner Recycle
Just a reminder that we have a recycle box in the Staff Room for your old ink and toner cartridges. Place the old cartridges in a plastic bag and deposit in the recycle box. Alpine Elementary receives money for the recycled ink and toner cartridges. Thank you!
Outside the Principal’s Office
On Saturday, I biked with my bike team, Epic, from University Mall in Provo to Hobble Creek Canyon where we climbed both forks of the canyon. Saturday’s ride was wonderful, with no complications. Some of you may remember a different experience I had biking Hobble Creek Canyon in April 2018.
At the top of the right fork, I had a flat tire which I repaired, but unfortunately as I was riding down the mountain, I soon had another flat tire on the same wheel, so then I had a real predicament! We were miles above a locked gate so no cars would be driving by to help, no cell service and an inoperable bike! I told the friend I was with to ride down the mountain and call Laura and I would start walking down the road toward the locked gate, which in my clip-in bike shoes, would take a couple of hours. Fortunately, my friend told two members of our bike team who were waiting for us at the bottom of the mountain what had happened and they rode back up the mountain to rescue me. What loyal friends, right? My friend Blake is 5’9” maybe a 150 pounds. I am 6’2” 210 pounds, but nevertheless, he told me to sit on his bike while he straddled the frame and we coasted down the mountain as I carried my bike on my back to the locked gate, where I hitched a ride with a stranger and called my son in Mapleton to come pick up the weary bike rider in Springville. A bike ride for the ages! Don’t believe that story? Check out the attached photos!
Have a wonderful week, and as always, remember that it is a great day to be an Eagle!
Dave Perdue, Principal
Alpine Elementary
Alpine School District

Eagle News 4/19/2021

By Newsletters
Staffing 2021 – 2022
We are losing some staff members, all incredible teachers, at the end of the school year:
  • Petra Chou, 1st Grade Chinese Teacher—Mrs. Chou’s husband has accepted a job to join the faculty at BYU-Hawaii, so the Chou family will be moving to Oahu.
  • Meilina Moore, 2nd Grade—Ms. Moore is resigning to pursue other educational employment opportunities.
  • Maureen Wallace, 2nd Grade—Mrs. Wallace, our longest tenured teacher, is retiring after 31 years as a classroom teacher.
  • Kaylin Padgett, 5th Grade—Mrs. Padgett will be teaching 5th grade at Vineyard Elementary next year, within walking distance of where she lives with her husband and two daughters.
Here are the staffing assignments for the 2021 – 2022 school year:
Preschool
Kathy Thompson
Kindergarten
Colleen Aitchison (half-time)
Jen Malone
First Grade
Bridgette Bailey
Mykel Johnson
Connie Faux—Chinese Partner Teacher
Chinese Teacher—To be hired
Second Grade
Vicki Andersen
Tammy Orgill—currently in 4th grade
Sara Henderson—Chinese Partner Teacher, new hire
Daphne Blodgett—Chinese Teacher
Third Grade
Aubri Elder
Katherine Kaczmarek—currently in 6th grade
Amy Duke—Chinese Partner Teacher
Rui Chen—Chinese Teacher
Fourth Grade
Denise Keller
Maudie Vipperman—Chinese Partner Teacher
Anna Moore—Chinese Teacher
Fifth Grade
Alyssa Dale—new hire
Nicole Menssen—new hire
Jonathan Horan—Chinese Partner Teacher
Dawn Chang—Chinese Teacher
Sixth Grade
McKayla Hill—currently in 5th grade
Megan Reyes
Mimi Monson—Chinese Partner Teacher
Sharon Kuo—Chinese Teacher
Science Lab
Rebecca Bergquist
Special Education
Natalie Davies
Jill Johnson
Ellen Palsson
Shelley Tilton (half-time)
Tim Zito
Specialty Teachers
Jaime Clement–Computers
Melinda Hunt—Music
Paula Ruesch—Library
Angela Tanner—Beverly Sorenson Art Teacher
Instructional Coaches
Jenna Berry
Maren Williams
Counselor
Tyrene Hartsell (half-time)
Nurse
Karen Hopkins
Social Worker
Gina Zupan
Teacher Requests
We will be accepting Teacher Request Forms (attached) until April 30. Because of the staffing changes next year, we will only be accepting Teacher Requests in grades K, 1, 2, and 3. There will only be one non-Chinese teacher, Mrs. Keller, in 4th grade. Both non-Chinese teachers in 5th grade are newly hired staff members. The students in Mrs. Hill’s 5th grade class will be in her class for 6th grade; consequently, there will be no teacher requests in the non-Chinese classes in grades 4, 5 and 6. Students in the classes affected by teachers moving to other grade levels or working in another school next year will be informed by their teachers today.
In May, our grade level teams will place students into next year’s classes. We make every effort to create classes that are balanced by gender, and academic/behavioral factors. We do our best to honor Teacher Requests from parents, but please know that turning in a Teacher Request Form does not guarantee class placement.
PTA News
Alpine Elementary is having a Crumbl Cookie School Fundraiser Tuesday April 20th, from 8am-10pm. This will only be at the LEHI TRAVERSE PKWY location. Come in and mention Alpine Elementary and 50% of the proceeds will come back to our school. If you are ordering online enter Alpine in the name line. Thank you for your support!
Students of the Week
The following students were recognized as Students of the Week on Friday, April 16. Teachers nominate students who are consistently demonstrating the character traits of the Alpine Big 3: Being Respectful, Responsible and Ready to learn. Congratulations, Students of the Week!
Sawyer Ainge– 3rd grade, Mrs. Duke
Rachel Christenson– Kindergarten, Mrs. Aitchison
Annabelle Collins– 4th grade, Mrs. Keller
Jett Gunn– 1st grade, Mrs. Faux
Rayne Harward– 2nd grade, Mrs. Wallace
Ashlynn Hernandez– 3rd grade, Ms. Elder
Dean Hsiao– 3rd grade, Mrs. Chen
Owen Lanham– 5th grade, Mrs. Padgett
Nella Morton– 1st grade, Mrs. Chou
Holland Pace– 4th grade, Ms. Vipperman
Rachel Proctor– 3rd grade, Mrs. Chen
Saylor Reeve– 5th grade, Mrs. Chang
Ryelle Roundy– 4th grade, Ms. A. Moore
Stewart Smith– 3rd grade, Mrs. Chen
Isobel Spencer– 1st grade, Ms. Johnson
Outside the Principal’s Office
Did anyone else spend time this past weekend doing yard work? I mowed our lawn for the first time in 2021, and is always the reality at this time of the year, there is lots of unwanted plant life growing in our yard and flower beds, so some weeding needs to be done at our home as the Spring growing season brings the lawn, flowers and weeds to life.
Have a wonderful week, and as always, remember that it is a great day to be an Eagle!
Dave Perdue, Principal
Alpine Elementary
Alpine School District

Eagle News 4/12/2021

By Newsletters
I hope all of the Alpine Elementary Community had an enjoyable Spring Break. Only seven weeks of school left in a school year that none of us will ever forget! We have an 8th grade grandson in Oregon who was able to return to school on a modified schedule in February, and finally returns to full-day, five-day-a-week school on April 19. Even with the COVID-19 challenges we have faced this year. I am so grateful that at Alpine Elementary, we have had students in school since August 17!
Mask Mandate
April 10 ends the mask mandate in some locations on Utah, but not in schools. The mask mandate continues in all K-12 schools. Students, parents and staff are still expected to wear masks in schools, at least through June 15.
Maturation Classes
Fifth grade parents should have already received a communication from your student’s teacher, that we will be having our Maturation Classes, 1:30 – 2:30 pm on April 15. All parents need to have turned in a consent form if they want their students to participate in the Maturation Classes. The girls will be meeting in the gym and the boys in the library. Parents are welcome to attend if they are wearing masks. The instruction this year will be provided in a video format prepared by the health providers in the State of Utah. We will have a place for students to go if parents want their students opted out of the Maturation presentation.
Kindergarten Registration
If you didn’t register your incoming kindergartner before April 2, please come into our main office and get your student registered!
Online Attendance
Please remember that you can now excuse your student absences online. Once again, the instructions on how to excuse students online are attached.
Students of the Week
The following students were recognized as Students of the Week on Friday, April 2. Teachers nominate students who are consistently demonstrating the character traits of the Alpine Big 3: Being Respectful, Responsible and Ready to learn. Congratulations, Students of the Week!
Ruby Barrett– 3rd grade, Mrs. Duke
Oliver Blackham– 3rd grade, Mrs. Duke
Rachel Christenson– Kindergarten, Mrs. Aitchison
Reed Christofferson– 4th grade, Ms. Vipperman
Aiden Cluff– 6th grade, Mrs. Kaczmarek
Reese Davidson– 2nd grade, Mrs. Blodgett
Paul Favero– 2nd grade, Mrs. Blodgett
Nicholas Gheciu– 4th grade, Mrs. Orgill
Morgin Hansen– 6th grade, Mrs. Kaczmarek
Porter Hertig– 2nd grade, Mrs. Wallace
Ezme Hoard– 1st grade, Mrs. Chou
Nora Lee– 3rd grade, Ms. Elder
Hazel Ransom– 1st grade, Mrs. Faux
Zia Taylor– 6th grade, Ms. Kuo
Lindsey Tomkinson– 2nd grade, Ms. M. Moore
Outside the Principal’s Office
Aloha! I write you from Maalaea on the island of Maui! Laura and I won’t be returning to Utah until April 14. We had planned to travel to Hawaii for the first time to celebrate our 40th wedding anniversary in April 2020, but COVID-19 essentially shut the world down, so one year later, we have spent a wonderful Spring Break in the Hawaiian Islands. Three days in Oahu and five days in Maui. And just like all of the other fair skinned haoles, we have experienced a variety of island pleasures: hiked Diamond Head, visited the North Shore (ran into Brigham from Ms. Elder’s third grade class and his family on the grounds of the Laie Temple), went to Pearl Harbor and visited the USS Arizona Memorial, snorkeled outside our condo in a bay (coral cuts legs and fingers if you aren’t careful), went on a commercial boat for more snorkeling in beautiful clear water full of amazing sea life in the Pacific Ocean, drove the Road to Hanna and hiked to Waimoku Falls in the Haleakala National Park, and ate lots of delicious food. A Spring Break that we will never forget!
Have a great week, and as always, remember that it is a great day to be an Eagle!
Dave Perdue, Principal
Alpine Elementary