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Eagle News 1/24/2022

By Newsletters
Parent/Teacher Conferences
With the recent COVID spike, we are encouraging teachers to schedule online parent/teacher conferences the first week in February. If parents would prefer to meet in-person with their child’s teacher, you can still do so, but an online conference is encouraged during this pandemic resurgence. Teachers will be scheduling conferences with parents on Skyward. Contact your student’s teacher if you have any questions.
Emergency School Board Meeting
Some of you may have watched or listened to last week’s emergency school board meeting. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss board plans for dealing with the recent COVID resurgence. As I listened to the meeting, my primary take away is that the Alpine School District School Board thinks that in-person learning for students is a much better option than online learning, and they are committed to making traditional in-person learning happen for the 80,000 students in the ASD while at the same time ensuring the health and safety of all children.
Teacher Aide Needed
We are in need of a teacher aide to work in a 5th grade classroom, 9:15 am – 2:15 pm, Monday – Friday. Please email Mr. Perdue if you are interested in a TA job or if you have any questions.
Chinese Assessment Scores
We recently received the Alpine School District results in the Assessment of Assessment of Performance toward Proficiency in Languages (AAPPL) that our 3rd – 6th grade Chinese Immersion students take each year. Check out our scores and how we compare with other Chinese Immersion Schools and all of the Dual Language Immersion (DLI) schools in the ASD. You will see that all of our Chinese Immersion teachers are doing incredible work, and our AAPPL scores compare very favorably with the other DLI schools in the ASD. Google tells me that gàn dé hÇŽo translates to well done in Mandarin. Gàn dé hÇŽo Alpine Elementary Chinese Immersion teachers!
PTA News
Junior Achievement – We are grateful to all who have signed up to volunteer with the Junior Achievement program! The orientation meeting is today at 2:45 pm in the school library. Come sign a waiver, pick up your classroom kit and ask any questions of our JA representative Melanie Harker.
Dad Help Before School – The Alpine Elementary PTA is helping us round up some dad helpers (or grandfathers, uncles, or other dudes!) to help monitor outside the school while kids are out waiting to be let inside. We are looking for dads/dudes who can help monitor outside the school on Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 8:45 to 9:15 am, starting tomorrow! Please sign up on this Google doc to help.
Chinese Lantern Festival – The PTA is hosting the school’s third annual Chinese Lantern Festival the week of February 7 – 11! Your student(s) should have brought home a flyer in the next day or so that explains the rules for creating a lantern. Lanterns are due back to your student’s homeroom by February 3. in time for the evening Chinese Lantern Festival Arts Night taking place February 7 from 6 to 8 pm. That night, we invite you and your families to come enjoy an evening celebrating the Chinese New Year. Come let your kids make fun Chinese arts and crafts, play games, and take a tour of the lanterns throughout the school! Also, we are looking for some extra help in classrooms that evening, and there are some one-hour shifts available (one shift from 6 to 7 pm and another from 7 to 8 pm). If you have an hour that night, we would greatly appreciate your help! Sign up here.
Note about COVID – Just a quick note about COVID. The evening celebration is an optional activity – feel free to come only if you are comfortable. We do suggest wearing masks to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. We will also continue to follow COVID safety protocols outlined by Alpine School District. If you have any concerns regarding these PTA-sponsored activities, please contact Suzanne Campbell, Alpine Elementary PTA President, at [email protected].
First Grade Chinese Immersion Application
Kindergarten parents interested in applying to the first grade Chinese Immersion Program can go to the Alpine Elementary website and find both the application and an orientation video that replaces the orientation meeting we have had in previous years. Applications are due January 31.
Students of the Week
Aaron Arkell-3rd grade, Mrs. Kaczmarek
Kennedy Burgess-Kindergarten, Mrs. Aitchison
Brynlee Cann-3rd grade, Mrs. Chen
Liam Casey-4th grade, Mrs. Vipperman
Lyla Ence-6th grade, Mrs. Hill
Livie Frazier-3rd grade, Mrs. Chen
Jonah Goodfellow-Kindergarten, Mrs. Aitchison
Mackenzie Jones-3rd grade, Mrs. Kaczmarek
Charlie Lind-4th grade, Ms. Moore
Timmy Lyon-5th grade, Mrs. Menssen
Sage Nielsen-1st grade, Ms. Johnson
Tristan Pontarelli-1st grade, Mrs. Faux
Benson Reynolds-1st grade, Mrs. Bailey
Ellie Slesk-6th grade, Ms. Kuo
Abe Woodman-5th grade, Mr. Horan
Outside the Principal’s Office
My wife is watching grandchildren in Oregon for 10 days while their parents are on a Caribbean cruise, so I am batching it at home. Fortunately, there were some very exciting NFL football games to watch on Saturday and Sunday. If you are an NFL fan, the four divisional games over the weekend were the best that I can ever remember. Hope your favorite team will be playing on Sunday for a chance to go to the Super Bowl.
Have a great 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 1/18/2022

By Newsletters
COVID Resurgence
The Alpine School District went to online learning days on January 14 and 18 because of the increasing number of students and staff who have tested positive for COVID or the Omicron Variant. Since all of the schools in the ASD are experiencing staff illnesses the teacher substitute system has not been able to keep up with the number of jobs that need to be filled. As I write this, we know of three teachers who will not be at work tomorrow and no substitutes have picked up their jobs. Consequently, we need to have Teacher Aides cover classes, or when we can’t find a Teacher Aide, we combine classes, creating some large class sizes for one teacher. We are hopeful that this recent surge of COVID positive cases will abate, allowing our faculty and students to return to their normal health.
Needless to say, we are in desperate need of substitute teachers! If parents are interested in being a substitute teacher in our school or just in their child’s classroom, go to: ess.com/alpine/.
The COVID health and safety protocols for the Alpine School District have not changed. The ASD has ongoing communication with the Utah County Health Department, and to date, more restrictive protocols have not been implemented. And though masks are not required, parents can choose to have their children wear a mask at school.
Crossing Guard
We are in need of a new crossing guard before and after school. Our crossing guard is employed by the Lone Peak Police Department. If you are interested in applying for the job, here is the link. Direct any questions to Jessica Scholle at the Lone Peak Police Department. The job pays $13.25 an hour.
PTA News
  • Because of concerns about health and safety, the January 20 Dad’s Pizza Party has been canceled.
First Grade Chinese Immersion Application
Applications for the 2022 – 23 first grade Chinese Immersion Program are due January 31. You can find the application and orientation video about our Dual Language Immersion Program on the Alpine Elementary website.
Outside the Principal’s Office
Even though I have been vaccinated and have had the COVID booster, I was notified on January 10 that I had tested positive for COVID. I had no symptoms and the only reason I took the COVID test is because I had an elective surgical procedure scheduled on January 13. I needed to isolate at home for five days, and over that time I did experience some coldlike symptoms: headache, runny nose, slight cough. Those symptoms would not have prompted me to get a COVID test if not for the elective surgery. I would have thought just another annoying winter cold. The symptoms are gone and I am back to work, wearing a mask. This virus seems to be random in who contracts COVID, even after vaccination and booster shots. Fortunately, my wife has remained symptom and virus free, which we hope continues, as she is scheduled to fly to Oregon on Thursday and watch three of our grandchildren for 10 days. I had hoped that in my final year of work before retiring, I would be off the COVID-19 rollercoaster. No such luck!
Have a great week, and as always, remember that it is a great day to be and Eagle!
Dave Perdue, Principal
Alpine Elementary
Alpine School District

Eagle News 1-10-22

By Newsletters
Pandemic Resurgence
There has been a recent resurgence in the number of students and adults who are contracting the COVID-19 virus or the Omicron variant. Alpine Elementary follows all state and local pandemic prevention guidelines. The Alpine School District works closely with the Utah County Health Department to determine how to ensure a safe learning environment for students and safe working conditions for faculty. There are currently no changes in Alpine Elementary safety protocols, but you will be informed if more rigorous protocols are deemed necessary by the State of Utah, the Utah County Health Department and the ASD.
Crossing Guard
We are in need of a new crossing guard before and after school. Our crossing guard is employed by the Lone Peak Police Department. If you are interested in applying for the job, here is the link. Direct any questions to Jessica Scholle at the Lone Peak Police Department. The job pays $13.25 an hour.
PTA News
Spirit Night Thursday, January 13th at FIIZ – This Thursday, ALL DAY, stop by FIIZ in Highland for a drink! FIIZ will donate 10% of the entire day’s total to our PTA! So tell your friends/family to stop by FIIZ in Highland this Thursday!
First Grade Chinese Immersion Application
Kindergarten parents interested in applying to the first grade Chinese Immersion Program can go to the Alpine Elementary website and find both the application and an orientation video that replaces the orientation meeting we have had in previous years. Applications are due January 31.
Preschool Registration
Preschool registration is approaching January 19th at 10:00am.  Attached are the fliers for Preschool Open Enrollment.
Students of the Week
Benson Anderson-3rd grade, Ms. Elder
Banks Anderson-2nd grade, Mrs. Orgill
Jaxton Bennett-6th grade, Mrs. Hill
Hudson Bruce-Kindergarten, Mrs. Aitchison
Jamison Bruce-5th grade, Ms. Dale
Ivy Christensen-Kindergarten, Mrs. Aitchison
Carter Clegg-2nd grade, Mrs. Orgill
Lily Goodwin-6th grade, Mrs. Monson
Clark Greer-1st grade, Mrs. Bailey
Millie Johnson-5th grade, Mrs. Chang
Daisy McConnon-1st grade, Mrs Bailey
Vaughn Nash-4th grade, Mrs. Keller
Annabelle Rodman-1st grade, Mrs. Faux
Miles Taylor-4th grade, Ms. Moore
Outside the Principal’s Office
It is basketball season in our family. Three grandsons, ages 8 – 14, had games on Saturday, and then Laura and I completed the day by going to the Marriott Center and watching the BYU men’s basketball team prevail over St. Mary’s. And the sunny though cold weather permitted a morning bike ride.
Speaking of basketball, did you see the video that went viral over the Holiday Break?
Kathleen Fitzpatrick, otherwise known as Ms. Fitz, decided to make a deal with her third-grade class at Holy Trinity School in Washington D.C. The deal was if she made a full-court shot on the school’s basketball court, she would reward the class with a hot chocolate party. Receiving the ball from a student in a lion costume and hitting a half-court shot, followed by the reaction of Ms. Fitz’s students. Is there anything better than spontaneous student joy?
Have a great 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 1/10/2021

By Newsletters, Uncategorized
Pandemic Resurgence
There has been a recent resurgence in the number of students and adults who are contracting the COVID-19 virus or the Omicron variant. Alpine Elementary follows all state and local pandemic prevention guidelines. The Alpine School District works closely with the Utah County Health Department to determine how to ensure a safe learning environment for students and safe working conditions for faculty. There are currently no changes in Alpine Elementary safety protocols, but you will be informed if more rigorous protocols are deemed necessary by the State of Utah, the Utah County Health Department and the ASD.
Crossing Guard
We are in need of a new crossing guard before and after school. Our crossing guard is employed by the Lone Peak Police Department. If you are interested in applying for the job, here is the link. Direct any questions to Jessica Scholle at the Lone Peak Police Department. The job pays $13.25 an hour.
PTA News
Spirit Night Thursday, January 13th at FIIZ – This Thursday, ALL DAY, stop by FIIZ in Highland for a drink! FIIZ will donate 10% of the entire day’s total to our PTA! So tell your friends/family to stop by FIIZ in Highland this Thursday!
First Grade Chinese Immersion Application
Kindergarten parents interested in applying to the first grade Chinese Immersion Program can go to the Alpine Elementary website and find both the application and an orientation video that replaces the orientation meeting we have had in previous years. Applications are due January 31.
Preschool Registration
Preschool registration is approaching January 19th at 10:00am.  Attached are the fliers for Preschool Open Enrollment.
Students of the Week
Benson Anderson-3rd grade, Ms. Elder
Banks Anderson-2nd grade, Mrs. Orgill
Jaxton Bennett-6th grade, Mrs. Hill
Hudson Bruce-Kindergarten, Mrs. Aitchison
Jamison Bruce-5th grade, Ms. Dale
Ivy Christensen-Kindergarten, Mrs. Aitchison
Carter Clegg-2nd grade, Mrs. Orgill
Lily Goodwin-6th grade, Mrs. Monson
Clark Greer-1st grade, Mrs. Bailey
Millie Johnson-5th grade, Mrs. Chang
Daisy McConnon-1st grade, Mrs Bailey
Vaughn Nash-4th grade, Mrs. Keller
Annabelle Rodman-1st grade, Mrs. Faux
Miles Taylor-4th grade, Ms. Moore
Outside the Principal’s Office
It is basketball season in our family. Three grandsons, ages 8 – 14, had games on Saturday, and then Laura and I completed the day by going to the Marriott Center and watching the BYU men’s basketball team prevail over St. Mary’s. And the sunny though cold weather permitted a morning bike ride.
Speaking of basketball, did you see the video that went viral over the Holiday Break?
Kathleen Fitzpatrick, otherwise known as Ms. Fitz, decided to make a deal with her third-grade class at Holy Trinity School in Washington D.C. The deal was if she made a full-court shot on the school’s basketball court, she would reward the class with a hot chocolate party. Receiving the ball from a student in a lion costume and hitting a half-court shot, followed by the reaction of Ms. Fitz’s students. Is there anything better than spontaneous student joy?
Have a great 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 1/3/2022

By Newsletters
Happy New Year!
I hope that all of the Alpine Elementary Community had a joyous holiday season with family and friends. Welcome to 2022! We are grateful that our students have been able to attend school since August 2020 as we all deal with the roller coaster of life that a worldwide pandemic and its variants have created. We are hopeful that 2022 brings ongoing enriched learning opportunities for students, happiness and good health for our entire community.
Acadience Testing
Our students will be participating in middle of the year Acadience testing on Wednesday, January 5. The Acadience Reading Assessment is a set of procedures and measures for assessing the acquisition of early literacy skills from kindergarten through sixth grade. They are designed to be short (one minute) test probes used to regularly monitor the development of early literacy and early reading skills. It will be a quick turnaround for our students after returning from the holiday break, but we are confident the literacy instruction our teachers have provided since the beginning of the school year will be reflected in student assessment scores.
Crossing Guard
We are in need of new crossing guard before and after school. Our crossing guard is employed by the Lone Peak Police Department. If you are interested in applying for the job, here is the link. Direct any questions to Jessica Scholle at the Lone Peak Police Department. The job pays $13.25 an hour.
PTA News
  • PTA Meeting this Thursday at 9:30  am in the Faculty Room. Please join us and give us your ideas on what we can do!
  • Junior Achievement packet pick-up/training meeting is Friday January 14 at 2:45 in the library. The following classes need a volunteer: Aitchison, Johnson, Faux, Bailey, Duke, Chen, Kaczmarek, Moore, Reyes, and Kuo. Please sign up at https://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090a4aa8a922a3ff2-junior or contact Dana Fong with questions: 385-770-0897. Fathers, mothers, and grandparents are welcome to volunteer! Junior Achievement is a global nonprofit with a mission to help develop business, financial, and entrepreneurial skills in elementary-age children. Activities are 30-60 minutes and include materials and clear instructions.
First Grade Chinese Immersion Application
Parents of current kindergartners can apply for admission to the first grade Chinese Immersion Program at Alpine Elementary, with January 31 being the application deadline. Here is the link:
Outside the Principal’s Office
I include an “Outside the Principal’s Office” section in the weekly Eagle News so that parents can get to know me and my family a little better. Thank you to the many parents who have told me that they enjoy the personal anecdotes I share.
No personal holiday stories to share this week. Just some news you might be interested in. I have decided that I will be retiring as the principal at Alpine Elementary at the end of June when my current contract expires.
I informed the Alpine Elementary staff of my decision in a meeting we had this morning. 
I am not retiring because of family issues, health reasons, the pandemic, or any problems/concerns I am having with members of the Alpine Elementary Community or the Alpine School District. After 38 years as an educator, I am simply ready to begin the next chapter of my life. In fact, I would like to continue working part time in some capacity, perhaps in the education field, or maybe in the private sector.
In August of 1982 I graduated from BYU with a degree in English Literature. Laura and I loaded our few possessions in a U-Haul trailer, pulled by our 1967 Ford Galaxy 500. We, along with our one-year-old daughter, drove to Salem, Oregon where I began my first year of studies at Willamette University School of Law. I did not enjoy the study of law, which was an expensive mistake, and subsequently enrolled at Western Oregon University to obtain my secondary teaching license. Beginning in the fall of 1984, I taught and coached at Stanfield High School near the Columbia River for three years, five years in the classroom at Redmond High School in Central Oregon, 14 years as an Assistant Principal at Redmond High School, eight years as an elementary principal in Redmond, and eight years as the principal at Alpine Elementary. 38 years working in four different public schools, two high schools and two elementary schools! I have never regretted my decision to become an educator. What a wonderful and fulfilling career it has been!
I am confident that the Leadership Team at the Alpine School District will select a principal who can lead Alpine Elementary to even greater heights. Parents will be notified when the new principal has been selected.
I have always loved working with students, both at the elementary and high level, and my time at Alpine Elementary has been the perfect capstone in my professional journey. It has been a privilege to be the principal at Alpine Elementary and to associate with wonderful students, loving and caring parents, and a very talented and dedicated faculty.
Thank you for trusting me to be the leader in this incredible school! I will forever say, “It is a great day to be an Eagle!”
Dave Perdue, Principal
Alpine Elementary
Alpine School District

Eagle News 12/13/2021

By Newsletters
Happy Holidays
As we enter our final week of school in 2021, I want to wish the entire Alpine Elementary Community the happiest of holiday seasons. May your greatest gift be the quality time you spend with family and friends!
Christmas Sing
Our students will be performing for parents in our annual Christmas Sing at 9:30 am on Thursday, December 16. All grade levels will sing two songs on the gym stage stairs, starting with preschoolers at 9:30 am and finishing with our sixth graders.
Minimal Day
December 17 is a Minimal Day and students will be dismissed at 12:45 pm. Students wanting a school lunch will be served lunch at the following times and will return to their classrooms to eat. There will be no lunch recess on the Minimal Day.
1st Grade—11:50
2nd Grade—11:55
3rd Grade—12:00
4th Grade—12:05
5th Grade—12:10
6th Grade—12:15
Recent Snowfall
The snowfall last week was an early Christmas gift for our state that is experiencing depleted water levels. And a welcome sight for the winter sports enthusiasts!  On snowy roads, please allow extra driving time and be cautious while driving your students to school.
Lost and Found
Our Lost and Found is overflowing! Students walk by the Lost and Found daily, but not very many items are being reclaimed. All parents are welcome to come to the school and look for your students’ missing items in the Lost and Found. Or if you are planning on coming to the Christmas Sing, you can check the Lost and Found for any missing items your student might have.
Candlelight School
As we told you during our Candlelight School Coin Drive, the money raised is used to feed children at the school. Fred and Alice Afwai, the founders of the school, send us receipts for the purchased food. We recently received receipts for 50 bags of beans purchased for 300,000 shillings = $2688.33, and 100 bags of maize (corn meal) for 250,000 shillings = $2223.61. We are so grateful that the Alpine Elementary contribution is feeding hungry children in Nairobi, Kenya!
First Grade Chinese Immersion Application
Parents of current kindergartners can apply for admission to the first grade Chinese Immersion Program at Alpine Elementary, December 15 – January 31. Here is the link to the Alpine School District Dual Language Immersion application site.
Battle of the Books
Students participating in Battle of the Books and who have read at least three books will have a pizza party in the library on the following days:
5th Grade—Monday, December 13
6th Grade—Tuesday, December 14
At the party, students will eat lunch in the library and are assigned to teams. They also get a cool t-shirt and will start collaborating and strategizing as a team.
A huge thank you to Danny and Chelsea Hertig of Riley’s Carpet Cleaning for sponsoring our Battle of the Books program this year! And another huge thank you to Stewart Goodwin of Goodwin Media for the awesome t-shirt design!
Students of the Week
The following students were recognized as Students of the Week on Friday, December 10. 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!
Jane Adams-6th grade, Ms. Kuo
Piper Ainge-4th grade, Mrs. Vipperman
Rockwell Alexander-6th grade, Mrs. Reyes
Harrison Barrett-2nd grade, Ms. Andersen
Jacob Buchanan-5th grade, Mrs. Menssen
Sarah Buchanan-3rd grade, Mrs. Chen
Lacey Frazier-1st grade, Mrs. Faux
Elizabeth Hymas-Kindergarten, Mrs. Malone
Anders Lind-5th grade, Mrs. Chang
Helena Mercado-Kindergarten, Mrs. Malone
Landon Reynolds-6th grade, Mrs. Hill
Daxton Reynolds-1st grade, Mrs. Faux
Michael Reynolds-1st grade, Ms. Johnson
Liv Reynolds-4th grade, Mrs. Vipperman
Ava Scoville-6th grade, Ms. Kuo
Outside the Principal’s Office
Most of you know my primary hobby and form of exercise is pedaling a road bike or the Peloton in our basement. Because I am ultra-competitive, and at my current stage of life, I only compete against myself. Consequently, I use an app called Strava to track all of my rides. I am always interested in how far I have ridden, how long I’m on the bike, my average miles per hours, and the average watts generated on each ride. I recently wanted to know how many miles I had ridden in 2021. I was surprised to learn that I have pedaled a bike 3,339 miles for the calendar year to date. By my calculations, that distance would be the equivalent of biking from my home in Cedar Hills to New York City, and I would currently be in Omaha, Nebraska on my homeward bound trip. Amazing how the little milestones in life over time add up to significant accomplishments!
Have a wonderful Holiday Break, and as always, remember that it is a great day to be an Eagle!
Dave Perdue, Principal
Alpine Elementary

Eagle News 12/6/2021

By Newsletters
Candlelight School
With some late donations, we increased out total contribution level to $20,000, an all-time high, for the Candlelight School in Nairobi, Kenya! We are so grateful to the entire Alpine Elementary Community for the generous donations that will help feed children in Nairobi, Kenya. I received the following message from Fred Afwai, who cofounded the school with his wife Alice:
Dear Mr. Perdue
Much greetings from us here in Kenya. On behalf of Candlelight Schools I wish to take this moment to thank you and the Alpine School Community for all the support you’ve shown us throughout the years we have partnered with your school.
You’ve always been people I could call our “biggest supporters.” What it means the most to us is that you take extra miles to ensure our children are well taken care of. We always appreciate your continued generosity towards us and always feel loved.
May our Loving Heavenly Father bless you all
Fred Afwai
Alpine Eagle Choir
Congratulations to the Alpine Eagle Choir for their outstanding performances for staff, students and parents last week! We are sad the choir won’t get to perform at the same venues as previous years, but pandemic after effects rear their ugly head. And a huge shout out to Music Teacher and Choir Director, Melinda Hunt, for the passion and love of music that she shares with our choir students.
PTA News
December PTA Swag Giveaway! – Just a reminder that TODAY is our final day for our Swag Giveaway! All you have to do to enter the Giveaway is follow @alpineelementarypta (one word) on Instagram or Alpine Elementary PTA on Facebook and tag one Alpine Elementary friend per comment! The more tags you have, the more chances to win! The Giveaway is open until TONIGHT at 10 pm and then we’ll announce the winners. Winners receive FREE long-sleeve Alpine Elementary shirts for ALL the elementary kids in your household, as well as FREE Chick-fil-A meals for your family! A second-place winner will get a family Chick-fil-A pack too!
Spirit Store Open for Orders Until Dec. 8th – Our new Alpine Elementary Spirit Store is open online for orders until Dec. 8th! This includes newly-designed long-sleeve and short-sleeve shirts, sweatshirts, and blankets. You can choose colors and create spirit wear that your kids will love. Get your order in for Christmas now!
School Community Council Meeting
Our School Community Council will be meeting 9:30 – 10:30 am on Thursday, December 9 in our Conference Room. Any parent is welcome to attend.
Battle of the Books
Students participating in Battle of the Books and who have read at least three books will have a pizza party in the library on the following days:
4th Grade—Thursday, December 9
3rd Grade—Friday, December 10
5th Grade—Monday, December 13
6th Grade—Tuesday, December 14
At the party, students will eat lunch in the library and are assigned to teams. They also get a cool t-shirt and will start collaborating and strategizing as a team.
A huge thank you to Danny and Chelsea Hertig of Riley’s Carpet Cleaning for sponsoring our Battle of the Books program this year! And another huge thank you to Stewart Goodwin of Goodwin Media for the awesome t-shirt design!
Students of the Week
The following students were recognized as Students of the Week on Friday, December 3. 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!
Brigham Adams-4th grade, Mrs. Keller
Levi Andersen-3rd grade, Ms. Elder
Kenzie Bennett-3rd grade, Mrs. Kaczmarek
Ethan Chi-3rd grade, Mrs. Chen
Oscar Clarke-5th grade, Ms. Dale
Anna Rose Cox-3rd grade, Mrs. Chen
Jude Crump-1st grade, Mrs. Bailey
Olivia Heath-4th grade, Ms. Moore
Hattie Jones-5th grade, Mr. Horan
Eliza Merrell-Kindergarten, Mrs. Aitchison
Elliot Nash-Kindergarten, Mrs. Aitchison
MaryKate Smith-1st grade, Mrs. Bailey
Grace Verzello-2nd grade, Ms. Andersen
Lila Woodbury-1st grade, Ms. Johnson
Outside the Principal’s Office
I promise I will not give you a weekly update of my weekend BYU sports viewing experiences, but the BYU women’s soccer team’s incredible semifinal win over Santa Clara Friday night actually has an Alpine Elementary connection. After two scoreless 45-minute halves and two ten-minute overtimes, the game was decided by penalty kicks. Alternating kicks by each team, and the team who scores the most goals after five kicks wins the game, unless more kicks are needed. Take seven minutes out of your life and watch this. So incredibly nerve wracking and exciting in real time!
The goal keeper for BYU, Cassidy Smith, is a former Alpine Elementary student. She is a triplet and has seven sisters. The youngest Smith sister is a second grader at our school. And who taught Cassidy in sixth grade? Our own Mrs. Monson!
If you are interested, BYU plays Florida State for the National Championship at 6:00 pm on Monday evening, and the game can be viewed on ESPNU.
What if we celebrated academic growth, student achievement, and individual light bulb moments at Alpine Elementary like these other BYU athletic teams rejoiced in the women’s soccer team’s victory?
Have a wonderful week, and as always, remember that it is a great day to be an Eagle!
Dave Perdue, Principal
Alpine Elementary

Eagle News 11/29/2021

By Newsletters
I hope you all had an enjoyable Thanksgiving Break with family and friends! Still some turkey leftovers at your house like mine? Why does a turkey sandwich on Friday often taste better than the full-blown turkey dinner on Thursday? Way too much food and football consumption on my part, but hopefully daily bike rides helped burn some of those extra calories.
Candlelight Coin Drive
With the $450 we received from Yummy Ice Cream Emporium and some generous late donations from parents, our Candlelight School fundraising efforts reached $15,000! The highest total in our school’s history. What a blessing the Alpine Elementary contributions will be to the children in the Candlelight School in Nairobi, Kenya as this money will be used to feed hungry orphans. Thank you all for your generous contributions!
Alpine Eagles Choir Concert
The Alpine Eagle Choir will perform their Christmas program for family and friends at 7:00 pm on Wednesday, December 1 in the gymnasium.
Reflections Awards
Eight Alpine Elementary students will be receiving Lone Peak Council Reflections awards tonight at 7:00 pm at Timberline Middle School. Parents should have been notified if they have a student receiving an award.
PTA News

We are opening up the Alpine Elementary Swag Shop for two weeks!

We are super excited to announce that until December 8th, you can order gifts for the whole family! We have Alpine Elementary apparel and accessories galore! Items start at only $10 and we have items for both youth and adults.

15% of your purchase will go back to the school.

The link to the shop is here: http://alpineelementary.deco-apparel.com/

Orders placed by December 8th will be available for pick up at the school on December 17th. If you have any issues placing an order, please email Shauna Roundy at [email protected]

NOTE: The current “in stock” inventory is not reflected by this site. Due to COVID-19, there are many supply shortages and supply chain issues. If you order an item that is not available, we will contact you through email to make a modification to your order for the items that are unavailable. Please check your email and your junk email so we can turn around modifications quickly and you can still receive your order on December 17th.

Check out the new shop and thanks so much for all you do and we wish you all Happy Holidays!

There will be a PTA Meeting at 9:30 am on Thursday, December 2 in the Staff Room.

Scooters and Skateboards
We are having problems with students riding scooters and skateboards in our hallways before and after school, often times running into or narrowly missing other students or staff. Consequently, we are going to start using the following process as we try to keep students and staff safe:
  1. Student will be warned by an adult when seen riding a scooter or skateboard in the hallways.
  2. The second time a student is riding a scooter or skateboard in the hallways, the scooter or skateboard will be confiscated, taken to the office, and returned to the student at the end of the school day.
  3. The third time a student is riding a scooter or skateboard in the hallways, the scooter or skateboard will be confiscated, taken to the office, and a parent will need to come to the school and get what was taken by an adult employee of the school. Additionally, the student will not be allowed to ride a scooter or skateboard to school for two-weeks.
Outside the Principal’s Office
If you are a BYU sports fan like me, there will not be many days better than Saturday, November 27. In fact, the month of November was incredible for all BYU sports teams, as no team lost a head-to-head match in any sport during the entire month, not to mention a national champion men and women’s cross-country runner. On Saturday, the women’s basketball team beat a ranked West Virginia University team to win a tournament in Florida. The women’s soccer team is going to the Final Four for the first time after prevailing over South Carolina, 4-1. The men’s basketball team beat the Utes in SLC, and the football team won a nail biter in Los Angeles against USC, 35 – 31. What an exhausting but thoroughly enjoyable day!
Have a wonderful week, and as always, remember that it is a great day to be an Eagle!
Dave Perdue, Principal
Alpine Elementary

Eagle News 11/22/2021

By Newsletters
Candlelight Coin Drive
Our annual Candlelight School Coin Drive has become such an important part of our school culture. I am so happy to announce that in five days last week the Alpine Elementary Community joined together and raised $13,500 to feed the street orphans at the Candlelight School in Nairobi, Kenya! That is the most money we have ever raised for our Sister School in Africa. And the good news is that we have not yet received the money from Yummy Ice Cream Emporium from our November 16 Spirit Night, but we are told that night was their busiest since opening their ice cream store. I will let parents know the additional money that will be added to the $13,500 once that information is shared with me. Thank you to everyone in the Alpine Elementary Community for your generous contributions! And a special thank you to Cherie’ Kelly and all of the other parent volunteers who organize the Coin Drive and help count money!
Every year, our Nutrition Services workers, just Whitney Wilson and Shirleen Jenks this year, contribute very generously to the Coin Drive. I won’t embarrass those ladies by telling you how much money they gave, but just know it was a significant amount.
Cherie’ Kelly will send the money that was raised directly to the Candlelight School this week. No administrative overhead. Every penny goes to feed hungry children in Africa!
I heard multiple Coin Drive stories that warm my heart and make me grateful for the students that attend our school:
A kindergarten teacher shares:
The kids were putting their coins in the can and I had one student bring 3 baggies full of coins and dollars. I said “Wow you sure brought a lot of coins today.” He told me that he brought all of his lemonade stand money from the summer so that the kids in Africa could have lunch.  
From a second grade teacher:
A student told me he emptied his bank account because he said, “helping the poor was important.”
And on a post-it note in one of the coin cans, a little girl wrote:
Im giving all the Qurters In my bangk because it fells like the rite thing to do.
LPHS State Champions in Football
I saw a lot of students and parents at the 6A state championship football game between Lone Peak and Corner Canyon at Rice-Eccles Stadium on Friday afternoon. What a fun game to watch! 35-35 at halftime, with LP eventually prevailing in a thrilling 49 – 42 victory. Many of the key players for Lone Peak are former Alpine Elementary students. It was so fun to see those players and all the fans celebrate a season never to be forgotten.
Scooters and Skateboards
We are having problems with students riding scooters and skateboards in our hallways before and after school, often times running into or narrowly missing other students or staff. Consequently, we are going to start using the following process as we try to keep students and staff safe:
  1. Student will be warned by an adult when seen riding a scooter or skateboard in the hallways.
  2. The second time a student is riding a scooter or skateboard in the hallways, the scooter or skateboard will be confiscated, taken to the office, and returned to the student at the end of the school day.
  3. The third time a student is riding a scooter or skateboard in the hallways, the scooter or skateboard will be confiscated, taken to the office, and a parent will need to come to the school and get what was taken by an adult employee of the school. Additionally, the student will not be allowed to ride a scooter or skateboard to school for two-weeks.
Students of the Week
The following students were recognized as Students of the Week on Friday, November 19. 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!
Briggs Ballif-6th grade, Mrs. Monson
Hank Challis-4th grade, Ms. Moore
Lily Dehlin-Kindergarten, Mrs. Malone
Mona Enkhbayar-5th grade, Mrs. Menssen
James Gheciu-1st grade, Mrs. Bailey
Joe Hansen-3rd grade, Mrs. Kaczmarek
Asher Kusch-Kindergarten, Mrs. Malone
Colin Larkin-4th grade, Mrs. Vipperman
Alex Orgill-6th grade, Ms. Kuo
Grady Parker-1st grade, Ms. Johnson
Summer Schlosser-5th grade, Mrs. Menssen
Cate Shin-1st grade, Mrs. Bailey
Milo Thompson-3rd grade, Ms. Elder
Kyrie Van Vactor-6th grade, Mrs. Monson
Kinley Wing-1st grade, Ms. Johnson
Outside the Principal’s Office
Later this week most of us will gather with family and friends to eat a delicious meal and reflect on all that we are thankful for. And though I daily give thanks for all that I have been blessed with, this holiday season helps me to reflect on all that brings joy and meaning into my life: a faith that serves as my anchor and lodestar, a beautiful wife who is my best friend, five adult children and their spouses who are happy and healthy, 14 grandchildren and another one in May, good health, and the opportunity to work at Alpine Elementary with a dedicated staff, kind and motivated students and supportive parents.
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving Holiday, and as always, remember that it is a great day to be an Eagle!
Dave Perdue, Principal
Alpine Elementary
Alpine School District

Eagle News 11/15/2021

By Newsletters, Uncategorized
Candlelight Coin Drive Week
It is Candlelight School Coin Drive Week! This will be Alpine Elementary’s 11th year helping provide meals for children at our sister school in Nairobi, Kenya. More than 650 students attend Candlelight School, and nearly all of them are orphans or children living on the streets. They receive their only meal of the day at school. Our Coin Drive donations directly fund their lunch program for the year. See the attachments to learn more about the Candlelight School.
Monday—Pennies
Tuesday—Nickels
Wednesday—Dimes
Thursday—Quarters
Friday—Any amount of money
Here are the total amounts that our annual Coin Drive has raised for the Candlelight School in previous years. This week, we would love to exceed last year’s $11,000 total contributions!
2016-17     $7,500
2017-18     $8,245
2018-19     $9,170
2019-20     $10,410
2020-21     $11,000
Veterans Day Celebration
I hope your students came home and told you about the very touching and powerful Veterans Day celebration we had on November 11. Thank you to librarian, Paula Ruesch, and Assistant Librarian, Janece Thompson, for suggesting a Veterans Day ceremony that included members of Mrs. Thompson’s bagpipe band! What a powerful and touching way to remember Veterans both present and past. It was an honor to have one of our parents, Paul Blackham, a military helicopter pilot, join our parade. And Student Council officers, Daniel Snow and Max Bergquist, did a great job of carrying our country’s flag! As I walked behind the flag, the bagpipe band, and Mr. Blackham, I saw several adults with tears in their eyes, touched by the bagpipe tribute to Veterans. Not going to lie, I cried through the entire parade!
PTA News
  • Spirit Night this Friday to Support Candlelight School – This Friday, Nov. 16, (all day!) stop into Yummy Ice Cream Emporium in Highland as another way to support the Candlelight School. 25% of proceeds will go directly to the Candlelight School Coin Drive. Plus you get delicious ice cream, so it’s a win-win right there!
  • Junior Achievement Helpers – The PTA is looking for volunteers to help organize the Junior Achievement program at Alpine. Junior Achievement is a global nonprofit with a mission to help develop business, financial, and entrepreneurial skills to elementary-age children. The opportunity to interact in your child’s class is fun and educational while allowing for flexibility for volunteers in scheduling and presentation. Contact Dana Fong at 385-770-0897 with any questions. If you would be interested in helping with this amazing program, please sign up here.
  • Reflections Awards Lunch – On November 15 at 11:40 am, there will be an Awards Lunch in the library for all the students who participated in Reflections.
  • Follow Us on Social Media – If you haven’t yet, follow our awesome Alpine Elementary PTA on social media. FB and IG are great places to stay up to date on all the fun happenings at our school! Insta: @alpineelementarypta and Facebook: Alpine Elementary PTA
School Community Council Meeting
The Alpine Elementary School Community Council will be meeting on Thursday, November 18, 9:30 – 10:30 am in our Conference Room.
Students of the Week
The following students were recognized as Students of the Week on Friday, November 12. 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!
Emma Asper-4th grade, Mrs. Keller
Brooklyn Barnes-1st grade, Mrs. Faux
Blake Benson-5th grade, Mr. Horan
Connor Campbell-3rd grade, Mrs Chen
Austin Cann-1st grade, Mrs. Faux
Pearl Cluff-5th grade, Mrs. Menssen
Allie Gardner-4th grade, Mrs .Vipperman
Joshua Goodfellow-3rd grade, Ms. Elder
Ari Ingo-6th grade, Ms. Kuo
Xoriyah Inoa-2nd grade, Mrs. Orgill
Truitt Joseph-3rd grade, Mrs. Chen
Collins Nelson-3rd grade, Mrs. Chen
Anna Packer-5th grade, Mrs. Chang
Jacob Pusey-4th grade, Ms. Moore
Saylor Reeve-6th grade, Ms. Kuo
Will Topham-1st grade, Mrs. Jin
Outside the Principal’s Office
A third consecutive beautiful fall weekend!  Friday night, Laura and I watched LPHS beat Skyridge in a 6A semifinal football game at Rice-Eccles Stadium on the University of Utah campus. Several Lone Peak players are former Alpine Elementary students. So fun to see those boys earn their way into a state championship game on Friday afternoon against Corner Canyon!
A bike ride, yard work and going to two grandsons’ basketball games filled my Saturday. I hope you all were able to get outside and enjoy the beauties of this wonderful place that we call home!
Have a wonderful week, and as always, remember that it is a great day to be an Eagle!
Dave Perdue, Principal
Alpine Elementary