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Happy New Year and welcome to 2020! It is going to be a great year for Alpine Elementary and our students! I hope that you all have had a terrific start to a new decade and a new year. Thank you so much for all of the generous gifts that came my way prior to the holiday break! All of the sweets and other gifts were very much appreciated by my family during our holiday gathering.

Laura and I were fortunate to have all five of our children, their spouses, 13 grandchildren and Zoe, a 70-pound Goldendoodle, in our home for a week. It is amazing how much food that many people can consume, not to mention the amount of garbage produced, and the general messiness and upheaval in the household, a fact that an individual (me) with some OCD tendencies has to learn to live with while smiling and enjoying the associated family chaos. There was lots of laughter, some tears, but mostly an abiding gratefulness and appreciation for the love of family.

The Alpine Elementary Chinese New Year Celebration will be on January 23rd from 5:45-7:30 p.m. It will be a fun, cultural event for ALL families, not just those with students in the Immersion program.

We’re so excited to be partnering with Missoula Children’s Theatre for a fifth year! This year’s musical is Jack and the Beanstalk. Rehearsals will be happening Jan. 27th – Jan. 31st, with performances on January 31st and February 1st. If your child would like to participate, fill out this form.

THE APPLICATION PROCESS

   •We have roles for 60 children actors and 4 assistant stage directors.

   •Grades 1-6 are invited to apply.

   •Participants are selected by lottery, fill out this form to be considered.  Please fill out a separate form for each child participating.

   •The form to apply will be open until Friday, January 17th at 3:30pm. No late registrations will be accepted.

IF YOUR CHILD IS SELECTED

   •You will receive an acceptance letter by January 14th.

   •Fee to participate is $50, (includes 2 free tickets). Details about how to pay will be sent with your acceptance email.

   •A parent will be expected to volunteer for 1-2 hours during the rehearsal and performance week.

   •Rehearsals take place January 27th-January 31st for 2-4 hours after school. Attendance is mandatory.

   •Performances are at Timberline Middle School Friday, January 31st and Saturday, February 1st.

Missoula Children’s Theatre is a world-renowned children’s theatre company that has been bringing theatre arts to schools all over the world for 20 years. Their mission is to foster creativity and enhance innate capabilities in individuals all over the world by providing access to community-driven performing arts experiences. They send out 2 directors for a week long residency, resulting in a one-hour, full scale musical. They provide scripts, music, sets, costumes, props, instruction and direction. We provide actors, space and parent volunteers who help to make the performances happen!

QUESTIONS? contact Bianca Collings: [email protected], or Erin Stanley: [email protected]

The following students were nominated by their teachers and recognized the week prior to the Holiday Break for consistently demonstrating the character traits of the Alpine Big 3: Responsibility, Respect and Readiness to Learn.

Cymry Beck–Kindergarten, Mrs. Aitchison

Breann Bennett–3rd Grade, Mrs. Elder

Bella Bruni–3rd Grade, Mrs. Duke

Taymon Bruni–4th Grade, Ms. Moore

Brody Burr–4th Grade, Mrs. Keller

Lainey Condie–3rd Grade, Ms. Moore

Cooper Finlayson–Kindergarten, Mrs. Aitchison

Will Hansen–3rd Grade, Mrs. Duke

Jacob Johnson–3rd Grade, Ms. Elder

Maren Kofford–6th Grade, Mrs. Monson

Addie Lind–4th Grade, Mrs. Orgill

Johnny Lloyd–5th Grade, Mrs. Weakley

David Mercado–Kindergarten, Mrs. Aitchison

Nathanael Smith–5th Grade, Mr. Horan

Grace Wright–5th Grade, Mrs. Padgett

Have a great week, and as always, remember that it is a great day to be an Eagle!

You all received my phone message last week that our Music Teacher/Choir Director, Melinda Hunt, needed to have an emergency appendectomy requiring us to cancel Friday’s performance at the Festival of Trees. I am happy to report that Mrs. Hunt is home, and though still sore from the surgery, she plans on directing the choir tonight at Assembly Hall in Salt Lake City, and leading all of our students in their upcoming holiday programs. Our staff has had more than its share of unexpected heath issues this school year. We are hoping that 2020 brings improved health for the Alpine Elementary staff.

The next two weeks will be full of holiday activities for your children, and teachers should be communicating with you about in-class activities and special events. Here are some events you might want to mark on your calendar:

On the second Monday of every month our school has the opportunity to earn money when families eat at the Chick Fil-A in Lehi. So tonight, 5:00 – 8:00 pm, for all of you non-choir families, 20% of your Chick-Fil-A purchase will come back to Alpine Elementary.

For those of you who are interested in making application to the first grade Chinese Immersion program for the 2020 – 2021 school year, there will be an informational meeting at 6:00 pm in our library on January 22. Attendance is not required to make application to the program, but we will be able to answer any questions you might have about Chinese Immersion.

December box tops contest is here!  Do Nut forget to clip those box tops!  Please turn in box tops by December 19th at 2:30 pm as that is when they will be collected.  Treats are generously being donated again this year by Daylight Donuts in Alpine.  YUM!   Check out their online store for fun products, too:  https://www.shop.daylightdonuts.com/main.sc

Have a. great week, and as always, remember that it is a great day to be an Eagle!

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, 13 grandchildren, good health, and the opportunity to work at Alpine Elementary with a dedicated staff, kind and motivated students and supportive parents.

Our annual Candlelight School Coin Drive brings into clearer focus all that makes the Alpine Elementary Community so special, and for that reality, I am very grateful! In five days, we raised at least $10,410! I say “at least” because there is still money to be counted. Check out the past four-year Coin Drive contribution totals:

            2016 – 17      $7,500

            2017 – 18      $8,245

            2018 – 19      $9,170

            2019 – 20      $10,410

And once again, our Nutrition Services ladies, Whitney Wilson, Shirleen Jenks, Gina Lye and Tina Gast, modeled what it means to dig deep and generously give to a worthy cause. These ladies don’t give to be recognized, and I won’t embarrass them by giving you the total amount, but I will simply say these ladies gave a significant portion of the total amount contributed. Every year, Whitney Wilson tells me the Coin Drive Week is their favorite week of the year. Our Nutrition Services staff truly walk the talk!

I heard multiple Coin Drive stories that warm my heart and make me grateful for the students that attend our school. Kindergarten teacher, Colleen Aitchison, shares the following:

And on a post-it note in one of the coin cans, a little girl wrote:

From the mouth of babes! I thank all of the Alpine Elementary Community for their generosity and for doing the right thing last week!

The month is almost over, so keep clipping those Box Tops for our November contest deadline, which is November 27th.  Treats are being generously donated by Sun Haven Tanning and Salon located at 238 E. State St. in Pleasant Grove, Utah.  Check out their website: sunhaventan.us!  They have been voted #1 tanning salon in Utah for 3 years!  And they offer more than just tanning, they offer microblading, eyelash extensions and waxing services, also.  Just text the word “Start” to (801) 285-9210 and you will get a free tan!  Thanks, Sun Haven!

The following students were nominated by their teachers and recognized last week for consistently demonstrating the character traits of the Alpine Big 3: Responsibility, Respect and Readiness to Learn.

Leah Christensen–5th Grade, Mrs. Weakley

Brooke Christoffersen–6th Grade, Mrs. Monson

Nolan Crawley–4th Grade, Mrs. Vipperman

Eliza Gooch–4th Grade, Mrs. Vipperman

Millie Greer–5th Grade, Mrs. Padgett

Jaxon Larkin–2nd Grade, Mrs. Wallace

Madi Morris–5th Grade, Mrs. Hill

Lincoln Peay–6th Grade, Ms. Kuo

Emerson Reynolds–1st Grade, Ms. Johnson

Ella Turner–6th Grade, Mrs. Reyes

Mia Wallace–6th Grade, Mrs. Reyes

Lexi Wing–1st Grade, Ms. Johnson

I hope that all of you have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday with family and friends. Be safe in your travels, express love for those closest to you and give thanks for all that is yours!

Elementary school students can sometimes try an educator’s patience with the things they say, do, or not do in the school setting. But if we look and listen, there are daily nuggets of joy and gratitude that students will bring into our lives. I recently experienced one of those moments when I was observing one of our teachers. Her students were seated in a circle on the carpet participating in a “Math Battle” where two students would stand up, receive a multiplication problem from the teacher, and the student who answered the math fact equation first and correctly continued standing to battle the next student who would stand to battle. In one battle, the student who had won several consecutive battles, barely beat with the correct answer another student. The student, a boy, lost the battle sat down a bit dejected, and a girl who was sitting in the circle opposite the boy, gave him two thumbs up, smiled brightly, and mouthed the words, “Good job!” The boy smiled. I’m sure feeling a little better about himself. The boy is a student who doesn’t always want to come to school and is trying to find his place in his grade level social circle. The little girl certainly doesn’t know all that the teacher and I know about the boy’s struggles, but she knew enough on that day to reach out to someone in need, and though the students in the room didn’t see it, there was a principal with a tear in his eye observing that simple act of kindness. On that day, in that classroom, during that learning activity, one little girl showed me, and more importantly a boy who needed some positive feedback, that there is love and kindness all around us if we take the time to simply notice. Our students can teach us all valuable life lessons if we will look, listen and feel!

And speaking of acts of kindness, the Alpine Elementary Community has the opportunity this week to participate in our annual Candlelight School Coin Drive! Each year we send our donations to the Candlelight School in Nairobi, Kenya and the money donated helps purchase rice and beans to feed the students. We ask any families that can help to donate.

Monday—Pennies

Tuesday—Nickels

Wednesday—Dimes

Thursday—Quarters

Friday—All types of money

Our community donated over 300 blankets during the two-week Blanket Drive!  Thank you for your kindness. There will be many homeless people along the Wasatch Front grateful for a blanket to keep them warm during the cold winter months. Once again, the Alpine Elementary Community demonstrates their willingness to help those in need.

The month is almost over, so keep clipping those Box Tops for our November contest deadline, which is November 27th.  Treats are being generously donated by Sun Haven Tanning and Salon located at 238 E. State St. in Pleasant Grove, Utah.  Check out their website: sunhaventan.us!  They have been voted #1 tanning salon in Utah for 3 years!  And they offer more than just tanning, they offer microblading, eyelash extensions and waxing services, also.  Just text the word “Start” to (801) 285-9210 and you will get a free tan!  Thanks, Sun Haven!

The following students were nominated by their teachers and recognized last week for consistently demonstrating the character traits of the Alpine Big 3: Responsibility, Respect and Readiness to Learn.

Hallie Alire–4th Grade, Mrs. Orgill

Jordan Anderson–1st Grade, Mrs. Faux

Bria Basil–5th Grade, Mrs. Hill

Brady Beck–3rd Grade, Elder

Adrienne Bodily–4th Grade, A. Moore

Anna Rose Cox–1st Grade, Mrs. Faux

Elin DeGroot–1st Grade, Mrs. Liston

Ruby Jones–4th Grade, Mrs. Vipperman

Katie Kitchel–4th Grade, Mrs. Orgill

Noah Larsen–1st Grade, Mrs. Liston

Collins Nelson–1st Grade, Mrs. Faux

Quincy Peper–5th Grade, Mr. Horan

Daniel Snow–4th Grade, Mrs. Vipperman

Benson Wood–1st Grade, Mrs. Liston

Calvin Wood–4th Grade, Mrs. Orgill

Have a great week, and as always, remember that it is a great day to be an Eagle!

A warm enough day in November to ride your bike up the Provo Canyon to Vivian Park is a not to be taken for granted, so I took advantage of that gift on Saturday morning. Laura and I capped the day off by taking two of our grandsons (see attached photos) to the BYU football game. The Cougs were victorious, but I don’t think the outcome of the game was particularly important to Paxton and Easton. They were much more interested in consuming large quantities of hotdogs, popcorn, soda, salted pretzels, and of course Cougar Tails. And let’s not forget arguing over who got to use the binoculars, which I don’t think either boy either really knew how to use and get into proper focus. But a fun time nonetheless.

Don’t miss the opportunity on Veterans Day to have a discussion with your students on why we celebrate our veterans, past and present. The armistice to end World War 1, “the war to end all wars”, was signed at the 11^th hour on the 11^th month. Sadly, our country has been involved in multiple wars since November 11, 1918, but I am certainly grateful for the service rendered by veterans both living and deceased to protect our country’s freedoms. My wife and I are proud of our fathers’ war time service in World War 2 and the Korean War. We owe a debt of gratitude to our veterans that we can never fully repay.

One more week left in our Blanket Drive. It was gratifying to see the blanket donation box fill up every day last week. As of this morning, we have collected 102 blankets. Our goal is 700, so every donation helps. Here is the link to the updated Amazon Wish List page.  Hopefully, this makes it possible for more people to help.  Thank you for your generous support of this project and for helping others stay warm this winter.

Our school nurse, Paige Price, asked me to send out the attached flyer on General Precautions for the Gastrointestinal Virus.

The following students were nominated by their teachers and recognized last week for consistently demonstrating the character traits of the Alpine Big 3: Responsibility, Respect and Readiness to Learn.

Bronson Beck–1st Grade, Mrs. Bailey

Jackson Bruce–5th Grade, Mrs. Hill

Caden Bybee–5th Grade, Mrs. Weakley

Leah Clawson–2nd Grade, Mrs. Blodgett

Bridger Cook–Kindergarten, Mrs. Aitchison

Benson Elder–1st Grade, Mrs. Bailey

Cambree Hegerhorst–Kindergarten, Mrs. Aitchison

Nora Lee–2nd Grade, Mrs. Wallace

Tommy Lyon–3rd Grade, Mrs. Duke

Timothy Merrell–1st Grade, Ms. Johnson

Sawyer Petersen–5th Grade, Mr. Horan

Savana Smith–3rd Grade, Ms. M. Moore

Belle Spencer–Kindergarten, Mrs. Aitchison

Peter Taylor–1st Grade, Ms. Johnson

Have a great week, thank a veteran for his or her service, and as always, remember that it is a great day to be an Eagle!