Courage & Character
Hello Fall River Fox Families,
We are sometimes asked for recommendations to share with parents about the appropriate use of technology at home. Though technology is a highly effective learning tool—especially in a STEM based setting like Fall River—it is very important to maintain a healthy balance at home when it comes to technology.
Over the past couple years the Fall River staff has been exploring current research regarding the effective use of technology. Over the course of that time we have learned a few things that have helped us to be better teachers, as well as better parents. Here are just three of our recommendations:
Delay Social Media Access
Our recommendation is to avoid introducing children to social media until they are in their later teenage years. Research indicates that early exposure to social media correlates with increased rates of anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues, particularly in girls. Elementary school children are too young to navigate the complex social dynamics and pressures that often come with social media platforms.
Set Screen Time Limits
Excessive screen time, especially on devices that provide instant gratification, can lead to attention problems, decreased physical activity, and difficulty developing deep focus and patience—skills crucial for long-term success and happiness. We recommend that parents limit the total amount of screen time for young children to help them develop a range of offline skills and hobbies.
Encourage Unstructured Play
We cannot emphasize enough the importance of play for cognitive and emotional development. Free play helps children develop creativity, problem-solving skills, and the ability to manage risk. It also strengthens relationships with peers in a way that technology-based interactions often cannot. Encourage your kids to engage in unstructured, screen-free play, both indoors and outdoors.
By applying these principles, parents can help ensure that technology plays a balanced role in their child’s development without overwhelming other critical aspects of growing up, such as physical activity, face-to-face interactions, and unstructured play.
Have a wonderful weekend.
Onward and upward!
Quinn O’Keefe
Fall River Principal
Fall River Fox Spirit Wear!
Fall River Elementary’s Student Council is excited to offer a Fall River Spirit store! The online store is now open through November 29th!
Don’t miss out—click HERE to order your Fall River Elementary SWAG today!
10% of ALL sales will be donated to our Student Council group to help us support all of our Fall River teachers and fellow foxes!
The final day to place orders is Friday, November 29th by 11:59 PM.
**Items are expected to arrive by Thursday, December 19th, and will be sent home with students.
Be sure to explore all the options featuring our different logos! Please note that due to the customized nature of the products, all sales are final and non-refundable once the store closes at 11:59 PM on November 29th. However, cancellations can be made until that time.
**If you’re purchasing any items as holiday gifts, please inform the front office so we can hold them for you to pick up.
GO FOXES!
SCHOLASTIC BOOK FAIR
We need your help!
*Fall River Giving Tree * December 2024
Giving can be as much fun as receiving! As we all reflect on how blessed we are this year, Fall River Elementary would like to invite families to take part in our 17th annual GIVING TREE.
Our GIVING TREE will be located outside the main office in the front hallway. There are many items that children who are less fortunate need such as coats, hats/ gloves, pajamas, and snow boots.
Beginning November 18th – December 13th, if you would like to donate an item to help make this holiday special for a child in need, please grab a tag off the tree. Each tag is dedicated to a specific child with a particular item and size requested. Please purchase the item on the tag and then bring your WRAPPED gift back to school and place it under the tree in the main hallway.
Gifts need to be labeled with the tag from the tree so that we can be sure to get each gift to the right child. Gifts will be delivered to children in the Longmont area right before the holidays by the non-profit organization, Colorado FriendShip – www.coloradofriendship.org.
THANKS FOR HELPING THOSE IN NEED!
Join Us: Community Appreciation Events
St. Vrain Valley Schools extends our heartfelt gratitude to our community for the overwhelming support of the 2024 Bond Measure. To celebrate this momentous achievement and express our profound appreciation, we invite you to two upcoming community events. These special evenings will feature an innovative drone show by our student drone performance team, along with hot cocoa and cookies.
- Tuesday, November 19, 2024, 6:30 p.m. at Frederick High School
- Thursday, November 21, 2024, 6:30 p.m. at the Innovation Center
Read Superintendent Dr. Don Haddad’s Thank You Message to the Community
It is not too late to Purchase iPad Insurance!
Please contact our school Secretary, Amanda Rogowski ([email protected]) if you would like to purchase the Optional iPad Insurance and possibly save hundreds of dollars! Once we inspect your student’s iPad and determine that it is in good shape, we will add the fee into their Infinite Campus Account. You can then purchase the insurance through Infinite Campus.
2024-25 Student iPad Insurance Fee for the Entire Year: $25
The fee is reduced for students eligible for free or reduced priced lunch. ($10 and $15 respectively)
To apply for free or reduced lunch status, fill out the Education Benefit Form
Thank you and please don’t hesitate to contact me or Ms. Amanda with any questions!
Ms. Steph
720-652-7920 ext. 22573
Parking Lot/Preschool Parking/Handicapped Parking
Parking Lot
As the weather turns colder, more of us are choosing to drive our students to school. It can be tempting to pull into the parking lot to drop off and pick up. Instead, if you have kindergarten and older children, we ask that you please use the drop off/pick up lane or park on the street and walk in. Our parking lot is ONLY for staff, preschool, discovery den, volunteers, and handicap parking.
Do not cut across the parking lot when walking to and from the street. Please use our sidewalks.
Preschool Parking
Help us keep the preschool spaces available for our Preschool and Discovery Den families, Monday – Friday (7:30am – 4:00pm). When dropping off and picking up preschoolers, be aware that there are many more preschool families than there are preschool parking spaces. Once you have delivered or picked up your preschooler, please move your vehicle to make room for others to park. Do not stay in the preschool spaces after dropping off your preschooler to walk with an older sibling to their class.
Handicapped Parking
We do need all of our handicapped parking spaces, so please respect those that depend on their availability. If possible when using these spaces, go ahead and move once you have completed your drop off/pick up or other school business to free up a space for someone else.
Thank you all for your cooperation and patience in the mornings and afternoons.
We all help keep our children safe!
Ms. Steph
All items will be donated on 11/22/24
Outdoor Recess and the Weather
We make every effort to have recess outdoor. As the weather starts getting colder please remember these things:
- Send your students appropriately dressed for the changing conditions.
- We will be outside unless the conditions are not safe or temperatures “feel like” below 20 degrees.
- We ask that students bring snow pants and boots if they would like to play in the snow.
Office Reminders
It’s that time of the year…we want to remind you of a few things:
- Please call (720) 652-7920, email Nicole Morton ([email protected]), Attendance Clerk, or visit here to notify us of absences. It is extremely helpful to bring a doctor’s note to excuse the absence.
- Please note that parents must sign in students arriving after the 8:55 tardy bell or it will be unexcused.
- Students must be fever, vomit, and diarrhea free for 24 hours WITHOUT the use of medication before returning to school.
- How Sick is Too Sick? SVVSD follows the guidance of the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment (CDPHE) for determining if your child should be at school.
Fall River Fox Calendar
11/18- 11/22 Book Fair
11/18-12/13 Giving Tree
11/25-11/29 Fall Break-No School
12/3 KidZing Concert
12/4 Winter Celebration After School
12/4 Late Start Day-school starts at 11:25
PTO Happenings
Thank you to all of our volunteers that made this very busy fall an amazing success for our kids!
We’re catching our breath after a busy start to the school year but will have updates and volunteer opportunities in November and December!
PTO has volunteer positions available! Interested in seeing how you can help? Visit the Fall River PTO website to learn more.