WEEKLY UPDATES
Important Reminders
- 5th Grade DHS Music Festival Field Trip - March 11th; 9:00-11:00 am
- Spring Break - March 16th-20th (No School)
Spring Break Tropical Beach Day
Get ready for AVE's annual Beach Day! Celebrate the start of Spring Break (March 16-20th) by dressing up in your favorite tropical and/or beach wear on Friday, March 13th. Here is a link to the flyer for more information: Tropical Beach Day Flyer.
Attendance Shout Out!
Our goal at AVE is every student, every day. We know that every day counts and impacts student success. We celebrated 29 students who had 0 tardies, 0 absences, and 0 early checkouts during the month of February!! We have 2 students who have not missed a single day of school all year!! Way to go, Huskies!
CMAS Testing Window
Our CMAS (Colorado Measures of Academic Success) state assessments are approaching. Testing will occur for 3rd-5th graders starting the week of April 7th and will run through the week of April 25th. Due to limited testing time, it is very important for your student to be at school during the testing window. More information to come regarding state testing.
AVE 2025/2026 Yearbook On Sale!
AVE 25/26 Yearbooks are now on sale! Time is running out to purchase with the reduced price of $15. All yearbooks ordered after March 20th increase to $17. The purchasing window closes May 1st. Visit
https://www.mjthomasphoto.com/yearbook-orders/ and enter the code
animasyb26 to make your purchases.
Are you interested in anonymously sponsoring another student(s)? Order online, but write "sponsor" in the form.
Class and Student Photos
Class and student photos taken by Allison Ragsdale Photography should be live and available to view/purchase. If you registered your student for pictures back in the fall of 2025, you should get an email with your login information. If you don't receive that email and/or you didn't register in the fall, you can go to
https://allisonragsdalephotography.com/durango-school-photography/ and fill out the form on the "school photos" page to receive your access code for ordering. You can order through March 31, 2026 for free delivery to the school or choose direct shipping for $6.45. Retake photos should be available for viewing within 10 days of the photo session.
Registration for the 2026-2027 School Year is Now Open!
All returning families need to complete online registration for the 2026-27 school year. This process will allow you to:
- Complete the required health form
- Update your emergency contact information and address
- Upload updated immunization records if not already submitted. (Note that immunization exemption documents must be dated after July 1st, 2026 for the 26-27 school year.)
- Review and sign release agreements.
'If you have never used Infinite Campus before, please contact the AVE office to receive your username and password. If you've forgotten your login credentials, we're happy to help you reset them.
To complete registration:
- Go to this link for Existing 9-R Families Registration
- Log in to Campus Parent using your Infinite Campus username and password
- Select "More" from the menu on the left
- Click "Online Registration"
- Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the process
Thank you for helping us get ready for another great year!
Student ID's
Students that ride the bus are required to have their student ID (bus badge). Please help ensure your child has their ID when they are riding the bus. There will be a $10 fee to replace a student ID. Please contact the office for more information about replacements or assistance with fees.
Communication with Students
The office receives a report listing all students registered to attend The Club at AVE and Game Time each day. These students receive a note from the office reminding them of their after-school plan. Please call the office before 1:00 pm on Mondays and 2:00 pm all other days if there are any changes to student after-school plans.
After-School Care
After school registration for April is now open for The Club @ AVE! Your child must be registered for specific dates on Active in order to attend After School Club.
Here is the link for Active.
AVE Husky Family
Our Family and Friends Board, in our main hallway, creates a link between home family and school family. Please send in or email a picture of your family to add to our board. Contact Ms. Teresa at this email:
[email protected]
HEALTH OFFICE UPDATES
Keeping our School Community Well
As we navigate this particularly active season of colds, flu, and stomach viruses, our priority remains the health and comfort of every student in our care. If your student begins to feel unwell during the school day, our health office will contact you immediately. To help your child recover comfortably and to protect the health of their peers and teachers, we ask for your cooperation with the following:
- Timely Pickup: If you receive a call to pick up your child, please make arrangements to arrive as quickly as possible.
- Fever Policy: For the safety of the student body, any student with a fever of 101°F or higher must be picked up within 30 minutes of notification.
- Return to School Policy: Students should be without fever or vomiting for 24 hours without the use of medication before returning to school.
Manna Food Bags
Thanks to our district's Manna Food Bags Program, food bags can go home with students every Friday. If you would like more information about this program or need food support for your family, please contact Donald Archuleta at (970)247-0124 or email him at
[email protected]. If you are currently receiving Manna Food Bags, please encourage your student(s) to take home their bag on Friday, and remember to return empty bags to your child's teacher or the school office so bags can be restocked.
Nurse's Clothes Closet
If your student borrowed a spare change of clothes from our health office, please be sure to wash and return them to the office as soon as possible.
COUNSELING CORNER
Hello Husky Families,
When it comes to communication, you as parents and caregivers are your child's best teacher! In fact, did you know that research shows children learn more from watching how their parents communicate with each other than through their parents communicating directly with them? So, what you model with other adults is truly the greatest teacher.
However, we can still improve children's skills in an intentional way, which is what we work on in my classes. Here are some tips to help your children improve their communication skills with friends and family members alike.
- Help them name what they are feeling. This helps us move from reactive brain to logical brain.
- If upset, take a pause, breathe, or take a short walk before speaking.
- Name the problem by starting with "I" or "we" instead of "you" to reduce blame. For example, instead of "You made me so mad," try "I feel upset when..." or "We disagree about..."
- Try sentence stems such as "I feel ___ when you ___." "I want/need ____." "Next time, would you please ____?" or "It bothers me when ____. I wish you would ___ instead."
These strategies help your child de-escalate emotion, remove blame, and enable the brain to calm down and enter mutual problem-solving model. And bonus - adults will also benefit from using these techniques!
Warmly,
Anna Donovan, MA, LPC
phone number: (970)247-0124 ext. 3421
STUDENT OPPORTUNITIES
LEGO League - Coaches Needed!
Calling For Coaches and Participants!
We are excited to announce the 2026 LEGO League Explore Festival will be held at the Powerhouse on May 15th. We are currently looking for enthusiastic volunteer coaches to help make this festival a success! LEGO League Explore is open to 1st-3rd grade students ready to explore hands-on STEM skills.
Coaches are desperately needed to lead a team of 2-6 students once a week. No prior robotics or engineering experience is required. Guide, support, and encourage students as they build and program LEGO robots, practice teamwork, and get creative. All materials and kits will be provided along with resources to help coaches feel comfortable in the role. Your child is guaranteed a spot on the team if you decide to coach.
If you are interested in volunteering or would like more information, please email [email protected].
Here is the link to Sign-up to Coach!
Here is the link to Sign-up to Participate!
Powerhouse Programs at AVE!!
Join Powerhouse education staff for a FREE After-School science enrichment program sponsored and funded by the Durango School District. The program is open to 1st* - 5th grades, and students must register online to attend. *Kindergartners are welcome to attend with an older sibling.
Where: Animas Valley Elementary Library
Time: Wednesdays, 2:30-4:00 PM
Dates:
- Session 4 - Eager Environmentalists - 3/25, 4/1, 4/8, 4/15
ANIMAS BOOSTER CLUB UPDATES
Is your business or family interested in helping sponsor our 2026-2027 student and staff spirit wear? Please contact Katie at
[email protected] for more information.
Upcoming Dates
- March 6: First Friday (spirit wear and popcorn)
- April 3: First Friday (spirit wear and popcorn)
- April 6-16: Penny Wars
- April 24: Spring Fling
- May 1: Husky Hustle Fun Run
- May 8: First Friday (spirit wear and popcorn)
- May 14: Bike Rodeo
- May 19: Field Day
City Market Community Rewards
