Spring Conference Sign-Ups

Please click on this link, choose the correct teacher, sign-up for the conference and mark your calendar. Most grade levels and teachers have an in-person or virtual option. 

We look forward to meeting with you to discuss your child's progress.

CMAS Information

CMAS is right around the corner.  Below is the testing schedule.  

If you would like to opt your child out of taking the CMAS please follow the directions in this document.

Thank you to all of you who could join our meeting today. We talked about a variety of topics but the predominate discussions were around parent involvement, safety and security, rude vs mean vs bullying, and what types of training do NRE staff go through each year. We are excited to have our Director of Security Jonny Grusing present at our next SAC Meeting which is March 24th. We hope to see you there.

SAC Recording of the Meeting, SAC Google Slides, SAC Agenda

Dear NRE Community - 

This week has flown by and I cannot believe we have two weeks before Spring Break. I giggle that it's "spring" break because who are we kidding, it's more like fake spring with these subzero temperatures!!!

I'm going to keep my letter relatively short this week and give the "floor" to my daughter's best friend and his thoughts on how people bond. More about this in a few paragraphs.

Thank you to our PTA for all the goodies last week! So many cookies were brought in by parents and staff LOVED every minute of it. As you can see below, Mrs. Spillan was being silly trying to decide which ones to eat because they all looked so great. We appreciate you appreciating us.

During our parties with a purpose, Dash made an appearance in the kindergarten classrooms and the kindergarteners loved their time with him/her/them. Dash was the hit of the party and their faces were priceless. Who is in the Dash costume is the talk of the town but what the kids don't know is that more than one person has been inside the Dash uniform and this time, it was a parent!!! We share the love here at NRE and Dash is no exception. Any time we can bring smiles to students faces, we try and make it happen.

Just below my name, you will see a short essay that Ali Shannon wrote about negative bonding. Riley, my oldest daughter, was talking with me about it at the dinner table and I asked if Ali would let me read it and then asked if I could share it with you. It made me think about the amount of times I have seen students negatively bond with one another. If you have time, please read below and then see how many times you see people do this over the weekend or even next week. I'm trying to be more mindful of my responses when people ask me how I am.

Enjoy your weekend and remember, what you look for, you will see. Choose to look for happiness and positive things. 

Katie Lynch

Negative Bonding by Ali Shannon

Lately, I’ve been thinking about my interactions with the people in my life, especially classmates and people who are on the verge of being friends. If you think about it, most conversations in school start with a complaint: 

“I’m so tired,” 

“I’m cold,” 

"I’m hot,” 

“I don’t want to be here.”

It’s really easy to feel closer to the people around you if you can mutually complain, which is called negative bonding. When you don’t really know someone, the easiest way to talk to them is to complain about the class you’re in, the temperature, homework, work, or life in general. Realistically, it doesn’t even start a meaningful conversation because the person you complain to will just say “me too” and then you’ll be sitting there in silence again. 

As Lisa Earle Mcleod says, “people – often unconsciously – believe being positive keeps you out of the cool club.” It almost seems like it's cool to hate everything, which isn't the best mindset to have. 

When people complain, it gives the other person a chance to comfort them, which leads to trust and feeling heard, which is something people look for in their friendships. Because negative bonding is easier, people tend to subconsciously think negatively or only share their complaints, not what is making them happy or excited. 

When I decided to work on changing my mindset and being a more positive person, it became obvious how much people enjoy and find safety in finding the worst in everything. Within one half an hour of being at school, you’ll likely hear “I don’t want to be here” at least twice. 

And yes, I complain—often because of the reasons prior—and yes, the school system needs improvement, and yes, the rate of depression in teenagers is increasing, and yes, venting to close friends helps your mental health, and yes, it is valid to have an off day or week or month. 

But, consistently complaining about everything in your life is draining to the people around you and yourself. Living life is about finding the joy in the little things, which is very difficult when the only little things you notice are the ones that irritate you. If more people were open to being positive and sharing their excitement, instead of staying in the comfort of negativity, we would be able to find ways that we can relate to each other outside of mutual dislike. 

Although mutual complaint is the most comfortable way to connect with others, finding connection through shared joy instead will make it easier to find happiness for yourself and the people around you.

Announcing the 2023 sessions of the Colorado School of Mines Summer Camps for K - 8th grade students

The Academies for Young Minds program this summer offers camps focused on robotics, the physical sciences, engineering, design thinking, and even magic! Camps are available for students in kindergarten, elementary school, and middle school:

• It’s Electric [Grades K-2]

• Charged Up [Grades 3-5]

• Building Basics [K-2]

• Magic of Science [Grades 3-5]

• Toy Engineering Challenge [Grades 3-5]

• DIY Robotics [Grades 6-8]

• Build It [Grades 3-5]

• Girl Power: Engineering for Good [Grades 2-5]

• Girl Power: Robotics for Good [Grades 5-8]

The Academies for Young Minds encourage children to be innovative and use creative problem-solving by engaging them in fun, hands-on activities. Visit our website at https://students.csmspace.com for descriptions of each camp, times and dates, information about each camp leader, and more.

The Academies for Young Minds summer camps are available to kindergarten, elementary school, and middle school students — although not all camps are available for all grades. Please visit the website for full information about eligibility requirements.

Registration for all Academies for Young Minds camps opens at 10:00 AM (MST) on Wednesday, February 22, 2023. Registration is available only online with payment required by credit/debit card at the time of registration. To register, please go to the Internet address shown immediately below:

https://students.csmspace.com

See you at the Camp!

Mental Health Supports:

If you are concerned that your child or another loved one may be experiencing changes in their mood or have suicidal behaviors or thoughts, please remember:

• Stay with the child or person until you are sure they are safe

• Call 911 if there is an immediate threat to the child or others 

• Call or text 988 for mental health crisis support

  • You can also chat with someone using the link: 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline

• Colorado Crisis Services: 1-844-493-TALK (8255) 

  • Trained Crisis Counselor Hotline: (844) 493-8255 or text “TALK” to 38255

  • Chat online (open from 4:00 p.m.-12:00 a.m. daily): Click Here

  • Walk-in Locations (open 24/7): Location List 

  • Information About Types of Services and Answers to Frequently Asked Questions About Colorado Crisis Services 

• DCSD Mental Health Intervention website

• DCSD Sources of Strength website

• Mobile apps for wellness and recovery

• Let’s Talk Colorado (Douglas County Government and Tri-County Health campaign)

Douglas County has an anonymous reporting system available at all times. Anyone with a concern for someone’s well-being or safety can use Safe2Tell (1-877-542-7233) 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. 

Below is a list of community centers in our metro area:

• Colorado Crisis Center Walk-In Locations

• AllHealth Network: 303-730-8858

• Denver Springs: 720-410-6319

• Highlands Behavioral Health System: 720-348-2800

• Peakview Behavioral Health: 888-235-9475