Principal’s Letter

Dear Families,

Welcome back! We are so excited to begin a new school year with you and your children. The first days have already been filled with joy, learning, and building new friendships. It has been wonderful to see our students come in each morning ready to learn and grow.

We are looking forward to a year filled with discovery, achievement, and special memories. Thank you for partnering with us to make this school year a great one—we know that together, we can support every child in reaching their full potential.

Here’s to a fantastic year ahead!

With excitement,

Francesca Craver

Our Mission

At Grand View, we empower curious, young leaders through an inclusive, loving and collaborative community rooted in empathy, trust, and integrity.

Our Vision

As a leadership focused school, Grand View fosters a nurturing environment where risk-taking is encouraged through hands-on learning and design thinking experiences. We focus on being open-minded while developing meaningful relationships and upholding high expectations.

Reminders for Families:

• Please remind your students they are not allowed to use electronic devices to call you during school hours. We would like them to come to the office to call parents, if necessary. This will help us to provide the right amount of support for your student. All cell phones need to be kept in their backpacks
• If at any time you need to get a hold of your student, please call the front office and we will contact your student during school hours.
• If you are picking up your student during school hours, you must present a photo ID. Please remember to report your child’s absence or tardy to 303-702-8000 or email: [email protected] 
• Our office staff is always available to answer your questions- 303-702-8000
  • Jo Jo  Charles, Principal’s Secretary, [email protected]
  • Traci Montgomery, Registrar/Attendance Clerk [email protected]
  • Cherie Oatman, Health Clerk, [email protected]

iPad Insurance is Due for ALL students

If you have not already paid for insurance for your student’s iPad, the final day for payment is September 15th.  This fee will cover the repair cost for first time accidental damage to the iPad. Payment can be made by going to the Infinite Campus Parent Portal or bringing cash or check (payable to Grand View) to the front office.  If you choose to not participate in this program and no payment is received by September 15th, you will be responsible for the full cost of replacement or repair which can be up to $700.00

Please contact the school office if you have any questions. Thank you.

Important Dates to Remember

• Monday, September 1 – NO SCHOOL- Labor Day
• Tuesday, September 2 – All School Group Photo 9:30am
• Wednesday, September 3 – LATE START- School starts at 11:30am
• Wednesday, September 17 – PTO Meeting at 6:00pm
• Tuesday, September 23 – Vision & Hearing Screenings
• Tuesday, September 30 – Parent/Teacher Conferences

Meet the Counselor: Katie Malone
Katie Malone is excited to begin her 21st year as a School Counselor and her 2nd year at GVE! She looks forward to connecting with students and families. Outside of school, she enjoys hiking, skiing, live music, traveling, and spending time with her husband and two sons.

Her Role:

• Encourages a safe school climate
• Delivers school-wide classroom lessons
• Meets with students individually and in small groups
• Supports students in making positive behavior choices
• Collaborates with parents, teachers, and staff
• Provides education on students’ social-emotional needs

Friday Food Bags

Grand View Elementary is partnering with a local volunteer network to provide “Friday Food Bags” for families in need.  Bags will be sent home each Friday with a variety of items such as: cereal, milk, juice, snacks, beans, oatmeal, etc. The program will begin on Friday, September 5th.  There is NO COST to participate in this program and all are welcome. If you are interested in participating please complete the following SURVEY  

For further questions you can contact the School Counselor, Mrs. Malone 

Contact:
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 303.702.8000

Thank you!

Health Office

Welcome to the 2025-2026 school year!

All medication should be turned in to the health office with the required Dr.’s and parent’s authorization paperwork. The Health Office is in need of snacks. We look for prepackaged, individual snacks like: goldfish, fruit snacks, granola bars, or Cheez Its. If you are able to help with a donation please stop by the front office!

Be on the lookout for our annual Vision and Hearing screenings. Our screening is: September 23rd. More information to come in Friday folders!

If your student is in need of a health plan for the 2025-2026 school year you can find information at SSVSD.org. Look for the Health Services tab to find forms.
As always please do not hesitate to contact me at [email protected]
or 303-702-8000.

Library News

What’s your superpower? That’s the question we’re asking at Grand View and in our learning commons this year! We believe every student has a unique superpower, and we can’t wait to see what they are. This month has been a whirlwind of change as we get ready for our full library launch.

Next month, we’ll start our regular book checkout rotation! Our library time is designed to engage every kind of learner. We’ll have kinesthetic, auditory, and visual activities to help students explore the amazing books and resources we have.

I’m so excited to get to know each of your little superheroes and discover which stories ignite their imagination. Thank you for being a part of our amazing school!

GO Bison!

Volunteering at Grand View

We would love to have volunteers at Grand View again this year. We are requiring all volunteers to be trained before they are able to work with our students. This training will only be for volunteers who are planning on working with students. We will keep track of everyone that has completed the online training. We appreciate your partnership in working with our students! Please click on the link below to complete your training.

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1Y7V5ZCoh3mDRxACGm8l2J1fa2outBSOyexBrax9k4Fs/edit?usp=sharing

Positive Behavior Support System (PBIS)

We are excited to continue with our Bison Boutique this year. Our students earn Bison Bucks when they follow the HERD expectations. Throughout the year, students save their Bison Bucks to buy items from the Bison Boutique. We are in need of volunteers to help with our store and preparation for PBIS. Please sign up if you are able to help. https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0948A5A623A3FDC25-bison1

Art News

Hello families! I am so excited for our art classes this year. I am getting to know your amazing and talented artists each day. We are starting off strong with drawing skill builders in each grade level. We are learning about using colored pencils, markers, crayons, and twistables. We are also looking at lines, shapes, and textures to connect with the Elements and Principles of Art. We are practicing good studio habits including; taking care of supplies, showing leadership, and helping each other. I can’t wait to share what students are making! Mae Rogers 

Grand View Online Spirit Wear Store

Official Back-to-School Sale

Gear up for the school year with Grand View spirit wear! Enjoy a 25% discount across our entire website with hundreds of designs and garment styles waiting for you! Orders ship to home in just 10-12 business days! Shop Now!

Yearbooks are now for sale! Please use the link or QR code to preorder a copy.

https://www.treering.com/purchase?PassCode=1016917013362075

Hug-N-Go Lane

When dropping your students off in the Hug-N-Go Lane, we need families to pull through to the south end of the lane. This will help alleviate the traffic on Aggregate Blvd and help students get to school on time. Please have your students ready with backpacks and other belongings so they can just be dropped off. If you want to get out of the car and help your students, please park in the front parking lot and help them get ready. The HUG-N-GO Lane needs to be quick and easy for all families. Also, please pay attention to the cars trying to get out of the HUG-N-GO Lane so we can allow others to go through the lane. We appreciate your attention to this matter and continued support to keep our students and families safe.

Gifted and Talented Referrals 

Each year, schools in St. Vrain Valley complete a process to identify students who demonstrate exceptional ability or performance in one or more academic areas and may, therefore, qualify for Gifted/Talented educational services. These students usually perform at least two years above grade level in their strength area(s), and they require additional academic challenges in order to support their continued educational growth and progress.  In addition, they usually demonstrate characteristics of unique creativity and high motivation in their strength areas. 

Referrals are open through the month of September and will close on the last day of the month. Referrals after that date will be addressed on a case by case basis. Completing a referral guarantees a review of the student profile to determine if testing is recommended for the student. The process for identification requires a body of evidence and often takes place throughout the school year.

The process takes approximately 5-10 minutes to complete.

Kayla Hawkins [email protected]

Link to the Referral Form: https://forms.gle/ZMqtoyffM2d7Sxoo8

OR

SVVS identifies students K-12 for gifted services.

These students usually:

• Perform academically (or in a talent area) at least two years above grade level peers
• Display readiness for very advanced or accelerated learning opportunities
• Require additional academic challenges to support their continued educational growth
• Demonstrate characteristics of unique creativity and higher level thinking

The identification process begins with an opportunity for educators, family members, community members, peers, and/or the student to refer an individual for gifted services. Once referrals are received, students are evaluated over a period of time. Performance in classroom settings, state testing data, standardized test scores, and behavioral rating scales are reviewed.  Additional tests may also be administered to help determine a student’s ability or achievement during the identification process. For talent area referrals (ie. performing arts, visual arts, or music, etc.) portfolios are requested and students will submit them for review.

In addition to referrals, district students are reviewed based on state testing and screening data. Each fall, the Gifted and Talented office screens CMAS and ACCESS testing results. Universal screening of second grade students is also conducted each fall. Students performing at the top of their grade level or at an accelerated pace are considered for gifted evaluation, which may include follow-up testing.

Identification in the state of Colorado requires a body of evidence that consists of quantitative and qualitative measures showing (cognitive, achievement, characteristics/behavior/motivation, etc). For students who have been previously tested, a full review of current and historical data is completed before next steps are determined. According to district policy, students can be administered cognitive testing for Gifted Identification twice in their academic career. Qualifying Scores are those in the 95th percentile for cognitive ability, talent ability, behavioral/learning characteristics, and achievement using assessment tools approved by the Colorado Department of Education and St. Vrain Gifted and Talented Services. The GT department will also review external cognitive testing if it is provided to the GT department by the parent or guardian.

Parents and guardians are notified of identification decisions after a full BOE is reviewed. If a student is identified as Gifted and/or Talented through this process, teachers will also be notified and an Advanced Learning Plan will be developed with collaboration of parents/guardians and school GT representatives.

A formal referral window is open in September of each school year. Additional referrals are processed year round on a case by case basis. 

Attention Fifth Grade Families!

Announcement Club Starting the last week of August

Grand View Elementary has a tradition of fifth graders being in charge of video announcements which are aired on Fridays at school in each classroom. For the third year in a row, announcements will be run as a club this year, and the fifth grade classes will rotate through hosting announcements each month. We would love to have your fifth grader join us on Wednesday mornings in the library when it is their classes turn.  Please watch for our monthly emails for signup information.  Can’t wait to work with your amazing film maker

Mrs. Adler and Mrs. Eades

Are you ready to be a leader at Grand View? Do you want to help build
community and school spirit? If so, we invite you to apply for Grand View
Student Council!
Our Grand View Bison Ambassadors play an important role in creating a
welcoming, inclusive school. Student Council members:
-Support new and younger students
-Build strong partnerships with our community
-Sponsor donation drives for local shelters and charities
-Promote school pride by organizing spirit days and fun events
How to Apply:
Please submit a letter of recommendation from a non-family community
member (such as a coach, pastor, or mentor).
The letter should share examples of your leadership, teamwork,
collaboration, and initiative.
Letters may be turned in to Mrs. Amber Salaz at Grand View Elementary or

emailed to [email protected]
Deadline to register: Friday, September 12

Drama Club

The Drama Club is for 4th and 5th graders

No experience required.
Rehearsals are Thursdays before school from 8-8:55am starting September
11.
Students will gain audition and performance experience
for our show, Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella.
Show date is Friday, March 6 at 6:30pm
$25 fee covers performance materials, costumes, etc.
Cash or Check payable to Grand View Elementary (non-refundable)
Rehearsals Begin Thursday, September 11.
Deadline to register: Wednesday, September 10.

If you have any questions, please contact Mrs. Salaz:

[email protected]

The Rotics Club is hosting Tryouts on September 2nd from 4:00-5:30 for all interested 3rd-, 4th-, and 5th-grade students. A parent meeting will follow tryouts to address any questions about the upcoming season and to review rules and district changes to the program. If you have any questions, please reach out to the coaches at [email protected] or [email protected].

Bison Brigade – PTO News

The Bison Brigade is excited to kick off another great school year with our students and families! We are here to support our school through:

–Events

–Volunteer Opportunities

–Fundraising

Keep an eye out for updates on upcoming activities, ways to get involved, and how we can work together to make this year the best one yet. 

Let’s make it a fantastic start!  

Upcoming events: 

QDOBA Foodraiser – August 27, 4-8pm Firestone Location 

PTO Meeting – September 17th, 6pm Learning Commons

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