March 28, 2025

D4/5 exploring the cottonwoods at Metzler Park.

News from Ms. Trena:

Dear REMS Families, 

Spring has finally arrived.  We are so grateful for the warmer weather and the ability to get outdoors and do more fieldwork! 

This month, we are focusing on fostering a sense of belonging in our crews, hallways, and in the greater school community. We believe that a strong sense of belonging is the foundation for a thriving learning environment. When students feel seen, valued, and connected, they are more engaged, confident, and ready to take on challenges. 

A few ways we are nurturing belonging at Renaissance:
✨ Crew Connections – Our morning meetings and closing circles help students build relationships, share their voices, and support one another.
✨ Celebrating Individual Strengths – Every child brings unique gifts to our school. We honor these through student showcases, stewardship, and recognition of efforts both big and small.
✨ Family and Community Partnerships – Your involvement matters! Whether through volunteering, attending school events, like the upcoming Auction, or simply sharing a kind word with staff, you help shape the warm and welcoming environment we strive for as CREW!

How can you support a sense of belonging at home?
💡 Ask your child about moments they felt connected at school.
💡 Encourage them to include others in play and group activities.
💡 Remind them that their voice matters and that they are an important part of our school family.

Let’s continue to build a school where every child feels at home, supported, and inspired to grow. Thank you for being a vital part of our REMS community!

Apple Awards: 
Please congratulate our Apple Awards winners, Ms. Hillary Fendrich (Discovery 4/5th) and Ms. Jody Giggy (Educational Assistant), for the 24-25 school year!  They will attend our district ceremony this Saturday at the Legacy Campus.  Other nominees include: Ms. Amanda Deegan, Ms. JoAnna Dietz, Ms. Staci Teague, and Ms. Hope Corrales. 👏

Bluebird Project- Reminders:
As part of our ongoing commitment to environmental stewardship, we ask that everyone please avoid the bluebird nest boxes on/around our property. Only trained volunteers, including our dedicated third graders, who will check the boxes at the appropriate intervals, should be accessing them.

Caring for these boxes is an important responsibility, and by respecting this process, we help ensure the well-being of the bluebirds and the health of our natural environment. Let’s continue to be good stewards of our land and wildlife! For more info: The Bluebird Project 

Important Dates: 
4/25/25: Teacher Work Day- no school for students
4/25/25: Parent Night & Auction at TopGolf
4/28/25: PD Day- No school for students

In Crew, 
Ms. Trena  

News from Our Crews:

2nd Grade:
2nd grade took drumming outside this week and soaked up the sun!

3rd Grade:

A representative from the Town of Castle Rock came to teach our third graders the importance of taking care of blue birds. They will be monitoring the nest boxes as part of the Bluebird Project. 

*To ensure the safety and survival of the bluebirds, it is imperative that the nest boxes are left alone. 

4th Grade:
Ms. Sami and Ms. Annie's fourth grade crews have started prepping the garden for this Spring!

4th Grade- Ms. Sami:
Our crew has started their learning about the Ute Tribe and Colorado history.

D4/5- Ms. Hillary:
As we continue our deep dive into Colorado history, we learned about Cottonwood Trees and the Star Legend from the Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes. We explored Metzler Park and found some of the stars hidden within branches of the Cottonwood Trees.

6th Grade- Ms. JoAnna:
This week in 6th grade, students embarked on an exciting Science/Stem project, "Hack My Life," where they used recycled materials to create new products, which they then showcased in commercials. This hands-on project connects directly to Colorado State Standards by allowing students to apply engineering design, problem-solving, and scientific principles. Students explored how different materials interact and tested their designs to ensure they worked as intended, while also measuring and calculating to ensure their creations were functional and efficient. This engaging project not only reinforces key academic standards but also encourages creativity, teamwork, and environmental responsibility. 

News from Parent Crew:

The Renaissance Open -- Discounted Early Bird Pricing!
We are so excited to host "The Renaissance Open" this year at TopGolf for our annual auction. As a quick reminder, March 31 is your last chance to purchase discounted tickets with Early Bird pricing! Grab this sweet deal while you can! (Dinner + Dessert + TopGolf + our Auction = An Eagle of A Deal!) 

To purchase tickets: http://onecau.se/rems

If you're eager to hear about all the fun auction items coming soon, then you'll be delighted to hear that Crew QT (fka Teacher Time) will be posted this week on the bulletin board in the front entry of the school. Be sure to check out some of the engaging ways for your kids to spend time with their favorite staff members! As for other auction items, we'll also have our ever popular Crew Baskets and also Crew Art, and some new and exciting auction items as well ("Shark Cage Dive" anyone...?!) More sneak peeks coming to our social media accounts in the coming weeks, so be sure to like/follow the REMS Facebook and Instagram pages!

And if you're interested in "working" the event, we'll definitely need some volunteers. It's a great way to obtain some last minute volunteer hours as the school year winds down. Contact Leslie to be involved, and she'll happily put you to work. 

Staff Appreciation - Fuel the Fire for CMAS
Let's show our staff some love by stocking their lounge and providing some student snacks for our upcoming CMAS testing. Here's the list to participate. Please bring your items to the Front Office by April 2.

Join The Board!
This school year has brought with it many amazing and wonderful opportunities to connect with and engage our school crew. As the school year winds down, we are eager to continue to invite our community to join our work and become a member of the Parent Crew Foundation. We have three openings for the upcoming school year. We're eager to hear from YOU, the motivated, compassionate, and involved parents of our school. Support your students, staff, and school by becoming a board member today! Apply here: bit.ly/4bVeL0K

Sponsor Shout Outs

We are so eternally grateful to all of the sponsors of this years auction. We'll be sharing out some of our sponsors each week, to celebrate them and show off how cool these wonderful folks are. You'll see that a lot of the sponsors for auction are a part of our very own Crew! We're absolutely inspired by their love for our school!

A huge thank you to: