Happy Monday!

We have so many exciting things coming up in Cougar Nation! We are so excited for our Cougar Cares Day of Service this week! Doing something for others is the best way to make a heart happy! We also have Laps for Lafayette on October 2nd. This amazing fundraising event will help raise funds to support all students at Lafayette. We are raising funds for academic tutors for literacy and math to support additional small group instruction opportunities, to support our Garden to Table program, for educational software programs, and teacher grants. The funds raised support our Lafayette students each and every day! Thank you for the hard work that goes into fundraising for our community. We appreciate it!

We look forward to a great week of learning!

In Cougar Spirit,

Alicia Champlin, Principal

Peter Zola, Dean of Students

Amy is a compassionate and highly skilled Registered Nurse with more than 16 years of experience caring for infants, children, and families. She started her career as a Neonatal Intensive Care Nurse and transitioned to School nursing after 14 years in the NICU. She was assigned to Lafayette Elementary School in Fall of 2026 after leaving her school nursing position within Jeffco Public Schools. Her approach to nursing is grounded in holistic, patient-centered care and a commitment to education and advocacy. She is skilled at identifying risk factors, developing and monitoring individualized plans of care, coordinating referrals and interdisciplinary services, and educating patients and families. She combines strong clinical knowledge with empathy, professionalism, discretion, and the ability to communicate pertinent information effectively while maintaining patient privacy and confidentiality. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, graduating Summa Cum Laude from the University of Texas at Arlington, as well as an Associate Degree in Nursing from Santa Monica College. She also holds a Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry from the University of Colorado Boulder. Her diverse educational and clinical background provides her with a strong foundation in science, advanced nursing practice, patient care, and health education. In her spare time, Amy loves to watch her kids play sports, take long walks, and read historical fiction.

I'm excited to join the school community as the Talented and Gifted Coordinator. I earned my Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Sciences from Colorado State University and my Master of Science in Integrative Physiology from the University of Colorado Boulder. Before joining Lafayette Elementary, I worked as a teaching assistant and instructor, where I discovered how much I enjoy helping students grow as confident, curious learners. I love getting to know students' unique strengths and interests and helping them explore new ideas through meaningful learning experiences.

Outside of school, I enjoy reading, running, playing video games, and learning to cook new foods from around the world. I look forward to partnering with students, families, and teachers to help every child reach their unique potential.

Hello families! We are excited to announce that we will have a Cultural Celebration at Lafayette Elementary on Friday, January 22, 2027 during the school day. Please fill out the linked form to let us know if you'd be interested in facilitating an activity (art, music, dance, etc.)!

Questions? Please contact Katie Darrin at katherine.darirn@bvsd.org.

Volunteer for the 2nd Annual Cougars Care Day of Service on Friday, Sep 25th. Students will rotate through age-appropriate service stations led by local nonprofits. Together they'll assemble 500 hygiene kits for the homeless, craft 300 snuffle balls for farm animals, and decorate 500 kindness rocks to beautify our school - details linked and schedule below: 

2nd and 5th grades @12:00-12:50 ---> (shift 1)

1st and 4th grades @1:00-1:50 ---> (shift 2)

KG and 3rd grades @2:00-2:50 ---> (shift 3)

Contact nicole.kallsen@bvsd.org or natasha@chaiforcharity.org with questions.

What: The Scholastic Fall Book Fair

Where: MPR (back of library)

When: In person shopping Oct. 6 & 8 from 2:50-7:00

Who: Everyone is invited

Why: To shop for great books and raise money for our school library

Fair Website:  https://www.scholastic.com/bf/lafayetteelementaryschool11

VOLUNTEERS ARE NEEDED to help set up, run, and pack up the fair. Click here to sign up. Your help is appreciated!

If you can’t make it to the Fair in person, you can shop at our school’s Online Book Fair from Oct. 1-14. All orders ship directly to your home, and shipping is free for book only orders over $35. 25% of every online purchase comes back to the library. 

If purchasing a book from the fair is a financial hardship, your child can select one free book. Please email Tyler Knapp at tyler.knapp@bvsd.org to request a scholarship book (include student’s name and classroom teacher’s name), or ask your child’s classroom teacher.

If you would like to purchase a book for a teacher, you can find their “Wish List” outside the fair with books they would love for their classroom (or you can donate to their classroom eWallet if they have one set up). 

On  Friday, October 2, 2026, the Lafayette Elementary PTO is hosting our annual fundraiser, Laps for Lafayette. Each grade will run/jog/walk around a ¼ mile course on the field during their regular Specials time. This is one of our students’ favorite fundraisers!

Laps for Lafayette  is our largest fundraiser of the year. The money raised funds a variety of enrichment and educational opportunities for our students. These include: the math and literacy tutors, clubs & activities, quality art supplies, library materials, Garden to Table and more!

There are lots of ways to get involved with the event. Check out all of the details here: 

https://cougarpto.org/community/lapsforlafayette/

Family members are invited to come and cheer everyone on!  No need to check in at the office -- just go straight to the field!

Tentative Schedule:

The rain date for this event will be Friday, October 9th.

Meet a group to walk or bike to school! All riders must wear helmets.

Groups plan to leave at 8:25am from the following locations:

This school year BVSD is partnering with Clinica Family Health to provide preventative dental services at our school. Dental services may include screenings, fluoride applications, sealants, and referrals for additional care not available at schools.  Lafayette screenings will occur on October 14, 15, and 16 in the MPR. 

All students are eligible to participate and there is no cost to families. To receive these services for your child, please fill out the consent form. No action is needed if you do not want to participate. If a paper consent form is completed, please return it to the school office.  For questions regarding this school-based dental program, please contact Clinica Family Health - School Based Oral Health Team: sboht@clinica.org or BVSD Medicaid Resource Nurse.

A WORD FROM MS WISE:

I'm happy to announce that we received our 8th consecutive $1,500 grant to bring contemporary dancers into our school to work directly with grades 3, 4, and 5 students during art class!  The upcoming workshops will be held onstage during Art classes and during normal art times on Thursdays, October 1, October 29, and November 5.

Please see our Parent Letter with more information.

For 8 years, all of our classes in grades 3, 4, and 5 have learned about movement arts and the connections to visual arts during our innovative and engaging workshops. Also, our student art contest winners, their guests, and families have delighted in learning about the choreography experience, watching their visual art transform into the backdrop inspiring a work of movement art, performed in front of a live audience. Thank you for your support in this creative collaboration!

🍎 Happy September, Lafayette Families!

I hope you and your child are settling into the new school year and finding your rhythm. The first few weeks of school are an important time of transition, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to partner with you as we help our students feel safe, connected, confident, and ready to learn.

🌱 This Month, We’re Focusing On:

🏡 Building supportive routines
Creating habits that help children feel prepared and ready to learn.

💬 Understanding feelings
Helping students recognize and name their emotions.

💪 Managing Big Feelings
Practicing calming strategies and identifying what helps when emotions feel overwhelming

🤝 Strengthening home-school connections
When families and schools work together, children feel supported and know they have caring adults in their corner.

🧠 September SEL Focus

Our September lessons will focus on emotional identification, regulation, and coping strategies. Students will practice noticing how they feel, recognizing body signals, and choosing strategies that help them feel calm and ready to learn.

Conversation Starters for Home:

You might try asking your child:

💛 “What feeling did you have today?”
🌬️ “What helped when you felt something difficult?”
⏸️ “What could you try if you feel upset tomorrow?”
💬 “How did you solve a problem with someone today?”

Even small conversations can help children build emotional awareness and confidence!

🤝Family & Community Resources

If your family could use additional support, these local resources may be helpful:

WellMind Connection: Mental health resources and referrals
303-441-1300 |

Sister Carmen Community Center: Food, family, and community assistance
303-665-4342 |

Emergency Family Assistance Association (EFAA): Emergency assistance and family support
303-442-3042 |

OUR Center: Housing, food, and family resources
303-772-5529 |

Boulder County Human Services: Assistance with family and community needs
303-441-1000

Crisis Support: Call or text 988 for immediate mental health support.

Please remember that you are always welcome to reach out to me if your child needs support at school or if your family has questions or concerns. We are here to partner with you!

Wishing everyone a wonderful September!

Warmly,
Anna Gamble
School Counselor
Lafayette Elementary

Wishing you and your child a happy, healthy, and wonderful September! 🍂

Warm regards,

~Anna Gamble, Counselor

Meet Ms. Anna Return to School Info

Our students thrive when parents and families are involved in their education!

Parents who want to volunteer at Lafayette Elementary need to be approved through BVSD volunteer management system. Here is the link for volunteering with BVSD. 

There are two types of volunteers: 

We ask that each individual interested in volunteering and interacting with students on an ongoing basis within line of sight supervision by BVSD staff, complete the appropriate Raptor application; ENGLISH or SPANISH.  Please note, there is a $32.00 background fee due at the time of submission.

Volunteers and field trip chaperones who are not within line of sight supervision are required to complete a CBI Fingerprint Check through a third party vendor, paid by the volunteer/partner/school AND must sign a BVSD Volunteer Agreement (Spanish).  Volunteer fingerprints are valid for 5 years, at which time they will need to be renewed.

Crossing Guards: We are assembling a team of parents who can help with crosswalk duties every school day from 7:40-7:50am and 2:50-3:00pm.  Please email laura.williams@bvsd.org if you can help at any of those times on any school days and THANK YOU for your support!

CT Mascot: We are in need of a few folks who might be interested in being “CT” during special events and for guest appearances. Reach out to Alicia Champlin if you have always wanted to be a school Mascot, now is your time to shine!

Ready to show off that school spirit?

Step up your style and show your Cougar Pride with our official CougarWear! From classic tees to cozy layers, we’ve got gear for the whole family (check the size options, we have adults and youth).

Every purchase directly funds vital PTO programs for our kids, including:

Look great and support our school—grab your gear today!

Reduce Emissions - Please Turn Cars Off While Waiting

BVSD buses turn off instead of idling while waiting for students. You can too! Because vehicle idling is a significant source of air pollution, BVSD has an operating procedure that prohibits buses and transportation support vehicles from idling for more than 5 minutes within any given 1 hour period.

Although it is tempting to keep cars and buses running, especially during colder weather, please turn off vehicles while waiting to pick up students. (*An exception to this is Food Service vehicles with refrigeration that need to remain on to maintain food quality.)

Lafayette Elementary School | 101 N. Bermont Ave. | Lafayette, CO 80026