May 2025

1st: Final Popcorn/pickle sale 

1st-16th:  EOY district assessment (i-Ready and I-Station)

18th: SASM Beautification Day 10-2pm

26fh: No School-Memorial Day

27th: Play Day 3rd-5th grades 10-12pm Kinder-2nd grade 1:00-3:00pm

*volunteers must have cleared APS background checks.

28th: Promotions in the gym;  5th grade 9:15-10:00 and Kinder 10:30-11:15

29th: Last Day of School for Student *early dismissal TBA

29th: School Spirit Day: PJ Day

30th: Last Day of School for Staff

 

SASM Clubs

• Mondays & Wednesdays- 3:30-5:30 East Mountain Junior Jazzers (4th & 5th Graders), Cafeteria 
• 1st & 3rd Thursday of the Month -3:30-5:15  5th Grade Coyote Club, Library
• Thursdays - 7:35AM-8:35AM, Chess Club, Cafeteria
• Thursdays - 3:30PM-4:30PM, Bible Club, Cafeteria
• Fridays - 3:30-5:30  Girl Scouts-troupe 1029, Cafeteria

When there is no school for students, there are no clubs. This includes inclement weather delays/cancelations, parent/teacher conferences, and Holidays. 

 

Are you considering volunteering at SASM or within APS? 
While encouraging family and community participation, we must consider the safety of every child in the district. State law requires a background check from volunteers before participating in any volunteer activity at any APS school.
There are two categories of volunteers who receive differing levels of background check clearances and badging:

1. Unsupervised School Volunteers: preferred by SASM as you can be “alone” around campus and with students on field trips, etc. This background is a full FBI Fingerprint clearance initiated only by Mrs. Gallegos. The cost is $56 and  the clearance is good for two years.  

Cleared individuals receive a Unsupervised volunteer badge from APS Police. 
If your interested in obtaining this badge, please email gallegos_pat@aps.edu  the following information: 

• Full Name of Volunteer
• DOB
• Last 4 SS Number
• Address
• Phone Number
• Email address

OR

1. Become a Supervised Volunteers. The cost is $12 for two years.  These volunteers must always be in line of sight supervision by an APS staff member. 

Begin the Supervised Volunteer Clearance Request (you will be a new user)

Are you interested in volunteering but the cost or the steps of obtaining volunteering clearance is preventing you? Complete this form, and we will do our best to provide assistance. 

----------------------------------------------------------

Hello San Antonito Families,

During the month of May, I will be sending home letters with necessary information on how and when to plan for your student’s medication pick-up from the health office. Contained with these letters may also be a blank medication form for you to have completed by your student’s provider for the 2025-2026 school year. 

As a reminder, all over-the-counter medications (ex. ibuprofen, acetaminophen, cough drops, antacids, Benadryl) must be kept in and administered from the school health office for elementary aged students. All prescribed medications (both short and long term) must be accompanied by the Provider Order and Medication Authorization form if the medication needs to be administered at school. For example, if your student is prescribed short-term antibiotics, then the Provider Order and Medication Authorization form will need to be completed by the doctor, and the medication provided to the school with the signed form by the parents. Prescribed medications are also kept in and administered from the school health office for elementary aged students.

Please visit the San Antonito STEM Magnet Elementary Website for all available medication forms or contact me if you would like printed copies of any school health forms.

The summer break is a great time to schedule a well-child check up with your student’s pediatrician, to have student immunizations updated, immunization exemption forms completed, and necessary medication or action plan forms completed for next school year!

As always, please contact me with any student health-related questions or concerns, and any changes to your student’s health status, or health-related needs while at school.

Wishing everyone a healthy and safe summer break!

Nurse Robyn Blomberg, RN, BSN
SASM School Nurse
Email 
robyn.blomberg@aps.edu
Health Office Webpage
Phone: 505-281-3931, ext. 25604

 

 

May the fun summer be with you!

Our registration for the 2025-2026 school year is almost complete! If you haven’t already done so, please log in and finish your registration as soon as possible.  

As the school year quickly comes to an end, we want to remind families to check our Lost and Found while you’re here for pickup or drop-off. All unclaimed jackets, gloves, and beanies will be donated at the end of the school year.

Thank you for being part of our school community and GOOOO ROADRUNNERS!

Mr. Adam
Front Office Clerk
Email
Adam.Sandoval@aps.edu
505-281-3931, ext. 25600

 

SASM PTA

 

 Thank you SASM Families & Staff for a Fabulous 2024-2025 School Year. With your support PTA has…

 

• Distributed over $9000 to fund teacher classrooms
• Supported our STEAM teachers with $5500 of funding for DigiLab, P.E., Art, Roadrunner Lab, Library & Music
• Funded $500 worth of new playground supplies for all San Antonito students!
• Made field trip buses and admission available for every grade
• Organized a STEM Fair for nearly 40 student scientists
• Hosted a free-admission Fall Bash!
• Provided food for the San Antonito community for after school events
• Hosted a Scholastic Book Fair

And much more!

 

Thank you also to all the volunteers who made the recent Scholastic Book Fair in March & April a success! Thanks to Ashleah Dominguez, Shannon Estes, Linda Sofia, Lauren Sofia, Nicholas Coleman-Watkin, Jessica Masoner, Amy Rein, Jenna Swann, Amy Wilmer, Shelby Villegas, Michelle Falzone, Melissa Suchy, Hien Weiss, Mia Leggett, Betsy Netz, Mrs. Gaddis, Ms. Diana and Mr. Adam. 

-----
Thank you!
Veronica Ligon
PTA President
Email
sanantonitopta@gmail.com
PTA Google Site
Membership Hub

Dear Parents and Students,

Spring is in full swing, and our DigiLab continues to be a hub of creativity and innovation! Here’s what your students are working on this month:

Exploring Kodable
We’re introducing a new coding platform called Kodable to all grades (K-5). This fun and interactive program helps students develop problem-solving and computational thinking skills while learning the fundamentals of programming.

3D Printer Pen Creations
Students are putting their creativity to the test with 3D printer pens! They are designing and crafting their own unique creations, learning hands-on how 3D printing technology can be used to bring ideas to life.

Access to APS Classlink at Home
Students can continue their learning outside of school by logging into APS Classlink, where they can access a variety of educational resources. Simply go to:
🔗 https://launchpad.classlink.com/aps

Thank you for your continued support of our DigiLab program. It’s amazing to see our students grow as digital creators, problem solvers, and innovators!

 

Help Support the DigiLab - Donors Choose Project

Warm regards,
Mrs. Apodaca
SASM DigiLab Teacher
Email
valerie.apodaca2@aps.edu.
505-281-3931

Hello STEM Families, 

As we approach the end of the year we will continue to conduct additional garden/outdoor-education weeks as well as introduce a new round of stations in the lab.

The summer time is right around the corner, even though it may feel far away. It could be a good idea to start planning summer activities for your children soon, so that you might avoid difficulties based on enrollment caps for camps or other summer programs. Community centers, the BioPark, Explora, Bosque School, Albuquerque Academy, the Bernalillo County or Albuquerque Parks and Recreation pools, and of course Albuquerque Public Schools have a variety of different summer programs that may suit your needs. 

The “summer slide” that is often experienced when kids are out of school during breaks is a real phenomenon, but one that can also be mitigated.  Keeping them engaged during extended breaks, or obtaining basic practice materials prior to the close of the school year, is a great way to keep kids ready for their return to school come the fall. It doesn’t have to be overwhelming as there are easy places to start which are low or no-cost. For example, a variety of resources can be accessed through the APS student portal, and the local library is a great place to obtain reading materials. 

------------------
Thank you,
Mr. Buchanan
STEM Coach
Email
matthew.buchanan@aps.edu 

 

“Everyone is a reader, some just haven’t found their favourite book yet.”

-Unknown

As we wrap up another wonderful school year, it’s time to return all library books and kits to the library! Please take a few moments to help your child search high and low—under beds, in backpacks, and behind couch cushions—for any borrowed books, and send them back to school. I truly appreciate your help in keeping our library collection complete and ready for next year!

This summer, I encourage your whole family to take a break from screens and dive into the joy of reading together! Be sure to check out your local public library’s Summer Reading Program and the Dion’s Club Read program—both offer fun, free ways to keep kids engaged with books all summer long. Students can also continue exploring thousands of ebooks and audiobooks through SORA, accessible via ClassLink.

Looking for easy ways to support your child’s reading journey? Don’t miss the fun activity from Reading Is Fundamental (RIF.org) linked below. And for a little inspiration, take a moment to read their blog article on the importance of reading aloud to your child—no matter their age, it’s a powerful way to build connection and a love of literacy.

The Importance of Reading to Your Children

Reading Activity for grades K-2

Reading Activity for grades 3-5

Until the next school year, Happy Reading!

Mrs. Gaddis, Librarian
Email
carol.gaddis@aps.edu
Library Webpage
Phone: 505-281-3931

 

Update: We finished our very popular volleyball unit.  We also had our 4th annual cup stacking tournament of champions.  The results are in.  Drumroll please…….  This year’s champion is Matthyew DeBuck from Ms. Grey’s Class.  The runner up is Autumn Towner from Ms. Stafford’s Class.  Congratulations to all of this year’s representatives.

Upcoming: We will end the school year with a baseball/softball/kickball unit.  Kinder through 2nd graders will run their ½ mile run.  Third through 5th grade will run a full mile.  Each student will be timed and have the goal of being faster than their beginning of the year run.  Each student will plot and reflect on their results. 

Announcement:  PLAYDAY!!!  This year playday will be Tuesday May 27th for all grades. Playday will be approximately 2 hours and run from 10:00-12:00 for 3rd - 5th graders, and 1:00-3:00 for Kinder - 2nd (including Ms. Coffey).  I am looking for volunteers to help with these two events.  If you have a background check and would like to help with this event–please reach out to either myself or your child’s teacher.  I will need volunteers here at 9:00am for the morning session, 12:30pm for the afternoon session.  Each classroom is looking for a minimum of two volunteers.  I can be emailed at monica.harrison@aps.edu, just include your child’s name and classroom teacher.  Again, this event requires parent volunteers to have an APS background check.  Thank you for understanding. 

 

As always, if you have any questions or concerns–please feel free to get in touch.  I can be reached at the email below. Please continue to encourage your child to dress appropriately on his or her PE days.  Thank You!

--------
Thank You,
Coach Harrison 
Email
monica.harrison@aps.edu
505-281-3931

Hello SASM Families,

Another year has come and gone and flown by as fast as always!  You should be seeing the artwork from the SASM art showcase coming home this week and the rest of the artwork as well as their sketchbooks coming home as they finish them this month.

San Antonito will be having both art and music again next school year!  I am looking forward to continuing your students’ art education next year and seeing how they grow as we build on the experiences from this year. 

There are many things you can do to help your child maintain his or her interest in art.  They include:

• Hanging the work they made in your home or on the refrigerator.

• Visiting art museums and galleries around town such as the Albuquerque Museum.

• Having art supplies accessible at home for your student.

If you feel that the art experience your child has had through the Fine Arts program has been beneficial for your student, you could share that with your Board of Education member. Please thank her for supporting the arts in our schools and encourage her to continue that support. 

Board members are always gratified to know that their actions have made a positive difference. The Board member for your school is Josephina Dominguez. You can reach her in either of the following ways:

US Mail:  Josephina Dominguez

  APS Board of Education Office  

PO Box 25704  

Albuquerque, NM   87125 

Email: josefina.dominguez@aps.edu 

Phone: (505) 880-3729

 

Thank you for supporting the arts in your homes with your children and in our community. Your support does make a difference!

------
Sincerely,
Carrie Sanchez
SASM Art Teacher
505-281-3931
Email
carrie.sanchez@aps.edu
SASM Art Google Site

 

 

Dear San Antonito Families, 

This month in music, students will be playing with all of the great things they have learned this year. Our lessons will be a culmination of all they have learned as they apply the concepts to new fun songs and games. They will be singing, reading and playing with rhythms, and creating music. We will also try to take advantage of the weather getting warmer and have some music play outside!

Hey there families,
As the end of the school year is drawing closer I wanted to throw some ideas out there for things to do
as a family this summer. Quality family time is crucial to adolescent development and important in
keeping the family close. Just a few ideas could include:
Visit your local library
Go for a walk or a hike
Visit a park or open space for a picnic
Camping, whether its way out in the middle of nowhere or in your backyard.
Crafting
Bike ride
Visit your local pool
These are just a few ideas but the possibilities are endless. Get out there and enjoy the time together!!

Mrs. Winters

SASM Redirector 
Email:
shannon.winters@aps.edu
Phone: 
 505-281-3931 ext. 25635 

San Antonito's Breakfasts and Lunches Menu Website 

Welcome Families, 

I have amazing news this school year! Students are able to receive 1 breakfast and 1 lunch at no charge. This year we will also be classed as a CEP (Community Eligibility Provision) school, meaning we will not need to fill out any eligibility lunch forms this school year. That being said they may still pay for any second meals (main $2, sides, milk $0.40)

I will still need any student with food allergies to have a current dietary needs form filled out as soon as possible. This ensures that I can provide a safe option for those in need. www.aps.edu/food-and-nutrition-services/dietary-needs-forms 

Please call or email me if you have any questions. 

----------
Jasmine Padilla
SASM Site Supervisor
Email

jasmine.padilla@aps.edu

505-281-3931
505-253-9345

Free meals

All APS students will receive free meals this year, regardless of their family’s income. State lawmakers and the governor signed off on Senate Bill 4 earlier this year, which requires public schools to provide healthy breakfasts and lunches to students at no charge.
And while all New Mexico students will get free meals, the state Public Education Department is nevertheless urging families throughout the state to fill out the free and reduced lunch application. PED says filling out the form ensures children will receive maximum funding for benefits like Summer EBT. An accurate count of qualifying students is also used to determine funding for such things as after-school programs, technology, and quality internet.

Apply online by filling out the

• Free and Reduced Price School Meals Application
• External link
• Note: Please spell out Albuquerque or use 505 and our district will appear in the drop down list.              

LINQ Connect Menu System

• APS School Menus are now at your fingertips on the LINQ Menu
• External link
• Discover more information regarding APS school menus, nutrition, and allergens.
• LINQ Connect is also available on Apple and Android devices.
• The LINQ Connect Menus app is an easy way to keep track of your weekly/monthly menus!

TRANSPORTATION BEHAVIOR EXPECTATIONS

Riding the bus is a privilege. 

Appropriate behavior is expected whenever a student is on the bus. Suspension from riding the bus does not mean suspension from school. Instead, the parent/guardian will be responsible for transporting the student to and from school. The bus driver or bus assistant shall submit a referral to the school administrator to manage the consequence. Bus disruption occurs anytime a student deliberately or inadvertently interferes with the safe operation of a school bus, which is stopped or moving; behaves in a manner adversely affecting an individual or property on or near the bus itself, at bus stops, or at pick-up areas. 

Please, speak with your children about bus safety. 

• Listen to the bus driver
• Students need to remain seated and facing forward
• Students may not move around on the bus
• Be kind to one another
• Using foul or vulgar gestures is inappropriate
• Nothing goes out the window

Consequences/Disposition
1st Violation - Written Warning 
2nd Violation - Up to 5 days Suspension from the bus 
3rd Violation - Up to 10 days Suspension from the bus 
4th Violation - Suspension from the bus Up to the End of the Semester 
5th Violation - Suspension from the bus Up to the Remainder of the Year

Severe Disruption 
• Physical harm to other students or staff 
• Physical damage to the bus (restitution may be required) 
1st Violation - Up to 10 days Suspension from the bus 
2nd Violation - Suspension from the bus Up to End of the Semester 
3rd Violation - Suspension from the bus Up to the Remainder of the Year

Visit my bus stop to locate your child’s bus stop. The bus company has informed me that they will not honor "temporary" bus/bus stop changes this school year. Your child must ride their assigned bus and get on/off at their assigned stop.

Remember, there are no bus options for transfer students.
The bus company can be reached at 505-253-0287 with any transportation questions. 

 

April 2025

March 31-April 4th-Book Fair Sponsored by PTA 

 April 1/2: 5th Grade State Science Test

April 3:EA Appreciation Day

            STEM Stroll 5-6pm Light refreshments will be provided by PTA

April 4: Librarian Appreciation Day

            School Spirit Day: Twin Day

            Popcorn and Pickles Sale

April 8: PTA 4pm

3rd-5th State Testing ELA/Math

April 10: 3rd-5th State Testing ELA/Math

April 16/17: Parent Teacher Conferences-No school for students

April 18: No School-Vernal Holiday

April 24: Volunteer Appreciation Day (look for more details coming soon)

April 25: School Spirit Day: Crazy Hat Day

April 29: Fine Arts Show Case 5pm-6pm

 

SASM Clubs

• Mondays & Wednesdays- 3:30-5:30 East Mountain Junior Jazzers (4th & 5th Graders), Cafeteria 
• 1st & 3rd Thursday of the Month -3:30-5:15  5th Grade Coyote Club, Library
• Thursdays - 7:35AM-8:35AM, Chess Club, Cafeteria
• Thursdays - 3:30PM-4:30PM, Bible Club, Cafeteria
• Fridays - 3:30-5:30  Girl Scouts-troupe 1029, Cafeteria

When there is no school for students, there are no clubs. This includes inclement weather delays/cancelations, parent/teacher conferences, and Holidays. 

 

Are you considering volunteering at SASM or within APS? 
While encouraging family and community participation, we must consider the safety of every child in the district. State law requires a background check from volunteers before participating in any volunteer activity at any APS school.
There are two categories of volunteers who receive differing levels of background check clearances and badging:

1. Unsupervised School Volunteers: preferred by SASM as you can be “alone” around campus and with students on field trips, etc. This background is a full FBI Fingerprint clearance initiated only by Mrs. Gallegos. The cost is $56 and  the clearance is good for two years.  

Cleared individuals receive a Unsupervised volunteer badge from APS Police. 
If your interested in obtaining this badge, please email gallegos_pat@aps.edu  the following information: 

• Full Name of Volunteer
• DOB
• Last 4 SS Number
• Address
• Phone Number
• Email address

OR

1. Become a Supervised Volunteers. The cost is $12 for two years.  These volunteers must always be in line of sight supervision by an APS staff member. 

Begin the Supervised Volunteer Clearance Request (you will be a new user)

Are you interested in volunteering but the cost or the steps of obtaining volunteering clearance is preventing you? Complete this form, and we will do our best to provide assistance. 

----------------------------------------------------------

A heartfelt thank you to Stone Age Climbing Gym for their generous donation of climbing passes. Your support means a lot to us!

 

 

 

--------------------------------

Have you ever wondered about vaccinations? How do they work, why are they recommended? I wanted to provide a bit of an overview about vaccinations and links with resources for further information to all San Antonito families.

“Vaccines help the body learn how to defend itself from disease without the dangers of a full-blown infection” (CDC). Vaccines work by “pretending” to be an infection, so the body can learn how to protect itself when it is faced with the real infection. Vaccines help to lower the risk of serious illness complications and help lower the risk that people will need to be hospitalized or worse because of an infection. Vaccinations not only protect the person being vaccinated, but they help keep other people like young babies and those with certain medical conditions safe from illness, too (WHO).

“It is always better to prevent a disease than to treat one after it occurs” (CDC). Vaccinations are safe, highly effective and a great way to keep your entire family healthy. The current vaccination schedule balances when a child is likely to be exposed to an illness with the time when administration of the vaccine will be most effective. The following link is to the New Mexico Department of Health Vaccination Schedules will give you an idea of the different vaccines that are recommended at different ages (NM DOH).

If you have questions about vaccinations you or your child has received, or if you want any information about recommended vaccinations for yourself or your child, please visit the attached link to the New Mexico Department of Health’s Vax-View website.

As always, please contact me with any changes to your student’s health or medical status, or any other school health-related questions/concerns you may have.

Wishing all a healthy April,

Nurse Robyn Blomberg, RN, BSN
SASM School Nurse
Email 
robyn.blomberg@aps.edu
Health Office Webpage
Phone: 505-281-3931, ext. 25604

 

Hoppy April!

Our registration for the 2025-2026 school year is almost complete! If you haven’t already done so, please log in and finish your registration as soon as possible.  

As the school year quickly comes to an end, we want to remind families to check our Lost and Found while you’re here for pickup or drop-off. All unclaimed jackets, gloves, and beanies will be donated at the end of the school year.

Thank you for being part of our school community and GOOOO ROADRUNNERS!

Mr. Adam
Front Office Clerk
Email
Adam.Sandoval@aps.edu
505-281-3931, ext. 25600

 

SASM PTA

SAVE THE DATE: APRIL 8th

Q&A with District 6 Board Member Josefina Dominguez

At this month’s PTA Meeting, our district Representative to the APS Board, Josefina Dominguez, will be attending to share information about the Board’s role in the district and to answer your questions. Anyone is welcome to attend, you do not need to be a SASM PTA Member. 

Children who attend with their parents need to follow library rules and stay seated quietly for the duration of the meeting. Feel free to bring books, activities, or tablets with headphones to help children sit quietly. There is no food allowed in the library. We will also have a Google Meet option for the meeting: https://meet.google.com/fam-swnp-gqy.

-----
Thank you!
Veronica Ligon
PTA President
Email
sanantonitopta@gmail.com
PTA Google Site
Membership Hub

Dear Parents and Students,

Spring is in full swing, and our DigiLab continues to be a hub of creativity and innovation! Here’s what your students are working on this month:

Exploring Kodable
We’re introducing a new coding platform called Kodable to all grades (K-5). This fun and interactive program helps students develop problem-solving and computational thinking skills while learning the fundamentals of programming.

3D Printer Pen Creations
Students are putting their creativity to the test with 3D printer pens! They are designing and crafting their own unique creations, learning hands-on how 3D printing technology can be used to bring ideas to life.

Access to APS Classlink at Home
Students can continue their learning outside of school by logging into APS Classlink, where they can access a variety of educational resources. Simply go to:
🔗 https://launchpad.classlink.com/aps

Thank you for your continued support of our DigiLab program. It’s amazing to see our students grow as digital creators, problem solvers, and innovators!

 

Help Support the DigiLab - Donors Choose Project

Warm regards,
Mrs. Apodaca
SASM DigiLab Teacher
Email
valerie.apodaca2@aps.edu.
505-281-3931

Hello STEM Families, 

As we approach the end of the year we will continue to conduct additional garden/outdoor-education weeks as well as introduce a new round of stations in the lab.

The summer time is right around the corner, even though it may feel far away. It could be a good idea to start planning summer activities for your children soon, so that you might avoid difficulties based on enrollment caps for camps or other summer programs. Community centers, the BioPark, Explora, Bosque School, Albuquerque Academy, the Bernalillo County or Albuquerque Parks and Recreation pools, and of course Albuquerque Public Schools have a variety of different summer programs that may suit your needs. 

The “summer slide” that is often experienced when kids are out of school during breaks is a real phenomenon, but one that can also be mitigated.  Keeping them engaged during extended breaks, or obtaining basic practice materials prior to the close of the school year, is a great way to keep kids ready for their return to school come the fall. It doesn’t have to be overwhelming as there are easy places to start which are low or no-cost. For example, a variety of resources can be accessed through the APS student portal, and the local library is a great place to obtain reading materials. 

------------------
Thank you,
Mr. Buchanan
STEM Coach
Email
matthew.buchanan@aps.edu 

 

April is National Poetry Month, and I’m excited to explore the many forms of poetry with my students this month. After years of reading and reflecting on poetry, I’ve come to truly appreciate the voice of poets and the messages woven into their work. As you might have noticed from the poem at the start of this article, I’m drawn to poems that are playful and lighthearted!

Poetry offers valuable developmental benefits for children. It strengthens early literacy skills, as rhyme, rhythm, and sound are central elements in many poems. Poetry also supports memory development—how many nursery rhymes or children's songs can you recall right now? It’s a great tool for beginning readers, too, since many poems are short and approachable, making them less intimidating. Most importantly, poetry provides a creative outlet for students to express their thoughts, ideas, and emotions. Below, I’ve included two websites with a collection of short, funny poems for children to enjoy.

Whosever room this is should be ashamed!
His underwear is hanging on the lamp.
His raincoat is there in the overstuffed chair,
And the chair is becoming quite mucky and damp.
His workbook is wedged in the window,
His sweater's been thrown on the floor.
His scarf and one ski are beneath the TV,
And his pants have been carelessly hung on the door.
His books are all jammed in the closet,
His vest has been left in the hall.
A lizard named Ed is asleep in his bed,
And his smelly old sock has been stuck to the wall.
Whosever room this is should be ashamed!
Donald or Robert or Willie or--
Huh? You say it's mine? Oh, dear,
I knew it looked familiar!

Shel Silverstein. "Messy Room." Family Friend Poems,

Poetry 4 Kids

Classroom Poems

Ongoing Reading Program: 

We are excited that the Bikes for Books reading incentive program is back at San Antonito, thanks to the generous support of the Edgewood Mason Lodge No. 82. This program will run from February 10 – April 30, 2025, and is open to all grades.

How Bikes for Books Works:

Students will track the number of pages or minutes they read each day. They should record this information on a reading log and submit it weekly to their classroom teacher. To complete a log, students must read at least 4 out of 7 days. For each completed reading log, the student’s name will be entered into a drawing for a chance to win one of the donated bikes. Students can submit one reading log per week. If your child’s classroom teacher uses a reading log as part of their weekly homework, they may use that log instead.

Eligible Reading Activities Include:

• Silent reading by the student
• Reading aloud to someone
• Listening to a book on CD, Play-a-Way, Kindle, Sora, etc.
• A book or story being read to the student

Where to Find Reading Logs:

Bikes for Books reading logs are available at the San Antonito Library, from your child’s classroom teacher, or can be downloaded from the San Antonito School website.

If you have any questions or need more information, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

----------

Happy reading,
Mrs. Gaddis, Librarian
Email
carol.gaddis@aps.edu
Library Webpage
Phone: 505-281-3931

 

 

--------
Thank You,
Coach Harrison 
Email
monica.harrison@aps.edu
505-281-3931

Hello SASM Families,

Save the date!  The annual Fine Arts Showcase is finally here!  Come to see the artwork your student has chosen for their masterpiece this year.  The art show will be in the SASM cafeteria on April 29th from 5-6pm and students will also be performing something from music in the gym. See the music newsletter for more details.

This month students will be creating their final clay piece.  Setcond grade students will be creating a special butterfly tile to decorate the butterfly pavilion. At the end of the month, we will begin our textile unit. 

 As always, please consider volunteering in the art room.  It’s always fun to have an extra hand.

------
Sincerely,
Carrie Sanchez
SASM Art Teacher
505-281-3931
Email
carrie.sanchez@aps.edu
SASM Art Google Site

 

 

Dear San Antonito Families, 

I would like you to make note of April 29th. This evening we will have our Fine Arts Showcase from 5-6 PM. The students will perform 2-3 pieces for you that show off many of the wonderful concepts they have learned this year. The students will perform in grade groups:

K-1st 5:05-5:15

2nd-3rd 5:20-5:35

4th-5th 5:40-5:55

Please have your student(s) in the gym by their grade level time so they can perform. I will try to keep us on this schedule so you have time to visit the art display, as well!

This month in music, students will be learning

Kindergarten will be experiencing more rhythm activities while singing about Spring themes! 

1st Grade will continue creating with sol-la-mi and using words to create rhythms.  

2nd Grade will be learning about music notation, such as bar lines and time signature, singing and playing instruments with songs.  

3rd Grade will learn the solfege pitch low sol. They will also be composing with rhythms and singing more rounds.

4th Grade will continue exploring melodic improvisation. They will also learn about sharps and flats. 

5th Grade will learn low C and F on the recorder. They will also explore more improvisation with question and answer form.

 

Redirector’s office
Hey there families, in the coming weeks, I will be visiting classrooms and providing a short lesson. Each
classroom teacher has a choice of topics such as Friendship, respecting each other, bullying, personal
space, and much more. These lessons are based on books written by Julia Cook. They will do a short
activity with their class related to the subject chosen. I look forward to working with every class. I hope
everyone has a great week.

-Mrs. Winters

SASM Redirector 
Email:
shannon.winters@aps.edu
Phone: 
 505-281-3931 ext. 25635 

San Antonito's Breakfasts and Lunches Menu Website 

Welcome Families, 

I have amazing news this school year! Students are able to receive 1 breakfast and 1 lunch at no charge. This year we will also be classed as a CEP (Community Eligibility Provision) school, meaning we will not need to fill out any eligibility lunch forms this school year. That being said they may still pay for any second meals (main $2, sides, milk $0.40)

I will still need any student with food allergies to have a current dietary needs form filled out as soon as possible. This ensures that I can provide a safe option for those in need. www.aps.edu/food-and-nutrition-services/dietary-needs-forms 

Please call or email me if you have any questions. 

----------
Jasmine Padilla
SASM Site Supervisor
Email

jasmine.padilla@aps.edu

505-281-3931
505-253-9345

Free meals

All APS students will receive free meals this year, regardless of their family’s income. State lawmakers and the governor signed off on Senate Bill 4 earlier this year, which requires public schools to provide healthy breakfasts and lunches to students at no charge.
And while all New Mexico students will get free meals, the state Public Education Department is nevertheless urging families throughout the state to fill out the free and reduced lunch application. PED says filling out the form ensures children will receive maximum funding for benefits like Summer EBT. An accurate count of qualifying students is also used to determine funding for such things as after-school programs, technology, and quality internet.

Apply online by filling out the

• Free and Reduced Price School Meals Application
• External link
• Note: Please spell out Albuquerque or use 505 and our district will appear in the drop down list.              

LINQ Connect Menu System

• APS School Menus are now at your fingertips on the LINQ Menu
• External link
• Discover more information regarding APS school menus, nutrition, and allergens.
• LINQ Connect is also available on Apple and Android devices.
• The LINQ Connect Menus app is an easy way to keep track of your weekly/monthly menus!

TRANSPORTATION BEHAVIOR EXPECTATIONS

Riding the bus is a privilege. 

Appropriate behavior is expected whenever a student is on the bus. Suspension from riding the bus does not mean suspension from school. Instead, the parent/guardian will be responsible for transporting the student to and from school. The bus driver or bus assistant shall submit a referral to the school administrator to manage the consequence. Bus disruption occurs anytime a student deliberately or inadvertently interferes with the safe operation of a school bus, which is stopped or moving; behaves in a manner adversely affecting an individual or property on or near the bus itself, at bus stops, or at pick-up areas. 

Please, speak with your children about bus safety. 

• Listen to the bus driver
• Students need to remain seated and facing forward
• Students may not move around on the bus
• Be kind to one another
• Using foul or vulgar gestures is inappropriate
• Nothing goes out the window

Consequences/Disposition
1st Violation - Written Warning 
2nd Violation - Up to 5 days Suspension from the bus 
3rd Violation - Up to 10 days Suspension from the bus 
4th Violation - Suspension from the bus Up to the End of the Semester 
5th Violation - Suspension from the bus Up to the Remainder of the Year

Severe Disruption 
• Physical harm to other students or staff 
• Physical damage to the bus (restitution may be required) 
1st Violation - Up to 10 days Suspension from the bus 
2nd Violation - Suspension from the bus Up to End of the Semester 
3rd Violation - Suspension from the bus Up to the Remainder of the Year

Visit my bus stop to locate your child’s bus stop. The bus company has informed me that they will not honor "temporary" bus/bus stop changes this school year. Your child must ride their assigned bus and get on/off at their assigned stop.

Remember, there are no bus options for transfer students.
The bus company can be reached at 505-253-0287 with any transportation questions. 

 

March 2025

March 7th: Spirit Day: School Spirit! (Wear school colors)

Popcorn Pickle Day

March 17th-21st: No School, Spring Break

March 31st- April 4th: Book Fair

 

 April 1st, 5th Grade State Science Test Session 1 

 April 2nd, 5th Grade State Science Test Session 2

April 8th, 3rd-5th State Testing ELA/Math

April 10th, 3rd-5th State Testing ELA/Math

April 15th Stem Quiry Clubs

April 16th-17th Parent Teacher Conferences

April 18th, No School Vernal Holiday 

 

SASM Clubs

• Mondays & Wednesdays- 3:30-5:30 East Mountain Junior Jazzers (4th & 5th Graders), Cafeteria 
• 1st & 3rd Thursday of the Month -3:30-5:15  5th Grade Coyote Club, Library
• Thursdays - 7:35AM-8:35AM, Chess Club, Cafeteria
• Thursdays - 3:30PM-4:30PM, Bible Club, Cafeteria
• Fridays - 3:30-5:30  Girl Scouts-troupe 1029, Cafeteria

When there is no school for students, there are no clubs. This includes inclement weather delays/cancelations, parent/teacher conferences, and Holidays. 

 

Are you considering volunteering at SASM or within APS? 
While encouraging family and community participation, we must consider the safety of every child in the district. State law requires a background check from volunteers before participating in any volunteer activity at any APS school.
There are two categories of volunteers who receive differing levels of background check clearances and badging:

1. Unsupervised School Volunteers: preferred by SASM as you can be “alone” around campus and with students on field trips, etc. This background is a full FBI Fingerprint clearance initiated only by Mrs. Gallegos. The cost is $56 and  the clearance is good for two years.  

Cleared individuals receive a Unsupervised volunteer badge from APS Police. 
If your interested in obtaining this badge, please email gallegos_pat@aps.edu  the following information: 

• Full Name of Volunteer
• DOB
• Last 4 SS Number
• Address
• Phone Number
• Email address

OR

1. Become a Supervised Volunteers. The cost is $12 for two years.  These volunteers must always be in line of sight supervision by an APS staff member. 

Begin the Supervised Volunteer Clearance Request (you will be a new user)

Are you interested in volunteering but the cost or the steps of obtaining volunteering clearance is preventing you? Complete this form, and we will do our best to provide assistance. 

----------------------------------------------------------

A heartfelt thank you to Stone Age Climbing Gym for their generous donation of climbing passes. Your support means a lot to us!

 

 

 

--------------------------------

The following information regarding Measles in New Mexico was provided by the New Mexico Department of Health and APS Nursing Services:

Cases of measles have been confirmed in New Mexico. Because of this we want you to have more information.  Most people who get measles have not had the measles vaccine. The first signs of measles show up 7-14 days after being exposed and may include a fever, cough, runny nose, and pink eye. About 2-4 days later, a rash starts at the head and moves down the body. Some people with weak immune systems might not get the rash.

Measles can cause serious health problems, like pneumonia, brain swelling, and even death.

People can get measles by being near someone who has it. When an infected person coughs or sneezes, they spread germs in the air. A person can spread measles for 4 days before and 4 days after the rash shows up. After someone with measles leaves a place, the virus can stay in the air for up to two hours.

The people most at risk for serious illness are:

• Anyone who hasn’t had two doses of the Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR) vaccine.
• Babies and young children under 5 years old.
• People with weak immune systems.
• Pregnant students and staff.

For your reference, these are the APS sick day guidelines that outline when your child should be kept home:

• Fever: A temperature above 100.4°F (38°C) is a fever.
  • Your child may return to school if they have had no fever for 24 hours without fever-reducing medication (acetaminophen, Tylenol®, ibuprofen, etc.) and if they feel well/are improving.
• Vomiting and/or diarrhea with or without a fever; three or more times in six hours.
  • Your child may return to school if 24 or more hours have passed from the last episode of vomiting/diarrhea, and/or at least 24 hours fever free as above, and symptoms are improving.

• Respiratory Tract Illnesses: cough/runny nose/other severe cold symptoms.
• Your child has symptoms that keep them from participating in school, such as:
  • Fatigue, extreme tiredness
  • Persistent cough, sneezing
  • Headache, body aches, earache and/or chills (especially if accompanied by fever)
  • Severe sore throat, especially if accompanied by headache/upset stomach
• Unknown/undiagnosed rash or other untreated skin conditions
• Eye irritation: Eye drainage, crusting, pain, and/or redness may be a sign of infection and may need to be checked by a provider. Your child may be at school as long as there are no other symptoms that prevent them from participating (fever, pain, etc).
• If your child has been seen by a provider for illness and started on antibiotic treatment, they should remain at home for the first full 24 hours of medication.

If your student needs to have medication of any kind while at school – including cough drops which are medication – please contact me so we can discuss the procedure.

As always, please contact me with any changes to your student’s health or medical needs while at school, or if you have any health-related questions. 

Wishing all a healthy March,

Nurse Robyn Blomberg, RN, BSN
SASM School Nurse
Email 
robyn.blomberg@aps.edu
Health Office Webpage
Phone: 505-281-3931, ext. 25604

 

 

 

Registration for the upcoming 2025-2026 school year is now open.  

Please access your ParentVue Account and register your child(ren) for the 2025 - 2026 School Year (not the 2024 - 2025 School year)  as soon as possible to ensure an accurate school count and to ensure that your child(ren) is placed in a classroom for the upcoming school year. 

• All NEW and incoming students will need to register and complete the documentation requests in ParentVue. Documentation will need to either be uploaded or brought to the school, or emailed for processing in order for the registration to be complete. Should there be any missing information we will reach out to you directly.  Please feel free to reach out if you are unsure which documents are acceptable for registration. 
• RETURNING students need to register but no new additional documentation uploads will be required. 
• However if you are a returning student and are considered family living with family you will need to complete the documentation requests in ParentVue. Documentation will need to either be uploaded or brought to the school, or emailed for processing in order for the registration to be complete.
• Should we need anything additional Mr. Adam will contact you directly.  

 

If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to reach out to our office clerk,

Thank you and GOOO Roadrunners!
Mr. Adam
Front Office Clerk
Email
Adam.Sandoval@aps.edu
505-281-3931, ext. 25600

 

SASM PTA

It’s not too late to join the PTA! We have volunteer opportunities coming up: 

• March 31st-April 4th: Scholastic Book 
• May: Teacher Appreciation Celebrations

https://meet.google.com/aas-vbjr-qau. 

It’s not too late to join the PTA! We have volunteer opportunities coming up: 

• March 31st-April 4th: Scholastic Book Fair
• May: Teacher Appreciation Celebrations

Register here to become a PTA member https://sanantonitopta.memberhub.com/store. 

Or if you’d like information on volunteering without joining please email sanantonitopta@gmail.com to be added to the mailing list!

It’s also time to start electing Board Members for the next school year.  If you are interested in serving on the board, or volunteering for other future PTA opportunities, please reach out to Veronica at email sanantonitoPTA@gmail.com. PTA is a volunteer run organization and PTA and San Antonito STEM Magnet needs your help!

-----
Thank you!
Veronica Ligon
PTA President
Email
sanantonitopta@gmail.com
PTA Google Site
Membership Hub

Dear Parents and Students,

Spring is just around the corner, and our DigiLab is buzzing with exciting new activities! Here’s what your students are working on this month:

Exploring Kodable
We’re introducing a new coding platform called Kodable to all grades (K-5). This fun and interactive program helps students develop problem-solving and computational thinking skills while learning the fundamentals of programming.

Skills, Habits & Mindset Assessment
Students in grades 3-5 will be taking the Skills, Habits & Mindset assessment during the first week of March. This assessment helps us understand students’ strengths and areas for growth as they develop essential academic and life skills.

3D Printer Pen Creations
Students are putting their creativity to the test with 3D printer pens! They are designing and crafting their own unique creations, learning hands-on how 3D printing technology can be used to bring ideas to life.

Access to APS Classlink at Home
Students can continue their learning outside of school by logging into APS Classlink, where they can access a variety of educational resources. Simply go to:
🔗 https://launchpad.classlink.com/aps

Thank you for your continued support of our DigiLab program. It’s amazing to see our students grow as digital creators, problem solvers, and innovators!

 

Help Support the DigiLab - Donors Choose Project

Warm regards,
Mrs. Apodaca
SASM DigiLab Teacher
Email
valerie.apodaca2@aps.edu.
505-281-3931

Hello STEM Families, 

If the weather conditions allow, there will be a Garden/Outdoor Education week from March 3rd to March 7th. It is a good idea for students to come prepared with a hat, water bottle, sunscreen, closed-toe shoes, a jacket, or other items that they may desire when outside during this time. Depending on the age of the students and the weather conditions, students will be completing different tasks preparing for the upcoming garden, completing environmental science activities, and/or maintaining outdoor spaces on campus. 

In the Lab space students have been working on a variety of STEM topics.  Kindergarten through Second Grade students have been practicing mathematics skills using the Osmo platform while learning about ocean life and conservation. They have also been exploring complete and incomplete metamorphosis and producing either models or flip books demonstrating the life stages of an organism of their choosing. These students have also been learning about light, waves, and optics while producing thaumatrope spinners of two varieties. 

Third through Fifth Grade students have been producing models or cross-section diagrams of watersheds. Other stations have students learning about preventing the spread of infectious disease to promote their own wellness and that of others, or learning how to manage money and basic topics of financial literacy through game formats. Two other stations have students practicing measurement and drafting skills to produce scaled drawings of a chosen image and a Sierpinski Triangle fractal. The final station has students learning geometry vocabulary and applying that to the planning of their own city.

------------------
Thank you,
Mr. Buchanan
STEM Coach
Email
matthew.buchanan@aps.edu 

 

We are excited that the Bikes for Books reading incentive program is back at San Antonito, thanks to the generous support of the Edgewood Mason Lodge No. 82. This program will run from February 10 – April 30, 2025, and is open to all grades.

How Bikes for Books Works:

Students will track the number of pages or minutes they read each day. They should record this information on a reading log and submit it weekly to their classroom teacher. To complete a log, students must read at least 4 out of 7 days. For each completed reading log, the student’s name will be entered into a drawing for a chance to win one of the donated bikes. Students can submit one reading log per week. If your child’s classroom teacher uses a reading log as part of their weekly homework, they may use that log instead.

Eligible Reading Activities Include:

• Silent reading by the student
• Reading aloud to someone
• Listening to a book on CD, Play-a-Way, Kindle, Sora, etc.
• A book or story being read to the student

Where to Find Reading Logs:

Bikes for Books reading logs are available at the San Antonito Library, from your child’s classroom teacher, or can be downloaded from the San Antonito School website.

If you have any questions or need more information, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

 

----------

Happy reading,
Mrs. Gaddis, Librarian
Email
carol.gaddis@aps.edu
Library Webpage
Phone: 505-281-3931

 

Hello Families,

Happy March! Yippee, spring break is around the corner.  I hope everyone enjoys the time off.  

Update: We are finishing up our healthy choices unit.  We spent three weeks discussing the importance of healthy choice.  We learned how to read a food label and what a serving size looks like.  We spent some time talking about the importance of taking care of our teeth, and we ended with learning exercises for all ages that can be done easily and quickly.

Upcoming:  In March, we will begin our lessons that require a net.  We will spend time learning volleyball, badminton, and tennis.  

Announcement: Playday will be here before we know it.  If you have any ideas or outside resources that would add excitement to this day–please reach out.  I would love to hear some new ideas or suggestions.  Thanks! 

Thanks for the continued support I consistently get from our families and community.  Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or concerns.  I’m always looking for parent volunteers for our Kinder to 2nd grade classes.  

--------
Thank You,
Coach Harrison 
Email
monica.harrison@aps.edu
505-281-3931

Hello SASM Families,

Artwork from the 2nd trimester went home a couple of weeks ago.  If you didn’t see it, ask your student about their artwork.  As always, part of our artist practice is to leave their best piece of artwork from this trimester to keep at school to be a choice for the school art showcase in April. By the end of the year, students will have saved 3-4 pieces of art to choose their very best piece to show in the school art show.   

Please ask your student/s to show you the work that they brought home and tell you about the one they left at school. Let them know how excited you are to see their artwork in the art show!  This means a lot, especially to the younger students who are getting used to the idea that they will not be bringing all their artwork home to show their families until after that art show.  

In March we will begin working on some textile art and making artwork about the spring!

 As always, please consider volunteering in the art room.  It’s always fun to have an extra hand.

------
Sincerely,
Carrie Sanchez
SASM Art Teacher
505-281-3931
Email
carrie.sanchez@aps.edu
SASM Art Google Site

 

 

Dear San Antonito Families, 

This month in music, students will be learning

Kindergarten will be continuing their introduction to rhythm by recognizing that some sounds are shorter or longer. They will begin to clap rhythms from simple notation and using syllables in words. 

1st Grade will continue exploring La and learning to recognize it in songs. They will also learn how to notate it on the music staff. 

2nd Grade will continue exploring Mi-Re-Do, as well as, writing and creating with their solfege pitches. 

3rd Grade will learn the solfege pitch Fa. They will also continue exploring canons and rounds.

4th Grade will learn high C on recorder and they will begin to experience triplet rhythms.

5th Grade will learn F sharp on recorder. They will also be practicing rhythms using eighth and sixteenth note combinations

I would like to share news with everyone. I am expecting a baby. He is due at the beginning of the summer, so I hope to be able to teach through the end of this school year. 

 

Redirector’s office
Hey there families, in the coming weeks, I will be visiting classrooms and providing a short lesson. Each
classroom teacher has a choice of topics such as Friendship, respecting each other, bullying, personal
space, and much more. These lessons are based on books written by Julia Cook. They will do a short
activity with their class related to the subject chosen. I look forward to working with every class. I hope
everyone has a great week.

-Mrs. Winters

SASM Redirector 
Email:
shannon.winters@aps.edu
Phone: 
 505-281-3931 ext. 25635 

Welcome Families, 
I have amazing news this school year! Students are able to receive 1 breakfast and 1 lunch at no charge. This year we will also be classed as a CEP (Community Eligibility Provision) school, meaning we will not need to fill out any eligibility lunch forms this school year. That being said they may still pay for any second meals (main $2, sides, milk $0.40)

I will still need any student with food allergies to have a current dietary needs form filled out as soon as possible. This ensures that I can provide a safe option for those in need. www.aps.edu/food-and-nutrition-services/dietary-needs-forms 

Please call or email me if you have any questions. 

----------
Jasmine Padilla
SASM Site Supervisor
Email

jasmine.padilla@aps.edu

505-281-3931
505-253-9345

Free meals

All APS students will receive free meals this year, regardless of their family’s income. State lawmakers and the governor signed off on Senate Bill 4 earlier this year, which requires public schools to provide healthy breakfasts and lunches to students at no charge.
And while all New Mexico students will get free meals, the state Public Education Department is nevertheless urging families throughout the state to fill out the free and reduced lunch application. PED says filling out the form ensures children will receive maximum funding for benefits like Summer EBT. An accurate count of qualifying students is also used to determine funding for such things as after-school programs, technology, and quality internet.

Apply online by filling out the

• Free and Reduced Price School Meals Application
• External link
• Note: Please spell out Albuquerque or use 505 and our district will appear in the drop down list.              

LINQ Connect Menu System

• APS School Menus are now at your fingertips on the LINQ Menu
• External link
• Discover more information regarding APS school menus, nutrition, and allergens.
• LINQ Connect is also available on Apple and Android devices.
• The LINQ Connect Menus app is an easy way to keep track of your weekly/monthly menus!

TRANSPORTATION BEHAVIOR EXPECTATIONS

Riding the bus is a privilege. 

Appropriate behavior is expected whenever a student is on the bus. Suspension from riding the bus does not mean suspension from school. Instead, the parent/guardian will be responsible for transporting the student to and from school. The bus driver or bus assistant shall submit a referral to the school administrator to manage the consequence. Bus disruption occurs anytime a student deliberately or inadvertently interferes with the safe operation of a school bus, which is stopped or moving; behaves in a manner adversely affecting an individual or property on or near the bus itself, at bus stops, or at pick-up areas. 

Please, speak with your children about bus safety. 

• Listen to the bus driver
• Students need to remain seated and facing forward
• Students may not move around on the bus
• Be kind to one another
• Using foul or vulgar gestures is inappropriate
• Nothing goes out the window

Consequences/Disposition
1st Violation - Written Warning 
2nd Violation - Up to 5 days Suspension from the bus 
3rd Violation - Up to 10 days Suspension from the bus 
4th Violation - Suspension from the bus Up to the End of the Semester 
5th Violation - Suspension from the bus Up to the Remainder of the Year

Severe Disruption 
• Physical harm to other students or staff 
• Physical damage to the bus (restitution may be required) 
1st Violation - Up to 10 days Suspension from the bus 
2nd Violation - Suspension from the bus Up to End of the Semester 
3rd Violation - Suspension from the bus Up to the Remainder of the Year

Visit my bus stop to locate your child’s bus stop. The bus company has informed me that they will not honor "temporary" bus/bus stop changes this school year. Your child must ride their assigned bus and get on/off at their assigned stop.

Remember, there are no bus options for transfer students.
The bus company can be reached at 505-253-0287 with any transportation questions. 

Rango the Pancake

By Mrs. Sonderer’s Fourth Grade Class

Do you want to know about a very special bearded dragon lizard who happens to be our class pet? Let us introduce you to Rango the Pancake. We call Rango a pancake because he likes to flatten himself into a circular shape on his warming rock while sunning himself under his heat lamp and UV light. 

In August, our class was doing a quick write called Can’t Stop Writing, and on that day, which was National Lizard Day, we all told Mrs. Sonderer that we wanted a bearded dragon as a class pet. Mrs. Sonderer’s husband ran out and bought us a lizard and a habitat terrarium. He also bought a terrarium to stay at Mrs. Sonderer’s home, so Rango goes back and forth to school and home in a soft pet carrier wrapped in a Snoopy blanket like a burrito. Our students have created quite a space for Rango by sewing him a bed, pillow, and blanket. He also has a hat, scarf, and a stuffed lamby. His gotcha day was September 5, 2024. 

Did you know that bearded dragons have a special diet that includes mealworms, crickets, vegetables, and fruit?  They can also eat cockroaches, but we have never ever fed Rango cockroaches. He is an omnivore since he loves plants and insects!

Rango lives in a terrarium that has a rock, hammock (for sunning himself), paper towels for his floor, and a food and water bowl. He also has a 100-watt heat lamp, but he also has a UV lamp. The UV lamp gives Rango more vitamin D and strengthens his bones. If he gets too hot he opens his mouth to cool down. 

Rango and other bearded dragons have a third eye to help them sense light and darkness and it’s covered by skin. Bearded dragons also have an organ on the roof of their mouth to help them taste the air. Babies like to taste test their environment so paper towels are the best substrate when they’re young. The coolest fact is that they are from Australia, Mate!

We hope that you have learned a lot about bearded dragons and Rango the Pancake. You are welcome to come and see him in Room 107 in the second-story building. Maybe Mrs. Gallegos can join us and hold him for you! 🦎

 

 

February 2025

7th: Popcorn Pickle Day, SPIRIT Day: Wear your Favorite Jersey

17th: No School, President’s Day

25th: PTA Meeting, 4PM Library

 

IMPORTANT - Testing Dates

NM-ASR (5th grade) April 1st and 2nd, 2025

NM-MSSA (3rd-5th grade) April 8th and 10th, 2025

EOY istation/iReady (k-5) May 1st- May 16th, 2025

ACCESS for ELLs(EL students) TBA

SASM Clubs
Mondays & Wednesdays- 3:30-5:30 East Mountain Junior Jazzers (4th & 5th Graders), Cafeteria 
1st & 3rd Thursday of the Month -3:30-5:15  5th Grade Coyote Club, Library
Thursdays - 7:35AM-8:35AM, Chess Club, Cafeteria
Thursdays - 3:30PM-4:30PM, Bible Club, Cafeteria
Fridays - 3:30-5:30  Girl Scouts-troupe 1029, Cafeteria

When there is no school for students, there are no clubs. This includes inclement weather delays/cancelations, parent/teacher conferences, and Holidays. 

 

Are you considering volunteering at SASM or within APS? 
While encouraging family and community participation, we must consider the safety of every child in the district. State law requires a background check from volunteers before participating in any volunteer activity at any APS school.
There are two categories of volunteers who receive differing levels of background check clearances and badging:

1. Unsupervised School Volunteers: preferred by SASM as you can be “alone” around campus and with students on field trips, etc. This background is a full FBI Fingerprint clearance initiated only by Mrs. Gallegos. The cost is $56 and  the clearance is good for two years.  

Cleared individuals receive a Unsupervised volunteer badge from APS Police. 
If your interested in obtaining this badge, please email gallegos_pat@aps.edu  the following information: 

• Full Name of Volunteer
• DOB
• Last 4 SS Number
• Address
• Phone Number
• Email address

OR

1. Become a Supervised Volunteers. The cost is $12 for two years.  These volunteers must always be in line of sight supervision by an APS staff member. 

Begin the Supervised Volunteer Clearance Request (you will be a new user)

Are you interested in volunteering but the cost or the steps of obtaining volunteering clearance is preventing you? Complete this form, and we will do our best to provide assistance. 

----------------------------------------------------------

Come Work With Us!

We have three job vacancies at our school. If you or anyone you know is interested in working with our staff and students, please apply to aps.edu. Thank you!

1.0 cross cat teacher 
0.5 counselor 
 

--------------------------------

Happy New Year San Antonito families! 

Cold weather along with the return to school after our much-needed break can bring sniffles, coughs and upset stomachs too. I am often asked about a variety of communicable illness and when to keep your student(s) home from school related to illness. Below is a summary of the APS sick day guidelines. 

• Fever: A temperature above 100.4°F (38°C) is a fever.

Your child may return to school if they have had no fever for 24 hours without fever-reducing medication (acetaminophen, Tylenol®, ibuprofen, etc.) and if they feel well/are improving.

• Vomiting and/or diarrhea with or without a fever; three or more times in six hours.

Your child may return to school if 24 or more hours have passed from the last episode of vomiting/diarrhea, and/or at least 24 hours fever free as above, and symptoms are improving.

• Respiratory Tract Illnesses: cough/runny nose/other severe cold symptoms.

• Your child has symptoms that keep them from participating in school, such as: fatigue, extreme tiredness, persistent cough, sneezing, headache, body aches, earache and/or chills (especially if accompanied by fever), severe sore throat, especially if accompanied by headache/upset stomach.

• Unknown/undiagnosed rash or other untreated skin conditions
• Eye irritation: Eye drainage, crusting, pain, and/or redness may be a sign of infection and may need to be checked by a provider. Your child may be at school as long as there are no other symptoms that prevent them from participating (fever, pain, etc).

If antibiotic treatment is needed, your child should remain home for the first full 24 hours of medication (e.g., if your child has three doses per day ordered, then three doses must be given before the child returns to school) 

If your student needs to have medication, including cough drops, while they are at school, please contact me so the necessary form and procedure can be followed.

If your student has come home in loaner clothing from the health office, and you have not returned it yet, please wash and return it as soon as possible – our limited supplies are running out and we want to make sure we have clothing available when students are in need. 

As always, please contact me with any health-related questions, concerns or changes to your student’s health needs while at school.

Wishing all a healthy New Year!

 

Nurse Robyn Blomberg, RN, BSN
SASM School Nurse
Email 
robyn.blomberg@aps.edu
Health Office Webpage
Phone: 505-281-3931, ext. 25604

 

 

Hello SASM Families,

Happy New Year and welcome back! We hope everyone had a wonderful break shared with family and friends.  At the end of December, we donated all of the jackets, sweaters and pull-overs that were not claimed.  With cold weather still upon us, please make sure to write your child’s name in their clothing items.  We only had a handful of items that were labeled and these were returned to students.  Lastly please make sure to walk your kiddos in if they arrive AFTER the tardy bell rings.  Do not let them walk in by themselves.  If you have any questions or concerns please don't hesitate to reach out.

Thank you and GOOO Roadrunners!
Mr. Adam
Front Office Clerk
Email
Adam.Sandoval@aps.edu
505-281-3931, ext. 25600

SASM PTA 2024 SCHOOL YEAR IN REVIEW 

• Funded food for Open House, ABQ Aloft, & Explora Night

• Hosted a fun Jog-a-thon fundraiser and raised $30,000 for the year’s PTA budget 

• Distributed almost $4,000 in classroom allotments for teachers & students

• Funded $1,000 worth of 3D printing and coding supplies for the DigiLab

• Provided $1,000 for new books and supplies for the library

• Bought $400 worth of new playground balls and toys.

• Put on a free Fall Bash for the SASM community

• Organized the STEM fair for 40 SASM student scientists

AND COMING IN 2025….

• Scholastic Book Fair
• Funding for Field Trips & Guest Speakers
• $5,000 more in teacher allotments
• Teacher Appreciation Week
• Funding for End of Year Celebrations

And much more!
-----
Thank you!
Veronica Ligon
PTA President
Email
sanantonitopta@gmail.com
PTA Google Site
Membership Hub

Dear Parents and Students,

Happy New Year! We’re excited to kick off 2025 with a month full of exploration, learning, and creativity in the DigiLab. Here’s what your students will be focusing on this month:

Exploring with Robots
January brings hands-on robotics to the DigiLab! Students will explore how robots work, from their mechanical components to the logic behind their programming. These activities will help foster critical thinking and teamwork while making learning fun and engaging.

Math Fluency Focus
For the rest of the school year, we are dedicating part of each DigiLab session to improving math fluency. Whether it’s practicing basic facts or solving more complex problems, students will strengthen their mathematical foundations to support learning in all subjects.

Programming with Robotify
All grades will continue honing their programming skills with Robotify. Students will take on new challenges and projects, learning to think like computer scientists while earning tickets for our Robotify Raffle Drawing.

Thank you for your continued support as we help students build essential skills for the future. Here’s to a fantastic start to 2025!

 

Help Support the DigiLab - Donors Choose Project

 

Warm regards,
Mrs. Apodaca
SASM DigiLab Teacher
Email
valerie.apodaca2@aps.edu.
505-281-3931

 

Hello STEM Families, 

Students have been working through various new stations in the Lab. K-2 stations include creating a model of the moon phases that, if completed correctly, demonstrates how the moon revolves around the Earth while the Earth revolves around the sun. This learning continues with the creation of two flipbooks, with one flipbook being a blank template to provide an opportunity for a month of moon cycle observations in the evening at home. Another station has the students learning about geometric shapes while practicing visual-spatial skills through the use of tangrams, all being grounded in the children's book “Where the Wild Things Are” by Maurice Sendak. The remaining station has an emphasis on mathematics and involves students practicing math fact fluency by going about making ten and twenty in a game format using dominos. 

The 3rd-5th grade students are learning about pueblo architecture, both modern and historic, and making small scale models of a pueblo style building. They are also learning about forms of animal locomotion and making flipbooks of a greater length depicting how a variety of mammals (bat, kangaroo, dolphin, gazelle, bear) move about their environment. Another station has the students practicing fraction concepts in a game format with three different modes of participation (ordering fractions from least to greatest visually, attempting to make sums of one whole, and determining the greatest fraction when presented with unlike denominators).  This is differentiated across grade levels to allow for age appropriate student engagement by visual identification or by cross-multiplication through the “butterfly” method. 

 There is a technology focused station which has students reviewing materials from the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency that educates them on how to construct strong passwords, the function of two-factor authentication, and communication etiquette for proper digital citizenship. Life sciences are being taught by having students complete a modified punnett square exercise to model the population of a “sponge” family with different inherited traits, and through the creation of paper models of either plant or animal cells with labeled organelles. 

In the coming months as we transition out of the winter time we will begin preparations for the next garden.

------------------
Thank you,
Mr. Buchanan
STEM Coach
Email
matthew.buchanan@aps.edu 

 

Happy 2025! I hope you all had a joyful and restful winter break. As we kick off the new year, I’m excited to share some of my favorite resources for children's and youth books. Below, you’ll find a selection to help you and your child discover new reads to enjoy during the coming year. Happy reading!

Land of Enchantment Book Award (LOE Book Award)

This award was created to encourage children of New Mexico to read books of high quality literature.  The books are broken into four age appropriate categories. If a child reads at least three books from one of the lists, then that child can vote online for his/her favorite book.  The winners of each category are announced later in the year.

The two most well known book awards are The John Newbery Medal and the Caldecott Medal.  The John Newbery Medal is given for the most distinguished American children’s book published in the previous year.  The Caldecott Medal is awarded to the artist for the most distinguished American picture book for children. The 2024 winners are: The Eyes and the Impossible, written by Dave Eggers, (Newbery) and Big, by Vashti Harrison (Caldecott). Here are links to the complete listings of the Newbery and Caldecott winners. 

The John Newbery Medal: Newbery Medal List

Caldecott Medal: Caldecott Medal Winners List

Other awards include the Pura Belpré Award which is awarded to a Latino/Latina writer and illustrator, the (Theodor Seuss) Geisel Award which awards authors and illustrators of the most distinguished books for beginning readers and the Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal which is given to the most distinguished informational book published in the United States. Please see the links below to access the winners of these awards.

Pura Belpré Award: Pura Belpre Award List

Geisel Award: Theodor Seuss Geisel Award

Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal: Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal

Some of these award winning books are available from our school library San Antonito STEM Magnet Library in book (physical)  and ebook formats.  The books may also be available from the Albuquerque and Bernalillo County Public Libraries.  I hope these lists will help you and your child discover some new favorite genres/books.

----------

Happy reading,
Mrs. Gaddis, Librarian
Email
carol.gaddis@aps.edu
Library Webpage
Phone: 505-281-3931

 

Hello Families,

Happy New Year!  I hope everyone had a nice, restful break.  It’s hard to believe we are in the year 2025.  May this new year be filled with good health, good fortune, and good times for everyone.  😀

Update: We finished up our basketball unit, and the last thing I did with our 2nd-5th graders before break was our annual hula-hoop/jump rope  competition.  The younger students learned some cooperative games and reviewed their locomotive skills.  

Upcoming:  Our first unit will be hockey.  The students will learn basic vocabulary and skills specific to hockey.  After hockey, our next unit will be healthy habits.  We will spend a week discussing healthy eating and learning about the food groups.  After that, we will discuss dental hygiene.  The last week of the unit will be defining what circuit training is and practicing some examples.  

Announcement: TBD–ultimate hula hooper and jump rope results to come.

Thanks for the continued support I consistently get from our families and community.  Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or concerns.  I’m always looking for parent volunteers for my Kinder - 2nd grade classes. 

--------
Thank You,
Coach Harrison 
Email
monica.harrison@aps.edu
505-281-3931

Hello SASM Families,

Welcome to a new semester! In January we will delve into some exciting art mediums such as printmaking and metal repousse. Through these mediums we will explore the concepts of real vs. implied texture in art, symmetrical vs asymmetrical balance and continuing to reinforce the concepts of geometric shapes and forms vs. organic shapes and forms. Looking forward to next month, we will begin working on representing ourselves through portraits and making art about our lives and communities. As always, if you would like to volunteer in the art room or have a specific art skill you would like to share, I would love to hear from you.

------
Sincerely,
Carrie Sanchez
SASM Art Teacher
505-281-3931
Email
carrie.sanchez@aps.edu
SASM Art Google Site

 

 

Hello Families,
I hope everyone is doing well. I would like to introduce myself, my name is Shannon Winters, and I am the new Redirector for San Antonito STEM Elementary this year. I am here for anything students may need. I am here for emotion please feel free to reach out for support.

I look forward to a great year and helping every student thrive.

--------------

Best Wishes,

Shannon Winters
SASM Redirector 
Email:
shannon.winters@aps.edu
Phone: 
 505-281-3931 ext. 25635 

Welcome Families, 
I have amazing news this school year! Students are able to receive 1 breakfast and 1 lunch at no charge. This year we will also be classed as a CEP (Community Eligibility Provision) school, meaning we will not need to fill out any eligibility lunch forms this school year. That being said they may still pay for any second meals (main $2, sides, milk $0.40)

I will still need any student with food allergies to have a current dietary needs form filled out as soon as possible. This ensures that I can provide a safe option for those in need. www.aps.edu/food-and-nutrition-services/dietary-needs-forms 

Please call or email me if you have any questions. 

----------
Jasmine Padilla
SASM Site Supervisor
Email

jasmine.padilla@aps.edu

505-281-3931
505-253-9345

Free meals

All APS students will receive free meals this year, regardless of their family’s income. State lawmakers and the governor signed off on Senate Bill 4 earlier this year, which requires public schools to provide healthy breakfasts and lunches to students at no charge.
And while all New Mexico students will get free meals, the state Public Education Department is nevertheless urging families throughout the state to fill out the free and reduced lunch application. PED says filling out the form ensures children will receive maximum funding for benefits like Summer EBT. An accurate count of qualifying students is also used to determine funding for such things as after-school programs, technology, and quality internet.

Apply online by filling out the

• Free and Reduced Price School Meals Application
• External link
• Note: Please spell out Albuquerque or use 505 and our district will appear in the drop down list.              

LINQ Connect Menu System

• APS School Menus are now at your fingertips on the LINQ Menu
• External link
• Discover more information regarding APS school menus, nutrition, and allergens.
• LINQ Connect is also available on Apple and Android devices.
• The LINQ Connect Menus app is an easy way to keep track of your weekly/monthly menus!

TRANSPORTATION BEHAVIOR EXPECTATIONS

Riding the bus is a privilege. 

Appropriate behavior is expected whenever a student is on the bus. Suspension from riding the bus does not mean suspension from school. Instead, the parent/guardian will be responsible for transporting the student to and from school. The bus driver or bus assistant shall submit a referral to the school administrator to manage the consequence. Bus disruption occurs anytime a student deliberately or inadvertently interferes with the safe operation of a school bus, which is stopped or moving; behaves in a manner adversely affecting an individual or property on or near the bus itself, at bus stops, or at pick-up areas. 

Please, speak with your children about bus safety. 

• Listen to the bus driver
• Students need to remain seated and facing forward
• Students may not move around on the bus
• Be kind to one another
• Using foul or vulgar gestures is inappropriate
• Nothing goes out the window

Consequences/Disposition
1st Violation - Written Warning 
2nd Violation - Up to 5 days Suspension from the bus 
3rd Violation - Up to 10 days Suspension from the bus 
4th Violation - Suspension from the bus Up to the End of the Semester 
5th Violation - Suspension from the bus Up to the Remainder of the Year

Severe Disruption 
• Physical harm to other students or staff 
• Physical damage to the bus (restitution may be required) 
1st Violation - Up to 10 days Suspension from the bus 
2nd Violation - Suspension from the bus Up to End of the Semester 
3rd Violation - Suspension from the bus Up to the Remainder of the Year

Visit my bus stop to locate your child’s bus stop. The bus company has informed me that they will not honor "temporary" bus/bus stop changes this school year. Your child must ride their assigned bus and get on/off at their assigned stop.

Remember, there are no bus options for transfer students.
The bus company can be reached at 505-253-0287 with any transportation questions. 

 

February 2025

7th: Popcorn Pickle Day, SPIRIT Day: Wear your Favorite Jersey

We sell popcorn and pickles on the first Friday of each month.
Max of two items, $1.00 each. 
(80% fundraising profits will benefit our Student Activities Account and 20% will benefit our General Account).  

17th: No School, President’s Day

25th: PTA Meeting, 4PM Library

IMPORTANT - Testing Dates

• NM-ASR (5th grade) April 1st and 2nd, 2025
• NM-MSSA (3rd-5th grade) April 8th and 10th, 2025
• EOY istation/iReady (k-5) May 1st- May 16th, 2025
• ACCESS for ELLs(EL students) TBA

SASM Clubs

• Mondays & Wednesdays- 3:30-5:30 East Mountain Junior Jazzers (4th & 5th Graders), Cafeteria 
• 1st & 3rd Thursday of the Month -3:30-5:15  5th Grade Coyote Club, Library
• Thursdays - 7:35AM-8:35AM, Chess Club, Cafeteria
• Thursdays - 3:30PM-4:30PM, Bible Club, Cafeteria
• Fridays - 3:30-5:30  Girl Scouts-troupe 1029, Cafeteria

When there is no school for students, there are no clubs. This includes inclement weather delays/cancelations, parent/teacher conferences, and Holidays. 

 

Are you considering volunteering at SASM or within APS? 
While encouraging family and community participation, we must consider the safety of every child in the district. State law requires a background check from volunteers before participating in any volunteer activity at any APS school.
There are two categories of volunteers who receive differing levels of background check clearances and badging:

1. Unsupervised School Volunteers: preferred by SASM as you can be “alone” around campus and with students on field trips, etc. This background is a full FBI Fingerprint clearance initiated only by Mrs. Gallegos. The cost is $56 and  the clearance is good for two years.  

Cleared individuals receive a Unsupervised volunteer badge from APS Police. 
If your interested in obtaining this badge, please email gallegos_pat@aps.edu  the following information: 

• Full Name of Volunteer
• DOB
• Last 4 SS Number
• Address
• Phone Number
• Email address

OR

1. Become a Supervised Volunteers. The cost is $12 for two years.  These volunteers must always be in line of sight supervision by an APS staff member. 

Begin the Supervised Volunteer Clearance Request (you will be a new user)

Are you interested in volunteering but the cost or the steps of obtaining volunteering clearance is preventing you? Complete this form, and we will do our best to provide assistance. 

----------------------------------------------------------

Come Work With Us!

We have three job vacancies at our school. If you or anyone you know is interested in working with our staff and students, please apply to aps.edu. Thank you!

1.0 cross cat teacher 
0.5 counselor 
 

--------------------------------

February is American Heart Month! 

Being active, eating healthy and getting plenty of sleep are just a few of the ways families and students can stay heart healthy this February and beyond!

“Our habits in adulthood begin in childhood, and we know that a sedentary lifestyle that’s spent in front of screens and not being outside, having fun with friends and being physically active puts children at a variety of health risks,” said Federico Asch, M.D., a volunteer member of the American Heart Association’s Science Advisory and Coordinating Committee, a cardiologist at MedStar Health and a professor of medicine at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C.

The American Heart Association suggests a few tips for helping keep kids heart-healthy:

• Schedule family time for physical activity. Weather permitting, go outdoors for a walk, a hike or even just some backyard games. Indoor activities can actually incorporate active screentime, like playing a dance-off or interactive sports video game.
• Plan a weekly menu and prep your meals. Encourage kids to help with meal planning and even grocery shopping. Make sure you have on hand foods they will eat that are also healthy for them. Taking the time to prepare for the week ahead – even cutting up fruits and veggies for healthy snacks – can help improve overall diets.
• Simplify your family’s schedule. In today’s society we’re expected to do it all. But this type of non-stop lifestyle isn’t sustainable or healthy. Try prioritizing your activities and see what you can do without so you’ll have more time for the things that matter. You can also work on ways to manage stress.
• Set a regular bed time – and wake-up time. Develop bedtime routines to wind down after a busy day. While it may be unrealistic to expect older kids to turn in early, have them to turn off their phones and other devices prior to bedtime. Encourage them to develop their own rituals for a good night’s sleep – and trying to catch up on the weekends doesn’t count.
• Live by example. Be a role model for healthy behaviors. It doesn’t mean you have to change-up everything at once, set goals and take baby steps. Teaching your kids about heart health now will help them live longer, healthier lives for their own future.

Nurse Robyn Blomberg, RN, BSN
SASM School Nurse
Email 
robyn.blomberg@aps.edu
Health Office Webpage
Phone: 505-281-3931, ext. 25604

 

 

From the Desk of Mr. Adam

Happy February Families!

I hope you’re all settled in and ready to finish the year strong!

We’re approaching the time to register for the 2025-2026 school year, and Mr. Adam will be reaching out once the registration window opens (potentially mid-February). Please ensure that all your information is up-to-date in ParentVue, including emergency contacts, pick-up details, and more. Once the window opens, I’ll contact everyone to make the registration process as smooth as possible for our kiddos!

For current 5th-grade parents planning to attend Roosevelt Middle School: If Roosevelt is not your “home school,” you’ll need to apply for a new transfer, as the San Antonito transfer will not cover middle school enrollment.

As always, if you have any questions, feel free to call or email me!

Have a Lovely Month!

Thank you and GOOO Roadrunners!
Mr. Adam
Front Office Clerk
Email
Adam.Sandoval@aps.edu
505-281-3931, ext. 25600

 

SASM PTA

Please join us for our February PTA Meeting on Tuesday February 25th. Please note that this is a change from the previously set date. The meeting will be held in the SASM library at 4 pm.  Children who attend with their parents need to follow library rules and stay seated quietly for the duration of the meeting. Feel free to bring books, activities, or tablets with headphones to help children sit quietly. There is no food allowed in the library. We will also have a Google Meet option for the meeting:

https://meet.google.com/aas-vbjr-qau. 

It’s not too late to join the PTA! We have volunteer opportunities coming up: 

• March 31st-April 4th: Scholastic Book Fair
• May: Teacher Appreciation Celebrations

Register here to become a PTA member https://sanantonitopta.memberhub.com/store. 

Or if you’d like information on volunteering without joining please email sanantonitopta@gmail.com to be added to the mailing list!

It’s also time to start electing Board Members for the next school year.  If you are interested in serving on the board, or volunteering for other future PTA opportunities, please reach out to Veronica at sanantonitoPTA@gmail.com. PTA is a volunteer run organization and PTA and San Antonito STEM Magnet needs your help!

-----
Thank you!
Veronica Ligon
PTA President
Email
sanantonitopta@gmail.com
PTA Google Site
Membership Hub

Dear Parents and Students,

Happy February! This month in the DigiLab, we’re combining digital skills with hands-on exploration to make learning exciting and interactive. Here’s what your students are working on:

Robots and Coding in Action
All grades are working with robots and applying the coding skills they’ve learned in Robotify to control them in real-life scenarios!

• Grades K, 1, and 2 are exploring Ozobots and Edison Robots, using simple coding concepts to guide their robots through fun and creative challenges.
• Grades 3, 4, and 5 are working with Dash & Dot Robots and iRoot Robots, applying more advanced coding techniques to complete tasks and solve problems.
  It’s incredible to see their programming knowledge come to life as they engage with robotics and work collaboratively to achieve their goals.

Google Suite and Digital Valentines
Students will continue enhancing their skills with the Google Suite, including Google Slides, Docs, and Sheets. This month, we’re adding a fun and creative project to the mix: students will learn how to design and send digital valentines using Google Slides! It’s a great way to practice their digital communication and design skills while spreading kindness.

Thank you for your support in fostering creativity, critical thinking, and collaboration in our DigiLab. We’re proud of our students’ growth and can’t wait to see what they accomplish this month!

Help Support the DigiLab - Donors Choose Project

Warm regards,
Mrs. Apodaca
SASM DigiLab Teacher
Email
valerie.apodaca2@aps.edu.
505-281-3931

 

Hello STEM Families, 

The RR Lab has been continuing to receive support with material donations from both inside and outside of the school community.  On behalf of the students who consume the repurposed materials for various tasks, thank you all! It makes our work more sustainable and offers abundant opportunities for creative exploration.  On numerous occasions classroom teachers have needed supplies for various projects which have ultimately come from stores in the RR Lab, so these donations support more than the RR Lab alone.  

The Lab can continue to receive donated materials moving forward, but with space at a premium there are specific items which offer more utility than others.  Anything that presents an interesting geometric shape which would otherwise be time consuming or difficult for a child to produce is a valuable item so long as it is safe and clean.  Items which are difficult to manipulate, cut, or attach to other items offer less opportunity in the maker-space. Examples of such materials are below. 

Items that are consumed in larger quantities and we are glad to receive include: 

-paper towel/toilet tissue rolls, gift-wrap rolls, etc. (cylinders) 

-tissue boxes or small shoeboxes, items made from paperboard rather than cardboard (a single layer of material, not corrugated)

-Clamshell plastic, such as produce containers or for individually packaged items hanging on display hooks 

-Plastic cylinders, like yogurt containers or single use water bottles

Items that offer less utility or pose safety hazards (unneeded at this time):

-glass of any kind 

-aluminum or steel cans

- styrofoam (blocks, sheets, or packing peanuts)

-anything contaminated with significant food debris, unwashed (allergen concerns)

-thick corrugated cardboard in large sheets, such as appliance boxes (students struggle to cut these items, so their work is less refined. At this time we have lots of cardboard for use with the laser cutter, but may need large sheets again once it's consumed)

------------------
Thank you,
Mr. Buchanan
STEM Coach
Email
matthew.buchanan@aps.edu 

 

We are into the second half of the year and off to a busy start! I’m excited for all the learning and fun ahead. I wanted to let you know that if your child has an overdue book or an outstanding fine, they may not be able to check out a book from the library during their class time. However, they are welcome to take a book or two from our discard bin in the library or from the Little Free Library near the K-1 pick-up area. These gently used books have been donated to our school or are recent discards from our collection.  

I also want to let you know about Sora that was recently acquired by APS.  What is Sora?

Sora is a dynamic reading app designed specifically for students, providing access to a wide variety of ebooks, audiobooks, comics, manga, magazines, and read-alongs 24/7, both at school and at home.

Key Features of Sora include:

Access Anywhere: Students can log in to Sora any time, ensuring that their digital library is always available.

Personalization & Accessibility: Customize reading experiences with adjustable fonts,  high-contrast modes, and a dyslexic font option.

Interactive Features: Add notes, highlight text, and use Google Translate for language support.  Achievement Badges: Gamify the reading experience with badges and earn rewards.  Reading Statistics: Track progress with personal reading statistics available on the Me tab.  Language Collections: Explore ebooks in Spanish, French, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, and  Vietnamese.

Getting Started with Sora:

1. Log in to Classlink: my.aps.edu

2. Open APS Libraries folder

3. Click on the Sora app

4. Click on the “Sign in using Albuquerque School District” button

5. Start Reading: Browse, borrow, and enjoy a world of reading.

----------

Happy reading,
Mrs. Gaddis, Librarian
Email
carol.gaddis@aps.edu
Library Webpage
Phone: 505-281-3931

 

 

Hello Families,

Happy February! I don’t know about you, but I’m already ready for warmer weather and spring sports.   😀

Update: We are currently in the middle of our annual hockey unit.  All students have rotated through stations practicing some of the basic skills in hockey.  Next, we will play a game called “knock out” that will help develop some of those basic skills.  The older grades will also have the opportunity to play  scrimmage  games during PE

Upcoming:  The month of February is dedicated to healthy choices.  We will discuss healthy eating and learn about the food groups.  This year, I hope to add dental hygiene to my curriculum and spend at least one PE class, incorporating the importance of taking care of our teeth.  We will also spend a week learning about circuit training and how cardio and strength exercises help build our endurance.

Announcement: Congratulations to Lauren Edmonds in  Ms. Grey’s class for taking home the gold in our 1st annual jump rope contest.   Ariana Journey, a fourth grader,  got 2nd place and took home the silver.  Going home with the bronze medal was 2nd grader Charlotte Smutz from Ms. Coffey’s class! 

In the Hula Hoop contest, Liam Gyorgy, a fifth grader in Mrs. Carver's class got 3rd place and received the bronze medal. Going home with the silver medal was Poppy Romph, a third grader in Mrs. Hollin's class. Our first place winner, taking home the gold, is Ariana Journey, a fourth grader in Mrs. Sonderer's class.

Thanks for the continued support I consistently get from our families and community.  Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or concerns.  I’m always looking for parent volunteers for my Kinder - 2nd grade classes.  

--------
Thank You,
Coach Harrison 
Email
monica.harrison@aps.edu
505-281-3931

Hello SASM Families,

Look for artwork coming home this month! As part of our artist practice, students will be leaving one artwork from this last trimester to keep at school to be a choice for their best artwork for the art show in May. By the end of the year, students will have saved 3-4 pieces of art to choose from that they have kept at school all year and they will pick their very best piece to show in the school art show.  Students will reflect on their artwork by writing an artist statement and sharing their best work with the class.  This process is an important part of artmaking and reflecting on their learning and counts toward their grade for the semester.  Please ask your student/s to show you the work that they bring home and tell you about the one they left at school. Let them know how excited you are to see their artwork in the art show!  

Students finished a tinwork project where they learned about the history of tinwork in New Mexico as well as a self expression lesson where they made an artwork representing themselves using symbolism. Next, all students will be working on a lesson in printmaking and creating prints using the printing process. 

As always, please consider volunteering in the art room.  It’s always fun to have an extra hand.

------
Sincerely,
Carrie Sanchez
SASM Art Teacher
505-281-3931
Email
carrie.sanchez@aps.edu
SASM Art Google Site

 

 

Dear San Antonito Families, 

This month in music, students will be learning: 

Kindergarten will be exploring rhythms and creativity through songs about love and a theme of transportation. 

1st Grade will be reviewing the rhythm notes and singing notes, identifying them and notating with them. They will learn a new singing pitch, La.

2nd Grade will be focusing on singing and recognizing Mi-Re-Do. 

3rd Grade will continue to explore rounds and will learn the solfege syllable low La which will get them singing in minor.

4th Grade will continue practicing recorder. They will also be refining improvisations to end on Do. 

5th Grade will learn high C and D on recorder. They will also discuss concepts of part singing and constructing melodies. 

I would like to share news with everyone. I am expecting a baby. He is due at the beginning of the summer, so I hope to be able to teach through the end of this school year. 

 

Hey there families,

 With the 100^th day of school I would like to celebrate friendships! Healthy friendships are an important part of your child’s development. We encourage every child to make friends and have healthy bonds with other students. Be sure to talk and have open communication with your child about what a good friend looks like.

 Let’s remember to BEE KIND AND BEE GREAT!

Sincerely,

Shannon Winters

Best Wishes,

Shannon Winters
SASM Redirector 
Email:
shannon.winters@aps.edu
Phone: 
 505-281-3931 ext. 25635 

Welcome Families, 
I have amazing news this school year! Students are able to receive 1 breakfast and 1 lunch at no charge. This year we will also be classed as a CEP (Community Eligibility Provision) school, meaning we will not need to fill out any eligibility lunch forms this school year. That being said they may still pay for any second meals (main $2, sides, milk $0.40)

I will still need any student with food allergies to have a current dietary needs form filled out as soon as possible. This ensures that I can provide a safe option for those in need. www.aps.edu/food-and-nutrition-services/dietary-needs-forms 

Please call or email me if you have any questions. 

----------
Jasmine Padilla
SASM Site Supervisor
Email

jasmine.padilla@aps.edu

505-281-3931
505-253-9345

Free meals

All APS students will receive free meals this year, regardless of their family’s income. State lawmakers and the governor signed off on Senate Bill 4 earlier this year, which requires public schools to provide healthy breakfasts and lunches to students at no charge.
And while all New Mexico students will get free meals, the state Public Education Department is nevertheless urging families throughout the state to fill out the free and reduced lunch application. PED says filling out the form ensures children will receive maximum funding for benefits like Summer EBT. An accurate count of qualifying students is also used to determine funding for such things as after-school programs, technology, and quality internet.

Apply online by filling out the

• Free and Reduced Price School Meals Application
• External link
• Note: Please spell out Albuquerque or use 505 and our district will appear in the drop down list.              

LINQ Connect Menu System

• APS School Menus are now at your fingertips on the LINQ Menu
• External link
• Discover more information regarding APS school menus, nutrition, and allergens.
• LINQ Connect is also available on Apple and Android devices.
• The LINQ Connect Menus app is an easy way to keep track of your weekly/monthly menus!

TRANSPORTATION BEHAVIOR EXPECTATIONS

Riding the bus is a privilege. 

Appropriate behavior is expected whenever a student is on the bus. Suspension from riding the bus does not mean suspension from school. Instead, the parent/guardian will be responsible for transporting the student to and from school. The bus driver or bus assistant shall submit a referral to the school administrator to manage the consequence. Bus disruption occurs anytime a student deliberately or inadvertently interferes with the safe operation of a school bus, which is stopped or moving; behaves in a manner adversely affecting an individual or property on or near the bus itself, at bus stops, or at pick-up areas. 

Please, speak with your children about bus safety. 

• Listen to the bus driver
• Students need to remain seated and facing forward
• Students may not move around on the bus
• Be kind to one another
• Using foul or vulgar gestures is inappropriate
• Nothing goes out the window

Consequences/Disposition
1st Violation - Written Warning 
2nd Violation - Up to 5 days Suspension from the bus 
3rd Violation - Up to 10 days Suspension from the bus 
4th Violation - Suspension from the bus Up to the End of the Semester 
5th Violation - Suspension from the bus Up to the Remainder of the Year

Severe Disruption 
• Physical harm to other students or staff 
• Physical damage to the bus (restitution may be required) 
1st Violation - Up to 10 days Suspension from the bus 
2nd Violation - Suspension from the bus Up to End of the Semester 
3rd Violation - Suspension from the bus Up to the Remainder of the Year

Visit my bus stop to locate your child’s bus stop. The bus company has informed me that they will not honor "temporary" bus/bus stop changes this school year. Your child must ride their assigned bus and get on/off at their assigned stop.

Remember, there are no bus options for transfer students.
The bus company can be reached at 505-253-0287 with any transportation questions. 

December 2024- 

2nd-6th: 2nd Grade PBL Market Sales

6th: Pickles/Popcorn Sale

       Spirit Day-Winter Sweater

12th: STEM Fair and Explora Family Night 6pm-7:30pm (gym and cafeteria) *light refreshments/snacks available while supplies last. 

20th - PJ and Stuffy Day

21st - All SASM Lost and Found will be donated

24th - January 6th- Winter Break, No School

SASM Clubs
Mondays & Wednesdays- 3:30-5:30 East Mountain Junior Jazzers (4th & 5th Graders), Cafeteria 
1st & 3rd Thursday of the Month -3:30-5:15  5th Grade Coyote Club, Library
Thursdays - 7:35AM-8:35AM, Chess Club, Cafeteria
Thursdays - 3:30PM-4:30PM, Bible Club, Cafeteria
Fridays - 3:30-5:30  Girl Scouts-troupe 1029, Cafeteria

When there is no school for students, there are no clubs. This includes inclement weather delays/cancelations, parent/teacher conferences, and Holidays. 

 

 

Are you considering volunteering at SASM or within APS? 
While encouraging family and community participation, we must consider the safety of every child in the district. State law requires a background check from volunteers before participating in any volunteer activity at any APS school.
There are two categories of volunteers who receive differing levels of background check clearances and badging:

1. Unsupervised School Volunteers: preferred by SASM as you can be “alone” around campus and with students on field trips, etc. This background is a full FBI Fingerprint clearance initiated only by Mrs. Gallegos. The cost is $56 and  the clearance is good for two years.  

Cleared individuals receive a Unsupervised volunteer badge from APS Police. 
If your interested in obtaining this badge, please email gallegos_pat@aps.edu  the following information: 

• Full Name of Volunteer
• DOB
• Last 4 SS Number
• Address
• Phone Number
• Email address

OR

1. Become a Supervised Volunteers. The cost is $12 for two years.  These volunteers must always be in line of sight supervision by an APS staff member. 

Begin the Supervised Volunteer Clearance Request (you will be a new user)

Are you interested in volunteering but the cost or the steps of obtaining volunteering clearance is preventing you? Complete this form, and we will do our best to provide assistance. 

----------------------------------------------------------

Come Work With Us!

We have three job vacancies at our school. If you or anyone you know is interested in working with our staff and students, please apply to aps.edu. Thank you!

1.0 cross cat teacher 
0.5 counselor 
0.5 gifted teacher

--------------------------------

Talking Talons Youth Leadership is seeking a part-time Environmental Educator to work in our 5th grade Coyote Club after school programs.  Our Coyote Clubs focus on Climate Education, Nature Awareness, individual student Leadership and Team-Building.  If you are interested in knowing more about this opportunity, email John Ross, Co-Executive Director at email jross@talkingtalons.org

Throughout October and November, the San Antonito health office experienced a spike in the numbers of students experiencing respiratory and digestive illness symptoms. In response, I have had the opportunity to visit several of the classrooms to present information about proper hand-washing techniques, when to wash hands and how to cover coughs/sneezes (using your elbow instead of your hand). I thought it would be helpful to share some of the same information with parents/guardians, so you can help your child remember these techniques at home as well as at school.

When to wash our hands:

• Before, during and after food preparation
• Before eating
• After restroom usage
• After coughing, sneezing or blowing your nose
• After touching garbage
• After playing outdoors
• After touching animals or animal food
• After visiting public places

Best ways to wash our hands:

1. Wet your hands
2. Put on soap
3. Rub your hands together, palm to palm
4. Scrub between your fingers
5. Scrub the backs of your hands
6. Scrub around your thumb
7. Clean your fingernails
8. Rinse your hands with water
9. Pat your hands try with a towel

Ways we can all stay healthy:

• Cough or sneeze into your elbow
• Wash hands often
• Keep distance between yourself and others
• Don’t play around in the bathrooms
• Wipe down tables, chairs, door handles and other high-touch surfaces frequently

Hopefully these techniques will help students, families and staff experience fewer illness symptoms in the coming months!

As a reminder: If your student needs to have medication, including cough drops, while they are at school, please contact me so the necessary form and procedure can be followed.

As always, please contact me with any health-related questions, concerns or changes to your student’s health needs while at school.

Sending healthy thoughts to the entire SASM family!    

Nurse Robyn Blomberg, RN, BSN
SASM School Nurse
Email 
robyn.blomberg@aps.edu
Health Office Webpage
Phone: 505-281-3931, ext. 25604