Newsletter

Anser Charter School Flight Plan

December 2nd, 2021

Welcome to the Anser Flight Plan. If you have Anser related submissions, please email them to Maua Romano at mromano@ansercharterschool.org by Monday 4:00 PM for inclusion in that week's Flight Plan.

Anser Website

Important Dates to Remember

Lost and found is overflowing! We will be placing the lost and found outside during pick-up and drop-off hours. Please take some time to look through and grab any missing belongings. We will be donating what is left December 3rd!

December 2nd Information Session for Prospective Parents 6-7:30pm

December 13th 6-7pm: Q & A with Board Covid Response Team and Anser Directors

December 14th 6-7:30 Anser Board Meeting

December 17th No School

December 18th-January 2nd Winter Break

Anser Covid Update

Anser Specific Covid Data:

Week of 11/22-11/28 (Thanksgiving Break): Number of confirmed cases in students or staff: 3

Week of 11/22-11/28 (Thanksgiving Break): Number of staff/students in quarantine: NA

Week of 11/29-12/5 : Number of confirmed cases in students or staff: 3

Week of 11/29-12/5 : Number of staff/students in quarantine: 2

Staffing impacts due to Covid: minimal

*Please remember that a student or staff person could be in quarantine for any number of reasons, including cold and allergy symptoms, while awaiting testing. Do not assume that a student or staff member who is absent or in quarantine should be interpreted as a “potential or probable” Covid case.

Wider Community Data

Cases of Covid in Ada county: 134.35 cases per /100,00.)

Anser’s weekly cases are included in the Anser Covid Tracker on the website which is Linked here.

Link to Responsive Return Plan

Important Communications for Families

Fall Fund Drive

On Giving Tuesday we raised $1,060 through our Text 2 Give campaign, and $4,000 was donated through DonorPerfect! Thanks to our generous donors we are now over to 50% mark for our Fall Fund Drive goal. Anser relies on fundraising efforts like the Fall Fund Drive and our Auction to close that gap of up to $1500 less per students at charter schools like Anser. No contribution is too small and we so appreciate folks who donate how they can. Whether its making monetary contributions, or volunteering your time, we are so grateful!

Dont forget: Friday Dec. 3rd: We will be raffling off a piece of merch from Anser's brand new merchandise store! Everyone who donates to Anser's 2021 Fall Fund Drive either through the website, or our Text2Give campaign, will be entered to win an Anser sweatshirt!

Thank you to the following families for making their contributions: Leslie & Mike Brown , Joe and Sarah Clayton ,Kim Conner, Emily Nielsen & John Davidson , Mike and Heather Dennis, Greg Heartman, Michael Lormore, Benjamin McLenna, Colleen Moulton, Elizabeth Rosenberger , Caitlyn Scales, Daniel Russell, Carolyn Fabis, Jason Russell, Cassie Miller, Caitlin Costello, and Jennifer Howell.

Click here to donate!

Anser's New Merchandise Store!

We are excited to announce that we have partnered with Educational Outfitters, a local company with a storefront on Americana, for some new Anser shirts, sweatshirts and more!

This online store will be open year round! This month we have adjusted timelines slightly so that holiday ordering will arrive before the break. Orders for this month must be in by December 10th. Moving forward order deadlines will be the 15th of the month and can be picked up at the store, at school or shipped directly to you.

Please reach out to Amanda in the front office or directly to Tracy with Educational Outfitters with any other questions. We can't wait to see Anser Crew rocking their new gear!

Check it out here! https://boise.educationaloutfitters.com/categories/find-my-school/anser.html

Q & A with Board Covid Response Team and Anser Directors

Our first office hours with the CRT+ and school directors was a wonderful opportunity to connect with families and answer questions related to Anser COVID policy and implementation. With children's vaccinations now being approved for 5-11 yr olds, the CRT has been working on making informed "next steps" in our school's COVID mitigation policies.

December's office hours with the parent community will be focused on Q&A with the Anser Board Covid Response Team and Michelle and Heather on Monday, December 13 from 6:00-7:00pm. A link to the zoom call will be provided the week prior along with a form to submit questions in advance.

Student Led Conferences to be Held In-Peron-Covid Conditions Permitting

Before the Winter Break you will receive information regarding Student Led conferences for 2^nd-8^th graders and Goal Setting conferences for K-1^st graders. The Covid Response Team reviewed the current Covid conditions within the school and in the larger community, and has determined that these conferences will be held in person, as long as Covid conditions in our community continue to support that at that time.

Parents will be expected to follow all of the Responsive Return Plan protocols, which include universal masking, hand washing/sanitizing, social distancing, maintaining small groups, and socializing outdoors only.

We will only have two families in a classroom at a time to maintain a good distance between families. If you have concerns about being on campus with your child for their Learner Goal Setting (K-1) or Student-Led Conferences (2-8), please reach out to your child's Crew Leader.

More details will be sent out with the sign up before break. We are thrilled to have this opportunity to have these times to connect with our families- we know you have missed being on campus and we have missed you too.

Cozy Collection for The Boise Bike Project

In a year when many families are looking for connection to our school and community, I am excited to share that we have the opportunity to continue our partnership with the Boise Bicycle Project (BBP)! As a community we hope to do a "Cozy Collection" that will support more than 500 families local families at BBP's annual event. This year the event will be a drive-thru for families in need and focus on smaller cozy items like beanies, socks and hats for adults, teenagers and kids . As an Anser community we are aiming to gather 1,500 items to support more than 500 local families at BBP's annual event.

How can you participate?

Drop off new and gently used gloves, hats, scarves, jackets and socks (sized for adults, teenagers or kids) at the school between November 29th and December 10th
- Bins will be outside the office and in the pick-up/drop off line starting on November 29th
Donate and a member of family council will use the funds to purchase gloves, hats and socks on your behalf.
- Venmo @Laurel-Wade, last four of her phone is 4141
Reach out to Laurel or Natalie (contact info below) if you have any questions or would like to participate in another way.

Please reach out to Laurel Wade at laurelwade@gmail.com or Natalie Keffer at nataliekeffer4@gmail.com with any questions .

The Anser Lottery is Now Open!

Did you know Anser is the first school in the state to run a weighted lottery? Your friends and family members might benefit from this new opportunity! Learn more about how a weighted lottery works, and see the positive impact it is already having on our school community in this article about Anser!

Part of Anser’s expansion planning has included working hard to reach into and enroll students from communities that have historically faced barriers to charter school enrollment. We’ve lengthened our lottery application period, have attended many local events to inform people about the school, partnered with Head Start and the Agency for New Americans and the Boys and Girls Club and are planning more events before our lottery is held in February. We need help from our Anser families to get the word out to their friends and families about the opportunities expansion brings to so many families in the Garden City/Boise community. You can help us out by sharing our social media posts, or forwarding the flight plan info about upcoming opportunities for families to learn more about Anser.

1. We have two Anser Information Nights planned at the school on December 2nd and February 3rd . You can send folks this link to learn more!

2. We are offering limited group size enrollment tours! You can find out more here.

3. People can apply for next year now! This next year will be a great opportunity for folks to get in as we expand! Share this link to apply!

SNOW SPORTS COORDINATOR NEEDED FOR DOTTY CLARK RACES AT BOGUS BASIN: Grades 6-8

Anser needs a couple of parents to coordinate the Junior High Dotty Clark Snow Sports Races at Bogus Basin for the 2022 season. FREE SEASON PASS INCLUDED!!! Parents will need to take a coaching course. There is a little leg work to prepare to coach then after, it will be coordinating students for their race and having a blast on the hill.

First race is January 8th and continues every Saturday thereafter until Feb. 12th. The final Dotty Clark race will be Feb. 18th. Each athlete must compete in at least 4 days in order to qualify for the Dotty Clark final race.

The race coordinators will disseminate information to the athletes that will assist them select the correct skill level (novice, intermediate and advanced) to compete in, assist the athletes get to their races and address any issues that arise on race days.

Anser students have been competing and winning Dotty Clark Races for the past 10 years. Please come and help our students continue this competition.

Please contact me (trush@ansercharterschool.org) if you are interested in coaching.

Best,

Tanya

Looking for Fast Covid Test Results?

Boise State has testing available to students and the turn around on results is often same day! They are offering both PCR and Rapid testing so you can get answers about your child’s illness! Anser is still offering PCR saliva testing, but the turnaround is 36-48 hours for results.

Lunch Calendar

Lunch Calendar

Reminder that lunch and breakfast are free to all students this year! However, you may add money to their student account though Infinite Campus if they would like to purchase a la cart items such as extra milk, or PBJ.