ACE Newsletter - Week 16

Feb 2, 2026

Hello ACE families,

It’s Week 16, which means we just finished the first half of the school year. Wow, that flew by! Be prepared for a busy and productive second half- we’ve got a lot planned!

Spelling Bee Champion

Congratulations to all the classroom winners and to Sarai Belisle from Dialectic 1 for winning the school championship and heading on to the next level. We’re rooting for you Sarai!

Valentine’s Parties (2/12)

Our Valentine’s celebrations will be on Thursday, February 12. Academic Deans will let each class know what time their party will be held. We could use volunteers in the classrooms, as well as healthy goodies for the party. Students are welcome to bring Valentine’s to pass out. Please bring a lunch on the party day as usual and connect with your Academic Dean for party details.

Yearbook Photos (2/19)

On Thursday, February 19, students and staff that missed Orientation or enrolled late will have photos done during the day. Students needing photos:

Arkin, Avi, Arkin, Lily, Belisle, Ellie, Belisle, Sarai, Brown, Jessica, Candelaria, Henry, Clare, Bodhi, Cord, Bethany, Domino, Daryl, Donlon-Banman, Declan, Eximius, Zenius, Foreman, Ava, High, Sky, Hockema-Jenkins, Brandon, Hodges, Jackson, Hoye, Joyce, Jacobs, Natalia, Jacobs, Petra, Kyniston, Vivian, Maxon, Xander, McAninch, Teagan, Middlekauff, Jonah, Patten, Christopher, Perkins, Iris, Perkins, Layla, Perkins, Renn, Rios, Alder, Rios, Wylder, Townsend-Smith, Charlie, Townsend-Smith, Suzie, Warner, Christopher, Wisely, Ernest, Wisely, Isabel

February Family Connection Meeting 2/19@3:30 p.m.

School counselor Mrs. LeCompte host a family meeting about a real hot-button topic for our community - developing a right relationship with technology. What does the most recent research indicate about screen time? How can we prepare students for the high-tech world they are entering while finding balance and understanding the role early access plays in development?

Winter Field Trip (registration ends 2/19)

We’ve reserved Splash Water Park, Thursday, February 26, from 4:30-6:30 p.m.

Information and registration

Eugene Youth Math Festival (2/28)

On Saturday, February 28, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. the U of O is hosting the Youth Math Festival at Mac Court for ages 5-14. I’ve attended this event in the past and was very impressed with the number of math and science activities catering to all ages and abilities. The event is free and is super fun and inspiring! See flyer.

Year End Party Planning

Yep, we are already in the planning stages for the end-of-the-year events. At this time we are looking for a karate sensei/teacher to demonstrate and teach students some karate techniques. If you have a suggestion, let me know.

Soup Cans Needed

We need clean, empty soup cans (or cans in the same size). We will be collecting these for a few months, so keep this in mind as you run across these. Drop them off at the office.

Leprechaun Traps (Weeks 20 & 21)

Our annual “Leprechaun Trap” contest is coming soon! The goal is to catch the sneaking little creatures that come out on St. Patrick's Day. We encourage the students to create a trap at home and to bring it to school by Week 20, Thursday, March 12th, 2026. We will hand out voting tokens to every student and staff member so that they may vote on their favorite trap. The trap with the most votes will win the Leprechaun Crown. There will also be prizes for the other participants. Let your creativity soar!

Spring Recital, STEAM Fair, & Academy Ball (5/1)

The annual Spring Recital, STEAM Fair, and Academy Ball will be held Friday, May 1 (all grades invited). If you wish to participate in the recital, the time to start preparing is now (registration form will go out in a few weeks)! Choose what you will present/perform and begin memorizing it. While this event is optional, we hope we will have lots of participants. This is a great opportunity to showcase your talents and hard work to the ACE community. After the recital, you will get to view the STEAM Fair exhibits, and we will finish off the night with the Academy Ball. Mark your calendars for this upcoming event.

Extra Events (not sponsored by ACE)