Great Things Going On
Center Schools students and staff members had an extremely busy and successful week.
I would like to begin by thanking the Haskin Elementary National Elementary Honor Society for conducting a spring canned food drive. The kids are enjoying the classroom competition while supporting the community. Special thanks go out to their sponsors for all the hard work they have put in to coordinate this effort!
On Saturday the Kiwanis Club of Center coordinated a park clean up day with help from Kiwanis members from all over the San Luis Valley as well as Adams State University, Circle K, and Center High School KEY Club members. The Town of Center and Center Schools supported the effort by providing personnel and materials for volunteers to work with. Projects included painting grandstands and dugouts, removing graffiti from playground equipment, and softening play areas surfaces with pea gravel. I want to thank Center Schools grounds custodian Tony Garcia for being willing to work on Saturday to supervise the work. Thanks everyone for helping to beautify our park!
I would like to begin by thanking the Haskin Elementary National Elementary Honor Society for conducting a spring canned food drive. The kids are enjoying the classroom competition while supporting the community. Special thanks go out to their sponsors for all the hard work they have put in to coordinate this effort!
On Saturday the Kiwanis Club of Center coordinated a park clean up day with help from Kiwanis members from all over the San Luis Valley as well as Adams State University, Circle K, and Center High School KEY Club members. The Town of Center and Center Schools supported the effort by providing personnel and materials for volunteers to work with. Projects included painting grandstands and dugouts, removing graffiti from playground equipment, and softening play areas surfaces with pea gravel. I want to thank Center Schools grounds custodian Tony Garcia for being willing to work on Saturday to supervise the work. Thanks everyone for helping to beautify our park!
Last week Haskin Elementary School 2nd-3rd grade teacher Ashley Lane was accepted as a Kagan Cooperative Learning trainee. This opportunity will give Center Schools and on-site Kagan trainer, making it less expensive to support new teacher hires and to coach experienced teachers. Congratulations Ashley, I know Kagan has very high standards when it comes to accepting potential trainers!
On Saturday Haskin Elementary School 5th grader Natalia Cendejas took first place in the 2014 Colorado-Wyoming Denver Nuggets Optimist Tri-Star Basketball Skills Competition. Congratulations Natalia! Her victory also qualified her to join the Denver Nuggets on the floor of the Pepsi Center at the beginning of Saturday night’s game.
Speaking of basketball, last week Center High School junior Christian Ortiz, the overall 2nd leading scorer in the state of Colorado, was named to the 2nd team 2A All State Basketball Team. This year Christian helped to lead our Vikings to 2nd place in the Southern Peaks League, a 3rd place district tournament finish, and a first round district tournament victory over defending state champion Denver Christian. Congratulations Christian!
On Saturday Haskin Elementary School 5th grader Natalia Cendejas took first place in the 2014 Colorado-Wyoming Denver Nuggets Optimist Tri-Star Basketball Skills Competition. Congratulations Natalia! Her victory also qualified her to join the Denver Nuggets on the floor of the Pepsi Center at the beginning of Saturday night’s game.
Speaking of basketball, last week Center High School junior Christian Ortiz, the overall 2nd leading scorer in the state of Colorado, was named to the 2nd team 2A All State Basketball Team. This year Christian helped to lead our Vikings to 2nd place in the Southern Peaks League, a 3rd place district tournament finish, and a first round district tournament victory over defending state champion Denver Christian. Congratulations Christian!
Finally, Center High School students Alanna Chacon and Daisy Garcia represented us well at the 2014 is Colorado State Science and Engineering Fair. Alanna was named state champion in the senior division category of chemistry. In addition to an award of $200 for this, Alanna also won the SLV State Award of $50, and a $4,000 scholarship to Colorado State University. Alanna was also notified that she has been accepted to the prestigious Porter Scholar program at Adams State University based on her commitment to scientific research. The Porter was created to "support students who are majoring in either mathematics or science and is awarded on the basis of their need and their ongoing academic achievement." This award includes the cost of college attendance including tuition, fees, books, room and board, which could total about $10,000 per year for 4 years, equaling a total award of $40,000 for Alanna if she chooses to attend!
Daisy Garcia won Honorable Mention in the senior division Environmental Science competition, the SLV State Award of $50, the American Association of University Women Award of $200, the ASM International Award of $150, the Society of Manufacturing Engineers Award of $100, a $4,000 Scholarship to Colorado School of Mines, and a $4,000 Scholarship to Colorado State University Pueblo.
Both Alanna Chacon and Daisy Garcia competed against the best young scientists in Colorado and came out on top. All together they earned $52,750 in cash and scholarships! I would also like to offer special thanks to our Center High School math and science department consisting of Daniel Newmyer, Quinn. Harmon, and Diego Martinez for the hard work and dedication they put into preparing these students!
Daisy Garcia won Honorable Mention in the senior division Environmental Science competition, the SLV State Award of $50, the American Association of University Women Award of $200, the ASM International Award of $150, the Society of Manufacturing Engineers Award of $100, a $4,000 Scholarship to Colorado School of Mines, and a $4,000 Scholarship to Colorado State University Pueblo.
Both Alanna Chacon and Daisy Garcia competed against the best young scientists in Colorado and came out on top. All together they earned $52,750 in cash and scholarships! I would also like to offer special thanks to our Center High School math and science department consisting of Daniel Newmyer, Quinn. Harmon, and Diego Martinez for the hard work and dedication they put into preparing these students!
Big Things We Are Working On
On Monday I will be completing work in conjunction with eNet Colorado, Lindamood-Bell, and the San Luis Valley BOCES in an effort to write a 7-page summary of an i3 grant proposal that would extend the use of distance technology in the San Luis Valley to train teachers and administrators to support the implementation of our Colorado curriculum, its instruction, its assessment, the implementation of the Colorado educator effectiveness law, and the implementation of a scientifically proven intervention for children with a significant reading disability. If our concept receives approval we will follow up by writing the actual grant to support this work,
Center Schools continues to track legislation related to school finance. On Thursday of last week the House of Representatives passed on to the Senate HB 1292, also known as the Student Success Act, and HB 1298, the School finance Act. As these measures currently stand the Center School District will receive roughly an additional $400 per student, or $240,000 extra in funding next year. The measures still have a long way to go in the Senate, but seem to be on a decent trajectory. Regarding these measures, I would like to thank Center School Board president Michael Lobato for expertly reaching out to Representative Ed Vigil to garner support for a bipartisan amendment to HB 1292 that will offer more flexibility to the Building Excellent Schools Today board in determining how to spend dollars allocated to school construction from marijuana sales taxes.
Center Schools continues to track legislation related to school finance. On Thursday of last week the House of Representatives passed on to the Senate HB 1292, also known as the Student Success Act, and HB 1298, the School finance Act. As these measures currently stand the Center School District will receive roughly an additional $400 per student, or $240,000 extra in funding next year. The measures still have a long way to go in the Senate, but seem to be on a decent trajectory. Regarding these measures, I would like to thank Center School Board president Michael Lobato for expertly reaching out to Representative Ed Vigil to garner support for a bipartisan amendment to HB 1292 that will offer more flexibility to the Building Excellent Schools Today board in determining how to spend dollars allocated to school construction from marijuana sales taxes.
The Past Week
On Monday I started my day on a legislative advocacy call with the committee representing superintendent interests from all over the state. I then held evaluation post conferences with our director of instruction, alternative school director, and virtual school director. In the afternoon I am participated in a WebEx conference related to Lindamood-Bell accreditation as a qualifying turnaround partner. On Tuesday I had began the day with the San Luis Valley superintendent advisory council meeting in the morning at Adams State University, then I attended our April district accountability and board of education meetings late into the evening. On Wednesday I was a presenter about careers in education and politics during the grade 6-12 ICAP session, while also participating in a legislative update call. I also met with classified staff members on Wednesday about the district’s effort to comply with the Affordable Healthcare Act. I was back in Denver on Friday attending the April CASE Legislative Committee meeting.
The Week Ahead
On Monday morning I will finalize our i3 grant concept proposal. I will then attend our 3rd quarter District Leadership Team meeting and a San Luis Valley Teacher of the Year selection committee before attending the local Town and Country Women’s Club meeting to present about my GELP trip to India. On Tuesday I have my monthly Early Steps to School Success progress meeting and a phone in CASE Staff Development Committee meeting. Elementary staff members will also give up some of their precious after school time by attending a bullying prevention training on this day. On Wednesday the middle-high staff continues it’s bullying prevention training in the afternoon. On Thursday I will be in Denver to attend the Colorado Legacy Foundation Legacy Luncheon to watch Haskin Elementary, Skoglund Middle School, and Center High School receive their Healthy School Champions awards. I have been asked to stay around afterward to be a panelist during a presentation by English education guru Sir Ken Robinson. On this same day Skoglund Middle School 8th graders will be taking the new CMAS Science test. We’ll then have a four day Easter Break from Friday April 18th through Monday April 21st.
Extra Points
Unfortunately we have come upon the time of year when people start making decisions about where they will be in the coming year. Unfortunately this week Center Schools lost some of its best and brightest as they open new chapters of their lives.
First Center High School PE teacher and varsity football coach Lee Flood submitted a letter of resignation to our board as he is seeking to move back to Texas to be with his family, and seeking to enter a doctoral program as well. Lee has been a great influence on our staff members and our kids and his presence will be truly missed.
Next, Daniel and Kate Newmyer announced they are leaving for at least a year to pursue a once in a lifetime dream. Daniel, a Center High School math-science teacher has been accepted into the Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellowship Program. The program provides a unique professional development opportunity for accomplished K-12 educators in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) to serve in the national education arena. Daniel will spend eleven months working in a federal agency bringing his extensive knowledge and experience in the classroom to education program and policy efforts. Of course Kate wants to keep the family together so she will be leaving her middle-high instrumental music teacher position to spend a year in support of the family, with plans to home school their children Andrew and Chloe for the coming year. Both Daniel and Kate have been an integral part to the improvements we have seen at Center High Schoool and Skoglund Middle School and we truly hope they find their way back to us in the near future.
First Center High School PE teacher and varsity football coach Lee Flood submitted a letter of resignation to our board as he is seeking to move back to Texas to be with his family, and seeking to enter a doctoral program as well. Lee has been a great influence on our staff members and our kids and his presence will be truly missed.
Next, Daniel and Kate Newmyer announced they are leaving for at least a year to pursue a once in a lifetime dream. Daniel, a Center High School math-science teacher has been accepted into the Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellowship Program. The program provides a unique professional development opportunity for accomplished K-12 educators in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) to serve in the national education arena. Daniel will spend eleven months working in a federal agency bringing his extensive knowledge and experience in the classroom to education program and policy efforts. Of course Kate wants to keep the family together so she will be leaving her middle-high instrumental music teacher position to spend a year in support of the family, with plans to home school their children Andrew and Chloe for the coming year. Both Daniel and Kate have been an integral part to the improvements we have seen at Center High Schoool and Skoglund Middle School and we truly hope they find their way back to us in the near future.
Finally, Skoglund Middle School principal Carrie Zimmerman has been named the new assistant superintendent of the Alamosa School District. Carrie will guide curriculum and instruction and I have no doubt the experiences she gained in Center will serve Alamosa’s children well. She came to us as our middle-high assistant principal and blossomed into one of the best in the business in a very short period of time. Carrie, our loss is Alamosa’s gain and we sure look forward to working with you again as we continue our collaborative education efforts in the San Luis Valley.
Have a great week.
George
Have a great week.
George