Great Things Going On
It was a great Thanksgiving holiday, though the weather in the Center area left much to be desired. Before taking off for a week long break there was a whole lot of great stuff going on in the Center School District.
On the evening of Monday November 18th Haskin Elementary School staff members and parents hosted folks from Monte Vista, Mountain Valley, Sargent, and Del Norte school districts in conducting a Lindamood-Bell Tips for Parents event. At this event Lindamood-Bell staff members assigned to the San Luis Valley’s IDEA grant initiative, and SLV BOCES Reading Intervention Coordinator Melissa Garcia, shared with parents ways in which they can support their children in doing the things that are done during daily reading interventions. We are hoping that reaching out to parents to let them know what kids are doing in their daily reading intervention programs, and giving them some skills to reinforce with their children at home, will help to transfer some of what we are doing with our kids at school to the household environment. The event was well attended and parents got quite a bit out of it.
On the evening of Monday November 18th Haskin Elementary School staff members and parents hosted folks from Monte Vista, Mountain Valley, Sargent, and Del Norte school districts in conducting a Lindamood-Bell Tips for Parents event. At this event Lindamood-Bell staff members assigned to the San Luis Valley’s IDEA grant initiative, and SLV BOCES Reading Intervention Coordinator Melissa Garcia, shared with parents ways in which they can support their children in doing the things that are done during daily reading interventions. We are hoping that reaching out to parents to let them know what kids are doing in their daily reading intervention programs, and giving them some skills to reinforce with their children at home, will help to transfer some of what we are doing with our kids at school to the household environment. The event was well attended and parents got quite a bit out of it.
On Tuesday evening Haskin Elementary teachers were back at it, hosting a family math night during which children and parents were treated to math games, door prizes, and a wonderful meal prepared by our cafeteria staff. Engaging families in just how fun math can be is another effort Center Schools is making to encourage family engagement in school learning processes. Each family left with a booklet full of ways in which they can support their child’s interest in math through family time gaming at home.
Wednesday November 20th was another ICAP day at Center High School and Skoglund Middle School. ICAP days allow CHS and Skoglund studnets to explore career pathways and survey areas of interest they have to prepare them for life after graduation. On this ICAP day students were treated to an outstanding career fair that took place in the Center High School varsity gymnasium. Center’s team of Americorps-Vista workers took the lead on this event by contacting local businesspersons to participate and the turnout was wonderful. Following the event we received many positive comments from our business partners about how respectful, and driven to prepare for their futures, our students were.
Wednesday November 20th was another ICAP day at Center High School and Skoglund Middle School. ICAP days allow CHS and Skoglund studnets to explore career pathways and survey areas of interest they have to prepare them for life after graduation. On this ICAP day students were treated to an outstanding career fair that took place in the Center High School varsity gymnasium. Center’s team of Americorps-Vista workers took the lead on this event by contacting local businesspersons to participate and the turnout was wonderful. Following the event we received many positive comments from our business partners about how respectful, and driven to prepare for their futures, our students were.
Big Things We Are Working On
Before the Thanksgiving break the Center School district wrapped up its annual pupil count process, landing for the year with approximately 650 PK-12 students, up significantly over past years, and an additional $200,000 in state operations funding as a result.
On Friday November 22nd the Center Schools Board of Education held a special meeting during which it swore in James Sanchez to an additional 4 year director term and Phil Varoz to a 2 year term filling the seat originally vacated by Brian Arellano. The board also reorganized, as is required by policy, naming Michael Lobato as board president, Yuridia Cendejas as vice president, and Richie Barela as secretary. The only other business that was conducted at the meeting was the approval of a student trip to the national junior Olympic cross-country meet, on a 3-2 vote. I believe James Sanchez and Phil Varoz voted against allowing the students to take the trip because the roughly $500 in expenses that would be incurred by the district to support travel to and from the airport, and student and sponsor meal money during the event, was not clearly delineated.
On Friday November 22nd the Center Schools Board of Education held a special meeting during which it swore in James Sanchez to an additional 4 year director term and Phil Varoz to a 2 year term filling the seat originally vacated by Brian Arellano. The board also reorganized, as is required by policy, naming Michael Lobato as board president, Yuridia Cendejas as vice president, and Richie Barela as secretary. The only other business that was conducted at the meeting was the approval of a student trip to the national junior Olympic cross-country meet, on a 3-2 vote. I believe James Sanchez and Phil Varoz voted against allowing the students to take the trip because the roughly $500 in expenses that would be incurred by the district to support travel to and from the airport, and student and sponsor meal money during the event, was not clearly delineated.
The Past Week
On Monday November 18th I spent the day in salary negotiations with Center Education Association leaders. At this meeting we came to a tentative agreement on a recommendation for employee compensation for the 2012-13 contract year. This agreement will be put up for BOE approval at our December 10th meeting.
On Monday evening I dropped in on a Lindamood-Bell tips from home parent workshop. On Tuesday I had a full day of instructional walks, bringing along teachers from the elementary, middle, and high schools to l;ook in on teachers and offer feedback aimed at improving instruction. I was back on campus again on Tuesday evening to participate in Haskin’s family math night. On Wednesday I attended the Southern Superintendent’s meeting in Pueblo where I facilitated conversation between regional superintendents and our legislative representatives. I then returned to Alamosa early in the afternoon for a measures of student growth meeting related to SB 191 implementation, and then attended a BOCES board governance training session held there in the evening. On Friday I attended a special board of education meeting to swear in our new and continuing board members.
On Monday evening I dropped in on a Lindamood-Bell tips from home parent workshop. On Tuesday I had a full day of instructional walks, bringing along teachers from the elementary, middle, and high schools to l;ook in on teachers and offer feedback aimed at improving instruction. I was back on campus again on Tuesday evening to participate in Haskin’s family math night. On Wednesday I attended the Southern Superintendent’s meeting in Pueblo where I facilitated conversation between regional superintendents and our legislative representatives. I then returned to Alamosa early in the afternoon for a measures of student growth meeting related to SB 191 implementation, and then attended a BOCES board governance training session held there in the evening. On Friday I attended a special board of education meeting to swear in our new and continuing board members.
The Coming Week
Early this week I have meetings about the enrollment of students in our alternative school programs, and an administrative team meeting aimed at discussing various items, including how to wrap up mid-year evaluation processes. I will be in Denver on Tuesday with board president Michael Lobato and Director of Instruction Lori Cooper to attend the Colorado Department of Education state awards ceremony. I’ll come back to Center for the school day on Wednesday, but will then proceed to Colorado Springs to attend the annual CASB convention from Thursday through Sunday.
Extra Points
What, how, why?
In this section I often discuss the Center School District’s core beliefs and how they guide our entire education community in striving for excellence and bringing about greater achievement and opportunity for children. This week I would like to further break that down to WHY we do what we do.
Our collective vision as a district is “Focused on the future.” This means we all know we are doing all we can to prepare our children to be successful when they enter the world they will reside in outside of school. A major challenge we face when it comes to this task is that for the first time ever we are likely preparing a generation of students to work in careers that may not yet exist. Because of this we must make sure our students are armed with every tool they will need to be successful in such a world. Of course this means reading, writing, and calculating numbers effectively. However, it also means working collaboratively, solving problems, accessing and utilizing technology, and developing a positive work ethic.
Here in Center Schools preparing our children to be successful in their future world, no matter what that may look like, is WHY we do what we do. Our core beliefs offer a great indication as to WHAT we do, and HOW we do it. WHAT we do is start from a belief that all students can achieve at high levels, and continually work to increase academic achievement for children by investing our precious resources in supporting them in every way we can. HOW we do this is through quality planning, instruction, and assessment for the purpose of continuous improvement, and by being committed to excellence in all we do every day.
WHAT and HOW we do what we do is important. However, WHY we do what we do is the reason our schools exist. The fact that we are preparing our children to be successful when they enter the world they will reside in outside of school is the reason we come to work every day in the Center School District. In my opinion there is no more important work that can be done, on the individual level, for the community, or for our whole society.
Thanks for listening once again. Stay warm!
George
In this section I often discuss the Center School District’s core beliefs and how they guide our entire education community in striving for excellence and bringing about greater achievement and opportunity for children. This week I would like to further break that down to WHY we do what we do.
Our collective vision as a district is “Focused on the future.” This means we all know we are doing all we can to prepare our children to be successful when they enter the world they will reside in outside of school. A major challenge we face when it comes to this task is that for the first time ever we are likely preparing a generation of students to work in careers that may not yet exist. Because of this we must make sure our students are armed with every tool they will need to be successful in such a world. Of course this means reading, writing, and calculating numbers effectively. However, it also means working collaboratively, solving problems, accessing and utilizing technology, and developing a positive work ethic.
Here in Center Schools preparing our children to be successful in their future world, no matter what that may look like, is WHY we do what we do. Our core beliefs offer a great indication as to WHAT we do, and HOW we do it. WHAT we do is start from a belief that all students can achieve at high levels, and continually work to increase academic achievement for children by investing our precious resources in supporting them in every way we can. HOW we do this is through quality planning, instruction, and assessment for the purpose of continuous improvement, and by being committed to excellence in all we do every day.
WHAT and HOW we do what we do is important. However, WHY we do what we do is the reason our schools exist. The fact that we are preparing our children to be successful when they enter the world they will reside in outside of school is the reason we come to work every day in the Center School District. In my opinion there is no more important work that can be done, on the individual level, for the community, or for our whole society.
Thanks for listening once again. Stay warm!
George