Keeping Our Focus
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    • 2015 >
      • Binational Educator Exchange
      • January 11, 2015
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    • 2014 >
      • 2014 In Review Part 1
      • 2014 In Review Part 2
      • 2014 Accreditation
      • Sanchez-Varoz Documents
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      • Alternative to Expulsion Policy
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      • January 6, 2014
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      • September 28, 2014
      • October 5, 2014
      • Extra Points 10-5-14
      • October 13, 2014
      • October 19, 2014
      • October 26, 2014
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      • November 9, 2014
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    • 2013 >
      • January 6, 2013
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      • February 24, 2012
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      • July 21, 2012
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      • November 3, 2013
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      • December 1, 2013
      • December 8, 2013
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      • 2013 in Review
    • 2012 >
      • 2012 in Review
      • Class of 2012 Graduation Video
      • 3rd Grade TCAP Release
      • December 16, 2012
      • December 9, 2012
      • December 1, 2012
      • November 11, 2012
      • November 4, 2012
      • October 27, 2012
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      • October 7, 2012
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      • September 23, 2012
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      • August 26, 2012
      • August 19, 2012
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      • August 5th, 2012
      • July 29, 2012
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      • May 27, 2012
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      • April Fools
      • Mar 25, 2012
      • Mar 18, 2012
      • Mar 11, 2012
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      • Feb 19, 2012
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      • Jan 29, 2012
      • Jan 22, 2012
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    • 2011 >
      • 2011 in Review
      • Dec 25, 2011
      • Dec 18, 2011
      • Dec, 11, 2011
      • Dec 4, 2011
      • Nov 27, 2011
      • Nov 13, 2011
    • Lobato Decision >
      • Lobato Update

Great Things Going On Now

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Congratulations to the Skoglund Middle School track team for finishing first in the San Luis Valley middle school track meet held in Center on Saturday.  Thanks to Coach Linda Donaldson and her staff for doing a great job guiding and developing our kids. 

In addition to this I would like to thank Skoglund Middle School principal and athletic director Carrie Zimmerman and Center High School principal and athletic director Kevin Jones for the great job they did coordinating two huge track meets and a baseball tournament this past Friday and Saturday.  It is wonderful to see our park when it gets used like this and I have no doubt many Center businesses benefit from the flood of visitors who come to town for such events. 


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On Saturday Center High School’s very own Diego Pons was inducted into the Colorado chapter of the American Wrestling Hall of Fame.  Mr. Jones and Center High School wrestling coach Brian Ullery were present for the ceremony. 

Finally I would like to thank the entire Center Schools library staff for the great work they have been doing coordinating their upcoming move into our new building.  Classroom teachers and office staff members no doubt have a big task ahead of them in preparing for the move.  The library staff is currently coordinating the transfer of over 20,000 items.  Thanks to Center Schools library director Becky Reed and her entire staff for taking on this task with a positive outlook.


The Past Week

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On Monday I had the pleasure of taking the Haskin Elementary 5th grade classes on a tour of our new building and attending their continuation ceremony.  On Tuesday I attended the San Luis Valley superintendent advisory council meeting , the Center Schools district accountability meeting and the regular May board of education meeting. 

Wednesday required a trip to and from Denver to attend the CEA, CASE, CASB anchor group meeting.  At this session we discussed the ramifications of the legislative session that just ended. While in Denver I also stopped in to view work being conducted on the heritage wall that will be installed in our new facility.

Thursday allowed for plenty of time to be spent in school buildings.  On Friday and Saturday I was in Winter Park to attend the Colorado Cooperation Conference.  This conference annually brings together people from all political persuasions to learn, network, and develop plans to tackle the major issues that face the state of Colorado.  At the conference I served on a superintendent panel that answered questions about the effects of shrinking school budgets on schools and districts.  Aurora superintendent John Barry and Holyoke superintendent Brett Miles joined me on the panel. 
  

Big Things We Are Working On

At Tuesday’s board of education meeting the school board voted not to implement my recommendation to transform Haskin Elementary into two schools.  Thus, we will be proceeding next year with the principal and instructional coach model we have been implementing for the past two years.

Director of finance Betty Casanova and I will be working to prepare a preliminary budget this week.  This is due to be approved by the board of education by the end of May.

The biggest thing we are all working on is ending the school year, packing up our spaces in preparation for our upcoming move, and closing down the buildings for the last time.


Construction News

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Center Schools received a temporary certificate of occupancy for its new building last Friday.  This means we have permission to move the items we are packing into the new building.  We are expecting complete occupancy to be granted by mid July at this point. 

The district will be holding two cornerstone removal ceremonies on Tuesday May 15th.  At 9 AM we will be removing the Haskin Elementary School cornerstone.  At 11 AM we will be removing the Center High School cornerstone.  Members of the community are welcome to attend these ceremonies.  The cornerstones will be preserved and displayed at the new school site.  There are rumors that we may also find time capsules behind each cornerstone, so it might be worth being present to see what is recovered.



The Week Ahead

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On Monday the Skoglund Middle School 8th grade class will be holding its continuation ceremony at the district auditorium.  Tuesday is the last day for students.  On Wednesday staff members will finish packing their work items in preparation for our move.  The district also has a core construction committee meeting on this day.  Thursday will be filled with budget preparation meetings.  On Saturday at 10 AM the Academic Recovery Center and the Center Virtual Academy will be holding graduation ceremonies for the class of 2012 in the district auditorium.


Extra Points

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On Mother’s Day 2012 I want to wish all of you a great day and I want to take a moment to thank my own mother for the many gifts she gave me as I grew from a boy into a man.  Mom passed away from the effects of Alzheimer’s disease just after Thanksgiving 2000.  Before physically leaving my life she cultivated in me a tremendous value for education, a love for history, a high value for family, and a belief that I can accomplish anything I put my mind to.  Though she has been gone for more than a decade hardly a day goes by when I don’t think about something she would have said in a particular situation and when I don’t reflect on what she would think about an action I may be taking.  Mothers are truly special.  I was blessed with a wonderful one; I hope you were too. 

Thanks for listening again and have another great week. 

George