Great Things Going On
I would like to begin this week by thanking the Center Schools Sunshine Committee for organizing the wonderful Chili Cook Off that took place last Thursday afternoon in the Center Schools Commons. The event was a great way to bring staff members together for a social event, the chili was awesome, and I would like to congratulate Center preschool director Nicole Rockey and daycare instructor Marisa Aguilar for their first place finish!
Last Friday teachers from all over the San Luis Valley gathered at the Sangre De Cristo School District to share the results of the first quarter common assessments that were administered in many schools, to reflect on the quality of those assessments and to learn from each other about how to more effectively teach students the concepts that were taught, and to revise and validate second quarter assessments that will be administered in December or January.
Last Wednesday Center Volunteer Fire Department and medical personnel visited our preschool-daycare program to promote first responder awareness and our children had a ball exploring the ambulance and equipment used by our local heroes whose job it is to be first on site when an emergency strikes.
Last Wednesday Center Volunteer Fire Department and medical personnel visited our preschool-daycare program to promote first responder awareness and our children had a ball exploring the ambulance and equipment used by our local heroes whose job it is to be first on site when an emergency strikes.
Big Things We Are Working On
Due to an unfortunate shooting incident that took place in the community last Monday evening Center Schools was placed in Lockout mode for the better part of the day on Thursday. We place the district on Lockout mode whenever there is a perceived danger to our students that exists outside the building. In the past this has been done when a crime had been committed in the community and the fugitive was still at large, or when there had been a reported threat to the school from the outside.
During Lockout all outer doors to the school buildings are locked, except for the outer entry doors to the middle-high school offices. Students and staff members proceed with their day as normal, except for students who need to exit one building to go to another building where their next class takes place. Students who need to do this gather at the school office to be escorted by a staff member to their classes in the outlying buildings.
As a reminder, when in Lockout parents are advised not to come to campus to check their child out. Also during Lockout Fyock Community Library personnel post signs on their doors instructing public patrons who wish to use the library to enter through the middle-high office so they can be closely monitored.
Center Schools administrators were in close communication with the Center Police Department throughout the day on Tuesday and the district ended the Lockout procedure as soon as police felt there was no longer a potential threat to the campus.
Shifting gears, one other big item of note the district is addressing is an unfortunate situation we have identified in our preschool satellite facility. For those of you who don’t realize this, the modular building located at the corner of 4th Street and Sylvester now serves as additional classroom space for the Center Preschool Program. Because of expanded funding and increased demand for these services we remodeled the building this past summer to offer this extra capacity. Unfortunately since opening the extra classroom we have been experiencing some sewer problems, and discovered last Friday there is a line break underground, possibly related to construction that took place in the vicinity back in 2012. This has caused a hiccup in our being able to offer services to the children who attend preschool in this facility, but I assure everyone the district is doing all it can to get the line repaired and the facility back up and running as soon as possible.
During Lockout all outer doors to the school buildings are locked, except for the outer entry doors to the middle-high school offices. Students and staff members proceed with their day as normal, except for students who need to exit one building to go to another building where their next class takes place. Students who need to do this gather at the school office to be escorted by a staff member to their classes in the outlying buildings.
As a reminder, when in Lockout parents are advised not to come to campus to check their child out. Also during Lockout Fyock Community Library personnel post signs on their doors instructing public patrons who wish to use the library to enter through the middle-high office so they can be closely monitored.
Center Schools administrators were in close communication with the Center Police Department throughout the day on Tuesday and the district ended the Lockout procedure as soon as police felt there was no longer a potential threat to the campus.
Shifting gears, one other big item of note the district is addressing is an unfortunate situation we have identified in our preschool satellite facility. For those of you who don’t realize this, the modular building located at the corner of 4th Street and Sylvester now serves as additional classroom space for the Center Preschool Program. Because of expanded funding and increased demand for these services we remodeled the building this past summer to offer this extra capacity. Unfortunately since opening the extra classroom we have been experiencing some sewer problems, and discovered last Friday there is a line break underground, possibly related to construction that took place in the vicinity back in 2012. This has caused a hiccup in our being able to offer services to the children who attend preschool in this facility, but I assure everyone the district is doing all it can to get the line repaired and the facility back up and running as soon as possible.
The Past Week
On Monday I worked on a lot of paperwork and items related to classified staff member evaluation processes. On Tuesday I attended the San Luis Valley Superintendent Advisory Council meeting in Alamosa then returned to Center for our October District Accountability Committee Meeting and regular October Board of Education meeting. After a late night on Tuesday I spent most of the day being interviewed by a Channel 7 news reporter in relation to the problems we experienced and policy changes we have made to our Alternative to Expulsion program. On Thursday I attended an important meeting with Century Link representatives to discuss the reliability of our district Internet connection. There was no school on Friday but Center Schools teachers joined many other Valley educators to meet at Sangre De Cristo Schools to share test results and work on revising and validating quarterly assessments of the Colorado Sample Curriculum.
The Week Ahead
Monday is a bit of a chance for our students and staff members to have a Fall Break, however I will be working on payroll items and weekly communication matters on this day. On Tuesday I will be participating in a San Luis Valley superintendent PLC session where I’ll work with other system leaders to discuss how to improve classroom instruction of the Colorado Sample Curriculum. On Wednesday we’ll be conducing teacher instructional walks in Center, where staff members will have a chance to visit their colleagues to learn from them and to offer feedback as to how classroom lessons might be improved. On Thursday I will be in Loveland to attend the Colorado School Safety Resource Center Safe Schools Summit to learn more about ways we can increase the safety and well being of our students on campus.
Extra Points
Last Thursday Haskin Elementary School assistant teacher John Noriega spied several of our children playing “school” on the playground and took a wonderful picture of a child leading a Lindamood-Bell style reading intervention. The photo made me think about how over the past several years I have seen many of our children playing pretend school and have come to the belief it is a testament to the recent instructional improvements that have occurred in Center Schools when we hear them announcing the day’s objective, clearly communicating what the daily formative assessment will be, and when we see them conducting activities that engage their playmates in the learning they intend them to acquire.
Where do you suppose the kids have learned all of that?
Thanks for listening once again and have a great week!
George
Where do you suppose the kids have learned all of that?
Thanks for listening once again and have a great week!
George