Center of Focus
- Carrie Zimmerman
- Apr 21
- 5 min read
April 20th, 2025
Focus on the Fabulous- Vikings in Action
Shout Out to Our Students and Families!
A big Viking thank you to our students and families for a strong start to state assessments! Attendance has been outstanding over the past two weeks, and we’re especially proud that all of our Juniors were present for SAT testing on Tuesday—way to go! Your support is essential, and we appreciate our parents and families for helping ensure a smooth and successful first testing phase.
Haskin Elementary and CHS wrapped up testing last week, and this week, 8th graders will participate in CMAS Science assessments. Keep up the great work, everyone—your efforts are making a difference!
You know it’s spring in the Valley when the temperature swings from 20 to 80 degrees in just 24 hours! One day it’s sunny and clear, and the next the wind is blowing dirt—or even snow. Despite the unpredictable weather, our students found time to enjoy some sunshine this week.
Our toddlers soaked up the warm temps at the beginning of the week, having a blast playing outside.
Meanwhile, our second graders had fun diving into their plant studies. Each spring, Mrs. Mikeljack, Mrs. Quintana, and Miss Massey kick off a lesson on plant life cycles and care. Ms. Archuleta supports the lesson by making baby plant starts at the beginning of the year. The students get the chance to plant the seedlings that have matured. It’s a fun and meaningful life lesson that sticks with them well beyond the classroom!
Viking Pride
We’re excited to share that Center Viking alum Jacque Aguliar was recently inducted into Alpha Kappa Delta, the International Sociology Honor Society. This prestigious honor recognizes Jacques’s commitment to academic excellence, dedication to studying social issues, and efforts to improve the human condition. Congratulations, Jacque—you continue to shine, and your Viking Family is proud of you!
Our ARC and CVA students hosted a festive Easter Egg Hunt for our youngest Vikings last Thursday! Despite the chilly weather, our little ones bundled up and had a blast searching for eggs left behind by the Easter Bunny. Thanks to our ARC/CVA team for organizing a joyful holiday celebration for students and the community to enjoy!
And the Easter Bunny wasn’t the only one getting creative with eggs—Mrs. Pepper’s math students joined in the fun with some “egg-citing” math challenges, solving problems with a festive twist!
Middle School Knowledge Bowl: A Tradition of Excellence
District ownership was fully displayed at our Middle School Knowledge Bowl competition this past Thursday evening. Skoglund MS hosted the annual event, which has long been championed by Dr. Ruggles, who has served as Knowledge Bowl sponsor for over 20 years. We are incredibly grateful for her dedication and years of service.
This year, Mr. Guerrero stepped into the role and did a phenomenal job organizing the competition, and even treated participants to some delicious homemade tacos! Thanks to everyone who pitched in to support the event. It was a successful night of learning, laughter, and Viking pride.
Way to go, Viking Team! Let's keep the momentum going for our last five weeks of school!
District Ownership Plan at Work
Our District Ownership Team met this past Wednesday for our monthly meeting to review progress on our Ownership Plan and the goals established for the school year. Here’s a summary of updates from each of our priority areas:
Priority #1 – Curriculum and Instruction
Goal: CCSD staff lead rigorous, engaging, collaborative learning experiences that align with CCSD Instructional Expectations in every classroom.
Administrator Observations: 259 classroom observations have been conducted so far this year.
Sweep Data: 99% of classrooms have posted objectives and daily formative assessments for the second semester. We've had two weeks with a perfect 100% posting rate!
Core Belief #4 in Action: Our teachers are demonstrating their commitment to excellence daily, especially in how they are posting learning objectives in clear and meaningful ways. Notable examples include: Mrs. Salicrup's Art Objectives and 2nd grade teachers Massey and Quintana.
Our district-wide goal is for teachers to score 70% or higher in each instructional area, and we continue to monitor this closely as part of our commitment to continuous improvement. These are current scores in each of the categories:
Priority #2 – Postsecondary and Workforce Readiness (PWR)
Goal: CCSD develops hard-working learners who are contributors, problem solvers, effective communicators, and empowered to thrive in today’s world.
-ICAP Days at Haskin: Haskin Elementary successfully coordinated two ICAP days this year, an achievement aligned with our PWR goals.
-New Career Pathways: Beginning in the 2025–2026 school year, we will offer nursing, agriculture, and coding pathways at CHS.
-Course Planning: CHS staff have updated their course descriptions. Mrs. Neufeld and Mr. Lavier are planning a Course Offering Fair to support student engagement in the scheduling process for next year.
Priority #3 – Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS)
Goal: Maintain high expectations for student learning and behavior, with structures in place to support all students’ academic and behavioral needs.
-Behavior Data: In Q3, there were 219 behavior events across the district, marking a 13% increase from the beginning of the year.
-Response Strategy: We are reinforcing positive behaviors through recognition and PBIS points, while maintaining accountability through our Discipline Matrix and restorative practices.
-Q4 Behavior Referrals (so far): 87
Viking Bucks:
Middle School: 202,145 total points
Top Staff Awarding Points: Ms. Lambert, Ms. Rue, Mr. Cardoza, Ms. Alanis, and Ms. Banning
High School: 420,523 total points
Top Staff Awarding Points: Ms. Alfson, Mr. Martinez, Mr. Cardoza, Ms. Archuleta, and Mrs. Bishop
Haskin Elementary Merit Competition:
Q3 Winner: 4th Grade
Current Leader for Q4: Kindergarteners
Priority #4 – Recruitment and Retention (R&R)
Goal: Recruit, train, and retain highly qualified teachers, because effective educators are the single most important school-based factor in student success.
Recruitment
Lindsay Stillwagon and JoAnn Lopez represented CCSD at the Adams State Teacher Recruitment Fair on Thursday night. Their participation helped us meet our annual goal of attending at least three recruitment events.
Additionally, several of our own staff attended the fair to explore pathways to becoming licensed teachers—another exciting step in building our future educator pipeline!
Fast Forward
Calendar Dates- We are getting into all the activities and events associated with the end of the year. Make sure to get these dates on your calendar!
Monday, April 21st- CDE Reporting, Weekly Check in, QPR Training
Tuesday, April 22nd- Earth Day, CMAS Science- 8th and 10th grade, Town Meeting, Triple D Track Meet,
Wednesday, April 23rd- Administrative Professionals Day, Rural Advocacy, Opportunity Coalition, Mentor Meeting, SLV Superintendent PLC, Kindergarten Registration- 5:00 pm in the cafeteria, CHS Baseball vs. Buena Vista, Basketball Banquet
Thursday, April 24th- Interviews, Weekly Construction Meeting
Friday, April 25th- CHS Track- Rye Thunderbolt Invitational
Wednesday, April 30th- Secondary Rockies Trip, Haskin EOY Spring Concert- 6:00 pm- Main Gym
Monday, May 5th- CHS Testing Incentive Day- Dunk Tank
Tuesday, May 6th- CHS Academic Awards @ 6:00 pm- Auditorium
Wednesday, May 7th- CNA Pinning @ 6:30 pm- Auditorium
Thursday, May 8th- NHS Induction- Auditorium
Saturday, May 10th- Prom- 7:30 pm- Main Gym, Commons
Monday, May 12th- End of Year Band Concert- 6:30- 7:30 pm- Aux Gym
Tuesday, May 13th- HS Day Awards- 8-10 am- Auditorium
Wednesday, May 14th- Senior Walk- 11:15 am, Senior Exit Interviews- 9-11 am
Thursday, May 15th- 5th Grade Continuation-1:30-3:00 pm- Auditorium, Author Art Show- 5-7 pm
Monday, May 19th- Athletic Awards Ceremony
Tuesday, May 20th- Kindergarten Graduation
Wednesday, May 21st- MS Awards- 8-10 am, 8th Grade Continuation- 7:00 pm
Thursday, May 22nd- Preschool Graduation @6:00 pm- Auditorium- Haskin Field Day, CHS Graduation Practice
Saturday, May 24th - CHS Graduation- 10 am- Main Gym
Comments