Center of Focus

May 18th, 2025

Focus on the Fabulous

Viking Weekly Wrap-Up: Celebrating Successes, Creativity, and Community!

 It was another action-packed week in Viking Nation!

🎶 A Hollywood Night of Music

On Monday night, Mr. Noriega and his talented band students took us on a musical journey through Hollywood at the annual End-of-Year Band Concert. The evening opened with the fifth graders and the Mickey Mouse March, followed by the sixth graders energizing the crowd with Eye of the Tiger. The middle school band transported us to Agrabah with music from Aladdin, and the high school students performed timeless classics like Tomorrow and Over the Rainbow.

The night concluded with a spirited performance of the CHS Fight Song - Go Vikings GO! A huge shoutout to our students and Mr. Noriega for an unforgettable performance!

High School Student Recognition

Tuesday was a day of celebration as teachers recognized our high school students during the CHS Awards Ceremony. From academic excellence to unique distinctions, each student was honored for their individual strengths.

A couple of memorable recognitions included Jose Cendejas, who earned perfect attendance, and Matthew Archuleta, who was recognized for sporting the most facial hair! Our teachers found fun and meaningful ways to spotlight our students' many accomplishments.

Viking Track Stars Shine at State!

This weekend, five of our Viking athletes represented Center with pride at the State Track & Field Championships. Congratulations to Giselle Meraz, Presley Wilson, Anjel Palma, Andree Meraz, and Caden Ruggles for qualifying to compete at this level!

It was a strong showing for our Vikings, with several athletes achieving personal records (PRs) and multiple podium finishes:

• Giselle Meraz placed 11th in discus and gave a strong performance throughout the competition.

• Presley Wilson earned two top-10 finishes, taking 8th in discus and 9th in shot put—an impressive dual-event showing!

• Caden Ruggles PR’ed in the 300-meter hurdles on Friday and capped off the weekend with an 8th-place finish in the finals.

• Andree Meraz also set a new personal best in discus and earned a 5th-place finish on the final day of competition.

• Anjel Palma competed with heart and determination, rounding out a great season.

We are incredibly proud of all our athletes and coaches for their hard work, perseverance, and dedication throughout the season. Way to go, Vikings!

🎓 Senior Exit Interviews: Stories That Inspire

One of the most impactful traditions at CHS is our Senior Exit Interviews. Each senior presents their academic portfolio to a panel, sharing personal stories, achievements, and future goals.

These presentations highlight our students' resilience, authenticity, and determination. It's truly inspiring to hear about their journeys and the obstacles they've overcome. We couldn’t be prouder of the Class of 2025!

🔧District Ownership Team Wraps Up the Year

On Wednesday evening, the District Ownership Team (DOT) came together to reflect on a year of hard work and progress. Led by our always-enthusiastic hostess, Kindra Rounds, the team enjoyed fun games, reviewed completed goals from our District Ownership Plan, and shared recommendations for the year ahead. Thank you to the DOT for your commitment to continuous improvement and for helping make Center the best district around!

🎉 5th Grade Continuation Celebration

Thursday marked an important milestone for our 5th graders, who celebrated their Continuation Ceremony. Family and friends gathered to honor their transition from elementary to middle school. We’re proud of these students and all they’ve accomplished. Congratulations, future middle schoolers!

✍️🎨 First-Ever Author & Art Show

Thursday evening also featured a wonderful new tradition: the 1st Annual Author & Art Show, hosted by Mrs. Soden and Mrs. Hintz in the school library.

Students and staff showcased their creativity through writing and art. Highlights included poetry readings from Ms. Hays and Mr. Cordoza and student-created works shared proudly with peers and families.

It was a beautiful celebration of imagination and talent. Thank you to Mrs. Soden and Mrs. Hintz for making it happen!

Honoring Our Amazing Nurses

As Nurse Appreciation Week came to a close, we want to once again express our heartfelt gratitude to our incredible nursing team. Randi supports our Haskin students with care and compassion, while Taylor works closely with our secondary Vikings. Taylor's been out on maternity leave as they welcomed Becklyn to the family, but we are excited to welcome her back this past week! Randi and Wendy have been holding down the fort!

Together with Wendy, these three dedicated professionals work tirelessly to keep our students healthy and strong. Thank you for all you do!

It’s been a week full of achievements, creativity, and community spirit. We are so proud of our students, staff, and families. Together, we are Viking Strong!

District Ownership Plan at Work

Priority #1 – Curriculum and Instruction

Goal: CCSD staff lead rigorous, engaging, collaborative learning experiences in every classroom that align with CCSD Instructional Expectations.

Last week, our Haskin 3rd graders were busy bringing their imaginations to life! The halls were alive with excitement as students put the final touches on their creative projects. From collaborative workspaces to colorful displays, it was inspiring to see our young learners engaged and proud of their work. Way to go, 3rd grade!

Center High School students had the opportunity to participate in real-world learning at the 4th

Adams State University hosts the Annual Entrepreneurship and Innovation Expo. This dynamic event brought together 58 students from three schools to showcase their business savvy and innovative thinking developed through classes, clubs, and capstone projects.

In addition to entrepreneurship, the expo, sponsored by the Opportunity Now grant, introduced students to career pathways in the health field. Participants explored three different health-related careers through hands-on activities and interactions.

Rachel Cheslock, ASU Special Projects Director, praised the Center’s strong presence at the event and noted that our students walked away with several well-earned awards!

Innovation Project Awards

• Noah Swanson – Best Oral Presentation

• Christian Badachi – Innovation Award (Out-of-the-box thinking)

• Aiden Gurrola & Angel Mendoza – Best Visual Presentation

• Azul Felix Macias – Passionate Learning Award (For showing heart and care in the project)

• Camila Carrasco – Social Justice Award (For supporting an underserved group)

• Dorismar Enriquez & Christopher Trujillo – Meeting the Need Award (Recognized for addressing a key community need—judges couldn’t choose just one!)

Entrepreneurship Project Awards

• Leilany Soto & Diana Enriquez – Best Pitch

• Damian Casanova – Meet the Need Award

• Josue Reblero Santiz – Passionate Learning Award

• Yuliana Majalca – Social Justice Award

Student Choice Awards (Selected by peers at the event)

• Favorite Project – Sheyla Molina Campos & Alyciana Lujan

• Most Inspiring Project – Leilany Soto & Diana Enriquez

We're so proud of our students for their creativity, dedication, and entrepreneurial spirit. Congratulations to all our award winners and participants—you represented Center with pride and excellence!

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.

On Thursday, we saw the final presentation of the juniors' Capstone Projects when they presented formally to an audience of peers and evaluators. 

Students shared a detailed description of their projects, the why behind the work, the challenges they faced, and their successes. 

The Capstone helps students to accomplish their PWR goal of developing hard-working learners who are contributors to their community, problem solvers, effective communicators, and who are empowered to thrive in today’s society!

Congratulations to our CNA students who earned their Associate's degree from Trinidad State! This is quite an accomplishment!

Priority #3- Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS)

Goal: To maintain high expectations for student learning and behavior and establish structures to support all students’ academic and behavioral needs.

As we wrap up the year, we are taking time to look at different types of data to see what strategies, interventions, systems were impactful for our students and their success.  Jerica Gonzalez, Haskin Elementary Counselor, put together some summary reports for us to reflect on and use the data to help us on our quest for continued improvement and student success.

Priority #4- Recruitment and Retention

Goal: Recruit, train, and retain highly qualified teachers, because effective educators are the single most important school-based factor in student success.

It takes a committed team working together to achieve our goals of academic success and student growth. Everyone plays a role, and great things happen when we all pitch in. This is how district ownership works!

A huge thank you to our amazing tech team, who often work behind the scenes to make sure everything runs smoothly. They ensure that every student has a working device each day, that our classrooms are equipped with the technology needed for effective teaching, and that our systems are functioning so the entire district can operate efficiently.

But their contributions go far beyond that. Whether setting up for concerts, managing sound systems, supporting presentations, or helping with ceremonies, they’re always there, quietly ensuring everything goes off without a hitch.

We are incredibly grateful to Julio, Teddy, and Ascencion, the best tech team around. We honestly couldn’t do it without you!

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, May 19th- Freshmen Outdoor Health Trip, Special BOE Meeting

Tuesday, May 20th- Kindergarten Graduation, 8th Grade Class Trip, DHAC

Wednesday, May 21st- SMS Awards- 8-10 am, Device Inspection and Turn in, 8th Grade Continuation- 7:00 pm

Thursday, May 22nd- Students Last Day of School, Haskin Field Day, CHS Graduation Practice, Construction Meeting- OAC, Preschool Graduation @ 6:00 pm- Auditorium

Friday, May 23rd- End of Year Celebration, Staff Work Day

Saturday, May 24th - CHS Graduation- 10 am- Main Gym

Saturday, June 7th- ARC Graduation