Center of Focus

December 21^st, 2025

Focus on the Fabulous

It’s remarkable how much can be accomplished in the final four days of the semester, and our staff truly made the most of that time to close out the calendar year. Across the district, staff created a joyful, festive atmosphere that brought holiday cheer to our students and the broader community.

Center Vikings worked hard to ensure that families were supported over the holidays. Ms. Banning continued her annual Sharing Christmas tradition, delivering 40 food boxes to community members to help ensure that all of our families have what they need for a delicious, healthy Christmas dinner. She works tirelessly to gather donations, assemble boxes, and coordinate deliveries so that Center families have what they need during the holiday season. Ms. Archuleta and the Key Club generously assisted by delivering an additional 20 boxes to families, and further donations were made to support individual families through efforts at the middle and high schools. We are grateful to our Viking staff for spreading Christmas love and cheer throughout the community.

Holiday learning and kindness were also on full display in our classrooms. In Mrs. Villagomez’s kindergarten class, students read The Gingerbread Man and created handmade gingerbread ornaments while discussing how Christmas traditions, including ornaments, have changed over time. Students also decorated sugar-cone Christmas trees to represent their unique personalities, celebrating creativity and individuality while making connections to literacy and social studies.

Mrs. Stilly’s first-grade class shared the spirit of kindness by writing positive notes of appreciation and inviting staff to enjoy coffee, cocoa, and cider in their classroom.

In both Mrs. Stilly’s class and Mrs. Quintana’s third-grade class, community members adopted students and provided each child with a plush toy and a book. Students in Mrs. Stilly’s class enjoyed reading with the Grinch, while Mrs. Quintana’s students gathered to hear a Christmas story with Snoopy. These moments create fun memories and highlight the generosity that defines our Center Viking community.

Mr. Swanson helped spread Christmas cheer through music across our district and community. The Honor Choir shared their talents by caroling at the senior center and throughout the district, bringing joy and holiday spirit to all they visited. Mr. Swanson also led elementary students in singing Christmas songs during lunchtime, and students enthusiastically joined in, filling the space with festive energy and cheerful voices.

There were also fun holiday decorations that brightened the hallways in our district! 

Thank you to everyone who helped make the Christmas season brighter for our students and community. You truly go above and beyond!

We also want to shout out our community partners, 1st Southwest Bank and Jacque Garcia, for their generous Christmas donation to spread Christmas cheer to our students! Santa visited early, thanks to their support of our students and district. Thanks for your generosity.

District Ownership Plan at Work

Priority #1 – Curriculum and Instruction

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

Some of our staff participated in a Community of Practice training at Adams State, focused on effective behavior strategies and classroom management. The training emphasized strengthening prevention and response systems to better support students. Our instructional team continues to prioritize professional growth by staying current with best practices and consistently refining their instructional strategies to improve outcomes for all learners.

 Priority #2 – Postsecondary and Workforce Readiness (PWR)

CCSD develops hardworking learners who are contributors, problem solvers, effective communicators, and future-ready with the skills needed to succeed.

Even amid celebrations, students across the district remained deeply engaged in meaningful, real-world learning experiences. In Mr. Vigil’s high school class, students participated in a thoughtful debate on the three branches of government and which holds the most power. Students clearly articulated the powers and limits of each branch, citing specific laws and real-life circumstances to support their arguments. This authentic discussion connected classroom learning to current events in our world today.

Debate was also taking place at the elementary level in Mrs. Mueller’s fifth-grade classroom. Students were presented with a moral dilemma from the book they were reading and asked to determine what they would have done in the situation. After choosing a stance, students worked collaboratively to defend their position, using textual evidence, quotes, and reasoning to support their thinking. This activity promoted student ownership, independence, and respectful discourse, while helping students learn how to consider multiple perspectives.

Real-world learning continued in Mrs. Lane’s and Mrs. Pepper’s fourth grade classrooms as students concluded the semester with Market Day. Throughout the term, students earned “community money” by meeting expectations and demonstrating responsibility, while also experiencing consequences when work was incomplete or expectations were not met. During Market Day, students sold handmade items or student-designed activities, learning firsthand about earning income, paying debts, and the importance of follow-through and accountability.

These experiences highlight the strong instructional practices across grade levels, as students learn to form perspectives, support their thinking with evidence, collaborate with others, and apply academic skills to real-life situations.

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

CCSD maintains high expectations for student learning and behavior, with structures in place to support the needs of all students.

Our Parents Involved in Center Schools team and the ARC/CVA hosted their annual Christmas party that included a delicious dinner, fun activities at the Christmas village, and a visit for the man in the red suit himself. Thanks to everyone for this great night of community and family engagement! There was a great turnout, and fun was had by all!

Priority #4 – Recruitment and Retention (R&R)

CCSD is committed to attracting, training, and retaining highly qualified teachers, knowing that effective educators are the single most important school-based factor in student success.

We celebrated the end of the semester at our annual Christmas celebration.  Staff came together to play fun games, eat tasty desserts, recognize staff who have moved on to new opportunities, and receive some Christmas cheer from the Board.  It was a great way to wrap up the first semester. 

Fast Forward-

Monday, Dec. 22^nd- Sunday, Jan. 4^th- Christmas Vacation!!! See you in the New Year!