May 5, 2024
Focus on the Fabulous
Happy Teacher Appreciation Week to our FABULOUS teachers! Our teachers are Shining Superstars, making the world brighter, one student at a time! As Teacher Appreciation Week unfolds, I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude to each and every one of our amazing teachers. Your dedication, passion, and unwavering commitment to nurturing minds, establishing and maintaining relationships, and shaping futures do not go unnoticed. You are igniting the flames of learning, instilling knowledge, and helping to create a path of success for our students. Education is a challenging profession, and amidst challenges and triumphs, our Center team is steadfast in its mission to empower and enlighten. Thank you for the countless hours you spend ensuring quality instruction and learning is happening in your classrooms every day and for the patience shown in moments of difficulty. This week and every week, we celebrate the remarkable work you do! Hip, Hip, Hooray for our incredible Center Team! #VikingProud
Our CHS Baseball team had an exciting home win on Tuesday night. The gloves and bats were hot as they took out Antonito! It was a great day for baseball on our home field!
Our middle and high school students competed successfully in track tournaments last week. Our middle schoolers did well at the Sangre meet, and our high school team showed up at their SPL meet in Del Norte. I’ve already heard that we have state qualifiers!
Vikings in the News
I had the opportunity to testify again for HB-1448, along with Mr. George Welsh. We testified during the Senate Education Committee on Friday evening. HB-1448, the New School Finance Formula, passed 6-1, and later that evening, HB-1282- the 9th Grade On Track, passed Senate Education unanimously! Both bills will be heard on Monday for third reading and final passage. Then it will be on to the Governor! Our district has been influential in supporting these bills and the great work behind them! Good things happening for public education at the Capitol!
There were several articles that we sponsored, co-authored, or mentioned our district that were in circulation this past week. I shared earlier about the Colorado Sun article @ https://coloradosun.com/2024/04/30/opinion-colorado-school-funding-bill-change-formula/.
There was also an article by Jason Gonzales in Chalkbeak @ https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2024/05/03/funding-formula-proposal-impact-not-universal-for-colorado-school-districts/ that highlighted Center and the impact that the new funding formula would have on our district.
Rewind
Our Center Family, School, and Community Partnership (FSCP) team members traveled to Estes Park for the annual retreat. Our team's work over the last decade is impressive, and other districts work hard to emulate the programs and resources we have put in place. Brisa, Dalia, Misty, and Itzel represented our district incredibly well, and people notice the work being done here in Center! Our FSCP work is focus area #3 of our District Ownership plan. Staff, students, families, and the community are invested in the district and collaborate to ensure students’ success in and out of school. Our goals this year revolved around ensuring communication systems were in place and used regularly and getting diverse parent and community representation on all of our committees. In the Center, we don’t just talk about doing the work; we walk the walk, and it shows!
Our PICS team took over twenty families on a college visit this past weekend. Led by PICS Director, Lucia Miranda, our families had the opportunity to visit the University of Colorado in Colorado Springs. Students and families toured the campus, heard an evening concert, and did other fun activities throughout the weekend.
These visits support focus areas #2 and #3 of our District Ownership Plan, Post-Secondary and Workforce opportunities for our students, and, once again, the FSCP! This is great exposure for our students and helps families become more familiar with college options and what college experience might be best for them! Great job, PICS team. Thanks for making this happen for our kids!
Fast Forward
Preschool students in Ms. Theresa’s and Ms. Miriam’s class delivered a beautiful graduation announcement to the district office this week! We look forward to seeing our little Vikings cross the stage to the next chapter of their school career! Preschool graduation will be on May 23rd in the auditorium.
There are a lot of events coming up in the last few weeks of school. Make sure you get them on your calendars! This is a busy time of year with all of the end-of-year activities and celebrations!
Calendar Dates
Monday, May 6th- Friday, May 10th- TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK!
Monday, May 6th – NWEA Testing, ASU Fall Registration
Tuesday, May 7th- Teacher Appreciation Day! Opportunity Coalition, Superintendents’ Advisory Council, NWEA Testing, CHS SS Parent Night, CHS Track @ Centauri Invitational
Wednesday, May 8th- School Nurse Day! NWEA Testing, Seniors Challenge Course, Superintendent PLC, DAC, Regular BOE Meeting
Thursday, May 9th- SMS EOY Knowledge Bowl Meet, NWEA Science, R & R Work Session, EOY Band Concert
Friday, May 10th- CSFP Advisory Meeting, CHS Last Chance Track Meet @ Monte Vista
Saturday, May 11th- CHS Baseball vs. Trinidad
Tuesday, May 14th- CHS Awards Program,
Wednesday, May 15th- CNA Pinning Ceremony
Thursday, May 16th- NHS Induction Ceremony
Monday, May 20th- NJHS Induction Ceremony
Tuesday, May 21st- Kindergarten Graduation
Wednesday, May 22nd- 5th Grade Continuation, 8th Grade Continuation
Thursday, May 23rd- Preschool Graduation
Saturday, May 25th- CHS Graduation
Monday, May 27th- Memorial Day
Saturday, June 1st- ARC Graduation