Echoes from Cañon
Our Mission
The Cañon City School District is future-focused, providing innovative educational opportunities to successfully prepare all students to meet any challenge they may face.
The Cañon City School District is future-focused, providing innovative educational opportunities to successfully prepare all students to meet any challenge they may face.
Our Core Beliefs
1. We meet the social-emotional needs of all students, putting Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs before Bloom’s Taxonomy.
2. We believe learning growth matters most, requires risk-taking, and the work we do in our schools has the greatest impact on this.
3. We’re future-focused, believing the development of certain traits and skills will best prepare our students for ever-changing careers.
4. We emphasize what is good for kids over the needs and comfort of adults.
1. We meet the social-emotional needs of all students, putting Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs before Bloom’s Taxonomy.
2. We believe learning growth matters most, requires risk-taking, and the work we do in our schools has the greatest impact on this.
3. We’re future-focused, believing the development of certain traits and skills will best prepare our students for ever-changing careers.
4. We emphasize what is good for kids over the needs and comfort of adults.
Our Core Beliefs In Action
District Social-Emotional learning Coordinator Jamie Murray leads a QPR training session fro classified staff.
In support of our first core belief, "we meet the social-emotional needs of all students, putting Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs before Bloom’s Taxonomy," all classified staff received QPR training before the first day of school. This was Phase 1 of our process to ultimately train all staff in our District suicide prevention/intervention process. QPR stands for Question, Persuade, Refer and uses the “chain of survival” approach for recognizing and responding positively to suicidal warning signs and behaviors. Training includes questioning at-risk individuals in order to determine suicide intent/desire, persuading a person to agree to seek help, and referring a person to appropriate resources.
In support of our second core belief, "we believe learning growth matters most and the work we do in our schools has the greatest impact on this," I'm sharing our achievement results related to Year 3 of our Early Literacy Grant. Our goals for all three years have been as follows:
1. Make above to well above average progress moving students out of the well below benchmark rating.
2. Make above to well above average progress moving students into benchmark rating.
3. Move 50% of students scoring below benchmark up at least one performance category.
In support of our second core belief, "we believe learning growth matters most and the work we do in our schools has the greatest impact on this," I'm sharing our achievement results related to Year 3 of our Early Literacy Grant. Our goals for all three years have been as follows:
1. Make above to well above average progress moving students out of the well below benchmark rating.
2. Make above to well above average progress moving students into benchmark rating.
3. Move 50% of students scoring below benchmark up at least one performance category.
Cañon Exploratory School Kindergarten Teacher Diane Rivera guides a participants in a Professional Development Fair session in the concepts of Choice Theory.
Thanks to great leadership by Assitant Superintendent of Schools Adam Hartman, tremendous effort by district-wide K-3 staff, and outstanding support by our team of literacy specialists, Cañon City Schools actually achieved all three goals at all participating schools, and as a district. This is the first time we achieved this. Congratulations to all involved!
Also in support of our second core belief, "we believe learning growth . . . requires risk-taking, and the work we do in our schools has the greatest impact on this, we wish to extend an enormous thanks to all our staff who served as presenters at our annual Professional development Fair. Assistant Superintendent of Schools Adam Hartman said, "we set out to internally develop experts and have them contribute back to the development of their peers. One way we do this is through the PD Fair, and our August 13th event was a terrific success!" Over 300 attendees attended three sessions each, all focused on our vision, mission, core beliefs, and instructional pillars." Mr. Hartman added, "risk-taking applies to kids and adults alike. Clearly, each of you has taken that risk, and I am so proud of you for that!"
Finally, in support of our fourth core belief, "we emphasize what is good for kids over the needs and comfort of adults, I want to thank the Harrison K-8 staff for the way they have dealt with unanticipated student numbers in several grades. It would be quite easy to face such a situation by leaving everyone right where they are, but the Hawk staff has placed core belief number four at the forefront of their work, adjusting the roles of adults to the benefit of our kids. Thank you!
Also in support of our second core belief, "we believe learning growth . . . requires risk-taking, and the work we do in our schools has the greatest impact on this, we wish to extend an enormous thanks to all our staff who served as presenters at our annual Professional development Fair. Assistant Superintendent of Schools Adam Hartman said, "we set out to internally develop experts and have them contribute back to the development of their peers. One way we do this is through the PD Fair, and our August 13th event was a terrific success!" Over 300 attendees attended three sessions each, all focused on our vision, mission, core beliefs, and instructional pillars." Mr. Hartman added, "risk-taking applies to kids and adults alike. Clearly, each of you has taken that risk, and I am so proud of you for that!"
Finally, in support of our fourth core belief, "we emphasize what is good for kids over the needs and comfort of adults, I want to thank the Harrison K-8 staff for the way they have dealt with unanticipated student numbers in several grades. It would be quite easy to face such a situation by leaving everyone right where they are, but the Hawk staff has placed core belief number four at the forefront of their work, adjusting the roles of adults to the benefit of our kids. Thank you!
Our Future Focus
CES students receive their Chromebooks.
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CCMS students receive Chromebooks.
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Harrison students receive Chromebooks.
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Of utmost excitement last week is that roughly 700 Harrison grade 6-8 and Cañon City Middle School students were issued their Chromebook devices as they arrived for the school year. Add to this the more than 1,000 devices that were redistributed to Cañon City High School students and more than 100 devices that will be distributed to Cañon Exploratory 5th through 8th graders, and we'll have met our year two technology plan implementation goal of providing all grade 6-12 students a keyboard and screen device.
Override Progress
CCSD Teachers have been deeply involved in the selection of new learning resources.
Though our one-to-one initiative was a big part of our November 2017 mill-override ask, we have been accomplishing many other things related to it. This is the second consecutive year CCSD staff will benefit from the additional $350,000 added to salaries and benefits, another $85,000 has been passed on to Echo Council to support the expansion of preschool services, and Mountain View Core Knowledge School received another additional $87,000 to work with, with which I understand they have started their own grade 6-8 one-to-one technology program.
Another promise we made prior to the November 2017 election was to use override dollars to support updated, standards-aligned resources. to date we have already done so in the following areas:
-Middle School Science Technology Engineering and Math resources called DefinedSTEM. This is a Project-Based Learning program produced by Pitsco Expeditions.
-Middle School STEMScopes science curriculum, which is aligned to the 2021 Colorado Academic Standards and the state's Next Generation Science Standards.
-Middle School Social Studies TCI resource, which our staff compared to the Rigor and Relevance Framework and found it to be a good match, as well as with its alignment to new Colorado Social Studies Academic Standards.
-Middle School English Language Arts resource called My Perspectives, which was also compared to the Rigor and Relevance Framework and aligns well with new Colorado ELA Academic Standards. The My Perspectives resource allows for rigorous and easily differentiated learning experiences and assessment opportunities for students.
In all the above cases, the Cañon City School District has utilized robust selection committees to ensure we're putting outstanding resources in the hands of students and making responsible use of mill-levy override funds. When purchasing new resources we look for standards-aligned, rigorous resources we deem to be prone to high levels of student engagement. Additionally, we've coupled our latest resource adoptions to maximize the academic opportunities afforded to us by our one-to-one Chromebook initiative.
Another promise we made prior to the November 2017 election was to use override dollars to support updated, standards-aligned resources. to date we have already done so in the following areas:
-Middle School Science Technology Engineering and Math resources called DefinedSTEM. This is a Project-Based Learning program produced by Pitsco Expeditions.
-Middle School STEMScopes science curriculum, which is aligned to the 2021 Colorado Academic Standards and the state's Next Generation Science Standards.
-Middle School Social Studies TCI resource, which our staff compared to the Rigor and Relevance Framework and found it to be a good match, as well as with its alignment to new Colorado Social Studies Academic Standards.
-Middle School English Language Arts resource called My Perspectives, which was also compared to the Rigor and Relevance Framework and aligns well with new Colorado ELA Academic Standards. The My Perspectives resource allows for rigorous and easily differentiated learning experiences and assessment opportunities for students.
In all the above cases, the Cañon City School District has utilized robust selection committees to ensure we're putting outstanding resources in the hands of students and making responsible use of mill-levy override funds. When purchasing new resources we look for standards-aligned, rigorous resources we deem to be prone to high levels of student engagement. Additionally, we've coupled our latest resource adoptions to maximize the academic opportunities afforded to us by our one-to-one Chromebook initiative.
Bond Progress
There is a lot of activity on the roof of the CCMS gymnasium.
A ton of work is taking place on the roof of the circa 1970's Cañon City Middle School gymnasium. This includes replacement of roofing material, installation of new HVAC units, and installation of skylights that will provide affordable daylighting in the space below.
Meanwhile, work proceeds at a normal pace on the Washington Elementary site with continued excavation, footers being formed and poured, stem walls following them, and plumbing and electrical preparations installed prior to pouring of facility floors.
Meanwhile, work proceeds at a normal pace on the Washington Elementary site with continued excavation, footers being formed and poured, stem walls following them, and plumbing and electrical preparations installed prior to pouring of facility floors.
Last Week
Washington Elementary students were already engaged in reading on the first day of school.
Last week I participated in a functional lockdown drill on Sunday, took my 5th annual "Tour De Cañon City" to make the rounds to all schools on opening day, attended a comprehensive meeting about student placements related to behavior issues, attended a training session on our two-way radio system, held a Superintendent Advisory Council meeting, attend a monthly Regional Manager's Meeting, caught up on project work, attended an informational meeting about a Colorado Education Initiative Youth Connections grant opportunity, and trekked to and from Denver for Early Childhood Leadership Commission and Mill Levy Equity legislative planning meetings.
This Week
This Monday I'll publish another installment of Echoes, meet with RE-2 district leaders about possibly collaborating on a grant, work with Director of Special Services Tim Renn on communicating a new MTSS structure for the district, and attend our official opening of our new district grounds facility/hands-on technology center. On Tuesday we'll hold a Superintendent Advisory Council meeting, I have a meeting about a Colorado Educations Initiative Youth Connections grant opportunity, I'll join CCMS instructional leaders Jesse Oliver and Russ Braiden for some classroom walkthroughs, and I'll take another trip to Denver late that day for an Early Childhood Leadership Commission meeting where we'll say goodbye to outgoing commissioners and welcome new ones. On Wednesday I'll attend a meeting about a possible high school video productions collaboration with a community business, meet with Lincoln School of Science and Technology Principal Garrett Olguin about Lincoln's UIP goals, and attend a Cañon City Planning and Zoning Committee meeting about our CCMS project. Thursday brings some project work on a Gates Foundation Grant to support the work we envisioned through our Civic Canopy process, and I'll attend a Cañon City Urban Renewal meeting. One more exciting thing going on this week is that on Friday the Fremont County Department of Human Services will be conducting interviews to hire an embedded social worker that will serve our school district.
Other Voices
Cañon City High School Assistant Principal Michelle Johnson reports the Colorado Supreme Court will actually be conducting business this fall in the Lou Delpizzo Auditorium at CCHS.
This will take place on Thursday, October 17th, during which the Court will hold two real hearings. Cañon City High School students will have an opportunity to study the case briefs in the weeks prior to these hearings and will be in the audience.
The Supreme Court visit will follow this schedule:
8 AM-9 AM- Reception with the Justices in the Library for school and city officials during which a light breakfast will be served.
9AM-12PM- Two hearings will be held in the auditorium.
12:15 PM- 1:30 PM- Luncheon at the Abbey for Justices, 30 students, and select staff. Judges will sit at tables with students and answer their questions.
I echo Ms. Johnson's sentiment that "we are extremely excited to have this opportunity and look forward to the Court's visit!"
Thanks for this exciting information Ms. Johnson, and thank you all listening once again!
George S. Welsh
This will take place on Thursday, October 17th, during which the Court will hold two real hearings. Cañon City High School students will have an opportunity to study the case briefs in the weeks prior to these hearings and will be in the audience.
The Supreme Court visit will follow this schedule:
8 AM-9 AM- Reception with the Justices in the Library for school and city officials during which a light breakfast will be served.
9AM-12PM- Two hearings will be held in the auditorium.
12:15 PM- 1:30 PM- Luncheon at the Abbey for Justices, 30 students, and select staff. Judges will sit at tables with students and answer their questions.
I echo Ms. Johnson's sentiment that "we are extremely excited to have this opportunity and look forward to the Court's visit!"
Thanks for this exciting information Ms. Johnson, and thank you all listening once again!
George S. Welsh
