• Home
  • About
  • Contact
  • December 6, 2021
  • December 13, 2021
  • December 20, 2021
  • December 31, 2021
  • Past Installments
    • 2015 >
      • July 5, 2015
      • July 12, 2015
      • July 19, 2015
      • July 26, 2015
      • August 2, 2015
      • August 9, 2015
      • August 16, 2015
      • August 23, 2015
      • August 31, 2015
      • September 6, 2015
      • September 13, 2015
      • September 20, 2015
      • September 27, 2015
      • October 4, 2015
      • October 11, 2015
      • October 18, 2015
      • October 25, 2015
      • November 1, 2015
      • November 8, 2015
      • November 15, 2015
      • November 29, 2015
      • December 6, 2015
      • December 13, 2015
      • December 20, 2015
    • 2016 >
      • January 10, 2016
      • January 17, 2016
      • January 24, 2016
      • January 31, 2016
      • February 7, 2016
      • February 14, 2016
      • February 21, 2016
      • February 28, 2016
      • March 6, 2016
      • March 13, 2016
      • March 20, 2016
      • March 27, 2016
      • April 3, 2016
      • April 10, 2016
      • April 17, 2016
      • April 24, 2016
      • May 1, 2016
      • May 8, 2016
      • May 15, 2016
      • May 22, 2016
      • May 30, 2016
      • June 5, 2016
      • June 12 and 19
      • June 26 to July 3
      • July 24, 2016
      • July 31, 2016
      • August 7, 2016
      • August 14, 2016
      • August 21, 2016
      • August 28, 2016
      • September 4, 2016
      • September 11, 2016
      • September 18, 2016
      • September 25, 2016
      • October 2, 2106
      • October 9, 2016
      • October 16, 2016
      • October 23, 2016
      • October 30, 2016
      • November 6, 2016
      • November 13, 2016
      • November 27, 2016
      • December 4, 2016
      • December 11, 2016
      • December 19, 2016
    • 2017 >
      • Facilities Options
      • January 8, 2017
      • January 15, 2017
      • January 22, 2017
      • February 12, 2017
      • February 26, 2017
      • March 5, 2017
      • March 12, 2017
      • Spring Break 2017
      • April Fools
      • April 9, 2017
      • April 16, 2017
      • April 30, 2017
      • May 7, 2017
      • May 14, 2017
      • May 29, 2017
      • June 4, 2017
      • June 11, 2017
      • June 18, 2017
      • June 25, 2017
      • July 2, 2017
      • July 9, 2017
      • July 16, 2017
      • July 23, 2017
      • July 30, 2017
      • August 6, 2017
      • August 13, 2017
      • August 20, 2017
      • August 27, 2017
      • September 3, 2017
      • September 10, 2017
      • September 17, 2017
      • September 24, 2017
      • October 1, 2017
      • October 8, 2017
      • October 15, 2017
      • October 22, 2017
      • October 29, 2017
      • November 5, 2017
      • November 12, 2017
      • November 26, 2017
      • December 3, 2017
      • December 10, 2017
      • December 13, 2017
    • 2018 >
      • January 7, 2018
      • January 14, 2018
      • January 21, 2018
      • January 28, 2018
      • February 4, 2018
      • February 11, 2018
      • February 18, 2018
      • February 25, 2018
      • March 4, 2018
      • March 11, 2018
      • March 18, 2018
      • March 25, 2018
      • April 2, 2018
      • April 8, 2018
      • April 15, 2018
      • April 22, 2018
      • April 29, 2018
      • May 6, 2018
      • May 13, 2018
      • May 20, 2018
      • May 27, 2018
      • June 3, 2018
      • June 10, 2018
      • June 17, 2018
      • June 24, 2018
      • July 1, 2018
      • July 8, 2018
      • July 15, 2018
      • July 22, 2018
      • July 29, 2018
      • August 5, 2018
      • August 12, 2018
      • August 19, 2018
      • August 26, 2018
      • September 2, 2018
      • September 9, 2018
      • September 16. 2018
      • September 23, 2018
      • September 30, 2018
      • October 7, 2018
      • October 14, 2018
      • October 21, 2018
      • October 28, 2018
      • November 4, 2018
      • November 11, 2018
      • November 18, 2018
      • November 25, 2018
      • December 2, 2018
      • December 9, 2018
      • December 16, 2018
    • 2019 >
      • January 6, 2019
      • January 13, 2019
      • January 21, 2019
      • January 27, 2019
      • February 3, 2019
      • February 10, 2019
      • February 17, 2019
      • February 24, 2019
      • March 3, 2019
      • March 10, 2019
      • March 17, 2019
      • March 24, 2019
      • March 31, 2019
      • April 7, 2019
      • April 14, 2019
      • April 21, 2019
      • April 28, 2019
      • May 5, 2019
      • May 12, 2019
      • May 19, 2019
      • May 27, 2019
      • June 3, 2019
      • June 9, 2019
      • June 23, 2019
      • June 30, 2019
      • July 8, 2019
      • July 15, 2019
      • July 22, 2019
      • July 29, 2019
      • August 5, 2019
      • August 12, 2019
      • August 19, 2019
      • August 26, 2019
      • September 3, 2019
      • September 9, 2019
      • September 16, 2019
      • September 23, 2019
      • September 30, 2019
      • October 7. 2019
      • October 14, 2019
      • October 21, 2019
      • October 28, 2019
      • November 4, 2019
      • November 11, 2019
      • November 18, 2019
      • November 25, 2019
      • December 2, 2019
      • December 9, 2019
      • December 16, 2010
      • December 23, 2019
      • December 31, 2019
    • 2020 >
      • January 13, 2020
      • January 20, 2020
      • January 27, 2020
      • February 3, 2020
      • February 10, 2020
      • February 17, 2020
      • February 24, 2020
      • March 2, 2020
      • March 9, 2020
      • March 30, 2020
      • Special Message to Community
      • April 6, 2020
      • April 13, 2020
      • April 20, 2020
      • May 4, 2020
      • May 11, 2020
      • June 1, 2020
      • June 15, 2020
      • June 30, 2020
      • August 5, 2020
      • August 24, 2020
      • October 12, 2020
      • October 26, 2020
      • November 9, 2020
      • November 30, 2020
      • December 14, 2020
      • December 30, 2020
    • 2021 >
      • January 11, 2021
      • January 25, 2021
      • February 8, 2021
      • March 22, 2021
      • March 29, 2021
      • April 6, 2021
      • May 31, 2021
      • June 7, 2021
      • June 14, 2021
      • June 21, 2021
      • July 5, 2021
      • August 3, 2021
      • August 16, 2021
      • August 31, 2021
      • September 13, 2021
      • September 28, 2021
      • November 8, 2021
      • November 15, 2021
      • November 22, 2021
      • November 29, 2021
      • 2021 Instructional Program Reviews >
        • CCHS 2021 Instructional Program Review
        • CCMS 2021 Instructional Program Review
        • CES 2021 Instructional Program Review
        • Harrison 2021 Instructional Program Review
        • LSST 2021 Instructional Program Review
        • McKinley 2021 Instructional Program Review
        • Washington 2021 Instructional Program Review

Echoes from Cañon

Examples of Excellence

Picture
Picture
Picture
PictureBill Summers and Adam Hartman discuss Early College offerings with PCC staff members.
Last week our first summer school reading academy culminated as students completed a battery of tests to measure growth achieved using the Lindamood-Bell Seeing Stars intervention process.  I look forward to the post program data so we can see just how much our students grew.  Every bit as important as this student growth, 20 Cañon City Schools teachers and literacy coaches logged nearly 1,000 total hours of Seeing Stars instruction and other daily professional development as part of this process.  Now, they will be able to take the skills they have learned and use them in daily instruction as well as in intervention sessions conducted throughout the upcoming school year.  Just as exciting, on Monday August 8th another 35 staff members will embark on Lindamood-Bell Seeing Stars and Visualizing and Verbalizing training in replication of this first step of our process.  

At the same time we operated our first summer reading academy, many dedicated staff members conducted an extended school year program for our special education students.  This focused on reading, math, and general academic strategies.  I know my communication focus has been on our new summer reading academy, but I want to take a moment thank our ESY for giving up precious summer break time in service to our children and their families in this effort.

A shout out to our staff at the district warehouse who have taken on the task of sorting through tons of boxes related to our new Journeys reading materials adoption.  These resources were purchased as a result of our Early Literacy grant award and are starting to arrive at our school campuses to be accessed by classroom teachers.  It takes great people to run an effective school district and so many of ours proudly work in the background putting resources our teachers need in place so they can make a positive difference to our students.  Thank you so much!

On Friday afternoon CCHS principal Bill Summers, director of instruction Adam Hartman, and I attended a meeting with Dr. Lana Carter, Eric Ingmire, Kathy Herrin, and key Pueblo Community College partners to discuss the start of our new welding program partnership and to refine processes for enrolling students and offering Early College coursework. Cañon City High School has 20 teachers certified as dual high school and college credit instructors including Marcy Epperson, Scott Witkowski, Mark Heinen, Duff Seany, John Duston, Paula Peterson, Lisa DeBuano, Eric House, Lori Coppa, Jake Hogan, Tom O’Rourke, Pierre Ganache, Nathan Bohlken, Jamie Boring, Josh Race, Andrew Fisher, Lora Eslick, Kristi Cushman, Jessie Daniels, and Rachel Lyons. Additionally, 3 more teachers have committed to complete graduate coursework so they can join this list.  What a luxury it is to have such qualified people right on our high school campus who make it possible for students to get a head start on college at virtually no additional cost.  Cañon City High School’s partnership with Pueblo Community College is truly an example of excellence.

The Focus of Our Work

PictureFormer TOSA Scott Morton and new TOSA Kelly Albrecht sharpened their instructional craft at Theory Into Practice training last fall.
At our board of education work session on Monday we will hear from CCHS principal Bill Summers about his plans to gear up the high school to implement a pathways education model, and preparations being made to align high school instruction to the new Colorado graduation requirements that go into effect for the class of 2021.  During our open meeting, operations manager Jeff Peterson, finance director Buddy Lambrecht, and I will present a number of options the board might consider more deeply as it works to offer more clear guidance on how to plan for the future use and facilities upgrade in the school district.  We invite all interested community members to attend this discussion that should begin sometime between 5:30 and 6 PM.

During this week we will welcome new certified staff members through an orientation process guided by director of human resources Misty Manchester.  As stated above, roughly 35 of our teachers, instructional paraprofessionals, and principals will also be trained in Lindamood-Bell Seeing Stars and Visualizing and Verbalizing interventions.  On Friday all K-5 classroom teachers who have not yet done so will receive introductory training on how to use our new Journeys reading resources.  


Another focus of our work has been ensuring all our schools have the instructional leadership and student support resources necessary to operate effectively.  To do so we have hired a number of Teachers On Special Assignment (TOSA).  Last year Cañon City High School and Cañon City Middle School each already had a TOSA in their building, with CCHS’s focused on attendance, teacher evaluation and support matters, and CCMS’s serving as a dean of students who also focused on improved teacher instruction and evaluation.  An additional benefit of TOSAs is growing future building leaders.  Scott Morton, who served at CCMS and CCHS during the last two years, was chosen by staff to fill the role of Cañon Exploratory School principal in part as a result of experience he gained as a TOSA.  Jesse Oliver served as CCMS TOSA last year and will continue in that important role this year.  Because of our opportunity to compete for an Expelled and At-Risk Student Services grant this spring we redesigned the CCHS TOSA role to focus on implementation of a more structured student discipline code that includes an alternative to suspension program.  Former ROTC instructor Andrew Ornelas was hired into this new position at no additional cost to the district because of our receiving the grant.   Many have noticed TOSAs have been added to the staffs of Washington Elementary and Harrison K-8.  We made a decision this spring to hire Kelly Albrecht to support teacher evaluation and administrative supervision at Washington Elementary School because, at over 400 students, it is by far our greatest elementary level administrative challenge.  However, because we also looked closely at grade level populations, we were able to add her position at no additional cost.  Harrison K-8 had a similar issue.  At well more than 700 students combined in grades K-8, Harrison houses both our 2nd largest middle school and our 2nd largest elementary population under one roof.  With this many students and only a principal and assistant principal on staff it has become difficult for administrators to focus their effort on improvement of instruction.  However, after taking a close look at staffing needs, principal John Pavlicek and assistant principal Brian Sprenger were able to propose a plan that secured enough staffing dollars to add Sheryl Wiseman as a TOSA who will focus on student discipline.  Thus, at no additional staffing cost, Harrison now has added a person who is expert at addressing student behavior matters, allowing John and Brian to offer teachers the coaching support they need to improve student learning outcomes.

Last Week

PicturePaula Buser updated principals on school safety items at our leadership team meeting.
I began this week touching base with RE-2 superintendent Rhonda Roberts. Later on Monday I brought Cañon City Daily Record reporter Sarah Knuth to observe our Lindamood-Bell Summer Reading Academy.  I also met with CES principal Scott Morton about developing a rubric to measure his school’s success in teaching to the exploratory model.  I then worked with district literacy coordinator Gina Gallegos to prepare for and conduct a building leader PLC session.  On Tuesday I began my day at KRLN radio, the had a superintendent advisory council meeting. I also met with the folks at our district maintenance shop about budget issues.  On Wednesday I attended our monthly admin office team meeting, meetings about budget items and grant implementation, a meeting with our district nurse Patricia Sallie, and then I travelled to Denver to participate in my first event with other members of Colorado’s Early Childhood Leadership Commission.  On Thursday I met with a Channel 5 News reporter about our facilities discussions in the morning and then conducted an administration leadership team meeting in the afternoon.  Friday brought about a series of routine meetings, including a monthly touching base session with director of special services Lynnette Steinhoff, and a meeting with Dr. Lana Carter's staff at the PCC Fremont Campus.

This Week

On Monday morning I'll meet with Dominic Carochi about some special projects he is working on for the district through the use of our Title II funding, and then I'll prepare for and attend a board work session and regular meeting.  On Tuesday I meet with CCPD, and my Superintendent Advisory Council.  Wednesday and Thursday will be filled with Visualizing and Verbalizing training for me, along with a Cañon 2020 session on Thursday evening. So far I have a fairly light schedule for Friday, though I am sure that will change during the week.

Thanks for listening once again!

George S. Welsh
Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.