Echoes from Cañon
Examples of Excellence
CCHS culinary arts students proudly display their cake decorating talent.
Last week I had the pleasure of seeing images of some of amazing cake decorating work Cañon City High School culinary arts instructor Deb Crockett’s students created. Deb recently instructed a unit on cake decorating and students were given the opportunity to work collaboratively on a creation. In my opinion each end product displayed some out of the (cake) box thinking and looked professionally produced. I want to thank Deb for sharing the talents of her students with all of us.
I was at first suspicious about a meeting that was placed on my calendar last Friday afternoon, then was surprised to see CCMS vocational building trades teacher Shannon Daly and his entire woodworking class had come to the administration building to present a beautiful handcrafted bench to me. It had even been signed by all the students who worked on it. You would think it would only take one or two kids to build such an object, but a key understanding Mr. Daly wanted his students to gain was the process of setting up an efficient assembly line. The bench is fabulous, the students were proud of their work and, though it took quite a bit of time to design and set up the assembly process, Mr. Daly’s students now know they can build several of these per day if they want to, at a cost of only $16 in materials. What a great lesson!
I was at first suspicious about a meeting that was placed on my calendar last Friday afternoon, then was surprised to see CCMS vocational building trades teacher Shannon Daly and his entire woodworking class had come to the administration building to present a beautiful handcrafted bench to me. It had even been signed by all the students who worked on it. You would think it would only take one or two kids to build such an object, but a key understanding Mr. Daly wanted his students to gain was the process of setting up an efficient assembly line. The bench is fabulous, the students were proud of their work and, though it took quite a bit of time to design and set up the assembly process, Mr. Daly’s students now know they can build several of these per day if they want to, at a cost of only $16 in materials. What a great lesson!
The Focus of Our Work
CCMS building trades students surprised me with a prototype wooden bench they designed and built.
Last Monday CDE capital construction regional representative Anna Fitzer visited Cañon City Schools to learn more about the projects we are proposing for BEST funding. While here we discussed with her the most effective ways to package our grant application, and even took her on a tour of the buildings we hope to replace. Jeff Peterson expertly illustrated the serious structural issues we are facing at Washington Elementary, and the instructional suitability and underuse issues surrounding Cañon City Middle School. The district will continue to price these improvement options throughout the month of December, and grant writing work will begin in early January in hopes of submitting a draft application in time for CDE staff to look it over before the submission deadline.
The bulk of work that took place at least week’s technology visioning committee meeting surrounded the creation of a survey we'll administer use to guide our decision making processes. In early January we will be asking students in grades 3-11 to let us know how they access and use technology at school and at home. We are hoping to gain a better understanding about what devices students use, how they access the internet when not on campus, and in what ways they like to use the technology they have access to. After the survey is compiled we will begin discussing the appropriateness and viability of possibly instituting a one-to-one device program in the district.
The bulk of work that took place at least week’s technology visioning committee meeting surrounded the creation of a survey we'll administer use to guide our decision making processes. In early January we will be asking students in grades 3-11 to let us know how they access and use technology at school and at home. We are hoping to gain a better understanding about what devices students use, how they access the internet when not on campus, and in what ways they like to use the technology they have access to. After the survey is compiled we will begin discussing the appropriateness and viability of possibly instituting a one-to-one device program in the district.
Last Week
Operations manager Jeff Peterson showed CDE personnel the structural issues we are experiencing at Washington Elementary School.
On Monday I had a meeting with concerned parents, a CCMS building walkthrough session with folks from the Golden Age Center, we took CDE Capital Construction office consultant Anna Fitzer on a tour of our facilities, I met with board president Larry Oddo over lunch, I met with director of special services Lynnette Steinhoff and a parent about a child, and I attended a board work session and meeting. On Tuesday we had our our monthly touching base meeting with the CCPD. I also held a SAC meeting, attended an administrative book study, met with our leadership team, and participated in another technology visioning meeting. On Wednesday I met with our classified employee association leaders over breakfast, then with Fremont County human resources executive director Steve Clifton and RE-2 school superintendent Rhonda Roberts. I also observed delayed start staff development work being conducted at CCHS. In the afternoon we held our administration office Christmas party, and later that evening I attended a Mountain View Core Knowledge Charter School board meeting with board members Larry Oddo, Lloyd Harwood, and Mary-Kay Evans. On Thursday I traveled to Denver for a Colorado education visioning meeting and ended my day in a Cañon 2020 committee session. On Friday I met with board member Shad Johnson over breakfast, worked on some communication matters with CDE, conducted quite a bit of office work, and met with CCHS principal Bill Summers, CCHS counselor Tim Ritter, and director of instruction Adam Hartman about quite a few potential new classes to be made available to students at at CCHS next year. I also attended my daughter Priscilla’s dance recital on Friday evening before avoiding the arrival of snow by driving to the San Luis Valley late that night to attend my son;’s college graduation ceremony on Sunday.
This Week
On Monday I’ll work on communication items in the morning, then I’ll meet with staff and administration about a safety issue. In the afternoon I’ll work on an MOU to share services with the RE-2 school district. Finally, I’ll meet with board vice-president Lloyd Harwood over dinner. Tuesday will begin with our SAC meeting. We’ll then hold an instructional leader PLC in the afternoon where we’ll work together on mid-year teacher evaluations. I then have a late afternoon touching base meeting with CCEA leadership, and a holiday concert to attend at Harrison K-8. I’ll be wearing my "Dad hat" on Wednesday, participating in an art field trip with Harrison students and my daughter Priscilla. However, I’ll return to Cañon in time to attend a holiday gathering of board members and directors that evenign. My schedule for Thursday will include a meeting with concerned parents followed by a day of working on school district correspondence. Though we do not have school on Friday, the administration office will be open and most of us will still be working. My only calendar item for that day so far is a lunch time meeting with board president Larry Oddo.
The CCSD administration building will be closed for business Monday December 26th through Friday December 29th. We’ll open the doors once again on Tuesday January 2nd.
There will be no school from Friday December 23rd through Monday January 9th. Classes begin for the spring semester on Tuesday January 10th.
Thanks for listening once again. Enjoy the holidays and please stay safe!
George S. Welsh
The CCSD administration building will be closed for business Monday December 26th through Friday December 29th. We’ll open the doors once again on Tuesday January 2nd.
There will be no school from Friday December 23rd through Monday January 9th. Classes begin for the spring semester on Tuesday January 10th.
Thanks for listening once again. Enjoy the holidays and please stay safe!
George S. Welsh