Cañon City thrives through adventurous spirit, dynamic people, innovative schools, and historic charm.
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
Jamie Murray
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Brian VanIwarden
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The Youth Connections Grant uses the Social-Emotional Ecosystem as a road map for improvement.
Have you ever thrown around the term, "thanks a million?" This week it would not be an exaggeration to offer such kudos to Health and Wellness Coordinator Brian VanIwarden and Social-Emotional Learning Support Coordinator Jamie Murray, as we learned on Friday Cañon City Schools has been awarded an extremely competitive State of Colorado grant that for the first time in a long time will place mental health counselors in each of our elementary schools. The grant is for $500,000 for each of the coming three years and what better way to support the important work we are doing around core belief number one? So Brian and Jamie, thanks a million! $1.5 million to be exact!
Speaking of grants that support our focus on soial-emotional wellness, on Thursday and Friday about forty-five of our staff members, including several high school student participants, were engaged in Colorado Education Initiative Youth Connections Grant training. CEI, being fully aware of our first core belief, invited us to participate in this process late last summer. The result has been a $60,000 planning process that we are now in the midst of, leading to as much as $125,000 grants for both the grade 6-8 level and the grade 9-12 level over the next three calendar years. The impetus of this work is a belief that kids thrive when they have positive connections to others, and it is our role as a school district to help them make those connections, be that with adults in our system, family members, or their peers. This is exciting work and it clearly aligns with our core beliefs.
Since we know keeping kids safe and healthy includes helping them build personal connections. Parents can do this by seeking out positive ways for their children to engage in activities.
Many of our partners in Fremont County are exploring ways to expand opportunities for youth, and you can help with this process. If you have a moment, please take this quick ten questions survey so we can learn more about which programs already being offered parents are aware of what might be done to remove barriers to participation in them.
You can access the survey at this link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/G6YZ9F6
Speaking of grants that support our focus on soial-emotional wellness, on Thursday and Friday about forty-five of our staff members, including several high school student participants, were engaged in Colorado Education Initiative Youth Connections Grant training. CEI, being fully aware of our first core belief, invited us to participate in this process late last summer. The result has been a $60,000 planning process that we are now in the midst of, leading to as much as $125,000 grants for both the grade 6-8 level and the grade 9-12 level over the next three calendar years. The impetus of this work is a belief that kids thrive when they have positive connections to others, and it is our role as a school district to help them make those connections, be that with adults in our system, family members, or their peers. This is exciting work and it clearly aligns with our core beliefs.
Since we know keeping kids safe and healthy includes helping them build personal connections. Parents can do this by seeking out positive ways for their children to engage in activities.
Many of our partners in Fremont County are exploring ways to expand opportunities for youth, and you can help with this process. If you have a moment, please take this quick ten questions survey so we can learn more about which programs already being offered parents are aware of what might be done to remove barriers to participation in them.
You can access the survey at this link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/G6YZ9F6
Our Future Focus
CCHS Teacher Megan Clasby guides discussion with teachers from Elizabeth.
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TOP TOSA Ande Davis shares her ideas with staff from Elizabeth.
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On Monday, January 13th we held a Compass Committee meeting, during which we scheduled annual school instructional program evaluations, finalized language related to client (staff, student, and parent) surveys to be administered as part of the process, and codified research-based reading instruction strategies in the instructional program review process.
As a matter of information, the schedule of instructional program reviews is as follows:
February 12th: Cañon Exploratory School
February 18th: Cañon City High School
February 24th: Washington Elementary
February 26th: Harrison K-8
March 3rd: Lincoln School of Science and Technology
March 4th: McKinley Elementary
March 9th: Cañon City Middle School
On Wednesday, January 15th, twenty Elizabeth School District representatives participated in a Homegrown Talent Initiative follow-up visit to Cañon City High School. It is an extreme point of pride that folks are coming from all over the state right now to visit the Cañon City School District to learn about the improvement processes we have employed to achieve greater community-school-business partnerships and outcomes for kids.
As a matter of information, the schedule of instructional program reviews is as follows:
February 12th: Cañon Exploratory School
February 18th: Cañon City High School
February 24th: Washington Elementary
February 26th: Harrison K-8
March 3rd: Lincoln School of Science and Technology
March 4th: McKinley Elementary
March 9th: Cañon City Middle School
On Wednesday, January 15th, twenty Elizabeth School District representatives participated in a Homegrown Talent Initiative follow-up visit to Cañon City High School. It is an extreme point of pride that folks are coming from all over the state right now to visit the Cañon City School District to learn about the improvement processes we have employed to achieve greater community-school-business partnerships and outcomes for kids.
Our Focus on Safety and Wellness
Because we are in the midst of influenza season, I thought it might be a good idea to pass along some advice recently shared by Director of Student Support Services Paula Buser.
While germs can be picked up just about anywhere, actually coming down with the flu is a bit of a complex process, but one that you can outsmart by following these stay healthy tips:
Wash, Rinse, Repeat:
The number one thing you can do to protect yourself is to wash your hands thoroughly and frequently. Lather up and scrub palms, in between fingers and backs of hands with warm water for at least 20 seconds. Dry thoroughly.
Moisturize Your Air:
Very humid air can be toxic for flu viruses. Consider investing in a humidifier or other means to keep the humidity level between 40 and 60 percent in your living space.
Skip That Second (and Third) Alcoholic Drink:
Alcohol can impair the ability of your white blood cells to combat viruses for up to 24 hours after you overindulge. Keep your intake reasonable during flu season, and for that matter, always.
Sleep More:
People who routinely get fewer than 7 hours of sleep triple their risk of getting a cold compared to those who sleep 8 or more hours. Sleeping well simply helps your immune system.
Taste the Rainbow:
While this is always important, it is even more critical during flu season. Immune-boosting antioxidants in brightly colored fruits and vegetables enhance your immune system's natural defenses.
Finally, it's still not too late to get an annual flu shot!
If you'd like to learn more about how to keep influenza at bay, we encourage you to explore more at this link:
https://www.cdc.gov/flu/pdf/freeresources/updated/everyday-preventive-actions-8.5x11.pdf
While germs can be picked up just about anywhere, actually coming down with the flu is a bit of a complex process, but one that you can outsmart by following these stay healthy tips:
Wash, Rinse, Repeat:
The number one thing you can do to protect yourself is to wash your hands thoroughly and frequently. Lather up and scrub palms, in between fingers and backs of hands with warm water for at least 20 seconds. Dry thoroughly.
Moisturize Your Air:
Very humid air can be toxic for flu viruses. Consider investing in a humidifier or other means to keep the humidity level between 40 and 60 percent in your living space.
Skip That Second (and Third) Alcoholic Drink:
Alcohol can impair the ability of your white blood cells to combat viruses for up to 24 hours after you overindulge. Keep your intake reasonable during flu season, and for that matter, always.
Sleep More:
People who routinely get fewer than 7 hours of sleep triple their risk of getting a cold compared to those who sleep 8 or more hours. Sleeping well simply helps your immune system.
Taste the Rainbow:
While this is always important, it is even more critical during flu season. Immune-boosting antioxidants in brightly colored fruits and vegetables enhance your immune system's natural defenses.
Finally, it's still not too late to get an annual flu shot!
If you'd like to learn more about how to keep influenza at bay, we encourage you to explore more at this link:
https://www.cdc.gov/flu/pdf/freeresources/updated/everyday-preventive-actions-8.5x11.pdf
Last Week
Last Monday I published another issue of Echoes from Cañon, facilitated a Compass Committee meeting, and participated in a board work session and meeting. On Tuesday I touched base with Director of Student Support Services Paula Buser and then the Cañon City Police Department before participating in a directors meeting and then working on director evaluations. On Wednesday I spent time with Cañon City Middle School Principal Jesse Oliver discussing future staffing needs and then completed a lot of work correspondence. On Thursday and Friday, we had folks from the Colorado Education Initiative in town to facilitate Youth Connections Grant professional development with our school and district-level teams. Throughout the week I also participated in three legislative advocacy phone calls.
During our Board Meeting last week Cañon Exploratory School students presented about a STEM Scopes project they completed about researching and designing a business venture.
This Week
On Tuesday I'll attend a director's meeting, join in on some McKinley Elementary instructional observations, participate in a regional Manager's meeting, drop in on a 21st Century Grant planning meeting, a student summer Chromebook access meeting, and meeting with Assitant Superintendent of Schools Adam and Cañon Exploratory School Principal Kelly Albrecht. On Wednesday, Adam and I will attend a statewide superintendent convening in Mapleton. On Thursday I have a bunch of meetings related to staff and programs and I still have a pretty open calendar for Friday.
Thanks for listening once again!
George S. Welsh
Thanks for listening once again!
George S. Welsh
