Echoes from Cañon

Examples of Excellence

PictureOur operations crew removes cement in order to replace an irrigation line at Lincoln School of Science and Technology.
Upon returning from three weeks of travel I was amazed at all the facilities improvement work taking place around the district.  Window installation is well underway at Lincoln, McKinley and Cañon City High School.   Water line replacement is going well also.  Cabinetry will be installed soon, secure entries are under construction, blue button panic systems are installed, and the Tiger Dome is getting new skylights and refurbished HVAC units.  If this were not enough, our operations staff is also hard at work painting classrooms, replacing irrigation lines, and improving classroom and office space through various construction processes.  With only five weeks of summer left, there is still a ton of work to do.  However, the improvements will be quite noticeable to all when kids return to our buildings.  

On Friday I attended another Technology Sector meeting and enjoyed learning how much the Fremont Economic Development Council has been doing to attract technology sector workers to Cañon City.  At the meeting, I enjoyed a presentation by Tech Start guru Brad Rowland who shared anecdotal information about high tech workers who are moving to Cañon to take advantage of our affordable cost of living and the many great outdoor activities available.  

On a final note, I want to offer a gigantic thank you to the City of Cañon City for the wonderful dinosaur art project they continue to support.  On Wednesday morning I caught a city crew installing a beautiful Triceratops at Cañon Exploratory School, bedecked with artwork designed by a CES student!

The Focus of Our Work

PictureA Cañon City work crew installs a dinosaur sculpture at Cañon Exploratory School.
On Wednesday morning I attended a Communities that Care networking meeting.  During the session, a decision was made to combine both the Cañon City and Eastern Fremont County projects.  Work committees were also established, and the entire group discussed local risk and protective factors that are most prevalent.  Risk factors identified include family history of substance use, favorable attitudes toward substance use of individuals, community economic deprivation, and availability of substances in the community.  Key protective factors identified include offering more opportunities for prosocial involvement by teens and providing youth opportunities to improve their community. 

Override Progress

PictureCCHS Principal Bill Summers leads a tour of the school to discuss readiness for the kick off of a one-to-one Chromebook program,
At our Cañon City High School meeting about Chromebook deployment of Chromebooks this fall, we discussed a recent CCHS wireless capability analysis and changes being made to the network as a result.  This assessment took place in early June, and as a result, we have moved some access points, are working to install the same model device in each drop, and are focusing on expanding access in large gathering areas such as the auditorium, media center, and commons.  We also discussed the necessity for a guest wi-fi system and agreed this will only be offered in certain areas, for actual visitors, and the password will change regularly.  We also noted student devices have been ordered, and mobile classroom displays should show up soon.  We then walked around to observe work that has been accomplished and discussed how we'll assign devices to students in an orderly fashion.  

Bond Progress

On Thursday we held our bond sale to secure our required match for the Cañon City Middle School project we were awarded through the Building Excellent Schools Today program.  The order period lasted from 7:30 AM to 9 AM and we received over $11 million in orders for the $8 million in bonds we had available.  13 different accounts participated in the transaction, including one from a local business.  Though our ballot question allowed for up to 6% interest, the end total interest cost only came to 3.53%.  

Last Week

PictureTech Start's Brad Rowland discussed how Cañon City is attracting remote technology workers.
On Wednesday I attended a meeting focused on preparing Cañon City High School for its one-to-one Chromebook implementation.  I also attended a Communities That Care networking meeting and a final principal evaluation conference.  On Thursday I had several routine meetings including one to sign our State Board of Education approved Cañon City Middle School BEST Grant documents.  I also met with new Fremont County Boys and Girls Club Executive Director Darcy Cole, and trie to attend a performance of Les Misérables in Pueblo but found out it doesn't take place until this week :-)  On Friday I attended a meeting about the zoning of our Washington Elementary campus, spent time to finalize principal evaluations on the RANDA online platform, and took Daily Record reporter Chris Graham on a tour of our summer construction projects.   

This Week

PictureNew doors and windows at Lincoln School of Science and Technology let in much more light than the ones they replace.
On Monday and Tuesday, I get to tour 8 new school buildings in the Denver-Boulder area with a team of CCSD staff, in preparation for our building design process.  Wednesday through Friday are still pretty open on my calendar but I plan to work on finalizing the remaining principal evaluations in the RANDA system.  Other things on my to-do list include reviewing our department responsibilities chart with Assistant Superintendent Adam Hartman and our team of directors, updating building evaluation rubrics to align with our refined vision, and planning for the return of staff in August.  
 
Thanks for listening once again!

George S. Welsh