Echoes from Cañon
Examples of Excellence
The Cañon City High School Building Leadership Team, which includes student representation, guided the improvements made to the CCHS program during the 2016-17 school year.
Cañon City High School experienced significant change during the 2016-17 school year. This began when retired Air Force veteran, former language arts teacher, and Cañon City High School alumnus Bill Summers took the leadership reigns on July 1st. In his new position, Mr. Summers was charged with implementing the visioning work of the Cañon 2020 committee, aimed at transitioning the high school to a pathways learning model.
During the past year, Cañon City High School's culture experienced positive, evidence based change. Strict measures were put in place to improve building security, a more comprehensive absentee policy was implemented, and an academic assistance program called Work Sessions ensured all students were given the opportunity to experience academic success.
Results of these culture changes included a 24% reduction in the number of discipline referrals, a 3.25% reduction in student absences (resulting in a total of 3,400 fewer days missed by students), 4,500 outside of school hours work sessions attended, and a whopping 35% fewer courses failed!
While all this was happening the CCHS staff, during monthly delayed start professional development time, created a grade 9-12 pathways curriculum, a five block daily schedule, four career pathway clusters, and an alternative pathway (each with unique graduation requirements). This work included the development of a Freshman Base Camp aimed at more effectively transitioning 9th graders to high school by creating an outstanding academic foundation in math and language arts, and supporting the process by which they will eventually choose a career pathway.
During the past year, Cañon City High School's culture experienced positive, evidence based change. Strict measures were put in place to improve building security, a more comprehensive absentee policy was implemented, and an academic assistance program called Work Sessions ensured all students were given the opportunity to experience academic success.
Results of these culture changes included a 24% reduction in the number of discipline referrals, a 3.25% reduction in student absences (resulting in a total of 3,400 fewer days missed by students), 4,500 outside of school hours work sessions attended, and a whopping 35% fewer courses failed!
While all this was happening the CCHS staff, during monthly delayed start professional development time, created a grade 9-12 pathways curriculum, a five block daily schedule, four career pathway clusters, and an alternative pathway (each with unique graduation requirements). This work included the development of a Freshman Base Camp aimed at more effectively transitioning 9th graders to high school by creating an outstanding academic foundation in math and language arts, and supporting the process by which they will eventually choose a career pathway.
CCHS students tackle real world public policy problems.
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Colorado's Secondary Rookie Principal of the Year, Bill Summers, presents new graduation requirements to the board of education.
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CCHS students gather for their traditional back to school assembly in August 2016.
Another enhancement has been the relationship with Pueblo Community College. In 2016-17 more than 500 CCHS students participated in college level coursework. This was up from just under 300 students doing so in 2015-16, and means almost half of our students earned college credits. Thanks to a bevy of teachers qualified to instruct at the community college level, CCHS now offers PCC credit to students in all core subjects (math, science, social studies, and language arts) as well as automotive, welding, and digital drafting.
Along the way, Cañon City High School sustained traditionally excellent programs in performing arts, business, vocational technology, and gifted and talented education. The school also took steps to offer every student an opportunity to experience a career based internship or apprenticeship before graduation. CCHS will also be absorbing the district's online learning program, offering attendees the opportunity to take regular brick and mortar classes while also pursuing technology based studies. Finally, the school will also open its doors to new and unique alternative student learning opportunities through the project based Tiger Open Pathway.
As can be seen from all this progress, it is simply no wonder the Colorado Association of School Executives named Mr. Summers its 2017 Secondary Principal Rookie of the Year!
Along the way, Cañon City High School sustained traditionally excellent programs in performing arts, business, vocational technology, and gifted and talented education. The school also took steps to offer every student an opportunity to experience a career based internship or apprenticeship before graduation. CCHS will also be absorbing the district's online learning program, offering attendees the opportunity to take regular brick and mortar classes while also pursuing technology based studies. Finally, the school will also open its doors to new and unique alternative student learning opportunities through the project based Tiger Open Pathway.
As can be seen from all this progress, it is simply no wonder the Colorado Association of School Executives named Mr. Summers its 2017 Secondary Principal Rookie of the Year!
The Focus of Our Work
A Cañon Exploratory School student learns about digital citizenship on a lab based computer.
Our board of education has been working for several years to develop a comprehensive facilities improvement plan. This includes conducting much-needed safety and security upgrades in all schools while endeavoring to construct a replacement Washington Elementary School and significantly upgrading the instructional environment at Cañon City Middle School. The district's goal has been to leverage Colorado's Building Excellent Schools Today grant program to complete all projects at only one-third of the actual cost. This means our board must place a bond question on the November 2017 ballot to provide the match we need for each project. The board hopes to finalize ballot language by early August.
Somewhat related to this, our district technology visioning committee made tremendous progress at its all-day session last Wednesday. It committed to establishing a one-to-one device program for students in all grade levels, to be phased in over a three-year period. Action plans were created in areas of collaboration and partnership building, providing devices and internet access to students and staff, and supporting staff with the implementation of a one-to-one device program. The technology visioning committee will present this work to the board of education on July 24th in hopes of gaining support for including costs of implementation in a mill levy override many active community members have been advocating for.
Somewhat related to this, our district technology visioning committee made tremendous progress at its all-day session last Wednesday. It committed to establishing a one-to-one device program for students in all grade levels, to be phased in over a three-year period. Action plans were created in areas of collaboration and partnership building, providing devices and internet access to students and staff, and supporting staff with the implementation of a one-to-one device program. The technology visioning committee will present this work to the board of education on July 24th in hopes of gaining support for including costs of implementation in a mill levy override many active community members have been advocating for.
Last Week
I started my week in Denver on Monday, but made it back to Cañon in time for our board work session and meeting. On Tuesday we had our monthly touching base meeting with the Cañon City Police Department and we held a Superintendent's Advisory Council meeting. I also attended an informational meeting about the progress of the new Tiger Open Pathways program at CCHS, and then a Building Bridges for Quality Cañon City Schools meeting in the evening (attended by folks who hope to support a school district bond and mill-levy override election). On Wednesday we had a whole day scheduled for our district technology visioning meeting. On Thursday I met with a new employee about their role in the district, and with Mountain View Core Knowledge School leaders about their annual budget. On Friday I officially submitted our federal programs grant application and worked in the office attending to various communication matters.
This Week
My work plan for this week includes finalizing a draft of our technology vision plan, attending Monday's city council meeting to communicate what we are planning to do with our ballot questions, meeting with the Harrison administrative team about general leadership and communication expectations, continuing work on our ballot language and CCMS facilities solution, attending a P-Tech Grant meeting with PCC folks, finalizing the agenda for our all-staff back to school meeting, holding my monthly meeting with Steve Clifton from DHS, holding a bi-weekly touching base meeting with director of special services Lynnette Steinhoff, and participating in an all-day administrator boot camp on Friday.
Thanks for listening once again. Have a great week!
George S. Welsh
Thanks for listening once again. Have a great week!
George S. Welsh
