Echoes from Cañon
Examples of Excellence
Lincoln School of Science and Technology principal Tammy DeWolfe and staff members introduce themselves to their parents at a fall 2016 Open House event.
Lincoln students are consistently recognized for outstanding accomplishment in citizenship and academics.
Lincoln School of Science and Technology just completed another fine school year.
For more than a decade the staff at Lincoln, guided by 2017 Colorado Elementary Principal of the Year finalist Tammy DeWolfe, has been implementing the Discovery school climate model. This creates consistency in the way staff members address student behavior and academic expectations.
The Lincoln staff has also been implementing a technology-based learning curriculum with a special science focus. This plays out in highly engaging Super Science Friday events that take place year round.
The Lincoln staff, supported by grant-funded literacy coach Lacey LeDoux, also stood out this year in the way it put in use new literacy resources and intervention processes.
2016-17 academic highlights include an amazing 71st percentile growth in PARCC English Language Arts testing, including well above average (63rd percentile) growth for students identified in poverty. This left Lincoln with a Performance rating on the Colorado Department of Education accreditation system. This is the highest rating an individual school can achieve, and at 74.5, a truly high score for a building with more than 70% of students living in poverty.
Lincoln’s 2017-18 academic improvement goals mirror those of the school district, with a focus on continuing implementation of the Early Literacy Grant, working toward common instructional language and common assessment around writing, putting into use newly purchased math resources, and working to increase active student engagement in learning. Along with supporting these district level initiatives, Lincoln’s staff will continue to hone its skills on the Discovery climate model, while expanding on the work it has done so well toward implementing hands-on, engaging science investigations for students.
For more than a decade the staff at Lincoln, guided by 2017 Colorado Elementary Principal of the Year finalist Tammy DeWolfe, has been implementing the Discovery school climate model. This creates consistency in the way staff members address student behavior and academic expectations.
The Lincoln staff has also been implementing a technology-based learning curriculum with a special science focus. This plays out in highly engaging Super Science Friday events that take place year round.
The Lincoln staff, supported by grant-funded literacy coach Lacey LeDoux, also stood out this year in the way it put in use new literacy resources and intervention processes.
2016-17 academic highlights include an amazing 71st percentile growth in PARCC English Language Arts testing, including well above average (63rd percentile) growth for students identified in poverty. This left Lincoln with a Performance rating on the Colorado Department of Education accreditation system. This is the highest rating an individual school can achieve, and at 74.5, a truly high score for a building with more than 70% of students living in poverty.
Lincoln’s 2017-18 academic improvement goals mirror those of the school district, with a focus on continuing implementation of the Early Literacy Grant, working toward common instructional language and common assessment around writing, putting into use newly purchased math resources, and working to increase active student engagement in learning. Along with supporting these district level initiatives, Lincoln’s staff will continue to hone its skills on the Discovery climate model, while expanding on the work it has done so well toward implementing hands-on, engaging science investigations for students.
Shad Johnson was a keynoter at CEI's 2017 Education Showcase.
On Thursday, June 29th in Keystone Cañon City board director Shad Johnson represented the school district at the 2017 Colorado Education Initiative Education Showcase, delivering a keynote address to the entire gathering on the topic of a growth mindset. Offered in the form of a TED Talk, Mr. Johnson shared his experiences as a husband, father, and community education leader, with a special focus on the impact his 3rd grade teacher, Mrs. Kersh, had on him and the work he has been doing recently with the Colorado Education Initiative through its SpaceLab Design Network. Shad’s most powerful message was how Mrs. Kersh changed his life by helping him to believe he could learn to read, and teaching him to do so when he had to repeat a grade in elementary. “Forty years later I know it is still our teachers, my own Mrs. Johnson, and all of you, who are making the biggest impact on our children’s lives.”
The Focus of Our Work
Being much of my recent work has focused on our federal programs application, I thought I’d take a moment to explain how the program works. The Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) originally passed through in the 1960’s as part of President Lyndon Johnson’s “War on Poverty.” Though it has changed a bit in form over the years, the thrust is to ensure students living in poverty are given opportunity, including extra time and support, to learn reading and math. For the 2017-18 school year Cañon City will receive in the neighborhood of $1.32 million to do this work , However, after $160,000 is transferred to support program Southern Peaks Learning Center (as has been required annually), we will be left to spend nearly $100,000 less than we had available for this work last year. The primary reason for our funding decrease is the Colorado Department of Education’s need to retain dollars to support struggling schools With none of our schools on the accreditation clock, and the district achieving full accreditation status last year, we are an example of a school district in Colorado that has been affected by such rules.
How will we invest the $1.16 million we have remaining for the coming school year? Through our Title I, Title IV, and Title VI-B funding we’ll support struggling readers and mathematicians at Harrison, Lincoln, McKinley, and Washington by hiring certified interventionists and highly qualified instructional paraprofessionals. These schools get this support because, as required by the program, they have the highest student poverty rates in the district. Through our Title II funding stream we’ll support all new teachers and administrators with full-time instructional coaching, mentors, and research-based professional development (such as training in Lindamood-Bell reading interventions). We’ll also support the school culture work being initiated at Mountain View Core Knowledge through the Capturing Kids Hearts program. With what little Title III funding we receive (roughly $3,000), we’ll continue to make sure our English Language Learner students transition to their new language.
This year our application must be submitted to the Colorado Department of Education by end of day July 14th. When we do we’ll ensure only dollars supplied through these programs are spent on authorized activities.
How will we invest the $1.16 million we have remaining for the coming school year? Through our Title I, Title IV, and Title VI-B funding we’ll support struggling readers and mathematicians at Harrison, Lincoln, McKinley, and Washington by hiring certified interventionists and highly qualified instructional paraprofessionals. These schools get this support because, as required by the program, they have the highest student poverty rates in the district. Through our Title II funding stream we’ll support all new teachers and administrators with full-time instructional coaching, mentors, and research-based professional development (such as training in Lindamood-Bell reading interventions). We’ll also support the school culture work being initiated at Mountain View Core Knowledge through the Capturing Kids Hearts program. With what little Title III funding we receive (roughly $3,000), we’ll continue to make sure our English Language Learner students transition to their new language.
This year our application must be submitted to the Colorado Department of Education by end of day July 14th. When we do we’ll ensure only dollars supplied through these programs are spent on authorized activities.
Last Week
Last week I continued working on our federal programs grant application, attend a regular board meeting and work session, held a SAC meeting, and attended regional and rural legislative advocacy meetings. I also took a few days off to spend time with my son and daughter in law who are modeling a house in Indianapolis.
This Week
While in Indianapolis I had the opportunity to take in a minor league baseball game with my son.
I’ll start my work week on Wednesday, continuing our federal programs grant application. On Thursday I’ll begin my day with a monthly touching base meeting with RE-2 Superintendent Rhonda Roberts, attend a Positive Youth Development program discussion, and then meet with director of special services Lynnette Steinhoff about her general department matters. I’ll spend Friday in the office catching up on communication items I fell behind on while visiting my son.
Thanks for listening once again.
George S. Welsh
Thanks for listening once again.
George S. Welsh