Echoes from Cañon
Examples of Excellence
School board director and and Fun Fest organizer extraordinaire Shad Johnson explains the rules to Fun Fest to some graduating seniors.
I would like to take a moment this week to thank the many community members who continue to support our annual Senior Fun Fest. Fun Fest is an activity aimed at giving each year’s graduating class a safe place to celebrate their final moments in school. It has now taken place for 29 straight years. Thanks to nearly $15,000 in donations, many collected by Sunflower Bank and the Cañon City Rotary Club, this year’s event was a resounding success. I would also like to take a moment to thank Shad and Deanna Johnson and Peggy Ritter for the work they do year in and year out organizing the event.
Another example of excellence this week is how our Nutrition Services department is thinking outside the box by offering mobile summer lunch sites throughout the community. As always, all school aged children can participate in this program for free just by stopping by Cañon City High School at 1313 College Avenue from 8 to 9:30 AM for breakfast and from 11 AM to 12:30 PM for lunch. However, this year we are also providing children the opportunity to access a free sack lunch Monday through Friday at the following locations:
Another example of excellence this week is how our Nutrition Services department is thinking outside the box by offering mobile summer lunch sites throughout the community. As always, all school aged children can participate in this program for free just by stopping by Cañon City High School at 1313 College Avenue from 8 to 9:30 AM for breakfast and from 11 AM to 12:30 PM for lunch. However, this year we are also providing children the opportunity to access a free sack lunch Monday through Friday at the following locations:
- 11-11:10 a.m.: Cañon Exploratory School, 2855 N. Ninth St.
- 11:15-11:24 a.m.: 1401 Washington St.
- 11:30-11:40 a.m.: Mountain View Park, 950 N. Orchard
- 11:50- noon: Country Green Apartments, 3065 E. U.S. 50
- 12:05-12:15 p.m.: Heatherwood Apartments, 260 Justice Center Rd.
- 12:25-12:35 p.m.: McKinley Elementary School, 1204 McKinley St.
- 12:45-12:55 p.m.: Centennial Park (Duck Park), 221 Griffin Ave.
Knocker balls were one of this year's Fun Fest favorites!
The Focus of Our Work
as a result of new learning opportunities being offered at Cañon City High School we decided to also make some changes to how we operate Cañon Online Academy. With the offering of a new blended learning program at CCHS, and project based alternative learning opportunities through the Tiger Open Pathway, we decided to have the high school absorb Cañon Online Academy as a program within its structure. COA will still exist, with Mr. Minty and his staff continuing to offer students great support, but its student achievement will now be measured along with that of the entire CCHS student body, and each student will be highly encouraged to participate in at least one brick and mortar class per yer as part of their education program. These changes will be in place in time for the start of the 2017-18 school year.
Last Thursday CCHS principal Bill Summers, intern and apprentice coordinator Lisa Tedesko, and I met with Fremont County Department of Human Services executive director Steve Clifton and representatives from CSU Pueblo about establishing a partnership to encourage high school students to seek careers in social work. We look forward to this work bearing fruit in the next few years. This is just one more example of how we are creating collaborations with local organizations to support our student in exploring career pathways.
Finally, we’ll hold a special school board meeting this Wednesday to hire three new administrators and to approve recently ratified salary negotiations so we can begin getting contracts to employees.
Last Thursday CCHS principal Bill Summers, intern and apprentice coordinator Lisa Tedesko, and I met with Fremont County Department of Human Services executive director Steve Clifton and representatives from CSU Pueblo about establishing a partnership to encourage high school students to seek careers in social work. We look forward to this work bearing fruit in the next few years. This is just one more example of how we are creating collaborations with local organizations to support our student in exploring career pathways.
Finally, we’ll hold a special school board meeting this Wednesday to hire three new administrators and to approve recently ratified salary negotiations so we can begin getting contracts to employees.
Last Week
Last week I focused on routine end of school year paperwork, attended a Building Bridges for quality Cañon City Schools meeting, attended a number of meetings about future plans for Cañon Online Academy, met with Fremont Count Department of Human Services and CSU Pueblo representatives about attracting high school students to careers as social workers, and attended a CASB legislative wrap up session.
This Week
This week I’ll meet with Harrison Parent Teacher Association representatives, and several sets of parents. I’ll also appear on KRLN’s Morning Line, explore the possibility of writing a P-Tech grant in conjunction with Pueblo Community College, meet about implementation of our School Counselor Corps grant at the middle school level, and attend a number of routine monthly meetings.
Thanks for listening once again!
George S. Welsh
Thanks for listening once again!
George S. Welsh