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
Karin Steadman and her Harrison Computer Club
Noe Felix-Burns
The Harrison School Computer Club is experiencing its most substantial student participation yet, with 19 students from Harrison K-8 and Mountain View Core Knowledge, ranging from 3rd to 8th grade. The Computer Club is once again participating in the Wonderworks Robotics Competition. Club sponsor Karin Steadman says, "this year's missions had more engineering embedded, with participants needing to build a bridge for the robot to cross, that must also be tall enough for the robot to stand under. Students were also required to create a pulley system so the robot could open gates and drive through them." This year 90 countries, 4,500 teams, and more than 8,400 kids are participating in the robotics competition. Only 600 teams made it into the Final Round, three of them from Harrison, including Team Cue Machine (12-14-year-olds) with TJ Evagash, Andrew Piquette, Terrence Coburn, and Gavin Balch. The Werewolves (9-12-year-olds) with Anthony Piquette and James Henry Along, and The Dashing Hawks with Kaden Sparks. The teams have a lot of work to do with submissions to the Invitational Round due by March 23, 2020. Winners will be announced on May 4, 2020.
We also got word this week Harrison student Noe Felix-Burns qualified for the State MathCounts competition! This takes place on March 14 in Denver. Congratulations Noe!
We also got word this week Harrison student Noe Felix-Burns qualified for the State MathCounts competition! This takes place on March 14 in Denver. Congratulations Noe!
Our Future Focus
Board of Education Secretary Robin Reeser and CCHS Compass Student Representative Aaliyah Herrera observe instruction at Washington
This week we conducted instructional program reviews at Washington Elementary and Harrison School. We saw many wonderful things while observing instruction and discussing each school's progress toward improvement.
At Washington we observed . . .
At Washington we observed . . .
- The staff's dedication to the Leader in Me culture.
- The staff's constant use of collaborative decision-making processes.
- Mr. Zamarripa's balancing the demands of his role as principal along with designing and building a new school.
- A strong focus on our Pillars of Instruction.
- We also observed some of the best and most natural formative assessment practices we have yet seen, from the reshuffling of small reading groups based on benchmark data to teacher observation and verbal feedback to students about daily progress to students setting goals and being reminded every day where they are in terms of progress toward them.
- Staff dedication and commitment to children as evidenced through a willingness to provide small group reading intervention outside of regular school hours, and planning and delivering WIN (What I Need) enrichment opportunities for all children.
- The reflective practice of the staff in evaluating staffing decisions made at the beginning of the school year.
- A dedication to meeting kids where they are academically, both through intervention and acceleration whenever necessary.
- A music teacher who brings students to the level of analysis on Bloom's Taxonomy.
- A PE teacher's expert use of a classroom amplification system.
- The Art teacher's willingness to allow students to progress at varying rates, and offering children individual time to be creative when time allows.
- A Technology teacher's use of high-level Chromebook resources and reflective practice.
- How teachers are putting Maslow before Bloom by taking a greater role in supporting the behavior modification of students at the classroom level.
- Effective use of a School Health Professional and offering school-based SEL counseling services through community partnerships like Gateway.
- Expert use of instructional paraprofessional staff, especially in terms of small group reading instruction.
- The principal's focus on learning outcomes, not just methods of instruction.
- Many great examples of teachers using technology to individualize instruction.
- Teachers supporting each other by sharing their personal expertise in technology and writing.
- An entire staff already making great use of writing techniques recently shared during early release professional development.
- Finally, an overall sense that Washington School school is built upon clear behavioral expectations for student behavior and efficient transitions.
Compass Committee member Mayor Ashlee Smith observes math instruction at Harrison
At Harrison we witnessed . . .
- High engagement in many classrooms, with obvious connections to the learning targets.
- Smiles! So many students were clearly having fun in many classrooms, while also learning!
- There was a clear and distinct focus on attending to the whole child.
- The way Harrison has adapted to its first year with Chromebook devices at the middle school level. We saw students researching, exploring, assessing, and checking their progress with their devices.
- Very little instruction time wasted, as well as wonderfully engaged students.
- Year two of the One School, One Book initiative. This is a great way to build K-8 cultural continuity through a shared learning experience.
- An "all hands on deck" attitude. Everyone working together, from all corners and departments. This included classified and certified staff alike. Regardless of role, folks were clearly dedicated to their work.
- Robust systems in place for MTSS referral, dealing with student behaviors, providing a nutritious yet efficient lunchroom experience, and dealing with student transitions from place to place.
- The building running in a fashion that was functional, yet warm and welcoming, and the physical environment is well cared for, by both its daily inhabitants and its dedicated custodial staff.
- A leadership (including the literacy coach) team that is striving to work as a cohesive unit, leveraging one another's strengths, and tackling the daily challenges that come along with a large K-8 school.
- Most important, we saw hundreds of kids that were polite, welcoming, and generally enthused to engage with us.
Our Focus on Safety and Wellness
While there have been no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Colorado to date, we want to take this opportunity to assure you that Canon City Schools is monitoring the concern around this virus and are collaborating with our public health partners. The school district has a medical/illness preparedness plan and we work in coordination with our local and state agencies to ensure proper protocols and responses are in place.
It is important to know that if there were to be an outbreak, we would follow our preparedness plan and the health department’s lead on any health measures needed. Our focus will be to ensure the safety of students and staff.
What can I do to stay healthy?
Again, the current risk to the general public in the U.S. from this virus is currently considered low, however just as is recommended for other respiratory viruses, people can protect themselves and others through some simple actions:
Protecting yourself from Coronavirus COVID-19 and other respiratory viruses (source: CDPHE):
If you are healthy:
If you are sick:
It is important to know that if there were to be an outbreak, we would follow our preparedness plan and the health department’s lead on any health measures needed. Our focus will be to ensure the safety of students and staff.
What can I do to stay healthy?
Again, the current risk to the general public in the U.S. from this virus is currently considered low, however just as is recommended for other respiratory viruses, people can protect themselves and others through some simple actions:
Protecting yourself from Coronavirus COVID-19 and other respiratory viruses (source: CDPHE):
If you are healthy:
- Continue your normal routine. This means you can continue to participate in public gatherings such as work, school, or social activities.
- Get your flu shot, and stay up-to-date on other routine childhood and adult immunizations.
- Wash your hands with soap and water or, at minimum, use an alcohol-based hand rub, which may be less effective than soap and water.
- Avoid close contact with anyone with cold or flu-like symptoms.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces such as desks, doorknobs, handrails.
If you are sick:
- Stay home
- Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue or your inner elbow shirt sleeve.
- Wash your hands with soap and water or, at minimum, alcohol-based hand rub, which may be less effective than soap and water.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
- Avoid close contact with anyone else with cold or flu-like symptoms.
- Get your flu shot, and stay up-to-date on other routine childhood and adult immunizations.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces such as desks, doorknobs, and handrails.Additionally, we have stringent cleaning practices in place at all of our district schools and facilities to help avoid disease transmission. Our custodial services staff are receiving additional training and are monitoring the situation to ensure safe practices are in place.
Last Week
Board President Shad Johnson and CCHS Principal Bill Summers discuss school transformation with Holyoke School District leaders
Last week we conducted Washington Elementary and Harrison School Instructional Program Reviews on Monday and Wednesday. Late on Monday afternoon, we held a board work session, a student engagement session, and a regular board meeting. On Tuesday, we held a director meeting, an Instructional Leader PLC, and a touching base session with Fremont County Department of Human Services leadership. I also ran over to Cañon City High School while they were hosting a leadership team visit from the Holyoke School District, and ended the day Wednesday with a Calendar Committee meeting. On Thursday and Friday, I was in Denver with Board Secretary Robin Reeser at the Colorado Association of School Boards winter legislative gathering.
This Week
This week I'll write another installment of this blog. On Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, we'll conduct the Lincoln School of Science and Technology, Cañon City Middle School, and McKinley Elementary School Instructional Program Reviews. On Thursday I'll shift my focus to exploring a formal collaboration between us and the RE-2 and RE-3 school districts. On Friday I head to Austin, Texas to attend the South-by-Southwest EDU conference.
Other Voices
Washington Principal Brian Zamarripa with Compass Student Representative Aaliyah Herrera and Literacy Coach Kelli Jones
After our annual Instructional Program Review at Washington Elementary, Principal Brain Zamarripa shared this message with his staff:
Thank you, Mr. Welsh for your communication regarding the Instructional Program Review Team's visit!
I have always known that we have a strong, dedicated staff at Washington Elementary School, and believe we are doing the right work for the benefit of our students. However, it is easy to get caught up in the day to day demands of our work and focus on what needs to be done next without taking time to stop and look at the results of that which we have already done. So, having the opportunity to evaluate and discuss our work with a group of educational professionals (district administrators, a student, board members, and instructional coaches) who are looking at our instructional program through a different lens to provide an outside perspective was a very valuable and encouraging experience!
I want to thank the Washington teachers and staff for the extra time given to providing feedback for the review process! There is already so much you have to do within a workweek, so I know it isn't easy to find time in your busy schedule to work collaboratively with your team to score the self-reflection rubric, take additional time to complete the individual survey, and then adjust your instructional routine/schedule to make time to administer the student survey. Your flexibility and willingness to sacrifice your valuable time to contribute to this process is greatly appreciated!
Finally, I would like to commend the staff and students for how well you all represented our school during the visit. I know it can be a little intimidating and distracting to have a small group of adults wandering in and out of your classrooms throughout the day, but you all continued to do the good work you do and students were able to continue to focus on what they needed to do in the classroom. I am very proud to be a part of Washington Elementary School and I look forward to the great things the future has in store for our school community and for us! Thank you all for your hard work and dedication!
Brian Zamarripa
Thanks, Mr. Z, and thanks to all for listening once again!
George S. Welsh
Thank you, Mr. Welsh for your communication regarding the Instructional Program Review Team's visit!
I have always known that we have a strong, dedicated staff at Washington Elementary School, and believe we are doing the right work for the benefit of our students. However, it is easy to get caught up in the day to day demands of our work and focus on what needs to be done next without taking time to stop and look at the results of that which we have already done. So, having the opportunity to evaluate and discuss our work with a group of educational professionals (district administrators, a student, board members, and instructional coaches) who are looking at our instructional program through a different lens to provide an outside perspective was a very valuable and encouraging experience!
I want to thank the Washington teachers and staff for the extra time given to providing feedback for the review process! There is already so much you have to do within a workweek, so I know it isn't easy to find time in your busy schedule to work collaboratively with your team to score the self-reflection rubric, take additional time to complete the individual survey, and then adjust your instructional routine/schedule to make time to administer the student survey. Your flexibility and willingness to sacrifice your valuable time to contribute to this process is greatly appreciated!
Finally, I would like to commend the staff and students for how well you all represented our school during the visit. I know it can be a little intimidating and distracting to have a small group of adults wandering in and out of your classrooms throughout the day, but you all continued to do the good work you do and students were able to continue to focus on what they needed to do in the classroom. I am very proud to be a part of Washington Elementary School and I look forward to the great things the future has in store for our school community and for us! Thank you all for your hard work and dedication!
Brian Zamarripa
Thanks, Mr. Z, and thanks to all for listening once again!
George S. Welsh
