• Home
  • About
  • Contact
  • December 6, 2021
  • December 13, 2021
  • December 20, 2021
  • December 31, 2021
  • Past Installments
    • 2015 >
      • July 5, 2015
      • July 12, 2015
      • July 19, 2015
      • July 26, 2015
      • August 2, 2015
      • August 9, 2015
      • August 16, 2015
      • August 23, 2015
      • August 31, 2015
      • September 6, 2015
      • September 13, 2015
      • September 20, 2015
      • September 27, 2015
      • October 4, 2015
      • October 11, 2015
      • October 18, 2015
      • October 25, 2015
      • November 1, 2015
      • November 8, 2015
      • November 15, 2015
      • November 29, 2015
      • December 6, 2015
      • December 13, 2015
      • December 20, 2015
    • 2016 >
      • January 10, 2016
      • January 17, 2016
      • January 24, 2016
      • January 31, 2016
      • February 7, 2016
      • February 14, 2016
      • February 21, 2016
      • February 28, 2016
      • March 6, 2016
      • March 13, 2016
      • March 20, 2016
      • March 27, 2016
      • April 3, 2016
      • April 10, 2016
      • April 17, 2016
      • April 24, 2016
      • May 1, 2016
      • May 8, 2016
      • May 15, 2016
      • May 22, 2016
      • May 30, 2016
      • June 5, 2016
      • June 12 and 19
      • June 26 to July 3
      • July 24, 2016
      • July 31, 2016
      • August 7, 2016
      • August 14, 2016
      • August 21, 2016
      • August 28, 2016
      • September 4, 2016
      • September 11, 2016
      • September 18, 2016
      • September 25, 2016
      • October 2, 2106
      • October 9, 2016
      • October 16, 2016
      • October 23, 2016
      • October 30, 2016
      • November 6, 2016
      • November 13, 2016
      • November 27, 2016
      • December 4, 2016
      • December 11, 2016
      • December 19, 2016
    • 2017 >
      • Facilities Options
      • January 8, 2017
      • January 15, 2017
      • January 22, 2017
      • February 12, 2017
      • February 26, 2017
      • March 5, 2017
      • March 12, 2017
      • Spring Break 2017
      • April Fools
      • April 9, 2017
      • April 16, 2017
      • April 30, 2017
      • May 7, 2017
      • May 14, 2017
      • May 29, 2017
      • June 4, 2017
      • June 11, 2017
      • June 18, 2017
      • June 25, 2017
      • July 2, 2017
      • July 9, 2017
      • July 16, 2017
      • July 23, 2017
      • July 30, 2017
      • August 6, 2017
      • August 13, 2017
      • August 20, 2017
      • August 27, 2017
      • September 3, 2017
      • September 10, 2017
      • September 17, 2017
      • September 24, 2017
      • October 1, 2017
      • October 8, 2017
      • October 15, 2017
      • October 22, 2017
      • October 29, 2017
      • November 5, 2017
      • November 12, 2017
      • November 26, 2017
      • December 3, 2017
      • December 10, 2017
      • December 13, 2017
    • 2018 >
      • January 7, 2018
      • January 14, 2018
      • January 21, 2018
      • January 28, 2018
      • February 4, 2018
      • February 11, 2018
      • February 18, 2018
      • February 25, 2018
      • March 4, 2018
      • March 11, 2018
      • March 18, 2018
      • March 25, 2018
      • April 2, 2018
      • April 8, 2018
      • April 15, 2018
      • April 22, 2018
      • April 29, 2018
      • May 6, 2018
      • May 13, 2018
      • May 20, 2018
      • May 27, 2018
      • June 3, 2018
      • June 10, 2018
      • June 17, 2018
      • June 24, 2018
      • July 1, 2018
      • July 8, 2018
      • July 15, 2018
      • July 22, 2018
      • July 29, 2018
      • August 5, 2018
      • August 12, 2018
      • August 19, 2018
      • August 26, 2018
      • September 2, 2018
      • September 9, 2018
      • September 16. 2018
      • September 23, 2018
      • September 30, 2018
      • October 7, 2018
      • October 14, 2018
      • October 21, 2018
      • October 28, 2018
      • November 4, 2018
      • November 11, 2018
      • November 18, 2018
      • November 25, 2018
      • December 2, 2018
      • December 9, 2018
      • December 16, 2018
    • 2019 >
      • January 6, 2019
      • January 13, 2019
      • January 21, 2019
      • January 27, 2019
      • February 3, 2019
      • February 10, 2019
      • February 17, 2019
      • February 24, 2019
      • March 3, 2019
      • March 10, 2019
      • March 17, 2019
      • March 24, 2019
      • March 31, 2019
      • April 7, 2019
      • April 14, 2019
      • April 21, 2019
      • April 28, 2019
      • May 5, 2019
      • May 12, 2019
      • May 19, 2019
      • May 27, 2019
      • June 3, 2019
      • June 9, 2019
      • June 23, 2019
      • June 30, 2019
      • July 8, 2019
      • July 15, 2019
      • July 22, 2019
      • July 29, 2019
      • August 5, 2019
      • August 12, 2019
      • August 19, 2019
      • August 26, 2019
      • September 3, 2019
      • September 9, 2019
      • September 16, 2019
      • September 23, 2019
      • September 30, 2019
      • October 7. 2019
      • October 14, 2019
      • October 21, 2019
      • October 28, 2019
      • November 4, 2019
      • November 11, 2019
      • November 18, 2019
      • November 25, 2019
      • December 2, 2019
      • December 9, 2019
      • December 16, 2010
      • December 23, 2019
      • December 31, 2019
    • 2020 >
      • January 13, 2020
      • January 20, 2020
      • January 27, 2020
      • February 3, 2020
      • February 10, 2020
      • February 17, 2020
      • February 24, 2020
      • March 2, 2020
      • March 9, 2020
      • March 30, 2020
      • Special Message to Community
      • April 6, 2020
      • April 13, 2020
      • April 20, 2020
      • May 4, 2020
      • May 11, 2020
      • June 1, 2020
      • June 15, 2020
      • June 30, 2020
      • August 5, 2020
      • August 24, 2020
      • October 12, 2020
      • October 26, 2020
      • November 9, 2020
      • November 30, 2020
      • December 14, 2020
      • December 30, 2020
    • 2021 >
      • January 11, 2021
      • January 25, 2021
      • February 8, 2021
      • March 22, 2021
      • March 29, 2021
      • April 6, 2021
      • May 31, 2021
      • June 7, 2021
      • June 14, 2021
      • June 21, 2021
      • July 5, 2021
      • August 3, 2021
      • August 16, 2021
      • August 31, 2021
      • September 13, 2021
      • September 28, 2021
      • November 8, 2021
      • November 15, 2021
      • November 22, 2021
      • November 29, 2021
      • 2021 Instructional Program Reviews >
        • CCHS 2021 Instructional Program Review
        • CCMS 2021 Instructional Program Review
        • CES 2021 Instructional Program Review
        • Harrison 2021 Instructional Program Review
        • LSST 2021 Instructional Program Review
        • McKinley 2021 Instructional Program Review
        • Washington 2021 Instructional Program Review

Echoes from Cañon

Examples of Excellence

PictureCoach Ritter won his 200th game this season!
Our board of education offered a slew of kudos last Monday, including congratulating Pauline Carochi for her achievements related to speech and debate sponsorship, Todd Albrecht for all he does in our performing arts programs, and Dominic Carochi, Adam Hartman and Jamie Murray for the great work they did securing our $900,000 Early Literacy Grant.  

With the high school varsity baseball season ending last Saturday I want to thank coach Tim Ritter for another great season and to congratulate him on achieving his 200th coaching victory this year en route to a league championship title and an opportunity to host a first round state baseball contest.  

I also thank the many great educators who have gone above and beyond the call of duty this past week in offering great experiences for our kids.  CES teacher Carrie Hanenberg took her PE classes on 2 days of bike rides this week along the Skyline trail system.  Meanwhile Harrison teacher Cassie Norden organized a Battle of the Books tournament among 4th and 5th graders from Harrison, CES, McKinley, Penrose and Fremont Elementary schools.  Finally, CCMS Title I Students were given an opportunity to visit Dairy Queen and Dominos to learn about how reading, writing and math are used in the work world.  

On Thursday evening we received word that our Expelled and At-Risk Student Services grant has received preliminary approval from the colorado Department of Education.  We have to make some adjustments to the grant, but the end result should be the implementation of Work Sessions for students at-risk of failing courses at Cañon City High School and the creation of an alternative suspension program as well. 

The Focus of Our Work

PictureBill Summers was hired as the new CaƱon City High School principal.
After a full day interviewing four finalists on Monday the Cañon City High School new principal selection committee decided to offer the position to high school language arts teacher Bill Summers.  As a result, Mr. Summers was offered a contract by the board of education and has accepted the position.  Mr. Summers is a Cañon City High School and Air Force Academy graduate, has taught for 4 years in the district, and has 23 years of leadership experience earned in the United States Air Force.

This week we will interview and hopefully pitch offers to candidates competing for our open director of special services and district literacy coordinator positions.  We will also begin training staff members in the assessment package used by our literacy partners at Lindamood-Bell.  After doing this, we will assess students we have identified to possibly attend our first summer school reading academy during which we’ll instruct Visualizing and Verbalizing and Seeing Stars interventions.  

Director of finance Buddy Lambrecht presented a roughly 37 million dollar budget package to the board of education for preliminary approval on Monday evening.  Though we have slightly reduced staffing levels across the district, and have actively sought every possible grant that might support the direction we are headed, the end result is we still only have a little more than $300,000 remaining after annual PERA and insurance increases with which to seek to reward our hardworking employees for another year of dedicated service.  This is the dollar figure we are discussing with our employees through negotiation processes.  

Cañon City Education Association and Cañon City School District continued negotiating updated master agreement language from 4 PM to 7 PM last Wednesday, with dinner provided by Administration. This week, certified and classified negotiations teams heard a budget presentation from director of finance Buddy Lambrecht.  Then we began to work on story, interests, and options addressing the issue facing the district regarding the effect six years of step freezes has had on employee placement on salary schedules.  After this was accomplished negotiators agreed to merge the issue of step freezes with that of negotiating salaries and benefits.  Work will continue work on this Wednesday, May 18th, and will take place from 2 PM to 8 PM.

Last Week

PictureOn Wednesday McKinley teachers crunched student reading and math achievement data.
On Monday I participated in Cañon City High School principal interviews, a board work session, and a regular board meeting. On Tuesday I held SAC and district leadership team meetings.  I also attended a retirement tea at CES and a district safety committee evening gathering.  On Wednesday I met with classified association leaders in a monthly meeting to touch base,  then worked on our annual safe schools report to CDE with director of student support services Paula Buser, and attended another master agreement negotiation session.  On Thursday I spent time in McKinley Elementary and Lincoln School of Science and Technology while working on evaluations and preparing for our district accountability committee meeting.  I also hosted a regional manager’s meeting, and then conducted our final district accountability committee meeting of the year where we finalized our academic plan for improvement.  On Friday I attended a Fremont County Executive Directors luncheon hosted by Fremont County DHS, and attended a series of meetings.

This Week

On Monday we’ll interview and hopefully recommend a new director of special services.  By the end of the week we also hope to hire a district literacy coordinator.   On Monday afternoon I’ll attend the district employee retirement party.  On Tuesday a slew of district employees will be trained by the folks at Lindamood-Bell in a number of reading assessments.  I’ll peek in on that, meet with newly hired CCHS principal Bill Summers, connect with CCEA leaders for a monthly meeting to touch base, and end the day in a Cañon 20-20 task force meeting.  On Wednesday we’ll hold a certified negotiations marathon session from 2 PM to 8 PM.  On Thursday I’ll spend the entire day in classified salary negotiations. My schedule on Friday is somewhat open at the moment, though I don’t imagine that will last. 

Thanks for listening once again!

​George S. Welsh
Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.