Echoes from Cañon
Our Mission and Core Beliefs
The Cañon City School District is future-focused, providing innovative educational opportunities to successfully prepare all students to meet any challenge they may face.
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.
The Cañon City School District is future-focused, providing innovative educational opportunities to successfully prepare all students to meet any challenge they may face.
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
Molly Merry addresses the Board of Health.
The primary goal of the Cañon City School District for the 2021-22 school year has been to keep its doors open to as many students as possible, every day, with as few restrictions as possible.
If you followed the local news during Thanksgiving week you may be a bit confused as to the current status of Cañon City Schools when it comes to mask-wearing requirements.
On Tuesday November 23rd representatives of Cañon City Schools, including board members Robin Reeser, Todd Albrecht, and Molly Merry, attended a Fremont County Board of Health meeting during which data was shared related to the extent of a COVID breakout in our community.
If you followed the local news during Thanksgiving week you may be a bit confused as to the current status of Cañon City Schools when it comes to mask-wearing requirements.
On Tuesday November 23rd representatives of Cañon City Schools, including board members Robin Reeser, Todd Albrecht, and Molly Merry, attended a Fremont County Board of Health meeting during which data was shared related to the extent of a COVID breakout in our community.
CCSD tracks the number of students and staff who must be quarantined on a daily basis. This year we have seen a high of nearly 350 and lows around 50. As of Friday, November 29th, 55 individuals were required to be quarantined or isolated.
At the meeting the Board of Education took a collaborative stance in agreeing to enforce a proposed Public Health Consent Order for the benefit of the larger Fremont County Community, requiring masks to be worn on campus from November 29th through January 24th. On Wednesday the district received a document detailing this order. However, on Friday November 19th we received follow-up communication from the Board of Health that they would not be codifying it.
The Cañon City School District Board of Education reacted by making it clear we'll stay the course in our commitment to follow all public health requirements, not recommendations. Since masking on our campuses is not a requirement by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, the Fremont County Department of Public Health, or the Fremont County Board of Health, we will not be implementing a mask plan as was indicated in the news on Tuesday evening.
We’d like to remind everyone our current mitigation strategies include encouraging mask-wearing when appropriate, quarantining close contacts or requiring masks be worn by close contacts in lieu of quarantining, sending individuals who show up to our campuses sick home until symptoms subside, cleaning and disinfecting all learning spaces regularly, promoting hand washing, implementing plans to improve air quality, and promoting vaccination participation.
We understand all of this has been confusing for folks. As a reminder, we are happy to do what is required by public health agencies whose role we believe it is to make such decisions. However, Molly Merry may have put it best when she stated, “the health board expressed that we know what is best for kids, and we do in the realm of education. We would not put decision making about instruction in the laps of public health officials. By the same token, they should not put public health decisions in our lap.”
The Cañon City School District Board of Education reacted by making it clear we'll stay the course in our commitment to follow all public health requirements, not recommendations. Since masking on our campuses is not a requirement by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, the Fremont County Department of Public Health, or the Fremont County Board of Health, we will not be implementing a mask plan as was indicated in the news on Tuesday evening.
We’d like to remind everyone our current mitigation strategies include encouraging mask-wearing when appropriate, quarantining close contacts or requiring masks be worn by close contacts in lieu of quarantining, sending individuals who show up to our campuses sick home until symptoms subside, cleaning and disinfecting all learning spaces regularly, promoting hand washing, implementing plans to improve air quality, and promoting vaccination participation.
We understand all of this has been confusing for folks. As a reminder, we are happy to do what is required by public health agencies whose role we believe it is to make such decisions. However, Molly Merry may have put it best when she stated, “the health board expressed that we know what is best for kids, and we do in the realm of education. We would not put decision making about instruction in the laps of public health officials. By the same token, they should not put public health decisions in our lap.”
Our Future Focus
Some of our youngest learners enjoyed some great activities just prior to the Thanksgiving break. At Washington Elementary, the Bear Fun Run Assembly included an opportunity for students received prizes earned, including spraying a staff member of their choice with silly string!
At McKinley Elementary School, preschoolers are being taught music, physical education, and technology every week by the school’s certified specials teachers. This is a wonderful way to integrate the preschool program into the regular school experience!
As many folks know, there’s been a lot of public interest this year about what we teach our children in the realm of history and social studies. Currently the Colorado Department of Education is accepting public feedback on two state curriculums; social studies and art. The public feedback window will be open through Friday, January 1st. If you’d like to participate in this process all you have to do is go to this web page: https://www.cde.state.co.us/standardsandinstruction/casreviewgroups
At McKinley Elementary School, preschoolers are being taught music, physical education, and technology every week by the school’s certified specials teachers. This is a wonderful way to integrate the preschool program into the regular school experience!
As many folks know, there’s been a lot of public interest this year about what we teach our children in the realm of history and social studies. Currently the Colorado Department of Education is accepting public feedback on two state curriculums; social studies and art. The public feedback window will be open through Friday, January 1st. If you’d like to participate in this process all you have to do is go to this web page: https://www.cde.state.co.us/standardsandinstruction/casreviewgroups
Applying Our Traits and Skills
McKinley pre-schoolers are enjoying the life skills offerings many older students participate in.
Our district focus on traits and skills doesn’t only live in the work we do at Cañon City High School. Each of our other buildings work hard to develop them in their students. Before Thanksgiving break, the Lincoln School of Science and Technology recognized children doing exemplary work not his front.
Regarding tenacity and collaboration, the Cañon City High School Madrigal program was dormant last year as a result of COVID restrictions. However, they are back at it now, spending lots of time outside of school hours rehearsing and already making their first public performances in Pueblo this week. We're excited this long-time community tradition is active once again!
One of the main ways we apply our traits and skills at CCHS is by offering CDIP certified courses. As a result of great work by staff, we have vastly expanded offerings in career certification programs. This is wonderful because it prepares students for the world of work. It is also fruitful because for each certification completed, Canon City High School receives funding from the Colorado to enhance its programs. This week I reviewed a plan the CCHS staff put together to re-invest approximately $450,000 earned in the 20-21 school year, and I’m excited to see dollars will go toward everything from career tech stalwarts such as engineering, welding, carpentry, machining, business, automotive, and video productions, as well as the Tiger Open Pathway, Physical Education programs, and the PaICE intern/apprentice program.
Regarding tenacity and collaboration, the Cañon City High School Madrigal program was dormant last year as a result of COVID restrictions. However, they are back at it now, spending lots of time outside of school hours rehearsing and already making their first public performances in Pueblo this week. We're excited this long-time community tradition is active once again!
One of the main ways we apply our traits and skills at CCHS is by offering CDIP certified courses. As a result of great work by staff, we have vastly expanded offerings in career certification programs. This is wonderful because it prepares students for the world of work. It is also fruitful because for each certification completed, Canon City High School receives funding from the Colorado to enhance its programs. This week I reviewed a plan the CCHS staff put together to re-invest approximately $450,000 earned in the 20-21 school year, and I’m excited to see dollars will go toward everything from career tech stalwarts such as engineering, welding, carpentry, machining, business, automotive, and video productions, as well as the Tiger Open Pathway, Physical Education programs, and the PaICE intern/apprentice program.
Looking Ahead
This week Mr. Hartman and I will meet with folks who are designing details around a possible mill-levy equalization bill. I’ll also conduct an expulsion hearing, attend a Fremont Multi-District Initiative brainstorming session, attend a weekly director’s meeting, participate in a session about principal mentoring, and facilitate a monthly administrative office staff meeting. On Wednesday afternoon I’ll support Mr. Hartman as he facilitates a board strategic planning meeting, and then I’ll attend this year’s Colorado Association of School Boards annual convention with he and our board.
The annual CASB convention is professional development for school board members.
Thanks for listening once again.
George S. Welsh
The annual CASB convention is professional development for school board members.
Thanks for listening once again.
George S. Welsh
