• 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

Picture
Congratulations are in order once again for the Cañon City High School Tiger Pride Marching Band.  Last week our young men and women, under the direction of Josh Race, took first place in the Class 3A division at the CHSAA regional marching competition.  Mr. Race. his staff, and our kids truly work hard.  However, I have no doubt they are putting in a little extra effort  this year in thanks for the wonderful support our community showed in raising $40,000 for their brand new uniforms.  What a great investment that has been in our students!
Picture
CES Kindergarteners experience an operating room at St. Thomas Moore Hospital.
Picture
Harrison Kindergarteners paid a visit to Colon Orchards.
I also want to offer a shout out to our entire district kindergarten staff for the many opportunities they have been offering our students.  Between student classroom presentations, first responder guest speaker appearances, field trips to the hospital, classroom exploration activities, and even a visit to Colon Orchards, our children are clearly being given opportunities to learn by doing.  There is simply no better way to start a school carer than with a great kindergarten experience that makes learning fun and relevant! 

On a final note, I wanted to take a moment to thank Mountain View Core Knowledge teacher Cynthia Grooters for offering me a special invitation to look over the final work product her students put together as a result of a a unit on medieval times.  Last week several of her children took me on a tour of the wonderful castles they constructed.  In completing the project they had to clearly label key parts of a castle’s architecture, while also being able to describe the purpose of each.  What a wonderful hands on way to cement student learning.  Thank you Cynthia, for encouraging me to see this great work in action!
Picture
Picture

The Focus of Our Work

While students were enjoying a short fall break early last week our instructional staff was deeply engaged in lifelong learning, participating in a mid-semester district-wide staff development work day.  On Tuesday our teachers at the elementary level had the opportunity to share what they have learned while using our new Journeys reading materials, and the effectiveness of math resources we have been piloting.  Our high school staff worked in PLCs on pathways development activities, and issues related to weighted grading.  Middle school staff focused on implementation of newly purchased math resources, and general building level initiatives.  Not to be left out, our special educators honed their skills related to writing IEP goals and our PE staff worked together on engaging instructional strategies. I know not having school in session can cause a bit of trouble for parents.  However, I think the great work our teachers do on such days, sharing effective strategies and honing their professional skills, far outweighs this occasional inconvenience.  I want to thank everyone who was involved in this process.
Picture
K-5 teachers learn how to use Journeys electronic resources to support reading.
Picture
Special education staff members honed their IEP goal writing skills.

Last Week

PictureStaff members work to check in parents during our reunification drill.
Though there was no school on Monday due to our end of quarter teacher flex-work day, many key district personnel participated in an early morning emergency reunification simulation.  Throughout the rest of the day I had a series of meetings with parents and staff members.  There was no school on Tuesday as it was a district staff development day.  I also had evaluation and parent meetings on this day.  On Wednesday I traveled to and from La Junta to address the Healthy Eaters, Lifelong Movers summit.  At the event I shared my knowledge about how improvements in classroom instruction and effort put forth toward health and wellness initiatives for children can lead to improvement in school and district accreditation.  Cañon City Schools is a model when it comes to this.  On Thursday and Friday I will spent time addressing personnel matters ad well as working on a special project for the Colorado Association of Senior School Administrators. 

This Week

Picture
On Monday morning I meet with some southern Colorado superintendents about CDE initiatives and legislative advocacy.  In the afternoon I’ll meet with folks about a potential P-Tech grant for CCHS.  In the late afternoon and evening I’ll attend a board work session and regularly scheduled meeting.  On Tuesday I have a SAC meeting and an afternoon instructional leader PLC session.  On Wednesday I have a meeting related about the Boys and Girls Club, as well as a session where we'll share our superintendent evaluation process with folks from the Ellicott School District.  On Thursday I’ll attend a Workforce Center Board Meeting, and then meet with our financial staff about several of our current grant processes.  On Friday I’ll spend the entire day in Pueblo visiting and learning about a STEM school with some of our CCHS staff members.

Thanks for listening once again.  Have a great week!

George S. Welsh

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.