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
Bill Summers accepts the Succeeds Prize for Innovation in STEM Education
On Thursday night in Denver Cañon City High School was awarded the 2019 Succeeds Prize for Innovation in STEM Education.
This recognized CCHS's innovative development of a Systems Go rocketry program, as well as the incredible school transformation the Cañon City High School staff has guided during the past three years, turning itself into a Student-Centered/Pathways/P-TECH high school. The award also acknowledges our amazing community partners who have invested in our kids, be it monetarily, by donating equipment and supplies, or simply by opening their doors to intern and apprentice opportunities for our kids. Finally, it is also a testament to the partnership we have with Pueblo Community College and our first in the nation rural high school P-TECH program.
This recognized CCHS's innovative development of a Systems Go rocketry program, as well as the incredible school transformation the Cañon City High School staff has guided during the past three years, turning itself into a Student-Centered/Pathways/P-TECH high school. The award also acknowledges our amazing community partners who have invested in our kids, be it monetarily, by donating equipment and supplies, or simply by opening their doors to intern and apprentice opportunities for our kids. Finally, it is also a testament to the partnership we have with Pueblo Community College and our first in the nation rural high school P-TECH program.
Florence Jr-Sr High principal Dan Melendrez addresses the Workplace Learning Board
The Succeeds Prize comes with a $15,000 cash award, which will be invested directly into our Systems Go rocketry program by setting up an advanced manufacturing classroom at the high school. Just as exciting, last week we were informed Cañon City High School received $179,000 in vocational incentive money from the State of Colorado because of the number of students that earned industry certificates in Career and Technical Education courses. Our plan for these dollars is to invest most of them toward the establishment of our advanced manufacturing lab.
If you'd like to see the 9News broadcast of the award, you can go to this link and fast forward to the 30-minute mark. Enjoy!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QvMKPWpXxZk
On Wednesday I attended the Fremont County Workplace Learning Board. Most exciting was Florence High School's growing engagement in the program. Lisa Tedesko reported we're on track to have 97 students enrolled in internships, on track to complete 200 total, with 110 business partners offering such opportunities to our kids.
If you'd like to see the 9News broadcast of the award, you can go to this link and fast forward to the 30-minute mark. Enjoy!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QvMKPWpXxZk
On Wednesday I attended the Fremont County Workplace Learning Board. Most exciting was Florence High School's growing engagement in the program. Lisa Tedesko reported we're on track to have 97 students enrolled in internships, on track to complete 200 total, with 110 business partners offering such opportunities to our kids.
Our Future Focus
Finessa Ferrell from the Colorado Education Initiative explains the Youth Connections program
During Superintendent Advisory Council this week we discussed purchasing signs to communicate our new animals on campus policy, when we'll receive additional behavioral health funding that was allocated by the legislature, the purchasing of Mobile Guardian licenses to support elementary grade Chromebook use, addressing our current substitute teacher shortage, and preliminary pupil count. We also discussed that it might also be time to engage extra help or contracted services for grant management and reporting. Buddy Lambrecht reports our finance department is beginning to drown on this front due to our annual grant acquisitions increasing form the hundreds of thousands per year into the millions. This is not even taking into account our nearly $40 million in BEST grants we are investing. As a result, we'll be engaging the Board of Education about this need before we move forward.
On Tuesday afternoon teams from CCHS, CCMS, CES, Harrison, and MVCKS attended a Colorado Education Initiative Youth Connections Grant site visit. During the session, each school was given the opportunity to present important things about their current education programs. Everyone then had time, in school teams, to establish a vision about how the work they'll do with this grant will improve family engagement, student/adult partnerships, systems of supports for struggling students, and the general social-emotional learning climate in each school. Participants also learned they'll be part of a cohort that includes the Mesa 51, Alamosa, and Sheridan schools districts. Excitingly, we are the only district that has the opportunity to touch on multiple middle school programs through the grant process.
On Tuesday afternoon teams from CCHS, CCMS, CES, Harrison, and MVCKS attended a Colorado Education Initiative Youth Connections Grant site visit. During the session, each school was given the opportunity to present important things about their current education programs. Everyone then had time, in school teams, to establish a vision about how the work they'll do with this grant will improve family engagement, student/adult partnerships, systems of supports for struggling students, and the general social-emotional learning climate in each school. Participants also learned they'll be part of a cohort that includes the Mesa 51, Alamosa, and Sheridan schools districts. Excitingly, we are the only district that has the opportunity to touch on multiple middle school programs through the grant process.
Our Focus on Safety
Cañon City Police Officers address Lincoln students about safe routes to school
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Our amazing CCHS security staff was out in full force at Friday's Homecoming football game
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Because of the many things we constantly do to support student safety, I'm instituting a Focus on Safety section of Echoes from Cañon. This will appear on occasion to share the many things we do to keep our kids safe.
Last week School Resource Officer Chip Coffin and Seargent Sabatino from the Cañon City Police Department presented to Lincoln School of Science and Technology students about how to safely walk or bike to school. This was part of the education process tied into the Safe Route to Schools grant that helped fund the new sidewalks, crosswalks, and road improvements surrounding Lincoln.
Folks who attend major school events may have noticed how we are now providing heightened security. This decison was made in light of recent national tradgedies. Doing so has included contracting daytime security staff for after hours work, and greater visibility of Cañon City Police officers as well.
Last week School Resource Officer Chip Coffin and Seargent Sabatino from the Cañon City Police Department presented to Lincoln School of Science and Technology students about how to safely walk or bike to school. This was part of the education process tied into the Safe Route to Schools grant that helped fund the new sidewalks, crosswalks, and road improvements surrounding Lincoln.
Folks who attend major school events may have noticed how we are now providing heightened security. This decison was made in light of recent national tradgedies. Doing so has included contracting daytime security staff for after hours work, and greater visibility of Cañon City Police officers as well.
Bond Progress
An elevator shaft is going up at Washington
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Steel is being erected at CCMS
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A lot of progress was made during the last week with an elevator shaft beginning to rise on the Washington construction site. This will allow access to the second story of the south instructional wing. Visitors to the site can also clearly see the spaces that will make up the new gymnasium and the attached stage/music room.
At the Cañon City Middle School site, the newly installed crane has been put to good use, as steel that will hold up the new commons, life skills, and 8th-grade classroom spaces is quickly being erected. On Monday, September 30th week CCMS students will have an opportunity to affix their signature to the final beam that will be used to top off this section.
At the Cañon City Middle School site, the newly installed crane has been put to good use, as steel that will hold up the new commons, life skills, and 8th-grade classroom spaces is quickly being erected. On Monday, September 30th week CCMS students will have an opportunity to affix their signature to the final beam that will be used to top off this section.
Last Week
CCHS Science Teacher Carrie Trimble presented to FIOG about a proposes greenhouse project
On Monday afternoon I attended a Coherence Lab meeting in Denver at the Colorado Department of Education. This is designed to support CDE in providing more logical and consistent support to school district around the state. On Tuesday I met with Board Secretary-Treasurer Robin Reeser to discuss current provisions of the Colorado School Finance Act. We also held a Superintendent Advisory Council meeting and entertained a Colorado Education Initiative team conducting a Youth Connections Grant site visit. I ended Tuesday attending a Communities that Care board meeting. On Wednesday I dropped in on the quarterly DHS FIOG meeting, attended a live lockdown drill review meeting with Director of Student Support Services Paula Buser and local first responders, attended a quarterly Fremont County Workplace Learning Board meeting supporting our student intern and apprentice program, and held a meeting with Assistant Superintendent of Schools Adam Hartman to discuss the impact of school accreditation ratings on our federal programs application process. On Thursday and Friday I was in Vail where I attended the annual Colorado Association of School Executives Superintendent Conference where I received the news that Cañon City High School actually won a Succeeds Prize. On Friday I returned to Cañon in time to attend the CCHS Homecoming Assembly and a portion of the quarterly Upper Arkansas Tech Sector meeting.
This Week
On Monday we'll have several Civic Canopy process follow up meetings. I also have a meeting with a representative from the American Heart Association, we'll hold a Youth Connections school level grant team formation meeting, and we have a regular work session and board meeting. On Tuesday we'll hold a Superintendent Advisory Council meeting, an Instructional Leader Professional Learning Community session, and a Fremont Facilities Corporation meeting. On Wednesday we have a meeting about selecting building surface finishes, as well as a reconstituted District Accountability Committee meeting. On Thursday I'll attend the quarterly Pueblo Community College-Fremont Campus Advisory Board meeting, and on Friday I'll sit in on a CCMS student access to CCHS classes meeting with CCHS Principal Bill Summers and CCMS Principal Jesse Oliver.
Other Voices
CCHS Teacher David Laughlin addresses a class
Last week I was copied on an email from CCHS Science Teacher David Laughlin. He is a fine example of how staff at all levels have taken to heart the district's initiative to offer relevant learning experiences for students. It is worth sharing!
Good afternoon.
I just wanted to take a moment and give you all a quick taste of what I saw all day today while we were on-site studying the Hayden drainage. I saw excitement, engagement, ownership, and pride in our students. I overheard discussions about what we should and could do next. I was bombarded with incredibly thoughtful, pointed questions all day long.
The relationship that has been developed and continues to grow and evolve between our science department and Dr. Javernick and River Solutions is amazing and such a benefit to our school and community at large.
Just a quick snapshot from today that I thought you might like to know. My sincere thanks to this administration for supporting programs such as this. We are truly making a difference.
Looking toward the future and the hopes for our greenhouse, SystemsGo, and partnership with Second 61, NASA and River Solutions, the future looks bright and full of promise. What an exciting time to be a Tiger!
Genuinely,
David Laughlin
. . . and thanks for listening once again,
George S. Welsh
Good afternoon.
I just wanted to take a moment and give you all a quick taste of what I saw all day today while we were on-site studying the Hayden drainage. I saw excitement, engagement, ownership, and pride in our students. I overheard discussions about what we should and could do next. I was bombarded with incredibly thoughtful, pointed questions all day long.
The relationship that has been developed and continues to grow and evolve between our science department and Dr. Javernick and River Solutions is amazing and such a benefit to our school and community at large.
Just a quick snapshot from today that I thought you might like to know. My sincere thanks to this administration for supporting programs such as this. We are truly making a difference.
Looking toward the future and the hopes for our greenhouse, SystemsGo, and partnership with Second 61, NASA and River Solutions, the future looks bright and full of promise. What an exciting time to be a Tiger!
Genuinely,
David Laughlin
. . . and thanks for listening once again,
George S. Welsh
