Examples of Excellence
Senator Grantham and representatives from the Colorado League of Charter Schools toured MVCKS last week.
Last week we were honored to have special visitors in our school district as Senator Kevin Grantham and representatives from the Colorado League of Charter Schools took a tour of Mountain View Core Knowledge School.
I would like to offer a shout out to our new music teacher at Lincoln School of Science and Technology. Justin Nelson is already making himself known around the district for great preparation work he has done building an elementary music parent/student handbook. Welcome to Cañon City Justin, and thank you for your hard work!
Congratulations are due Cañon City Schools Board of Education Director Shad Johnson who was honored by Pueblo Junior Achievement Director Mary Hammer for outstanding community outreach for Junior Achievement. Mr. Johnson has made it his personal mission to expand Junior Achievement entrepreneurial opportunities to Cañon City Schools students of all ages.
I also want to offer kudos to administrators at Cañon City High School, Cañon City Middle School and McKinley Elementary for the focus I have seen them putting toward offering feedback to teachers about the level of student engagement they are observing during instructional visits. Mr. Renn at CCMS has done fine work helping his staff understand how the five levels of student engagement look based on educational guru Phillip Schlechty’s work. Mr. Summers and his staff at CCHS put together an easy to use observation form to share with teachers after classroom observations, and Mr. Morton has incorporated this work into feedback he is already offering teachers at McKinley. We have worked hard during the past two years to ensure our teachers have a quality curriculum outline to follow when teaching and are planning high quality learning targets when they deliver their lessons. Our focus on increasing student engagement in lessons is a logical next step in our improvement efforts.
I would like to offer a shout out to our new music teacher at Lincoln School of Science and Technology. Justin Nelson is already making himself known around the district for great preparation work he has done building an elementary music parent/student handbook. Welcome to Cañon City Justin, and thank you for your hard work!
Congratulations are due Cañon City Schools Board of Education Director Shad Johnson who was honored by Pueblo Junior Achievement Director Mary Hammer for outstanding community outreach for Junior Achievement. Mr. Johnson has made it his personal mission to expand Junior Achievement entrepreneurial opportunities to Cañon City Schools students of all ages.
I also want to offer kudos to administrators at Cañon City High School, Cañon City Middle School and McKinley Elementary for the focus I have seen them putting toward offering feedback to teachers about the level of student engagement they are observing during instructional visits. Mr. Renn at CCMS has done fine work helping his staff understand how the five levels of student engagement look based on educational guru Phillip Schlechty’s work. Mr. Summers and his staff at CCHS put together an easy to use observation form to share with teachers after classroom observations, and Mr. Morton has incorporated this work into feedback he is already offering teachers at McKinley. We have worked hard during the past two years to ensure our teachers have a quality curriculum outline to follow when teaching and are planning high quality learning targets when they deliver their lessons. Our focus on increasing student engagement in lessons is a logical next step in our improvement efforts.
The Focus of Our Work
CCSD Board Director Shad Johnson was honored by Junior Achievement for outstanding community outreach.
Last week we received preliminary district and school accreditation ratings from CDE. These are released to school districts each year in early September, but not finalized until the end of October should a school district choose to challenge any of CDE’s findings. We still have a little work yet to do sorting our preliminary school ratings, but I am quite comfortable sharing our district results now. Based on spring 2017 CMAS, PARCC, and SAT results the Cañon City School District will remain fully accredited for a second straight year, with a DPF score of 57.9, 1.2 points higher than it was last year. I hope to highlight individual school performance next week after we get answers to our questions about one of our school performance frameworks from CDE.
At its Monday August 28 meeting, the Board of Education approved a resolution to place two questions on this November’s election ballot, a mill levy override, and a bond question. All registered voters who reside within Cañon City School District boundaries will be allowed to vote on these questions. During the next several weeks I’ll share facts about these questions to help you understand them.
At its Monday August 28 meeting, the Board of Education approved a resolution to place two questions on this November’s election ballot, a mill levy override, and a bond question. All registered voters who reside within Cañon City School District boundaries will be allowed to vote on these questions. During the next several weeks I’ll share facts about these questions to help you understand them.
Schlechty's Five Levels of Student Engagement.
A great place to start is what the difference is between a mill levy override and a Bond. A mill levy override asks a community to pay additional property tax on an annual basis to be used by a school district for basic operations. This means dollars can be spent on supplies, materials, equipment, and salaries. When a district poses such a question it usually states how much extra revenue will be collected, for what length of time, and for what purpose it will be used.
A bond question asks a community for support in addressing large scale capital projects usually related to constructing and/or remodeling buildings. Once again, when a district poses such a question it should clearly state how much a project will cost, how much taxpayers are being asked to contribute toward the project, how long it will take to pay off the debt, and what the bond proceeds will be used for.
Here are our ballot questions in a form much like they will appear on the ballot. I encourage you to read each carefully. In the next several weeks I will answer some of the most common questions we are hearing about them.
A bond question asks a community for support in addressing large scale capital projects usually related to constructing and/or remodeling buildings. Once again, when a district poses such a question it should clearly state how much a project will cost, how much taxpayers are being asked to contribute toward the project, how long it will take to pay off the debt, and what the bond proceeds will be used for.
Here are our ballot questions in a form much like they will appear on the ballot. I encourage you to read each carefully. In the next several weeks I will answer some of the most common questions we are hearing about them.
General Fund Override
SHALL SCHOOL DISTRICT FREMONT RE-1 (CAÑON CITY SCHOOLS) TAXES BE INCREASED $1,385,000 ANNUALLY, LIMITED TO A 10 YEAR PERIOD STARTING IN COLLECTION YEAR 2018 AND ENDING AFTER COLLECTION YEAR 2027, TO RESTORE A PORTION OF FUNDING THE DISTRICT WOULD HAVE RECEIVED UNDER AMENDMENT 23 PRIOR TO CUTS IMPOSED BY THE STATE, WHICH MONEYS SHALL BE USED IN ALL DISTRICT SCHOOLS, INCLUDING MOUNTAIN VIEW CORE KNOWLEDGE CHARTER SCHOOL, TO PROVIDE FUNDS FOR:
- REPLACING OUTDATED EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS;
- IMPROVING STUDENT ACCESS TO TECHNOLOGY;
- IMPROVING THE LEVEL OF MAINTENANCE OF SCHOOL FACILITIES;
- ATTRACTING AND RETAINING QUALITY TEACHERS AND STAFF; AND
- ENHANCING EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES FOR CAÑON CITY PRESCHOOLERS,
THROUGH A PROPERTY TAX OVERRIDE MILL LEVY TO BE IMPOSED AT A RATE SUFFICIENT TO PRODUCE THE AMOUNT SET FORTH ABOVE, TO BE DEPOSITED INTO THE GENERAL FUND OF THE DISTRICT, AND TO BE IN ADDITION TO THE PROPERTY TAXES THAT OTHERWISE WOULD BE LEVIED FOR THE GENERAL FUND?
General Obligation Bond
SHALL SCHOOL DISTRICT FREMONT RE-1 (CAÑON CITY SCHOOLS) DEBT BE INCREASED $18.2 MILLION, WITH A REPAYMENT COST OF UP TO $30.9 MILLION, AND SHALL DISTRICT TAXES BE INCREASED BY UP TO $1.55 MILLION ANNUALLY FOR THE FOLLOWING PURPOSES:
- PROVIDING $2.7 MILLION OF MATCHING MONEY REQUIRED TO RECEIVE $4.96 MILLION IN STATE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE ALREADY AWARDED UNDER THE BUILDING EXCELLENT SCHOOLS TODAY “BEST” PROGRAM TO ADDRESS HEALTH, SAFETY, SECURITY, AND EDUCATIONAL DEFICIENCIES IN SCHOOL FACILITIES ACROSS THE DISTRICT;
- CONSTRUCTING A NEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TO REPLACE WASHINGTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL BY THE DISTRICT ISSUING UP TO $6.2 MILLION OF REQUIRED MATCHING MONEY DEBT ONLY IF $13.2 MILLION OF STATE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE IS AWARDED TO THE DISTRICT UNDER THE “BEST” PROGRAM, WITH SUCH RELATED TAXES TO BE COLLECTED ONLY IF STATE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE IS SECURED;
- CONSTRUCTING A NEW MIDDLE SCHOOL TO REPLACE CAÑON CITY MIDDLE SCHOOL BY THE DISTRICT ISSUING UP TO $8.0 MILLION OF REQUIRED MATCHING MONEY DEBT ONLY IF $16.85 MILLION OF STATE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE IS AWARDED TO THE DISTRICT UNDER THE “BEST” PROGRAM, WITH SUCH RELATED TAXES TO BE COLLECTED ONLY IF STATE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE IS SECURED; AND
- PAYING OFF THE OUTSTANDING MOUNTAIN VIEW CORE KNOWLEDGE CHARTER SCHOOL FACILITIES LOAN AT A COST OF UP TO $1.3 MILLION THEREBY REDUCING UP TO $130,000 PER YEAR IN COSTS FOR THE SCHOOL AND MAKING SUCH SAVINGS AVAILABLE FOR OTHER PURPOSES,
BY THE ISSUANCE AND PAYMENT OF GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS WHICH SHALL BEAR INTEREST, MATURE, BE SUBJECT TO REDEMPTION, WITH OR WITHOUT PREMIUM, AND BE ISSUED AT SUCH TIME, AT SUCH PRICE (AT, ABOVE OR BELOW PAR) AND IN SUCH MANNER AND CONTAINING SUCH TERMS, NOT INCONSISTENT WITH THIS BALLOT ISSUE, AS THE BOARD OF EDUCATION MAY DETERMINE; AND SHALL AD VALOREM PROPERTY TAXES BE LEVIED WITHOUT LIMIT AS TO THE MILL RATE NOT INCONSISTENT WITH THE COST PARAMETERS SET FORTH ABOVE AND IN AN AMOUNT SUFFICIENT IN EACH YEAR TO PAY THE PRINCIPAL OF, PREMIUM IF ANY, AND INTEREST ON SUCH DEBT AND TO FUND ANY RESERVES FOR THE PAYMENT THEREOF?
SHALL SCHOOL DISTRICT FREMONT RE-1 (CAÑON CITY SCHOOLS) TAXES BE INCREASED $1,385,000 ANNUALLY, LIMITED TO A 10 YEAR PERIOD STARTING IN COLLECTION YEAR 2018 AND ENDING AFTER COLLECTION YEAR 2027, TO RESTORE A PORTION OF FUNDING THE DISTRICT WOULD HAVE RECEIVED UNDER AMENDMENT 23 PRIOR TO CUTS IMPOSED BY THE STATE, WHICH MONEYS SHALL BE USED IN ALL DISTRICT SCHOOLS, INCLUDING MOUNTAIN VIEW CORE KNOWLEDGE CHARTER SCHOOL, TO PROVIDE FUNDS FOR:
- REPLACING OUTDATED EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS;
- IMPROVING STUDENT ACCESS TO TECHNOLOGY;
- IMPROVING THE LEVEL OF MAINTENANCE OF SCHOOL FACILITIES;
- ATTRACTING AND RETAINING QUALITY TEACHERS AND STAFF; AND
- ENHANCING EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES FOR CAÑON CITY PRESCHOOLERS,
THROUGH A PROPERTY TAX OVERRIDE MILL LEVY TO BE IMPOSED AT A RATE SUFFICIENT TO PRODUCE THE AMOUNT SET FORTH ABOVE, TO BE DEPOSITED INTO THE GENERAL FUND OF THE DISTRICT, AND TO BE IN ADDITION TO THE PROPERTY TAXES THAT OTHERWISE WOULD BE LEVIED FOR THE GENERAL FUND?
General Obligation Bond
SHALL SCHOOL DISTRICT FREMONT RE-1 (CAÑON CITY SCHOOLS) DEBT BE INCREASED $18.2 MILLION, WITH A REPAYMENT COST OF UP TO $30.9 MILLION, AND SHALL DISTRICT TAXES BE INCREASED BY UP TO $1.55 MILLION ANNUALLY FOR THE FOLLOWING PURPOSES:
- PROVIDING $2.7 MILLION OF MATCHING MONEY REQUIRED TO RECEIVE $4.96 MILLION IN STATE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE ALREADY AWARDED UNDER THE BUILDING EXCELLENT SCHOOLS TODAY “BEST” PROGRAM TO ADDRESS HEALTH, SAFETY, SECURITY, AND EDUCATIONAL DEFICIENCIES IN SCHOOL FACILITIES ACROSS THE DISTRICT;
- CONSTRUCTING A NEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TO REPLACE WASHINGTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL BY THE DISTRICT ISSUING UP TO $6.2 MILLION OF REQUIRED MATCHING MONEY DEBT ONLY IF $13.2 MILLION OF STATE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE IS AWARDED TO THE DISTRICT UNDER THE “BEST” PROGRAM, WITH SUCH RELATED TAXES TO BE COLLECTED ONLY IF STATE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE IS SECURED;
- CONSTRUCTING A NEW MIDDLE SCHOOL TO REPLACE CAÑON CITY MIDDLE SCHOOL BY THE DISTRICT ISSUING UP TO $8.0 MILLION OF REQUIRED MATCHING MONEY DEBT ONLY IF $16.85 MILLION OF STATE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE IS AWARDED TO THE DISTRICT UNDER THE “BEST” PROGRAM, WITH SUCH RELATED TAXES TO BE COLLECTED ONLY IF STATE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE IS SECURED; AND
- PAYING OFF THE OUTSTANDING MOUNTAIN VIEW CORE KNOWLEDGE CHARTER SCHOOL FACILITIES LOAN AT A COST OF UP TO $1.3 MILLION THEREBY REDUCING UP TO $130,000 PER YEAR IN COSTS FOR THE SCHOOL AND MAKING SUCH SAVINGS AVAILABLE FOR OTHER PURPOSES,
BY THE ISSUANCE AND PAYMENT OF GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS WHICH SHALL BEAR INTEREST, MATURE, BE SUBJECT TO REDEMPTION, WITH OR WITHOUT PREMIUM, AND BE ISSUED AT SUCH TIME, AT SUCH PRICE (AT, ABOVE OR BELOW PAR) AND IN SUCH MANNER AND CONTAINING SUCH TERMS, NOT INCONSISTENT WITH THIS BALLOT ISSUE, AS THE BOARD OF EDUCATION MAY DETERMINE; AND SHALL AD VALOREM PROPERTY TAXES BE LEVIED WITHOUT LIMIT AS TO THE MILL RATE NOT INCONSISTENT WITH THE COST PARAMETERS SET FORTH ABOVE AND IN AN AMOUNT SUFFICIENT IN EACH YEAR TO PAY THE PRINCIPAL OF, PREMIUM IF ANY, AND INTEREST ON SUCH DEBT AND TO FUND ANY RESERVES FOR THE PAYMENT THEREOF?
Last Week
Last week I attended a Building Bridges committee meeting about our ballot questions, worked in the office setting up evaluations systems for the year, stopped by the McKinley Open House, met with our team of literacy coaches, touched base several times with Director of Instruction Adam Hartman, and worked on our safety Unified Improvement Plan with Director of Student Support Services Paula Buser.
This Week
A Cañon City School District Bus Circa 1930's.
This Tuesday morning I’ll appear on KRLN’s Morning Line, hold a SAC meeting, and work to set up our next CASB student leader engagement session. In the afternoon, I’ll attend a Pueblo Community College advisory committee meeting, attend a student meeting, and touch base with new Fremont County Regional Wellness Collaborative Coordinator Brain VanIwarden. On Wednesday, we’ll hold a central office staff meeting, I’ll attend a quarterly CCEOE meeting, I’ll meet with operations staff, and attend a regional wellness committee meeting. This week we’ll also conduct two community tours of the conditions at Cañon City Middle School, and certify our ballot contents with Fremont County.
Thanks for listening once again!
George S. Welsh
Thanks for listening once again!
George S. Welsh
