13304 Highway 285 Pine, Colorado 80470 Phone: 303-982-2900

The Quill

April 2017

Message From the Principal It seems like just yesterday that we were welcoming students back to school, and now we’re less than two months away from the end of another amazing school year. Before you know it, we’ll be together again at our closing ceremony and starting summer break. However, there is still a tremendous amount of work and learning to be done. Please help your child stay focused on learning (persevering to learn) as the days get longer, the weather gets warmer, and we pine for the carefree days of summer. Specifically, don’t forget to ask your child each day what struggles they encountered today, and how he/she met those struggles (reinforcing a growth mindset and that struggles are normal and an important part of learning). Elk Creek Elementary is ranked as 16th out of more than 1,000 elementary schools in Colorado (top 2%), and this is due in no small part to the school-home partnership that we enjoy and all that you do to support all students at Elk Creek Elementary!

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Office Updates Mrs. Urban & Mrs. Liz If you know ahead of time that your child (ren) will be absent from school, please complete the pre-arranged absence form https://drive.google.com/a/jeffcoschools.us/file/ d/0B8VCXXigVYgoOWFZanpEaUVWTlE/edit . Please have your child return the completed form to their teacher at least 3 days prior to the absences. Don’t forget, if your child is going to be absent or late, please call the attendance line to leave us a message. 303-982-2895. Don’t let your child’s stuff end up in the lost and found! Please put their names on all their belongings. Please check the lost and found for any items. It will be donated soon! As a reminder, could you please call the office before 3:00 p.m. with end of the day arrangements. If you choose to email, please email BOTH Liz [email protected] and Monique [email protected]. FYI – Miss. Liz is having total knee replacement surgery and will be out of the office until April 12th. Dyann Enck will be in the office filling in for her. Please know that if you send her an email, she will not be responding. Please call the office if you have any questions and we will get you to the right person. Fees – Please remember, if you haven’t paid registration fees or bus fees, you can log into Jeffco Connect and pay them on line. Jeffco Connect – Don’t forget to update Jeffco Connect with address, phone numbers and emergency contacts changes. Please be sure to go to the Elk Creek Web site and check out the calendar! www.elkcreek.us

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PTA News NEXT PTA MEETING: Curious about what’s coming up at school? Join us on April 13th at 6:30pm in the community room. Free childcare! BOARD NOMINATIONS: Interested in becoming more involved with our school? Consider becoming a PTA board member! We are in need of nominations for secretary and fundraising officer. Please email [email protected] if you'd like to nominate yourself or someone else-thanks! Voting will take place at our April 13th meeting. 2017-18 School Year President- Aimee Pless Secretary- OPEN as of 3/21 VP Fundraising- OPEN as of 3/21 Teacher Representative- OPEN as of 3/21 Co-Treasurers- Tiffany Mortier & John Seevers VP Communications- Kristen Proctor Co-VP Membership- Kim Leyba & Shellie McKeown VP Education & Enrichment- Stephanie Seevers PTA VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: We always have areas in which we need help, big & small! Check out our web site for a list of opportunities. Next big event: Carnival! Help always needed & appreciated! Please contact PTA President Aimee Pless with any questions: [email protected]

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Coaches Report– April 2017 Lisa Aigner and Michele Altenhofen

Data Coach:

Moves teachers beyond what the data means to the actions that will close the gap between the current student performances to the desired student performance. Organized the information needed for Kid Talks, scheduled various teams for specific needs of referred students. 

Monitored Lexia progress and regularly met with para to ensure best practice in utilizing this intervention.

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Examined Math Expression unit data for K-5th grade teachers.

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Supported teachers to record and monitor goals for students in the MTSS system (Multi-Tiered System of Support)

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Supported teachers to record and monitor goals for students in the MTSS system with the emphasis on READ plan students and updated goals. (Multi-Tiered System of Support)

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Examined current Dibels data with primary teachers.

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Reviewed resources and discussed options with SPED teachers around future support of READ plan students. continued...

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Capacity Builder and Change Agent:

Builds competence and confidence with instructional staff, which results in a sustained, collegial learning culture. 

Conducted coaching conversations with teachers who want to reflect and problem solve on ways to enhance and improve instruction.

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Observed in classrooms and provided teachers feedback in coaching conversations.

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Observed classroom instruction with Induction teacher. The coaching done during this type of observation focuses on examining and discussing highly effective practices. The joint observation provides the new teacher with information to make explicit links and applications to their instructional practice.

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Planned and organized an observation at Maple Grove Elementary with second team around Reader's Workshop structures for primary grades.

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Planned and organized an observation at Little Elementary with first grade team around Reader’s Workshop structures for primary grades. continued...

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Instructional Specialist

Provides all teachers with the skills to deliver quality core instruction ensuring student achievement. 

Continued to revise and refine grade level common assessment work in math. We revisited our standards and deepened our knowledge surrounding conceptual, procedural, and real life applications of mathematics.

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Co-planned a math coaching cycle focused on math word problems, inquiry, and discourse.

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Co-planned math station teaching in grades 1st-4th to provide the structure to differentiate math based on math data from unit assessments.

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Taught various math stations in grades 1-4 (place value, skip counting, finding and extending number patterns, counting money and making change with coins, finding equivalent fractions, using fraction models to solve word problems)

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Co-taught literacy lessons one to three times a week with second and fourth grade teams.

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Conversations with grade level teams to determine the effectiveness of current and future interventions with struggling students. continued...

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District and School Improvement Leader:

The Instructional Coach works collaboratively with the school’s principal and building leadership team to assess, design, and implement school improvement initiatives that align with urgent challenges and district focus. 

Attended Coach Meeting and focused on a professional learning about designing math tasks to promote critical thinking.

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Collaborated with coaches across the district in a book study about algebraic reasoning in math.

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Continued to collaborate with coaches and teachers across the district in a book study about Visible Thinking routines. Implemented thinking routines with students as well as adult learners, reflecting and analyzing the success of the routines.

Elk Creek WatchD.O.G.S Calling all WatchD.O.G.S.! Dads, Grandpa’s, and Uncles! Sign up now to get the days you want! Visit Elk Creek’s Web site, www.elkcreek.us to sign up

!

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Let’s Celebrate our Awesome Elk Creek Staff! Parents and students: help us celebrate our ECE Staff by filling out the Eagle Bucks (on next page) so our beloved staff can use their “money” to bid at the Eagle Bucks Auction on Friday, May 5th. This is a school tradition that many of them look forward to. It is also a great way for students and parents to honor ECE Staff by donating items for the auction gift baskets. Here are two ways you can show your appreciation: 1. Fill out the Eagle Bucks and return them to the main office. You or your child can fill out the Eagle Bucks on back to any of the staff at Elk Creek – teachers, janitors, office staff – they all deserve recognition for making this a great school year. You can pick up extra bucks in the main office as well! 2. Donate a gift card or item for auction gift baskets. (donation ideas: gift cards to restaurants or spa services, sports tickets, chocolates, wine, anything a teacher would enjoy). We are also accepting any monetary donations so we can purchase items for baskets (checks made out to ECE PTA). Auction items can be dropped off at the main office. Thank you for any help you can provide! Please email Aimee at [email protected] if you have any questions.

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Eagle Bucks EAGLE BUCK AMOUNT (circle):

$5

$10

$15

$20

Date_____________________________ Awarded to:_________________________________________________________________________________ From:______________________________________________________________________________________ For: _______________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________ ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------EAGLE BUCK AMOUNT (circle):

$5

$10

$15

$20

Date_____________________________ Awarded to:_________________________________________________________________________________ From:______________________________________________________________________________________ For: _______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------EAGLE BUCK AMOUNT (circle):

$5

$10

$15

$20

Date_____________________________ Awarded to:_________________________________________________________________________________ From:______________________________________________________________________________________ For: _______________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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Accountability Committee The Jeffco Board of Education is seeking engaged parents, staff, business and community members to support the district by serving on the Board of Education District Accountability Committee. Committee vacancies will be filled by the Board of Education in June with screening and interviews with the Board prior to that time, so members appointed can begin committee work for the 2017 - 18 school year. If you are interested in providing insight and advice to the Jeffco Board of Education, please complete this brief application, open from April 1 - 30. Further information on the responsibilities and functions for board advisory committee members can be found here. The Board is seeking applicants for the following committee: 

District Accountability Committee

The following are eligible to apply: 

Teacher(s) employed by Jeffco Public Schools

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School administrator(s) employed by Jeffco Public Schools

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Individual(s) involved in business(es) within the Jeffco Public Schools district boundary

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Parents of current Jeffco Public Schools students

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Community members without students attending Jeffco Public Schools

Elk Creek Field Foundation The Elk Creek Field Foundation, a nonprofit charity, serves the 285 mountain community by enhancing outdoor recreation opportunities. Our mission is to create a multi-use, educational field space for students of Elk Creek Elementary School and community members living along the 285 corridor. The Foundation has openings for a parent representative and/or community members to join the Board. Interested applicants should complete the “Board and Committee Member Application” (https://goo.gl/ forms/KrqHR8zpBqUpnHkh2). In order to achieve consistency and continuity, applicants must be committed to attend all monthly meetings (August through May). The Foundation typically determines its meeting schedule as part of the Board meeting in order to accommodate its members. If you have any questions, please contact Jodi Dolph via email ([email protected]) or phone (303) 902-9968.

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All School Book Club We hope you enjoyed reading Escape From Mr. Lemoncello's Library with your family. Thanks again to PTA for supporting this program and purchasing a book for each Elk Creek family! We want to hear your feedback about this program at ECE. Please fill out this Google Form and your family will be put into a drawing to win Book 2 of Chris Grabenstein's series. On April 5th, we will have a Skype author visit from Chris Grabenstein, who is the author of our all school book club. We are asking students to create questions to ask him during his Skype visit. Questions about books, the writing process and Chris's career before becoming an author are great options. All questions with student names need to be turned into the library by April 4th. Questions will be selected and students will have a chance to ask him via Skype on April 5th.

Breakout boxes were sent to each grade level while reading Escape From Mr. Lemoncello’s Library. Classes are working hard to decipher math puzzles and clues to open their boxes.

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Let’s Get Moving! Hints for keeping active from your Jeffco PTs It’s springtime in the Rockies and we all know what that means – more snow! That doesn’t stop the longing to get going with garden plans. Rocky Mountain gardeners know that they can begin their gardens inside during early spring in order to get a head start on planting outside after Mother’s Day in May when the last frost has passed. Whether your garden is one pot on the front porch or a 6’ x 6’ space in the backyard, your child can help you and develop good motor skills in the process. Here are some ideas to get your child involved and get them excited about growing a garden! 

Check out books from your library, look at magazine or newspaper articles about gardening, or look up gardening on the Web for ideas. This teaches kids how to find out about gardening on their own, and not always look to an adult for information. If you go to the library, be sure to let the child reach for the books and carry them which helps develop core muscle strength. https://www.kidsgardening.org/gardening-basics/ is a great website that gives ideas on how to start a garden and fun activities to go with gardening.

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Several local nurseries hold classes for kids in different aspects of gardening. For example, O’Toole’s Nursery will be holding a Fairy Garden class on Sat. Apr 1st for kids. The registration fee covers the cost of the container garden that your child will take home at the end of the one hour class. https://www.otoolesgardencenters.com/events Denver Botanic Gardens also offers kid education classes as well.

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Take a trip to your local nursery or discount department store. Make a list with your child before you go so that they have an idea about what is needed for your garden and why.

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While at the nursery or discount department store, let your child help push the cart, reach for and put items into the cart to develop muscle strength and coordination. Talk to him/her about where you might find the items: “Do you think the seeds are in this aisle with the shovels or over here where we see the small packages with pictures of vegetables on them?” Let them discover the items on the shelf. It would help to see pictures or similar items at home, so that they have an idea what to look for.

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Let them help carry the items into the garage or onto the back porch from the car. Talk about when you’ll plant your seeds or how you’ll care for your starter plants. Let them help take responsibility for watering and caring. Mark a calendar for them and let them cross off the days so that they know which days to water. Learning how to carry a watering pot is good motor planning for carrying items without spilling, and for controlling the amount of water that comes out of the spout. It also develops upper body strength and coordination.

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A garden can be started inexpensively with paper cups, potting soil, and a window with good light. Find plants that grow quickly to help keep your child interested in them. Vine plants such as pumpkins are fun for kids as they grow fast and develop long vines with big leaves. They can look forward to having their own pumpkin to carve in the fall! Tomatoes can be enjoyed earlier in the summer and there is a quicker satisfaction with something that can be eaten straight from the vine.

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If you’re a little more adventurous, you might explore strawberries grown in a gutter. http://homeguides.sfgate.com/grow-strawberries-rain-gutters-25601.html You can place it at a height that is easy for the child to see and water. With carrying and adding dirt, digging in the dirt to plant the strawberry plants, learning how to be gentle with transferring plants from pot to gutter, they will develop good muscle strength and muscle control.

In Colorado, spring might be snowy but gardening can start now for a fun activity that will help develop your child’s strength and coordination all summer. Happy gardening!

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PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE COME CHECK OUT OUR LOST AND FOUND! You would not believe the items that we have!

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Weekend Backpack Program Dear ECE Parent/Guardian: As a student enrolled at Elk Creek Elementary, your child is eligible to participate in the Weekend Backpack Program. This program is a partnership between the Rotary Club of Conifer in conjunction with Conifer Community Church, the Mountain Resource Center and Elk Creek Elementary School and PTA. The Backpack Program will provide a bag of non-perishable food to your child each Friday afternoon for him or her to eat over the weekend. As in past years, students will pick up the food in the office at the end of the day; it is not intended to be opened until your child is home. This program will begin at the beginning of the school year and will continue throughout the school year, ending in May. If you sign up, your child’s first package will go home on Friday, August 26th. To enroll your child in the program, please fill out the enclosed Backpack Program Enrollment Form and return it to your child’s classroom teacher or the office as soon as possible. You do not need to “qualify” for this program; all families are welcomed and encouraged to participate. By turning in the form, you will be automatically enrolled. If this sounds like something that will benefit your family and your child(ren), we hope you will consider participating in this program! Sincerely,

Ryan Lucas Principal

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Backpack Program Enrollment Form

Name of Child: _____________________________________________________________ Age: ______________ Teacher: __________________________________________________________________ Grade: _____________ Print name of parent: _____________________________________________________________________________ Phone: ________________________________________________________________________________________ Email (optional)_________________________________________________________________________________ Signature: ______________________________________________________________________________________ Please list other children in the house under the age of 18 years: Name

Age

_______________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________

Food Allergies: _______________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________

Please return this form to your child’s teacher or the office as soon as possible. If you have any questions you may call our office at 303-982-2900 or email at [email protected].

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