Spring came this week (on the calendar, at least), which means that in the world of schools, planning for the next school year is underway.

Each year, we find ourselves working hard to successfully complete the current year while, at the same time, looking toward the next year with attention to determining what needs to stay and what needs to change so we can continue to offer the best possible instruction for our students.

The Coyote Creek staff has actually been working for a large part of this current year on some ideas that represent new research about how students learn and how we can better assist those who need more targeted instruction, whether they are below or above their expected performance level. This planning has been moving forward with various groups of staff members that are representative of the entire staff. We are now entering the phase of bringing the planning and implementation to all staff members, so we can begin working out “bugs” –so watch future issues of the Chronicle for information about these new plans.

We know that many parents are also wanting to plan for next year, which brings up questions of what teacher is assigned to which grade level on which track. Please know that as soon as teaching assignments are established for next year, we will share that information with the parent community. We have learned that sharing only partial information causes misinformation, and that does not have a positive effect on the school or parent environment! So we ask your patience as we work through the many small details as fast as we can, so we can present the whole picture with confidence and accuracy.

I’ve shared with several parents recently that planning for a new school year is much like putting a jigsaw puzzle together. Many pieces come together easily, while there might be just one or two pieces that keep the whole picture from being completed as quickly as we would like. Just when you think you’ve found the right place for the right piece, you realize that it’s just a tad off, so you have to go hunting for a new piece that will fit more perfectly. When you add the dynamic of needing to get the picture finished within a relatively short time frame, and the number and shape of the pieces keep changing, you can appreciate the complexity of planning for a new school year. Please know that we are trying to get the picture finished as soon as possible!
Here’s to a quick and effective completion of the picture!

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On Saturday, March 18, several of Coyote Creek’s students participated in the Douglas County School District’s Solo and Ensemble Festival at ThunderRidge High School. These students earned a Superior or Excellent rating for their performances:
Solo:
Tyler B.
Duet:
Sarah L. and Tristin C.
Jessica R. and Melissa H.

Congratulations to these hard workers!!

Readers are encouraged to submit items for this column. Often we at school do not know the accomplishments of students outside school. Please include your phone number so we can reach you if we need more information.

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Save the Date!

Douglas County School District Night at Six Flags Elitch Gardens Amusement Park

Mark your calendars for Friday, May 2, 2006 for this exciting event. Tickets will be available at Coyote Creek for a discounted price beginning April 3rd. This event is open only to Douglas County School District ticket holders and closed to the public. Money raised from tickets purchased at Coyote Creek directly benefits the school.

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INFORMATION BOARD
This is a current listing of all items that can be found on our Information Board, which is located just outside the Music Room. The listing we are providing will give all parents an opportunity to see what is available, and they can have their student pick up any of the items from the main office, or parents can call our office to “order” items that can then be sent home with their student.

• Bonfils Blood Center
• Boy Scout Information
• Child Health Plan of Colorado
• Curiosity Club Kindergarten Enrichment
• Douglas County Schools Parent University
• Girl Scout Information
• Greg & Steve Children’s Concert
• Highlands Ranch Youth Baseball
• Highlands Ranch Youth Basketball
• Kids Pages Magazine
• Kidstage Registration
  
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Field Trips

March 29 KA
Lookout Mountain Nature Center
April 12 6CD
Museum of Nature& Science
April 27 3 A,B,& D
Jefferson Cnty. Fairgrounds
April 28 K A & B
Greg & Steve Concert
May 3 3 A, B & D
Teikyo Loretto Heights
May 18 4ABC
Colorado History Museum

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Kudos to our Volunteers
By: Stephanie Stewart
Wow! Our volunteers here at Coyote Creek have been very busy this year. For the first half of the year, over 4000 hours of time has been donated to the school. How do I get this number? Every time a volunteer signs in at the front desk, I add up the hours and determine if they were directly related to the classroom. So far, the average is 85% of the total hours are spent in or for the classroom. That is a huge amount!

The hours donated for the first quarter of the year total 2038 hours, of which 1645.5 hours are directly related to the classroom. The second quarter has 2511.5 total hours with 2268 hours directly related to the classroom. The goal set by the district is to have one hour per student donated to the classroom per month. We have surpassed that goal every month.

We have volunteers doing many different jobs for the school. In the classroom we have volunteers directly working with students, putting together projects, chaperoning field trips, helping with the 5th grade Colonial Day, stuffing Thursday folders – or unstuffing homework folders – and many other jobs. They help in all subject areas by either directly assisting a single student or a small group. We even have a parent that volunteers to teach P.E. in a kindergarten classroom! But, our volunteers don’t always work in the classroom. Some of them help with Picture Day or the Vision and Hearing Screening. You might see them outside working one of the many games during Field Day or inside helping with the annual Fall Festival. They cook for the teachers – and some even clean for the teachers! They decorate the halls or help a student in the Media Center. Some even lead an after school enrichment program, i.e. Destination Imagination or Cupstacking, to name a couple. We have volunteers helping in virtually every place imaginable in the school.

Coyote Creek is a great school because of our volunteers. They give so much of themselves to make our school a successful learning establishment. Thank you to all of you that donate an hour or 400 hours. Every single one is greatly appreciated. And every volunteer is, too!

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Coyote Creek Leadership Team


Jan Dow- principal
Kristi Montagrifff- Assistant Principal
Kit Orlowski- Building Resource Teacher

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Coyote Creek S.A.C.
The School Advisory Council for Coyote Creek meets on the third Tuesday of every month, with the exception of December, June, and July. Current members of the Coyote Creek SAC are:

Voting Members:
Jamie Lavigne
Geniene Moore
Lisa Kounter
Colleen Thompson
Leeanne Super
Sally Helblig
Michelle Haider
Kathy Mallory
Julie Hayes
Jennifer Murtha
Jan Dow

Nonvoting Members:
Kristi Montagriff
Kit Orlowski