Vol. 17, Num. 10
Spelling Bee
Kids Korner
Preschool Information
Parent Portal
Safety Reminder
Information Board
Field Trips
Lost and Found
Coyote Creek Leadership Team
Coyote Creek Advisory Council
Kit’s
Komments
Assessing Student Achievement
Research has concluded that classroom assessment is one of the most powerful tools in a teacher’s toolbox. Your child’s teachers are continuously assessing the children in their classrooms for a variety of reasons and in a variety of ways. The main focus for these assessments is monitoring the children’s progress in meeting district standards and in acquiring basic skills and knowledge.
Student achievement of our district standards is based on a “body of evidence” and teacher judgment. A body of evidence is made up of a variety of assessments including required district anchor assessments, and assessments teachers choose as common for their grade levels. As teachers work with students on a daily basis, they monitor the progress of individual students. Individual needs are met as a result of assessing and monitoring progress. Instructional decisions are made based on the same information. In order for students to meet district standards, instructional decisions are made based on formative assessments instead of summative assessments.
What are the differences of formative and summative assessment? Formative assessment is an assessment occurring while knowledge is being learned, and its results are used to form instruction. Summative assessment is an assessment occurring at the end of a learning opportunity. Research supports the use of formative assessments as a powerful tool. Systematic use of formative classroom assessments – weekly or even more frequently – can have a strong positive effect on student achievement if the feedback is comprehensive and helps the student establish their own learning goals. Feedback from your child’s teacher should:
- Give your child a picture of his/her progress on learning goals and how they might improve, and
- Encourage your child to improve.
[Kit Orlowski is Coyote Creek’s Building Resource Teacher (BRT). She works closely with staff for the main purpose of staff development, which includes assistance with students from time to time.]
This is such a challenging time of year! We’re working hard to make sure current needs and programs are being addressed on a daily basis, AND we’re working hard to plan for the next school year. Additionally, Coyote Creek is facing change on several fronts for next year. All these circumstances occurring at the same time is resulting in a bigger-than-normal rumor mill.
At an almost daily rate, I am hearing rumors that are moving throughout our community. While rumors are ever-present, I am concerned that recently some are not only based on inaccuracies but are also being used to recruit families to leave Coyote Creek for reasons that are not based on reality.
I’m sure you have heard or read my belief that “we can always get better”. I do truly try to live by that mantra on a daily basis. A large part of that belief is that, as we hear from parents about situations or concerns, we do try to address them so we can get better at what we do. We may not always be able to do exactly what a parent wants to see, but we do always consider what we hear.
Honestly, the only person who has the whole story about a school decision is the Principal. So if you hear about something at school that you don’t understand or are concerned about—regardless of the source of that information—PLEASE contact me. I can verify, clarify, explain. I can and will have an honest conversation with you. And that’s all I ask of anyone with whom I interact—student, staff member, or parent.
Most rumors occur accidentally—someone hears or sees something, then shares it with someone else, etc., usually without the whole story. Unfortunately, there are times when information (usually inaccurate) is shared with a negative purpose. I choose to act out of positive presuppositions—assuming positive intentions in other people. Realistically, though, we all know that not everyone operates out of positive intent all the time.
My intent is that Coyote Creek will continue to be a positive place. That can only happen when we (school, students, and parents) work as a team. One of the most important assets of a successful team is effective communication, and not allowing miscommunication to put a wedge between any of the team members.
So here’s to the Coyote Creek team—people who choose to communicate honestly and accurately—who choose not to be sucked into potential negativity—so the environment our children enter each school day can be one of light.
Jan
Coyote Creek held its annual Spelling Bee on January 31, with the following students participating:
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After many rounds, three students remained. Jenna was the second runner-up; Jillian was first runner-up; and Heather was the top speller. She represented Coyote Creek at the district Spelling Bee on Feb. 20, and was a very able representative, showing grace and maturity in that highly-stressful arena.
Congratulations to Heather and the other finalists. We also want to give recognition and high praise to the character and resolve shown by all students who chose to participate in this challenging program!
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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to the Top
PRESCHOOL INFO!
The District’s preschool registration lottery for the 2008/09 school year begins Monday March 3, 2008 and ends Friday March 7, 2008.
Registration will only be accepted at the Early Childhood Center located at 8200 E. Park Meadows Drive, Suite 204, in Lone Tree, from 8:30 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. on those days. No applications will be accepted before March 3, 2008 and will not be accepted by phone, fax or email.
Preschool information packets can be downloaded and completed by clicking on Preschool under Our Schools on www.dcsdk12.org.
For the 2008/09 school year, children must be 3 years old on or before October 1, 2008. Children who are 5 years old on or before October 1, 2008 are eligible for kindergarten and cannot enroll in the preschool program. For kindergarten registration, please call your neighborhood elementary school.
If you have not yet enrolled in Parent Portal, you may want to add this task to your “ToDo” List. This will give you the capability of viewing your child’s attendance records online. It will also give you the opportunity to designate how you receive messages from the school when we send out messages through Infinite Campus. These messages are sent to all parents who have provided their email address to the school. If you are not receiving these messages and want to receive them, please call the school office (303-387-6175) to make sure we have your email address.
From time to time we provide a reminder about the various rules and laws for movement of traffic around our school. There are many signs posted around our campus that also specify laws and guidelines that are to be followed by drivers.
But the ultimate “rule” we should all be keeping in mind is the safety of our children. So often we see parents sending their children across a busy street rather than dropping them off in a safe zone or walking them across the street. We also see drivers speeding past the school on Westridge as school is convening in the morning or at dismissal time in the afternoon. Also, in the parking lot we see cars moving against the designated flow of traffic, or parking at the curb rather than dropping off students then moving out of the parking lot, or parking in the handicapped spaces.
Please know that the rules and laws are not in place to make life harder for our parents—they are in place to help ensure the safety of our children. Parents are strongly encouraged to keep that concept at the forefront when driving around our school’s property.
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.
Volleyball
Sportstacking
Young Champions Karate
Ski & Snowboard Trip
The Parent University
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Field
Trips
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Lost
and Found Many of our Girl Scout troops volunteer monthly to sort the lost and found. If an item is labeled with a student’s name, the item is returned to them when the piles are sorted. But please don’t wait! Our lost and found is located by the cafeteria doors. Please check to see if one or two of the many items we have belongs to you! Please contact Genene Moore at 303-683-8128 if you don’t see your item.
Girl Scout Troop 1454 will sort on March 24th.
Coyote
Creek Leadership Team
Jan Dow- Principal
Kristi Montagrifff- Assistant Principal
Kit Orlowski- Building Resource Teacher
