A Message From Ms. Dow

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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:

1. Give your child a picture of his/her progress on learning goals and how they might improve, and
2. 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.]

In this issue of The Chronicle you will find an article about the budget for Douglas County Schools.  Increased operating costs, fewer new students than projected, and the Colorado State Finance Act are combining to present a unique challenge for our school district at this time. 

As you will read, we will be looking at reductions and belt-tightening over the next few years.  This is a situation that is not new for the district.  In the past, it has been possible to keep most cuts away from classroom operations.  This time around we may see some impact right here where we live.

Until I can get an accurate idea of whether and how much Coyote Creek’s budget will be affected, I feel the need to not make major budget decisions right now.  I do have enough information to formulate several scenarios so that when things firm up I won’t have to start from scratch—I will only have to refine the work I’ve already done so we can move forward quickly.

 I encourage you to keep watch for further information about the district budget.  Watch the district’s website (www.dcsdk12.org), The Chronicle, and IC messages for additional information as the weeks go by. 

Superintendent Jim Christensen has one remaining community meeting on April 3 from 6:30 to 8:30 at the Miller Library in Castle Rock.  I have heard feedback from parents who have attended previous meetings, and they have been impressed with the quality of Jim’s information and his willingness to listen to the community.  This would be an excellent opportunity to see and hear our district’s leader AND get valuable, up to date information.

Another opportunity for information about the budget and other topics of interest here at Coyote Creek is the series of Neighborhood Coffees that have begun again.  We meet at Tattered Cover (in the History section, at the back of the store directly ahead after entering) from 6:30 to 8:30.  Come early and stop by their coffee shop; you are free to have coffee and any muffins, doughnuts, etc. with you in our meeting area.  These are the scheduled dates through April:

Tuesday, March 25

Monday, April 14

Thursday, April 17

Tuesday, April 22

These are exciting and challenging times in our district, and in our school.  I believe that an informed parent community is essential for maximizing our ability to serve our students.  Please take advantage of these opportunities and, as always, please feel free to call, email, or actually talk in person with me regarding any questions about things you have heard. I’m eager to have these conversations!

                                                                                             Jan

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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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PARENT PORTAL

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.

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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.

Young  Champions Martial Arts

TRHS Girls Basketball Summer Camp

TRHS Boys Basketball Camp

Cubscouting

April Lunch Menu

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Field Trips

April 2

 

1^st C & D           

 

Denver Mint

 

April 17th           

1^st A & D
Mizel Center

             

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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.

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Coyote Creek Leadership Team


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

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