1. education
2. school

20 March 2015
Friday Facts
9659 E. Mississippi Ave.
Denver, CO 80247
In This Edition:
Front Page News Letter from the Principal For Your Information… Letter from the Principal PTCO Corner Continuation 2015 Challenge Night Out Summer Sports/Drivers Education Picture Day! Leaders of the Pack Science & Innovation in England Exceptional Volunteer Event Denver Chess League Results Outstanding State Chess Results Aluminum Tab Collection Governing Board/Advisory Accountability Committee Flyers Flyers Flyers Challenge Update: Amazing! CMAS Assessment Update Team C 3‐D Printing Workshop School Spirit: Chipotle P.I.N. Update Exceptional Volunteer Event Challenge School Website:
challenge.cherrycreekschools.org
PTO Manager:
www.challengeschool.ptomanager.com
Submit content for newsletter by
Wed, NOON to:
[email protected]
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720.747.2100
Main
720.747.2183
Fax
Friday Facts
Front Page News
Letter from the Principal
Dear Challenge Families:
I am happy to report that our third through eighth grade students have
successfully completed both of the English Language Arts and Mathematics
performance-based assessments of the PARCC test. When I asked students
what they thought, most reported it wasn’t as bad as they thought. As I think
back to the weeks and days leading up to the tests, I am reminded of the affect
that uncertainty has on the brain. There was so much about these tests that was
new: a new name, a new test based on new standards, new questions types,
new levels of questions, a new format for taking the test, a new way to represent
mathematic thinking, and I’m sure there are many other new experiences. When
anything is uncertain for us, brain research tells us that our brain responds as if
our basic survival needs are being threatened; it’s as if our food, shelter, or
safety needs are in danger. When our brain responds that way, emotion takes
over and cognition is reduced. As students, parents, and teachers were sharing
things they were hearing about the test, I was hearing a lot of misinformation. I
was processing some of these things with my husband, who is not an educator,
he said, “Well, how would people know otherwise? The only information most
people are hearing is from the media.” He is right, and I apologize for my part in
not sharing more information. Because of the political nature of the conversation
around testing, I personally was trying to stay away from the “debate” about
testing. I respect and honor the choices parents make for their own children, and
I am going to share some of my thoughts and perspective now because I feel it is
important to clear up some of the misinformation that remains.
First, I’d like to clear up three main mistaken beliefs about our current testing
structure. Some students have been panicked that their teachers would be fired if
they did not do well on the tests. While there is an element of the law regarding
teacher evaluation that does link teacher evaluations with student performance,
Cherry Creek Schools recognizes the limitations of using standardized test
scores as that measure. Much work and thought has gone into developing a
system that fairly incorporates teacher-determined student growth goals, which
are measured and monitored throughout the school year, as the mechanism to
meet the required elements of the law. Another mistaken belief is that the school
will be penalized if students do not do well. There are certainly school
accountability measures that have been in place for years to address schools
that are not performing well. Challenge is a high-performing school and has
never been at risk of being in one of the categories in need of focused attention.
In this period of new assessments, schools are able to use prior performance
levels in the accreditation system until we have multiple years of results in the
new system. Finally, students and parents worry that these new assessments will
be used in placement decisions or in grades. Even before the new assessments,
standardized test scores were only one piece of information and one we could
not often count on because the results came back after placement decisions
were made. In this first year of testing, we do not expect the results of this
assessment to come back until the fall so they will not be used at all for
placement or factored into grades.
(continued on next page…).
20 March 2015
Friday Facts
For Your Information…
Letter from the Principal
In a comprehensive assessment
system, most assessments should
not be viewed as separate from
instruction. Every interaction with a
student, every homework assignment, everything a child
produces gives us evidence about their progress toward
meeting the learning target. We can use that evidence to
adjust instruction to help students achieve the target if
they are not there yet or extend it if they are. Within that
comprehensive assessment system, there is a time and
place for summative assessments: the unit tests or
projects that finally measure student performance against
the target. Standardized tests provide a benefit we cannot
get from classroom assessments. They allow us to see
our children’s learning and growth across a longer period
of time, compared to standardized goals, and they give us
a relative measure of how they are performing compared
to other students. Statistically speaking, those
assessments are valid and reliable measures of a child’s
progress each year. Another reality is that students will
eventually take one or more standardized tests to get into
college, the military, and for many career certifications.
Not only do the assessments help get them ready for
those testing requirements in general, getting results early
in a child’s education helps us make sure he or she is on
track to be successful on later assessments.
Although using standardized tests as an accountability
measure has been criticized more and more recently,
there are benefits schools can harness from the results.
Given the uniform nature of the test, if the content is truly
aligned to the standards, then the results can tell us areas
of strength and areas in which to grow. We always want
the best for our students and thanks to ongoing research
in education and children in general, we are always
working to improve our craft. The results of assessments
are one measure to tell us if we are on track. In addition,
when the results of standardized assessments are
compared with our own assessment measures and
conclusions, as educators, we become more reflective on
our practices.
If I’ve never said it before, I will
say it now: I am an assessment
geek. My passions really lie in
the formative assessment realm,
which are the daily practices of
students and teachers along the
journey of learning. That said, I
feel like I have a healthy
appreciation for the uses of
summative assessments,
including standardized tests such
as PARCC. If you’ve heard statements from your child,
friends, or neighbors and are wondering if they are true,
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please feel free to call or email me and I’ll do my best to
get you the information you need to determine if it’s true or
another mistaken belief.
Respectfully,
Linda Maccagnan, Interim Principal
PTCO Corner
Check out the Flyers Section of the Friday Facts for
updates about the Challenge Challenge! We’re off to
an AWESOME start! For those of you who know me, (Rhonda Clark) I’m a bit of
a softy, (to say the least ). The slightest bit of
discussion about our children, their education, and how
we can help our school be the best it can be, will bring me
to tears. As I stood in front of the assembly of parents
and staff on Monday morning at our PTCO meeting, I
could hardly contain my tears of joy. I was so happy to
report that we’re on our way. We’re on our way to
$75,000. We’re on our way to fulfilling our goals. We’re
on our way to supporting the Challenge School budget in
the way that the PTCO has always been able to support
the budget. We’re working together as a community to
fulfill our kids’ dreams! Beyond that, I was further brought
to tears as I shared the greatest story of our campaign
thus far.
In January this year, Challenge School brought on a
wonderful new staff member, Gary Firko. Gary is our
Security Guard. As I stood outside, putting up balloons
and signs on the kick-off day of the campaign, Gary asked
me, “What’s this Challenge Challenge?” I explained to
him that it’s this year’s fundraising campaign. His next
question to me was, “Do you only take donations from
families?” I said, “Certainly not. We’d be happy to take
money from ANYONE!”  As we continued to chat, Gary
told me that he’s a retired police officer and that he
worked in drugs and homicide for many, many years. His
time here at Challenge has been such a joy to his life. He
loves our kids, our families, and our community. He said,
“These kids are so wonderful. So polite and caring. I’d
like to support them in any way that I can.” After that,
Gary was the FIRST person to put his donation into the
box.
That’s the heart of giving. A community coming
together for a common cause. A spirit. A movement.
Thank you Gary Firko for being an amazing example
for our community.
With hearts prepared for giving,
Rhonda Clark and Nancy Wilson (Co-Presidents), Sunshine
Morgan and Tim Weber (Co-Vice Presidents), Candace
Ellman (Volunteer Coordinator), Michelle Austin
(Secretary), Kimberly Chapman (Treasurer)
20 March 2015
Friday Facts
Continuation 2015
Leaders of the Pack
Dear Challenge School 8th Grade Parents
Achieving:
Collin Hartman – Team C
We know that our student’s Continuation on June 2, 2015
will be a bittersweet moment. Saying goodbye is never
easy but we want to send our children off to their
prospective high schools with one more unforgettable
moment, their Continuation day.
In order to pay for the Continuation expenses, we are
asking for a $40 donation from each family. All donations
are greatly appreciated and any amount over $40 can be
deducted on your income tax for 2015.
We are requesting your donation by March 27, 2015
(before spring break). Please make your checks payable
to Challenge School PTCO and mark “Continuation” and
your child’s name in the memo section. If we received
your check/cash, you should have received an email
confirmation from us. If you have not yet sent one in,
please do your best to do so in the next two weeks.
Please put it in an envelope with our names on it and
leave it with the front office.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to
contact us. Our email is
[email protected]
Truly yours,
Lisa Goodwin and Daniel Hudley
Continuation Committee Co-Chairs
Challenge Night Out


Chipotle Night Out has been changed to Wednesday
April 8th 3-7pm
Baskin Robbins - Thursday April 16th - Your
teachers will be scooping the ice cream!!!
Summer Sports/Drivers Education
CCSD provides sports and drivers' education
opportunities. Please see these websites for information:


www.cherrycreekschools.org/athleticsactivities/summercam
ps
www.cherrycreekschools.org/athleticsactivities/driversed
Picture Day!
Kindergarten – 4th grade class
pictures are scheduled for Tuesday
morning, March 24, 2015. Weather
permitting, they will be taken outside.
Fifth – 8thgrade students can order
10 x 30 composites of the students
by grade. Order envelopes will get distributed prior to then
and are also available at the front office
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Kind:
Lily Legleiter – Team C
Cooperating:
Dannica Ward – Team B
Cooperating and Kind:
Min Young Chang – Team D
Achieving and Kind:
James Leon – Team C
Prepared and Achieving:
Zachary Brown – Team B
Cooperating, and Kind:
Grace Marmorstein - Kindie
Prepared, Achieving and Kind:
Utkarsh Mandavilli – Team C
Prepared, Cooperating, and Kind:
Tiffany Mai – Team C
Ananya Shresta – Team C
Maia Dykes – Team C
Prepared, Achieving, and Cooperating:
Adam Atkins – Team C
Eshaa Palanati – Team C
Total “PACK”age!
Emma Goodwin – Team D
Ethan Ansburg – Team D
Sofia Mays – Kindie
Annika Hartman – Kindie
Georgia Hartley – Team D
Madison Grider – Team B
Tanner Larsen – Kindie
Khadija Shahid – Team D
Science and Innovation in England
Spring 2016 Science and Innovation
in England Parent Meeting, on
Tuesday, March 24th at 5:30pm in
the Challenge Library. If you're enrolled
in this trip - please plan to attend. We'll
talk about plans and gearing up for
next years' trip! If you are unable to
attend, please contact Summer
Kavanaugh at
[email protected]
to ensure you don't miss important
information!
Summer Kavanaugh
Exceptional Volunteer Event
Challenge School’s Exceptional Volunteer, Leigh Ann
Kingman, will be honored at the 10th Annual Wendy
DeBell Exceptional Volunteer Event on April 23, 2015. If
you would like to join us in celebrating Leigh Ann, please
register with Sherri Kononov by April 8, 2015.
20 March 2015
Friday Facts
Denver Chess League Results
Aluminum Tab Collection
An impressive streak of first place in the Denver Chess
League as our middle school team won first place again
this year!
Please drop off your Aluminum tabs from cans in the
collection canister in the cafeteria. These tabs will be
donated to the Ronald McDonald House.
The Pop Tab Recycling Program is a fundraising project
to support Ronald McDonald House Charities of Denver.
The Ronald McDonald Houses in Denver and Aurora
serve as a home away from home for many families
whose children are seriously ill and are undergoing
treatment at a local hospital. (From the
website: http://www.ronaldhouse.org/poptabs.html)
Fun Pop Tab Facts: Equivalencies
1 inch = 1 pop tab
1 foot = 12 pop tabs
1 meter = 400 pop tabs
1 lb. = 1,267 pop tabs
1 km = 40,000 pop tabs
1 mile = 63,360 pop tabs
Governing Board/Advisory Accountability Committee
Featured in the photo with our newest trophy are: Rhett
F., Anjalie K., Daniel Z., and Santiago C. and Vatsal S.
Please join us for the final Governing Board/ Advisory
Accountability Committee meeting of the year on
Tuesday, April 7, 2015 from 5:15 – 6:30; the meeting is
open to all members of the Challenge community. The
agenda is:
Not featured are: Adam R., Advaita S. and Sreekar T.

Outstanding State Chess Results
Congratulations to this group of Challenge kids who won a
team trophy at the two day State Chess Championships in
February. You can see the trophy in the lobby at school.
Way to go: Rhett F., Siddarth I., Santiago C., Vatsal S.,
and Sreekar T.
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Recommendations about the committee structure and
bylaws
 Celebrations for the year
 Voting for new chair elect and secretary
 Determining topics of next year’s meetings
During this meeting, the committee will review and vote on
new bylaws. The draft bylaws are available in the main
office for anybody to review prior to the meeting.
20 March 2015
Friday Facts
Flyers Flyers Flyers
Challenge Update: Amazing!
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20 March 2015
Friday Facts
Challenge Update: Amazing!
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20 March 2015
Friday Facts
Challenge Update: Amazing!
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20 March 2015
Friday Facts
Assessment Update
Assessment Update – PLEASE SEE CHANGE IN APRIL TESTING DATES!
4//14
4/15/15
4/16/15
Grade 3
Grade 4
Grade 5
Social
Studies
Social
Studies
Social
Studies
Science
Science
Science
Grade 6
Grade 7
Grade 8
Social
Studies
Social
Studies
Social
Studies
Science
Science
Science
5/5/15
5/6/15
5/7/15
ELA
Math
Math
ELA
Math
5/8/15
Math
ELA
Math
Math
ELA
ELA
Math
Math
ELA
ELA
Math
Math
ELA
ELA
Math
Math
Parents,
Challenge School will be administering the Science and Social Studies portions of the Colorado Measures of Academic
Success (CMAS) in April.
As always, if you have questions or concerns regarding testing, please don’t hesitate to call me.
Megan Curran
720-747-2137
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20 March 2015
Friday Facts
Team C 3-D Printing Workshop
April Team C 3D Printing Workshop
Challenge School received a Jared Polis School Recognition Award. We received funds for
3D printers. Students cannot wait to start 3D printing. Once a month a 3D printer workshop
will be offered to Challenge students. A workshop for Team C students is scheduled for
March 26th, from 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm. Look out for Team D/E workshops and Team B
workshops. Participant numbers will be limited to 16 students per session, since 3D printers
take a while to print. So if your child wants to participate, please email fill out the form
below to [email protected]. Mrs. Wright will let you know if your child is a
3D participant.
Janine Wright
Challenge School Technology Teacher
720-747-2116
March 26th 3D Printing Workshop for Team C
My child ____________________________________________would love to 3D print.
Student’s Connections Teacher_________________________________________________
Parent email ___________________________________________________________
Parent Name __________________________________________________________
Phone Number
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_________________________________________________________
20 March 2015
Friday Facts
School Spirit: Chipotle
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20 March 2015
Friday Facts
P.I.N. Update
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20 March 2015
Friday Facts
Exceptional Volunteer Event
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