April 2015 Newsletter - Challenge to Excellence Charter School

16995 East Carlson Drive, Parker, CO. 80134
MAMMOTH TIMES
Principal
Linda Parker
Main Office
303.841.9816
Fax 303.840.3246
Weather Hotline
303-387-SNOW (7669)
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ChallengetoExcellence
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APRIL 2 0 1 5
From the Principal’s desk . . .
Welcome back to Fourth Quarter!
Wow! As I wrote that I had to shake it off a little! It is so hard to believe that this
school year is almost over. On behalf of the Staff and Administration we hope you all
had an awesome Spring Break with your families.
Fourth Quarter has traditionally been a time when we wrap up learning for the year
and throw in a lot of fun things for the students. This year is no different with
activities K-8 including Blue Ribbon Ceremony, Bear Express Books, Wax Museum,
Ameritowne, Band /Orchestra Concerts, the School Play (Fairytale Courtroom), Field
Day, and 8th Grade Graduation. Educational Field trips and assemblies abound this
last quarter as well.
Last month during PARCC testing, we put our network to our own test and were able
to administer over 2000 individual PARCC tests to our 3-8th grade population in just
under 7 work days. My hat is off to Assistant Principal, Donna Mitchell and our
technology guru, Mike Unger for all their hard work in making the network, “PARCC
READY”. Thanks to you and Beth Mossholder, for minimizing the testing impact on
our classrooms by ensuring the network could handle the volume! Well Done!!
We have announced the students selected by the current leadership team, the Middle
School Staff and Administration, to serve on the 2015-2016 Leadership Team. I
encourage all who are interested to view the list on the C2E website and read about
the qualities we are all looking for when selecting students for this honor.
Congratulations to all who were “green shirted!”
Finally, Kindergarten Buddy day is just around the corner and we are looking forward
to meeting our newest little mammoths. If you would like to help mentor an incoming
family, please contact Amy Clarke in the front office.
Go Mammoths!!
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PAGE 2
Please Be Sure to Mark Your Calendar
with the Following Important Dates:
Wednesday, April 1st ~ Kindergarten Tuition Due
Thursday, April 2nd ~ Half-Day Parent/Teacher Conferences 1:30 p.m. 6:30 p.m. (All students including half-day Kindergarten students will be released at noon.
Be sure to pick your student(s) up by 12:00 p.m.)
Friday, April 24th ~ No School/School Closed
National Volunteer Week: April 12-18, 2015
Please know that we so greatly appreciate every minute from every
volunteer that comes into our building. With the help of such caring
people – you help make C2E more successful!
Lost and Found Pick-up
The Lost and Found is located just inside the cafeteria to the right. Please
encourage all students to check the Lost and Found on a regular basis.
We will be donating all un-labeled items on Thursday, April 30th at 4:00 p.m.
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PAGE 3
UPDATE ON STANDARDIZED TESTING
From March 2nd through March 9th our students (and staff) worked hard to complete
the Math and English Language Assessment tests (PARCC). All students 3rd through 8th
grade took two math and 3 ELA tests. All the technology we have allowed us to get
through the testing in a timely manner so that we could get our students back on an
academic schedule. Thanks to all of our wonderful volunteers and parents we had the
technology to get this done!
On April 13th and 14th our 4th and 7th graders will be taking the CMAS Social Studies
test and our 5th and 8th graders will be taking our CMAS Science test. With the
exception of makeups, we will be able to get this testing done over a two day period.
On April 27th through the 30th the 3rd through 8th graders will be completing the end
of year PARCC testing with a couple more Math and English Language assessment tests.
When all is said and done, our students will have completed about the same amount of
testing they have done in the past, but stretched out over a longer period of time. It has
been exciting to see them complete these tests on their chromebooks!
Thank you for supporting our efforts to get this testing done!
Text Messages
To receive text messages that have been
“Tweeted” out from Challenge to
Excellence…
Send a text to the number: 40404
Text: Follow c2eschool
This is a great way to get quick updates &
information sent from C2E. You DO NOT
have to have a Twitter account to receive
these updates. Thank you!
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PAGE 4
Lightning Dismissal Procedure Reminder
Spring has officially sprung! While it makes for
beautiful blooming flowers and the fresh smell
of rain, it also brings afternoon storms. Please
remember to follow our Lightning Dismissal
Protocol (outlined below and taken from the
C2E Parent/Student Handbook) when you see
the Lightning Flag hanging outside. It is
imperative that we keep all our students,
parents, and staff safe during this time of year
when the weather can be ever changing.
When lightning has been spotted in the area, for each child’s safety,
C2E follows the Douglas County Lightning Dismissal Procedure:
parents are required to walk to the front door and retrieve their
children. If you are uncomfortable leaving your vehicle, please park
in a designated parking space and wait for the storm to pass. As soon
as 30 minutes has passed without lightning being spotted, normal
dismissal will resume. A lightning flag (pictured) is posted on the
front of the building to inform parents of lightning dismissal. In
addition, we will do our best to also post an announcement via the
electronic sign. Students who walk home from school will not be
dismissed until lightning has not been spotted for 30 minutes.
Looking Ahead…
Billing: Final billing for the 2014/2015 school
year will be sent out in May. Please be sure to
watch your mail and submit payments to C2E.
Any student still owing and is transferring to
another school will have their student file
held until payment is submitted. Thank you in
advance for your attention to this matter.
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PAGE 5
Challenge To Excellence SAC
Student Accountability Council
[email protected]
www.challengetoexcellence.org
C2E Mammoth members giving their all for student achievement at the
highest level of academic excellence!
16995 E. Carlson Dr. Parker, CO 80134 ● 303-841-9816
Position Available on SAC:
What does the SAC do? SAC works with C2E administration to adopt the Unified
Improvement Plan (UIP) that addresses goals and objectives for improvements in
education at C2E.
● The C2E administration along with the staff look for ways to keep striving for
excellence in all of the core fundamental educational elements of reading, math,
writing, science and technology.
● SAC focuses on safety at and around the school! Safety is top of mind for
administration and parents.
● In addition, the SAC meets monthly in an open forum meeting for parents to attend.
Parent questions or comments are presented to the committee in an open forum
section and limited to 3 minute presentations.
The scheduled meetings can be found on the C2E website under the “Councils” tab. You
also can view SAC bylaws, minutes for all meetings, and agenda topics.
Who is the School Accountability Committee (SAC)? The SAC is a committee comprised
of seven voting members: three parent representatives elected by C2E families, one
PVA parent representative, our principal or designee, one teacher representative and
one community representative.
When do we meet? The SAC meets one Friday a month at 8:00 am. All meetings are
open forum.
There will be (1) Parent Vacancy for the 2015/2016 School Year and elections will be held this
Spring. Parents who are interested need to complete the “Letter of Intent to Run” and either
submit it to the front office or email it to [email protected]. We would also like to invite you to
attend our next meeting on March 13, 2015 at 8:00 am so you can get acquainted with our
committee. Please note the March SAC Meeting will be held off-site (due to PARCC testing) at
the Egg & I located off Dransfeldt and Main Street.
The “Letter of Intent to Run” must be submitted to the SAC on or before the end of
business day April 6th, 2015.
Continued...
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PAGE 6
A Note From Your PVA President
Visit us on
Facebook
[email protected]
Thursday Folder
Spring is here and FUN has arrived! The PVA leadership team has a fabulous spring
planned for our families! We hope you will enjoy all the fun events with your family
and take advantage of the numerous volunteer opportunities.
Don’t miss out on the family fun at the Cow Patty Bingo Spring Fundraiser and YearEnd Party. This event is replacing the “Our Kids, Our Stars” auction and raffle event.
With direction from the school, we have accomplished tremendous technology
advancements for our children. Our new fundraising task is to help fund a new turf
field area in the playground. This inspired the “Cow Patty Bingo” theme for an
exciting and family-friendly fundraising event.
Volunteer opportunities exist for every schedule so please check the PVA sign-ups at
https://sites.google.com/site/c2epva/home. If you need direction, please reach out
to us. We will be happy to pair you with a volunteer opportunity that meets your
personal and family schedule. The school also has volunteer opportunities that can
be found on C2E's website, http://challengetoexcellence.org/work-wc2e/volunteeropportunities/. Each family commits to 20 volunteer hours per year when enrolling
their child at C2E and we would love to help you meet that commitment. Parent
involvement is what makes C2E an amazing learning environment for our children!
Thank you to all the parents who support C2E by volunteering for the PVA and C2E
events!
P
Sincerely,
arent
Jennifer Tinsley
PVA President 2014-2015
V
olunteer
A
ssociation
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PAGE 7
Spirit Wear Days: Friday, April 3rd, and Friday, May 1st
Box Tops/Labels for Education Contest: April 1st-30th
PVA Board ‘Intent to Run’ Forms Due: Friday, April 3rd
PVA Elections: Thursday, April 16th
Kindergarten Buddy Day, Thursday, April 23rd
Muffins for Moms, Friday, May 1st (RSVP by Friday, April 24th)
Staff Luncheons - Teacher/Staff Appreciation Week: May 4th-8th
Science Fair: Thursday, May 14th, and Friday, May 15th
Cow Patty & Family Bingo Spring Fundraiser: Friday, May 15th
PVA Board Positions Available
Want to get more involved with the PVA during the next school year? Please consider
serving on the PVA Board. “Intent to Run” forms are due Friday, April 3rd, 2015, and
elections will be held on Thursday, April 16th, 2015. The following positions are up for
election:
Vice President
Secretary
Treasurer
Communications Chair
NO experience is necessary, just a willingness to support the PVA at events and to help
create next year's PVA goals. Jami Pichot, our current Vice President, will move into the
President’s role next year. She will also be looking for Event Chairs, so please reach out to
her if you want to visit about your interests. Any questions can be directed to
[email protected]. The “Intent to Run” form is shown below and the link for this document is
also available here: https://docs.google.com/viewer?
a=v&pid=sites&srcid=ZGVmYXVsdGRvbWFpbnxjMmVwdmF8Z3g6MWNkYWU1ZDcyMjE4
MGIyZA. It can also be found on the PVA website under ‘PVA Documents’ at https://
sites.google.com/site/c2epva/pva-forms.
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PAGE 8
Advertising in this newsletter does not imply endorsement by Douglas County School District.
PAGE 9
SPRING FUNDRAISER – COW PATTY BINGO!
You, your family, and your friends are invited to our Cow Patty Bingo and Year-End Party!
Date: Friday, May 15th, from 5:00-8:00 pm
Location: C2E Outdoor Playground Area
Amazing prizes to be won, including a Grand Prize of $1,000, and two (2) prizes of a
Reserved C2E Parking Space!
We have created Family Packages that may be purchased by May 8th for greater savings
and added value. These packages exist at all price points, starting at only $25, or you can
simply purchase a cover charge for your entire family for $20. But for just $5 more with
the Bronze $25 package, your family will be assigned a 5 ft. x 5 ft. square of the turf to
cheer for the cow patty to drop on! Your kids don't want to miss this! The larger the
Family Package, the more squares you get for Cow Patty Bingo the more you get for your
money, the more we raise for C2E!
Please see the flyer below for full descriptions of all Family Packages available and click
here to purchase your Family Package today: https://sites.google.com/site/c2epva/
payonline
Rules for Cow Patty Bingo may be viewed online on our PVA website at https://
sites.google.com/site/c2epva/home/spring-fundraiser.
Continued...
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PAGE 10
Advertising in this newsletter does not imply endorsement by Douglas County School District.
PAGE 11
SPRING FUNDRAISER – COW PATTY BINGO - Continued...
This fabulous evening will also include live music from one of Denver’s favorite
country bands, Trail, Bingo games with donated prizes, Pie Sale, Lemonade Stand,
General Store, Jail-n-Bail Fundraiser, food from Archie's Food Truck, frozen treats
from Kona Ice, and of course, Cow Patty Bingo! Buy your squares NOW for a chance
to win the $1000 Grand Prize, or one of the two Reserved C2E Parking Spaces!
https://sites.google.com/site/c2epva/payonline
Friends and Relatives Welcome! You can add guests to the Family Package for $5
each. They are also welcome to purchase Family Packages or individual turf squares
in advance to participate in Cow Patty Bingo.
Corporate Sponsorships. If you purchase a Platinum or Platinum Plus package and
would like to utilize this as a Corporate Sponsorship, we will be happy to list your
company and logo as an event sponsor on all publicity materials.
Can't attend? Even if you are not able to attend, you can still buy a square or more,
support C2E, and have a chance to win!
HELP WANTED!
Pie Bakers wanted! We’re looking for volunteers to bake or purchase pies for our
Pie Sale at the event. Please click the sign-up link below.
Do you drive a truck? Do you know someone with a connection for us to borrow
hay bales for the event? If you have a truck or have access to hay bales, please let
us know. Securing the hay bales is one part and the other part is transporting them.
We can partner two volunteers to accomplish this goal. Please click the sign-up link
below. Thanks!
Sign-up here! We still need volunteers and donations to ensure a successful event.
Click this link to volunteer your time at the event or donate: http://
www.signupgenius.com/go/20f0f49acab23a64-spring
Please contact Jennifer Tinsley at 720-219-2858 or [email protected], or
Ellen Nollenberger at [email protected], if you have any questions or
would like to discuss volunteer opportunities.
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PAGE 12
Box Tops/Labels For Education
April Contest: Wednesday, April 1st to Thursday, April 30th
Our April Contest is now underway! Keep cutting and saving those Box Tops and Labels
for Education throughout the month of April. By doing so you are helping C2E to
purchase much needed school supplies and equipment.
Prizes will be awarded to the top collectors and classrooms! The student who brings in
the most items will earn a $20 gift card for Chick-fil-A, and the class that brings in the
most items will win a Popsicle Party. There will be winners for both Elementary and
Middle School.
Please send the labels in a zip lock bag marked with your child's name, grade, and
homeroom teacher. All Box Tops and Labels will be collected in the classroom or in the
box at the front office. Please be sure to check your Box Tops and discard all expired
items because expired Box Tops CANNOT be accepted.
Kindergarten Buddy Day
Thursday, April 23rd, 1:00-2:30 pm
Kindergarten Buddy Day is a great way to welcome next year’s kindies and their families
to Challenge to Excellence. We are in need of parent volunteers to help with checking
families in, setting up the snacks both in the classrooms and in the gym where the
parents will learn more about our school, and craft helpers with the current and incoming
kindergartners. We also need donations of snack items and craft supplies to help make
this event a success. If you would like to volunteer or donate goodies, please click the
link below. Thank you!
http://www.signupgenius.com/go/30e0844a9af2fa02-kindergarten
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PAGE 13
Friday, May 1st (RSVP by Friday, April 24th)
Bring your Mom, Grandma, or Aunt to “Muffins with Mom”
on Friday, May 1st, between 7:00-7:50 am in C2E’s Gym.
After having a nutritional breakfast at home, come and have
a fun “Second Breakfast” with your Mom at school. Muffins,
fruit, coffee, and juice will be served.
RSVP online at the PVA website (https://sites.google.com/site/c2epva/payonline) to get
the early bird rate of $7 per family. Due to limited space and planning time, an RSVP is
required for this event. There will only be limited admission at the door. Admission
prices will increase to $8 per family for those who RSVP after the deadline date of Friday,
April 24th. You can also get more information as well as print a flyer to pay by check/cash
using this link if you’d prefer: https://sites.google.com/site/c2epva/home/donuts-muffins
Thank you to Theroux Orthodontics (303-779-0565) for their generous
sponsorship for our Muffins with Mom event! We truly appreciate our
community partners!
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED! Volunteers are needed to assist with set up,
during the event, and with clean up. Please sign-up at:
www.SignUpGenius.com/go/10C0D49A8AD2AA7FB6-muffins
Questions? Please contact Roberta ([email protected]) or Natalie
([email protected]).
STAFF LUNCHEONS - TEACHER/STAFF APPRECIATION WEEK:
Monday, May 4th – Friday, May 8th
This will be the last in our Staff Appreciation/Luncheon series, but it
will be the most important one of the year! We will be celebrating
Teacher/Staff Appreciation for the entire week of May 4th through
May 8th. We have an event planned each day for our Staff and
Teachers. We want them to feel honored, appreciated, and loved
by our C2E family. This is our opportunity to give back to the ones
that not only teach our children but encourage, direct, challenge,
motivate, and inspire them!
To find out more about our special daily events during Teacher/Staff Appreciation Week
and to volunteer your time and/or donate items, please check out the sign-up here:
http://www.signupgenius.com/go/20f0944adae2caa8-staff
Please note that some items on the sign-up will need to be delivered to the school no
later than Friday, May 1st, in preparation for the week ahead.
If you have any questions, please contact Annette Kullmer at [email protected] or
720-323-0513, and Beckie Bauman at [email protected] or 303-514-1034.
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PAGE 14
SCIENCE FAIR!
Thursday, May 14th (grades 5-8) and Friday, May 15th (grades K-4)
Calling all budding scientists! C2E’s Science Fair encourages students’ interest in science,
develops their inquiry and investigation skills, and enhances children’s pride in completing
research projects.
The Science Fair is optional for Elementary grades and mandatory for Middle School
grades. Each teacher has established their own expectations, so please direct all questions
about specific requirements to your child’s science teacher.
The Science Fair organizers are looking for volunteers to assist prior to and during the
Science Fair. We will need chaperones for the younger children to guide them around the
projects, as well as set-up and clean-up crews. We are also looking for judges to observe
and evaluate the projects. If you are able to help, please sign-up using the link below.
Thank you!
http://www.signupgenius.com/go/30E0B4FAFA62DA02-c2escience/1306900
SPIRIT WEAR DAYS!
Next Spirit Wear Days: Friday, April 3rd, and Friday, May 1st
Wow, there are only two Spirit Wear days left in this school year! Help
your kids show their school spirit by ordering quality C2E uniformapproved Spirit Wear items from our providers, Threaded Ink, right here
in Parker. Go to their website (www.threadedinkmedia.com - go to School Stores and
choose C2E), order, and pick up at your convenience.
On designated “Spirit Wear” days, usually the first Friday of the month, Spirit Wear may
be worn with uniform bottoms.
Advertising in this newsletter does not imply endorsement by Douglas County School District.