Posted August 27, 2024
First Week Columbine Community!
We had SUCH an amazing 1st week back with our crews. We welcomed back and welcomed in our kiddos. We welcomed new families at our New Family Night and even more at our New Family Breakfast. We had our first whole-school crew circle where we talked about LEAP (Leadership, Empathy, Ambition, and Positive Mindset), we met Clyde the Cougar (our mascot), and we sang our LEAP song! On Friday, many of you experienced the JOY of our Station 10 Back-to-School Spray Down! And today, our PTA hosted a welcome back to school pancake breakfast and soccer game to roll out our new soccer goals. Now THAT is a great first week at Columbine. 💙💛
This week on Wednesday, August 28th from 5:30-7:00 we will host our Back-to-School Night. Doors will open at 5:15 for families to drop students off who need child care and then come into the auditorium where we will begin as a whole school. At 5:55, we will transition families to classrooms and crew sessions will run 6:00-6:25 and 6:30-6:55. Following Back-to-School Night is our first PTA meeting of the year. This will take place in the cafeteria where dinner will be provided for children in child care and adults attending the meeting!
Reminders: Breakfast in the Cafeteria
Our cafeteria opens at 7:40am for students to come in and have a hot breakfast. All students must use the main entry doors located off of 29th and Elizabeth between 7:40-7:50am. The cafeteria will be open from 7:40-7:55 am. If students arrive after 7:50, they can pick up breakfast in the office as a grab-and-go option and can eat in their classroom.
Reminders: ✔️Visitors
All adults who are not staff must ALWAYS enter the school through the Main Entrance and sign in at the front office. Visitors will be asked for their ID to be scanned and will receive a visitor badge to wear through our Raptor System. Any family who is in the building should wear this visitor badge at all times. Per DPS policy, families may not go to a classroom directly to get their child. Please arrange any visitations ahead of time with teachers, administrators, and office staff so that we can prioritize and prepare for your arrival. This process will include celebrations and performances.
Arrival
Now that we have transitioned to our typical entry routine, please plan on sending your child in through our external doors when they arrive at school. Students who need breakfast should use the main doors. We understand walking students to their classroom may be a preferred drop off method, however, at Columbine we ask that all students walk themselves to class or walk to class accompanied by a staff member. The only exception to this is ECE because families are required to sign students in and out directly in the classroom.
LEAP
We hope that you have heard your child coming home talking about one or all of the traits we focus on at Columbine. Here they are below and we hope that you will also begin using this language at home with your children. This home/school language connections helps students see the plethora of ways we can be leaders, we have empathy for ourselves and others, we show ambition, and we hold a positive mindset.
In Crew,
Corey Jenks
Principal
| Please take some time in the first week to review our Columbine Community Handbook |
👩🏼🤝👨🏾Volunteers
Columbine welcomes and values our volunteers! There are many ways families and community members can support the students at Columbine. One great avenue for volunteering is via our Classroom Hero and Parent Teacher Association (PTA).
DPS Policy: Volunteers who are non-DPS staff but have undergone volunteer approval via the Family and Community Engagement department are allowed to volunteer across the school building. Volunteers must comply with standard volunteer processes; volunteers who engage with students through a community partner must abide by all community partner policies. Click here to become a volunteer in DPS by completing a background check.
📱Cell Phones and Electronics
Student cell phones and electronic devices should not be brought to school. If your child carries a phone for safety reasons, their teacher will collect it at the beginning of the school day, lock it up for safekeeping to be returned at the end of the day. Cell phones not turned in will be turned into the office and a parent/guardian will need to come and pick up the phone.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that adults place consistent limits on the use of technology, video games and screen time for elementary aged children, making sure media does not take the place of adequate sleep, physical activity and other behaviors essential to health.
Student Chromebooks
This week, we will be distributing chromebooks to students. In your child’s Thursday folder you will be receiving a technology agreement for your child (3rd-5th) and you as families to sign and return to the school. At Columbine, we put an immense amount of care and intentionality into how we use technology with students. Students will only be using Chromebooks to access educational platforms. Students will use technology as an extension of their learning and will access educational platforms to engage in research, writing, creating presentations, and additional instructional programs. Students will not be using Chromebooks as tools for entertainment, listening to music, or playing non-educational games. We will teach our students how to use technology, how to be digital citizens, and how to be critical consumers of media.
Denver Children’s Chorus After-School Enrichment Program
The NEW PTA Enrichment Team is thrilled to introduce the first after-school enrichment program: the Denver Children’s Choir After-School Enrichment Program for elementary students aged 7-18. This is the LAST WEEK to sign up!
Program Details:
Discover the joy of music with us! For more information, check out the attached flyer in the sign-up form!
Upcoming Events
| August 28th 5:30-7:00: Back-to-School Night / First PTA Meeting September 2nd: Labor Day (No School)September 6th: Whole-School Crew Circle @ 8:15 to kick off LEADERSHIPSeptember 15th: First Day of Hispanic Heritage MonthSeptember 18th: Lockdown Drill 8:00-10:00September 25: CSC 5:15-6:15 and PTA Meeting 6:30-7:30September 26th: Student of the Month Assembly (3rd-5th 8:15-8:45)(ECE-2nd 2:45-3:15) September 27th: PD Day – NO SCHOOL for students |
Columbine Cougars PTA Update
Thanks to all who were able to attend or help run Clyde’s Family Pancake Breakfast and Soccer!🥞⚽ What a huge success and we are thrilled to have some soccer goals for our kiddos to enjoy at recess.
The first PTA Meeting will be hosted right after Back-To-School Night on Wednesday, August 28 at 7pm. Free food and childcare will be provided. Want to join the PTA before the meeting? Complete the form here: https://forms.gle/in9WzKAr3vmmC8uSA
| 🎉 Upcoming Events! 🎉 Wednesday, August 28th from 530-7:00: Back-to-School Night Upcoming Meetings! Wednesday, August 28th at 7:00pm: First PTA meeting of the year – Columbine Cafeteria Don’t miss upcoming events! Sync your calendar with our Columbine calendar! |
Looking to stay in touch? Follow some of our Columbine Elementary social media accounts. columbine_cougars dadsofcolumbine columbinecougarspta |