Posted September 16, 2024
Happy Weekend Columbine Community!
I hope you’ve all enjoyed a wonderful weekend.
Today, September 15th is the first day of Hispanic Heritage Month. Over the next month our crews and community will celebrate, recognize, and elevate the contributions, history, and present day influences of LatinX and Hispanic cultures and people both in and beyond our community. For Hispanic and Latinx Heritage Month, our initiative will focus on Dia De Los Muertos and many of the beautiful traditions that go along with it! Teachers will be using crew time to lead learning about what Dia De Los Muertos is, why it is important, and how it is celebrated. As a whole school project, each grade will be assigned a small art project to contribute to our school Ofrenda. Specific grade levels will create different components to create one final display! The Ofrenda will live in our entryway showcase leading up to Dia De Los Muertos on Nov. 1st and 2nd.
In addition to our teachers leading lessons, we will invite our Hispanic and LatinX families in to share their experiences, enrich our learning, and broaden our understanding of their culture and traditions. We will welcome students each morning with playlists from Hispanic and LatinX artists. On September 20th, we will have a community breakfast from 7:40-8:30 to celebrate Mexico’s Independence Day and to kick-off Hispanic Heritage Month.
Additionally, each week, I will highlight a different staff member from Hispanic / LatinX heritage. This week, we will be highlighting our new 3rd grade teacher, Anna Naranjo! Please look on Bloomz for this staff spotlight!
Here is a resource for Denver festivals, events, and celebrations for Hispanic Heritage Month 2024.
A huge thanks to all who attended Coffee with Corey on Thursday. During this coffee, I reviewed the follow date reports that I sent last week regarding our SPF and our CMAS scores.
Spanish Columbine SPF / CMAS Report
I want to acknowledge the concern and engagement of our community. There have been some great questions raised, a strong interest in digging in further, and an active engagement of what you all can do to support. Our conversations around this will continue. Please see below for additional dialogue opportunities. If you were unable to attend, or attended and were left with some questions, please submit them here so that I can help offer any additional information or clarification.
We also discussed our upcoming lockdown drill. Please see below for resources and details on what you can expect for before, during, and after our lockdown drill on Friday, September 20th.
In Crew,
Corey Jenks
Principal
SPF Information and Upcoming Touchpoints
This week, a letter was sent regarding the Preliminary Results of our School Performance Framework. Thank you so much to those of you who have already reached out, energized, and committed to supporting our school in the essential improvement efforts we have ahead. This week, you received a more robust and comprehensive detail from me including:
-What the SPF data tells in addition to a broader picture of our school historical data and disparities
-Our vision and plan for our Columbine future and how we are going to address our current state
-Our incredible team and crew that we have at Columbine
-Next steps and opportunities for how families can engage, be involved, and contribute to these efforts.
Spanish Columbine SPF / CMAS Report
Our next touchpoints on our SPF will be:
Virtual Q&A session on September 18th 6:00-7:00 pm Virtual Link Here
CSC meeting on September 25th from 5:00-6:15 pm.
Any questions that you have in the meantime can be submitted to this Columbine SPF form or directly to me at corey_jenks@dpsk12.net.
Columbine CSC
Our next CSC meeting will be on September 25th from 5:00-6:15 pm before our PTA meeting at 6:30. At the upcoming CSC meeting we will be discussing our 24-25 Unified Improvement Plan in conjunction with our 2024 School Performance Framework. We will also be discussing our Fall Adjustment final enrollment numbers and any implications to our school budget.
Semester One Lockdown Drill – September 20th
On September 20th between 8:00-10:00 am we will have our Semester One Lockdown Drill. This drill is saturated with many emotions and a high level of anticipation by our community, staff, and students. I am committed to ensuring we create the best environment, support, and protocols possible for our students and staff. With this, I have engaged the support of our district Mental Health team, our Safety and Security team, our school Operational Service Director, and our local community safety leaders to wrap their arms around Columbine during our first drill. Below are resources to get started in anticipating our drill.
Below are Resources for you to use as you are preparing yourselves and your families:
On Thursday last week, our staff engaged in an in-person lockdown drill training with our Department of Climate and Safety team. We walked the building, asked lots of questions, calibrated on a staff around language and strategies to prepare students before, during, and after our drill.
What to expect:
Before
This week, teachers will begin telling students that on Friday we will have our Semester One Lockdown drill. Crews will practice identifying where they will move in the room, what it will look like, sound like, and feel like, and what teachers will be doing during this time.The way we message these drills are as follows:
We practice lockdown drills for if there are ever situations at school where we feel it would be safer to be in our classroom behind locked doors. We have to be sure that all of the doors and locks in our building are working and that we know just what to do in case of an emergency to stay safe.
Ms. Ganser will be visiting some of the crews in our upper grades to help discuss what emotions may arise during this drill, and also to ensure accuracy of information from our lockdown that took place last year.
During
In the morning before our drill, I visit all classrooms and remind students of the purpose of our drill. I demonstrate for them what it will sound like when we are testing the door, and I remind them that it is ME behind the door!
Right before our district automated recording comes on for our drill, I will get on the announcements to say – hey columbine students and staff, it is time for our drill. You’ve got this, you are ready, and you are safe! This is just a drill.
In classrooms, teachers have been given a set of candy suckers to give students during the drill to keep mouths (and voices) occupied. Our teachers have been told that they can and should do a very quiet read aloud during the drill to keep little minds distracted and calm.
As soon as we are released from our lockdown drill, myself and the safety team will visit classrooms to assure students and teachers that they did a great job.
After
Ms. Ganser and Ms. Stegman will be available throughout the day to support students and staff who have any additional needs that arise after our drill. At 10:00, we will be visited by two trained therapy dogs through Bella’s Buddies (Liberty and Hank) who will visit classrooms for some puppy love and happy pets.
If you have any specific questions or concerns for your child, please feel free to reach out.
Upcoming Events
| September 15th: First Day of Hispanic Heritage MonthSeptember 18th: Virtual SPF Discussion Forum 6:00-7:00 pm link hereSeptember 20th: Hispanic / LatinX Heritage Month Community Breakfast 7:40-8:30 September 20th: Semester One Lockdown Drill 9:00-10:00September 25th: Student of the Month Assembly (2nd-5th 8:15-8:45)(ECE-1st 2:45-3:15)September 25: CSC 5:15-6:15 and PTA Meeting 6:30-7:30 September 27th: PD Day – NO SCHOOL for students October 1st: Family-Teacher Conference Night 1October 9th: Family-Teacher Conference Night 2October 10th: PD Day – NO SCHOOL for studentsOctober 11th: No SchoolOctober 14th: Conference Comp Day – No School October 19th: Fall Festival 11-2October 23rd: CSC @ 5:00 and PTA @ 6:30October 25th: Student of the Month Assembly (2nd-5th 8:15-8:45)(ECE-1st 2:45-3:15) |
| Community Resource Team If you are looking for resources, book recommendations, and entry points into the essential learning about race, gentrification, cultural competency, and racial history in our country, the CR team has compiled a recommended book list. Book List Here |
Columbine Cougars PTA Update
Want to join the PTA? Interested in joining a committee? Interested in joining the Dads of Columbine? Ready to vote on important upcoming items like the budget? Please join the PTA here!
Looking to stay in touch? Follow some of our Columbine Elementary social media accounts. columbine_cougars dadsofcolumbine columbinecougarspta |