Good News Bulletin

The entire student body of Elizabeth High School, its staff, district administrators, board members, local leaders, and partners who helped make the new automotive shop a possibility attended the groundbreaking for the new building on May 4, 2023.

The shop, the first permanent structure to be built in the district in more than two decades, was made possible through the Rural Coaction Grant, contributions and partnerships. Elizabeth-based Prism Builds, owned by EHS Class of 1982 alumnus Scott Stillman, will conduct primary construction. Prism annually provides the Barns of Hope scholarship to graduating seniors in Elbert County (this year, EHS senior Zach White received $2,000).

The EHS auto program launched this school year and attracted one out of every five students at EHS, and instructor Derek Spohn provided numerous opportunities for his students to not only gain technical knowledge but also explore dozens of career options through field trips, special events and, especially, campus visits from trade schools and businesses.

Principal Bret McClendon said the intent is to have the building ready for students by September.

The Elizabeth Middle School chapter of the National Junior Honor Society welcomed new members from grade 6 and 7 on Wednesday, May 3.

Current members, NJHS advisers Christy Banks and Melanie Kaumeyer (speaking in first photo below) and principal Brett Michel welcomed the new members to the chapter which annually conducts numerous leadership and service activities throughout the school year. During the induction ceremony, current leaders lit five candles to represent the five pillars of NJHS: Scholarship, Service, Leadership, Character and Citizenship. Co-treasurer Lily Hayes, shown in second photo below, lit the "Service" candle.

This year's inductees are:

Seventh Grade: Caedyn Atwell, Kaylee Hughes, Madeline Joyce, William Landavazo, Tanner McCoy, Abbey Pallas

Sixth Grade: Emma Dunagan, Clara Graft, Evalyn Kelley, Brooks Lambert, Leah Lave, Shiloh Lynch, Cooper Mankin, Eva McCauley, Mya Mills, Samantha Morris, Ava Reese (who was unable to attend the induction), Luciana Samaco, Brady Thielen

Elizabeth High School Choir members, including Bel Canto, Cardinal Jazz, and Jazz Featurettes that included soloists and small groups of varying sizes, performed songs from a range of genres and styles at their final concert of the 2022-23 school year on Tuesday, May 2.

Look for a video from Thursday's Instrumental Music Awards Concert in next week's Good News Bulletin.

Running Creek Elementary conducted its final Leader In Me assembly of the school year on Tuesday. The students pictured here are representatives of every classroom in the building and demonstrated Habit No. 7: Sharpen the Saw, which includes being adaptable and resilient, an independent learner, and empathetic & collaborative. Leader In Me is Running Creek's adaptation of the district's Profile of a Graduate, which is intended to equip every student with the skills to succeed when they become adults. Not pictured among the honorees is Julianne Henderson.

Elizabeth Middle School's students of the month, below, were honored for exemplifying the Cardinal Competency of being Entrepreneurial. This includes skills such as ingenuity, innovation, creativity, and financial literacy. The Cardinal Competencies are EMS' approach to building toward the Profile of a Graduate at the middle school level.

Also for April, Lincoln Jones, who teaches eighth grade U.S. History, was named Teacher of the Month at EMS.

Underclassmen and eighth graders had their own dance a week after prom, when the EHS Student Council hosted its annual MORP event -- with a Hollywood theme this year -- on April 28.

Thanks to Mary Peavler for sharing these photos!

Elizabeth School District completed the installation of its new, district-wide access control system this week. The installation provides a fully integrated physical access control system with advanced alarm and identity management, facility control, and video surveillance integration. The district now has the capability to remotely lock and secure all facilities (lockdown), remotely monitor buildings from anywhere in the world, provide live video feedback for alarms and building access, and provide expedited ingress to emergency and first responders on a moment's notice. All first responders have been provided updated badges to access our schools 24/7.

The completion of this step, along with upgrades earlier this year to schools' visitor-management and camera systems, is another example of how the district continuously strives to enhance security capabilities through a layered approach.

April – National Poetry Month

May 1-5 – EHS Spirit tryouts, 4 p.m.

May 5 – EHS Track Meet

May 8-12 –National Teacher Appreciation Week

May 8 – BOE Business Session, 6 p.m.

May 9 – EMS Choir Concert, 6 p.m.

May 10 – National School Nurse Appreciation Day

May 10 – EMS Band & Orchestra Concert, 6 p.m.

May 13 – EHS Graduation, 10 a.m.

May 18 – National Speech Pathologist Appreciation Day

May 18 – 8th Grade Continuation, EMS, 1:30 p.m.

May 19 – Last day of school

May 22 – BOE Working Session, 6 p.m.

May 23 – ESD Job Fair, 4-6 p.m., EHS

EMS sports calendar

EHS sports calendar

Dinner and dessert options will be parked and waiting for everyone from 4-8 p.m., Thursday, May 11, for the Food Truck Fundraiser at the Elizabeth High School parking lot.

Food trucks from The Chaotic Kitchen, Market 86 and Rose's Creamery will be on hand and will provide a percentage of their proceeds to the Elizabeth Education Foundation. The EEF provides scholarships, teacher grants and the annual STARS awards for students.

Enjoy a day at Coors Field and help support the Elizabeth Education Foundation on a pair of Saturdays in May.

Tickets start at $19 apiece for EEF days at the ballpark:

• May 13 vs. the Philadelphia Phillies - first pitch is 6:10 p.m.
• May 27 vs. the New York Mets - first pitch is 7:10 p.m.

Tickets can be ordered at rockies.com/elizabeth.

As one school year ends, another is right around the corner, and Elizabeth Schools will continue to need:

• Bus Drivers

• Special Education Paraprofessionals

• Substitute Teachers

• Kitchen staff

• Custodians

So ESD is hosting a Job Fair from 4-6 p.m. on Tuesday, May 23, to make it as easy as possible for people to apply. Staff members will be on hand to help answer questions and walk attendees through the process of applying.

Additionally, the district will pay for a one-year substitute teaching license for anyone interested and will provide paid CDL training for those who want to become a bus driver. Special hiring-bonus stipends are available for other hard-to-fill jobs. Staff members will even help anyone who seeks to change careers and become a full-time classroom teacher -- they will help walk applicants through the process of attaining a special license so they can teach next school year.

All participating attendees will also receive a $10 gift card from Ziggi's Coffee.

More information is on this webpage.