Arrowhead Update
September 12, 2022
Principal's Message
It's time to begin our process for selecting a new Arrowhead mascot! The last few weeks we asked families to complete a short survey about how we are demonstrating Cherry Creek's 5 Core Values at Arrowhead. At the end of that survey, we asked respondents to finish this statement with one word: Arrowhead is the story of... We received 46 responses from the community and 35 responses from our staff. We put the responses into a word cloud generator, which generated the word cloud that you see below. Font size is weighted based on the amount of times the word appeared, so the larger the word, the more people responded with that word.
We are using this data as we identify a mascot that aligns with who we are as an Arrowhead community. Nominations are officially open and will remain open through Monday, September 26 at 4:00 pm. To submit your nomination, click here.
Our Mascot Committee will review nominations and narrow it down to 3-5 options to vote on. Voting will take place before Fall Break, so watch your email around the beginning of October for information on how to vote!
If you have any questions throughout the process, please feel free to reach out. We are excited about this opportunity for our community to help shape the next chapter of Arrowhead!
Kind regards,
Kelsey Jones
Principal
Arrowhead Elementary
Announcements
Get Involved and Share Your Voice!
Arrowhead values the partnership that we have with our families and community, and it is important to have your voices in spaces where decisions are being made. If you are interested in being part of our committees or parent groups, please sign-up here! Your information will be shared with committee/group leaders and they will contact you with further information.
School Accountability Committee (SAC): Discusses school data and improvement plans, budgeting, and staffing. Meets at 5:30 pm (before the PTCO meetings) on November 1, March 7, and May 2.
Partnership for Academically Successful Students (PASS): This group's goal is to foster an inclusive and safe environment to support the success of students of color. PASS holds parent coffees on Fridays throughout the year at 8:00 am. Our first one will be held on September 30 (details below).
Parent Teacher Community Organization (PTCO): Help plan PTCO events and fundraisers to benefit the school! If you aren't able to join PTCO on a regular basis, they are always looking for volunteers to help at events and special occasions such as First Day of School decorations, Teacher Appreciation Week activities, etc. They meet the first Tuesday of the month at 6:00 pm. Email arrowheadelementaryptco@gmail.com for more information!
Mascot Committee: Help select Arrowhead's new mascot! This committee will review nominations, develop a voting process, and work with a graphic designer to design the new logo. The committee will meet from 3:00-3:40 on September 27 and 28, October 26, November 1, and November 22.
Veteran's Day Committee: Plan and implement Arrowhead's Veteran's Day Celebration! The committee will meet from 3:00-3:40 on September 13, October 11, November 2, and November 7.
Community Engagement Committee: Join Arrowhead staff as we discuss ways we can best engage our community and plan community events. This committee meets from 3:00-3:40 on October 3, November 14, December 5, January 9, February 6, March 6, April 3, and May 1.
Partnership for Academically Successful Students (PASS)
Arrowhead's PASS (Partnerships for Academically Successful Students) Committee is comprised of parents/guardians, teachers and administrators, and community members.
Our goal is to foster an inclusive and safe environment to support the success of students of color. We do this by:
- Engaging community members in meaningful and effective partnerships
- Building relationships between schools and family communities
- Providing parents and guardians of students of color voice and direct access to the administration
Our first PASS meeting will be held Friday, September 30 at 8:00 am in the Arrowhead Library. Coffee and pastries will be provided!
There is also a District PASS Committee that meets monthly. Their next meeting is September 21 from 6:00-7:00 pm at the Cherry Creek Innovation Campus. Email CCSDEquity@cherrycreekschools.org for more information.
Smoky Hill Homecoming Football Game September 23
Join us on Friday, September 23 at 7:00 pm to cheer on the Smoky Hill Buffs as they take on Highlands Ranch High School at Stutler Bowl! We will join our fellow Smoky Hill feeder schools there to cheer on the Buffs! We have 50 free student tickets to give out to the first families to sign-up here. All other tickets will be $5 and can be purchased through the QR code on the flyer below or at the game.
Smoky Hill Spirit Bus September 21
The Smoky Hill Spirit Bus will visit Arrowhead on Wednesday, September 21 to host a mini-Homecoming Pep Rally! Wear your Smoky Hill colors (red and green) or Smoky Hill spirit wear that day!
We Are Hiring!
Severe Needs Para Educator (7 hours/day): Support students in our ILC program or students with Serious Emotional Disabilities by providing accommodations, academic modifications, and supporting students in self-care as needed. Experience is preferred but not required, as new para educators will be provided with extensive training.
Administrative Assistant (8 hours/day): Support our main office by greeting visitors, answering phone calls, serving as the school Registrar, providing administrative assistance to the Assistant Principal (managing her calendar, assisting with clerical tasks, etc.), maintaining student files, etc.
Community Liaison (4 hours/day): Connect families to resources, manage our Community Marketplace, host family outreach events, and serve as a liaison between the school and community.
We are also always looking for substitute para educators who are able to fill in when one of our para educators is out. Please contact our Assistant Principal, April Hrovat, at 720-886-2806 or ahrovat@cherrycreekschools.org if you are interested.
For information on working for Cherry Creek Schools, please visit the Cherry Creek Human Resources page: https://www.cherrycreekschools.org/domain/1417
PTCO Events- Save the Date!
Save the date for the following PTCO events:
Wednesday, September 21- Mod Pizza Fundraiser: Support Arrowhead by eating at Mod Pizza at Southlands at any time they are open this day!
Monday, October 3- Cold Stone Creamery Fundraiser: Support Arrowhead by stopping by Cold Stone Creamery at Southlands from 4:00-8:00 pm for some ice cream treats!
Tuesday, October 13- Skate City Night: Come skate at Skate City from 6:00-8:00 pm!
Tuesday, November 1- PTCO Meeting: This is a general meeting from 6:00-7:00 pm at Arrowhead.
Upcoming Dates
September 14- Hearing Screening
September 15- Lockdown Drill 9:00 am
September 21- Smoky Hill Spirit Bus 9:15 am (wear Smoky Hill colors or spirit wear!), Mod Pizza Fundraiser (all day- Southlands location), District PASS Meeting 6:00-7:00 pm at Cherry Creek Innovation Campus
September 23- Smoky Hill Feeder Football Game 7:00 pm at Stutler Bowl
September 24- IPAC Back to School Event 12:00-3:00 pm at Eastridge Elementary (more details below)
September 26- Mascot Nominations Due by 4:00 pm
September 30- PASS Parent Coffee 8:00-9:00 am at Arrowhead
October 1- CCSD Veterans and Military Appreciation Celebration 12:30 pm Legacy Stadium, Football Game 6:00 pm (flyer below)
October 3- Cold Stone Creamery Fundraiser (Southlands location) 4:00-8:00 pm
October 6- IPAC Meeting 6:00-7:30 pm (Virtual)
October 13- Skate City Night 6:00-8:00 pm
October 15-23- Fall Break
October 26- District PASS Meeting 6:00-7:00 pm at Eaglecrest High School
November 1- SAC Meeting 5:30-6:00 pm, PTCO Meeting 6:00-7:00 pm at Arrowhead
November 3- IPAC Meeting 6:00-7:30 pm (location TBD)
November 4- Report cards go home
Week of November 7-11- Conferences
November 11- No School (Conferences), Veteran's Day (Arrowhead's Veteran's Day celebration date is TBD)
November 16- District PASS Meeting 6:00-7:00 pm at Cherry Creek High School
November 23-25- No School (Thanksgiving)
District Announcements/Events
Indigenous Parent Action Committee (IPAC)
The IPAC committee is comprised of Indigenous parents/guardians and staff. The committee meets monthly and focuses on the following:
• Illuminating the presence of CCSD’s Indigenous community
• Affirming and honoring Indigenous students’ presence and cultural identities
• Amplifying the voices of the Indigenous community by working directly with district leaders to make changes necessary to better serve Indigenous students and families
• Forming cross-district partnerships to strengthen the Indigenous community network
• Naming the continuous problems of practice embedded in the CCSD learning experience interfering with Indigenous students’ academic and social-emotional success
Further information and meeting dates can be found here.
IPAC District-wide Back-to-School Event
What: Come join us for an afternoon of family and fun. The IPAC committee is hosting this district-wide event designed to kick off the 2022-2023 school year and bring our CCSD Indigenous/Native families together.
When: Saturday, September 24, 2024, 12:00 pm - 3:00 pm
Where: Eastridge Elementary School, 11777 E. Wesley Ave., Aurora, CO 80014. This event will occur outdoors
Parent Information Network (PIN)
PIN’s mission is to provide informative local and national speakers on topics relevant to current parenting and youth-related issues and to provide a forum for parents to connect and create a caring community. Presentations are held throughout the year at 9:15 am at the Fremont Building (14603 E Fremont Ave, Centennial, CO 80112).
Upcoming presentations:
October 4:
RELATIONSHIP ESSENTIALS: TOOLS TO FEEL HEARD AND SET BOUNDARIES
November 1:
CAN’T SEE EYE TO EYE? YOUR KIDS AND YOU CAN BECOME CONFLICT FLUENT
More information can be found at: https://www.pinccsd.org/
New Faces at Arrowhead!
Sam Gensch, School Support Para Educator (Office Assistant)
Hello Arrowhead! My name is Sam, and I'm excited to be joining the Arrowhead family! My family consists of me, my husband, and my 3 kiddos who are at Arrowhead Elementary. I am a big fan of movies and home decor/candles. In my free time, I enjoy working on my writing projects/books. I can't wait to become part of this wonderful community and get to know all of your kiddos!
Katrina Lucas, Building Engineer
Hello! My name is Katrina Lucas. I am the new Building Engineer here at Arrowhead. I am excited to serve the school and make it a better place for the students and staff. I come from four years of auto insurance claims as a licensed auto adjuster. I grew up in Colorado Springs and moved to Aurora back in February. I have two fur babies, my dog Zarra and my cat Phantom. In my free time I enjoy walks with my dog, paddle boarding and volunteering at Colorado Gators Reptile Park (wrestling gators to get them medicated or moved to different enclosures). While I enjoy being active there is nothing, I love more than to curl up on the couch watching a good movie or show and playing my switch.
Ongoing Reminders
Free or Reduced-Price Lunch and Breakfast!
It's not too late to apply for free or reduced-price lunch and breakfast! The federal government is no longer funding free breakfast and lunch for all students. If you would like your child to purchase breakfast and lunch at school, they will need to pay for it unless your family qualifies for the National School Lunch Program (free and reduced-price meals). Information about school meals can be found here: https://www.cherrycreekschools.org/Page/4035
To apply for free or reduced-price school meals, please complete this application as soon as possible. You can apply the following ways:
Online: https://family.titank12.com/application/new?identifier=7E9BB5. The application is available in English, Spanish, Burmese, Chinese, French, Korean, Russian, and Vietnamese.
Download a paper form and return to school: English Spanish
Pick-up a paper copy at school: We have paper copies available in the Main Office.
Instructions for filling out the paper forms can be found here:
Further information about the National School Lunch Program can be found here: https://www.cherrycreekschools.org/Page/4041.
School Hours
8:00 am-2:45 pm Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday
8:00 am-1:45 pm Wednesday
The school day ends at 2:45 pm on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. On Wednesdays, the school day ends at 1:45 pm. Students will exit from the same doors they entered.
If you are interested in our before and after school child care program, please contact Bobbie Smith at 720-886-2853. They open at 6:30 am to provide before school care and are open until 6:00 pm to provide after school care. They can only accept students who have been registered in advance. They accept Colorado Child Care Assistance Program (CCCAP) for families who qualify and give discounts for families who qualify for free or reduced price meals.
Attendance
Dogs on School Grounds
Please note that dogs are not allowed on school grounds. If you would like to bring your dog to drop-off or pick-up your child, please remain on the sidewalks around the perimeter of the school or in the field past the last goalpost.
Parking Lot Procedures
Please help us keep kids safe by following our parking lot procedures. Please refer to the map of our parking lot below for where you can safely drop-off/pick-up.
Drop-Off/Pick-Up (Teal): This is a space for you to quickly drop-off and pick-up at the beginning and end of the day. This is a fire lane, so you must remain with your car at all times. Students should enter and exit the car on the curb side (right side), as cars will be passing in the through lane on the left side of the car.
Red Curve: This is a no parking or waiting zone, as our buses need to be able to get around that corner safely.
Bus Parking (Yellow): Only buses may park here. Cars parked in this space will be asked to move to make room for buses. Once the buses have departed, this may be used as additional space for pick-up.
Through Lanes (Green): These lanes should continuously move. Please do not wait or park here and at no time should cars be double parked.
Parking: The only space where you may park is in a marked parking spot. If there is not a spot available, please park on the street and walk in.
Right Turn Only (2:45-3:00 pm): When exiting the parking lot during afternoon dismissal, all cars need to turn right out of the parking lot and loop through the neighborhood. For safety reasons, please do not make a u-turn in the areas around the school (signage indicates where u-turns cannot be made).