The Pulse
Pikes Peak Early College, April Edition
A Note from Rochelle Kolhouse, Principal
Welcome back! We are hitting the ground running here at PPEC and in the home stretch for the remainder of the school year. There are so many exciting things happening these last two months so make sure you are checking your email so you don't miss out! Just like last month, the teachers at both PPEC and SSAE have put together some amazing learning opportunities for students this month. Please check out the list of events and sign up for anything and everything that suits you and your interests! As always, any student needing a school environment in which to work or who needs some assistance from teachers is more than welcome to come in. We want to see you!
Descriptions of all April in-building Opportunities
Sign Up link for activities
Sign up link for Science labs
We are also excited to announce that we will be able to host some traditional senior end-of-year events with some COVID considerations. May 7th we will host a Senior Breakfast and 3.75 awards ceremony on our campus for all of our current 12th graders whether they are graduating in May or continuing on with us for a year 12+. Speaking of graduation...plans are also currently underway. Unfortunately, we had to change our graduation venue at the last minute due to COVID restrictions. However, we are pleased to announce we are still having in-person graduation on our campus on May 28th at 7:30 am (details to follow). Seniors and families with seniors or graduates, this is the time of year that it is imperative you check your email regularly and respond accordingly. We would hate for you to miss a moment of celebration!
Next week PPEC, in conjunction with SSAE, will be running state testing on the Northside of our campus. As a result, we will not be able to offer in-person learning or engagement opportunities next Wednesday, April 14th as our building will be closed for the PSAT 9 exam. However, we look forward to seeing all students next Monday, April 12th for a “normal” day of working, experiential learning, and fun! Please see the testing dates listed below in our upcoming events.
Students, continue working hard and let's finish this semester strong!
Math
Saturday brought countdown day “4/3/21” and students are starting their countdown to the end of school. Pre-Calc students are working hard on their Trigonometry and Mr. Beadles is working hard making sure there are videos to help students with whatever topic they are working on. Students are always welcome to Mr. Beadles classroom on Monday and Wednesday for help in the morning until 1 pm; as College Algebra runs from 1:00 - 2:30. This means all students in courses such as Algebra I, II, College Algebra Prep, Statistics, Personal Finance, and Pre-Calc can get one-on-one help during these times. Also on Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday Mr. Beadles is available most of the day to help with student’s questions.
If students are looking to get out of their houses and back into a social environment, Mondays and Wednesdays are wonderful with so many different things happening on our campus. If any student is looking for help studying for the Accuplacer to take college courses, Mr. Beadles also has some resources to get them started. Keep working hard till the end. Hard work makes people feel fulfillment and fights negativity. There is nothing better than getting math accomplished and knowing it took so much effort. Of course, if there is frustration, please don’t hesitate to reach out to Mr. Beadles he's happy to help.
“Concern should drive us into action and not into a depression. No man is free who cannot control himself.” ~ Pythagoras (yes the same one that Pythagorean theorem is named after; ha, ha, ha)
Science
Spring break blizzards bring summer camping with no fire ban...hopefully. Non-stem Chemistry students have been very busy discovering all the nuances between Arrhenius, Brownsted Lowery, and Lewis Acids and Bases through Edgenuity. Students were invited to explore working with a very strong base NaOH (Lye) and learn about its role in Saponification (Soap synthesis) in a fun lab activity in the building. In April, all science students will have the opportunity in-building to solve a crime using Calorimetry which will hit on many of the thermochemistry concepts and information STEM Chemistry students have been working on. March was an exciting month for Biology students, they explored the different biological systems through different activities, and assignments. As a culminating activity, students were invited to sign up to join us at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in late April to explore living organisms and discover how they interact in their native habitats. This field trip makes for a great springboard for Biology students as they begin studying ecosystems and biodiversity. April is promising to be an exciting month!
English
I can see the light- Winter is ending! With that comes the last quarter of the year. Our English students are working hard on mastering the ThinkCERCA framework by creating strong arguments for their ideas. I am hosting some fun activities in the building to inspire students- an ultimate creative writing party, and tips on how to write an essay in 30 minutes!
The best advice I can give for these last few weeks of school is to do some work each school day so it doesn’t pile up at the end. Start that essay, study for that test, complete those topics in ALEKS. Study skills are something we can focus on while we wrap up this COVID-type year and are skills that will come in handy for every student after high school.
Keep working hard and focus on that end goal!
Tech Electives
Hello Spring!! This month Computer Science students started coding conditionals, while Loops and booleans to add to their Python programming skills. Teen leadership students researched local community problems to solve that included animal cruelty awareness, mental health during the pandemic, and hunger in Colorado Springs. Our students have shown amazing resiliency, grit, and perseverance during this school year. Please reach out if you have any questions or need any support in your elective courses.
Students are always welcome in Makerspace to test out their creative genius! Come try out 3D printing, Arduino microcomputers, code and drive Sphero and drones, explore virtual reality, play some Minecraft or test out your Rubik's cube skills! Check out the April Activities for Minecraft club and a hike at Fox Run Park. See the flyer below for more information.
World Language
April and spring bring new things, new ideas, and new energies that can inspire us to make changes. April is a very important month for the Spanish language. On April 23, the "Day of the Spanish Language at the United Nations" is celebrated to recognize Spanish as the second most widely spoken language in the world and to learn more about the history, culture, and use of Spanish.
This date was chosen because it is the anniversary of the death of the great genius of Spanish literature, Miguel de Cervantes, who wrote his masterpiece, El Ingenious Gentleman Don Quijote of La Mancha. Coincidentally, the date of his death coincides with that of the most prestigious English playwright, William Shakespeare. Therefore, both languages share the day.
This month, students will work on a ThinkCERCA activity. This activity is focused on the culture of the countries of their respective language studied. At the end of the month, we will be reviewing everything seen this semester so that students are ready for their final exam on May 5th. I ask students to keep working hard to ensure we have a very successful end to our school year.
Counselor's Corner
Well I don’t know about you, but I am wondering what happened to March? As we round the corner to the end of the school year, things start happening quickly!
Registration for college classes is well underway. As a reminder, all students must send in a copy of their FA2021 schedule to Mrs. Bonavita by April 15th, 2020.
PPEC graduation will be held on The Campus, beginning at 7:30 am for all exiting/graduating students. Be sure to check your email for details, invitations and information regarding graduation shortly. We are currently in the process of finalizing everything and are excited for all of our students. If you previously had stated you were not planning on attending, but have changed your mind and would like to attend, please let us know! All graduates will be asked to send in a baby picture and a senior picture for our slide show, so start digging them out now!
Students and families are also receiving information on their potential FAFSA awards. Here is an article that can help explain the muddy waters.
Last, but not least, I would love to give a shout out to one of our students, Kya Lini, who not only attends college classes at PPCC, but is a student in the Colorado State University Pueblo Music Department, and will represent Pueblo and the University as a Colorado All-State Orchestra selection at the violin. Here is a link to the full article!
Check out the links below for some great information!
Virtual College Fairs
NACAC Virtual College Fairs are back
NACAC’s upcoming series of Virtual College Fairs kicks off on Jan. 31! Common App is thrilled to support these virtual events, designed to help students connect with college admissions officers and ask important questions about the application process. These sessions support all students, including seniors who have not yet applied. Students can prepare ahead of time by tagging the Zoom sessions they want to attend.
If your students can’t make it to the first event, there are more opportunities to join this spring:
College Covered
Pikes Peak Business and Educational Alliance (PPBEA)
Family Engagement Council
Our final Family Engagement Council meeting for the 2020-2021 school year will be Monday, May 10 from 5:00 - 6:30 pm. Even though it is getting a bit easier to meet in person, this meeting is still intended to be held online via Zoom. Please join us to learn more about some end-of-the year changes for next year and more!
Spotlight Yeti of the Month
PPEC is pleased to announce this month’s Yeti, Rylee Trickel! During the first semester, Rylee was instrumental in planning our fun student activities on Fridays. Rylee has continued to be inclusive and welcoming to all students (both PPEC and SSAE) when she is in the building and has come to serve as a wonderful role model for others. Meet Rylee, PPEC’s Yeti of the Month for April...
My name is Rylee Trickel, I am a Sophomore here at PPEC. I am 16 years old and I grew up in Colorado. In my free time, I enjoy doing anything to do with art. I love to draw and paint, sunflowers are my favorite things to make. After high school, I plan on attending college and possibly getting a degree in the field of psychology. I am not sure exactly sure what I want to do but right now I am interested in Behavioral Analysis. I came to PPEC because I wanted to get a head start on college and I liked the small class size and the way the school works. I have really enjoyed my time here at PPEC and I look forward to continuing my education here. Being awarded Yeti of the Month is something I am very proud of. Thank you to everyone who nominated me! The Yeti trait I think I have mastered is “Never quit”, I always try to do my best even when things get hard. School has been very complicated since COVID has happened but I have kept working hard.
Sweatshirt Contest
Rylee is also our winner for the PPEC Sweatshirt contest! Check out her winning new design! We are so proud of you, Rylee and all that you have achieved. You embody what it means to be a PPEC Yeti!
Upcoming Events
PSAT/SAT Assessment Schedule for week of April 12th
Monday: April 12th- Normal School Day
Tuesday: April 13th SAT- 11th grade students check in @ 7:30AM
Wednesday: April 14th - PSAT 9- 9th grade students check in @ 7:30am (only 9th grade students in building)
Friday: April 16th - PSAT 10 - 10th grade students check in @ 7:30am
If you have opted out to test please stay home on test dates. If you have any questions please feel free to contact Natalie Cummings (719) 297-1515 or ncummings@d49.org
May 7th- Senior Breakfast and 3.75 Awards Celebration 7:30 am
May 22- Seniors Only Prom Enchanted Garden 6:30 pm - 11:00 pm for SSAE and PPEC
May 28- Graduation 7:30 am