Cottonwood Creek Cougar Chronicle
July 2019
A Message from your Principal, Katie Johnson
Dear Cottonwood Creek Cougars,
As the summer comes to an end, I want to welcome you to the 2019-2020 school year. I hope you have enjoyed your summer with family and friends and are prepared for an amazing year of collaboration and FUN!
Our summer was filled with family and friends. We visited St. Louis to celebrate my in-laws 25th wedding anniversary, my parents were in town for 2 weeks, we spent the 4th of July holiday in Crested Butte, and we were still able to squeeze in a quick trip to the Great Wolf Lodge. Aside from that, there were many trips to the zoo, swimming pool, and I made working out a priority. Our summer wraps up with Riley about to start Kindergarten, and Jane motoring and talking more and more each day. All of this made for a quick, but rewarding summer vacation.
With all of that being said, I am excited to be back, writing my first of many Cottonwood Creek Cougar Chronicles (CCCC). I look forward to another great year as the Principal of Cottonwood Creek Elementary School.
Respectfully,
Principal
Alone we can do so little; Together we can do so much. ~Helen Keller
NEW TO OUR COUGAR STAFF
At Cottonwood Creek, we officially welcome the following staff to our Cougar family:
Jessica Neal, Kindergarten Teacher
Nicole Hargreaves, 1st Grade Teacher
Caroline Garey, 1st Grade Teacher
Shana Eilers, 1st Grade Teacher
Hannah Frick, 1st Grade Teacher
Jodie Langstaff, Occupational Therapist
Sarah Campbell, .5 Gifted and Talented
Kameron Riley, Gifted and Talented
Lois Vaughan, Literacy Coach
Baharak Gholamhosseini, Assistant Kitchen Manager
Sue Hon Au, Kitchen Specialist
We also welcome Kate Howard back to our 2nd grade team.
FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL
The first day of school is Monday, August 12th for Grades 1-5. Kindergarten students will have their first day on Wednesday, August 14th, due to Kindergarten screenings taking place on August 12 and 13. School starts at 8:00 A.M. and ends at 2:45 P.M. The first bell rings at 7:55 A.M.; students enter the building at that time. The second bell rings at 8:00 A.M.; instruction begins then. Children should not be on school grounds earlier than 7:45 A.M. or later than 3:00 P.M., as there is no outside supervision.
PTO Check-In
All Cottonwood Creek families are invited to our PTO Check-in on Thursday, August 8th from 11:00-4:00 in the gym. The PTO Check-In is an opportunity to pick up more information about Cottonwood Creek:
Our kitchen staff will be available to take checks for lunch accounts and to set up accounts for new students.
The nurse will be available to collect medication and medical forms.
External vendors for after-school activities and clubs at COT will also be onsite. All clubs will begin late August/early September, and a brochure regarding Cottonwood Creek sponsored clubs will come home mid/late August.
PTO Spirit wear will be available to purchase.
TEACHER ASSIGNMENTS
Kindergarten: An email message will be sent from your child’s teacher the afternoon of Tuesday, August 13th.
TEACHER MEET AND GREET (Grades 1-5)
On Thursday, August 8th our 1st through 5th grade families are welcome to join us from 1:00-3:00 for our Teacher Meet and Greet. This is an exciting opportunity for everyone to come to school, see friends, and visit your child’s classroom. Be sure to stop by and get an ice cold popsicle on your way out. Kindie students will meet their teachers during the screening process. We hope to see you all there!
COTTONWOOD CREEK BACK TO SCHOOL NIGHT
Back-to-School Night will be held on Thursday, August 8th. This night is for adults only and is your opportunity to learn about the upcoming year. We hope to see you there!
Kindergarten, 2nd Grade, 4th Grade 5:30-6:15
1st Grade, 3rd Grade, 5th Grade 6:30-7:15
If you know your child is going to be absent, please call our attendance line at 720-554-3295!
VISITING COTTONWOOD CREEK
It is extremely important that ALL visitors to the school or the playground must check in at the main office. All schools use the Raptor Visitor ID System, and all visitors must be scanned into this system prior to entering the building. Raptor is a visitor management system that scans a driver’s license and/or state ID and checks the information against the National Sex Offender data base. If no match is found, the system will print a visitor’s sticker with a picture identifying the person as an approved visitor. Raptor only scans the visitor’s name, date of birth and photo for comparison purposes. No other personal identifying information is saved. If the system raises a question about a visitor’s background, the school administrator(s) will take the necessary steps to ensure the appropriateness of each individual’s visit. Upon your initial visit to Cottonwood Creek, you MUST have a photo ID. The initial process will take approximately 30 seconds, however on return visits you will only be required to enter the first three letters of your last name and the system will recognize you. Once you receive a visitor’s badge you must have this visible throughout your visit.
Cottonwood Creek Elementary School
Email: kjohnson177@cherrycreekschools.org
Website: https://www.cherrycreekschools.org/site/Default.aspx?PageID=31
Location: 11200 East Orchard Road, Englewood, CO, USA
Phone: 720-554-3200