CFL January Family Newsletter
See what's happening at CFL
How to translate Smore Newsletters (English) or Cómo traducir boletines informativos de Smore (Spanish)
Mission and Vision Statements
Garfield 16 Overarching Mission Statement:
As a result of our efforts, all students will be successfully prepared for life in a safe and nurturing environment.
Our School Mission Statement:
Engage ~Empower~Improve
Our School Vision Statement:
Our vision is that all graduating first graders leave CFL as critically thinking young citizens with strong academic and social/emotional foundations
A Note from Mrs. Frees
Dear CFL Families,
Happy New Year!!
As we ring in the New Year it is an exciting time to reflect on our accomplishments and review goals for what we have left to do in this school year. Can you believe that we are halfway through this school year? Where did the time go?
We are all working hard to meet the challenges that come with change and prepare our students with literacy and math skills to support being lifelong learners.
Don Lancaster, an American author, inventor and microcomputer pioneer said, “Most “impossible” goals can be met simply by breaking them down into bite size chunks, writing them down, believing them, and then going full speed ahead as if they were routine.”
We will be helping students look at their mid-year progress, breaking what they have left to do into bite size chunks and then going full speed ahead as if it is just the routine. Through student/teacher goal setting we know we can achieve our goals.
We have so many exciting opportunities happening in the coming weeks and months. Please visit the school website and new social platform often so that you don’t miss a thing. Download the Garfield 16 app on your phone so you can see all the exciting things we are doing and achieving. We are definitely moving full steam ahead for the last half of this year. See you soon for Student Led Conferences in February.
I also want to take this opportunity to thank all those teachers, students, families, friends and community members that came together in the spirit of giving to help members of the Garfield 16 Community that needed help during this holiday season. Many needs were met, tears shed and grateful hearts filled. A huge shout out to Claudia Flores and her team for coordinating our efforts to make it happen.
Happy New Year Everyone!!
With Gratitude,
Kim Frees
The Weather is Cold and Snowy!
Please help your child be prepared for the weather and snow. Have your child bring or wear boots, hats, mittens/gloves, snow gear and a warm jacket. With all the snow, we don't want our kids to have wet feet or pants and risk getting sick.
At CFL , our policy states that students will be sent outside for recess each day unless:
1. The outside temperature and/or wind chill is below 0
2. It is pouring rain.
3. An emergency is called by the Weather Service.
Recesses throughout the day last between 20-25 minutes. If students bring hats and gloves in their backpacks, they can be ready for any drastic weather changes.
Through our Family Resource Center, we have hats, mittens and coats available for students and families in need. Please come in and visit with us if your child is in need of warm winter clothing.
Please help your child remember to bring the necessary items so they can be comfortable and enjoy their time outside at recess during the cold weather.
If you would like to donate any new or lightly used winter clothing, please contact the Family Resource Center.
Our hope is that every student at CFL will be prepared for the cold winter ahead, and we thank you for doing your part at home to make sure that happens.
Progress Reports will be sent home on January 10th.
This is a resource that will support understanding your students progress report.
Empower is the program teachers use to input student scores in order to track how your child is doing. These aren’t necessarily “grades”. However, these scores show us (and you) your child’s growth on skills and concepts they are meeting for their grade level. Below is a breakdown of the scores and what they mean:
Score: 1.0 - Knowledge at the foundational level with help
Score 2.0 - Demonstrates knowledge at the foundational level
Score 3.0 - Demonstrates knowledge at the targeted proficiency level
Score 4.0 - Demonstrates knowledge beyond the targeted proficiency level
Score 1.5 - Partial knowledge at the foundational level of 2.0
Score 2.5 - Partial knowledge at the targeted proficiency level of 3.0
Score 3.5 - Partial knowledge beyond the targeted proficiency level of 4.0
IP: In Progress
3.0 - If your child receives a 3.0, it means that they were able to show or do the work completely on their own. This means no teacher support was needed and they were able to comprehend and complete the task independently.
2.0 - If your child receives a 2.0, it means they were able to do most of the work on their own with little teacher support. Sometimes children need clarification or need to be shown an example to help make the connection for them. As an early childhood school, many of our skills are at a 2.0 level and is the highest score a student can receive as many of the skills we teach are at a 2.0 foundational level.
1.0 - If your child receives a 1.0, it means they are still learning the material and they need teacher support in order to complete the task. This tells me as the teacher I need to sit one-on-one with your child and re-teach so they are able to grasp the concept.
IP - In Progress, this means your child is currently working on this evidence outcome, but does not have enough evidence for the teacher to score it numerically. It could be that your child has been absent and is missing work.
Again, these scores mainly help the teachers (and you) to see where your child is at with the material being taught each week. Some days, a goal score of 2.0 is the highest score they can receive because it is a foundational skill. Some days, a goal score of 3.0 is the highest score they can receive because it takes that foundational skill to the next level of learning and applying knowledge.
I hope this helps to clarify any questions you may have as you start seeing your child’s papers in their Tuesday folders with scores on them. No need to worry about them, even if a paper says 1.0 on it. Take it as they do not know it YET, but they will get there! We reward students with beads and charms for their class bracelets if they showcase a 3.0 on an evidence outcome in Reading or Math. Our students have been excited about this as we have been discussing it in class. Ask them about those goal scores and see what they can tell you about beads and charms! :)
Below are some frequently asked questions you may have:
Why are progress reports being implemented?
To give parents information on what students are learning. It also shows how students are performing on skills and concepts they are learning throughout the year.
Why do some content areas have more Evidence Outcomes than others?
The evidence outcomes listed on the progress report represent specific skills that your student has completed an activity or assessment to show their knowledge of, which is why they are called evidence outcomes (your student has a piece of evidence to show what they have learned.
Each evidence outcome is defined so there is clarity on what students have learned.
The number of evidence outcomes will grow as your student learns more content this year.
I do not see any Evidence Outcomes for Science or Social Studies. Is my student learning science and social studies?
The focus at the elementary level is Literacy and Math.
Literacy and math instruction are the most important foundational skills for all future learning.
Science and Social Studies concepts are implemented in our literacy program.
What information does a progress report tell me about my child’s learning?
The Competency Based Progress Report will provide three types of information:
A detailed description of what your student is currently learning or has learned.
The level of proficiency for your student (at the foundational level or at/above the targeted proficiency level).
Over time the progress report will show how your student is growing towards meeting proficiency on evidence outcomes/topic.
Can a student receive a 3 or 4 during the first semester?
You bet! The scores are indicators of progress toward meeting a level of proficiency and students will demonstrate a range towards proficiency. It is not uncommon for students to have a combination of scores on their reports: some 2s, some 3s, and maybe even 1s or 4s depending on their level of understanding in specific areas.
Intervention News
Welcome back. I hope you all had a relaxing break, and enjoyed time with your families.
It’s time to get back to it. I love January, because it is always a great time for new beginnings. In interventions Mr. Steve and I will begin working with kids more one on one. We will be going into classrooms and working with teachers and students to help kids reach their reading goals. Speaking of goals, January is a perfect time for all kids (as well as adults) to set goals. If you have a few extra minutes to spend with your child here are some great suggestions I found to help you and your child set some attainable goals together.
https://biglifejournal.com/blogs/blog/fun-goal-setting-activities?epik=dj0yJnU9RmlBQi1zNURZRzFpeEpieFROcVpDNFRKZ1NKSnBKV0YmcD0wJm49UDhDbTRRb3FFUk84YUNUdDBBT1k2dyZ0PUFBQUFBR0hUR3VV&utm_source=pinterest&utm_medium=social Fun goal setting activities
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/646618458988301381/ Smart Goals
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/1829656089139967/ Goal planning template
As always, if you have any questions concerning your child, and his or her reading please let me know. I would be more than happy to help. Our goal is to help every child be the best they can be, and learning to read is a big part of that.
Melissa Bradley
Reading Interventionist
Student Goal Setting Update
CFL Goal Setting Update
December was a busy month for our students. We had many students meet their literacy goals this month. When they met a goal they wrote their name on a cutout of a tree.
Here is what our Goal Setting Balloons look like for the month of December. Ask your student if they met their goals this month.
What's Happening in PE at CFL
Hello CFL Families,
Welcome back and Happy New Year! The month of January will cover a wide variety of physical activities. We will be reviewing our basic locomotor movements, progressing in our ball handling skills (Hit an object) and starting to dig into what teamwork is and how we can use it in our lives. Please remember to have your child pack some tennis shoes or any athletic shoes that they can change into for PE class. Safety is our number one priority and having the proper footwear helps maintain your child's safety. I am happy to help students tie their shoes. As always, please reach out with any questions or concerns.
Mr. Cora
Early Childhood Parent Advisory Committee
Dear Families,
We would love for you to be part of the CFL Early Childhood Parent Advisory Committee.
This is a group of parents, teachers and administrators that meet the last Thursday of each month from 5:30-6:30.
The CFL ECE parent advisory is here to support, encourage and improve the quality of education and the well being of students by:
Exchanging ideas and information
Providing information about educational and community matters to parents
- Providing the parental voice to educational decision-making
December Early Childhood Parent Advisory Minutes
- Grant Update- Discussed current and upcoming and potential grants
- K-1 shared current data in reading and math
- Discussed Annual Report successes and next steps
- Update on BUE Preschool playground
- Goal setting to continue student growth
Our next Meeting with by Tuesday January 25th at 5:30
We will be discussing
- Prioritizing action plan to meet our program goals
- Grant updates
- Instructional Efforts to increase student achievement
- Data
Pre-School News
The preschoolers have been very productive and having a great time in school since the beginning of the year! It’s always nice to arrive at the second half of the school year, as the children by this time are all very familiar with our schedule and routines and are feeling especially comfortable and confident during the course of the preschool days.
We will be beginning the light study Tuesday, January 4th and it will end Friday, February 4th. Friday, February 4th is also our mid year checkpoint date for Teaching Strategies. We will be finalizing checkpoints on all of the students and sending out their mid year report. On February 15th we will begin the water study. Student Led Conferences will be February 28th and March 1st so please be thinking of what day works best for you. There will be no school on either day.
It’s at this point that the school year also seems to “speed up”. Before we know it, Spring break will be here, and then the final stretch before the end of the year. Even though it seems that the time is moving by quickly, it is during this later part of the year that a great deal of learning and growth occurs.
It is exciting to think about all that these preschoolers will still accomplish, and how much more they will achieve, by the end of the school year!
Important Reminder:
Please send your child with their winter attire for the cold weather months. Also, please have your child's name on each item. We will go outside whenever conditions allow.
Welcome to our Team:
We are excited to welcome Ashley Bolton, Megan Thomas and Sandra Gherardini
As always, if you have any questions, concerns, or suggestions, please stop by the office.
Meri Nofzinger~Director of Preschool
What are the benefits of reading to children?
First, set the scene in your head. You choose a book. You sit down in your favorite armchair, with your child in your lap, and open to the first of many smooth, colorful pages.
You begin to read, and your child is utterly captivated by the story. It’s magic. What’s even better is that your child isn’t just having fun, they’re learning!
Here are some of the benefits of reading
Reading provides a wonderful opportunity for you and your child to connect. It’s a nice way to spend time together and slow down during an otherwise hectic day.
Kids feel secure when they’re read to. Plus, caregivers who have a positive attitude toward books and reading in turn help their children view literacy in a positive way.
Listening skills
Hearing a story read aloud involves some level of comprehension on your child’s part. And comprehension is dependent on paying attention — in other words, listening skills.
Cognitive and language development
Even the youngest children benefit from hearing their caregivers read to them.
Researchers say that verbal interactions (reading, talking, etc.) between parents and young kids may promote higher language and IQ scores all the way up to age 14.
Expanded vocabulary
Experts from the National Center on Early Childhood Development, Teaching and Learning also explain that reading books to kids helps expand the number and variety of words they use. Think about it: The books you read often contain words you might not otherwise use in your everyday communications.
Attention span
You’ve probably dealt with a squirming, distracted toddler at story hour. But what you may also notice is that — over time — regular reading gets kids listening in order to comprehend.
And when they’re listening, they’re more likely to sit still, develop a longer attention span, and even work on their budding memory-retention skills.
Creativity
Books and stories open up a whole new world to your child. Yes, there are plenty of nonfiction books on dinosaurs, bugs, and airplanes. Fiction stories, though, go beyond the real world and employ fantasy elements that get kids thinking outside the box.
Children have vivid imaginations as is, so reading serves to further feed their creativity.
Life lessons
Books provide an opportunity to talk about real-world situations in age-appropriate ways. Kids especially enjoy books that feature children their own ages doing things they do in everyday life.
Along with modeling what happens in various situations, reading books on targeted subjects may help children not feel alone when they deal with something new, like moving across the country, or something potentially uncomfortable, like going to the dentist.
How and when should you start reading to children?
Start today! Babies, toddlers, preschoolers, and even older children all benefit from having a caregiver read to them. You don’t even need a large personal library of books to get started.
Think beyond the store — you can find a wide variety of books at your local library, secondhand shops.
Covid Update
Hello Garfield 16 Families,
With the surge in COVID cases in our area we are working to make sure our schools remain open to in-person learning. Direction from the health department for quarantining has not changed for schools at this time. It may change at any moment.
There are four ways to avoid the quarantine according to public health:
1-All students and staff wear masks (currently not required by GCSD)
2-Students and staff who are willing to show a vaccination card are not subject to quarantine.
3- Students and staff who have been infected in the last 90 days and are willing to share that medical information are not subject to quarantine.
4- Students and staff who are willing to voluntarily undergo a rapid COVID test and obtain a negative result on the voluntary test do not have to be quarantined. The test is VOLUNTARY and schools MUST HAVE PARENTAL PERMISSION for the test to be administered.
Wearing masks is one of the main ways to slow the spread of disease and to avoid closure of schools. During this surge in the spread of COVID, we are highly recommending wearing a mask.
Please do not send your child to school if they have any symptoms, or are not feeling well in general. This will help in our efforts to keep our schools open to in-person learning.
COVID SAFETY PROCEDURES
Student Safety during COVID:
As with last year, we will continue to follow guidance and recommendations from state and local officials. This year brings some changes for our students, parents and community as we continue working towards creating a safe environment for students and staff members.For the remainder of the COVID 19 Pandemic, there are numerous safety precautions we will follow as proposed by CDC,CDPHE, and GCPHE. This is to ensure student, staff and community safety.
As stated in the "Opening Schools Plan" masks are encouraged but not required. Please keep in mind this is subject to change based on COVID-19 numbers and guidance from local and state health departments.
We are dedicated to returning to school as normal as possible. We believe in-person learning and socialization are key in developing a great education. We will follow all local and state-level mandates. The Garfield 16 Plan for Opening Schools can be accessed directly using the link below.
Health Screenings
As always, if any member of your household is being tested for Covid or has tested positive for Covid, please keep all family members at home and contact the school immediately for next steps.
As students enter the building we will continue to screen for symptoms and send home ill students. (Please keep your student home if they are ill.) If a person answers yes to any of the screener questions they will need to return home for further monitoring by their personal physician.
❏ Feeling feverish, having chills, or temperature 100.4°F or higher.
❏ New or unexplained persistent cough.
❏ Shortness of breath.
❏ Difficulty breathing.
❏ Loss of taste or smell.
❏ Fatigue.
❏ Muscle aches.
❏ Headache.
❏ Sore throat.
❏ Nausea or vomiting.
❏ Diarrhea.
❏ Runny nose or congestion.
NEWS FROM THE SCHOOL BASED FAMILY RESOURCE CENTER
Center For Family Learning
Email: kfrres@garfield16.org
Website: https://cfl.garfield16.org/
Location: 100 E 2nd St, Parachute, CO 81635, USA
Phone: 970-285-5702