The Griffin (February, English)

T H E

E A R L Y

C O L L E G E

O F

A R V A D A ' S

THE GRIFFIN W E

C A N .

A N D

W E

W I L L .

IMPORTANT DATES

FEBRUARY 11 VIRTUAL PARENT TEACHER CONFERENCES

FEBRUARY 12 PROFESSIONAL DAY (NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS)

FEBRUARY 15 PRESIDENTS DAY NO SCHOOL

DOWNLOAD THE COVID EXPOSURE APP FOR IPHONE OR ANDROID TO HELP WITH CONTACT TRACING AND SLOW THE SPREAD

LIKE US ON FACEBOOK

@EARLYCOLLEGEARVADA FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM

F E B R U A R Y

I S S U E

@EARLY_COLLEGEARVADA

February Events FEB 1

FEB 2

FEB 3

FEB 4

FEB 5

FEB 8

FEB 9

FEB 10

FEB 11

FEB 12

Virtual Parent Teacher Conference

FEB 15

FEB 16

Professional Day

No School

No school for students

FEB 17

FEB 18

FEB 19

Presidents Day

No School

FEB 22

FEB 23

FEB 24 Board Meeting @6

FEB 25

MAR 1

MAR 2

MAR 5

MAR 6

FEB 26

MAR 7

RESOURCES FOR GRIFFIN FAMILIES The Shelter in place order issued by Governor Polis in the spring helped keep people safe during this global pandemic. However, one downfall from this was the economic fallout from the uptick in business closures. We are all doing our best to learn from the past and ECA wants to make sure our families are well equipped in the event of a second wave. We have compiled a list of resources for those who may need them. Don't hesitate to reach out to tcordrey@ecarvada.org for assistance. We are here to help.

Food Christian Action Center in Golden Food Pantries in Arvada This website is specific to Arvada and updated regularly Food Pantries in Lakewood

Free Adams County Drive Through Farmer's Market The next one is on Nov. 10th/4:30-6:30p. They only have 250 boxes and you have to sign up HERE

Shelter Arvada Shelter and Services

This website is specific to

Arvada Shelter List

Lakewood and is updated

Denver Shelters and Housing

regularly

services- Govt. affiliated

Food Pantries in Denver

Denver Shelter List

This website is specific to

Denver Shelters (womxn

Denver and is updated

specific)

regularly

Westminster shelters and

Food Pantries in Westminster

transitional housing

This website is specific to Westminster and is updated regularly Document including Pay as you can grocery stores

ECA WILL HAVE BAGGED LUNCHES FOR PICK UP M-F, 12-1 PM

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EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

ACADEMIC OPTIMISM TODD CORDREY 720-473-4403 TCORDREY@ECARVADA.ORG

Early College of Arvada is not like other schools. It is a small school with dedicated teachers that know their students. In these times of tremendous disruption in our society, it is easy to lose the connection with students and parents that set us apart. Therefore, we commit to reestablishing a strong relationship built on trust and open communication. The staff at ECA believes in Academic Optimism. “Academic optimism is the collective belief of the faculty that it can make a difference, that students can learn, and that high academic performance can be achieved.” It is through the components of Academic Optimism that allow schools to beat the odds and create learning success for students regardless of their socio-economic environment.

The elements embedded in Academic Optimism are Academic emphasis, Collective efficacy, and Faculty trust in parents and students.

“Academic emphasis is the extent to which a school faculty is driven by the quest for academic excellence and achievement.

Collective efficacy is the perceived collective judgment of teachers as a whole that they can organize and execute the actions required to have positive effects on students.

Faculty trust in parents and students is a collective school property that describes the extent to which the faculty is willing to make itself vulnerable to parents and students based on the confidence that these parties are benevolent, reliable, competent, honest, and open.”

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EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

It is clear that Academic Optimism is not for a lax school or causal teacher. It requires commitment and openness in order to be successful. The Early College of Arvada is such a school and our staff are these types of exceptional educators.

As society rebounds from the pandemic; I am confident that our staff will be reengaging with your child and with you in a meaningful way. We hope to be in full in person sooner than later. We believe in your child and we believe in our ability to help them be successful in school and in life. Additionally, I thankful for your devotion, compassion, and dedication to the ECA community. Even though our path this year school year has been long and winding, our brand of Academic Optimism will create a beautiful future for your child.

Ps. ECA is enrolling for next year; so please invite your family and friends to join our unique and powerful community by calling me at 720-473-4403 or emailing TCordrey@ECArvada.org.

PRINCIPAL

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RETURN TO IN PERSON LEARNING JANICE ANDERSON JANDERSON@ECARVADA.ORG

We know that the ever-changing world around us continues to offer up challenges to our lives. There are still so many unknowns as to when things can return to some semblance of normalcy. Here at ECA we are always committed to doing what is best for our students and the community around us. We know that remote learning is not ideal for anyone, but we also know that even harder is having students and staff bounce in and out of in-person learning. For this reason, we are all trying to be intentional about when it will be safest to return. In the hopes that if we are able to return to in person, we can remain that way for the remainder of the school year. In order to do so, we need to commit to not coming to school with any symptoms, limit any gatherings that include large numbers of people, and not coming to school if we have been exposed to anyone who has tested positive.

As an Early College, we are also faced with some unique challenges, due to our college Partnerships. For this reason, our school cannot offer some of our courses in a hybrid model, so that limits one of the most effective ways to avoid the spread of COVID. We have begun to plan for our in-person return on Monday, February 8th. We are completing the upgrades to our HVAC system, where we have installed a new filtration system as well as a UVC upgrade that immediately destroys bacterial and viral particles that may be in the air and even on surfaces. In addition, we have also upgraded our bandwidth to our Wi-Fi system to support our one-to-one computers in the building. We have also installed webcams in our classrooms for students that are not comfortable coming in person, they will be able to attend the same class from home life and ask questions as if they were in person. We are also continuing frequent cleanings that also still include our ionization sprayer that destroys any harmful pathogens that may be present.

Counselor Corner BRIDGETTE FOSTER BFOSTER@ECARVADA.ORG

As January comes to an end, please be mindful of the upcoming College Application Deadlines in Colorado.

Colorado School of Mines: April 1st Colorado Christian University: May 1st Colorado Mesa University: May 1st Colorado State University (CSU): May 11 University of Northern Colorado: May 27th For more college deadlines in the State of Colorado, please visit HERE Remember, if you plan on applying for College, visit your prospective school's website to find out what application materials are required. You may have to write a Personal Statement (see link below), or ask a teacher for a Letter of Recommendation. Do not wait until the last minute to fill out a college application, write your Personal Statement, or ask a teacher for a recommendation letter!

As your counselor, I am happy to proofread your applications and answer any questions you have about the college application process.

More information about writing a personal statement HERE. Page 9

Rick Heroff Middle School Dean of Students/C.E & Career Coordinator (720) 473-4400 EXT 320 Concurrent Enrollment Contract: If you are taking college classes in the spring, or are currently taking college classes and haven’t signed our Concurrent Enrollment contract, please click HERE and complete the form.

Off-Campus Instructors: If you have any off-campus instructors be sure to check the academic calendar for UCD and Frontrange to check for conflicts. If there are, follow up with your instructors to make arrangements if necessary. Communication is key, sometime you may need to attend your college class when the rest of ECA has a day off.

Grades: Remember to get college credit you must have a C or better. If you feel overwhelmed by your college load you can always consider dropping the class.

Frontrange and UCD Drop deadline: February 3 4 year College prep checklist: Talk to Ms. Foster or Mr. Heroff for help Research Schools, and apply (up to 6) Complete your FAFSA Apply to scholarships unique to colleges you’re accepted to, and seek out more!

Early College of Arvada | 10

MIDDLE SCHOOL DEAN OF STUDENTS/C.E & CAREER COORDINATOR

2 year College, or technical school checklist: Talk to Ms. Foster or Mr. Heroff for help What careers are you interested in?

Research programs: link for Frontrange, link for Red Rocks Community College Complete an application Apply to scholarships Scholarship resources: https://www.salliemae.com/college-planning/tools/scholarship-search/ https://www.scholarships.com/ Every Thursday at 1pm Mr. Heroff will be available to guide you through scholarships whether you’re doing 4 year or 2 year college.

GOOGLE MEET LINK Middle School: Digital Assemblies are occurring once every two weeks. Students can win $5 gift cards for academics, attendance, and best comeback. These will begin starting February 5th All students are expected to log on at assigned times, following teacher expectations for engagement to be marked present please connect with your student’s teachers or myself if you have any questions or concerns. rheroff@ecarvada.org.

Students return to in-person classes on February 8th. Students MUST comply with all COVID regulations of wearing a mask at all times, and using only authorized parts of the building to them. Parents do not send your child to school if anyone in your household has tested positive, or are suspected to have COVID-19. If your child is sick, keep them home. Students will continue to be able to log onto live classes if they are home due to quarantine, or a sick day.

Early College of Arvada | 11

Testing

Reminders Guadalupe Marquez

Highschool Dean of Students 720-473-4408

We are excited to see how many students have been attending our classes, and it seems like we are getting used to this new type of learning. We are preparing to bring our students back to in person learning and I am beyond happy to see their faces again.

Spring is our assessment season. It is a state mandate that we assess our students in different areas. Our language learners will be taking ACCESS from Jan 14th - April 30.

We will be administering our Colorado Measures of Academic Success (CMAS) for grades 6th - 8th in English and Math and Science for our 8th and 11th graders.

The PSAT for our 9th and 10th grade on April 13th - 16th. This won't count towards your college admissions applications, but it is the qualifying test for the National Merit Scholarship. Some of the highest scoring students may win scholarship money, so while you shouldn't stress out about the PSAT, you certainly shouldn't ignore it either. Use the PSAT as practice for the SAT and an important guidepost on your college admissions journey.

Lastly we will be administering SAT to our 11th graders on April 13. The purpose of the SAT is to measure a high school student's readiness for college, and provide colleges with one common data point that can be used to compare all applicants. College admissions officers will review standardized test scores alongside your high school GPA, the classes you took in high school, letters of recommendation from teachers or mentors, extracurricular activities, admissions interviews, and personal essays. How important SAT scores are in the college application process varies from school to school.

Early College of Arvada | 12

We have received communication that parents and students are having trouble seeing their grades in infinite campus. We have found what the issue is. If you are using your computer to check your student's grades, you need to hit the refresh button as shown in the picture below:

If you are using your smartphone you will need to use your internet browser. We will let you know how to access your student's grades from the app as soon as the issue is resolved. Thank you in advance for your patience and understanding.

As always, please do not hesitate to reach out to me with any questions and or concerns.

Early College of Arvada |  13

GOAL SETTING AND RESOLUTIONS

Personal goals, specific goals, and a growth mindset are all crucial for effective student

Alejandro Reynoso

goal setting. You'll want

EARSS Advisor

specific ways to know if you've

Office: 720-473-4406

achieved your plan, and a

Cell: 720-980-1129

setting where you can be successful. Student goal setting

Welcome Back Griffins, I hope

is all about connecting your

everyone enjoyed their winter break and got the chance to get some rest. As we start a new

educational goals with the rest of your resolutions for the school year. It's never too late

year, it's always good to have

to start or change when it

goals and new resolutions for

comes to student goal setting,

the year. Goal setting and

whether you want to set short

resolutions are all about

or long-term goals. As you stay

measuring your forward progress, and for students that often include academic

positive, work on strategies to alter behavior and motivation, you'll see a great end result.

progress. But many students don't realize that their personal goals often go hand-in-hand with effective academic progress.

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Extra Curricular Highlights

T IMBE R GRIFFIN Kelly Graham Kgraham@ecarvada.org

Hello friends! We are excited to be nearly wrapped up with filming for Prodigy, our musical film! Streaming this March! Tickets will go on sale soon at https://ecarvada.booktix.com. Our next Timbergriffen production will be a radio play and we will be selecting a script with the cast based on how many folks audition and want to do a 1 act radio play! So if you'd like to do a play from home and learn about one of the first forms of commercial entertainment as well as live foley sound effects, prepare a 1-minute monologue of your choice to be filmed and submitted in February. If you would like more information email Kgraham@ecarvada.org. Valentine’s day is almost here! It's an annual tradition that you can buy a valegram for your sweetheart and this year we are working to do a virtual version! So be on the lookout for a google form to order one for someone you adore today! There will be options to give a personalized message and to have the valegram video played during their class! As part of our work with Prodigy, we are promoting mental health and awareness. Here is your mental health tip for the week: It is okay to say no. You don't need to feel guilty or apologize. Stuff is hard right now. Do what you need to do to get through and prioritize the things that either need to happen or bring you joy. Ms. Graham's mantra has been there are no apologies in the time of Covid. Find your joy, stay connected in the ways you can. Take care of each other. And don't feel guilty when you just need to take care of you! Be sure you're following the Timbergriffen Theater Company on Facebook and @Ilove_APiano on Instagram to stay up to date on all the latest Theater and Encore happenings at ECA

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Extra Curricular Highlights

INT ER NATIONAL T RAVE L Dennis Olson dolson@ecarvada.org

The Panama Trip has been postponed due to COVID-19. The new trip dates are July 28- August 5. Please keep an eye out for any other communication regarding our international trips.

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EARLY COLLEGE OF ARVADA

PTCO NEWS

MEETING SCHEDULE Meetings will be postponed until the

Lots of exciting activities here at ECA and we could use your help to make them a success!

Hope to see you in the spring at the ECA PTO at 4PM! ptco@ecarvada.org

spring sememster

Muchas actividades emocionantes aquí en ECA Y podríamos usar su ayuda para hacerlos un ¡éxito!

Espero verte aquí la próxima primavera ptco@ecarvada.org

Early College of Arvada | 17

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