VP Bulletin 10-1-2012

PROPS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

Adam Laughlin for making our awesome Bison Corral Sign.

Bill Burkholder for hanging our sign and bringing me the ladder Jesus, Julie, Larry, Tanya, Bridget (my intern) for being Corral workers these past two days.

PBIS Meeting 3:30-4:40 3rd Grade Math Unit Planning 7:30-10:30 4th Grade Math Unit Planning 12:30-3:30

tuesday october 2nd

Props to Vanessa for figuring out a ways to get our struggling readers the support they need, and for taking on an additional student this week.

-Jessica Cuthbertson

2nd Grade Math Unit Planning 8:30-10:30 1st Grade Math Unit Planning 11:30-1:30 Kindergarten Math Unit Planning 1:30-3:30 Instructional Leadership Team 3:45-5:00 Learning Commons

Props to Tanya for advocating for student council and 6th/7th grade students to have leadership roles and responsibilities in the building. -Jessica Cuthbertson

wednesday, october 3rd

Props to Ana for translating a parent letter and contract into Spanish and for supporting the home/school communication process. -Jessica Cuthbertson

Wednesday Professional Development 7:25-8:45 IST Behavioral Team 3:45-4:45

Props for the people who support me and the patience of the school when it comes to my class. -Kory Jensen

friday, october 5th

Props for the kindergarten team for always having my back when I need help in my classroom. -Kory Jensen

Language Development Planning 7:25-8:10

Props to Carrie Swanson who has made three of my writers grow this year. -Kory Jensen

Props to Irma!

Joe for helping with the assembly and for being Tyson for the 2nd assembly since Tyson got heat exhaustion from the morning assembly. -Larry Thigpen

- Katie, Arianne and Darrah

monday, october 1st

Props to Acadia for covering the last 15 minutes of my second period so that I could make it to my SAM's meeting on time. Thank you for everything you do for all of the sixth and seventh grade students. -Jessica Cuthbertson

And to all the teachers who have given some great ideas to me today for future Corrals.

-Andrea Yahner

We had a Scholastic ordering disaster! She was so supportive and spent forever on the phone to help us complete the order. Thank you so much Irma! We really appreciate it!

IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER

I would love to give big props to Tanya and Jena Crawford along with Stacey Ivey’s daughter Andalysia for staying an hour after school to put my science kit back together. It would have taken me twice that long without them! THANK YOU!!! -Kasandra Shawver

friday, october 13th

BISON Stampede 8:00-10:00

To Andrea and Erin for putting together a great assembly and all their hard work with our re-vamped PBIS system. -Larry Thigpen Tanya for her help setting up with the assembly. -Larry Thigpen

PROPS to all Vista PEAK Teachers for writing such amazing these amazing learning opportunities. -Melanie and Stuart

POWER proposals!

I know our students are going to enjoy and benefit from all

PROPS to Andrea, Larry and Erin for putting in so much time and energy into the assembly and the Bison Corral. I know that our students were so excited to spend their Bison Bucks and see the Corral for the first time. Thank you also to Adam for painting the amazing, artistic Bison Corral sign! -Melanie and Stuart I wanted to give PROPS to all of the teachers I work directly with. I was thoroughly impressed with the information you shared at your SAMS meetings and the depth of which you know your students. It was such a pleasure to be able to meet with all of you individually and have some one-one time to talk about your students! -Melanie I wanted to thank all that have helped out today with having 4 teachers out without subs. I know it is hard to re-arrange your day to help out, but we couldn’t have done it without you. Thanks again!

October 1, 2012

I want to give a couple shout outs to people who have really helped us make the Corral possible.

Chuck, Corine, Vanessa, Carrie, Julie, Jesus, Adam, Chris, Johni, Margaret and anyone else I missed that helped out. -Larry Thigpen

VISTA PEAK campus PHILOSOPHY

VPK 24551 E. 1st Ave www.vistapeakcampus.org Aurora, CO 80018 303.364.3757

“Education must be real-world and relevant, innovative and connected; where staff and students thrive with choice and responsibility; to cultivate creativity and invention.”

Bulletin #04

I wanted to give props to Annette and Acadia for taking time out of their busy schedules to assess additional 5th grade students using the BAS. -Melanie

VISTA PEAK campus VISION “To ensure every student who enters the Vista PEAK Campus graduates with a high school diploma, college credits and/or degrees, industry credentials and certifications in order to be successful in postsecondary and workforce experiences.”

page 1

OCTOBER COUNT The October Count window begins 9/24 and ends on 10/8. The official count day this year is 10/1. As always, but especially during the count window accurate attendance is essential. Below are a few things to keep in mind during the count: * Please enter attendance by 4:00 PM each day. * Students who enter the classroom after attendance has been taken please take the time to change the absence to a tardy. An absence consist of a student missing more than half the scheduled class time for a non-school related activity. * Any student on your roster who has not shown up or has very infrequent attendance please email Ana L. the student/s name. * If a student has sporadic attendance during the window a Teacher Verification Form must be filed out and returned to the attendance office. You can find the teacher verification form in your mailbox. * Any students missing on count day (October 1st) require a Teacher Verification Form. * If a student attends school ONLY on October 1st, please complete Teacher Verification Form

VISTA PEAK COMMITTEE CORNER

September 2012

We will use this portion of the bulletin to share news and happenings from committees across campus.

Staff asked for a way to know what others were producing and accomplishing and we wish to heed this call.

See update from ILT below!!

STAFF CLIMATE & CULTURE: OLT NOTES / TECH SQUAD NOTES / IST NOTES / ILT NOTES

BISON STAMPEDE Our Stampede will be upon us very soon, Sat. Oct. 13. This promises to be lots of fun, and a great fundraiser, too. And don’t forget, after the run is the pancake breakfast.

Here is a link to the registration form. please return early, to avoid the additional $5 charge to be added after October 5. http://sites.showitfast.com/44012/60360/bisonstampederegistrationform2012_13.pdf We hope to see you then!

LITERACY TASK BOARDS We would like to share some images of literacy task boards used during literacy centers while the teacher is pulling small groups. To enable a teacher to work with a small group of students for uninterrupted guided reading, oral language or any other small group instruction requires managing the class so that everyone is engaged in independent literacy activities. This takes time and student training. It is important to teach routines to the students by modeling the activities to the class several times. Take a peek at the types of task boards some of your colleagues have been using. Also please see the following link to a great resource that will help you think about the type of independent activities your students may be involved in based on the stages of reading development. It is listed under Description of Independent Stations. http://instruction.aurorak12.org/instructional-resources/literacy/elementary/reading-block/

MILL LEVY UPDATE

APS Teammates,

As you know, the APS Board of Education has authorized a mill levy override question for the November 2012 ballot. The $15 million in mill levy funds would restore a portion of more than $70 million in state funding cuts we have experienced over the past three years.

The APS Leadership Team and I have received several inquiries from staff members regarding how we would spend mill levy funds if the ballot question is approved by voters in November. Per state election laws, we are able to provide factual information about the mill levy when we receive inquires of this nature, so I am providing this email to all staff.

To clarify, the mill levy funds would be used in three key areas: · Achievement - Recovering a portion of the reduced state funding to be used for reading, writing, math, science, early childhood education and more public school choices · Instructional Resources - Recovering a portion of reduced state funding to be used for instructional classroom technology, equipment and curriculum materials which aid in preparing students for college and careers · High Quality Staff - Recruiting and retaining high quality teachers and staff to provide for increased graduation rates and lower dropout rates

Septemnber 2012

Questions about how APS would use High Quality Staff funds The primary focus of questions we have received is related to the item entitled “High Quality Staff.” Funds in this category would include the following: · Salary increases: Mill funds would be used to provide all APS employee groups additional financial compensation if the mill levy override is approved. This is vital if we are to continue to recruit and retain exceptional staff. We have not provided salary increases for all staff in the past three years.

Questions about how APS would use Achievement funds The primary questions we have received about Achievement relate to the public school choice item and staffing levels. Funding in this area would include the following: · Charter school choices: As we did in 2008, APS is again including our charter schools in our proposed 2012 mill levy override. As part of a memorandum of understanding with our charter school colleagues, each charter school would receive a percentage of the mill levy override, based on total charter school student count as a percentage of total district student count. Using October 2011 student count figures to estimate, the charter school percentage would be 9.5%, or approximately $1.4 million. · Staffing levels: We will also review teacher staffing cuts that we have been forced to make over the past four years. This is essential reverse reduced choices and services to students. For example, at the high school level, the majority of our students are currently able to take only five classes a day compared to the former norm of up to seven or eight. The current staffing level adversely impacts the choices we are able to offer students as well as our graduation and dropout rates.

Questions about how APS would use Instructional Resources funding The primary questions we have received about instructional resources relate to instructional classroom technology and curriculum. Funding in this area would include the following:

* Technology and equipment: In the past, our 2008 bond provided APS with needed funding to maintain quality technology in our schools. With the bond concluding at the end of the 2013-14 school year, we would use the mill funds to continue this support so our staff and students are able to use critical 21st century technology. * Curriculum materials: Due to the adoption of the Common Core Standards, APS will need funds to purchase curriculum materials that both align to the State and Common Core Standards. A portion of the mill funds would be used to ensure that APS is in full alignment with the new standards.

Questions about how our proposed mill levy override will impact on tax payers A final area of questioning that we have received is about what the mill will cost home owners.

The mill levy would cost APS homeowners an additional $5.71 per month for every $100,000 of home value. Due to a 15 percent decrease in Aurora property values, the mill levy could be funded with property taxes being about the same as they were three years ago.

Mill Levy FAQ and Fact Sheet In response to many of the other questions we have received, we have prepared a list of mill levy frequently asked questions and a mill levy fact sheet. I am attaching these for your review. You may also learn more facts on our informational mill levy website, http://aurorak12.org/mill.

Thank you for your dedication to our students!

COMMUNITY HEALTH FAIR DIVISION OF FINANCE Risk Management Department

Community Health Fair Please share this upcoming event with your students and families! North Middle School is hosting a Neighborhood Health Fair in conjunction with a variety of local sponsors. Please join us on October 4, 2012 from 4:00 – 8:00 p.m. The following flyer is presented in English and Spanish for your convenience.

Download the Neighborhood Health Fair flyer in English and Spanish.

WELLNESS CLASSES Wellness Classes The Aurora Public Schools Wellness Committee is committed to supporting staff wellness through education and activities. Please see the Wellness Classes website at risk.aurorak12.org/wellness-classes for upcoming yoga, zumba and boot camp classes as well as one session classes on taking care of yourself through stress balance, natural energy boosters and MORE!