• BOE_CCSRep_12122007


    Director’s Report Crestone Charter School
    December 2007

    Kathryn Brady
    Contents

    1.0 Enrollment
    2.0 Finance
    3.0 Education and Curriculum Development
                3.1 Staff
                3.2 Students
    4.0 Facility and Transportation
    5.0 Fundraising
    6.0 Parents and Stakeholders
    7.0 New Facility Committee
    8.0 District
    9.0 Community Acknowledgment
     
    1.0 Enrollment
    §3 students transfer to Moffat from Elementary school
    § 1 students transfers to LINK from Moffat High School
    2.0 Finance
    §Nothing new to report since last month’s report.
    3.0 Education and Curriculum Development
    3.1 Staff
    §Staff and Governing council will meet December 15th to work on Academic Ends 4. The group will follow the same process established in our first work day session. Following discussion, it is possible that new wording may be established in these Ends. The dialogue is essential to the development of the Academic Ends Spiral Curriculum that the Faculty is writing this year. The following Ends sub points will be discussed, particularly what is meant by the phrase “A high level” that is used throughout the following Academic Ends sub points:
    oA high level of knowledge and skills addressed by the curriculum as reflected in the state standards.
    oA knowledge of various modalities of securing information.
    oA high level of reading, writing, and math.
    oA high level of intellectual skills, including analysis, synthesis, and interpretation.
    §Karen Acker and I traveled to Costa Rica during Thanksgiving break to network with educators, environmentalists and local sources to develop the LINK spring travel program there. Key participants we have met with and confirmed participation with include:
    oSteve Duplantier, Ph.D. Trip coordinator and educational consultant.
    oAngel Solis, Golden Beetle expert. LINK students will be searching for the Chrysina beetle of the Scarabidae family (yes those beetles of the type sacred to the Egyptians who rolled a dung ball/sun across the heavens and who were sculpted by the millions) as part of the Cloud Forest research. Little is known of their behavior and habits. We are going to try to find out about gold bugs! Angel Solis is one of the few experts in the world who has studied and written on the Golden Beetle. He lives in Costa Rica and has agreed to meet with LINK students during their studies. Students have begun researching and constructing “beetle traps” to be used in Costa Rica.
    oAlvaro Ugalde, Founder of the Costa Rican national parks system. Alvaro fought for the establishment of a national parks system in Costa Rica in the 70’s with Mario Boza. The two of them pulled it off against all odds with their own work and energy. Today the parks of Costa Rica are world renowned. Alvaro will meet with LINK students to share the fire of the environmental movement and speak of his new program, the Blue Movement, which is working on water conservation. The students will meet with Alvaro at Nectandra, a Cloud Forest reserve he helped establish. Water conservation work already being conducted by CCS students will coincide with Alvaro’s Blue Movement project.
    oElbert and Edith Arias (He owns 15 acres of cloud forest we will access for beetle studies, operates two tour bus vehicles, and his wife, Edith, is a 4th grade teacher in the town of San Ramon and is working with us on a recycling initiative in her school. Elbert is also coordinating the home stays in the rural village of San Antonio. His teenage children will participate in the meet and greet of LINK students during our visit to the town of San Ramon.)
    oGuillo, Horseman will provide horse rides for LINK students one day during their stay in San Antonio. Students will ride on horseback to the Cloud Forest.
    oOther areas of travel include the Rio Celeste preserve, Verandal Volcano, and the Pacific coast.
    oAn online classroom is established for LINK students to work with Steve Duplantier on science studies and orientation prior to arrival in Cloud Forest.
    oA full itinerary will be created as travel plans develop. LINK teachers are aiming for April travel time, following CSAP testing.
    §Representatives from VORP (victim-offender reconciliation program) visited CCS for a follow-up on the School Climate symposium we attended in September. We will meet with Alice Price at a January faculty meeting to discuss possibilities of implementing training and techniques for the Olweus bullying-prevention program at CCS.
    §Carla Stockley of BOCES will offer CPI training (crisis prevention-intervention) for staff as well as a series of student related sessions beginning in January.
    3.2 Students
    §LINK Senior, Sam Winn, placed 2nd in State in the Colorado League of Charter Schools photography contest. Sam is a 2nd year student of professional photographer and CCS mentor, Martin McCauley. Sam received a $75 cash prize and his work will be displayed by CLCS.
    §LINK is being included in a National Geographic Virtual Travel Program along with eight diverse Denver High Schools. A virtual website is being established that will include student travel stories and should be available online early 2008.
    §Music Students of Galena Warren will perform a recital of work they’ve accomplished this semester on December 19th at the LINK building.
    §Elementary campus enjoyed a performance of the Kora, and African Harp, by a Crestone Performances sponsored group on December 5th.
    §Though Monarch was not open for ski and snowboard mentorships, participating LINK students cashed in on their passes which allow for visits to Crested Butte ski and snowboard area on Friday, December 7th.
    §Ancient Culture Fair was a culminating project for middle school students on November 16. Students researched an ancient culture, its rise and fall, and then presented a replica of their culture in costume during a show and share style setting with parents and fellow CCS students walking through their exhibits.
    §On a down note, many of our Early Elementary students, some parents, and one staff member have been ill this month with a stomach flu. We’ve had nine reported absences due to this bug in Early Elementary class alone.
    4.0 Facility and Transportation
    §Walkie Talkies were purchased for each classroom and both administrative offices so that room to room and school-wide “all calls” are possible as part of our emergency preparedness plan.
    §Van 5 had its battery replaced.
    §We have a new “Lost and Found” box on the porch of the front office. The box stands up off the ground and has a lid to keep things dry during winter months. Please check it out—and collect your student’s lost items.
    5.0Fundraising
    §Members of Governing Council have each pledged donations towards the NFC committee to help with printing of brochures and meeting supplies.
    §EE students raised $280 at their craft sale during Winter Fest. The funds have been used to purchase farm animals for a needy family through the Heifer Foundation.
    §Intermediate students raised over $150 selling bat boxes they constructed at the Winter Fest.
    §LINK students will participate in the December poetry reading at the Community Center by preparing and selling baked goods and coffee. Funds will support their Costa Rica journey. The event is 12/8/07 beginning at 7pm.
    6.0 Parents and Stakeholders
    §The school-wide thanksgiving feast and potluck was held on November 19th at the POA hall and was well-attended by the entire community.
    §Parent volunteers Steve and Anikke Storm certified with District to drive vans for Monarch Fridays.
    §A schedule for parent volunteers to serve as lodge parents when Monarch trips begin is being circulated by staff.
    7.0 Land Search and New Facility
    §The NFC met on 12/5/07.  Grace Anderson presented an evaluation she conducted on the Boyce land as well as property located within the Baca Grande near Water and San which is dedicated for public use.
    §Judi Rose presented the NFC with information on land owned by Adams State College adjacent to Camper Village which is available for “school use only”.
    8.0 District
    §At the November BOE meeting Marta Shoman announced that she will be stepping down as President of the Board upon completion of the Superintendent search. Sage Godfrey will serve as President upon Marta’s official resignation. One at-large seat is open on the BOE. Katie Boothe, who served as a BOCES physical therapist, has experience throughout valley schools, is a CCS parent and a current resident of Moffat, and has expressed interest in running for the seat.
    §BOE meeting for December was 12/12/07.
    §Accountability Committee met 12/3/07 and reviewed the accreditation rubric. We were given our binder to begin collection and documentation of data per rubric.
    §Screening of applications for District Superintendent search will be held on 12/16/07 at Sage Godfrey’s home.
     
    10.0 Community Acknowledgements
    ·Thanks to Karen Potter and Joan Stevens for their energy and love in helping host, cook for and support the Thanksgiving feast day event.
    ·Thanks to Grace Anderson for her efforts in the NFC land search.
    ·Thanks to Anikke and Steve Storm for their support with the ski/snowboard program.
    ·Thanks to Jay Brady for design of the NFC brochure.
    ·Thanks to Tara Mizner for teaching art (self-portraits) with Middle School students this month.
    ·Thanks to Steve and Kathleen Duplantier for hosting Karen and Kathryn at their home in Costa Rica and establishing outstanding network of support for LINK travel in the Spring.