THE PEEK “HOME OF THE WILLOW CREEK WILDCATS”
Together we create a lifelong foundation for all students to thrive in a global society. As a diverse learning community, we challenge our students to grow academically, socially, emotionally and physically.
Parent Bulletin #2 A Message from the Principal, Diana Price October 2, 2019 Dear Willow Creek Community, Willow Creek Elementary School Fall in Colorado is beautiful! It is my favorite season. Football games, fall 7855 South Willow Way foods, and fall foliage in my favorite colors catch my attention. It’s a nice Centennial, Colorado 80112 time in the school year because we have established our routines and schedules, and teachers and students are able to engage in meaningful A Cherry Creek School learning.
Phone: 720-554-3900 As you may know, teachers spent time with students collecting baseline data in literacy and math at the beginning of the year. Now they are pro- Diana Price, Principal gress monitoring and adjusting instruction to meet the needs of their stu- 720-554-3900 dents. If you were at the September Accountability Meeting you heard my presentation, Willow Creek’s Data Story. To summarize, according to Sandy Hueser, Office Manager grades 3-5 CMAS Literacy and Math assessments, Willow Creek has 720-554-3903 around 70% of students who met or exceeded grade level standards. For those who haven't met them yet, there are instructional adjustments, ac- Beth Perron, Secretary commodations and modifications according to IEPs or 504 plans, and 720-554-3901 sometimes it is simply that a student needs a little extra time. I share this with you so that you are aware of our celebrations of how many students Jodie Senter, Nurse perform at grade level, and our care and concern for those who don’t. 720-554-3907 We really believe that it takes a village. The fundamental skills that our Kay Hassan, Food Services primary grade teachers teach in reading, writing, math, science, and social 720-554-3965 studies lay the foundation for the success of our students throughout their entire elementary experience and beyond. Every skill, every lesson, every Nichole Easterling, Director goal that teachers and students work on are important to the foundation Willow Creek Cares for Kids and growth of learning. Each year as the content levels and the expecta- 720-554-3966 tions increase, teachers continue to challenge students and set even high- er learning goals. I am proud of the hard work and determination that Randy Heston,Building Engineer teachers and students exhibit every day. 720-554-3964 There will be an opportunity to discuss your child’s progress with their Fax Number teacher soon. Parent Teacher conferences are quickly approaching. They 720-554-3988 will be the week of November 4th-8th. If they haven’t already, teachers will be reaching out to parents to schedule these important conferences. As Weather Hotline always, if you have questions or concerns about your child’s progress, 720-554-4701 please do not hesitate to contact either their teacher or me.
Website One last thought, I invite you to join our joint PTO/Accountability meeting http://willowcreek. on October 7th at 6:30 p.m. in the library. The topic will be school safety. cherrycreekschools.org Steve Wallisch, Safety Coordinator for the Cherry Creek High School Feeder, will be joining us. If you have questions or concerns about safety, this would be a great meeting for you to attend. For your future planning, the November 11th Accountability meeting will include Norm Alerta, Direc- tor, Office of Assessments and Performance Analytics, and the topic will Attendance Line be the UIP (Unified School Improvement Plan) that all Colorado schools 720-554-3995 are required to submit to the State. If your child is going to be ab- sent or late, please call by 7:45 Thank you for your continued support and partnership! Every day I am a.m. In addition to notifying your thankful and blessed to be a part of this wonderful community of learners. child’s teacher, you must also Take good care! Diana Price, Principal call the Attendance Line. This is a 24-hour open line. Thank you. Willow Creek PTO Community Meeting National Walk and Bike to School Day The first Willow Join the Willow Creek Community for the Creek Community annual National Walk and Bike to School PTO Meeting for the Day scheduled for Friday, October 11th. All 2019-2020 school are invited….parents, kids, friends! There year will be held will be live music playing, nutritious snacks Monday, October and a DJ playing more music! Why? To 7th, at 6:30 p.m. in start your day in a healthy and fun way. the Willow Creek Getting outdoors before school starts is a school cafeteria. If great chance for physical activity and it you have questions or brings a sense of joy and independence to concerns, please reach out to your PTO everyone who participates. (Not to mention President Jennifer Woodrow at: leaving the car in the garage helps keep our [email protected]. Hope to see you environment clean!) there! Meet-ups will occur at: Corner of East Otero Circle and Mineral Lost and Found Drive at 7:25 a.m. There is already quite a bit of lost and found Willow Way Pool, 7700 South Willow items in the cafeteria where all this is housed. Way at 7:25 a.m. If your student is missing a jacket or lunch Mineral Pool, 9500 East Mineral Circle at box, etc., please make a point to come into 7:30 a.m. the school to search thru the clothing racks Caterpillar Park (Willow Creek) at 7:20 and bins to locate your lost items. We always a.m. want to get all this lost and found back to the proper owners! Thanks for your help in We hope to have a keeping this space cleared out. large crowd joining in
on this healthy trek to
school!
Cherry Creek Heroes
Cherry Creek Heroes is a new recognition
program designed to celebrate any member Parents: We Need Your Help!! of our community who contributes to the The staff at Willow Creek would be most district in a wide variety of ways. If you know appreciative if all parents could refrain from someone whose outstanding service or entering the classrooms during the school day extraordinary action has made a difference to to drop off items for your student. If the students, staff or schools in CCSD, let us something needs to be brought to your child, know! We want to acknowledge their work please leave it with the front office with an with a formal ‘Thank you’ that includes a already printed tag on it that has your plaque, a small ceremony and recognition child’s name and teacher listed. (This will across the district. save the front office MANY sticky notes!) The front office staff will make sure your student A Cherry Creek Hero could be a volunteer receives the item. Also, please know that who works with local students to help messages to your student(s) can be delivered continue their learning outside of the school at the END of the school day ONLY if plans day. A Cherry Creek Hero could be a local have changed for after school pick-up. business owner who supports school events
or activities. It could be a high school student Please remember that the front office will not who mentors middle or elementary be able to remind your child about where they schoolers, a family who engages with the should be after the 2:45 p.m. dismissal bell CCSD community or a teacher or staff rings, (i.e., clubs, classes, team meetings, member who inspires their entire school. etc.). We encourage families to devise a To nominate someone, please go to system as to where your student might find www.surveymonkey.com/r/CCSDHERO. after school plans in their planner, on a daily Send us information about your nominee and sticky note in their backpack, etc. Please let us know why they deserve to be a hero of remember that teachers will not have (and our community. should not have) this information about where your child should be at 2:45 p.m. Dates to Remember ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Mon. Oct. 7 Accountability and PTO Community Meeting, 6:30 p.m. Tues. Oct. 8 Individual Student Picture Re-takes 4th Grade to State Capitol Field Trip, 9:30 a.m. Wed-Thurs. Oct. 9-10 Spirit Night at Papa Murphy’s, ALL DAY/EVENING Mon-Fri. Oct. 14-18 NO SCHOOL—Fall Break Wed. Oct. 30 1st Grade to Lone Tree Arts Center, 9:15 a.m. Thurs. Oct. 31 Halloween Parade, 2:20 p.m. Tues. Nov. 5 PTO Community Meeting, 8:00 a.m., Cafeteria Spirit Night at Chipotle, 4:00 p.m.– 8:00 p.m. Thurs. Nov. 7 3rd, 4th, 5th Graders to DCPA/Opera, 9:15 a.m. Fri. Nov. 8 NO SCHOOL—Parent Teacher Conferences
School Lunch Menu Attendance Line–Please Call by 7:45 a.m. The school lunch menu can be found on the Parents: If your child is going to be absent or Cherry Creek School District website. Paper tardy, please call the Attendance Line at copies will NOT be printed for distribution dur- 720-554-3995 by 7:45 a.m. This line is open ing the school year due to 24 hours a day. In addition to contacting your the frequent changes that teacher regarding an absence, please call the Student Nutrition De- the Attendance Line. partment makes to them. Please view the breakfast Tardies ... and lunch menus at are very disruptive, not only to ccsdcafe.org. Please take the late student, but to every note that elementary student and teacher in the school hot lunches cost classroom. School starts at 8:00 $3.00 per day and daily breakfast costs $1.85. a.m. The cafeteria is open for breakfast every day at Students should be at school by 7:50 a.m. 7:30 a.m. For parents depositing cash or and in their seats by 8:00 a.m. ready to learn. checks into their student’s account, this must be done by 9:00 a.m. in order for the account Early Dismissals… to be credited for that day’s lunch purchase. are strongly discouraged after 2:30 p.m. as Credit card payments can be made on the this is a very busy time for teachers and website listed above. students as they give final instructions and prepare to leave for the day. Weather-Related Delayed Starts Please be advised that when there is a district- School Grounds Supervision… issued delayed start at is only available beginning at 7:50 a.m. the beginning of the day, unless your child is eating breakfast, which school will not start until begins at 7:30 a.m. Supervision ends at 3:00 9:00 a.m. Students p.m. after school. STUDENTS SHOULD should not be coming to NOT BE ARRIVING TO SCHOOL BEFORE school until 8:50 a.m. We 7:45 A.M. AND SHOULD BE LEAVING BY understand that this 3:00 P.M. EACH DAY, unless you are might cause conflicts with enrolled in WCCK or eating breakfast in the parents’ work schedules, but there is nowhere a.m. or in a club/class after school. for students to stay prior to 8:50 a.m. unless you have signed up for WCCK PRIOR to the 10:00 p.m. deadline the night before. Thank you!
Willow Creek’s Website WILLOW CREEK LUNCH SCHEDULE Willow Creek has a website, and we encourage parents to bookmark this site. There is always Kindergarten 11:05–11:50 a.m. a wealth of information to be found here. Please find our site at 1st Grade 10:35–11:20 a.m. http://willowcreek.cherrycreekschools.org. 2nd Grade 10:10–10:55 a.m. 3rd Grade 11:30–12:15 p.m. 4th Grade 11:55–12:40 p.m. 5th Grade 12:05 – 1:05 p.m. Parent Information Network (PIN) Board of Education Candidate Forums PIN’s mission is to The Cherry Creek School District will host a provide informative Candidate Forum to give parents, staff and local and national community members the opportunity to get to speakers on topics know the candidates running for three seats relevant to current on the Cherry Creek Schools Board of parenting and Education on Oct. 3rd from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. at youth-related issues Cherry Creek High School ~ Lecture Center and to provide a 9300 E. Union Avenue, Greenwood Village. forum for parents to connect and create a Sign language interpreters and interpreters in caring community within the Cherry Creek the following languages will be available at all School District. PIN holds monthly presenta- of the forums: Amharic, Arabic, Chinese, tions located at the Korean, Russian, Somali, Spanish and Cherry Creek Options School,14603 East Vietnamese. Five elected Board of Education Fremont Ave, Centennial. ***Please note members provide for quality educational that on page 6 of this PEEK Newsletter opportunities in Cherry Creek Schools. They parents will find the flyer for the PIN Meeting act in accordance with the requirements of for the month of October which will be held Colorado and federal laws, while remaining on October 1st and 8th*** responsive to the unique needs of Cherry Creek School District citizens. The board CCSD Veterans Day at Willow Creek delegates to the superintendent the daily The Cherry Creek School District is commit- operation of the district. The board invites ted to honoring our heroes, the active service citizen involvement in the schools, believing members and veterans who have sacrificed that a quality education is a responsibility all to ensure our freedom, our happiness and must share. our safety. Since 2011, CCSD has shown that commitment by celebrating Veterans Cherry Creek is divided into five Director Week, a districtwide event held in November Districts. A Board of Education member from that includes celebrations at every single each Director District is elected for a four-year building. From neighborhood parades to term by registered district voters on a student concerts to community receptions, nonpartisan ballot. Although each member of Veterans Week in CCSD features a wide the board represents a Director District, all array of tributes to service from the candidates run at-large and all residents of the elementary to the high school level. What's district may vote in each race. Three of the more, the event provides an opportunity for five District Director seats will appear on the students to honor the veterans in their family, November ballot: District A, District B and and learn important, firsthand lessons about District C. service, community and civic engagement from local heroes. "This is the right thing to Cherry Creek Schools Staying Healthy do," said CCSD Superintendent Scott We often overlook the simple things we can Siegfried, adding that the eighth annual do to stay healthy. Since the cold and flu event offered an important bridge between season is upon us, we want to remind parents the military and CCSD students. "The of some basic steps you and your children can first-person learning that our kids receive take to stay well. Please enjoy this YouTube about sacrificing for the greater good brings video with your family and also see page 5 of their classroom history lessons to life. Talking the PEEK for NewsWorthy Notes from Nurse to our veterans, shaking their hands – that Jodie about Influenza (Flu). makes it real." The Veterans Day Program https://www.youtube.com/watch? at Willow Creek will be held on Monday, v=YPfww34Y234&feature=youtu.be November 11th. Please watch for flyers and announcements to come home with your child regarding the details for this very special day at Willow Creek.
Cherry creek school district fall break, October 14-18 ****No school****