Good morning, everyone! 
 
We have a couple big weeks coming up:

• Discovery concludes this week!
• Our first all-school overnight of the year is this week - Wednesday and Thursday. Unfortunately, given the rain in the forecast, we might need to rethink our camping trip. We will discuss in advisory today and make a final call on our plan.
• Fall conferences are next week - October 5 and 6 (parents/guardians, contact your student’s advisor or Karen to schedule a time)
• NWEA testing is next week - October 5 - 7

 
General announcements

• Moments of gratitude
  • Nancy is grateful for the rock climbing trip last week
  • Taylor is grateful to Christine and Natalie for helping out when she was out
  • Nancy is grateful for the Van Gogh Alive trip - for students for going, for 
  • Christine is grateful to students impacted by teacher absences on Friday; thank you for being flexible and patient!
  • Karen is grateful to Mason’s mom, Michol, for bringing in snacks for the front basket
• Senior Meeting Friday at 12:00 with pizza
  • Talk about College and Careers, Senior Trip, other senior support
• Jr. Optimist Meeting this Friday morning
  • You don’t need to believe the cup is half full, but you need to believe there is a cup!
  • Meet at 8:00 to talk about what fun activities we can do
• School spirit
  • Staff are the team winners - coffee bar in Christine’s office tomorrow
  • Kelvin wins for participating every day!
  • Maddie and Jeremiah win for rocking PJ day
  • Trevor winsfor rocking Western Day
• Other announcements
  • Little Annie: we might need to shuffle our plans based on the weather forecast, unfortunately! We will still do an overnight… what else could that look like? What if we do a school sleep in? Are there other local spots where we could go that provide more shelter and comfort? We will discuss duinr Advisory this afternoon
  • NWEA next week - stay tuned for details
  • School photos are Monday, October 4
    • All students and staff will get a photo taken for ID purposes; students, if you want to order prints, Karen has the forms
• Contract #3
  • Check: October 7
  • Minimum points: 80 (includes overnight points)
• Contract celebration - we’ll do next week for contract #2 to give Danny and Taylor time to process contracts

 
Teacher info
 
Math

• Block 1: Plan block
• Block 2: Discovery support

English  

• Block 1: Reading and Writing
  • Check in with Taylor each day
• Block 2: The Folklore, the Myth, the Legend (and Fairytales)
  • Learn about stories and oral tradition - and write your own myth

Social Studies

• Block 1: History of the Environmental Movement in the US
  • Combo module with Science
  • High Creek Fen field trip tomorrow
  • Roots of environmentalism
• Block 2: Little Annie Leadership - 4-5 students
  • Organize camping gear
  • Counts as leading a field trip
  • Leave No Trace principles

Science

• Block 1: Science Skills
• Block 2: Fen
  • What is a fen? A type of wetland - rich, biodiverse
  • Field trip: citizen science (water quality monitoring, hiking)

Natalie

• Last week of Discovery 

 
Practicum

• Monday: Advisory or all school activities
• Tuesday: Adulting
• Wednesday: Clubs
• Thursday: Office Hours and Study Hall

 
Advisory

• Tuesday: Taylor/Amy Mindfulness; Danny/Nancy advisory
• Wednesday: Off - if you have permission from your advisor
• Thursday: Taylor/Amy advisory; Danny/Nancy Mindfulness

 
Community Service

• Monday
  • Ark Valley training today at 1:00
• Tuesday
  • 1 p.m. - Mini Blessings
• Wednesday
  • 1:00 p.m. - Turner Farm
• Thursday
  • 9:00 a.m. - Food Backpacks

 
Credit Celebration

• De’Quan - Geometry A

​It’s spirit week! See below for details. All students and staff are welcome, though not required, to participate. Also see below for info on the Homecoming dance. Football game on Saturday is at 1:00, if you’d like to attend!
 
One of our priorities the next couple weeks will be creating Individualized Learning Plans. Students, expect Christine to pull you out of class for 10 or 15 minutes to lay the groundwork for your ILP so that we have drafts ready by parent/guardian conferences the first week of October.
 
General announcements

• Moments of gratitude
  • Three cheers to Abby for cheering at the football game on Fri and to Henry for playing in the marching band!
  • Danny is grateful to Natalie and Christine for setting up tables for the BV Strong dinner yesterday
  • Nancy is grateful to her advisory for not letting her fall off the wall at Silver Cliff
  • A student gave appreciation for their cat not ripping up a new chair
  • We appreciate all the students who came to the Silver Cliff field trip last week!
  • Many thanks to Jordyn for cooking breakfast burritos for students this morning!
• Other announcements
  • Coat of Arms competition winner: Taylor’s advisory!
  • Spirit Week schedule and competition
    • Tuesday - Pajama Day 
    • Wednesday - Western
    • Thursday - Tacky Tourist
    • Friday - school spirit
    • Competition is by color of the road (see list outside Christine’s office)
      • Earn points by participating each day
      • Winning group gets...
  • Homecoming: 
    • Parade Friday at 5:30, followed by Powder Puff game and bonfire
    • Football game Saturday at 1:00
    • Dance Saturday at BVHS from 8:00 - 11:00 p.m.
      • Tickets are $15 and can be bought in advance or at the door; talk to Christine if you want to go 
  • Thank you cards: sign cards for New Bees, Kari from Sol Vista, and the Silver Cliff Ranch crew 
  • Individualized Learning Plans - Christine will be meeting with each student over the next couple weeks to draft ILP’s (talking about strengths and challenges, goals, and targeted support)
    • We will review ILP drafts with students/families during October conferences
  • NWEA testing: first week of October
    • These tests give us really helpful data on our program strengths and any gaps. Please do your best! They are not timed
    • Earn points for reaching the cut score or improving your score
  • Little Annie overnight: next Wednesday and Thursday (September 28-29)
    • We will celebrate the conclusion of Discovery and officially welcome new students into our school community
    • Classes and clubs will be held up at Little Annie
    • We will send out a packing list and do some prep next week
    • Returning students: interested in being a leader for the trip? Talk with Amy
      • All students need to lead a field trip before they graduate. This is a great opportunity to fulfill that requirement!
  • Diversity field trips
    • Recovery Storytelling Friday, October 8, 6:00 - 9:00 p.m.
      • Meghann Perry - a person in recovery herself with a history of trauma who shares stories of healing and recovery to help others
      • Talk with Natalie if you want to go (leave at 5:30, back by 9:30 or 10:00)
      • Earn points
    • Thomas Fluharty, illustrator - Sunday, October 3, 5:00 - 7:00
      • Visiting artist in Westcliff
      • Illustrator for Mad Max magazine
      • Started doodling as a kid, got into drugs, father was murdered - lots of stories to tell
      • Talk with Natalie if you are interested
• Logins: it is still contract period #2
  • Morning login needs to be before 12:00, afternoon login needs to be after 12:00 to count
• Print your contracts when they are approved and give a copy to Karen

 
Teacher info
 
Math

• Block 1: Khan Academy
• Block 2: Senior Seminar - Social Class
  • What is social class? Where do we fit in? How does it pertain to us?
  • How can we move up and down the social class system?
  • Class for seniors and juniors

English  

• Block 1: Discovery support
• Block 2: Van Gogh Alive
  • Paired with Science module
  • Field trip Wednesday to see the Van Gogh Alive in Denver
    • Immersive experience of his life and paintings
    • Breakfast and lunch included for all students
  • Learn about Van Gogh, write poems as odes to his paintings

Social Studies

• Block 1: Plan block
  • If you don’t need English and Math, talk with Amy about doing Work Experience
• Block 2: Social Studies Skills

Science

• Block 1: LIGHT
  • Paired with English module - includes field trip
  • Learn all about light - infrared, UV, gamma
• Block 2: Life Skills 1 (Health)
  • Required for Health credit (both parts 1 and 2)
  • Rock climbing Thursday afternoon

Natalie

• Discovery - two weeks to go!

 
Practicum

• Monday: none (no school)
• Tuesday: Adulting - Claudia and Matt - Sound Healing
• Wednesday: Clubs
• Thursday: Office Hours and Study Hall

 
Advisory

• Tuesday: none - Monday schedule
• Wednesday: Taylor/Amy Mindfulness; Danny/Nancy advisory
• Thursday: Taylor/Amy advisory; Danny/Nancy Mindfulness

 
Community Service

• Tuesday
  • 1 p.m. - Mini Blessings
• Wednesday
  • 1:00 p.m. - Museum
• Thursday
  • 9:00 a.m. - Food Backpacks
  • 1:00 p.m. - Adopt-a-Grandparent
    • Gardening outside
• Next Monday: bring your waivers back for Ark Valley training!

 
Credit Celebration

• Johnny - Algebra 1B
• Logan - Algebra 1

 
 

​We are excited for our first field trip this week! The Silver Cliff trip is a great opportunity to get to know each other and have some fun while the weather is still beautiful. See below for more info about the trip. 
 
It was great to see 8 students with 100% logins! Keep it up. :)
 
General announcements

• Moments of gratitude
  • A student shared gratitude for his parent for driving him to school
  • Nancy is grateful for students for sticking with it with work last week and for the new students being so awesome
  • Danny is grateful to Jeannette for bringing breakfast to the Community Center during Disco
  • Maddie is grateful for Taylor and Amy for being good teachers
  • Jeannette is grateful for Kaileb and Jeremiah for working so hard last week
  • Shon is grateful to be visiting
  • Christine is grateful for students who participated in community service last week, especially for helping set up for Applefest at Turner Farm
• Other announcements
  • Silver Cliff field trip Wednesday - all-school trip
    • Breakfast and lunch is included for all students
    • Bring a water bottle, good shoes, swimsuit/towel, sunscreen, book
    • We’ll be back between 2:00 and 2:30 - students will be dismissed but are welcome to stay at school
    • We’ll do clubs on the field trip
    • Earn 10 points towards contract for participating
  • Desktop stations are working! Feel free to use if they are available (please log out when you are done)
  • Thank you card - please sign for Anna from Buena Viking
  • We’ll have PB&J supplies on hand in the kitchen for students. Please keep your own dishes and knife for making your sandwich. If you need supplies, we can help you get some from New Bees; just talk with a staff member about it, and we’ll make it happen!
• New contract: #2
  • Check is 9/24/21
  • Minimum points: 68
• Contract celebration
  • Highest points: Grace (90!)
  • 100% logins: Corbin, De’Quan, Grace, Jordyn, Kaileb, Kelvin, Logan, and Trevor!

 
Teacher info
 
Math

• Block 1: Khan Academy
  • Sign up on Danny’s board
• Block 2: Stonks
  • Stocks and stock market
  • Funds, S&P 500, Dow Jones, day trading, etc. - great primer on stocks
  • We’ll be doing a stocks challenge in advisory this fall, so this module will help you understand how to do that!

English  

• Block 1: Plan block
  • If you are close to graduation and need need need Reading and Writing, talk with your advisor and Taylor about doing R&W during this block
• Block 2: English Skills - for new students
  • Close reading, annotations, and analytical essay

Social Studies

• Block 1: Discovery support
• Block 2: Intro to Economics
  • Basic concepts - start slow. No prior knowledge needed!

Science

• Block 1: Farms and Food
  • Where does food come from?
  • Visit a local farm tomorrow - learn about how food comes from farms and the process to get to our plates (wear shoes and clothing you don’t mind getting dirty)
  • Learn about agriculture and food production in the US
  • If you need Health, Nancy can accommodate
• Block 2: Service Learning
  • If you are heading into Senior year and need to do your project, now is the time to get started! If you started last year, you can pick up where you left off

Natalie

• Discovery journey continues this week!
  • Transactional analysis
• Available second block to support students as needed

 
Practicum

• Monday: Advisory or all school activities
• Tuesday: Adulting - Diversity meeting
  • Keri from Sol Vista is coming to speak
  • Suicide Prevention Month - suicide protective factors, what to do if you or a friend needs help
• Wednesday: Clubs (at Silver Cliff)
• Thursday: Office Hours and Study Hall

 
Advisory

• Tuesday: Taylor/Amy Mindfulness; Danny/Nancy advisory
• Wednesday: Off - if you have permission from your advisor
• Thursday: Taylor/Amy advisory; Danny/Nancy Mindfulness

 
Community Service

• September 27th: Ark Valley Humane Society training
  • Complete your waiver and online form
• Tuesday
  • 1 p.m. - Mini Blessings
• Wednesday
  • None because of Silver Cliff field trip
• Thursday
  • 9:00 a.m. - Food Backpacks
  • 1:00 p.m. - Adopt-a-Grandparent

 
Credit Celebration

• Jordyn - Earth Science
• Sam - Technology

 

Welcome back after a long weekend! 

Our first contract check is this Friday. Remember that contracts serve as short term goals, and it’s important to meet those expectations so you can stay on track - but it’s still earning credits you really want to reach for! As you choose classes, consider credits you are closest to finishing so you can wrap them up, rather than having a handful open at once. (That’s sometimes unavoidable, yes, but be intentional as much as possible so you can move along and feel the accomplishment of closing credits!)

For check, confirm with your teachers this week when DOK drafts need to be submitted to give enough time for revisions on Friday as needed. Typically, that’s before the end of class on Thursday. And remember: revision is a natural part of the learning process! It doesn’t mean you are in trouble or did something wrong, you’re learning as you go.
​
General announcements

• Moments of gratitude
  • Maddie is grateful for her papa and step grandma for taking her on outdoor adventures this weekend
  • Kelvin is grateful to have had extra time for gaming over the weekend
  • Keenan is grateful for his new dog
  • Nancy is grateful to everyone for a strong first week back
  • Christine is grateful to Amy and Taylor for jumping all in last week
  • Jeannette is grateful to Trevor for helping out at Turner Farm last week
  • Jeremiah is grateful to Nancy for helping everyone get back in the groove last week
  • Karen is grateful to students who have volunteered to lead Mindfulness during advisory
• Other announcements
  • Our first all-school field trip is next Wednesday, September 15! We’ll be going to Silver Cliff Ranch for a day of fun together. We’ll do some advisory challenges, have club sessions, and then play in the afternoon. Bring a swimsuit and towel if you want to take advantage of the hot springs pool!
    • Transportation and lunch will be provided for all students
  • Nurturing Parenting class starts September 9
    • In Salida or over Zoom on Thursdays 
    • Open to kids 12-18 and their caregivers
    • Earn Health points for completing the class
    • Flyer is next to Natalie’s office and in the back hallway
  • Safe2Tell program in Colorado - anonymous tip line
    • Looking for youth advisors: if you are interested, talk with Natalie
    • Health points for participating on the advisory
  • ElevateHer fall programming
    • Earn Health and/or points for participating
    • Participate after school or Saturdays
  • If you want to go to Ark Valley for community service, return your waiver!
  • When you log in this week - still Contract #1
  • Menus are posted on the bulletin board in the Commons if you want to know what’s coming up
  • Mindful ambassadors: meet Karen in the Commons during Office Hours to make a plan
• Schedule notes
  • Condensed schedule again this week - Tues/Thurs advisory rotations will be Wed/Thurs
  • Contract check is on Friday
    • Contracts need to be turned in to your teachers by 12:00 on Friday
      • If you are still working, get whatever you can signed off by 12:00 but come back after lunch to continue working on your unfinished assignments

Teacher info
 
Math

• Block 1: Discovery - new students
• Block 2: Khan Academy
  • Sign up on the whiteboard inside Danny’s room

English  

• Block 1: Poetry Schmoetry
  • Talk about what poetry is, different forms it can take
• Block 2: Reading and Writing
  • Sign up on Taylor’s door - limited to 10 students

Social Studies

• Block 1: Work Experience
  • You can sign up no matter where you are in the credit; you will be working at your own pace with Amy’s support 
  • Sign up on the whiteboard in Amy’s room
• Block 2: Landmark Supreme Court Cases
  • How does the Supreme Court work? How have landmark cases affected our lives?

Science

• Block 1: Rocks and Minerals
  • Learn to identify rocks in the area - includes a hike tomorrow
• Block 2: Discovery - new students

Natalie

• New students are in Discovery this week: retreat week at the Community Center!
  • Both blocks with fun stuff mixed in

 
Practicum

• Monday: [no school]
• Tuesday: Diversity Meeting - Anna Winger from Buena Viking!
• Wednesday: Clubs
• Thursday: Office Hours and Study Hall

 
Advisory

• Tuesday: [no morning Advisory b/c of Monday schedule]
• Wednesday: Taylor/Amy Mindfulness; Danny/Nancy advisory
• Thursday: Taylor/Amy advisory; Danny/Nancy Mindfulness

 
Community Service

• Tuesday
  • 1 p.m. - Mini Blessings
• Wednesday
  • 1:00 p.m. - Museum: help prepare for the Applefest this weekend
• Thursday
  • 9:00 a.m. - Food Backpacks
  • 1:00 p.m. - Adopt-a-Grandparent - starts next Thursday

 
Credit Celebration

• Jordyn - Biology