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
MARCH 30TH-APRIL 3 ECA VIRTUAL SPIRIT WEEK
APRIL 10 NO SCHOOL FOR TEACHERS OR STUDENTS
Quick! Order Your Yearbook
Online Today!
LIKE US ON FACEBOOK
@EARLYCOLLEGEARVADA
M A R C H
I S S U E
April Events April is Earth Month, what are you doing to celebrate?
MARCH 30
MARCH 31
Virtual Spirit week
Virtual Spirit week
Pjama Day
Shout Out!
APRIL 6
APRIL 7
APRIL 1
APRIL 2
APRIL 3
Virtual Spirit week
Virtual Spirit week
Virtual Spirit week
What're you
Griffin Pride
Reading?
Day
Pet Pictures
APRIL 8
APRIL 9
APRIL 10 No School for Students and Staff
APRIL 13
APRIL 20
APRIL 14
APRIL 21
APRIL 15
APRIL 22
Earth Day
APRIL 16
APRIL 23
APRIL 17
APRIL 24
TEACHER'S HOURS We will continue to follow the ECA School Calendar for Student Contact Days. Office Hours can be used as one-on-one support or student and parent communication on a first come first serve basis via GChat and email Staff Office Hours
Administration A dministrators are most readily available via email Mondays-Fridays from 8-5
Janice Anderson Todd Cordrey Anna Gisetti Guadalupe Marquez Rick Heroff
6th Grade Academy Jacklyn Waters M-F 10-12 and 1:30-3:30 Denise Wideen M-F 10-12 and 1:30-3:30
7th/8th Middle School Academy Amanda Adams M-F 9-11 and 2-5 (unless otherwise
noted on Google Classroom) Victoria Andrus M-F 10-4
K rista Borland M-F 10-4 Elysa Katz Tues. & Thurs. 10-12 and 1-3 and Fri. 10-12 Lynn Wilcox M-F 10-12 and 2-4 Mathew Winter M-F 9-11 and1-3
Special Education Jen Davis
Caroline Fink M-F 10-4 Lauren Hick M-F 8-4 Dr. Aaron Rudolph M-F 10-3
Julie Ramsey
Karen Claypool
9th/10th Grade High School Academy
M-F 11-1 and 2:30-3:30
M-F 11-1 and 2:30-3:30
*Contact Jen Davis or Karen Claypool for contact to Speech and Language, School Psychologist and Occupational Therapist
Elizabeth Torres M-F 8-4:30
11th/12th Grade College Academy Dr. Dana Green
M-F 8-3 with “Live Feedback” 11-2
Dr. Danielle Ladd
M-F 8-3 with “Live Feedback” 8-
11 Mary Coleman
M-F 10-4
Dr. Theresa Veltri Dr. Evans-Klock
M-F 10-4 Tues. and Thurs. 8:30-3 Fri. 1-3:30
Electives Todd Cordrey
M-F 9-12
Dennis Olson
M-F 9-11 and 3-5
Kelly Bidstrup-Graham
Tues. and Thurs 9-5 and M, W
& F 9-12 Gail Atkinson
M-F 11-4
Sarah Castillo
M-F 9-5 for both ECA and Girls, Inc.
Christella Kay
Mon. & Wed. 8-4 and Fri. 8-1
PRINCIPAL
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COMMUNICATION BETWEEN ECA AND PARENTS JANICE ANDERSON JANDERSON@ECARVADA.ORG
I hope this newsletter finds all of you and your families safe and healthy. We are in some unusual times and every day brings new and unexpected challenges. We were very successful with our first 3 days of remote (on-line) learning. We were able to get most of our students in need set up with devices and wi-fi in preparation for our first full week beginning on Monday, March 30th. If we missed anyone, please make sure to let us know as soon as possible. Updates from the State are coming out on a regular basis. Please make sure to check the ECA Website and Facebook page for information. These are new and trying times, and I know that it feels like the release of new communication is excessive. Please know that our intentions are not to bombard your email boxes, but to communicate information as quickly as we are receiving it. Should you have any questions or require resources of any kind please do not hesitate to reach out. There are a number of resources that the State provides us in the event that our families may need any kind of help or support. Over the break, there have been meetings, discussions, and resources provided to try to make the student's remote learning as accessible as possible for every student. Some ideas to help students excel at their learning include finding a quiet space where they can work, trying to maintain a routine as similar to a traditional school day. As well as trying to maintain open communication with students and teachers. As a result, the students and their parents can work together for our student's success. Please do not hesitate to reach out to any of our staff with any questions or concerns you may have. We may not have all the answers, but we will certainly do all we can to try to get them for you. Also, remember that remote learning may look very different between an ECA class and a class offered by our partner schools, Front Range or the University of Colorado Denver. Thank you so much for your support in helping our students learn.
Students, each and every one of us is missing you all terribly and we look forward to when we can be together again.
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EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
IMPORTANT REMOTE LEARNING RESOURCES TODD CORDREY 720-473-4403 720-322-5470 (CELL)
Dear ECA Parents and Students,I would like to thank you for making the most out of this unusual situation. It is definitely a time we will remember with good and bad memories. I hope you are able to take a few minutes to reflect on your family and other things that are important to you. For us, your child’s education and wellbeing are at the top of our minds. Teachers are designing and delivering instruction on a daily basis. Every student has been assigned work and the vast majority are completing school assignments. Teachers describe positive and regular interactions with students through Gchat, email, and google classroom. If your child is reporting to you other information, please contact their teachers directly (teacher office hours are posted in this newsletter). If your child needs a Chromebook or Wi-Fi, please by email MFuentes@ECArvada.org (Spanish) or TCordrey@ECArvada.org (English). Additionally, parents can help students by providing inspiration, motivation, and establishing a routine for student learning. The Governor has extended remote learning through the month of April, and we are planning for the likely probability that it will continue until the end of the semester. ECA takes direction from the Governor, CDE, and CSI on these matters. It is important for us to be consistent with other educational organizations in our community. We are making the most from this downtime by cleaning and repairing the school building for the return of students this year or next. The administrative team is working to support teachers in the short-term, organize academic and school operations for the next 30 days, plan for successful completion to the school year, and implement positive changes for next year.
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EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
We are excited to build on the successes of the last two years; ECA has a positive trajectory as measured by academic, operational, and financial indicators. We are preparing for an increase in enrollment and encourage you to secure your child’s seat by emailing MFuentes@ECArvada.org (Spanish) and TCordrey@ECArvada.org (English). This is especially important since we are capping each grade level at fifty (50) students. The school culture is positive, supportive, and productive. We ask parents and students to engage with the ECA culture through Facebook and Instagram. One way, we are supporting our most affected ECA families is with gift cards from Walmart. If you know of a family that needs short-term urgent help please email MFuentes@ECArvada.org (Spanish) and TCordrey@ECArvada.org (English). We are Griffins and We Can and We Will come through this challenge stronger and smarter than ever.
The Early College of Arvada is seeking grants from Swinterton, Kinder Morgan, Jehn Engineering and Industrial Chemical Corporation. If anyone knows someone from these organizations please contact Mr. Cordrey. 720-473-4403 tcordrey@ecarvada.org
Counselor Corner MS. GISETTI 720-473-4107
Hi all!! We sure have found ourselves in uncharted waters with being in quarantine and doing learning from home through computers! Here is how the counseling office can support you during these times: Please let me (or your teachers or any other staff member) know (agisetti@ecarvada.org) if you or your family is in need of assistance—food, resources, finances, mental health supports, technology, and so on. We have resources and we can help! I am available Monday – Friday, from 8:30 – 4:00. I can be reached via email (agisetti@ecarvada.org) and can be available to video chat during those times. The DU Counseling Interns are still with us and are on hand to help out. They can conduct sessions virtually, so if you feel that you or your student needs help, please reach out (agisetti@ecarvada.org). We will be sending out a list of resources to help fill the time and also to provide mental health supports, so be on the lookout for that.I am working on transcript checks and scheduling for next year. I will be sending out a draft plan for each individual as to what your schedule will tentatively look like. For the high schoolers planning on taking college classes, FRCC registration is now open. If you’re not sure what to sign up for, reach out and we can discuss (agisetti@ecarvada.org).
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People are experiencing a wide range of emotions now, and it is ALL NORMAL. From sadness and grief to anger and frustration to hope and contentment—it’s all normal. We will work through this because we are a strong community and we have each other. In the meantime, here are some things you can be doing to work through the emotional roller coaster: Recognize that you have different emotions, know where they’re coming from, allow yourself to feel the emotion, give yourself some grace, and move on. Sleep. Make sure you are getting enough sleep. During sleep is when our bodies recover from the day and prepare us for the next day. 7-9 hours a night is ideal for this to happen properly. Eat well. Sometimes when we are stressed we either eat too much or eat too much of the stuff that is not good for us or we don’t eat. A balanced diet is SO important. Fruits and vegetables help keep the body healthy, protein helps keep us energized, and all of it helps the brain function at maximum capacity. Exercise. Even though we do not have a physical PE class to go to (except for Mrs. Atkinson’s virtual PE class), we can still get 30 minutes of exercise a day. Mrs. Lock sent out things we can do at home. YouTube has a WEALTH of exercise ideas. In-person exercise classes are being held virtually through Facebook Live or Zoom or other platforms. AND—when the weather is great, we can still go outside!! We may not be able to play on public playgrounds, but we can still walk, run, skip, ride bikes and skateboards, scoot, whatever! Create/keep a schedule for the day. Allot time to work, time to play, time to eat, time to exercise, and time to rest. Play! Family play time is as important as individual play time. Parents—your kids need you now more than ever, and I can’t say enough how important it is to do fun and engaging things with each other. Play board games, card games, video and other online games with each other. They are super stress-relievers, laugh-producers, and bondcreators. If you don’t have games and would like some, please let me know.
I’m thinking about you all and wishing you well! ~Ms. G Page 9
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OPERATIONS MANAGER
HEALTH & SAFETY JULIE RAMSEY 720-473-4409 First let me say that we miss all your
We are committed to keeping our ECA
smiling faces. ECA is lifeless without
community healthy, connected and
you. We hope you are staying healthy,
educated. Don't forget to keep up on your
busy, and productive. Take this time to
classwork. Whether this is your year to
slow down a bit and open your eyes to
graduate or not, your education is
the world around you. Take a virtual tour
important. Don't take it for granted. Don't
of a museum or a place you've never
fall behind.
been before. How about cleaning out a closet, doing a little reorganizing, spruce up the yard for spring, get some spring cleaning done, catch up on those projects that have been on your mind, read a book, re-establish relationships, do your classwork and take the time to figure out who you are, what is important to you, set goals and make a plan as to how you will reach those goals. Do something nice for someone else. There are so many possibilities. Boredom is really not on the table if you think about it.
If you, an immediate family member or someone in your household has a confirmed case of COVID-19, please be sure to let me know at jramsey@ecarvada.org. We have disinfected our entire school and our custodians are working hard to make sure everything is clean and safe for our return. We want to keep up with the health of our ECA community so whether you are a teacher, student, parent of a student, or living in the same household with someone who has a confirmed case of COVID-19 we need to know. We are bound by HIPAA laws and will keep your information confidential but we want to reach out to you and help if needed while taking precautions to make sure the rest of our Griffins are safe.
We hope you take this time to stay well and find peace.
Rick Heroff Middle School Dean of Students/College & Career Coordinator (720) 473-4400 EXT 320 Middle School: Do you have what you need? As a middle school our teachers have switched completely to online instruction. This can be easily accessed from any computer or tablet using google classroom. Most students have experience using it. Since our middle school is not at a 1:1 ratio for Chromebooks we want to make sure that those who need technological support get it. Please let us know if your student needs a device, or if you need help obtain internet service. Students are expected
College and career: Students taking classes from ECA professors will continue using google classroom to complete their work Students taking classes on FRCC and UCD campus will follow the online instructions from their professors. For Frontrange the main platform used in D2L, for UCD its Canvas. Make sure students get in touch with their professors to ensure they are getting all the information they need. Should the need arise, withdrawal dates are being adjusted. Contact Ms. Gisetti if
Scholarships: SENIORS, and now Juniors as well! This is an excellent time to work on scholarships. A great way to earn $100-200 at a time is microscholarships. You can earn cash just by getting an A in a class, or doing community service. Learn more at https://www.raise.me/blog/studen ts/what-are-micro-scholarships/
to complete the lessons they receive each week from their
you have concerns about your college classes.
teachers. It is essential that students ask for help when they need it. We ask you to be prepared to support them in advocating for help when they
Tutoring: Students in college classes can continue to utilize tutoring in an online format from their individual universities. Both Front range and UCD offer zoom
of most of the colleges in our state and the nation. Just type in the name of the school and check it out!
need it. Of course, if you have concerns, or have any other
meeting style tutoring for those that need it. Thursdays during
needs, please let us know.
Griffin time.
College Visits: JUNIORS and undecided SENIORS! Want to go on college visits while in quarantine? Go to this website where you can take a virtual tour
https://www.youvisit.com/colleges earch/
Early College of Arvada | 10
Work From Home:
Tips & Reminders Guadalupe Marquez
Highschool Dean of Students 720-473-4408
Welcome back to this challenging journey we are facing right now. I am extremely excited to see students turning in their assignments and working hard. Remember to make sure and take care of yourselves throughout these challenging times. A couple of tips that may help with this remote learning experience are: Continue with the same schedule students had while at school: Pretend they are still at school. This will allow them to maintain the same routine. We know that structures and routines help students be more successful. Check Power School: The best way to help your student stay current with their work is by logging into PS and checking what they are missing. If you have trouble logging in please contact me at gmarquez@ecarvada.org and I will help you access your account. Take brain breaks: Encourage your students to take a brain breaks throughout the day so they can refocus. As always, I am here to support you and your student. Please do not hesitate to email me and let me know how I can support your family during this remote learning time.
Early College of Arvada | 11
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Hey Parents! Share this great opportunity with friends & familly
EARLY COLLEGE OF ARVADA
PTCO NEWS
MEETING SCHEDULE January 8 February 12 March 11 April 8 -cancelled May 13 All Meetings are at 4pm
Next Meeting for Early College of Arvada Parent Teacher Community Organization Lots of exciting activities here at ECA and we could use your help to make them a success! Hope to see you March 11th at the ECA PTO at 4PM! ptco@ecarvada.org
Próxima reunión para Early College of Arvada Organización Comunitaria de Padres y Maestros 11 de Marzo de 4 a 5:30 p.m. En la habitación 245 @ ECA Muchas actividades emocionantes aquí en ECA ¡y podríamos usar su ayuda para que sean un éxito! ¡Espero verte aquí en ECA el miércoles a las 4PM! ptco@ecarvada.org
Early College of Arvada | 13
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2019-2020 Bell Schedule
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