VP Bulletin

PROPS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS I would like to thank Corrine for helping with my class this week! She is amazing with my students and they loved having her. -Stacey Rhuby

I would like to give props to all those that came out to have some fun at kickball. It was a good time and nice to see the campus together. I'm looking forward to our next event! -Stacey Ivey

Thank you to Mr. Tansey for the speedy laminating! -Jenny Brey

Mega, mad props to Kelly Ferguson - she is a positive ray of hope and optimism in the second floor "West wing" :) and she willingly and selflessly offered instructional time from Spanish to support a student with severe literacy needs so the student's literacy block could be protected and so that the support would be in addition to core literacy instruction.

She is one of my many professional heroes!

-Jessica Cuthbertson

My 6th and 7th grade team is amazing!!

-Jessica Sawyer

Hello all, I want to thank the following people who volunteered their time on Saturday to make the Bison Stampede a success: Kathy Cole Karen McLellan Yolanda Calderon Mike Dougherty Carlen Arnold Andrea Hite Kauline Sidinger Kassandra Shawver Larry Thigpen Monica Blomker Julie Thigpen Amie Seese Tyler Hettich—Bouncy Castle Stacy Ivey—PTSA Health Fair Bison Backers—Parent Group It was a great event!

-Craig Lyle

Mr. LePera and myself were very impressed by the quality of the science projects at the science fair! Props to all the hard work and dedication for devoting a whole night (and all those hours with parent meetings) to organize such a great event. Thanks for training and preparing our future science students. -Jeffrey Spencer and Jason LaPera We would like to give PROPS to everyone who made this first POWER session such a success!

We were so impressed with everything we saw happening in the classrooms. -Melanie and Stuart

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.”

monday, november 5th

All Day Professional Learning Please see the link to the agenda

tuesday, november 6th

2nd Grade Math Unit Planning 8:30-10:30 1st Grade Math Unit Planning 11:30-1:30 Kindergarten Math Unit Planning1:30-3:30

wednesday, november 7th

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

thursday, november 8th

Melanie out Principal’s Meeting

October 1, 2012

I would love to give props to our paraprofessionals and EA’s that stepped in to help when there were no subs (especially Chuck and Ms. M!!!!). You guys may not always feel it, but you are totally loved.

-Kasandra Shawver .

IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER

I just wanted to publicly give props to Karla and highly recommend her collegial conversations class. I went to session one tonight and it was by far one of the best district PDs I've ever been to! It was hands on and applicable immediately.

We also got a fabulous book/resource. I couldn't help but think how valuable this class will be as we transition to the new teacher evaluation system that we learned so much about yesterday.

-Vanessa Valencia

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.”

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POWER! POWER! POWER! WOW! Words cannot express or even come close to describing the many AMAZING learning and exciting opportunities our students were exposed to during the first POWER session. We want to personally thank everyone who worked so hard to plan, support and expose our students to so many wonderful opportunities in science, health/wellness, literacy, theater, music, art, cooking, math, etc! Instead of words we would like to include pictures, links to videos and testimonials. ENJOY!

HEALTHY BODY Anna Sommerhouser & Ashley Inman

October 2012

The students will explore their body systems through investigating tubs provided by the museum and healthy ways of life. The

READERS THEATER/DEVELOPING NUMBER CONCEPTS Veronica Rodriguez & Deborah Butler (assisted by Jenny Chen and Chuck Tansey) Readers Theatre will provide an opportunity for students to develop fluency through multiple readings of the text by using expressiveness, intonation, and inflection when rehearsing the text. Students will participate in activities that include: comprehension quizzes, puzzles, vocabulary, creating background and costumes for their play along with discussion and writing. Students will perform for each other at the end of each play.

Developing number concepts will provide students with number composition and decomposition along with the ability to find out what is known about one quantity to determine another. Students will work groups at math stations and in whole group to help them with the process of addition and subtraction through story problems, missing parts and creating number combinations.

See the link to the Animoto slideshow!

students will learn what it means to be healthy and why it is important to live a healthy life. Through looking at the respiratory system and the circulatory

http://animoto.com/play/sRqHCFL0cHx63TMqkWVuew?utm_content=main_link

system students will begin to understand what they need to do to stay healthy and live a fulfilling active life.

First grade students will write How To’s and narratives on recipes to create a class cook book. Students will also be able to practice some basic math skills in order to create their recipes.

ELEMENTARY COOKING William Simpson & Denise Bielz

“THE GIVER - A LITERARY AND CULTURAL Jessica Cuthbertson Before The Hunger Games, there was The Giver. Explore the dystopian world created by Lois Lowry in her Newberry-award winning novel The Giver. This session will include reading this powerful text as an advanced middle school book club with other readers, participating in Socratic seminar discussions about the book, attending a Saturday matinee theatrical performance of “The Giver” at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts (on either October 20thor 27th), and co-authoring a critique of the play and novel. This experience will support students to think critically about what they view, read, and hear through exploring this powerful work of fiction.

The students were encouraged to write to Lois Lowry herself to ask her any questions they still had after reading the book The Giver. Below see Ms. Lowry’s actual response!

1.) Now that "Son" has been published and quartet is complete - what's next for you? More books? A different series? Are you "done" writing altogether?

More books of various sorts. I just finished the newest in the Gooney Bird series for younger readers.

2.) If you weren't an author, what would your profession be? Why? Filmmaker. I love movies.

3.) Why and how did you become an author...did you know as a child that you would be anywhere near where you are today?

As a child I always loved writing; it was what I did best and enjoyed most. I majored in literature and creative writing in college.

Thanks for your email!

Lois Lowry

REAL BIG BAND Zac Timbrell & Yolanda Calderon

In an effort to reach as many students as possible, we will utilize our great facility at the Preparatory to accommodate as many young musicians as possible. Sometimes the best way to learn something is to have it demonstrated by a peer or older student RIGHT next to you! We will give students the “camp” experience where they are engrossed in music education while enjoying the experience. The students will experience rehearsals, sectionals, performance, a visit to MSU, and guests while preparing a wide range of styles of music.

POWER! POWER! POWER! WOW! Words cannot express or even come close to describing the many AMAZING learning and exciting opportunities our students were exposed to during the first POWER session. We want to personally thank everyone who worked so hard to plan, support and expose our students to so many wonderful opportunities in science, health/wellness, literacy, theater, music, art, cooking, math, etc! Instead of words we would like to include pictures, links to videos and testimonials. ENJOY!

FIFTH GEAR KIDS AND ENERGY ZBALANCE Chris Magrin, Andrea Kutz & Josh Brenning

October 2012

5th Gear Kids is a program that caters to 5th grade students that has developed a partnership with Anschutz Medical Center. This program is designed to teach students the systems of the body and the concept of Energy Balance in relation to calorie intake, and energy output. This session combines Science, Physical Education, and Health Education in a focused environment utilizing community professionals and experts in the medical field.

READING AND WRITING ART & DEEPER THAN JUST SCIENCE Nicole Roberts & Alejandra Morales We will examine famous works of art and use what the viewer cannot see as inspiration for a story. We will then use computers and print resources to research the artist and write an informational report.

Students will learn and discover a deeper understanding about science through the process of Inquiry and hands on experiences. In order to develop a deep understanding of scientific explanations of the natural world, students need opportunities to work with and build on the concepts that support these explanations and to understand the connections between concepts. Thinking and acting scientifically applying the scientific method to complex systems and phenomena, students will see the relevance of empirical evidence and draw conclusions, which also are extended through time, refined, and revised over time

ERIC CARLE AUTHOR STUDY Katie Corson, Arianne Mazotta, Darrah Gardner & Carrie Swanson Welcome kindergartners to an Eric Carle author study. Throughout the week students will engage in multiple stories written and illustrated by Eric Carle. Together we will explore a deeper understanding of Eric Carle as a writer and illustrator as his books become our mentor texts. We will extend and share our learning of this author through a variety of reading, writing, and artistic mediums.

REAL BIG BAND Zac Timbrell & Yolanda Calderon

In an effort to reach as many students as possible, we will utilize our great facility at the Preparatory to accommodate as many young musicians as possible. Sometimes the best way to learn something is to have it demonstrated by a peer or older student RIGHT next to you! We will give students the “camp� experience where they are engrossed in music education while enjoying the experience. The students will experience rehearsals, sectionals, performance, a visit to MSU, and guests while preparing a wide range of styles of music.

POWER! POWER! POWER! WOW! Words cannot express or even come close to describing the many AMAZING learning and exciting opportunities our students were exposed to during the first POWER session. We want to personally thank everyone who worked so hard to plan, support and expose our students to so many wonderful opportunities in science, health/wellness, literacy, theater, music, art, cooking, math, etc! Instead of words we would like to include pictures, links to videos and testimonials. ENJOY!

BECOMING YOUR BETTER SELF Annette Maes & Kate Fouts This session will empower girls to work on becoming their best self by focusing and learning about personal development that includes, nutrition, self-esteem, fitness, stress management/coping skills, skills for building positive relationships, character traits, and how to make positive life choices.

PARENTS ARE TEACHERS TOO Leslie Burton & Aubrey Marsolais Students will gain more confidence in reading and math skills. A portion of this power session will require parent’s attendance so they can learn how to support their child in reading and math through games and activities.

INDIVIDUAL LITERACY PLANS New information about the READ Act Please see the link below to the ILP memo. The memo outlines the district expectations surrounding the development of ILPs. Additionally, it addresses questions/answers around next year’s Colorado Reading to Ensure Academic Development (READ) Act. http://instruction.aurorak12.org/files/2012/10/ILP-MEMO-2012.pdf

HUMAN REPRODUCTION TRAINING DATES Human Reproduction Training Dates If you have teachers that are new to the district or new to teaching the Human Reproduction portion of Health for grades 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 11, they will need to attend the required training before they may teach this unit. Any nurse or counselor that might assist teachers in teaching this unit must also attend the training. We have scheduled two dates for the Human Reproduction unit training Wednesday, November 28th and Wednesday, February 20th – Suite 110, ESC 1, Lab 1.

Please send their names and date selections to Shelia Jordan-Siegert at sjsiegert@aps.k12.co.us for registration.

Any questions you may call Shelia at x. 28358.

October 2012

ESS AND ENRICH The ESS department wishes to thank principals and your support of all special education staff for their hard work and persistence in completing IEP paperwork in the face of serious challenges in the Enrich software program. We’re having many conversations with CDE and the Enrich company about the Enrich problems being unacceptable and they are supporting us in some new and significant ways. For example, two software developers from the Enrich company are onsite with us this week for 3 days to pound through the list of problems and fix them on the spot. There will undoubtedly be a few areas that will require more time and effort to repair but most of the items on the list are being fixed immediately.