Gazette Parents: It's Your Choice

S: T N E R A EP GAZETT

It’s r u o Y e c i o Ch

DE I U G N O I EDUCAT

• Open t n e m l l o E nr ds i K t r a • Sm ing n r a e L & s e i t i l i b a Dis e g e l l o C • Early l o o h c S h Hig

A SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION OF THE GAZETTE • SUNDAY, JANUARY 25, 2015

OPEN ENROLLMENT:

Families have a choice

By Leslie Massey, leslie.massey@gazette.com

Students all learn differently, so choosing an educational program that fits your students’ needs is a valuable step in helping them achieve academic success.

Students and families in Colorado are fortunate to have the Open Enrollment option to meet their educational needs. Open Enrollment allows students to enroll in a public school other than their designated neighborhood school.

While there are certain criteria to meet, students may choose to enroll in any public school. Typically, if a school does not have

any room for additional students, they will have a waiting list. Once room opens up, schools either accept students on a first-come-firstserved basis or may hold a lottery to determine which students can enroll in the school. Families should check with the individual school they are considering for details about their policy.

Some important tips to keep in mind when considering Open Enrollment: • Open Enrollment applications are for enrollment the next school year.

• Most districts have open enrollment deadlines in January and February, each district (and sometimes individual schools) sets their own time frame for accepting open enrollment applications.

• When you choose to enroll your student into a school other than the designated neighborhood school, transportation may or may not be provided.

• If your student participates in varsity sports, you need to check into eligibility limitations. Colorado High School

Activities Association (CHSAA) Rule 1800 refers to athletic eligibility in varsity sports whenever a student transfers from one high school to another.

• School districts have the choice to deny an open enrollment request for a variety of reasons.

• If a school doesn’t have adequate space for students who want to transfer in, preference is generally given to students within the school district.

Check with the school district to find out about their individual policy.

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Gazette Parents Education Guide: IT’S YOUR CHOICE

JANUARY 2015

Call or go online today!

719.632.1754 X1001 earlyconnections.org

ColoradoSchoolGrades.com Provide accessible, easy-to-understand information about Colorado school performance. Read more about the nonprofit coalition behind Colorado School Grades.

SchoolChoiceForKids.org

User friendly guide for families to find information regarding Open Enrollment as well as public vs. non-public school choices.

Colorado Department of Education-CDE. State.CO.us/choice/ openenrollment

The unit provides information on public school choice options like charter schools, innovation school, and blended and online learning. In addition, the unit answers general questions regarding home schools and private schools.

Gazette Parents Education Guide: IT’S YOUR CHOICE

JANUARY 2015 3

School district websites in the Pikes Peak Region

Academy School District 20

Fountain – Fort Carson School District 8

ASD20.org

FFC8.org

Cheyenne Mountain School District 12

Harrison School District 2

CMSD12.org

HSD2.org

Colorado Springs School District 11

Lewis Palmer School District 38

D11.org

LewisPalmer.org

Ellicott School District 22

Manitou Springs School District 14

THE WILLIAM WILLIAM STORMS STORMSALLERGY ALLERGYCLINIC CLINIC

Treating Adults and S Children heSERVING William TormS allergy CliniC STTormS a llergy C liniC THE COMMUNITY SINCE 1975 EllicottSchools.org

Board Certified in Allergy and Clinical Immunology

lliam

MSSD14.org

SERVING THE COMMUNITY SINCE 1975

l Allergies ••Asthma ••Our Chronic Cough Nasa Nasal Allergies Asthma ChronicCommunity Cough Serving Since 1975 Serving Our Community Since 1975 Specializing in Allergy and Clinical Immunology Sinus Problems •• Hives • Eczema Eczema Sinus Problems Hives • . William W. Storms Matthew S. Bowdish Falcon Treating Adults andDr.Children Treating Adults and Children Bronchitis •• Food Allergies Bronchitis Food Allergies Sports Induced Allergies School District 49 Board Certified in Allergy/Immunology Board Certified in Allergy/Immunology Sportsand andExercise Exercise Induced Allergies

Widefield School District 3

• Nasal allergies • Asthma • Chronic Cough • Hay Fever • Sinus Problems 1625 Medical Center Point, Suite 190 D49.org 1625 Medical Center Point, Suite 190 Colorado Springs,CO CO80907 80907 Colorado Springs, Hives • Eczema • Bee Allergies •Bronchitis •Cat or Dog Allergies •Food Allergies

(719) 955-6000 (719) 955-6000

WSD3.org

1625 Medical 1625 Medical Center Point, Suite 190 Center Point, Suite 190 719-955-6000 Tel: 955-6000 WoodlandMatthew Park School District RE-2 S. Bowdish, MD Matthew S. Bowdish, MD www.stormsallergy.com www.stormsallergy.com www.stormsallergy.com William W. Storms, MD www.stormsallergy.com 1625 Medical Suite Central North South•Point, •Woodland Woodland Park 190 Central• •Center North • South Park Colorado Springs, CO 80907

WPSDK12.org

Tel: (719) 955-6000

4 -14 -113 201320

www.stormsallergy.com

Central – North East – South – Woodland Park Academy for Advanced and Application Creative Learning isdeadline a District 11 charter school for K-8th grade students the Pikes Peaklottery Region for thein 2015-16 who need advanced, above-grade learning in one or more4th areas. is February

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• 4 family-teacher conferences • Complex, above-grade material each year • Multi-age classrooms in every class.

• 15 annual volunteer hours required per family learning.

• Interdisciplinary • Interdisciplinary learning and • Skill groups students learn according flexiblewhere skill groups teachers to theirOurability andarenotgifted theireducation age. specialists who use highly challenging content and understand the unique needs of gifted learners. In their classrooms, all teachers cultivate critical, logical, and creative thinking.

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Gazette Parents Education Guide: IT’S YOUR CHOICE

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All students receive their primary All students receiveand their primary education at home retain their education at home and retain their legal status as a home schooler.

legal status as a home schooler.

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JANUARY 2015

Please visit www.mvhsa.org for enrollment 2ND ANNUAL HOME SCHOOL information COMMUNITY BOOK SWAP AND SALE May 4th, 2015. Details available soon at mvhsa.org and the PPLD community calendar.

Newspapers: An ideal educational tool Courtesy of Metro Services

Many of today’s classrooms are filled with all types of emerging technologies. However, the humble newspaper has been a staple in the classroom and at home and remains one of the best tools for learning.

IMPROVE FLUENCY Fluency, comprehension and inference of text are lessons that start as soon as a child begins learning how to read. Children need access to a variety of reading materials so they can expand their knowledge and vocabulary base, and it’s never too early to introduce youngsters to the newspaper as a source of information.

Parents can go through the newspaper with their children and select articles that may be of interest. Sections devoted to local

events or sports or fitness may be good starting points.

Children can have fun matching headlines with photos and following the sequence of the stories that continue on another page. They’re also bound to be exposed to new words and phrases.

STRENGTHEN WRITING SKILLS Newspaper articles are written differently than books. Exposing children to a journalistic style of writing can help them with their own assignments. Teachers often stress that narratives and other writing assignments should follow a certain format so students learn to express themselves clearly. Students are urged to validate statements with proof and to have a

logical flow to their work.

By reading newspapers, students can gain an understanding of how to introduce a subject, expand on facts and summarize a point. Students who tend to be more pragmatic writers may connect with the journalistic style of writing.

Children can practice reporting on different events in and around their communities, emulating the style of writing presented in newspapers. They also can learn the differences between editorial and opinion pieces.

political, financial and entertainment issues spanning the globe.

Staying abreast of the latest news from around the world can help students become more well-rounded. Students who may have read about events in a history book can compare those accounts to current information on what is happening in the world.

DEVELOP AN EYE FOR PHOTOGRAPHY Stunning, award-winning photographs are published in newspapers nearly every day. A picture is worth a thousand words, and newspaper photography helps readers interpret stories and bring the words to life through imagery.

Access to photography can open up an entirely new world.

MAKE CURRENT EVENTS ACCESSIBLE Newspapers are a connection to culture and information from around the world. Through articles, students can better understand

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Gazette Parents Education Guide: IT’S YOUR CHOICE

JANUARY 2015 5

Fill snow days with fun Courtesy of Metro Services

A blizzard of white flakes has been falling through the night, and the school phone chain has begun. Children will have a day off from school, leaving parents scrambling for ways to keep children occupied and supervised.

Snow days may be coveted by kids, but they may not be as beloved by parents who are unaccustomed to having kids home during the week. Working parents whose businesses are open do not have the same luxury as their children to roll over in bed and avoid trekking through the white stuff. But just because snow days are unexpected, that does not mean parents can’t plan ahead.

• Establish a snow day plan.

Parents who cannot take days

off from work will need a contingency plan for snow days.

Organize a snow day club, wherein school parents rotate taking children for the day.

Working parents can reciprocate by taking the school kids on a weekend and letting the other parents have a “date night.”

• Create a snow day entertainment bin. Rather than having kids spend the day watching television or playing on their tablets, parents can establish a snow day entertainment bin to encourage their kids to make the most of the day off. The bin can include board games, books, building block sets and crafts.

• Plan for an indoor picnic. Kids will probably want to spend a

portion of the day playing out in the snow. After all of that physical activity, they’re bound to be famished. Spread a blanket out on the living room floor and enjoy a picnic of sandwiches, snacks and hot chocolate.

• Get cooking. Another way to fill the day is to have children participate in making meals. A snowy day is a great time to prepare meals for the rest of the week, as well as tinker with hearty, belly-filling recipes. Older children can help with cutting vegetables and meats, while younger kids can add seasonings to pots and mix ingredients. Involve the kids in choosing which meals to cook.

Baking bread is another fun activity and enables kids to sculpt

dough and then eat the fruits of their labors.

• Go the movies. If roads are passable, consider a trip to the movie theater, where you can enjoy a matinée. Bring a few friends along and make it a fun-filled outing. Create snow art. Fill squeeze or squirt bottles with some water and food coloring.

Allow kids to go out in the yard and create some pictures with the snow as their canvas.

• Take a nature walk. Grab those boots and insulated pants and head outdoors. A walk in the brisk, cold air can boost spirits and introduce kids to the beauty of winter landscapes. Take the camera along and encourage kids to snap pictures.

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March 23-27 Various Camps for Ages 6-13

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Gazette Parents Education Guide: IT’S YOUR CHOICE

JANUARY 2015 15ACT140_3-62x4-74.indd 1

1/15/15 9:45 AM

Arts are crucial, say experts Courtesy of StatePoint Media

Science, Technology, Engineering and Math — known collectively as STEM — has been the buzz phrase for educators for some time. But, with many school districts eliminating art, music and other humanities classes, there has been a recent push by educators to change the focus from STEM to STEAM, and add arts back into the mix for a well-rounded education.

“Many experts agree that STEAM education is a great way to engage children of all ages in creative play, discovery and learning,” says Dr. Eric Klopfer, Platform Learning Expert and member of the Expert Panel at VTech, a world leader in age-appropriate and developmental stage-based electronic

learning products for children.

Whatever the present academic focus of your local school district is, you can help support a more comprehensive education for your children at home, while making it fun. Here’s how to incorporate STEAM learning into playtime:

ART TIME The school day may not offer daily opportunities for creativity to flourish, but you can turn the playroom at home into an artists’ studio. Keep on hand arts and crafts supplies such as glue, construction paper, glitter, scissors, string and paint.

Take a trip to a museum or gallery and learn about different artists and styles to get kids inspired.

NEW TECHNOLOGIES Handing over your expensive, breakable mobile technology to your young children may not sound ideal for on-the-go learning, but there are durable tablets built for children that support learning apps combining STEM subjects with the arts.

For example, InnoTab MAX, VTech’s most powerful and versatile 7-inch tablet, features access to more than 650 educatorsupported apps, including handpicked Android learning games and age-appropriate learning software and content through VTech’s Learning Lodge, as well as creative onboard apps such as Movie Maker and Art Studio. The apps feature a wide curriculum of

language arts and reading, math, science, social studies, problem solving and creativity, that have been reviewed by a panel of education and child development experts.

MUSIC Participation in music education has been proven to improve grades in STEM subjects. Not only that, it’s a ton of fun.

If your school offers opportunities such as band or chorus, encourage your kids to get involved.

If arts programs are scarce, invest in a keyboard or guitar for the home. Even if private music lessons are out of the budget, there are plenty of online tutorials that can help with the basics.

SCHOOL DISTRICT 11

OFFERS A MULTITUDE OF CHOICES

School District 11 offers exceptional educational choices that equip students for success today and in the future.

Preparing students for a world yet to be imagined, School District 11 offers: • Early College High School - Earn An Associates Degree for FREE • Free Public Montessori Elementary School • Math, Science, and Arts-Focused Middle Schools • CU Gold and CU Succeed College Credit Programs • International Baccalaureate Program at Elementary, Middle, and High School Level • Digital and Online Schools • Career Pathways • Expanded Gifted and Talented Programs for Students in Third Through Eighth Grade • Advanced Placement and Pre-Advanced Placement Classes • Free Full-Day Kindergarten • Adult and Family Education

Your Choice Best Choice District 11

The Choice window is open now through February 13, 2015.

Visit our website at www.d11.org/choice to discover the numerous choices School District 11 offers.

Gazette Parents Education Guide: IT’S YOUR CHOICE

JANUARY 2015 7

Can smart kids have learning disabilities? understanding the difference between iq and learning struggles

Courtesy of LearningRx Brain Training Center, Special to Gazette Parents

FREE QUALITY PRESCHOOL programs for multiple income levels

Have you ever wondered how your child can be so funny, creative, and smart, but still struggle with school? If so, you’re not alone.

Many parents run the gamut of emotions when helping their child through three hours of homework. Is the school giving them too much? Is their child just disorganized? Are they tired from being overscheduled?

Before you go marching into the principal’s office or quit every after-school activity, find out what is likely the cause of your smart student’s school struggles and what you can do about it.

DEFINING LEARNING DISABILITIES A learning disability affects the way children of average to above average intelligence receive, process, or express information. It impacts their ability to learn the basic skills like reading, writing, or math.

According to the Coordinated Campaign for Learning Disabilities (CCLD), a coalition of national

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organizations within the learning disabilities community, a learning disability is “a neurobiological disorder in which a person’s brain works or is structured differently.”

Academically, a learning disability is measured by standardized tests, with the child scoring substantially below expectations for their age, intelligence, and education.

Learning disabilities are not the same as mental retardation, autism, hearing or visual impairment, physical disabilities, emotional disorders, or the normal process of learning a second language.

They also aren’t caused by lack of educational opportunities, such as frequent changes of schools, poor school attendance, or lack of instruction in basic skills.

The most common learning disabilities are difficulty with basic reading and language skills.

SIGNS YOUR CHILD MAY HAVE A LEARNING DISABILITY Sometimes, learning disabilities are blamed on lack of motivation,

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Gazette Parents Education Guide: IT’S YOUR CHOICE

JANUARY 2015

immaturity, or behavior problems.

But if your child has significant ongoing problems with the basic skills like reading, writing, and arithmetic, then he or she may have a learning disability.

Here are some of the things a parent or teacher may observe that indicate a learning struggle: • difficulty recalling facts and details • taking excessively long to complete homework or tests • easily distracted • difficulty doing two things at once • frequently asking to have things repeated • difficulty with reading comprehension Of course, this is a general list to cover multiple ages and grade levels. Children just learning to read, for example, will have different indicators than teens who have been reading for years.

THE ROOT OF MOST LEARNING STRUGGLES The majority of learning problems have weak cognitive

skills at their root. These brain skills include visual processing, attention, processing speed, logic and reasoning, memory, and auditory processing.

In the case of ADHD, for example, attention is the weakest link preventing learning from being fast and easy, although other skills make be weak as well.

For struggling readers, weak phonemic awareness is usually the root of the problem.

IQ VS. LDS Did you know that Albert Einstein had ADHD? Or that Thomas Edison had dyslexia?

Because IQ is simply a measure of cognitive abilities, it’s easy to see how a very smart child could still have a learning disability. Just imagine a child whose cognitive skills are all very strong, except one. A bright child who struggles with selective attention, that is, the ability to remain focused on a task while being subjected to distractions. Or a brilliant teen whose memory skills are so weak that he can’t remember what his

homework assignments are.

It’s not only possible — but even common — for intelligent children to have a learning disability.

WHY DOESN’T TUTORING WORK? When a child struggles in school, many parents turn to tutoring, only to find it doesn’t work. Why? Tutoring only teaches temporary academic material; it’s rehashing information. Tutoring can be effective for a child who missed a lot of school due to an illness, injury, or family move. But because tutoring teaches what you should learn, not how you should learn, it doesn’t address underlying learning struggles.

SO WHAT WORKS? Learning disabilities are rooted in weak cognitive skills, so the best way to address the learning struggles is with cognitive skills training.

Also known as “brain training,” cognitive skills training gives children the tools necessary for further learning to become easy.

The first step is a noninvasive assessment test that identifies which cognitive skills are weakest.

Once those skills are identified, a one-on-one brain training program is customized to address the student’s specific needs. Learning any subject becomes easier, faster, and more efficient.

The results of personal brain training are permanent, as well as measurable, using the WoodcockJohnson Tests of Cognitive Abilities & Tests of Achievement, the most comprehensive and widely recognized brain skills, achievement, and reading skills measurement instruments in use.

Personal brain training helps address cognitive deficits for anyone: children, teens, adults, seniors, and even people who have experienced a loss of brain skills due to illness or injury.

Now that you know why your smart child is struggling in school, show them how smart you are by setting up an initial cognitive skills assessment. This is one instance where what you learn is as important as how!

“I chose UCCS for the combination of academics and student life. The Engineering program is one the best in the country and you can’t beat the location with views of Pikes Peak from every building. The University reaches out to every student by holding fun events for all different interests, so it’s easy to make friends. As soon as I stepped onto campus I was completely immersed in the community and felt right at home.”

— Kaleen, Junior, Electrical Engineering

Reach higher.

Choose UCCS. Learn more at uccs.edu

or call 719.255.8227

Gazette Parents Education Guide: IT’S YOUR CHOICE

JANUARY 2015 9

Nothing is free these days except … college?

By Devra K. Ashby, APR, Public Information Officer, CSSD11

Apply for multiple loans, take out a second mortgage, sell your kidney on the black market — sure, there are many ways you could pay for your student’s college education. It’s no secret these days that the average cost of an in-state, public college education is running upwards of $20,000 per year; double that price tag for a private institution. Bottom line: college isn’t cheap! This news is discouraging when considering that, in order to compete in an ever changing global economy, there is a need for more college graduates for the U.S. to keep pace with developing countries and meet the demands of a world yet to be imagined.

There are many reforms in public education underway, aimed at producing these future college graduates. But the one that seems to be gaining momentum and creating a buzz is the Early College

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Gazette Parents Education Guide: IT’S YOUR CHOICE

JANUARY 2015

High School (ECHS) movement.

ECHS programs combine high school and college curriculums, condensing the time it takes to complete high school and the first two years of college. You may ask what the difference is between the ECHS programs and advance placement (AP) classes that may also offer college credit. The answer is that while students in traditional, year-long AP classes may earn some college credit (assuming they pass the AP Exam) while still in high school, ECHS programs offer up to 60 college credits, or the equivalent of a twoyear associate’s degree — for free!

Last year, Colorado Springs School District 11 opened the doors to the first public Early College High School in the Pikes Peak region, located at the Roy J. Wasson Academic Campus, formerly Wasson High School.

Partnering with Pikes Peak Community College and the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, ECHS students embark on a journey that will challenge them and prepare them for a bright future.

“By courageously choosing to experience high school differently, our students have the opportunity to earn an associate’s degree or 60 credit hours towards their bachelor’s degree. At Early College High School, we consciously integrate the high school and college experience, at no cost to parents,” explains D11 ECHS Principal Aurora Umana-Arko. “Whether our students graduate on to the second half of their four-year college degree or move straight into their career, by attending Early College High School, they will carry the internalized discipline necessary for success throughout their lives.”

While it may seem the ECHS method is aimed only at academically gifted students, ECHS is appropriate for a wide variety of students. Research shows that average, underachieving, and well-prepared high school stu-

dents are all inspired by the rigor, depth, and intensity of college work. ECHS’s focus is to create a smooth transition into postsecondary education. Students in D11’s ECHS will not be placed into a class where they are not ready or able to pass. Due to the small class sizes, ECHS students will receive more support from teachers than students in a traditional high school. The goal of D11’s ECHS is to help students succeed, not to set them up for failure.

By offering the opportunity for students to ultimately graduate from the ECHS with both a high school diploma and an associate’s degree, this method is opening doors for low-income families, first-generation college students, English language learners, and others who are so often underrepresented in higher education. It is one way Colorado Springs District 11 is preparing every student for a world yet to be imagined.

For more information on District 11’s Early College High School, please log onto earlycollege.d11.org.

Preschool through gradecomprehensive 12 Large enough to offer programs; yet small enough for the personal attentionPark andMiddle comforts • Columbine Elementary • Woodland Schoolof a caring community • Gateway Elementary • Woodland Park High School • Summit Elementary (located in Divide) Preschool through grade 12 • Columbine Elementary • is largeElementary enough to offer comprehensive programs at all levels; yet small • Gateway enoughElementary for the personal attention and comforts of a caring community.

• Summit • providesPark choice options for families valuing home-based education including an • Woodland Middle School online program, part-time • Woodland Park High School enrollment, and enrichment classes at the

Woodland Park School District:

elementary level.

• partners with Catamount Institute and Pikes Peak Community Foundation to •A unique “hands-on” curriculum for all hands-on Woodlandcurriculum Park bring a unique for all elementary students.

Choose Woodland Park School District elementary partnership Catamount • offers six students differentinways to earnwith college credit while attending WPHS.

Institute and Pikes Peak Community Foundation (719) 686-2000 www.wpsdk12.org • Optional free on-line program customized for each student Gazette Parents Education Guide: IT’S YOUR CHOICE JANUARY 2015 11 • Six different ways to earn college credit while attending WPHS • Every year WPSD students compete at the state and national levels in sports,

1| 2| 3| 4| 12

Rockrimmon/Mountain Shadows 2041 Chuckwagon Rd., Colorado Springs 719-388-8818 Stetson Hills 6353 Stetson Hills Blvd., Colorado Springs 719-573-5300 Monument 18075 Minglewood Trail, Monument 719-488-8723 Falcon 7312 Mclaughlin Rd., Falcon 719-886-4900

Gazette Parents Education Guide: IT’S YOUR CHOICE

JANUARY 2015

The Montessori classroom contains multi-sensory, sequential, self-correcting materials designed to invite manipulations and to permit active, self-directed learning in a mixed-age setting. The multi-age classes provide opportunities for socialization, math, reading and language development.