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The District continues to prioritize the recommended deferred maintenance and improvements from the Master Facility Plan report. At the December school board meeting, the Board decided to form a committee to review the recommendations in the report. This committee would make recommendations to the Board about which projects are high priorities for the ecommunity.

Highlights from the report include:

• Electrical upgrades to BUE and the administration building for air conditioning and installation of on HVAC system
• Regrade, irrigation, and installation of new ground covering for CFL, GVMS, and BUE
• Replace lights/lighting systems to LED throughout the District
• Reseal and correct hard surfaces
• Roof repair at CFL
• Replace classroom AV at BUE, GVMS, and GVHS
• Replace auditorium AV at GVMS
• Turf fields at BUE and GVMS

Dr. Baugh pointed out other projects in the District that were not part of the scope of the Master Facility Planning process. These include a new playground at BUE, GVHS baseball field repair, headgate inspection and repair, and updating the telephone system.

"The electrical upgrades to BUE and the installation of an HVAC system may be eligible for a BEST grant, and the District has begun the BEST grant application process with Dynamic Program Management," Dr. Baugh shared. A BEST grant program in Colorado awards school districts partial funding for school construction projects. Since an HVAC system improves the overall air quality in schools, BUE may receive this grant with matching district funds.

Members of the community who may be interested in joining the committee to review the report can sign up here by January 26th.

The Board of Education of the Garfield County School District 16 is accepting applications from persons interested in serving on the Board of Education from the date of appointment until the next regular biennial school election in November 2025. To be eligible for appointment, each candidate must be a registered elector of the school district for at least twelve consecutive months prior to the date of appointment. The applicant must also be a resident of the school district in which the vacancy exists.

Any person who meets the qualifications and who desires to be considered for the appointment is invited to file a written notice of such intention with the secretary of the Board of Education by 5:00 pm on Friday, February 9, 2024, at 0460 Stone Quarry Road, Parachute, CO. The Board will interview prospective candidates on Tuesday, February 20, 2024, at a public meeting. For further information, contact Marilyn Mondragon 970.285.5701.

As we face the winter months, these are the school closing and two-hour delay procedures. School closing, delay, and cancelation decisions are made based on the weather and road conditions in the Garfield 16 area and neighboring areas.

School Closing/Snow Day

If there is inclement weather, the District will decide to close school by 5:15 a.m., based on the conditions at 5:00 a.m.. Parents will be notified by 6:00 a.m. if there is a snow day or delayed start.

After School Activities for a School Closing/Snow Day

All after school activities will be evaluated throughout the day if the District is closed for weather or weather conditions become hazardous during the day. The District will notify staff, students, and families of after school activities cancellations by 1:00 p.m.

Two-Hour Delay

A two-hour delay will be used when the road conditions are not suitable for travel at 5:00 a.m., but are expected to improve throughout the day. The District will decide to call a delayed start by 5:15 a.m.. This will allow snow plows additional time to clear the roads. On a two-hour delayed schedule, buses will begin their routes two hours late, and all classes will begin two hours late.

Schools will operate on a modified schedule. Start times will simply be pushed back by two hours. Students will have breakfast and lunch. Students will be dismissed at the regular time.

In the event that the District has a two-hour delay and the road conditions do not improve, the District may decide to close schools for the day. The District will make this decision by 7:30 a.m. based on the conditions at 7:15 a.m.

AM Cardinal Club will be canceled on a two-hour delay day. PM Cardinal Club will continue as scheduled on a two-hour delay day.

Early Dismissal

In the event that weather conditions start or worsen once students are in school, the decision to have an early dismissal will be made by 10:00 a.m.

All after school activities will be canceled.

AM Cardinal Club will continue as scheduled on an early dismissal day. PM Cardinal Club will be canceled on an early dismissal day.

Communication

All families will be notified of a school closing through the district messaging system, media outlets, and social media as soon as possible.

Please be sure that your contact information is current by checking in with the secretaries at your child's school so that in the event of school closures, Garfield 16 is able to contact you.

Alternatively, you can login to your Infinite Campus account to ensure your contact information is correct.

Our previous app, called "Garfield 16" will be unpublished soon, and will not be updated. Please download the new app by searching for "Garfield 16 Schools" (or clicking these links) in the Apple App Store or Google Play. Look for our new logo (pictured here, on the right of this article). To set up the app:

1. Find it in the app store: Apple or Google.
2. Download the app.
3. Accept the terms and conditions by scrolling down to the bottom and clicking "accept."
4. Find your school(s) by location or by selecting from a list.
5. Watch this instructional video for more information.

The new website is found at the same URL, www.garfield16.org. This page defaults to the "District Home Page." Scroll down to see news and announcements, a calendar you can filter by school(s), and helpful links for transportation, nutrition, etc. The school's websites can be found at the top of the "District Home Page" clicking on "Schools" in the top right of the page, and selecting the school or the School-Based Family Resource Center.

Find a broken link or have suggestions about what should/shouldn't include on our websites or app, please attend our next District Accountability Committee Meeting on Thursday, October 26, 2023 at 6:30 pm. The meeting will take place at the St. John's Administration Building (460 Stone Quarry Road, Battlement Mesa, CO 81635).

Happy 2024! The year of more outdoor!

The outdoor program at G16 is gearing up for a winter filled with fun and adventure. With a new year comes a new semester and chance to get more students and community outside in nature. Here's a few things have have been going on.

The GVMS Outdoor PE class is seeing an excited new class of students. They are kicking off their curriculum with a unit in survival skills. Kids have been learning to make rope, nets, shelters and stay warm in harsh winter environments. Students have also been taking advantage of the fresh snow by getting some cross country ski practice in.

GVMS has also seen a growth of greenery in the grow dome. We have been working to keep consistent temperatures in the dome during these chilly mornings and have found some great successes. Some plants have done better than others but we will continue to find ways to improve the environment so that we have a good harvest of vegetables come spring.

Throughout the District, we have been working with teachers and schools to plan out winter field trip opportunities. Here is a list of some upcoming events and trips.

• February 3rd is our community winter play day. Please come join us for a day of free snowshoeing and cross country skiing at West Elk Trails.
• Next week kicks off the annual 4th grade Winter Ecology trip where each class will be headed up to Mesa Lakes Lodge for ecology stations led by Kiwanis Club members Chief Chris Jackson and David Blair.
• 1st grade is starting their Animal Everywhere unit next week. We will do a series of lessons with students involving animal furs and skulls and culminating in field trips to snowshoe at Mesa Lakes Lodge on February 28th and 29th.
• Kindergarten is starting their baby animals unit also with a series of animal focused lessons ending in a visit to the Sopris Alpaca Farm and PSS Wildlife Foundation in Silt on February 23rd.
• SBRFC and the GVHS Outdoor club will be visiting the new ice rink from Colorado Extreme to get some team bonding and ice skate time together on January 29th and February 5th. For more information about the new ice rink and hockey program please visit https://www.coloradoextreme.org
• The G-16 Learn to ski club will be visiting Powderhorn Mountain February 19th, 26th and March 4th, lead by sponsors Sarah Kinsey and Jenn Hoyt. a new group of 4th-8th graders will be going up and receiving lessons and getting time on the hill. We're excited to include GVHS students this year to help mentor little skiers. Please reach out to school sponsors for more information. Alternatively, Powderhorn offers the Bob Beverly program for first time skiers 8 years old and up for free. For more information please visit, https://www.powderhorn.com/activities-groups/activities/free-learn-to-ski-ride.html

Parents are welcome and encouraged to participate in their student's field work. Please remember that a background check is required in advance. Please call or email your school's secretary for more information about getting a background check with the District.

We will keep you posted with all the winter excitement next month.

Children in grades 3-6 can buy a $65 Colorado Kids’ Ski Passport pass that provides four days of skiing at each of our four mountains (Aspen, Buttermilk, Aspen Highland, and Snowmass). It also gives four days of skiing at 16 other Colorado resorts, including Sunlight. That’s 20 days in the valley for $3.25 a day! Folks can learn more and buy passes here: https://www.coloradoski.com/passes-and-deals/ski-passport/

On December 19, 2023, the G16 Resource Center invited GVMS English Language Learners and their families on a "Family Cultural Trip." Students and their families were transported to Grand Junction to see the performance of the "Nutcracker" in Grand Junction performed by the Colorado West Performing Arts Company. According to the Colorado West Performing Arts Company, "The origin of the Nutcracker, a classic Christmas Story, is a fairy tale ballet in two acts centered on a family's Christmas Eve celebration. Alexandre Dumas Pere's adaptation of the story by E.T.A. Hoffmann was set to music by Tchaikovsky and originally choreographed by Marius Petipa. It was commissioned by the director of Moscow's Imperial Theatres, Ivan Vsevolozhsky, in 1891, and premiered a week before Christmas 1892. Since premiering in western countries in the 1940s, this ballet has become perhaps the most popular to be performed around Christmas time."

Resource Center "Family Cultural Trips" are funded by the Stronger Connections Grant. The family cultural trips aim to break down the traditional barriers experienced by parents and students who are English language learners by developing activities where school employees, students and families can share in an experience that is unrelated to the typical school-based communications, events, and activities.

Thank you to all of our community members and agencies that supported the Giving Tree by adopting families and donating gifts during the holiday season. Special thank you to Grand River Health and Basalt High School for organizing toy drives and donating to our Resource Center. Thank you to Parachute Branch Library, Clark's Market, Grand Valley Methodist Church, the Town of Parachute, Parachute Police Department, Garfield County Sheriff's Department, Parachute/Battlement Mesa Parks and Recreation District, Roaring Fork's Children's Foundation, and our wonderful community for ensuring our local families had a great holiday.

The Garfield 16 School-Based Family Resource Center was awarded a $25,000.00 grant from the Aspen Community Foundation (ACF) as part of the Giving Network.

According to the Aspen Community Foundation, "The Giving Network is a group of philanthropists committed to making a difference in the lives of children and families in the Aspen to Parachute region. Each year since 2017, contributions are pooled, and strategic opportunities are explored, resulting in multiple awards for organizations making an impact in the region."

In 2023, the Giving Network awarded a total of $576,500 to 14 nonprofit organizations in the region. This year, the Network focused on organizations that prioritize youth voice and two-generation approaches to 'improve the social emotional wellbeing of youth."

According to Garfield 16's School-Based Family Resource Center Coordinator, Claudia Flores Cruz, "We are very grateful for the support the Aspen Community Foundation provides not only to our organization, but to many organizations focused on improving the lives of youth up and down the valley."

FACEBOOK

WEBSITE

Please do not hesitate to reach out to our School Based Family Resource Center for more information.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Claudia Flores Cruz

Center Coordinator

970-285-5262

cflorescruz@garfield16.org

Garfield 16 provides all students with counseling services through the school counselors. School counselors work with students to support their academic growth and success as well as their social and emotional development. School counselors work closely with teachers, principals, and parents to support students experiencing issues that impact their learning. These issues can be, but are not limited to, declining grades, poor work habits, organizational skills, distracting behaviors, school avoidance, anxiety, trauma, and transient personal or family issues, such as the loss of a loved one or change in family dynamic. A school counselor may work with a student on an individual basis or as part of a group. In addition, school counselors work with the administration to assess at-risk students.

At the elementary level, school counselors provide direct instruction to all students in social and emotional growth and wellbeing. Topics include social skills, recognizing emotions, problem-solving, and conflict resolution. For students who may be experiencing difficulty with social skills, regulating behaviors, or school counselors provide individual and group coaching.

At the secondary level, school counselors begin to support students with college and career planning and decision making. School counselors work with students on their Individual Career and Academic Plan (ICAP) requirements. School counselors facilitate college and post-secondary career and workforce exploration. At the high school level, school counselors work with students to ensure they are on pace for graduation.

How to contact your school counselor:

CFL:

• Referral Form
• Call 970-285-5702

BUE:

• Referral Form
• Email Mrs. Sherraden
• Call 970-285-5703

GVMS:

• Parent Referral Form
• Student Referral Form
• Email Mrs. Hoyt
• Call 970-285-5707

GVHS:

• Grades 9 and 11, email Mrs. Largent
• Grades 10 and 12, email Mrs. Paine
• Call 970-285-5705

Please review the attached guidance from Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment regarding when to keep your child at home due to an illness.

Garfield County Public Health and Garfield 16 have teamed up to offer a Vaccine and Immunization Clinic in Parachute! The clinic will be offered on the first Monday of every month, as long as appointments are scheduled. Garfield County Public Health will be stationed at the School-Based Family Resource Center from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm, by appointment only. Please call 970-625-5200 to schedule an appointment, stating that you would like to schedule for the Parachute clinic.

Menus can be found by following this link: https://www.garfield16.org/departments/nutritional-services

Our free breakfast and lunch program is a yearly grant process. Our district has qualified again for a free breakfast and lunch program for SY 2023-2024.

• Breakfast Program: All students can receive breakfast free of charge. It is important that your child arrives at school on time in order to have time to enjoy a meal before a long day of learning!

• Lunch Program: All students can receive lunch free of charge. If your child brings lunch from home, please make sure it does NOT need to be heated in a microwave as there are no microwaves available.

Please do not send soda pop in your child’s school lunch. We ask that you send a healthier choice such as juice, water, or milk.

Parents wishing to eat lunch with their child may do so, please call the school office by 9:00am if you would like to order a hot lunch. The charge for an adult lunch is $4.25 and for a visiting child it is $2.75. Please remember that the school only accepts cash or a check for payment.

Menus for the new schools year will be found on our school district Nutrition Website.

Meal Prices for Visitors:

Student Lunch $2.75

Milk $0.70

Adult Lunch $4.25

Our expectations for riding the school bus were revised.

Elementary students should have brought home a hard copy of these expectations last week. Please review this form, sign it, and return it to your student's school.

Middle school and high school parents, a copy is attached. Please review these updated expectations with your student(s). To confirm receipt and the review of these updated expectations, please fill out this google form.

CFL welcomed two new teachers to their staff this year. Mrs. Weems and Mrs. Volk are both new to our district. Mrs. Weems teaches Kindergarten and Mrs. Volk teaches Music.

We asked our new teachers about their favorite part of their jobs. Mrs. Weems said "I love teaching Kindergarten, everything is fun and magical. We get to incorporate a lot of creativity with everything we do." "I can honestly say that I love every aspect of my job," said Mrs. Volk. "The kids are fantastic, the community is fantastic, everything is great and wonderful."

BUE welcomed eight new teachers to our district this school year. We asked each new teacher about their favorite part of their jobs.

Ms. Mayerlee teaches Second Grade and said, "I love connecting with the students, building relationships, and getting to know the kiddos."

Ms. Fazzi teaches Fourth Grade. When asked about her favorite part of her job, she replied, "I love watching the kids grow, gain confidence and become amazing, confident humans. I like being able to help them make that decision to change their mindset for the better and grow, excel, and thrive."

Mr. Huber teaches Second Grade: "I love being in the front of my classroom, chairing ideas, and seeing my students light up."

Ms. Sigmon teaches Third Grade: "My favorite part of my job is my students."

Ms. Medina teaches Second Grade and said, "I love getting to see the kids grow and laughing with them."

Mr. Spencer teaches Third Grade. His favorite part of his job is "being in the classroom with the kids."

Ms. Morris teaches Fourth Grade. Her favorite part of her job is "Getting the opportunity to help my students learn new things."

Mr. Nelson teaches Fifth Grade. His favorite part of his job is "Watching the kids struggle, then finally the lightbulb goes off in their heads, and you can just see it in their eyes that they got it."

GVMS welcomed four new teachers this school year.

Ms. Rath, a 7th Grade Science Teacher said her favorite part of her job is "getting to know my students and what they like outside of the classroom. It really helps have good solid classroom time together."

Mr. Stanfield, a 7th Grade Social Studies Teacher said "I got into teaching because I like working with kids, especially at the Middle School level. I've been a 7th grade teacher for almost a decade, and the kids are why I keep coming back."

Mrs. Noble, a 6th Grade Mathematic Teacher said her favorite part of her job is "Being able to develop relationships with the kiddos, being able to see them grow and get more confident and have those 'ah-hah' moments when they are learning."

Mr. Withouse, the GVMS Art Teacher said his favorite part of his job is "seeing kids succeed at creating and producing art work and finding new avenues to create, explore, fail, and succeed; it's just really rewarding."

GVHS welcomed two new teachers this school year.

Mr. Rindlisbacher is a Science Teacher. When asked about his favorite part of his job, he replied, "I teach science."

Mrs. Loera Munoz is a Spanish Teacher. "I think that learning a new language, especially Spanish, is an important skill now days," said Mrs. Loera Munoz. "Being able to help students gain that knowledge and making an impact is my favorite part of my job."

Get "The Deets"

Find the G16 online calendars by clicking this link: https://www.garfield16.org/calendar121