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What's Up at Washington Square
October 3, 2023
A Focus on Public Service
Firefighters, Emergency Responders, and Police Agencies commit to putting service to others first in their careers. We would like to thank them and highlight how we are preparing a new generation of public service leaders!
9/11 Memorial Stair Climb
A proud tradition of supporting the 9/11 event and all first responders. Public service programs participating included: EMT, Firefighting, Law Enforcement, and Crime Scene Investigation (CSI).
This year, the students from the Washington Square Public Safety team, led by the team's captain, Tom Lombardo, ventured to Red Rocks Amphitheatre for the annual 9/11 Stair Climb. Our students raised just under $9,000 for the Fallen Firefighters Association, capturing first place in both the fundraising category, as well as having the most registered climbers at 124. Students had attended a ceremony covering the events that took place in 2001 on that day, and commemorated the event by being issued a T-shirt and a badge containing the name and picture of an FDNY fallen firefighter.
The Washington Square EMT program has partnered with the Denver Health Paramedic Division, the City of Thornton, and Stadium Medical to bring only the best in emergency medicine education to our students. The students have an opportunity to earn their National Registry of Emergency Medical Technician certification, their State of Colorado EMT license, and Basic Life Support certification. Students who attend Metro State University (MSU) can also benefit by using their certification toward 12 college credits toward certain degrees offered at MSU.
The Washington Square EMT program certified 30 EMTs alone just last year, and a good number of those employees are hired by our own partners.
New to the Public Service Teams
Two new teachers have joined the public service side of our building
Law Enforcement- Mr. Jason Schlenker
Jason Schlenker is joining the Law Enforcement Program this year. He served on the Thornton Police Department for 18 years, and brings a wealth of experience and leadership the the position. Mr. Schlenker started off patrolling the streets of Thornton, but also served as a detective in major crimes, a sergeant and as a special unit supervisor, a SWAT team operator, a team leader, and an executive officer. He also served as the firearm, critical incident, and community policing instructor for the police department. Mr. Schlenker is glad to be here and is looking forward to passing along the knowledge and experience he gained on the force to the Law Enforcement Program students at Washington Square.
When Mr. Schlenker is not at school, he is busy at home with his three children and taking care of his property. With horses, goats, dogs, rodeos and fairs, there is a lot of chaos but always something to do.
Crime Scene Investigation- Mrs. Katie Robinson
Katie Robinson is the new Crime Scene Investigation instructor here at Washington Square.
Previously Mrs. Robinson taught Science at Legacy High School in the Adams 12 district, online at Colorado Connections Academy, and at Northridge High School in Weld County. Before entering the teaching field, Mrs. Robinson was a Forensic Chemist on the east coast working for the New York City Police Department, Anne Arundel County Police, and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation. Her primary work included identifying unknown substances for the possible presence of controlled substances, along with the discovery of controlled substances in some extremely interesting objects/situations.
Mrs. Robinson has loved the shift from government work to education, and is thrilled to be in our building where the two can overlap and she can share her passion for Crime Scene Investigation. She is excited to help students explore their possible interest in Law Enforcement and Crime Scene work at the high school level.
Outside of Washington Square, Mrs. Robinson enjoys spending time with her family as they travel around the United States in their travel trailer; camping, hiking, biking, and observing wildlife. When home, Mrs. Robinson loves to watch Netflix documentaries, as well as catch up on the Marvel series with her son. Her two children keep her very busy with football, basketball, and dance, and she is in full swing as a glorified chauffeur when not in the building.
October 5
Parent-Teacher Conferences - 4:00 - 7:00 p.m.
October 6
NO SCHOOL - Staff Workday
October 11
Career & College Day (@ Bollman campus)
October 13
End of 1st Quarter
October 16-20
NO SCHOOL- Fall Break
November 9
ACEC 8th Grade Career Expo- NO CLASSES @ Washington Square
Student Highlight
Crime Scene Investigation Student
Caslyn Srb is a Senior at Thornton High School.
Starting as a student who just wanted to find a way to get a science credit, Caslyn decided to enroll the CSI program, which put her on the path to FutureForward at Washington Square. She admittedly thinks she was not headed in the right direction, but found her path and people who push her to be her best at Washington Square. Mrs. Schlenker has been that teacher for Caslyn; she has given her support but is also there to light the fire behind her when needed. Mrs. Schlenker joked, “because I’ve been arguing with her the past year-and-a-half”, when asked why she nominated Caslyn. Mrs. Schlenker said the true reason is because of Caslyn's growth during the past yea- and-a-half.
"I have watched her mature and grow into a leader not only in CSI, but in EMT," Mrs. Schlenker said. "She has learned to communicate with other people and has grown in many ways. She has the ability to take on many different tasks and different disciplines in Crime Scene Investigation, and is willing to offer her opinion in a very mature way, which is very beneficial as it helps the class move in new and exciting directions."
Caslyn now spends most of her time during the day away from her home school as a member of the year 2 CSI program, as well as part of the EMT program, where she can take the National Registry Test for EMTs and be able to work on an ambulance right out of high school. She also has taken English 11, and is currently enrolled in English 12 on our campus.
“I don’t know if I want to investigate crime scenes and solve the problem after it happens, but would want to stop it before. But, I have the opportunity to earn credit and be ready to work after I graduate and I feel like it's almost just being handed to me,” Caslyn said.
Program Look Ahead
What's happening in October in each program
Career & College Day
October 11, 2023
FutureForward will be hosting the 10th annual Career and College Day at our Bollman campus this year! We have many vendors representing different potential careers and colleges for our students. Students can share resumes and engage in conversations with different vendors.
As a reminder to students and parents, all Washington Square students should attend the event by taking the bus to Bollman at their normal scheduled class time. Check the Bollman bus schedule for time details. The 9/10 block students will attend during 6/7 block, and will be on a field trip during that time. Please meet with your teacher at the event, as attendance will still be taken.
Upcoming Reminders
Snow day changes
If at any point this year the district determines that due to inclement weather, it will operate on a one-hour delayed start, FutureForward at Washington Square will have school, and will operate on a one-hour delayed schedule.
Buses will also be on a delayed bus schedule; please check the bus schedule link for more detail.
Parent-Teacher Conferences Reminders
Parent-teacher conferences will be held at Washington Square from 4:00- 7:00 p.m. on October 5th.
Students will also have separate parent-teacher conferences at their home schools. Please check your home school for specific dates.
Park in the main parking area and enter through the main entrance. Conferences will be held in the teacher’s classroom.
If you or your child is a part of the Welding or Diesel programs with Mr. Adkins or Mr. Kinnamon, the teachers will be in class for our 9/10 block and will not be available until 5:30 p.m.
We invite you to come check out our school, learn more about our programs, and get a chance to discuss your child’s progress. We look forward to seeing you there.