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Thank you to Lynn Shore for his service to his "9+" years of service to Garfield County School District 16. Lynn was first appointed to the G16 Board of Education (BOE) on January 14, 2014. He served close to two years in his appointed position. After his first appointment, Shore served two additional four-year terms on G16's BOE. Lynn most recently served as President of G16's BOE. According to Marilyn Mondragon, Executive Assistant to the Board of Education, "Lynn looked at the district as a whole, from policy, finance, and facilities to educational programming. It has been an honor to work with him."

Lynn served on countless committees, panels, and task forces for the district. He played a major role in the last bond initiative, and was committed to the success of every student and staff member. "Although I have only worked with Lynn for a year and a half, I appreciate his dedication to the school district," said G16's Superintendent, Dr. Jennifer Baugh. "He certainly helped guide the district and its Board towards fiscal responsibility to the community, and in his 10 years of service, he brought consistency and stability, particularly in challenging times. He will be missed."

While it is difficult to pinpoint Lynn's biggest success in his many years of service to the district, his fiscal responsibility and direction has made an immeasurable impact. "I think my greatest accomplishment was bringing some financial foresight and stability to the district by creating capital improvement funds and a consistent look at the financial side of district operations," said Lynn. "That's what I came in to do, that's the skill set I offered. I am not an educator; I don't know curriculum. I wanted the district to become and stay financially solvent and plan ahead for things that needed to be improved."

In addition to his service to G16's BOE, Lynn served as the Delegate Representative for the Colorado Association of School Boards and the Representative for the Colorado River BOCES Board of Directors, serving as President for the past two years. "Lynn is a strong leader, who did so with humility," said current BOE President Vincent Tomasulo. "He was a fierce defender of the district, and that included staff equally to our students. He was good about behaving like he was just one of five directors instead of the most important and leader of the five directors. The district is better for having him as the leader while he was there."

Shore's service to the community has gone well beyond the school district. He has also served on the Battlement Mesa Metropolitan District Board of Directors, The Parachute/Battlement Mesa Parks and Recreation District Board, the Grand Valley Fire Protection District Board of Directors, and is part of the Parachute/Battlement Mesa Kiwanis. Lynn is also a renowned photographer and spends much of his time volunteering. He has volunteered his professional photography skills to capture graduations, events, and even senior photos for low-income students.

Garfield County School District 16 would like to express our sincere gratitude for Lynn's service and dedication to our district. Your unwavering commitment to the betterment of our school district has left an indelible mark on the lives of countless students, educators, and families. Your leadership, foresight, and dedication have played a pivotal role in shaping the educational landscape of our community, fostering an environment where students thrive and excel. Your tireless efforts have not only ensured the academic success of our students but have also contributed significantly to the growth and development of the entire district. As you step down from your role, please know that your legacy of excellence will continue to inspire and guide us in the years to come. Thank you for your ten years of selfless service, and we wish you the very best in all your future endeavors.

In the realm of education, the appointment of a new school district board of directors marks a pivotal moment, shaping the trajectory of our educational community. This dedicated team of individuals holds the responsibility of charting the course for academic success, making decisions that impact students, educators, and parents alike. We are delighted to introduce the recently elected school district board of directors, a group committed to advancing the quality of education and fostering a positive learning environment for all.

Three candidates were elected by acclamation for three vacancies on the G16 Board of Education. The three candidates were Keith Gronewoller, Lindsey Latham, and Vincent T. Tomasulo.

Vincent Tomasulo has been appointed as our new President, BOCES Representative, and delegate for the Colorado Association of School Boards. Kimberly Whelan will continue to serve as Vice President and will also serve as an alternate delegate for the Colorado Association of School Boards. Keith Gronewoller has been appointed as Secretary/Treasurer and will also serve as the alternate BOCES Representative. Lindsey Latham and Stacy McGruder will serve as Directors.

We thank these individuals for their hard work and commitment to the betterment of our district. Your contributions are invaluable, and our community is fortunate to have such dedicated individuals steering the course of education.

The District Accountability Committee (DAC) is required for all Colorado school districts. This is a forum for parents and community members to weigh in on important decisions for this District. Topics can range from the school calendar, current and future programs, and financial priorities. While the administration prepares an agenda for topics to review, DAC members are welcome to raise issues and concerns for discussion and exploration.

The DAC meeting for the rest of the 2023-24 school year are:

Monday, January 29, 2024 at 6:30 pm

Thursday, February 29, 2024 at 6:30 pm

Thursday, April 25, 2024 at 6:30 pm

All meetings are held at the administration building.

If you are interested in being a part of the DAC, please sign up here.

Garfield 16's District Accountability Committee will include the School Accountability Committee for the Center for Family Learning, Bea Underwood Elementary School, Grand Valley Middle School, and Grand Valley High School. The format for the meetings will be to review the district-wide agenda items as a group. After that portion of the meeting, the elementary school principals and secondary school principals will meet with parents and community members for their respective School Accountability Committee meetings.

If you are interested in being a part of the SAC, please sign up here.

It is not a secret that parent involvement in the schools and their children's education is critical for student success. One measure of parent involvement in Garfield 16 is the well-attended November conferences where parents could speak with teachers about their children's progress. Parent involvement includes attending school events and concerts and even coming together as families and a community for the Halloween Trunk-or-Treat and Halloween Street at Bea Underwood Elementary School. Parents regularly chaperone field trips, and their help is much appreciated by the staff who need additional eyes and hands to supervise the students. There's so much more that we can do to enrich the lives of our students and provide the support that is needed for the students to flourish academically and as young people.

The Parent Teacher Organization is an important part of creating opportunities and spaces for parents to get involved in the schools. Garfield 16 is looking to reinstitute the Parent Teacher Organization for the District. Members of the PTO help to support the schools by assisting and organizing with school events and activities, fundraising campaigns to benefit the students and the school, messaging important information about the schools through their networks, and providing guidance and feedback to the schools' leadership team.

The Parent Teacher Organization is a 510c3 charitable organization and is independent from the District. PTOs have a leadership structure and control of the funds that they raise. Garfield 16's role is to bring parents together who are interested in having a PTO and assist with clerical tasks.

If you are interested in learning more about the Garfield 16 Parent Teacher Organization, please complete this survey by December 13.

Garfield 16 Parent Teacher Organization Interest Survey

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).

Garfield County School District 16 honored Veterans on November 10, 2023 throughout the district. Assemblies were held to honor Veterans at Grand Valley High School (GVHS) and Bea Underwood Elementary School (BUE). Thank you cards were made by Grand Valley Center for Family Learning students to be given to Veterans at the Grand Valley Recreation Center’s Veterans Day Brunch. Grand Valley Middle School (GVMS) students, along with Veterans from Mesa Vista Assisted Living and the Colorado Veterans Community Living Center in Rifle were transported to GVHS to take part in the assembly.

GVHS Leadership organized its second annual Veterans Day Assembly to honor Veterans in our community. GVHS senior Kaelee Sabata opened the ceremony by singing the National Anthem. The GVHS choir then performed “America the Beautiful.” Keynote speaker, David Spies, delivered a speech sharing part of his experience and selfless service to country. Spies served as a Specialist in the US Army. He was deployed twice, “once as a combat engineer,” said Spies, “and once as a sniper on a Quick Reaction Force team.” Spies continues to serve his community as a teacher at GVMS. “I decided to speak today because I am a volunteer,” Spies commented, “I love and serve my community and my country, and sometimes that means talking about some really tough stuff. I want to make an impact with the time I am given in this life, and I hope my words did just that.”

After the keynote speech, a slideshow with pictures of Veterans in the community awed audience members. The slideshow was created by GVHS Leadership. Senior Chloe Gronewoller then sang “God Bless America” by Irving Berlin. Freshman Sierra Trani read “In Flanders Fields” by John McCrae. All Veterans present at the assembly were able to stand and state their name, rank, and years of service. Junior Craig Cotter then played “Taps” on his trumpet in recognition of all who gave the ultimate sacrifice in honor of our country.

Sam Wardell, GVHS Leadership Sponsor and GVHS English Teacher, served in the U.S. Army as a Calvary Scout and E-4 Specialists from 1992-1996. Wardell commented about the importance of the event “to recognize those who served and also to show kids the power of service and how it’s appreciated in this country.” Wardell also reflected on the importance of the assembly to teach students “that service to country is important, no matter if it’s a teacher or a member of the Armed Forces, it’s important to the strength and pride of our country.”

William Dawe, who served in the U.S. Army from 1967-1969, including a five-month tour in Vietnam, has attended the assembly for two years. When asked for his advice to people thinking about enlisting, he stated: “well, there’s bad and good as in everything else, and if you serve, not only is it rewarding in itself, but you have all kinds of opportunities afforded to you because you did that. I went to school when I got back. I did a bachelor’s degree and then I went out and did a master’s degree, and I did it all on the GI Bill, and working in the summers. Other than that, I probably would have never been able to afford to do it.”

“I think it’s important to honor the people who have served and the people who have passed, and just to recognize Veterans in the community,” said Riley Mooney, GVHS sophomore and Leadership member, “I hope my peers learn to honor our community and think about how to serve the community and give back.”

BUE’s Veterans Day Assembly began with students presenting community Veterans with gifts donated by a BUE family. The fourth and fifth grade choir then led the assembly with the Pledge of Allegiance, followed by singing “The Star Spangled Banner” by John S. Smith and Francis Scott Key, arranged by Paul Jennings. BUE students, members of the public, and community Veterans were then shown the slideshow of community Veterans compiled by GVHS Leadership. The BUE Choir performed “Yankee Doodle Dandy,” words and music by George M. Cohan, arranged by Larry Mayfield. BUE students explained the significance of the “Fallen Soldier’s Table,” which was set up in the front of the room. The BUE Choir then performed “America, the Beautiful” words by Katherine Lee Bates, music by Samuel E. Ward, arranged by Larry Mayfield. BUE students ended the assembly by thanking Veterans, stating, “for the spirit of America, for your service, each one of us is alive and for that, we say,” (all students joined in a resounding) “thank you!”

“We love having the kids learn about Veterans, learn about the flag, and things that people do for our country,” commented BUE Music Teacher Krista Humphrey. BUE has been hosting a Veterans Day Assembly for decades, “my favorite thing is having our students understand the importance of what our military does for our country.”

GVMS choir, band, and ukulele students came together to perform their fall concert on October 11, 2023. Families, community members, and GVMS staff filled the auditorium for a fun-filled performance directed by Mrs. Amanda Jones. The choir consisted of 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students with Lucas M. and Icess S. as Choir Presidencies. The students performed "Bringers of Noise" by Kyle Pederson, "Ah, Poor Bird," a folk song, and "Tongo" by Greg Gilpin.

The Ukulele ensemble was up next. The class strummed along to "Little Einsteins" by Billy Straus, "Monster Mash" by Bobby Pickett, and "Ghostbusters" by Ray Parker Jr.

The 6th grade band then took the stage. Their set list included "Hot Cross Buns" (an English folk song), "Au Clair de Lune" (a French folk song), "Down by the Station (a traditional band song), and "Merrily We Roll Along" (a traditional folk song).

The 7th and 8th grade band, led by band captains Aeowyn C. and Morgan H. as well as section leaders Vivan A., Jacobed E., Tanner H., Briana L., Madison M., and Joseph R. captivated the audience with three songs. First up was an English folk song, "Shepherd's Hey," followed by "Don't Stop Believin' " by Journey and "Dynamite" by Taio Cruz.

Thank you to Jacob Schuelke for assisting in all of GVMS' musical endeavors, Jazz Aspen for donating instruments and music, GVMS administration for their support, Abbey Beaton, and the GVMS janitorial Staff!

GVHS jazz band, choir, and marching band performed their fall concert on October 12, 2023, directed by Ms. Abbey Beaton. The jazz band took the stage first. They performed "Porto Alegre" and "Time Will Tell" by Ryan Fraley and "Children of Sanchez" by Chuck Mangione, arraigned by Victor Lopez. The jazz band's performance captivated the audience with soulful melodies, syncopated rhythms, and the infectious energy that defines the essence of jazz.

GVHS choir then took the stage to perform "Zum Gali Gali," an Israeli Folk Song arranged by Dan Schwartz, "Frobisher Bay" by James Gordon, and "Lineage" by Andrea Ramsey. The choir is composed of many talented students, including Colorado Choral Director's Honor Choir participants Choe Gronewoller and Alia Williams. Ms. Kim Whelan performed alongside the choir, playing the piano and cajon. The high school choir's performance resonated with unparalleled harmony.

GVHS marching band then marched into the auditorium in full uniform with instruments resounding. The marching band performed "New World Symphony" by Antonin Dvorak, arranged by Michael Sweeney, "Clair de Lune" by Claude Debussy, arranged by Jay Dawson, and "Night on Bald Mountain" by Modeste Mussorgsky, arranged by Jay Bocook. The marching band's performance was dynamic, with precision in every step and a vibrant blend of instruments

CFL kindergarten and first grade students performed their fall concert on October 19, 2023. Students came dressed as farm animals or farmers. The auditorium was filled with families and community members. Standing room was even scarce. The students performed the "Now I know my ABC's" program created by Aileen Miracle. Songs included American folk chants "I Went Up the Apple Tree" and "Naughty Kitty Cat." In addition to American folk songs "1, 2, 3, 4, 5 (Once I Caught a Fish Alive), "One Green Jelly Bean," "Peanut Butter and Jelly," "Rain Rain Go Away," and "Apple Tree," students also performed "One Green Jelly Bean" by Lee and Sandy Paley. During the "Apple Tree" performance, students played percussion instruments. The finale was traditional "Alphabet Song." The CFL fall music program was an adorable showcase of young talents, as the little musicians joyfully sang and played simple instruments, spreading smiles and warmth throughout the audience.

On November 10th and 11th, community members enjoyed an uproariously funny GVHS TheaterCo. production of "13 Ways to Screw Up Your College Interview."* Before the main show, GVHS theater students performed a quick, interactive improv. The quick, interactive improv session was a whirlwind of laughter and creativity, as the performers seamlessly fed off each other's energy, delivering spontaneous and hilarious moments that kept the audience engaged and amused.

The main show kept audience members entertained and roaring with laughter. Students flawlessly delivered their lines, kept straight faces, and performed the witty dialogue with clever comedic timing. The cast had the audience in stitches from start to finish.

When asked about her favorite part of her theater performance process, Ms. Beaton explained, "I like watching how my students grow and develop before the night of the show. First rehearsal, of course, they really don't know what's going on. By the show, they're having so much fun with their characters and really taking it away. The students did great, I'm really happy with how they performed and it's fun to see so much enthusiasm for the theater program."

"Thanks to the GVHS administration, teachers that helped support, parents that got their kids to rehearsals and back (sometimes odd hours), our secretaries for helping get it all in order," said Beaton. Special thanks to playscripts, Kelly McCormick, Jason Arthur, Mark Gregory, Molly Mendoza, and GVHS staff and faculty.

*Book by Ian McWethy, produced by special arrangement with Playscripts, Inc. (www.playscripts.com)

GVMS Theater will host "School House Rock Live Jr" December 1, 2023. Doors open at 6:30 pm, show begins at 7:00 pm.*

CFL will host its Winter Concert December 6, 2023.

• Preschool: 5:00 pm.
• Kindergarten: 6:00 pm.
• 1st Grade: 7:00 PM.

GVHS will host its Winter Concert December 7, 2023 at 7:00 pm.

BUE will host its Winter Concerts December 12, 2023 and December 14, 2023.

• December 12, 2023:
• 4th grade and Drake's Class: 6:00 pm.
• 5th grade: 7:00 pm.
• December 14, 2023
• 2nd grade: 6:00 pm
• 3rd grade and Scilla's class: 7:00 pm.

GVMS will host its Winter Concert December 13, 2023 at 6:30 pm.

Concerts are open to the public, free to enter, and we love seeing our community support our youth musicians!

*Originally Adapted and Produced for the Stage by Theatre BAM. From the Series Created by George Newall and Tom Yohe. Based on an Idea by David McCall. Originally Conceived and Directed by Scott Ferguson. Book by Scott Ferguson, Kyle Hall and George Keating. Music and Lyrics by Lynn Ahrens, Bob Dorough, David Frishberg, Kathy Mandry, George Newall and Tom Yohe. Schoolhouse Rock Live! JR. is presented through special arrangement with and all authorized materials are supplied by Music Theatre International, New York, NY (212) 541-4684 mtishows.com

A huge thank you to all who helped make Trunk or Treat and Trick or Treat Street a success! Special thanks to the faculty and staff at BUE who hosted the event and the admin staff with decorating the Trick or Treat Street. We had staff across the district lend a hand, and they are appreciated.

Over the course of two hours, we were crowded and had a steady flow of kids and their families. We served over 600 hotdogs (donated by Alpine Bank). A LOT of candy was handed out. The Fire District kept the fire pits going.

It is always nice to see the community come together with smiles.

The Grand Valley Fire Protection District visited CFL and BUE last month to teach students important lessons. According to Robert Tipping GVFPD Shift Captain, "we do a fire safety presentation regarding home safety and dialing 911. We then bring our bunker gear and we let the kids see what we look like coming into the house, so they are not afraid of us if we ever have to come into their homes." After the lesson and gear demonstration, students got the opportunity to enjoy the "Fire Safety Bounce House." According to Tipping, "we let them do a fun thing with going into the fire prevention house, which shows representations of possible fire dangers within your house." Students were also showered with gifts including pencils, coloring books, book marks, and hats.

Thank you to the Grand Valley Fire Protection District for teaching our students these valuable lessons!

CFL hosted its annual feast on November 17, 2023. CFL has been hosting this event for about 20 years. According to CFL Principal Kim Frees, "I think it's so important that we host this event, because it brings the community together." CFL prioritizes family engagement and events such as this communicate that "we are a partnership with our parents as well as our community members, and it gives us some time to celebrate and be thankful for all the things that we are blessed to have in our lives."

GVHS junior Craig Cotter is the fastest junior cross country runner the school has ever seen. This year, he broke the school’s record as fastest junior cross country runner twice, once beating his own record. At the 2A Region 4 Regional Cross Country Championship at Boggy Draw Trails, Craig placed second with a time of 18:57. Craig then set off for the 2A Colorado State Championships at the Norris Penrose Event Center in in Colorado Springs. After a warm send-off from the GVHS student body, Parachute Police Department and the Grand Valley Fire Protection District escorted Craig out of town with sirens blaring.

At the 2A Colorado State Championships, Craig placed 32nd out of 136 individuals with a time of 17:40.1. According to GVHS Cross Country Coach Lance, “Craig had a good race, he trained hard. He’s a dedicated athlete and dedicated scholar. I love coaching him.”

In addition to the previous mentioned records, last spring, Craig became the fastest sophomore two-mile runner at GVHS. “I expect Craig to become the fastest miler ever at GVHS,” stated Coach Lance. “He is running very well. Craig trained hard, as he studies hard, giving him great results both in class and in cross country. It is a pleasure to be able to coach someone who is dedicated. Results always follow hard work in everything.”

Craig and Coach Docken would love more teammates. Please consider joining the GVHS cross country team next year. The top four runners from each team are scored. Craig would love to compete in the team events. Three additional medium-strength runners would bring the team to state.

The Grand Valley High School volleyball team headed to the 2A Regional Volleyball Tournament for the first time since 2016. The team was seeded 7th in the 2A/1A Western Slope League. GVHS will faced the top seeded team, Wiggins, on Saturday, November 4, 2023 at Wiggins High School. Directly after the GVHS vs Wiggins matches, GVHS took on on Denver Christian. Our GVHS Lady Cards fought hard in the regional tournament, but ended up losing to Wiggins and Denver Christian.

“The Cardinals leave it all out on the court fighting with grit, heart, and determination,” said Coach Medina, “their never-give-up attitudes have helped them get to the postseason for the first time since 2016. This team is a coach's dream team!”

“Grand Valley High School Cardinals can do it all” said Medina, “they play as a team and have several weapons. Here are a few of the weapons for GVHS cardinal volleyball. Senior team captain and setter Kaylae Medina (222 assists) (20 aces) (279 digs), senior outside hitter Jaycee Pittman (133 kills) (42 aces) (295 digs), senior utility player Chloe Williams (31 kills) (87 digs), senior middle hitter Chloe Gronewoller (109 blocks) (104 kills), junior liberos Rylyn Jacobs (161 digs) and Jocelyn Barragan (324 digs), junior middle hitter Avery Scott (18 blocks) (25 kills), sophomore Tallin McCormick (33 aces) (106 kills) (196 digs), and sophomore Taylor Pittman (23 kills) (100 digs).”*

Senior Jaycee Pittman led the team in kills per set, hitting percentage, serving aces, aces per set, and kills. She is also ranked second on the team for total blocks, digs per set, digs, and receptions. Senior Chloe Gronewoller led the team in total blocks and was third on the team for kills per set, hitting percentage and kills. Junior Jocelyn Barragan led the team in digs per set, digs, and receptions. Senior Kaylae Medina led the team in assists and was ranked third for serving aces, aces per set, digs per set, and digs. Sophomore Tallin McCormick was ranked second on the team for kills per set, hitting percentage, serving aces, aces per set, and kills. McCormick was ranked third for receptions. Junior Avery Scott was ranked third on the team for total blocks. Junior Rylyn Jacobs ranked second on the team for assists, followed by sophomore Taylor Pittman.

*Stats include league play only.

The GVHS Marching Band placed second at the Colorado West Marching Band Competition, with a final score of 45.8. The band then traveled to the Western Regionals competition, placing fourth overall with a score of 49.25. "This was an improvement over last year's scores and the band's first year performing at the regionals competition," said GVHS Band Director Abbey Beaton. "The band's music stats were the most impressive, second in their division at the regionals competition. The dedication and effort the band put into this show has been rewarding."

By Chloe Williams

Our Cardinal Football team went 2-7 overall , and 0-6 in a tough league. Starting off strong with a dominating win over Ellicott, 52-26, the Cardinals would face some hard games ahead, such as Rifle, North Fork and Moffat County. Junior, Mason Schoeppner led the team in receiving and rushing yards. On the defensive side, juniors Gabe Mendoza and Mason Schoeppner and sophomore Sione Clegg stood out, making it hard for other teams to score. Coach James Miller stated: “we were a very young team with only two seniors (Phillip Hoyt and Braden Allen) playing in a monster division.” Five teams in our division ranked in the top 15 in their classifications. Rifle and Moffat County made it to the semifinals for 2A. Next year, the Cardinal football program will move to the 1A division. “Next year is going to be a fun time to be a Cardinal," said Coach Miller, "both on the field and in the stands”.

By Chloe Williams

The GVHS Boys Soccer program has been reinstated! After about six years, the Boys Soccer team return to the field in the fall of 2023. GVHS soccer players were very excited for the reinstatement of the program and came into the season eager to learn and grow. Since it was their first year, they had to play an all JV schedule. Junior Connor McClees stated, “We had only one or two people who have ever played soccer, so next year they will have a better grasp on the position they play. Overall this season went pretty well, but like I said there is room for improvement.” According to Assistant Coach Artemio Baltazar, "this year was a building season. We learned a lot, and I am excited to see how the program develops next year and beyond."

By Chloe Williams

Our Cardinal Cheer team is heading into the most exciting part of the season. With regionals, competition, and state coming fast as ever. They had a great fall season cheering on the football team in tough battles, performing at the homecoming assembly, and bringing overall spirit into our community. Head Coach Haley Bordelon stated, “this fall cheer season has brought a lot of spirit and leadership to Grand Valley. This team brought more athleticism, spirit, and overall readiness to the Grand Valley Cheer team.” As a school, we are excited to see them perform and bring their best. Come out and support them as they travel to regionals in Grand Junction and state in Denver.

The GVMS football team "had one of its better seasons in many years," according to Head Coach Bryan Vashus. "The 8th grade team finished 3-3, with two loses only by one score. The 7th graders battled tough for being undersized and inexperienced." The 7th grade team finished with a record of 0-5-1. According to Coach Vashus, "all of the boys worked hard and definitely learned a lot about football and being a student athlete."

The GVMS volleyball team improved throughout the year and gained valuable skills for their athletic future. The 8th grade A-Team had two wins this season. The 8th grade B-Team had one win during the season and one win at the B-Team tournament. According to GVMS 8th grade Head Volleyball Coach, Cheyene Laidlaw, "GVMS 8th grade Volleyball season was great! The girls improved leaps and bounds on their skills and teamwork. We had a couple of girls who couldn't serve a ball over the net, and by the end were getting several over in a row. We played a lot of great teams. Overall this team was a coaches dream, they were so much fun and had great attitudes."

The 7th grade team made huge strides as well and continued to improve every game. "This season was awesome," said GVMS 7th grade Head Volleyball Coach Patricia Willer. "This was the first season that we had club girls play with us. What sticks out to me is that the girls worked hard all season and improved greatly. Most of them could serve overhand by the end! I was most struck by their kindness towards each other as they worked through the challenges of improving at a sport."

Thank you to Danny Medina and Gordon Hoyt for volunteering to be our GVHS football radio announcers on KSUN radio! We appreciate your time, dedication, and knowledge of the game. Without you, we wouldn't be able to broadcast our GVHS football games to our community.

We are looking for announcers for girls and boys basketball. Please call Sean at 970-285-2246 if interested.

The Garfield 16 Outdoor Education program helped organize and sponsor the first annual Buck Fever Fun Run. The hunting themed 5K took place on October 21, 2021. Participants came and registered, received a hunter's orange t-shirt and a gift bag from Holy Cross Energy. The 5K route took participants around the recreation center, to Battlement Parkway, around the Community Park, and back to the starting place of the Grand Valley Recreation Center. The contestants varied from children to senior citizens, and it was a great turnout for the first event. Antlers were given to the fastest youth, adults, and senior citizens in the male and female categories. Funds raised by the event are being used to support outdoor programming in Garfield 16 schools. Thank you to the Grand Valley Recreation Center, Alpine Bank, Holy Cross Energy, Metcalf Excavation, the Funky Bear Restaurant, Foot Support, and our amazing participants!

CFL preschool classes experienced a "Turkey Talk" program this week. G16's Outdoor Education Coordinator Ari Philipson and volunteer LeRoy Gutierrez visited preschool classrooms to speak to kids about turkeys. Philipson and Gutierrez let the students hear their best turkey calls and talked to students about colors and patterns of turkeys. Students were able to feel real turkey feathers, use different turkey calls, and demonstrate their best turkey camouflage.

BUE 2nd and 4th graders learned from special guests brought into their classroom this week. Nature's Educators, a non-profit organization, visited BUE with a chaco golden-kneed tarantula, the Colorado state amphibian- a tiger salamander, a ball python, a black dwarf rabbit, and an owl. Nature's Educators has a mission "to inspire individuals to understand, respect, and conserve wildlife through educational programming and experiences." BUE 2nd graders have been studying life cycles while 4th graders were studying animal adaptations. The lessons provided by Nature's Educators fit in well with the lessons the BUE students were learning. The students got to see their lessons come to life.

GVMS 5th grade students participated in team building days at the Grand Valley Challenge Course. Students learned valuable lessons in teamwork, trust, and personal growth. Conquering the high ropes challenges demanded courage and resilience as individuals navigated suspended obstacles high above the ground. The low ropes elements emphasized collaboration and effective communication to overcome obstacles closer to the ground.

GVMS 6th graders visited the Eureka Science museum in Grand Junction this month. According to their website, "EUREKA! McConnell Science Museum is a non-profit organization that was founded by John McConnell," the museum's mission "is to inspire a passion and respect for STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and math) in our communities." The Eureka Science Museum not only provided a platform for academic enrichment but also fostered a spirit of inquiry and exploration among the students, leaving a lasting impression that extended well beyond the classroom.

The School-Based Family Resource Center has begun it's annual December Holiday Food Drive. Donations will be accepted again after fall break. Please drop off your donations starting November 27 through December 13, 2023. Items donated will be used for December Holiday Food Baskets distributed to families in need. Please drop off unexpired items at the School-Based Family Resource Center (251 N. Parachute Ave., Parachute, CO 81635) Monday through Friday 8:00 am to 4:00 pm. Here is a list of the most needed items:

• Boxed stuffing mix (like Stovetop)
• Instant mashed potatoes in boxes or packets
• Jars of turkey gravy or dried gravy mix packets
• Dry macaroni
• Frozen Turkey or Ham
• Canned cranberry sauce
• Canned veggies
• Cornbread mix
• Canned pumpkin or fruit pie filling
• Pie crust mix
• Salt and pepper

Grand Valley Givers has placed giving trees at the Parachute Branch Library and Clark's Market. Another giving tree will be hosted at the Craft Fair at GVHS on Saturday, November 18, 2023.

Select a tag with information of a student or family in need. All the necessary information is included on the tag. All gifts and their tags should be returned to the Resource Center 251 N. Parachute Ave., Parachute, CO 81635 by December 5th.

The Grand Valley Givers hope that these gifts will help make your holiday season brighter for families in need of assistance. We would like to thank Clark's Market, Parachute Branch Library, Grand Valley Recreation Center, and our community for making this program possible.

Mrs. Strong's 2nd grade class hosted its 2nd annual socks and cereal drive at BUE. According to Mrs. Strong, "we were inspired by Kid President’s 'Sock-tober' sock drive. Last year, the family resource center let us know that local families were in need of cereal. We decided to combine it and do a socks and cereal drive. We are proud to help support local families. Thank you to all our friends who donated!"

Due to the efforts of Mrs. Strong's 2nd grade class, they were able to collected 18 boxes of cereal and 84 pairs of socks for local families in need.

Thank you to Mrs. Strong, Mrs. Strong's 2nd grade class, and our wonderful community members who were able to donate!

The annual Trunk R Treat event was a success! The Resource Center had a Jurassic Park themed trunk. We handed out about seven bags of candy and about 400 glow sticks. Thank you to the Grand Valley Recreation Center for organizing, BUE for hosting, and our GVHS sophomore and junior class volunteers for handing out treats to our community.

GVHS students Lucas Cotta and Gabriel Mendoza took the Resource Center team on a tour of their tiny home construction project. Resource Center staff were able to see the blueprints and the framing of the project.

Junior Lucas Cotto explained that their class, with about eight students, continued the build from the progress that last year's class made. Eventually, the tiny home will be ready for plumbing and electrical. Professional tradesmen will be brought in to show students the basics. "They are going to do it, because we are not licensed," explained Cotto, "but they are going to show us."

Junior Gabriel Mendoza explained that the finished product "will have a fridge, a sink, a microwave, a bed, and a bathroom." Once completed, the tiny home will be auctioned to raise money for the proceeding class.

"I got into this class, because I want to be an architect," explained Cotto. "I want to study blueprints and measurements, so that's why I joined. I did woodshop last year, and I immediately loved it." Mendoza shares a similar sentiment, "I joined this class because I do construction over the summer quite a bit, and I wanted to continue to build that life skill." In addition to valuable skills, students will also earn their OSHA certifications.

The tiny home project is sponsored by the Colorado River BOCES EPIC program. The EPIC (Educational Pathways to Innovative Careers) program's mission is "to support our workforce needs by providing job ready skills to high school students and adults. Ensuring a labor force that meets the demands of the 21st Century workplace for our foreseeable future is the overall objective. We are here to help generations break away from the cycle of low-paying hourly jobs, and towards prosperity."

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

Student immunizations need to be updated/current by the end of 2023. Please review the following document: 2023 Recommended Immunizations for Children from Birth Through 6 Years Old. This document was prepared by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Academy of Pediatrics.

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

The G16 Transportation Department pushed into elementary schools to teach students about school bus safety. Students were taught about blind spots around the school bus, referred to as "danger zones." Bus driver Donna Nichols headed the initiative. According to Mrs. Nichols, "we taught the kids where the 'danger zone' is and how you really have to stay away from the bus, and for obvious safety reasons. The danger zone is actually 10 feet around the bus, all the way around. We showed the kids how to mark out 10 feet, we had those green cones all the way around the bus so they knew how far it really was."

Elementary students not only got to measure the 10 feet danger zone and see the measurement in real time around the bus, but selected volunteers also got the opportunity to sit in the driver's seat. "Inside the bus, we took a couple volunteers and had them sit in the driver's seat and then they would look outside to see if they could see the lizard characters anywhere around the bus," explained Mrs. Nichols. "I put them in all different places around the bus, in front of the bus, behind it, the sides, and asked the 'driver' then if they could see the lizards and most of the time, they could not see them."

After the lesson, Mrs. Nichols gave students a page to color for a coloring contest. In addition to coloring, students were instructed to draw the danger zone outside of the bus. A winner was selected from each grade (kindergarten through 5th). Each winner received a t-shirt and two students were selected for honorable mentions. Students who received the honorable mention award received a school bus piggy bank with valuable coins inside.

"It was really cool to see the kids realize how far away they are supposed to be. When they get off the bus, three giant steps is what they're supposed to go out before they start around the bus," said Mrs. Nichols. "It's very important. We are starting with the basics. They need to know that danger zone, they need to know that the driver has blind spots everywhere, and just that realization is a big deal. They did good."

Thank you to Mrs. Nichols for her efforts, Steve Gardner for his support, and CFL and BUE students and staff for their participation.

Get "The Deets"

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