

The Coyote Howler
February 26, 2024
Principal's Update
Dear CRES Community,
We haven't had much of a winter, but we seem to be heading into spring--maybe that'll jinx us into some snowfall...?
With spring comes parent-teacher conferences, the CRES school dance, CMAS testing, and much more. Thank you for reading and finding the details about all of these, and much more, right here in the Howler!
Note: No school on March 7th or 8th due to conferences.
Deon Davis, Principal
NEW: A New Afterschool Opportunity is Coming to CRES!
We are hoping to begin partnering with Rugged Research Outdoor Education to offer an afterschool nature program this spring. We are still finalizing details, but it will likely be a ~4 week program, beginning in late March or early April. Spaces will be limited, so look for details in a future Howler.
Update: Parent/Teacher Conferences are Coming Soon!
Please view this Parent/Teacher Conference Letter for more information!
NEW: It's That Time Again -- Action needed
Annual Family Check-In (AFC)
Once again it is time for families to review their Annual Family Check-In (AFC) information. It is important to complete this step as we start gearing up for the next school year.
The Annual Family Check-In is required for ALL current students in Thompson School District. Families are required to have a parent or guardian in the student’s current primary household review and sign permission forms and update (if needed) the student’s household information, emergency contacts, and health information.
Annual Family Check-In is located in the Parent Portal Account. For assistance, please contact Portal@TSD.org.
REMINDER: CMAS Schedule
Our 3rd - 5th graders will be taking the CMAS assessments from April 15 - 22. Please prioritize your student's attendance during these days and plan appointments around these dates. Students will take one test in the morning and one in the afternoon. This will allow most students to finish the assessments in one week, rather than two. Thank you!
New: Hurray for CRES Staff!
The following CRES staff members have been nominated for the Thompson Education Foundation (TEF) Educator of the Year Award. Nominations can come from peers, supervisors, and/or the parents. It is not uncommon for CRES to have a staff member nominated, but I can't recall a year when we had so many nominations!
As they say, it's an honor just to be nominated!
Congratulations to:
Mrs. Katy Wynn (4th gr. teacher)
Ms. Kyiana Webb (English Language Development Teacher)
Mrs. Dawn Kringlie (Head Custodian)
Ms. Whitney Gebhart (4th gr. teacher)
Mr. Deon Davis (Principal)
Mrs. Lori Brunet (Secretary)
Class Pictures and Individual Make-ups with be Taken on March 4th.
IMPORTANT UPDATE concerning March 4 Picture Day:
There are two different Lifetouch Picture Day ID codes for ordering:
Class (group) picture: EVTGTS7VG
Individual (Spring) picture: EVTD7QMWM
Some students received one form; some students received the other.
We apologize for any confusion and will be happy to get you the form you need. Please just let the office know (970-679-9400).
The Class Picture Form Looks Like This
The Individual Picture Form Looks Like this
There Was Some Excitement on the Playground on Friday!
TSD Facilities workers were moving some boulders and making some improvements in our drainage area on the playground. This happened during lunch recess and, needless to say, the kids (especially the kinders) were very interested and excited by the work!
New: K-5 Dance and Spin Camp
LOST & FOUND IS GETTING FULL AGAIN -- DON'T MAKE US DONATE YOUR GOOD GEAR!
New: CRES Needs YOU
We will need new PTO officers for the next school year. These positions may include the president, secretary, treasurer, and volunteer coordinator. Please contact Deon Davis (deon.davis@tsd.org) or Caitlin Miskelly (gustafa03@gmail.com) for more information!
THE CRES FAMILY DANCE IS COMING SOON -- SAVE THE DATE!
CRES Early Childhood Is Now Open for Registration!
Are you interested in your child being ready for kindergarten? The Thompson School District's Integrated Early Childhood Program provides quality preschool experiences for three and four year olds at 15 different sites around the Loveland and Berthoud area. If your child will be 3 or 4 years old by October 1, 2024, your child may be eligible to participate in the Thompson School District's Early Childhood Program. We ask all interested families to complete our Preschool Interest Form available on our preschool website. If you have any questions about our program, please call 970-613-5052.
Updated! -- Attendance Success Continues!
Our chronic absenteeism rate for this week is 7.2%.
Last year at this time it was 15%, and the current district average is 25%. This is HUGE! Our CA is less than 1/3 of the district average! Kids can't learn if they're not here--what you are doing really makes a difference--thank you!
Continuing: Schools on the Move Challenge
Schools on the Move Challenge
Healthy Kids 5210 Challenge is a one month program (sponsored by Healthy Kids Club, UC Health) to encourage students, teachers, school staff and families to learn and practice healthy habits.
From: February 1-29
For: Students, Staff, and Families
Why:
Research shows that good nutrition, plenty of sleep, and daily activity leads to better concentration, increased attention, improved memory, better moods, less fatigue and improved brain function.
HEALTHY KIDS LEARN BETTER!
Join the Challenge – practice healthy habits AND GET a FREE T-SHIRT!!
SCHOOL CHALLENGE – Students will fill out the yellow log
FAMILY CHALLENGE – Fill out the blue family log
Logs must be entered online by Tuesday, March 5. If you would like to have your challenge log entered by a staff member, please send it to school by Friday, March 1. They will not take late submissions. Extra calendars in CRES front office.
Thank you,
Deb Luithly
Typing Club @ CRES
Typing is an essential skill for students so they can communicate their ideas in the digital world. Similar to learning math facts, how to read, how to play an instrument or learning a sport, practice is necessary in order to improve keyboarding skills. Students have the opportunity to practice typing at school, but not every day. Practice at home is needed.
Students in 2nd-5th grades should ideally practice typing at least 3 times a week at home, 10-15 minutes each time. Mrs. Opfer has set up TypingClub accounts for students that can be accessed through the CRES Clever page. Please encourage your students to practice at home.
https://clever.com/in/thompson/
Click "Log in with Google"
Enter TSD email address
Enter TSD password
Students can also use their QR code to login through Clever
The most important thing to focus on is using the correct finger for each key. This might be slow at first but using the correct fingers will help students be more accurate and increase their speed once they learn proper technique.
If you have any questions or difficulty getting your student logged into TypingClub at home, email Mrs. Opfer at kim.opfer@tsd.org
Updated: So What's Going On At CRES?
Reminders From the Front Office
Parents, a few reminders:
The Attendance Line is 970-679-9490. Please leave details in your message concerning why your student is out that day, including illness symptoms.
Cutoff time to order Hot (#1) Lunch is 9:30 am. If your student will be late due to an appointment, call the office by 9:25 to notify the cafeteria.
Published by Deon Davis, Proud Principal of Coyote Ridge Elementary, an IB World School
Email: deon.davis@tsd.org
Website: https://www.thompsonschools.org/coyoteridge
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CoyoteRidgeIBWorld
REMINDER: CRES Mobile Phone and Communication Device Procedure
Parents and guardians, thank you for reading this document regarding the CRES Mobile Phone and Communication Device Procedure
IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING SCHOOL SAFETY!
Students and families should only use the crosswalk(s) south of the school parking lot. The crosswalk north of the parking lot will not be supervised, and should not be used.
The backstory:
Parents, this is an important change to our safety procedures for students who walk to and from school. There are three crosswalks near the school on Avondale. One is north of the school parking lot and two (perpendicular to each other) are south of the parking lot.
As our neighborhood has aged and we have been able to accept more choice students, we have fewer walkers than in previous years who use these crosswalks. Student safety is a vital concern and we want to ensure that there is always an adult crossing guard, but we have had an increasingly difficult time finding enough staff and volunteers to serve as crossing guards at the north and south crosswalks each morning and afternoon.
Our solution is simple. We are asking our students and parents to use only the south crosswalks when walking to/from CRES and to NOT use the north crosswalk, which will not be supervised. This presents no real inconvenience to walkers since students and families need to enter and exit the playground area from the south end of the school, near the garden, anyway. This change will also reduce the number of students crossing the driveways into the parking lot -- another hazard to pedestrians.
If you live on the east side of the school and your children will be walking, please instruct them to use the south crosswalks. We will have staff out there at the start of the year to redirect crossers to the south crosswalk. Thank you for helping us to keep all students and families safe!
New Office Protocol
"When You Miss School, You Miss Out!"
The unfortunate reality is that, although we try, there is no way to actually "make up" the learning that is missed when a student is absent, whether that is due to illness, appointments, or other reasons.
Students that miss just two days per month are considered to be chronically absent and at risk for academic and social difficulties.
Students are in school for 170 days per year. This means that there are 195 days each year that they are not in school. Thank you for reviewing the district calendar and planning trips and outings during non-school times. Thank you!
School Safety is Our Priority -- Please Read About Important Updates
Please be aware that we will be asking all visitors to show ID to the camera before being admitted to the building. While this is not an entirely new practice, the biggest difference is that we will require it for all parents, even those that we recognize, so thank you for understanding the necessity of this practice and bringing your ID with you to the door. We continue to welcome our volunteers and awesome parent community in the building, we just need to do everything we reasonably can to ensure controlled access to our school.
Protocols for Birthdays
VOLUNTEERING
We will be sharing more information about volunteering at CRES soon.
Please note: Even if your only volunteer activity is to attend a spring field trip, you must complete this process. Toward the end of the year, they close this window and we'd hate for you to miss the trip because you hadn't signed up in time.
Parents Sometimes Ask What They Can Do To Help Their Child -- See Below!
Have you ever had concerns that your child lacks patience, seems easily distractable, or has difficulty getting along with others? Perhaps s/he struggles with multi-step directions or tends to have very "black and white thinking?" Would you believe that you can help your child develop and grow these important skills in a way that is actually fun for all involved? Well, believe it!
The traits described above may indicate that your child would benefit from practice in developing her/his executive function skills.
"Executive function and self-regulation skills are like an air traffic control system in the brain—they help us manage information, make decisions, and plan ahead. We need these skills at every stage of life, and while no one is born with them, we are all born with the potential to develop them."
A really great way you can help your child build these important skills is by simply playing board games! It could be a family game night or just the two of you, but board games teach important skills, including: taking turns, perseverance, dealing with setbacks and frustration, fair play, communication, and so much more. Importantly, it is much better with actual games rather than computer-based games.
Talk about a win-win situation -- your child develops skills while all of you have a fun time playing games!
If you would like to learn more about executive functioning and how you can help your child develop these important skills that will have a life-long impact on her/him, see this link to Harvard University's website about it.
Pedestrian/Driver Safety
Those new to CRES may not realize that one of our students was tragically struck and killed by a distracted driver several years ago. Please do your part by staying off your phone, keeping your eyes up, driving slowly and responsibly in the kiss and go lane and on Avondale -- even after you drop off your own child -- and by not parking in or blocking the crosswalks. Thank you!
A few years back one of our 5th-grade Exhibition groups selected Safety/Distracted Driving as their topic, and they created this video as part of it. It's only three minutes long. It may save a life. Even if you read nothing else in this update, please watch this.
Erica’s Law
We the students of Coyote Ridge Elementary School
hereby proclaim that any person riding anything with
wheels (besides a car, bus, plane, or train)
must wear a helmet and follow the safety guidelines
of the road
AT ALL TIMES!
This rule will be called Erica’s Law,
in memory of a dear friend we lost.
YOU Can Prevent a Tragedy!
If you are parking in the lot and walking your student around, please use the kiss-and-go crosswalk which is near the office.
Please note that the kiss-and-go crosswalk is not monitored. Therefore adults must walk their child across, in either direction. Please do not drop your child off in the parking lot and send them on their own to cross. There are two lanes of traffic in the kiss-and-go lane and it is very difficult to see children crossing.
Also, please instruct your children to use the crosswalks in Avondale and not run across the street elsewhere.
What is An IB World School?
Coyote Ridge is an International Baccalaureate (IB) School. The Thompson School District (TSD) offers 3 IB programs for students ages 3-19.
The Primary Years Programme* (PYP) for children ages 3-12
The Middle Years Programme* (MYP) for children ages 11-16
The Diploma Programme* (DP) for children ages 16-19
Coyote Ridge implements the Primary Years Programme*, or the PYP.
See graphic below for more information about the IB programmes in TSD.
The aim of all IB World Schools is to create a more peaceful world through education. Students at IB World Schools receive a unique, challenging, and diverse educational experience.
IB learners:
are encouraged to think critically and solve complex problems
drive their own learning
are more culturally aware through the development of a second language
engage with people in an increasingly globalized, rapidly changing world
There are approximately 2,000 public, private, and international PYP schools across the globe. Coyote Ridge is a member of a wider network of IB World Schools around the world, and in our Rocky Mountain region.
Want to learn more? Stay tuned! Each edition of the Howler will include information about the IB program at Coyote Ridge. If you have questions about the program, feel free to contact PYP coordinator Jennifer Bozic at jennifer.bozic@tsd.org.
AFTER SCHOOL CARE
We partner with the YMCA of northern Colorado to provide on-site afterschool care.