

The Coyote Howler
February 3, 2025
New: Principal's Message
Dear CRES Families,
Thank you so much for coming to the Family Dance on Friday -- it was a great turnout for a great cause!
This edition of the Howler has lots of important information, including about upcoming parent/teacher conferences, our presentation to the board of education, new staff members, and more -- thank you for reading!
Shine on,
Deon Davis, Principal
NEW: It's School Counselor Week!
Are we lucky or what -- we've got such an AMAZING counselor! Mrs. Hansen comes pretty darn close to being all things to all people, and I don't know how she gets it all done -- but she does. (That's not quite true -- I know she works most Saturdays and throughout the summer)
Aaaand... She insists that counselor week is not about her, but rather about raising awareness of the services she and other counselors offer. psssshhhh... Let it be about you, Mrs. Hansen!
Aaannd, let it also be about Ms. Landeros, our awesome SEL specialist who is in training to be a counselor and provides so many overalpping services -- thank you, ladies -- we COULD NOT DO IT WITHOUT YOU, and we wouldn't want to!
NEW: Two New Staff Members!
Give a hearty Coyote Ridge welcome to two new Coyotes!
Mrs. Hannah Mogle has been hired as our new Faculty Assistant. She's been on the job for a week, and she's doing GREAT!
Mrs. Tanjee Eubanks has been hired as our new School Health Office Aide. She will start on Monday, Feb. 10th.
Welcome, ladies!
Mrs. Hannah Mogle, Faculty Assistant
Mrs. Tanjee Eubanks, School Health Office Aide
NEW: Global Day of Play at CRES
Wednesday, Feb. 5th is the Global Day of Play. This will be our third year participating. Free play and inquiry are invaluable activities for growing minds, and they are becoming increasingly scarce in our modern, scheduled, and screen-ified world. Teachers will give students opportunities to play with a variety of students and grade levels in supervised but unstructured situations. It's going to be great!
NEW: SAVE the DATES -- Spring Parent/Teacher Conferences
VERY IMPORTANT -- Please read this information about conferences.
NEW: Valentine's Day Party Info
Dear CRES Community,
Valentine's Day is coming up, we will celebrate on Valentine’s Day, Fri., Feb 14th. Parties for all classes will be from 2:15 - 3:00p.
Parents who are volunteering to set up the party (thank you!), please arrive at or after 1:45p.
Teachers will be sending home class lists (first names only) with each student. If your student chooses to participate, please be sure s/he bring one valentine for each student in their class.
Please help us to keep this a fun and friendship-focused elementary-appropriate activity by not emphasizing any romantic angles or gifts for particular "valentines." These types of situations cause stress and anxiety, and this takes away from the fun.
Room Parents, please submit the names of all parent volunteers helping at the party to Jody Roberts (jody.roberts@tsd.org) by Wednesday, February 5th so she can verify registration in the VITAL system and have name tags ready. Thank you!
While students are welcome to attach or provide a piece of candy with their valentines, please remember to have only one sweet treat (cupcakes, etc.) for the class party, with other food offerings being healthier options (cheese/veggie trays, crackers, popcorn, etc.).
Thank you!
NEW: Parent Portal Access Information
Dear Families,
As we continue in the winter season, it’s important that your contact information in the Parent Portal is updated to receive any communications regarding school closures or school delays. Please add emergency contacts to your child’s profile also in case you are unable to pick up your child if school is closed early.
Board of Education Meeting and CRES Presentation HERE on 02/05/25!
We will be sharing about the use of Inquiry as an instructional tool.
NEW: She's a STAR!
Congratulations to "Miss K!" Miss K is an awesome teacher for students who are learning English as a second or third language. She works both here at CRES and at Centennial Elementary School. Miss K has been selected as the Rotary Teacher of the Month! I will have a chance to honor her at the Rotary luncheon on Tuesday, Feb. 4th!
NEW: PTO MEETING
Please join us at 5:45p for the PTO meeting on Monday, Feb. 11th.
If you cant make it in person, login by pasting this into your browser: https://meet.google.com/iss-vork-vcw
NEW: Incoming 6th Grade Parent Night at LEMS!
Future Wildcats and their families are invited to Lucile Erwin Middle School for Incoming 6th Grade Parent Night on Thursday, February 20th, from 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM.
This event is a great opportunity to learn about 6th-grade course registration, meet the teachers, tour the school, and explore programs like IB, Gifted & Talented, and Dual Language Immersion. Families will also get information on focus classes, clubs, athletics, and activities.
We hope to see you there! For more details, visit lems.tsd.org or contact the LEMS front office.
NEW: Elementary Spin and Dance Camp
We had a great response to our Elementary Spin and Dance Camp last year so we are doing it again! This camp will be a short introduction to the unique activity that is colorguard/winterguard. Students will be introduced to dance and flag choreography. This is open to any TSD or local charter students. The camp will be taught by our amazing Director of Guards, Mrs. Katelyn Kellogg, her staff, and some select high school colorguard students.
The camp will be happening March 10th-11th at Lincoln Elementary (thank you Principal Stotter) and March 12th at Loveland HS where the camp students will get to perform as part of our Winter Ensembles showcase. After they perform, they'll get to see the "big kids" doing the same activity which I'm sure will be a highlight for them and their families. This performance will be free of charge, donations to the LHS Bands program accepted but not expected.
Here is a link to the Spin and Dance Camp flyer.
The Dance was a Huge Success -- Thank You!
Reminder: Young Rembrandts Drawing Club
The next session of Young Rembrandts Drawing Club at Coyote Ridge will start Thursday, February 6th. Click on the link below for more information and to sign your student up!
Being a Parent can be Tough -- Here's Some Free Help Expert Help!
NEW: 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.
Research shows that doing something for 18 days or more can form a habit.
From: February 1-28
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 or white family log
Logs must be entered online by Wednesday March 5. If you would like to have your challenge log entered by a staff member, please send it to school by Tuesday, March 4 They will not take late submissions.
Extra student calendars in CRES front office. Link to extra Family logs.
Thank you,
Deb Luithly
PE Teacher
NEW: News from UCHealth
UCHealth’s “Healthy Kid Connection Newsletter
NEW: Can You Spare a Snack?
Please be sure to pack a snack with your student each day.
The front office is running low on snacks for students who didn't bring snacks. Please consider picking up an extra box of (individual bags) of: goldfish crackers, pretzels, granola bars, etc.
We appreciate your donations -- so do the hungry kids!
More Pics!
Reminder: Partners Volunteer Drive
Partners is a non-profit organization with the mission to empower youth and community members to achieve their full potential through mentoring, prevention education, and strategic partnership. This January, for National Mentoring Month, Partners challenges you to Resolve to Make an Impact. Partners offers a variety of ways for you to make tangible positive impacts on local youth through mentoring. Our school works with and our students truly benefit from the mentors from the Partners program -- please consider joining or suggesting it to others in your life.
Become a Mentor-- Partners is currently seeking Community-Based Mentors to get matched with one of the youth currently on our waitlist. We have a great track record of making compatible matches based on interests, goals, location and schedules, plus we offer helpful training and one-on-one support to help volunteers be successful!
Become an Activity Volunteer– Partners hosts monthly activities for youth on our waitlist and we currently need more volunteers to help us reach more youth. You’ll sign up when an activity works with your schedule, transport a kid or two, and engage with the youth at the activity. It’s a lower commitment way to get involved!
Become a Monthly Donor– Partners can only offer our top-quality mentoring programming with financial support from our community. Donations pay for case management and support, regular group activities, mentor trainings, insurance, evaluation–all best practices of mentoring. When you give monthly, you help us build a consistent base of support we can depend on as we add new youth to our services.
Want to learn more from our Staff? Join us for one of the following Mentor Drive Events:
January 23, 2025 – 4:00-6:00pm – Sky Bear Brewing, 272 E 5th St, Loveland–New Mentor Drive
January 24, 2025 – 12:00-1:00pm – Zoom Volunteer Info Session - https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83352117567?pwd=dg7r6zTgRyaTXHud1WSkPN6vUJtLdI.1
January 30, 2025 – 4:00pm-6:00pm – Odell Brewing, 800 E Lincoln Ave, Fort Collins—New Mentor Drive
Learn more about Partners here: https://poweredbypartners.org/
Reminder: CRES Talent Show!
What? Talent Show already? YES!
The annual CRES Talent Show will be February 28,
2025 this school year. Ms. Smeltzer will be sending home the Talent Show permission slip the week of January 21-25, so look for it. In the meantime, be thinking about and practicing for what kind of talent your student would like to do.
Planning ahead….students who are interested in being in the Talent Show will need to try out on either the afternoon of February 6 or 7 after school and must attend the dress rehearsal on February 27 after school, so make sure and add those dates to your calendar. Again, more information will be coming home this week.
Also, please note that this is the last year we will have consecutive years of Talent Shows. Beginning next year, we will begin a new tradition of having a talent show every other year. So, no Talent Show next year.
Reminder: Before School Choir Club starting January 30, 2025.
Ms. Smeltzer will be starting a choir club for 3rd, 4th and 5th grade students beginning January 30, 2025 and going through May 8, 2025. Choir will be Thursday mornings before school beginning at 7:00 a.m. and going to 7:50 a.m. Students will be dismissed in time for them to eat breakfast at school. We will have a choir performance at Coyote Ridge on Thursday, May 8, 2025 at 7:00 p.m. Ms. Smeltzer will send home choir permission slips beginning the 2nd week of January. Please sign and return the permission slip to Ms. Smeltzer before the first rehearsal.
You may access the permission slip here as well
And MORE Pics!
NEW: Free English Course for Adults
Click for more information about the free English course for adults!
Our Spring Group/Class Picture Day is Monday, February 24th
: Huge Success!
Thank you for your continued partnership regarding student attendance! We just received news that our latest chronic absenteeism rate is down to 8%. This is the lowest rate in the school district! Let's keep working together and get it even lower. When you miss school, you miss out!
REMINDER: Help us to Help YOU!
We all know that weather will fluctuate as we work through the fall. Thank you for keeping an eye on the forecast each morning and sending your child with appropriate outerwear for the conditions.
Students can expect to be outside for recess unless it is less than 15*F, or raining steadily. Students have a nice long lunch recess, and they will not have an option to be inside unless we cancel recess for all, due to the weather just described, so please send them with gear.
Also, please, please, please don't make us throw out your student's nice winter gear! If you label every item, we will return lost gear to your child, but if it's not labeled, we can't help it. Trust us, all black bib overall snow pants look the same! Thank you for helping us to help you by labeling your child's jacket, caps, GLOVES, and snow pants.
The CRES Health Office is in need of gently used girls' and boys' pants, sizes youth XS-L. If your family has some to donate, please drop them off in the front office. Thank you!
The TSD IB Continuum
Did you know that Coyote Ridge is part of a larger IB continuum within Thompson School District? Coyote Ridge houses the Primary Years Programme but there is also a Middle Years Programme (6th-8th grades at Lucile Erwin Middle School and 9th-10th grades at Loveland High School) and a Diploma Programme (11th-12th grades at Loveland High School). Take a look at this month’s DP Newsletter to learn more about what is happening at the other end of our continuum in the Diploma Programme! If you have any questions about what any of the IB programmes look like in TSD, please reach out to CRES IB Coordinator, Emily Rau at emily.rau@tsd.org.
Reminder From Our PE Department.
Reminder: Action and Learner Profile Awards
An important goal of an IB education is to see students taking action as they take their learning deeper.
Check out this Action and Learner Profile Award video to see how you can share the action your child is taking at home. Remember, no action is too big or too small!
If you have any questions regarding Action or Learner Profile Awards, please contact your child’s teacher or Emily Rau, our IB coordinator (emily.rau@tsd.org).
"Many hands make light work." Can You Help Out?
Kindergarten Lunch Help Needed!
If you ever wonder what the kindergarten lunchroom experience is like, check out this funny video--it pretty much nails it. Our newest students need lots of help--some of them can't even see over the salad bar! They're awfully cute, and awfully slow, so please come help if you can. You are welcome to stay through all the lunches, but the biggest need is from 10:45 - 11:30a. If you are able to help, even just once, on any day of the week, please call or email our faculty assistant, Myriah Groover ("Mrs. G.") at: myriah.groover@tsd.org. Many thanks to the awesome parents who have been helping out already this year!
Crosswalk Help Needed
Can you help keep our students safe? We have had wonderful community volunteers join our staff members in ensuring crosswalk safety for our students. All it takes is 20 minutes per week, unless you would like to do more.Please view the options in this Crosswalk Monitor Interest Form.
Reminder: PTO and SAC Meeting Schedule for the Year
October 8th: SAC from 5:00 - 5:45; PTO @ 5:45pm
November 12th: SAC from 5:00 - 5:45; PTO @ 5:45pm
January 14th: SAC from 5:00 - 5:45; PTO @ 5:45pm
February 11th: PTO @ 5:45pm
March 11th: PTO @ 5:45pm
April 8th: PTO @ 5:45pm
May 6th: PTO @ 5:45pm
Reminder: Chromebook Insurance
Did you know that we have a new Chromebook insurance option! Details can be found on our Tech 4 All website. Let us know if you needmore information.
Updated: So What's Going On At CRES?
"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. Students are literally out of school more than they are in school. Thank you for reviewing the district calendar and planning trips and outings during non-school times. Thank you!
IMPORTANT REMINDER 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, we made this important change to our safety procedures last year, 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!
Intersection Work @ College and Trilby
The City of Fort Collins is getting started on a project to improve the College and Trilby Intersection, Thank you for planning accordingly.
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 and state the reason for the visit 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.
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.
Action Item: 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.
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.
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.
TSD Early Childhood Program Information
The TSD Early Childhood program is currently accepting applications for 2024-25. Here is the website for information about the program: https://www.thompsonschools.org/preschool. You are also welcome to call the office at 970-613-5052.
Link to EC flyer.
AFTER SCHOOL CARE
We partner with the YMCA of northern Colorado to provide on-site afterschool care.
All of the Information You Need Can be Found in the Archive!
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