

FEBRUARY NEWSLETTER
MIDDLE & HIGH SCHOOL
Your are Invited for a parent Night on March 3rd
🚚🍣🌮 Innovating in the Culinary Classroom! 🍔🎓
We're bringing the excitement of food trucks into the culinary classroom! From fast food to tacos and sushi, students get hands-on experience in a dynamic, real-world setting. It's a fun and engaging way to prepare them for a future full of possibilities in the food industry! 🔥👩🍳
concurrent-enrollmentascent-coordinators] ASCENT at risk of losing funding
Subject: [External] [concurrent-enrollmentascent-coordinators] ASCENT at risk of losing funding
We were informed this week that there may be changes to the ASCENT program due to constraints and significant shortfalls in the Colorado state budget. More specifically, it was communicated that funding for ASCENT may be reduced or eliminated beginning in the fall of 2025. School districts expects to receive final confirmation in April regarding the program’s future.
Given this uncertainty and the state’s budget shortfall, we encourage all ASCENT applicants to explore alternative financial aid and scholarship opportunities.
The state needs to make a final decision regarding funding for the program in April. Please continue with FAFSA submission summaries so that you are ready to go if the program does receive funding or are prepared with an alternate plan for yourself.
There is currently no bill on the floor of the Colorado legislature, however it might be easier to stop any momentum to delete the ASCENT program instead of trying to defeat a bill once it is proposed.
Several students from the Center Community have had the opportunity to attend college with the help of the ASCENT program. If you would like to advocate for continued state funding for the ASCENT program, we encourage you to reach out to our state legislators, Senator (cleave.simpson.senate@coleg.gov), Phone: 303-866-4875, and Representative Matthew Martinez (matthew.martinez.house@coleg.gov) , Phone: 303-866-2916, to express your support.
CONCURRENT ENROLLMENT ASCENT OPTION
From the CDE website regarding ASCENT
ASCENT | CDE - Colorado Department of Education The PWR of ASCENT. Accelerating Students through Concurrent Enrollment (ASCENT) is a fifth-year high school program that allows students to participate in concurrent enrollment the year after 12 th grade, to enroll in postsecondary courses and earn college credit at no tuition cost to them or their families. Additional costs, such as textbooks, fees, and transportation, are not required by the ...
ASCENT AGREETMENT AND REGISTRATION FORM
Dear Viking Families, Our district will be administering the Safe Communities Safe Schools survey beginning on 2/27 to 3rd-12th grade students. Student participation in the SCSS climate survey provides the school with valuable insights into students’ experiences, helping us to create a safer, more supportive, and inclusive learning environment for all. Permission slips will be sent home by the end of this week, but they only need to be signed and returned if you DO NOT want your child to participate. If we do not receive a signed form, your student will be included in the survey. Feel free to contact Abigail at 719-754-2919 if you have any questions or concerns. To view the permission slip and an example of your student's survey click on the link for your student's school and use the test code in the permission slip to access an example of your student's survey. Links to permission slips and example surveys: Thank you for your continued support,
CLIMATE SURVEY CONSENT FORM
Attention Parents:
Students will participate in the Climate Survey on February 27. Please review the consent form and ensure it is completed as needed.
FOLLOW THE LINK
Ms Wrestling Schedule
Baseball Schedule
From Carrie Zimmerman Center Schools Superintendent
February 12, 2025
DearCenter Families,
Center School District is committed to providing a safe, inclusive, and equitable learning environment for all students. Public education is a fundamental right guaranteed to all children in the United States, and we want toensure that every student feels safe, supported, and empowered to succeed. With recent changes at the federal level,we understand that some families may feel uncertainty. We want to reassure you that our district has established guidelines and plans in place to continue operating efficiently and safely.
Students are our top priority, and we are deeply committed to providing every child with a high-quality education in a safe, supportive environment. As we navigate potential changes to immigration policies, we remain dedicated tokeeping families informed and equipping them with relevant resources to support their needs.
We also want to remind families that several policies are in place to protect students. The Family Educational Rightsand Privacy Act (FERPA) safeguards the privacy of student records, limiting access to this information. Additionally, our district has board policies that govern the release of student information, protocols for interviews and interrogations, and visitor access to school buildings.
Center's Visitor Policy:
All school visitors must check in at the front office before accessing any other area of the building. No individual ispermitted to enter without legitimate business or an educational purpose. Federal immigration enforcement activities are not permitted on school grounds without a valid search warrant or exigent circumstances.
Commitment to Safety:
Center School District remains a designated Protected Area, prioritizing the safety and well-being of our students andstaff. We will continue to provide high-quality instruction and support while also ensuring families have access to important resources.
Available Support and Resources:
For families seeking assistance, our dedicated staff members are available to provide guidance and resources:
• Parent Family Liaisons:
o Brisa Macias: (719) 754-2913 I bmacias@center.k12.co.us
o Dalia Molina: (719) 754-2903 I dmolina@center.k12.co.us
• Migrant Education Coordinator:
o Sharon Valadez: (719) 754-2903 I svaladez@center.k12.co.us
• Parents Involved in Center Schools (PICS) Coordinator:
o Lucia Miranda: lmiranda@center.k12.co.us
• School Counselors:
o Jerica Gonzalez: (719) 754-2920
o Stephany Rodriguez: (719) 754-2831
o Katrina Ruggles: (719) 754-2838
o Adele Alfson: (719) 754-2807
Proactive Steps for Families:
1. Review and Update Emergency Contacts
o Ensure your child's emergency contact list is current, including trusted adults authorized to pick them up if parents/guardians are unavailable. These trusted contacts do not need to be family members. Please contact our front office for assistance with updates.
2. Access Community Resources
o Families are encouraged to familiarize themselves with local resources and develop a Family Preparedness Plan.
San Luis Valley Immigrant Resource Center
Website: www.slvirc.org
o Phone: (719) 587-3225
Sincerely,
Carrie Zimmerman
Superintendent
Center Consolidated School District
Concurrent Enrollment Coming Soon
An update to concurrent enrollment (where students receive credit for both high school and college) will be coming soon. Watch for a letter in reference to student registration for fall courses.
Adele Alfson
MS/HS Counselor
550 S. Sylvester Avenue
Center, CO 81125
(719) 754-2232
Please Update your student Information and send it back
The student enrollment Form was sent home with your student on Jan. 30th; please complete the Form and return it to Ms & Hs Office by Feb. 4th
The adams State Promise Scholarship
From Linda Donaldson Ms School Principal
Our new year is off to a fantastic start! As we start this new semester, we’ve noticed an increase in some challenges during hallway transitions—such as maintaining personal space, avoiding pushing, and keeping voices at an appropriate level—as well as in classroom assignment completion. We truly appreciate the partnership of our families and community in reinforcing our clear expectations. These guidelines are in place to ensure a safe, respectful, and highly effective learning environment for all students.
I want to take a moment to express how much our school community means to me. Skoglund Middle School is filled with dedicated parents, passionate educators, and staff who work tirelessly to support our students each day. As principal, my goal is to create meaningful middle school experiences while teaching our students valuable life lessons in respect, responsibility, and success through our Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) program.
When people talk about Skoglund Middle School, we want those conversations to be filled with pride. That starts with each of us—our staff, students, and families—sharing the many positive moments happening in our school every day. We encourage you to celebrate and share the great experiences you or your child have had here.
As we move forward this semester, we encourage students to stay on top of their academic progress by checking their grades regularly and communicating with teachers to address any missing assignments. Academic success is about more than just grades—it’s about growth, effort, and mastering new skills. To support our students, we offer homework help every day after school from 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM and will soon be launching Reading Tutoring during 7th hour to provide additional academic support.
Thank you for being such an essential part of our school community. Your support and engagement make all the difference!
Ms Principle
Linda Donaldson
STUDENT DROP -OFF AND PICK UP AREA
WINTER FEST 2025
PBIS CORNER
Alamosa - Free Health & Wellness Fair
CENTER SCHOOLS POSITIVE BEHAVIORAL INTERVENTIONS & SUPPORT
BREAKING NEWS FROM RIO GRANDE HOSPITAL & CLINICS !
CENTER HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL SCHEDULE
CAREER EXPLORATION PROGRAM
GIRLS
BOYS C TEAM
ICAP
FEEDBACK WORKSHOP PARTICIPATION FORM
The standards for ICAP (otherwise known as rules) will be updated this summer. We have contracted with a facilitator to offer virtual workshops to students, parents/guardians, and educators to gather feedback about ICAP.
You are invited to give your feedback on the Individual Career and Academic Plan (ICAP).
What is ICAP?
The Individual Career and Academic Plan (ICAP) is a tool that helps students make decisions about their education and career choices. An ICAP guides students in:
· exploring their interests
· developing their skills, and
· creating a plan for their future academic and career paths.
Your Feedback Matters:
Tell us how to improve ICAP and what you or your student need to feel ready for their future!
We are hosting virtual workshops where you can provide your feedback.
Workshop Interest Form:
If you are interested in participating, please fill out the following form.
· Two-hour virtual workshops will be scheduled in early to mid-February.
· Due to limited space, not everyone that expresses interest will be invited to participate.
· Our goal is to have a diverse group of students and parents from across the state.
BREAKFAST MENU
LUNCH MENU
PARENTS WAY TO GET INVOLVED
JOIN PICS PARENT GROUP
PICS Parents Involved for Center
Students) is to encourage and promote the participation of parents and families to support the academic and social-emotional actively
development of their children.
PICS CALENDAR
FOCUS ON THE FUTURE
COMMUNICATION PLAN
Center Consolidated School District Communications Plan 2022-2023
Purpose
The Center Consolidated School District’s Communications Plan for the 2022-23 school year will be to ensure that all stakeholders are kept informed of district happenings in a timely manner. This shall include district work focused on our District Action Plan, strategic goals, events, emergency situations, and regular updates. It is the goal of the district to effectively communicate and create an environment of cooperation, collaboration, and a sense of community.
Effective communication involves getting information out to all involved parties along with listening to the staff and the community. These structures will be put in place to ensure an eye towards continuous improvement. This plan will be geared towards families, students, community members, business partners, media, emergency services, and the Board of Education.
Implementation Plan
The Communications Plan contains the strategies and actions that fall under the following categories:
Parent and Community Outreach
Family, school, and community partnering can be defined as the collaboration of families, schools and communities as active partners in improving learner, classroom, school, district and state outcomes.
o Cultivate and strengthen relationships with the Center community to encourage partnership and support of the district.
o Regular communication to the community through newsletters, district website, and district App which includes several social media sites, live news feed, text messaging and voice calls
o Family, School and Community partnering is one of the Essential Components of our MTSS framework- welcome families, communicate effectively, support student success, speak up for every child, share power, collaborate with the community
o Representative family/parent participation on teams and committees- District Accountability Committee, Calendar Committee, PICS, DLT, BLT
o Parent liaisons at both elementary and secondary level to support families and communication efforts.
o Families and school staff engage in regular, two-way, meaningful communication about student learning through email, phone calls, text messages, and letters
All communication efforts are provided in English and Spanish
o Community surveys to provide feedback on school related issues and topics.
o Invite families, community members to school events. Provide resources to support
families in being comfortable with the school system.
Public Relations
“We need to make the positives so loud that the negative becomes almost impossible to hear.” –
George Couros
Keep the public informed about the policies, administrative operations, strategic plans and educational programs of the school.
o Respond it a timely, reliable fashion to media inquiries and requests. Direct inquiries to the Superintendent’s office for proper response. Superintendent will respond to all media requests.
o Regular communication about school district events and successes through local papers, social media, and district website.
o Bi-weekly communication from Superintendent through the online Center of Focus publication
Crisis Management
Follow protocols established in our Emergency Operation Plan- including CCSD crisis team roles and responsibilities
o Annual crisis management and communications training at beginning of year
o Update and post reunification sites and crisis management procedures for staff and
parents
o Consult and include local emergency management officials o Promote the anonymous student reporting system
In an emergency situation when there is a viable threat to the district the following actions will be taken:
Center Dispatch will employ a community emergency message using Reverse 911. This message will notify community members, families, administration, students, and the Board of Education of the situation and appropriate actions to take.
If the LifeSpot App is activated a valid threat has been identified.
Further communication will come through the live feed on the district app which will include messaging on the website, social media, and phone notifications.
Communication Platforms
Utilize CCSD District app to share news, updates, highlights, and other relevant news with the community, families, students and staff.
o Facebook
o Twitter
o Livefeed
o Instagram
o Text messages
o Phone calls, Voice messages
Monthly Newsletters
o Haskin Elementary- Spanish version- https://www.smore.com/72x8p
English version- https://www.smore.com/rg20x
o Skoglund MS/Center HS- Spanish version- https://www.smore.com/nd47a English version- https://www.smore.com/gjkdz
CCSD Employee Communications
Continue to strengthen the content and design of key communication tools for employees
o Regular employee updates to provide timely district and education news.
o Utilize shared leadership process through the District Leadership Team, Building
Leadership Team and Professional Learning Communities
o Hold meetings at school when necessary to disseminate information and seek feedback to
promote transparency and collaboration.
o Utilize the district website to highlight events, successes, and updates on district
happenings.
o Weekly building and district updates and communications via email.
CCSD Board Communications
o The superintendent will provide regular updates to the Board via email. These will be bi- weekly updates at a minimum.
o The superintendent will send a text message to the group notifying the Board when an update is sent through email.
o In emergency situations, when time is of the essence, the superintendent will contact the BOE president who will pass necessary information on to the other BOE members. The
superintendent will send a follow up written communication via email when time allows,
that details the situation and provides all the necessary information.
o Superintendent will be responsible for sharing necessary information with the public.
o Board members are available for community members to contact, share concerns, make
suggestions, and highlight successes. Board members will communicate necessary items to the superintendent.