Dear Families,

Happy Fall! I wanted to take time this newsletter to talk about school safety, which I know is on everyone's minds with recent events. In Cherry Creek Schools, we have adopted the Standard Response Protocol (SRP) from the I Love You Guys Foundation, which was founded by Ellen and John-Michael Keyes after they lost their daughter at Platte Canyon High School in 2006. They desired to create common vocabulary between schools and first responders during emergency operations to promote safety, efficiency, and collaboration. Many school districts in Colorado and across the country have adopted this protocol.

The actions of the SRP are:

HOLD: Used for incidents in which we need students and staff to stay where they are or to clear the hallways. This could be for incidents such as a medical emergency, a student in crisis, a situation that is unpredictable or that we are needing to gather more information on, etc. During a HOLD, students and staff remain where they are or return to a classroom. The door is closed and locked, but they continue with business as usual in that space until the HOLD is released.

SECURE: Also known as a "secure perimeter," all students are brought inside the building and exterior doors are checked to ensure they are locked. Business as usual continues inside the building, but no one goes outside until the all-clear is given. SECURE is used in situations were there is a potential threat outside of the building such as police activity in the area, a suspicious person, a dangerous animal, etc.

LOCKDOWN: This is the most serious action and indicates that there is an active threat inside or very close to the building. Staff will lock the door, turn off the lights, and gather students in the designated area of their classroom/space ("Locks, lights, out of sight"). A lockdown is only released by law enforcement and/or district security. Staff have the ability to communicate with district security during a lockdown by scanning a QR code on the RedBag that hangs in every space.

EVACUATE: EVACUATE is used when there is a safety concern that requires us to leave the building. Examples of this could be a fire, gas leak, flooding, etc.

SHELTER: In Colorado, the most likely use of SHELTER would be in the event of a tornado warning in the area. We have designated safe areas that students would be brought to around the building that are interior and away from windows.

All staff are trained on the SRP and the actions to take. While the SRP is most commonly activated by administration, any staff member can activate it, which allows for a quicker response in emergency situations. We go through scenarios with staff to talk about which calls should be made in various situations to help develop staff members' confidence in making these decisions and acting quickly. As administrators, we receive ongoing training several times a year on safety protocols and procedures and participate in debriefs after major safety incidents so that we can learn from each incident.

Other measures that we have in place for safety include, but are not limited to:

• All exterior doors are locked at all times. We ask staff members to hold exterior doors open instead of kids so that they can take quick action if needed. We also ask staff members to check that doors lock behind them when they come in from outside.
• There are three layers of locked doors in the front entry before anyone is able to get to areas where kids are. Only staff members are able to open those doors with their badges.
• Push button locks were installed a couple of years ago so staff can quickly lock the door in an emergency. Staff are encouraged to keep doors locked throughout the day.
• Each grade level has a walkie talkie and walkie talkies are carried by administration, mental health, office staff, the nurse, and para educators so that staff are able to communicate concerns quickly.
• All staff now wear florescent staff vests when they are outside, which helps kids identify a staff member quickly when they need help.

If you are wanting to learn more about how we address school safety in Cherry Creek and at Arrowhead, you are invited to join us for a Parent Coffee on Friday, October 25 at 8:00 am. Our district Security Coordinator will share more about our protocols and procedures and answer questions you may have.

As always, please feel free to reach out if you have any questions or concerns.

Warm regards,

Kelsey Jones

Principal

Arrowhead's website is regularly updated with information and upcoming events are found on the calendar. It will always have the most up-to-date information and you can see events that are scheduled across the year, including district events. Please be sure to check the website regularly! Please take note of the following dates and save them on your calendars:

September 30- Mod Pizza fundraiser- eat at Mod Pizza and a portion of the proceeds will go to Arrowhead!

October 3- Fall Lockdown Drill (see email sent on Friday, September 27)

October 9- PTCO Meeting 5:30 pm

October 10- Pajama Day for PreK, BELONG Assembly 2:00

October 11- Pajama Day for K-5

October 14-18- Fall Break (No School)

Weeks of October 21 and October 28- No After School Activities

October 25- Safety Parent Coffee 8:00 am, Report cards emailed home, Trunk or Treat 5:30 pm

Week of October 28- Conferences

October 31- Maker Day, Maker Day Parade 2:00 pm

November 1- No School (Conferences)

Week of November 4- Kindness Week (more details to come)

November 5- Chipotle Night 5:00-9:00 pm

November 11- Veteran's Day Celebration 2:00 pm

November 13- PTCO Meeting

November 15- BINGO Night 5:30 pm

November 21- Family Learning Walk 8:00-11:00 am, Skate City 6:00 pm

November 27-29- No School (Thanksgiving Break)

On Thursday, October 31, Arrowhead will hold its very first Maker Day! During Maker Day, each class will work throughout the day to create a "float" out of cardboard and recycled materials. We will then have a parade at 2:00 pm for each class to display their float! Families are welcome to attend the parade- the parade route will be sent out before the event depending on the weather.

Our teachers would love to have volunteers in their classrooms to help with the construction of the floats. If you are willing to help, please fill out this form: https://forms.gle/THkCAW5E7CVUxjU38. We will share this with your child's teacher and they will reach out to you to coordinate!

If you have boxes or clean recycled materials that we can use, please send them to your child's classroom the week of October 28!

Please note that there will not be after school activities held the weeks of October 21 and October 28. This allows our teachers to focus on report cards and conferences. We look forward to resuming activities the week of November 4!

Report cards will be emailed home on Friday, October 25. Please double check that your email address is correct in Parent Forms so that you are able to receive it!

Please save the date of Monday, November 11 at 2:00 pm for our annual Veteran's Day Celebration! More details will come as we get closer to the event.

It is hard to believe that it is already time for Fall Conferences! Before Fall Break, you will receive a sign-up from your child's teacher to sign-up for a conference during the week of October 28. Fall Conferences are a great chance to learn about your child's academic and social emotional development, ask questions of your child's teacher, and continue building a partnership together. If you do not receive that sign-up, please reach out directly to your child's teacher.

Trunk or Treat is just around the corner! Our PTCO will be sending more specific information about signing up for a trunk, volunteering, etc. The Monster Dash starts at 5:30 pm and Trunk or Treat will start after the runners return. Students and family members may wear school-appropriate costumes and will go to each trunk to collect candy! Please note that fake weapons, pets, and masks that cover the entire face should be left at home. The event will run until the candy runs out!

If you are able to donate candy for the event, please drop it off in the "Candy Monster" in the main office.

During our Staff Work Week at the beginning of the year, Arrowhead had the opportunity to work with Ricky Ramirez who talked to us about being champions for kids. At the end of his session, he awarded the championship belt to Mrs. Redfield for always going above and beyond to be a champion for kids. In addition to the strong relationships she develops with students and families, Mrs. Redfield had some of the highest CMAS scores in the school last year. This is a testament to her hard work, dedication, and growth mindset that she brings to her classroom each day.

Each month, we will pass the EduChampion Belt to a new staff member to celebrate the many champions in our school! If there is a staff member that you believe goes above and beyond to be a champion for kids, please reach out to Ms. Jones to nominate them!

If you or someone you know is interested in working at Arrowhead, please fill out an application and apply to our positions here. The positions we have open are:

SED (Serious Emotional Disability) Para Educator (7 hours/day): Work with students who need support with behavior regulation by providing accommodations, academic modifications, and breaks. Support emotional and behavioral regulation through de-escalation and regulation techniques, which will be taught through multiple training opportunities.

*Please apply for this position under "Severe Needs Para Educator- Arrowhead Elementary"

Severe Needs Para Educator (7 hours/day): Support students in our ILC program by providing accommodations, academic modifications, and supporting students with mobility and self-care (toileting/diapering, eating, etc.) as needed. Experience is preferred but not required, as new para educators will be provided with extensive training.

Twice Exceptional Para Educator (7 hours/day): Support twice exceptional (2e) students in their classrooms, the 2e classroom, and in small group settings. Provide accommodations, academic modifications, and individualized learning. Support emotional regulation as needed through de-escalation and regulation techniques, which will be taught through multiple training opportunities.

*Please apply for this position under "Severe Needs Para Educator- Arrowhead Elementary"

Are you registered to vote this November? Check your registration today at https://www.coloradosos.gov/voter—it only takes 1 minute!

Reminder: Ballot measures that impact your town and your school district will be at the bottom of the ballot after national, statewide, and county measures. Don’t forget to fill out your ballot completely. Measures at the bottom of the ballot have the greatest local impact.

This event is free and open to all! It will be held at Legacy Stadium: 26101 E. Arapahoe Road

• Luncheon
  12:00 - 2:00 p.m.
  For Veterans, Military members, and their families
  
• Community Celebration
  2:00 - 5:00 p.m.
  
  • Chinook Helicopter
  • Army National Guard Gaming Trailer
  • Air Force STEM
  • The Honor Bell
  • Live Music
  • MUCH MORE!

• Football Kickoff
  6:00 p.m.
  Cherokee Trail High School -vs- Cherry Creek High School

Greetings District V.O.I.C.E.S of Color Community,

We have a new name! A big shout out to the V.O.I.C.E.S. of Color Steering Committee (previously P.A.S.S), who have done some great work over the past year! We are excited about the new name change, which grew out of the community voicing the need for a new name and re-envisioning what support looks like each and every day for students across Cherry Creek School District! Keep your eye out in the coming months on events and information!

District V.O.I.C.E.S. of Color engages community members in meaningful and effective partnerships that lead to positive outcomes for all students, but more specifically, students of color.

Please join us for our October meeting!

When: October 23, 2024 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm
Where: Cherokee Trail High School: 25901 E. Arapahoe Road; Aurora, CO 80016
Topic: LGBT History Month, Indigenous Peoples’ Day, Makahiki Season begins

Please note, child care will be provided as well as interpreter services for our Spanish speaking families.

Please note: V.O.I.C.E.S. of Color meetings are not recorded nor live streamed.

If you have any questions or concerns, please email CCSDEquity@cherrycreekschools.org. For more information on V.O.I.C.E.S of Color visit the Cherry Creek School District website: https://www.cherrycreekschools.org/Page/12789.

Thanks,
CCSD Equity, Culture and Community Engagement

You can buy Arrowhead spirit wear for your child here! If you have any questions, please reach out to the PTCO.

Did you know that in addition to all the events the PTCO puts on, there are other ways to support the Arrowhead Elementary PTCO?

Questions? Feel free to reach out to your Arrowhead PTCO

arrowheadelementaryptco@gmail.com

arrtreasurer@gmail.com

arrowheadptcosecretary@gmail.com

Kindergarten-5th Grade

8:00 am-2:45 pm Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday

8:00 am-1:45 pm Wednesday

Pre-Kindergarten

AM Session: 8:00-10:55 am Monday-Thursday

PM Session: 11:50 am-2:45 pm Monday-Thursday

Enrichment: 10:55 am-2:45 pm Monday-Thursday

*No PreK on Fridays

If your child is eating breakfast at school, they may arrive at 7:40 am and enter through door 8 on the south side of the school (Cafeteria doors). Students not eating breakfast may arrive between 7:45-8:00 am and should enter through the doors closest to their grade level (see map below). Please note that supervision will not be provided before 7:45 am except for breakfast. The bell rings at 8:00 am and students who arrive after 8:00 am need to enter through the main office doors. Students eating breakfast in the cafeteria will be sent to their classrooms at 8:00.

The school day ends at 2:45 pm on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. On Wednesdays, the school day ends at 1:45 pm. Students will exit from the same doors they entered.

If you are interested in our before and after school child care program, please contact Bobbie Smith at 720-886-2853. They open at 6:30 am to provide before school care and are open until 6:00 pm to provide after school care. They can only accept students who have been registered in advance. They accept Colorado Child Care Assistance Program (CCCAP) for families who qualify and give discounts for families who qualify for free or reduced price meals.

All Cherry Creek elementary schools have early release days every Wednesday at 1:45 pm for Kindergarten-5th grade students to enhance professional development and training opportunities for our elementary teachers. PreK students continue to dismiss at their regular time. By having this specific time set aside, there will be less of a need to pull teachers out of the classroom during the day, which creates continuity for students and less of a reliance on substitute teachers. For families who participate in after school child care, the after-school program is extended every Wednesday and runs from 1:45-6:00 pm. You can register for after school care by contacting Bobbie Smith at 720-886-2853.

In Cherry Creek School District and Arrowhead Elementary, our top priorities are your child’s safety, academics, and whole wellbeing. In order to maintain and excel in these areas, it’s critical that our kids come to school every day.

Did you know that 1 in 3 students in CCSD in the 2023-24 school year were chronically absent? Chronic absenteeism is defined by the state as missing more than 10 days in the school year.

Chronic absenteeism has a significant impact on the academic performance of a child and their classroom. Over 4 out of 5 students who miss more than 10% of kindergarten and first grade are unable to read on-level by third grade. By 6th grade, chronic absenteeism is a critical warning sign that a student may not graduate high school. Missing just one lesson or period in class can have a serious impact on a student’s understanding of academic concepts.

We also know that strong attendance improves our students’ Whole Wellbeing. Our students who experience anxiety about school often find care in our counseling staff and their support team in our school building. Missing school often exacerbates anxiety when our students then need to make up work that they missed, causing them to fall further behind.

To improve this process and best support our families, this year CCSD is shifting the way that attendance is tracked and changing the notification process to guardians.

If your child is chronically absent, or misses more than 10 days of school, parents or guardians will receive a letter from the district on behalf of our school notifying them of the issue. You will receive a second letter if your child misses more than 15 days of school. Our hope in automating this process at the district level is to provide our school staff with more time to meet with caregivers and problem-solve if your child or family needs extra support to attend school every day. We understand there can be challenges and barriers that we would like to work together to address.

In order to accomplish our goals of student safety, literacy, and wellbeing, caregivers and staff will need to work together to support our students. If your family anticipates an issue with attendance this year, please reach out to our office and we will make a plan to ensure your student gets to school.

Learn more about why attendance matters, the new CCSD policy, and how CCSD can help.

The map below shows where to drop your child off in the morning and pick them up at the end of the day. Students enter and exit doors based on their grade level. If your child arrives after 8:00 am or leaves before the end of the day, they will need to use the Main Entrance regardless of which grade they are in.

All visitors must use door 1 (Main Entrance) no matter the time of day. Visitors must show ID in order to access the building or pick-up a child. There are no exceptions to this policy and we appreciate you helping us keep students safe by bringing an ID every time.

Please help us keep kids safe by following our parking lot procedures. Please refer to the map of our parking lot below for where you can safely drop-off/pick-up.

Drop-Off/Pick-Up (Blue): This is a space for you to quickly drop-off and pick-up at the beginning and end of the day. This is a fire lane, so you must remain with your car at all times. Students should enter and exit the car on the curb side (right side), as cars will be passing in the through lane on the left side of the car.

Red Curve: This is a no parking or waiting zone, as our buses need to be able to get around that curve safely.

Bus Parking (Yellow): Only buses may park here. Cars parked in this space will be asked to move to make room for buses. Once the buses have departed, this may be used as additional space for pick-up/drop-off.

Through Lanes (Green): These lanes should continuously move. Please do not wait or park here and at no time should cars be double parked.

Parking: The only space where you may park is in a marked parking spot. If there is not a spot available, please park on the street and walk in.

Right Turn Only (2:45-3:00 pm, 1:45-2:00 pm Wednesdays): When exiting the parking lot during afternoon dismissal, all cars need to turn right out of the parking lot and loop through the neighborhood. For safety reasons, please do not make a u-turn in the areas around the school (signage indicates where u-turns cannot be made).

Loading Dock (Red): This area is used by pedestrians at the beginning and end of the school day. No vehicles may enter this area or park in the loading dock.

Please help us keep our students safe by driving safely around the school. The streets surrounding Arrowhead (Bates and Ceylon) are no u-turn zones. Please slow down, be vigilant, and do not double park along Bates or Ceylon. Children should only exit vehicles on the curb side and we ask that you pull all the way up to the curb before letting them out. Please model pedestrian safety for your child by using crosswalks.

If you see unsafe driving, please report it to Aurora Police Department. As a school, we do not have the authority to enforce traffic violations.

Apply now for school meal benefits! While all students now receive free lunch, qualifying families will receive additional benefits, including discounts for CCSD before/after programs and waived activities and athletic fees. It also helps our school earn additional federal funding.

To apply for school meal benefits, please complete this application as soon as possible. You can apply the following ways:

Online: Click here to apply. The application is available in Spanish by clicking "Languages" in the top right hand corner.

Pick-up a paper copy at school: We have paper copies available in the Main Office.

We understand that birthdays are special days for children and we will celebrate your child's birthday both in the classroom and with a school-wide announcement! While it isn't necessary, if your child would like to bring treats for their classmates, they are welcome to bring non-food items to celebrate. This allows us to be a community that is inclusive of children with food restrictions. Some ideas for birthday celebrations can include:

• Stickers
• Pencils
• Bookmarks
• Small trinkets/toys (school appropriate- no pretend weapons or items that can be used as weapons, no whistles, etc.)
• Goodie bags with non-edible items
• A book donation to your child's classroom (have your child sign the book so the class remembers who donated it!)

Each grade level celebrates birthdays differently and your child will be recognized on their birthday, regardless of whether they bring in something to celebrate with. If you wish for your child's birthday not to be celebrated, please notify their classroom teacher.

Please refrain from sending flowers and balloons to school for your child. Any flowers and balloons that are received will not be delivered until the end of the school day.

Please note that dogs are not allowed on school grounds. If you would like to bring your dog to drop-off or pick-up your child, please remain on the sidewalks around the perimeter of the school or in the field past the last goalpost.

English:

Please contact (name of liaison) at (email) for support with this resource in your language.

Amharic:

እነዝህን መረጃዎችን በተመለከተ በቋንቋዎ ዕገዛን ለማግኘት ከፈለጉ እባክዎን ተሊሌን በዝህ እሜይል ያግኙዋት

thirpa@cherrycreekschools.org

Arabic:

يرجى االتصال بـ )جميعة صباحي أو جاودة العلمي( على ) org.cherrycreekschools@jsebbahi أو

org.cherrycreekschools@jdajanialami للحصول على الدعم مع هذا المورد باللغة العربية.

Chinese:

如有需要,请经由 ctaylor9@cherrycreekschools.org 与凯瑟琳•泰勒联系,以您的语言获得此资源的支持。

Dari:

برای کمک در مورد اين منابع به زبان خودتان با قزافی مهرزاد

لطفا با اييمل org.cherrycreekschools@qmehrzad تماس بگيريد . ً

Hindi:

अपनी भाषा में इस संसाधन के समर्नथ के लिए कृपया जेम्स रसाइथिी को jrasaily@cherrycreekschools.org पर संपकथ करें।

Korean:

귀하의 언어로 이 자원에 대한 지원을 원하시면 (리아 리) 에게 (llee6@cherrycreekschools.org) 로 문의하십시오.

Nepali:

कृपया जेम्स रसाइथिीिाइथ jrasaily@cherrycreekschools.org मा तपाइथको भाषामा यो संसाधनको सहयोगको िागी सम्पकथ

गननहथ ोिा।

Russian:

Пожалуйста, обращайтесь к Ларисе Бака по адресу: lbaca3@cherrycreekschools.org для получения поддержки с помощью

этого ресурса на своём языке.

Somali:

Fadlan la xiriir Omar Nur cinwaanka emaylka onur2@cherrycreekschools.org si aad u hesho macluumaad ku qoran luqadaada.

Spanish:

Si necesita ayuda con este recurso en su idioma, póngase en contacto con Ilse Chavez Maldonado en

ichavezmaldonado@cherrycreekschools.org, Rosa Han en rhan4@cherrycreekschools.org, Carmen Vargas-Ball en

cvargasball@cherrycreekschools.org o Monica Pantoja en mpantoja@cherrycreekschools.org.

Ukrainian:

Будь ласка, зв'яжіться з Зоряною Герман по електронній пошті zherman@cherrycreekschools.org, щоб отримати

підтримку з цього ресурсу на українській мові.

Vietnamese:

Vui lòng liên hệ với Thuý Ngọc tại Lchung2@cherrycreekschools.org để được hỗ trợ về tài nguyên này bằng tiếng Việt.

Email: kjones100@cherrycreekschools.org

Website: https://www.cherrycreekschools.org/Arrowhead
Location: 19100 E Bates Ave, Aurora, CO, USA
Phone: 720-886-2800