Hi, CSA Families!
We have successfully transitioned to online learning once again starting on Wednesday, November 4. It takes a couple of days to work everything out, from the schedule to finding the right Zoom link to attendance processes to adjusting to a different way of doing things. Even though we started out the year online, when transitioning back, things are a bit wonky the first few days. My sincerest thanks to the CSA team, who organized everything for families to pick up so every learner was ready for online learning. Our facilitators were so positive and proactive in identifying what learners needed for their classes in the coming weeks. So many of you had such positive and uplifting attitudes! Thank you all so much for everything you have done to make this transition a success for our learners! Cherry Creek School District, our authorizing district, has also decided to move to remote learning within this next week.
Attendance/Zoom vs. Tech Issues/Office Manager
Please continue to call the main school line at 720-400-7612 if you need any assistance or have questions. The school number has been forwarded to Ms. Bri and Ms. T and they are there to help. If there is anything you need, please select the appropriate option and they will help in any way they can. I am excited for us to be back in person once again so all of you can meet our newest Main Office team member, Ms. T (Teresa Hart)! Welcome aboard!
Parent Assistance – Lunch/Recess Monitors
Once we return, we will need more parents who are willing to give two hours of their day to be a paid lunch/recess monitor. With parent support to supervise learners during this time, our facilitators get some much-needed planning time and scheduled office hours to support learners when they are working on assignments in Study Hall. Please contact Assistant School Director Josh Rau if you have some time you can give.
MAP Assessment Results
The MAP (Measures of Academic Progress) assessment results from October have already been provided to your learner. This is how our learners set two academic goals each as part of their Individualized Learning Plans (ILPs). As a follow-up, the results are being mailed home for each learner. Once you see the results, please be sure to have your learner share his/her two academic goals. All academic goals are SMART goals, meaning that they are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Timed (a due date). I encourage you to have a dinner conversation about your learners’ SMART academic goals based on their MAP assessment data. A learner’s academic goals should also incorporate some of the parent/guardian feedback that many of you provided (as part of an ILP assignment) because you know your child best. It takes all of us doing our part to support great learning!
Please note that the MAP assessment for math is tied to Khan Academy. CSA utilizes Khan Academy for our learners so they each receive review lessons tailored to their needed skill-building areas. More will be shared with learners on how to access Khan Academy, and communications will be sent to parents with additional details.
November Happenings
As I mentioned in last week’s Monday Message, one of our traditions at Colorado SKIES is to celebrate our veterans by taking Veterans Day, November 11, off. During a normal, non-COVID year, we would also host a special event. This year, to celebrate all of our CSA community who have served in the military for this great nation, we are asking learners to please join us by taking a selfie in red, white, and blue and send it to me by the end of the day on Tuesday, November 10. My email address is suzanne.acheson@csacs.org.
A slideshow will be put together and posted on our website. Show your appreciation for everyone who sacrificed so much to give you the opportunity to think freely and speak freely. Let’s do this in an amazing way, CSA!
Lastly, please join with me in wishing everyone well who is currently in quarantine due to the positive COVID cases reported at CSA or who had a positive COVID test. The million-dollar question is, “Will CSA be able to be back in person on Tuesday, December 1, especially with Cherry Creek School District now going online, too?” Please know that we want to be in person so much, but we also understand that the safety, health, and well-being of every learner, staff member, and CSA family is our number-one priority. With the rest of the CSA administrative staff and our nurse consultants, our day-to-day routines will be reexamined and our COVID protocols will be reevaluated. We will prepare information for the CSA Board to review at their next board meeting on November 19. Together, we need to ensure the safety, health, and well-being of everyone associated with CSA. Our CSA Board is very “pro-learner” while also maintaining high standards of health and safety for all. Our CSA Board is amazing for all that they do! Thank you! Together, we will find a way to do what is best for all the learners, staff, and CSA families. We can do this!
Warm regards,
Suzanne Acheson
School Director
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