Good News Bulletin

The Elizabeth School District Safety & Security Department remains steadfast in its commitment to ensuring the safety of students, staff, and visitors across all campuses. This week, our team conducted three separate lockdown drills at different sites, reinforcing our emergency response protocols and identifying areas for continuous improvement.

Additionally, an accidental alert was triggered via our LifeSpot mobile application, providing an unexpected yet valuable test of the system. The swift and coordinated response from our law enforcement partners reassured us that the app is functioning as intended. While we recognize that minor adjustments may be necessary, we are confident that with the strong support of LifeSpot administrators, any issues will be swiftly addressed.

We were also pleased to have our law enforcement partners actively participate in this week’s drills. Their involvement not only enhances their familiarity with our school layouts but also allows them to assess their response, test LifeSpot from their side, and observe how individuals react to a lockdown scenario. These joint exercises strengthen our preparedness and reinforce the collaborative effort required to maintain a safe learning environment.

With the unfortunate reality of active threats in today’s society, the Elizabeth School District remains fully dedicated to emergency preparedness at every level. Through regular drills, continuous training, and strong partnerships with local law enforcement, we are committed to keeping our schools safe.

Thank you to everyone involved in these important safety efforts!

Contributed by: Tyler Rabideau, ESD Director of Safety & Security

Registration for the 2025-2026 school year is now open for new students! You will now see that school year listed under registration options. Here's the link that will take you to the registration pages for ESD schools:

https://www.elizabethschooldistrict.org/domain/365

Additionally, we have our next "Why I love EHS" student spotlight. Wyatt Gates is a Senior at EHS and gives his testimony about what he believes makes EHS special.

Photo and caption credit: Olivia Wagner, ESD Communications Intern

The EHS Future Business Leaders of America club took 27 students to compete at the District competition this week. We had nine participants qualify for state in the following events.

Andrew Martinez and Landen Sherlock (Digital Video Production)

Grace Detter (Job Interview)

Thomas Foster (Introduction to public Speaking)

Calla Crookshanks (Public Speaking)

Lily Hayes (Agribusiness)

Hailey Hendrickson & Ann Jones (Graphic Design)

Ali Waites (Healthcare Administration)

What a fantastic result and we're looking forward to state!

Submitted by: Chris Martinez and Meaghan Gieck

Some pictures from National Signing Day.

Congratulations to five Elizabeth High School Class of 2025 athletes who committed to playing their sport at the college level.

Cade Taylor- Concordia University - Baseball

Trevor Bertsch- Lancaster Bible College - Baseball

Joey Dome- Tabor College - Baseball

Gwen Hackett - Tabor college - Soccer

Tessa Pallas- Cumberland University Flag football

Coach Summer Katzoff and Coach Ryan Robinson spoke of their athletes at the National Signing Day Assembly where the athletes signed the National Letters of Intent to commit to their new schools.

Congratulations again to Cade, Trevor, Joey, Gwen and Tessa!!!

Submitted by John Everhart, EHS Assistant Principal & Athletic Director

Looking back on Wish Week 2025, it is yet another example of how the Elizabeth community rallies together to support a good cause. The total amount of donations that poured in are still being tallied, but we know that it was enough to send our Wish Kid Broderick to Disney World to fulfill his wish.

One of our first events was the Hunter's Legacy basketball tournament where various teams competed on the EHS basketball court. Brave volunteers also signed up to get their head shaved to support the cause.

ESD Communications Intern Kaylah Martin was there to take in all of the action for the basketball tournament and captured these great moments.

Thank you to everyone who turned out to make Wish Week another memorable experience and one that made a huge difference!

Dear Elizabeth Middle School Families,

We’re so excited to invite you to our 8th Grade Parent Night at Elizabeth High School on Thursday, February 13th! This is a great opportunity for parents and students to get a sneak peek into what life is like for incoming 8th graders at our school. Here’s what we have in store:

Tour with Our Flight Crew

Join us from 5:15 to 6:15 PM for a special tour guided by our student Flight Crew. Our awesome students will lead the way as you explore our school and get an insider’s look at what makes it so special!

Parent Meeting & Info Session

At 6:30 PM, we’ll gather in the cafeteria for an informative meeting where we’ll walk through everything you need to know about the school experience your child will have here. From academics to social life, we’ve got you covered!

Club & Department Showcase

After the meeting, we’ll take you on a tour of opportunities! Meet with our club leaders and department heads to learn about the exciting extracurriculars and programs your child can get involved in. Whether they’re into robotics, arts, sports, or leadership, there’s something for everyone!

This is an event you won’t want to miss! It’s the perfect way to get ready for a fantastic year ahead. Please mark your calendars, and we can’t wait to see you there!

We’ll also be getting the word out through the district, so keep an eye on communications for more details. Let’s make this an unforgettable night!

Kimberly Runyan

EMS Principal

IT'S A CELEBRATION!

We are so excited to be a part of history!

JOIN US FEBRUARY 11th 6 - 8PM in the Red Brick School (Former Frontier High School)

Confidential Open Enrollment Opportunities

Learn what ICA is all about and what Classical Education can do for your child's future. Modeled after the highest ranking renowned Liberty Common School out of Ft. Collins.

Meet other families and classmates.

Cake, Coffee, and Conversations

ICA SWAG, Yard Signs and more.

Already enrolled? Come meet fellow students and parents, snag some swag, meet the ICA Board.

CAN'T WAIT TO MEET YOU and your family!

LIKE....FOLLOW....SHARE for the latest events.

ENROLL: www.IndependenceClassical.org/enroll

Or a combination of this post:

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/18K1JhfNN4/

THERE IS A NEW CLASSICAL CHARTER SCHOOL COMING TO ELIZABETH THIS

FALL! Independence Classical Academy (ICA), a new elementary classical

charter school, is coming to Elizabeth August 2025.

What sets Independence Classical Academy (ICA) apart from the other schools in the area is that it offers a classical education, which is grounded in the belief that education should cultivate wisdom as well as virtue.

Grammar, logic, and rhetoric provide the foundational framework through which students acquire knowledge, develop critical thinking, and master oral and written communication skills. In addition to providing intellectual rigor, foundation stones (virtues) are taught that instill a sense of moral responsibility. Through the Core Knowledge Curriculum which includes history, literature, science and art, students are reconnected with the wisdom of the past, preparing them to engage meaningfully with the challenges of the present, envision a better future, and develop a capacity to know the good, the true, and the beautiful.

With regards to location, for the first year (2025-2026), the plan is to hold classes in the Frontier School building on Banner Street in the town of Elizabeth while the new building is being built. Then, for the second year (2026-2027), the plan is to move into the new school building which will be located near the corner of CR 158 and Delbert Road in the new Independence Neighborhood. For students living in-district, busing will be provided by the Elizabeth School District starting in the fall of 2025 and will continue after the move into the new building.

To find out more and enroll your child, please visit www.independenceclassical.org.

The Greater Elizabeth area is in the process of developing a Parks, Recreation, Open Space, and Trails (PROST) Master Plan which will set the groundwork for the long-term health, connectivity, and sustainability of the area and its communities.

Your voice is the most important piece of this process, so we invite you to participate in a 10-15 minute online survey by scanning the QR code or visiting the link below. Don’t miss your chance to get involved—the survey closes on February 28th, 2025. Hard copies are available at Elizabeth Town Hall.

bit.ly/ElizaPROSTSurvey

A Colorado law (C.R.S 42-4-239) recently changed, effective January 1, 2025, which prohibits all cell

phone use while driving.

This law prohibits holding or using a cell phone while driving on public roads. This includes texting,

calling, Snapchatting, or watching TikTok’s, even on speakerphone.

Exemptions: You may use a cell phone ONLY in emergencies (e.g., reporting car crashes or other

imminent safety hazards).

What could this cost? Fines start at $75 for the first offense and can go up to $250 for repeated offenses.

Serious injuries or deaths caused by using a cell phone while driving could result in more severe

consequences (such as arrest).

Will EPD be enforcing this new law? YES, especially in the school zones!!

Remember, keep your hands on the wheel, not the phone! Drive safe!

Sincerely,

Officer Steven Herbel

School Resource Officer, Elizabeth High School

Elizabeth Police Department

As we wrap up National School Counseling Week, we want to give a shout-out to or school counselors for all that they do!

This year's national theme was 'Helping Students Thrive'. According to the American School Counselor Association, the week "highlights the tremendous impact school counselors have in helping students achieve school success and plan for a career."

Feb 10th - ESD Board Meeting - Business Session 6:00-8:00 p.m.

Feb 11th - EHS Boys Basketball C Team vs. Falcon 4:00-5:00 p.m.

EHS Boys Basketball JV vs. Falcon 5:30-6:30 p.m.

EMS 6th/7th/8th Wrestling Match AWAY @ EAGLEVIEW 4:00-6:00 p.m.

Dinner is on us Vape event @ RCE - 6:00-7:30 p.m.

Feb 12th - EMS 6th/7th/8th Wrestling @ Bennett Middle School 2:00-4:00 p.m.

Feb 13th - EMS 6th/7th/8th Wrestling Match AWAY @ CHALLENGER 3:45-5:30 p.m.

EMS sports calendar

EHS sports calendar

**Reminder to all parents: Be sure to check the websites of your individual schools for more information about upcoming events.

Elizabeth High School: https://www.elizabethschooldistrict.org/EHS

Elizabeth Middle School: https://www.elizabethschooldistrict.org/EMS

Singing Hills Elementary School: https://www.elizabethschooldistrict.org/SHE

Running Creek Elementary School: https://www.elizabethschooldistrict.org/RCE

The Elizabeth Education Foundation partners with Elizabeth School District in numerous ways throughout the year to support students and teachers. This volunteer-led, independent fundraising foundation provides scholarships for graduating seniors, classroom grants for teachers, and the STARS Awards for outstanding citizenship among students.

Learn more about the EEF at its website.