From The Principal

It has been a wonderful 4-day week at Manitou Springs High School! It has also been exhilarating to see students and staff working together to access powerful learning such as Algebra I students exploring order of operations through Desmos, Athletic Conditioning students working on agility through circuits, and English students launching dialectical journals and purposeful annotations.

We are looking forward to our first School Accountability Committee (SAC) meeting on Wednesday, 9/18 from 5:30-7:30 pm in the MSHS Media Center and are seeking parent/guardian volunteers: please join us! We will be rotating our meeting locations to showcase the work across our schools this year and will meet at the same time on January 22 at MSES and April 9 at MSMS. Our purpose will be to discuss recommendations for improvement strategies, funding priorities, and our scorecard. Please email me if you are interested: aconrad@mssd14.org.

Additionally, we will be continuing to work with our K9 Unit and Officer Robblee to do periodic visits of our campus as we prioritize safety. We are also excited for our Homecoming Week which is rapidly approaching: September 23-28. Go Mustangs!

Anna Conrad

Manitou Springs High School

Principal

Check Out This Weeks Prospector

The Prospector is the online student newspaper for MSHS! This publication is run by students in the Advanced Journalism class and advised by Amanda Kerrigan. Multiple articles are posted weekly and can be read on the site or through Facebook or Instagram. Support MSHS student journalism by following The Prospector and engaging with the content.

This weeks articles:

Fall Sports Preview: Football by MaKenzi VerVaecke and Elliot Mettler

Fall Sports Preview: Volleyball by Kaleb Cervantes and Naomi Porter

Fall Sports Preview: Boys Soccer by Halli Frost and Madison Sharon

Fall Sports Preview: Cross Country by Jarrin Hall and Jon Polizzi

Owen joins the MSHS staff by Cordelia Portman and Krissy Stout

A Word From The Yearbook

Yearbook Price Schedule

Now-October 1: $55

October 1- October 31: $65

November 1-November 30: $75

November 1 onward: $85

Buy your yearbooks now before the price increases!

Link to buy: https://jostensyearbooks.com/?REF=A00968300

Senior Photo Deadline

Senior Photos are due on Halloween. So that's midnight on October 31!

Here is the link to submit: https://images.jostens.com/ImageShare/upload

You will need to use the username below to submit photos. We can't do a custom one, sorry

Username: 0Z-1mkJcX8LDHZHHmasyrlA

When you submit, make sure you provide your student's name. Senior quotes go in the "Description" box.

Senior Ads

Senior Ads are due February 1st.

If you would like a member of the yearbook staff to design your ad for you, rather than getting the standard Josten's Template, we can do that for you for an extra $15 fee. Proceeds go to the Yearbook Camera budget. Contact Mr. Walker at rwalker@mssd14.org for more information.

Here is the link to buy an ad: https://www.jostens.com/apps/store/customer/1009002/Manitou-Springs-High-School/

Thank you!

Student Drop Off And Pick Up

When dropping off or picking up your students at MSHS or SILC area, please use the left lane after the crosswalk. Whenever possible, pull forward as far as you can to support other families in also being able to drop off/pick up students using the left lane after the crosswalk. Please do not stop in the crosswalk, which hinders students and staff from safely crossing here. Thank you for your partnership in prioritizing safety in our parking lot!

2024-2025 Cell Phone Policy

Starting with the 2024-2025 school year, student access to and usage of cell phones and personal electronic devices during class time will be prohibited (including airpods/headphones/etc). Students will still be allowed to carry their devices and utilize them during passing periods and lunch time.

While we recognize the potential benefits of using cell phones/personal electronic devices in the classroom, our experience shows that the drawbacks outweigh the advantages. We want our students to focus on our core values of relationships, deep learning, and opportunities. This decision was made after extensive discussions across our staff and our community on how to best support our students' social-emotional and academic success to prepare them effectively for their post-secondary pathways.

We appreciate your support in making Manitou Springs High School a more distraction-free environment and protecting our learning atmosphere. Our goal is your student's success, and we believe this policy change is a significant step in the right direction based on our research, observations, and daily interactions with students. Thank you for your continued support.

A Word From The Security Director

THE TRACK IS CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC ON SCHOOL DAYS FROM 7:30AM UNTIL 6PM. ON THE WEEKENDS IF THERE IS A SPORTS TEAM PRACTICING ON THE FIELD, THE TRACK IS ALSO CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTNERSHIP IN KEEPING OUT STUDENTS AND STAFF SAFE WHILE THEY ARE ON CAMPUS.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS CONTACT JANIE ANDERSON (MSSD14 SECURITY DIRECTOR) AT 719-373-9139

Join Us For The Kiwanis Club Golf Tournament!

Dear MSSD14 Community,

I’m thrilled to share some exciting news with you! The Manitou Springs Kiwanis Club has generously agreed to allocate a portion of the proceeds from their annual golf tournament to help our district purchase six new radios this year. These radios are vital to our school safety efforts, and this support will significantly enhance our ability to communicate effectively across our schools.

In addition to their support for the radios, the Kiwanis Club continues to be a strong partner in other ways, contributing to the MSSD14 community through various initiatives (please see the attached flyer for more details).

Special Offer for MSSD14 Employees:

The Kiwanis Club is offering a $25 discount to any MSSD14 employee who registers for their upcoming golf tournament. Here are the details:

Location: Walking Stick Golf Course, 4301 Walking Stick Blvd, Pueblo, Colorado
Format: Two-Man Scramble
Date: Saturday, September 21st, 2024
Time: Registration from 7:30 AM to 8:30 AM, Shotgun Start at 9:00 AM
Cost: $175 per player (includes greens fee, cart, lunch, drinks, range balls)
Discount: $25 off for MSSD14 employees

To register or for more information, please contact Jay Pretzer at JayPretzer60@gmail.com or 719-491-5468. Please note that registration must be completed with full payment by September 6th.

This is a wonderful opportunity not only to support a great cause but also to enjoy a day of fun and camaraderie. If you have any questions or need more details, feel free to reach out.

Please support Mike Talbott and the MSHS Key club by participating in their fun games (longest drive, putting contest, etc) as they too will be out on the course during this tournament.

Community members are welcome to register for the golf tournament.

Sincerely,

Janie Anderson

MSSD14 Security Director

Join Us for the 1st Annual Manitou 5K Run and Walk! Updated Pricing

We're excited to announce the 1st Annual Manitou 5K Run and Walk, taking place on Saturday, October 5th! This community race was envisioned by a dedicated Manitou Springs Middle School parent on our District Accountability Committee to strengthen the partnership between the city, local businesses, and our school district. We hope to see many students (K-12), parents, and community members at the race.

Event Details:

Date: Saturday, October 5
Location: Starts and ends at Fields Park
Time: 8 am - 10 am
Cost: $38 for ages 19+ | $22 for ages 18 and under
Inclusions: Free t-shirt designed by Manitou students
Timing: Chip Timed by CCR Timing

All proceeds from the event will benefit Manitou Springs School District. It's a wonderful opportunity to get active, have fun, and support our schools.

For more information, visit tinyurl.com/manitou5k.

Save The Date!

After gathering community input, we’re excited to announce that the Manitou Springs School Board of Education has officially approved renaming our stadium "George Rykovich Stadium" in honor of our legendary coach, George Rykovich!

Join us for a special dedication ceremony during our varsity football game on Friday, October 11th at 7 PM as we celebrate Coach Rykovich's incredible legacy. We want to pack the stands to honor the man who led the Mustangs to 222 victories and two state championships (1987 & 1990) during his 36 years as head coach.

Coach Rykovich was also formally inducted into the Colorado High School Activities Association Hall of Fame on January 23, 2023—an honor only two Mustangs have received.

Let’s come together as a community to honor Coach Rykovich’s extraordinary contributions to our school and the state. More details will be shared soon—stay tuned! Be part of this historic moment and cheer on the Mustangs!

Fentanyl Awareness Resources for Parent's and Guardians

Greetings,

My name is Jody from SUPE: Substance Use Prevention Education, a non-profit organization providing education and resources to prevent substance use.

We created some great resources to help educate parents and guardians about Fentanyl.

Parent's Guide to Fentanyl: This comprehensive guide equips parents with valuable information, including tips, warning signs, and helpful videos/articles. It empowers parents to protect their children from the dangers of fentanyl and make informed decisions regarding substance use.
Protecting Children From Online Drug Dealers: This resource provides essential tools to safeguard children, including the "Emoji code" to identify online drug dealing, insights into the dark web, and other online safety measures.

Sincerely,

Jody Boulay

Community Outreach Coordinator
SUPE: Substance Use Prevention Education

Vehicle Registration and Parking Lot Policies

Student Parking Privilege

Students’ use of the student parking lot is a privilege. Students and Staff are expected to follow all the rules of the parking lot. Students must register their vehicles on PowerSchool to get a parking pass prior to bringing a vehicle on campus and/or to park on the hill (El Monte Place).

All students will receive a new parking pass this year. Seniors and Juniors will receive a green parking pass and sophomores will receive the yellow parking passes. Staff members will receive a gold parking pass.

Parking passes will be distributed at student check on 08-13-24 if their vehicle has been registered on PowerSchool. Students who get their license throughout the school year should contact Security Director Janie Anderson to get their parking passes once their vehicle is registered on PowerSchool.

Parking Regulations

1. Speed limit on school grounds is 10 miles per hour. Driving deemed reckless or

hazardous will not be tolerated.

2. Vehicles improperly parked are subject to towing at the owner’s expense. This

includes vehicles in non-parking spots (painted yellow areas indicating it is not a

parking spot), near the house build where there are cones indicating no parking, etc)

3. Staff and students shall not park in the visitor spots located in front of the

school next to the School Resource Officer parking spot and on the back side of HS visitor spots.

4. Vehicles parked in fire lanes on school grounds and on El Monte Place in

designated “No Parking “ zones are subject to be ticketed and/or towed.

5. Student vehicles are subject to search when the administration has reasonable

suspicion to believe the vehicle may contain substances or devices in violation

of school policies.

6. Special restrictions apply for sophomores: you are required to park on the hill.

Parking and driving violations will result in the following:

1st offense: warning

2nd offense: administration will call home to notify the parent/guardian

3rd offense: student’s driving privileges will be revoked for driving and/or parking on

campus

*There may be times when the School Resource Officer and/or Manitou Springs Parking

Enforcement Unit will be involved*

Students parking on campus while privileges are revoked may result in additional disciplinary consequences including, but not limited to, the vehicle being towed at the owner’s expense.

A Word From Officer Strider

Rules of the Road

The rules of the road apply to drivers of all ages, but there are certain additional restrictions that all teen drivers need to know.

Passenger restrictions

Teens with a permit:

Teens with a permit must be accompanied by a driving instructor, parent, legal guardian or a licensed adult 21 years of age or older (authorized by parent/guardian) in the front seat, buckled up.

Teens with a license:

For the first six months, no passengers under 21, unless a parent or other licensed adult driver over 21 is in the vehicle.
For the next six months, one passenger under age 21.
Medical emergencies are exceptions.
At any time, no more than one passenger is allowed in the front seat.

https://www.codot.gov/safety/colorado-teen-drivers/parent/teen-driving-restrictions.html

Important Upcoming Dates:

Friday, September 6: Boys Varsity Football Vs. Prospect Ridge @Manitou @7PM

Saturday, September 7: Varsity Cross Country Invitational Vs. Alamosa @ Adams State College @ 9:40AM

Monday, September 9: Boys Varsity Golf Invitational Vs. Elizabeth @ Plum Creek @ 9AM; Boys JV Football Vs. Prospect Ridge @ 4PM

Tuesday, September 10: Boys Varsity Soccer @ Thomas MacLaren @ Thomas MacLaren @4PM; Girls JV Volleyball Vs. Village @ Manitou High School @4PM, Girls Varsity Volleyball @ 5PM
Wednesday, September 11 : Late Start Wednesday (2-hour delay)

Thursday, September 12: Boys JV Soccer Vs. Bayfield @ Manitou High School @4PM, Boys Varsity @6PM

Friday, September 13: Boys Varsity Golf Vs. James Irwin@ Cherokee Ridge Golf Course @2:30PM

Saturday, September 14: Girls C-Team Volleyball Tournament @ Discovery Canyon Campus

Monday,September 16: Boys Varsity Golf Invitational Vs. Air Academy @Eisenhower Golf Course @1:30PM; Girls Volleyball Vs. Elizabeth @ Elizabeth High School @ 4,5,6PM

September 17: Girls Volleyball Vs. Thomas MacLaren @ Manitou @ 4,5,6 PM

Friday, September 20 : Staff Work Day (No Students)
Monday, September 23-Friday, September 28 - Homecoming Week

Friday, September 27: Homecoming Parade (Time TBD)

Saturday, September 28: Homecoming

Wednesday, October 2: Late Start (2-Hour Delay)

Saturday, October 5 - Mustang 5K (8 am)

Friday, October 11 - George Rykovich Stadium dedication

Thursday, October 17 - Staff Work Day (No Students)

Friday, October 18 - Fall Break (Schools and District Office closed)

Thursday, October 24 - Conferences (Early Dismissal)

Friday, October 25 - Conferences (No School)