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G16 Families,

As we approach the holiday season, I want to take a moment to express my heartfelt gratitude to each and every one of you for your continued support, dedication, and commitment to our students and our schools.

This time of year offers us a chance to reflect on all that we have accomplished together, and I am truly proud of our resilient and caring community. Whether it's in the classroom, at extracurricular events, or through the countless ways our staff, students, and families contribute to our school culture, we are stronger because of each of you.

I encourage everyone to take some well-deserved time to rest, recharge, and enjoy the company of loved ones. The new year will bring new opportunities and challenges, and we look forward to continuing our important work together.

On behalf of the entire school district team, I wish you all a peaceful and joyous holiday season, filled with warmth, happiness, and the spirit of togetherness.

Dr. Jennifer Baugh

G16 Superintendent

As we prepare for the winter months, these are the school closing and two-hour delay procedures. School closing, delay, and cancelation decisions are made based on the weather and road conditions in the Garfield 16 area and neighboring areas.

School Closing/Snow Day

If there is inclement weather, the District will decide to close school by 5:15 a.m., based on the conditions at 5:00 a.m.. Parents will be notified by 6:00 a.m. if there is a snow day or delayed start.

After School Activities for a School Closing/Snow Day

All after school activities will be evaluated throughout the day if the District is closed for weather or weather conditions become hazardous during the day. The District will notify staff, students, and families of after school activities cancellations by 1:00 p.m..

Two-Hour Delay

A two-hour delay will be used when the road conditions are not suitable for travel at 5:00 a.m., but are expected to improve throughout the day. The District will decide to call a delayed start by 5:15 a.m.. This will allow snow plows additional time to clear the roads. On a two-hour delayed schedule, buses will begin their routes two hours late, and all classes will begin two hours late.

Schools will operate on a modified schedule. Start times will simply be pushed back by two hours. Students will have breakfast and lunch. Students will be dismissed at the regular time.

In the event that the District has a two-hour delay and the road conditions do not improve, the District may decide to close schools for the day. The District will make this decision by 7:30 a.m. based on the conditions at 7:15 a.m.

AM Cardinal Club will be canceled on a two-hour delay day. PM Cardinal Club will continue as scheduled on a two-hour delay day. Find the two-hour delay bell schedules on our G16 Communications webpage: https://www.garfield16.org/communications/school-closure-information

Early Dismissal

In the event that weather conditions start or worsen once students are in school, the decision to have an early dismissal will be made by 10:00 a.m.

All after school activities will be canceled.

AM Cardinal Club will continue as scheduled on an early dismissal day. PM Cardinal Club will be canceled on an early dismissal day.

Communication

All families will be notified of a school closing through the district messaging system, media outlets, and social media as soon as possible.

Please be sure that your contact information is current by checking in with the secretaries at your child's school so that in the event of school closures, Garfield 16 is able to contact you.

Alternatively, you can login to your Infinite Campus account to ensure your contact information is correct.

G16 is happy to announce before/after-school childcare with Cardinal Club for the 2024-2025 School Year! Cardinal Club at the Grand Valley Center for Family Learning (CFL) and Bea Underwood Elementary (BUE) is childcare for school-aged children in grades kindergarten through 5th grade. Students must be enrolled in Garfield 16 schools.

Cardinal Club hours at CFL and BUE are:

Tuesday- Friday 6:30 a.m. to 7:20 a.m. AND 3:15 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

The fees for the CFL and BUE Cardinal Club are per child, and reduced rates are available for eligible families. Parent/guardians may choose to pay monthly or bi-monthly. Please visit https://www.garfield16.org/parents/pagecardinal-club for the fee schedule and for more information.

Important Upcoming Events:

• GVHS Winter Sports- Find schedules by following this link: https://gvhs.garfield16.org/athletics
• December 17: BUE Winter Concert- 2nd Grade 6:00 pm, 3rd Grade 7:00 pm
• December 18: GVMS Winter Concert????? Band & ukulele 6:30pm
• December 19: BUE Musical- 4th Grade 6:00 pm, 5th grade 7:00 pm
• December 20: End of 2nd Quarter/1st Semester
• December 23- January 3: WINTER BREAK- NO SCHOOL, NO MONDAY PROGRAMS, NO CARDINAL CLUB.
• January 24: GVHS Banner Hanging
• January 28- February 1- Wish Week/Winterfest
• 1/28 WIsh Week Auction vs. Rifle
• 1/31 Winterfest stuff
• 2/1 Dance
• February 7/8 Regional Wrestling
• February 21- Sponsor Night

Download our app and easily see events for all schools, or just selected schools, and add events to your device (phone) calendar!

"Coffee with the Principals" is a time for families to connect with us and learn about what's happening at school. We use this space to share updates on various school initiatives, discuss multiple platforms that support student success, and invite guest speakers from within our district. Our ultimate goal is to build strong partnerships with our families and share all the great work CFL is doing to ensure our students thrive!

24/25 Coffee with the Principal Dates:

Friday, January 17th

Holy Cross Energy is once again offering two travel opportunities for juniors and seniors in 2025. The first one is a week in Washington D.C. and the second is a week at a Leadership Camp in Steamboat Springs. All expenses are paid by the co-op.

Here is the link with more information: Youth leadership programs - Holy Cross Energy

The Outdoor Science class at GVHS has been busy working with Middle Colorado Watershed Council as part of their River Watch program. Students have been dipping buckets into the chilly Parachute Creek to monitor the creek's health. Students conduct chemical analysis to determine the water's dissolved oxygen, alkalinity, hardness, pH, and nutrient contents as part of the state's River Watch water quality composite data.

The Outdoor Advisory Team (G16 OAT) met for their first meeting last week. This team gathers once a quarter to assess and enhance outdoor connections for students K-12.

We are gearing up for next semester with a host of ski programs, club trips, and grade level excursions. So stay tuned in 2025 for a breakdown of all the snow fun.

This winter break is a great opportunity to get kids outside. As always, when exploring in the outdoors please make sure to prepare adequately. The SBFRC has a variety of winter and snow clothing to keep everyone dry and warm while playing outside in the cold.

Here are some events and programs to get you motivated to rockin n' rollin (n' slidin) this winter:

• Bob Beverly free ski n' snowboard lessons for first timers at Powderhorn.
• Skier appreciation day @ Sunlight includes a $25 lift ticket, January 10th. And teacher appreciation day to follow, January 18th for free lift tickets with School District staff ID badge.
• Rat Bike Face fat tire bike race, January 5th at Sunlight.
• Mark your calendars for free ice fishing clinic, snowshoeing rentals and potentially xc ski lessons Saturday, February 8th at Rifle Gap (see flyer attached).
• There is a new climbing gym called the Rifle Climbing Center with some fun interactive walls to keep you fit throughout these short winter days.
• Check out one of the Pop Up Cross Country Ski days on the Grand Mesa sponsored by our Gen Wild partner, The Nature Connection.

And lastly, here are some winter activity ideas for families and their kids to enjoy over the break:

• Sled building challenge using duct tape and cardboard
• Check out the West Elk Trails and Grand Mesa Nordic Council for snowshoeing and xc skiing
• Ice skating: River City Sportsplex in Grand Junction, New Castle Rec. (no rental skates available) and Colorado Extreme hockey program in Rifle are all great opportunities to get on the ice this winter.

Stay tuned for more information and activities to come.

Thank you to our community for helping us collect food, assemble Fall Food Baskets, and distribute them! Thank you to the GVHS Art Club, Caerus Energy, GVHS Leadership, and several community members for organizing and coordinating the event. Thank you to the GVHS Boys Basketball Team for their help in assembling the food baskets before they were distributed. We were able to feed about 50 families!

The School-Based Family Resource Center (SBFRC) partnered with Parachute/Battlement Mesa Parks and Recreation District and the Parachute Branch Library to distribute Giving Tree tags at the Annual Craft Fair and the library. Thank you to our Grand Valley Givers for their hard work in ensuring all families were adopted. Thank you to our community for adopting families and/or children, purchasing gifts, and returning them to the SBFRC. All "Angels" were adopted for the holidays.

Special thanks to everyone who adopted, our amazing community, Parachute Police Department, Funky Bear Bistro, the Town of Parachute, Garfield County Sheriff's Department, the Roaring Fork Children's Foundation, G16 staff, Alpine Bank Battlement Mesa, Canvas Credit Union Rifle, the Grand Valley Methodist Church, and All Saints Episcopal Church! With all of your support for our Grand Valley Giving Trees, Shop with a Cop eent, and Shop with a Hero event, we were able to help about 500 students (almost 100 families) with gifts and treats for the holidays!

Thank you to Mrs. Strong's class at BUE! Each year, they host a "Socks and Cereal" drive for local families. Thank you to Mrs. Strong, her students, and all the families who donated!

Thank you GVHS NHS and Key Club for putting together stocking stuffers for G16 students for the holidays

Thank you to Colorado Parks and Wildlife, GVHS Outdoor Club, and G16 Outdoor Education Coordinator Ari Philipson for a donation of elk meat! CPW donated the elk to the GVHS Outdoor Club. With the help of Mr. Ari, Mr. Wardell, Mrs. Doyle, and Mr. Rindlisbacher, G16 students and staff processed the elk and distributed steaks, ground elk, roasts, etc. to the SBFRC and Lift-Up.

Thank you to the Rifle Elks Lodge for selecting the SBFRC as a beneficiary for their Spotlight Grant program! According to the Elks Lodge, "The Spotlight Grant was created to provide Lodges with a selection of ready-made, off-the-shelf projects that they can implement in their communities. This grant focuses on three pressing issues facing American communities: early childhood literacy, veteran homelessness, and hunger and essential needs assistance. It aims to support individuals and families in need, as many communities have experienced an increase in requests for assistance from food pantries, soup kitchens, school backpack programs, homeless shelters, and meal delivery services. People often reach out to the Elks organization to find out how their local Lodge can make a positive impact on their community."

Thank you to the BUE K-Kids for coordinating the soup drive for the SBFRC.

The Holiday Season is challenging for many of our families, but our community is amazing at pulling together to help those in need. Thank you to all for helping the SBFRC achieve our mission! Have a great holiday season, and we will see you next year.

FACEBOOK

WEBSITE

Please do not hesitate to reach out to our School Based Family Resource Center for more information.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Claudia Flores Cruz

Center Coordinator

970-285-5262

cflorescruz@garfield16.org

As part of our commitment to ensuring the safety and well-being of our students, we would like to inform you about the resources available for accessing information on registered offenders. At the beginning of each school year, we provide written details on where and how you can obtain this information from local law enforcement agencies. This information is also posted on the district’s website for your convenience.

We believe it is crucial for parents and guardians to have access to this information to stay informed about their community and to take any necessary precautions to protect their children. By keeping you informed, we hope to foster a safer environment for all our students.

You can find the Garfield County Sheriff's Office Offender Search here: https://www.garcosheriff.com/sex-offender-search/

Garfield 16 provides all students with counseling services through the school counselors. School counselors work with students to support their academic growth and success as well as their social and emotional development. School counselors work closely with teachers, principals, and parents to support students experiencing issues that impact their learning. These issues can be, but are not limited to, declining grades, poor work habits, organizational skills, distracting behaviors, school avoidance, anxiety, trauma, and transient personal or family issues, such as the loss of a loved one or change in family dynamic. A school counselor may work with a student on an individual basis or as part of a group. In addition, school counselors work with the administration to assess at-risk students.

At the elementary level, school counselors provide direct instruction to all students in social and emotional growth and wellbeing. Topics include social skills, recognizing emotions, problem-solving, and conflict resolution. For students who may be experiencing difficulty with social skills, regulating behaviors, or school counselors provide individual and group coaching.

At the secondary level, school counselors begin to support students with college and career planning and decision making. School counselors work with students on their Individual Career and Academic Plan (ICAP) requirements. School counselors facilitate college and post-secondary career and workforce exploration. At the high school level, school counselors work with students to ensure they are on pace for graduation.

How to contact your school counselor:

CFL:

• Referral Form
• Email Ms. Landry
• Call 970-285-5702

BUE:

• Referral Form
• Email Mrs. Sherraden
• Email Mrs. DeMaio
• Call 970-285-5703

GVMS:

• Parent Referral Form
• Student Referral Form
• Email Mrs. Hoyt
• Call 970-285-5707

GVHS:

• Email Mrs. Paine
• Email Mrs. Largent
• Call 970-285-5705

• All students and their families.
• Fill out the referral form, found by clicking this link.
• Drew Hogan- SBFRC Counselor

Please review the attached guidance from Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment regarding when to keep your child at home due to an illness.

Find information about G16's Health Services by clicking the link below. Information includes: recommended immunizations, what to do if your student needs medication at school or has a severe allergy, and vision and hearing screenings by grade.

Garfield County Public Health and Garfield 16 have teamed up to offer a Vaccine and Immunization Clinic in Parachute! The clinic will be offered on the first Monday of every month, as long as appointments are scheduled. Garfield County Public Health will be stationed at the School-Based Family Resource Center from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm, by appointment only. Please call 970-625-5200 to schedule an appointment, stating that you would like to schedule for the Parachute clinic.

Menus can be found by following this link: https://www.garfield16.org/departments/nutritional-services

Our free breakfast and lunch program is a yearly grant process. Our district has qualified again for a free breakfast and lunch program for SY 2024-2025.

• Breakfast Program: All students can receive breakfast free of charge. It is important that your child arrives at school on time in order to have time to enjoy a meal before a long day of learning!

• Lunch Program: All students can receive lunch free of charge. If your child brings lunch from home, please make sure it does NOT need to be heated in a microwave as there are no microwaves available.

Please do not send soda pop in your child’s school lunch. We ask that you send a healthier choice such as juice, water, or milk.

Parents wishing to eat lunch with their child may do so, please call the school office by 9:00am if you would like to order a hot lunch. The charge for an adult lunch is $4.25 and for a visiting child it is $2.75. Please remember that the school only accepts cash or a check for payment.

Menus are on our District's Nutrition Department webpage: https://www.garfield16.org/departments/nutritional-services

Meal Prices for Visitors:

Student Lunch $2.75

Milk $0.70

Adult Lunch $4.25

Here are the updated bus routes.

October is Bus Safety month! Stay tuned for bus safety days coming to BUE and CFL.

Bus ridership cards for the BusHub App are getting closer to being printed so please make sure you have your paperwork in for your student to ride the bus (see more information below).

For the 2024-2025 School Year, we will be using a software called School BusHub. This technology will allow real-time tracking. Which means parents/guardians can track their child's school bus in real-time using the School Bus Hub app. This feature provides peace of mind by allowing parents to know exactly where their child's bus is along its route. See the attached PDF for instructions on how to download the new app.

With this in mind, for the 24/25 School Year, EVERY CHILD WHO MAY RIDE THE BUS MUST FILL OUT THE BUS REGISTRATION FORM (and return it to your child's school).

Please also note that bus routes may change based on student need. Check the website for updated routes: https://www.garfield16.org/departments/transportation

Our expectations for riding the school bus were revised.

Elementary students should have brought home a hard copy of these expectations last week. Please review this form, sign it, and return it to your student's school.

Middle school and high school parents, a copy is attached. Please review these updated expectations with your student(s). To confirm receipt and the review of these updated expectations, please fill out this google form.

*Garfield County School District #16 is not responsible for, and does not endorse, any statement, sentiment, or opinion published or expressed in this document. This document is not part of, and has not been distributed as part of the District's curricular or extracurricular programs.

Christmas PJ Party
Join us for a night of holiday cheer! We’ll get together at 6 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 20 at the Parachute Branch Library and watch “The Polar Express”, sip on hot cocoa, and munch on popcorn. Don’t forget your PJs! This bilingual event is free and open to all. For more information call the library at 970-285-9870.

Reindeer at Your Library
Celebrate the holidays with an educational afternoon with your Garfield County Libraries and an up close encounter with a pair of reindeer from Noel Productions! The final event will be on Wednesday, Dec. 18 from 3 to 5 p.m. in Carbondale. All are free and open to the public. For more information visit www.gcpld.org or visit your local library.

Rifle’s Adventure Guild
Join our 5th edition Dungeons & Dragons group for adults, set in the immersive homebrew world of Monea. We’ll meet from 1 to 4 p.m. on Sundays’ at the Rifle Branch Library to explore mysterious realms, uncover ancient secrets, and shape our destiny in a rich and evolving story. As we dive deeper, we’ll discover the true extent of the conflict that shaped Monea, unraveling forgotten lore that may hold the key to preventing an even greater catastrophe. New and experienced players are welcome! This D&D club is free and open to all. For more information call the library at 970-625-3471.

Holiday Sparkles Mindful Photowalk
Join your Carbondale Branch Library as we invite author and photographer Joe Van Wyk to the library to do a short presentation, followed by a mindful smartphone photowalk downtown with Frankie the Doodle. Bundle up, bring the kids, and let's chase things that sparkle in our winter wonderland. On Wednesday, Dec. 18 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. you'll learn smartphone photography techniques and experience mindful moments of inner peace along the way. It’s free and open to all and kids are welcome! For more information call the library at 970-963-2889.

Holiday Closures at the Libraries
All six branches of the Garfield County Libraries will be closed on Tuesday, Dec. 24 and Wednesday, Dec. 25. The libraries will also be closing early on Tuesday, Dec. 31 at 5 p.m. and remaining closed on Wednesday, Jan. 1. During the closures, you can still browse and request books as well as download e-books and stream movies from our website, www.gcpld.org. Thank you for your continued support and we wish you a wonderful holiday season!

EPIC has a beautiful Tiny Home for sale! The Price starts at $95,000. All offers must be sent to Scott Cooper at scooper@crboces.org. Tours of the home, including virtual tours, are available.

For more information, please contact Scott Cooper at scooper@crboces.org.

For a full list of features, visit: https://drive.google.com/…/1uEsRNtYrDYXW…/view…