Good News Bulletin

Gifted and talented elementary and middle school students spent this week with their heads in the clouds -- and beyond -- during the annual Elizabeth STEAM Camp.

Forty-two students in the GT programs at Elizabeth Middle School, Legacy Academy, Running Creek Elementary and Singing Hills Elementary packed a lot of Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math (STEAM) learning into the past five days thanks to District Gifted Education Coordinator Jenn Bruns, Singing Hills Teachers Ashlee Johnson and Susan McMullen, and Running Creek Teacher Mackenzie Myers.

The STEAM team took advantage of Elizabeth being halfway between Denver and Colorado Springs: On Tuesday, the crew took a field trip to the CSU Spur campus in Denver to learn about life science, earth science and hydrology; and today they went to the Challenger Learning Center in Colorado Springs for hands-on space-themed activities.

On Thursday, the students were treated to a physics lesson about travel by hot-air balloon thanks to balloonist David Bowling (who also happens to have extensive experience in the U.S. Air Force and as an administrator for the National Transportation Safety Board). He brought his balloon to explain how he is able to keep it inflated and aloft with warm air inside the envelope (a term students learned as an alternative to "balloon" in this case). He inflated the envelope with the help of the hard-working teachers but did not take it off the ground because of windy conditions.

Throughout the rest of the week, the campers learned about:

• How weather affects flight.
  
• What is the natural environment around the Singing Hills campus.
  
• The aerodynamics of a paper airplane.
  
• How to tie-dye t-shirts (which they then wore on the Tuesday field trip).
  
• How watersheds work.
  
• Programming a ball-shaped Sphero robot to go through an obstacle course.
  
• How to make seed bombs and cardboard catapults to spread wildflower seeds behind Singing Hills.
  
• Earth life-form survival possibilities on Mars (including creation of a presentation about which kinds of creatures from Earth could make it on the red planet).
  
• Geology from guest presenter Mark McMullen.
  
• Building teamwork skills through activities such as passing a hula hoop down a chain of students with interlocked arms.

... and much more! Here are several pictures from throughout the week, many of them thanks to the tireless teachers:

Rising ninth graders Alex Aviles and Paige and Zoey Fink attended the Ultimate Scavenger Hunt camp May 28-30 at the YMCA Estes Park.

This year's theme for the gifted and talented student camp was "In Search of Excellence." The keynote speaker Dr. Matt Zakreski spoke about the fear of failure and imposter syndrome. The three-day camp featured numerous workshops ranging from archery to photography, for which some of the Elizabeth students' work is shown below.

Thanks to Steve Beaudoin and Jenn Bruns for sharing the photos and information

The Elizabeth High School poms/spirit team finished its week-long preseason camp on Thursday. The completed all-day practice sessions to learn the choreography for five songs that will make up their competition routine.

Los Angeles-based choreographer Jackie Koegel worked with the team from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday through Thursday, said Head Coach Amber Rusk. Along with custom choreography, the team has special versions of songs -- all with a "taking flight" theme -- for their performances. Rusk said the theme is not only related to Cardinals teams soaring to new heights: It's also the goal of the team to compete at the spirit national competition in Florida for the first time in school history.

This week's camp leads into regular practices beginning next week and continuing until the school year begins. Along with teaching each step of their performance, the camp served as a team-building time. Assistant Coach Brooke Newton let the team know that Thursday was Rusk's birthday, and they (along with poms moms) made plans to arrive early on Thursday to surprise Rusk with gifts, food and decorations.

Running Creek Preschool has received an outstanding level of achievement with a Level 5 in the state rating system through Colorado Shines.

Colorado Shines is a service offered through the Colorado Department of Human Services Office of Early Childhood, which rates Colorado’s early care and learning programs, connects families with quality programs, and helps early care and learning programs improve quality.

Colorado Shines looks at how early learning programs:

• Support children’s health and safety.
  
• Ensure their early childhood professionals are well-trained and effective.
  
• Provide a supportive learning environment that teaches children new skills.
  
• Help parents become partners in their child’s learning.
  
• Demonstrate strong leadership and business practices.

This achievement demonstrates Elizabeth School District's commitment to continuous improvement.

Elementary School supply kits can be purchased online with everything each student will need for their next grade level.

Running Creek Elementary parents can visit this link, and Singing Hills parents can visit this link to select the specific grade level and purchase next year's school supplies.

The deadline for purchase is July 1, and the school supply kits will be ready and waiting for them at school when the new year starts in August.

Elizabeth School District hosted its second-annual potluck lunch for 12-month staff members on Wednesday at the district office. Dozens of administrative, custodial, food service, IT, maintenance, security and transportation staff members took a brief break to celebrate the end of the school year together as they embark on a busy summer preparing for next year.

Elizabeth's first-responder community was welcomed to join as well.

May 25 – EHS Graduation, 10 a.m.

June 3-7 – EHS STEAM Camp

June 10 – Board of Education meeting, 6 p.m.

June 24 – Board of Education meeting, 6 p.m.

Aug. 6 & 8 – EMS/EHS student check-in/registration

Aug. 12 – EMS student registration make-up day

Aug. 12 – Board of Education meeting, 6 p.m.

Aug. 14 – First day of school for Grade 6 and 9 only (half day)

Aug. 15 – First day of school for EMS and EHS

Aug. 15-16 – Elementary student orientation/assessment days

Aug. 19 – First day of school for elementary schools

EMS sports calendar

EHS sports calendar

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.

American Furniture Warehouse maintains a year-round opportunity to help Elizabeth Schools anytime you buy home furnishings.

When you check out at any AFW location, just mention "Elizabeth Schools" or the Partner ID, EC1SD, and AFW will donate 2% of the purchase to the Elizabeth Education Foundation. Additionally, anything purchased of the Beautyrest, Serta or Simmons brands results in an additional 2%. This includes online orders, too.

See the attached flier for more details.