Garfield 16 Gazette

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Garfield 16 submitted its Unified Improvement Plan (UIP) after school board approval at the October 14, 2025 school board meeting. Data trends are positive for students who are English language learners as they progress through their PreK-12 education. Areas for continued improvement include literacy and math performance from elementary school through middle school. Garfield 16's student growth measures suggest that when students attend our school, they show improvement over time.

Overall, Garfield 16 is rated as Accredited with Improvement Plan. In the Unified Improvement Plan, the school district reviews past academic growth and achievement results and identifies areas of focus for the 2025-26 school year. These areas of focus include:

• continuing to recruit and retain highly qualified teachers
• increasing student attendance
• early reading and math skill development
• updating curriculum in math and reading language arts

Regular attendance is important for students to make sure they do not miss critical instruction.

Important Upcoming Events:

• GVHS Fall Sports- Find schedules at https://gvhs.garfield16.org/athletics
• GVMS Fall Sports- Find schedules at https://gvms.garfield16.org/athletics
• Oct. 21 - Nov. 27 GVHS Leadership Food Drive

• Oct. 21- 24: BUE Red Ribbon Week

• Oct. 23: GVMS Fall Pictures and Retakes

• Oct. 25: Trunk-R-Treat at Grand Valley Recreation Center 3PM - 5PM

• Oct. 25: GVHS Key Club Halloween Carnival & FFA Cornhole Tournament at GVHS 6PM -8PM

• Oct. 31: CFL Coffee with the Principals 9-9:45AM

• Oct. 31: Trick-R-Treat Street 4:30PM-6PM and Monster Mash 6PM-8PM. Both at BUE (0741 Tamarisk Trail, Battlement Mesa, CO 81635)

• Nov. 3-7: BUE's Scholastic Book Fair

• Nov. 3: Parent/Teacher Conferences K-12 10:30AM - 6:30PM

• Nov 4: Parent/Teacher Conferences K-5 8AM - 4PM. NO SCHOOL CFL & BUE. GVMS & GVHS IN-SESSION AS NORMAL.

• Nov. 4: GVHS Fall Theater Production 6:30PM

• Nov. 11: GVHS Veteran's Day Assembly 11AM

• Nov. 11: Board of Education Meeting 5:00 pm. 460 Stone Quarry Road, Battlement Mesa, CO 81635. Find agenda at https://go.boarddocs.com/co/garfield16/Board.nsf/Public

• Nov. 11: GVHS Winter Sports Parent Meeting 6PM

• Nov. 21: CFL's Harvest Feast 11AM - 1PM. NO SCHOOL CFL ONLY.

• Nov. 24-28: FALL BREAK- NO SCHOOL, NO CARDINAL CLUB, SBFRC CLOSED.

• Dec. 5: CFL's Coffee with Principals 9-9:45AM

• Dec. 9: Board of Education Meeting 5:00 pm. 460 Stone Quarry Road, Battlement Mesa, CO 81635. Find agenda at https://go.boarddocs.com/co/garfield16/Board.nsf/Public

• Dec. 10: GVHS Winter Concert 7PM

• Dec. 15: GVHS Winter Sports Pictures 3PM

• Dec. 16 - 19 GVHS Jolly Week

• Dec. 19: End of 2nd Quarter

• Dec. 22 - Jan. 2: WINTER BREAK- NO SCHOOL, NO CARDINAL CLUB, SBFRC CLOSED.

Join us for Halloween!

• Grand Valley Recreation Center is hosting the Trunk-R-Treat on October 25th 3pm- 5pm.
• GVHS Key Club is hosting their Halloween Carnival October 25th from 6pm-8pm at GVHS.
• Parachute Branch Library Once Upon a Fright Night on October 28th 6-8pm.
• G16 is hosting Trick-R-Treat Street on October 31st 4:30pm - 6pm at BUE
• Parachute Branch Library is hosting the Monster Mash on October 31st 6pm-8pm at BUE
• Parachute Branch Library is hosting a Day of the Dead Celebration on November 1st 5-7pm

Don’t forget about our before and after school childcare program, Cardinal Club. Cardinal club is childcare for children in grades kindergarten through 5. Students must be enrolled in Garfield 16 schools.

Cardinal Club is located at CFL and BUE before and after school.

Cardinal Club at BUE and CFL will be held from 6:30 am until the start of school, and again from dismissal of school until 6:00 pm.

The fees for the CFL and BUE Cardinal Club are per child, and reduced rates are available for eligible families.

CARDINAL CLUB IS NOW ACCEPTING CCCAP!

Find more information about our before and after-school childcare program (Cardinal Club) located at both BUE and CFL by following this link: https://www.garfield16.org/parents/pagecardinal-club

Cardinal Club registration forms will also be available at back-to-school nights.

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

Students throughout the district have been enjoying the fall like a freshly cleaned dog enjoys rolling in the dirt. Here is a little bit on how G16 students have been connecting with nature.

Middle and High School students attended a day of mountain biking at Powderhorn resort. While the lifts stopped turning that day, kids had a fantastic time hitting the trails and learning new bike skills.

Middle school advisory classes are building their CREW in a variety of ways. Multiple classes have been getting dirty by diving into the greenhouse to plant a fresh crop of edible vegetables. Other classes have taken trips, such as Mr. Atchison's advisory students hiking to Lost Lake and enjoying some fishing on the Grand Mesa.

Grand Valley High School has continued to engage students in water quality monitoring. The water sampling and analysis program, River Watch, continues this year by offering hands-on learning to Environmental Science and Outdoor Science classes, as well as lab analysis of water quality from Parachute Creek.

Students in Environmental Science classes took their studies one step further by putting on a pair of waders to get into the water and sample macroinvertebrates out of Parachute Creek and the Colorado River.

We just wrapped up a mini archery unit with the GVMS PE teacher, Coach Syd. Students got two weeks of archery lessons which included skills progression, scoring, basic hunter's education and some hands-on history of archery.

Coming up, students will be taking a variety of field trips to connect their in-class learning to the world outside.

Kindergarteners will be visiting Cottonwood Park for their Discovery Day where they will be learning to use tools to explore the teeny tiny and massive world around them.

7th grade will be visiting the iconic Hanging Lake as part of their ecology unit. While the hike is not easy, the rewards are massive and is a great opportunity to visit for many that might not otherwise get the chance to explore.

Mr. Wardell's Literacy class has been learning about the events and operations of the Storm King Fire and will be hiking the memorial trail later this month to get some first hand experience of what the hot-shot crew had to go through.

3rd graders will be visiting the Colorado National Monument as part of their studies around National Parks and geologic time.

And the GVHS Environmental classes will go to visit the Mica Mine trail to see real world evidence of geologic processes in action.

Ski pass opportunities for kids.

• 4th grade is offered a free ski pass to Sunlight for the season. Certificates can be picked up at the BUE front office.
• Aspen/SkiCo offers discounted season passes to all students enrolled. Those can be obtained by contacting group ticket sales.
• Powderhorn is offering discounted season passes to High School students. Waivers and registration forms can be picked up and returned to the GVHS front office before October 24th.

The School-Based Resource Center is here to support you! We are open Tuesday–Friday from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, and on Mondays by appointment.

Our services include student mental health support, substance education, family resources, help with government assistance, adult education classes, legal aid, a clothing closet, and a food pantry. Stop by and see us at 251 Parachute Avenue, or give us a call at 970-285-5700 ext. 5190 to learn more.

November Events

• Nov 1st last day to sign up for the Giving Tree.
• The Grand Valley Givers hope that these gifts will help make your holiday season brighter for families in need of assistance. Please list all of your students and their siblings living with you. You may only register your family one time per year. You must have a student attending Garfield County School District 16, a working phone number, and a current address. Identification must be shown at pick up. Please complete the following form by November 1, 2025. NO LATE REGISTRATIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED.

• Winter clothing drive - November 4th - 6th - 8 AM - 3 PM

• Holiday Food Basket - The registration link will be available on November 1 for families within our school district who are in need of a holiday food basket for November and December.

Follow us on Facebook to stay updated on all our programs and events! Garfield County School District NO. 16 School-Based Family Resource Center

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
• Leslie Pinaire- SBFRC Counselor

Did you know that we can administer medication to your students if they have a need. What we need from you is a doctor's order/care plan, that needs to be signed by the doctor and by you as the parent. Parents then need to bring in medication to the school and we have trained staff that are able to administer medications. If you have any questions please call the district nurse at 970-285-5707

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 16 is excited to participate in the Healthy School Meals for All program approved by Colorado voters, which provides all students in our district with access to free, nutritious breakfast and lunch.

Just like in previous years, families should continue to provide their household income information by filling out the Free/Reduced Meals Application. While meals will be provided for free to all students in participating schools, it's important to continue gathering this information in order to receive full access to federal funding, which goes directly back to schools to help cover the cost of meals and support after school and other nutritional programs.

Thank you for your support in helping maximize federal funding for our district and schools.

Healthy School meals for all cde webpage resources

The G16 Nutritional Department won the Homecoming Parade with their amazing float again this year! Thank you to Coreen Hamilton for designing and building the float with Brenda Bowen, Stephanie Archuleta, Candi Bluhm, Mia Leonard, Stacie Georg who dressed up and participated!

If you need to contact transportation for any reason, including a missing student, please call the Transportation Office at the number below:

Office: 970-285-5701 ext. 5133

The school bus is an extension of the school building. All of the rules and expectations in school apply while riding a school bus or waiting at a bus stop.

1. Students should be at the bus stop 5 minutes before the scheduled pick up time.

2. Students should enter the bus and immediately sit in the seat.

3. Students must remain seated at all times. This is to ensure the safety of all students in case of a sudden stop, and standing is distracting to the driver.

4. Students must keep their hands and heads in the bus at all times.

5. Students should keep the bus aisle clear at all times.

6. Students should use indoor voices while riding the bus. Shouting and load noises are not allowed.

7. Students are not allowed to eat or drink on the bus.

8. Students must follow the directions of the bus driver and bus monitor at all times, without exception.

9. Students should collect any trash they have and throw it into the trash can when exiting the bus.

10. Kindergarten and first grade students must be met at the bus stop by a responsible adult to exit the bus. If a responsible adult is not at the bus stop, the students will be returned to the Center for Family Learning for the parent/guardian to pick up the student.

Join us from 5 to 7 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 1 at the Parachute Branch Library for a Catrín & Catrina costume contest with prizes for the winners! Enjoy traditional bread, tamales, and beverages as we come together to remember and celebrate our loved ones. This event is free, open to all, and sponsored by the Colorado River Valley Team and your Garfield County Libraries. For more information call the Parachute Branch Library at 970-285-9870.

Teens are invited to the Parachute Branch Library from 2 to 4 p.m. on Mondays in November to create book bags. All supplies will be provided during this 4-week workshop, and you will learn the basic functions of a sewing machine as well as some hand sewing techniques. It’s free and open to all teens. For more information call the library at 970-285-9870.

Enjoy the Parachute Branch Library’s seasonal series of hands-on adult craft workshops where each session features a unique and engaging project, from traditional techniques to modern, eco-friendly designs. There will be three Saturday sessions: September 20 featuring Japanese kumihimo braiding, October 18 featuring beaded wire jewelry, and November 15 featuring upcycled melted glass jar succulent garden. All will run from 2 to 4 p.m. and no experience is needed. Free, but space is limited. Register by visiting or calling the library at 970-285-970. Bring your creativity and enjoy an inspiring afternoon of crafting!

Find information about rental counseling, prepare to buy a home, receive pre-purchase counseling, find help with closing costs, reverse mortgage counseling, financial counseling, help for those facing foreclosure, and help with home repairs. **

**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.