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A Note from Mrs. Frees

Dear Families,

As we move into February, I want to take a moment to thank you for the continued support and dedication you show our school community. Reaching the halfway point of the school year is an important milestone, and it reflects the hard work, partnership, and commitment that surround our students every day. While this time of year can feel long and challenging, it is also a time when we see meaningful growth, increased confidence, and strong routines taking shape. We are excited to continue building on this momentum together in the months ahead.

This month, we’ll be focusing on fostering kindness and building strong relationships within our classrooms. We’re encouraging our students to express gratitude, practice empathy, and collaborate with one another. These values will not only enhance their learning experiences but also help them grow as compassionate individuals.

I wanted to share some information about our new reading assessment DIBELS so you all have a better understanding. This year at CFL, we use DIBELS as one of our tools for measuring important early literacy skills. These skills help us understand how students are developing as early readers.

One important thing to remember is that DIBELS is a timed assessment. Each section is completed within a one-minute time frame. This means a child may understand a skill and be able to do it accurately, but may not yet be able to do it quickly. This is very common, especially for young learners who are still building confidence and automaticity.

Some of the DIBELS measures you may see include:

LNF (Letter Naming Fluency): Measures how quickly a student can name letters.
PSF (Phonemic Segmentation Fluency): Measures a child’s ability to hear and break words into individual sounds.
NWF (Nonsense Word Fluency): Measures how well students can apply letter-sound knowledge to read unfamiliar (made-up) words.

How Families Can Help at Home:

To support LNF (Letter Naming Fluency):

Practice naming letters using alphabet cards, books, or magnets.
Point out letters in everyday places (signs, food boxes, books).
Keep practice short and fun—5 minutes at a time is plenty!

To support PSF (Phonemic Segmentation Fluency):

Play sound games like “What sounds do you hear in cat?”
Have your child clap, tap, or “chop” the sounds in simple words.
Stretch words slowly and ask your child to say each sound.

To support NWF (Nonsense Word Fluency):

Practice letter sounds rather than letter names.
Make up silly words and have your child sound them out.
Encourage your child to blend sounds together smoothly (for example, /b/ /a/ /t/ → bat).

DIBELS scores are just one piece of information and do not tell the whole story of a child’s learning. Teachers use these results along with daily classroom work, observations, and other assessments to guide instruction and support growth throughout the year.

If you have questions about your child’s progress or would like more ideas to support literacy at home, please reach out to your child’s teacher. We value our partnership with families and appreciate your support!

Wishing you all a wonderful and warm February!

Are you connected?

Get information from CFL with the Garfield 16 app. Parents and students can download the app from both the Google Play and Apple App stores. Just look for Garfield 16.

Setting up Push Notifications

To receive a push notification on the G16 app.

1. Go in the G16 app

2. Go into the setting

3. Select Press Notification tab

4. Select school(s) that you want to receive push notifications from.

If you have any questions, Please don't hesitate to call or stop by.

~Kim Frees

Coffee With the Principals

Mark your calendars! The next time we meet will be Friday, February 27th from 9:00-9:45.

This is a great opportunity to connect, share ideas, and discuss important topics that impact our school community. Your feedback and input are invaluable as we work together to create the best learning environment for our students. We hope to see you there!

Valentine's Parties at CFL

Dear Kinder - Ist Grade Families,

Valentine’s Day is right around the corner! Classes will be celebrated on Friday, February 13th, from 2:00-2:40 p.m.

Each classroom teacher will communicate and provide more specific details. You may send Valentine cards with a prepackaged treat if you wish. Most classrooms will have simple treats (individually wrapped and prepackaged), a craft time, or a Valentine activity. If you have any questions, please reach out to your child’s teacher.

PK Information:

Thursday, February 12th @ 2:30-3:00pm

Ms. Tessa and Ms. Cait’s Classroom: This is for Full Day/PM Classes

Friday, Feb. 13th, 10:30-11:10 am

Ms. Tessa and Ms. Cait’s Classroom: This is for AM class

Friday, Feb. 13th 10:30-11:10 am

Bobbi, Benson, Shuler Classrooms: AM/Full Day Classes

If you plan to participate, all volunteers need to be in our safety system, Raptor. If you have not already, please stop by the office with your ID so we can get you into the system. We will have multiple check-in tables to expedite check-in.

Pre-School News

Dear Preschool Families,

This is a busy and exciting time of year in preschool as we continue to support your child’s learning and growth across all developmental areas. Teachers are focusing on early literacy and math skills throughout the day. In literacy, children are working on recognizing letters in their first and last names and connecting letter sounds to those letters. In math, we are building skills such as oral counting to 20 and recognizing quantities of objects that match a given numeral. These foundational skills support future learning and confidence.

This week, teachers are completing the Winter Teaching Strategies GOLD checkpoint, which captures your child’s progress across all areas of development. You will receive a parent report in the next few weeks that highlights your child’s strengths and next steps in learning. If you have any questions about the report once it comes home, please reach out to your child’s teacher—we are happy to support you.

We would also like to thank families for participating in our Math Learning at Home activities. Teachers will be collecting the family engagement activity sheet on Tuesday, February 4th. We hope you enjoyed exploring math together at home! A new family learning activity will be coming home later this month with ideas for continued learning.

We have a busy month ahead and are excited to invite you to our Building Celebration on Thursday, February 6th. Celebrations will take place at 10:30 a.m. for our AM classes and 2:15 p.m. for our full-day/PM classes. Families are invited to come see your child’s building creations and learning from our Building Study. Additionally, Valentine’s Day celebrations will be held in classrooms—please check with your child’s teacher for specific times and details.

Lastly, Universal Preschool enrollment for next year is beginning. If your child is currently 3 years old and will be returning for another year of preschool, please be sure to complete the application at:
https://upk.colorado.gov/
If you have any questions about the enrollment process, feel free to reach out.

Thank you for your continued partnership and support. We truly appreciate all you do to support your child’s learning.

Warmly,
Ms. Hills

Preschool Director

Make Sure Your Child has the Right Gear!

Universal Preschool (UPK) Enrollment Information for Fall 2026

Interested in enrolling your child in preschool at CFL for the Fall of 2026? Here’s what you need to know:

Preschool Roundup At Center For Family Learning

Monday, April 20, 2026 9AM- 12PM

For All NEW 3 & 4 year olds

For 3-Year-Olds:

Children must be 3 years old on or before August 15, 2026.
Please call the CFL office at 970-285-5702 for enrollment information.

For 4-Year-Olds:

Children must be 4 years old on or before August 15, 2026.
To begin the Universal Preschool (UPK) process:
1. Visit https://upk.colorado.gov/ and complete the UPK application.
2. Contact the CFL office at 970-285-5702 to notify us that you’ve submitted your UPK application.

Required Documents Before Enrollment:

Once the UPK process is complete, the following documents must be submitted to CFL:

State-Issued Birth Certificate
Immunization Record
Well Child Check / Health Appraisal

For more information, visit the UPK Colorado Parent Handbook:

We look forward to welcoming your child to CFL! If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to call us.

Kindergarten Enrollment

Statement:

Garfield 16 School District has adjusted the Kindergarten entry cutoff from October 1 to August 15th, starting in the 26-27 school year. Incoming kindergarten students must be 5 years old on or before August 15th.

To support families during this transition, preschool students who will turn 5 years old between August 16, 2026, and October 1, 2026, will be admitted into kindergarten for the 2026-27 school year. If you choose not to attend kindergarten, you will be responsible for paying for preschool tuition.

Families permitted early admittance to kindergarten in future years will be in accordance with board policy and applicable state laws.

FAQ’s to support families:

What does it mean for me?

Starting with the 2026–27 school year, Garfield 16 will change the kindergarten entry birthday cutoff date from October 1st to August 15th. This means that children must be 5 years old on or before August 15th to enroll in kindergarten. For most families, this is not a change. It currently affects families whose children will turn 5 years old between August 16, 2026 - October 1, 2026.

Why is this change being made?

Children who are 5 years old by the time they start kindergarten are better prepared for success in both academic and social aspects of formal schooling.

What about Universal Pre-K funding?

Universal Pre-K (UPK) aligns with the local district’s cutoff date. This means that starting in 2026-27, students who are 4 years old on or before Aug 15th will be eligible for 4-year-old UPK funding for one year immediately preceding Kindergarten. Families who have already used 4-year-old UPK funding will not be eligible for an additional year of UPK funding.

Can my child enter Kindergarten when they are 4 years old?

Only students whose guardian(s) complete the Early Access process for highly gifted children may be considered for kindergarten admission as a 4-year-old due to state funding requirements.

My child will turn 5 years old between Aug 16th and Oct 1. Now that the cutoff date is Aug 15th, what does that mean for my child?

Preschool students who turn five between August 16, 2026, and October 1, 2026, may still request to start Kindergarten in the 2026-2027 school year. Families permitted early admittance to kindergarten in future years will be in accordance with state law and board policy.

I have more questions. Who do I go to?

Please call CFL’s front office at 970-285-5702

Early Access for Kindergarten

Parents may submit an Application for Early Access to the local school principal by April 1. Applications can be submitted prior to March 1, but they will be marked as received on March 1st, as this is the official date in which early access requests can be made.

In order to be considered for early access, a child must obtain a score at or above the 95th percentile on both standardized intellectual and achievement tests. However, simply achieving a score at or above the 95th percentile is not sufficient to offer early access to the child. The school must consider a variety of other factors and build a body of evidence that fully supports a decision to offer early access.

Early Access Application