Gold Rush Elementary

Inspiring Purpose, Compassion & Excellence

Our kindergartners are embracing the new season. They have decorated our hallways with fall artwork. We hope you take a look at their amazing work when you are in the building next!

Gold Rush is thrilled to offer Spanish as a specials class for the second year in a row! It is inspiring to watch students practice speaking and listening in a class that is taught 90% in Spanish. This year, students are also expanding their learning to include reading and writing in Spanish.

Across all grade levels, students are listening to engaging stories in Spanish and then reenacting them using prompts. Intermediate students are taking their learning even further by writing about themselves and their classmates.

We are grateful for our Spanish teacher, Mrs. Sutherland, who continues to grow and enrich this program each year. Her dedication is helping our students build confidence and develop meaningful language skills that will serve them well into the future.

Gold Rush students and staff practice lockdown drills twice a year. The school would go into a lockdown if there was a threat within the school. This differs from a hold (formerly a lockout), which occurs if there is a threat outside of the building, such as a wild animal. During a lockdown students remain seated and silent in their locked classroom. In a hold, students remain within the building, but they are able to proceed with usual routines.

On Wednesday, October 8, students and staff will participate in the lockdown drill with District Security and the Parker Police. We inform students that if they were not in their classroom when a lockdown was announced they would run to the closest room. If they were in the bathroom students are told to remain in a locked stall with their feet up. If they are outside they are directed to run away from the school and find a safe spot until a safe person finds them.

When we signal the drill we use a system that immediately informs both the Parker Police Department and the District. It also announces that we are in a lockdown outside the building. If you are to hear the announcement on Friday, please know that this is a scheduled practice.

The National Association of School Psychologists provides some tips for talking with children. They provide seven suggestions shown below. Click here for the full article.

1. Assure Children They Are Safe

2. Make Time to Talk

3. Make Explanations Developmentally Appropriate

4. Review Safety Procedures

5. Observe Children's Emotional State

6. Limit Television Viewing

7. Maintain a Normal Routine

We are proud to be part of the Legend Feeder community! This week was filled with excitement as students celebrated Homecoming with fun spirit days and school-wide events.

One of the highlights was the all-school assembly hosted by the high school students. Our students learned cheers, showed off their spirit, and even faced off against teachers in a lively tug-of-war! Marching in the high school parade on Wednesday was another special moment that gave our students a chance to show their pride and be part of a wonderful community tradition.

We hope you’ll continue the celebration by joining the Legend Homecoming Game tonight at 7:00 PM at Echo Park. Go Titans!

We want to extend a heartfelt thank you to our amazing PTO and parent volunteers for all they do for our students, staff, and families. Last Friday’s Western Night was a huge success! From lawn games and a pumpkin patch to the excitement of having a horse, the evening was filled with festive fun. This favorite tradition would not be possible without the PTO, the many parent volunteers, and those who donated to the auction and raffle baskets.

We are also so grateful to our PTO and parent volunteers for providing the delicious meals and treats during conference week. These thoughtful gestures kept teachers fueled and energized, and they were deeply appreciated!

Each year, The Foundation for Douglas County Schools honors exceptional educators and staff who are inspiring a love of learning in students and are trailblazing extraordinary innovation in our schools. Over the years, the annual Apple Awards has grown to engage the entire community, bringing in thousands of nominations every year for teachers and staff members across our school district. Be sure to visit this webpage to submit your nomination(s) between by October 20!

2021 South Swift Fox Way, Parker, CO, USA

303-387-7700

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