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7-14NOV | BOOK FAIR

18NOV | PSP MEETING @ 5:30pm

18NOV | SAC MEETING @ 6:30pm

24-28NOV | THANKSGIVING BREAK

3DEC | PSP RESTAURANT NIGHT - CHIPOTLE @ 4-8pm

6DEC | CLARKE FARMS WINTER SOCIAL @ 4-8pm

11DEC | CHOIR PERFORMANCES - STUDENT ASSEMBLY @ 9am | FAMILY CONCERT @ 6pm

19DEC | NO SCHOOL - TEACHER WORK DAY

22DEC25-5JAN26 | WINTER BREAK

6JAN | 1ST DAY BACK FOR STUDENTS

PSP BOOK FAIR
Last day of the Book Fair will be tomorrow, Friday November 14. Come on by if you haven't had a chance yet!

ONLINE BOOK FAIR LINK

BUTTER BRAIDS

Butter Braid delivery will be Monday, 17NOV @ 2pm. Students will take home orders, but please consider meeting your student at CTE after school if you have made a large order.

PSP MEETING

The next PSP meeting will be Tuesday, 18NOV @ 5:30pm in the LMC - all are welcome!

We have starting to collect canned food for our food drive. Here is the list of food for each grade level:

Pre school caned corn and cereal

kindergarten cranberry and apple sauce

1st grade stuffing and and fruit snacks

2nd grade gravy and oatmeal

3rd grade canned fruit and fruit bars

4th grade instant potatoes and rice krispy treat

5th grade: Green Beans and Goldfish Crackers

6th grade: Mack-n-Cheese and Ramen Noodles

At Cherokee Trail we focus on six traits, teaching and fostering them in our classrooms and school-wide in order to create learners who are strong academically and socially.
They are:

ENTHUSIASM * PERSEVERANCE * INTEGRITY * COURAGE * EMPATHY * RESPECT

Read more on the EPICER page!

In NOVEMBER we will be focusing on GRATITUDE. Gratitude means focusing on the good and being thankful for the things we have.

AT HOME: Discuss with your student: "Write down 10 things you are thankful for. Think about starting a Gratitude Journal."

5TH GRADE

6TH GRADE

SPECIALS

GIFTED & TALENTED

ACCESS FLYERS IN PEACHJAR

DEBORAH ORMSBY

Throughout the year, we frequently share assignments and vital information with our teachers via Google Classroom. Recently, I posted a task related to CMAS—yes, it’s only November, but planning starts early! To encourage immediate engagement, I offered a Starbucks gift card to the first two teachers who completed reading the assignment and emailed me.

It’s no secret that teachers are incredibly busy, yet, within a few days, I was delighted to deliver coffee to two quick readers (Kudos to Mrs. Tyler and Mrs. Compton!). This small experiment highlighted an important point: the information we share is truly pertinent.

This made me wonder: what if we offered a similar Starbucks incentive to parents? How long would I wait for a response? Would this simple reward boost readership, or would it be the same few highly engaged families every week?

I know that for you—the dedicated parent reading this now—I am "preaching to the choir." You consistently read the Stallion Scoop and classroom newsletters, and you understand that teachers and staff dedicate time to communicating with you so you can be an active participant in your child’s education. The evidence is clear: statistically significant positive outcomes exist for students whose families are actively involved in their learning. Remember, engagement doesn't always require a grand gesture; it can be as simple as discussing their learning at dinner or helping with homework.

On the flip side, the struggle is real. We know it’s hard for parents to keep up with and read every communication. You might be surprised how many families admit they don't read the Stallion Scoop or other newsletters. And while my entries may not always be the most exciting (Mr. Miller, however, writes some great ones!), a lack of readership means some families are missing out on crucial, timely information. This is concerning, as we have shared many truly important updates this year.

If you are an avid reader, you already know the benefits of staying informed. Our children deserve all the support we can give them, and that support often begins with the information the school shares.

Over the next week, I have a request: if you read our newsletters and occasionally find value in them, please encourage another parent or family to engage in reading our updates. By increasing our collective readership, we strengthen our partnership to better support our students, families, and community!

As I write this, it is Tuesday, the week before the week before Thanksgiving break. Tomorrow I will be flying out with the District and several members of our staff to present at the National Gifted Education Conference. This is our third time presenting at the National Conference and it is always so fun to be able to showcase all of the amazing things we are doing here at CTE. Our presentation is about our journey with Depth and Complexity. If any of my loyal readers have seen all of the icons up and around our school, those are the Depth and Complexity icons, and their purpose is for students to be able to deepen their learning as well as make it more rigorous. I could go on and on but the most important thing is we get to talk about our school and all of the great things we have going on here for all of our students, not just our gifted learners. Where are we going for this conference? We will be flying into the great state of Pennsylvania and attending the conference in sunny Pittsburgh. I don't know about you, but who wouldn't want to go to Pittsburgh in the middle of November?

On the home front, after nearly dying during my bike ride two weekends ago, I decided not to ride my bike this past weekend because it was freezing and I don't have all the cold-weather biking gear that I probably need. Instead, my one and only went through her initiation for her sorority. Apparently, in her words, it was "fun and kind of cultish." I am not sure if that is a good thing or a bad thing but she didn't drop out or quit so I guess it is a good thing. I haven't been able to really talk to her about it since she as been "SOOOOO busy". I'm thinking that as long as her bills are paid, her overall need for me is dwindling. Sniff.

That is it for this weeks episode. Stay tuned for next week when I'll spin some stories about our time in Pittsburgh. See you next time when the Principal Chronicles continue ...

NONDISCRIMINATION NOTICE: The Douglas County School District does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, religion, national origin, ancestry, creed, age, marital status, genetic information, or physical characteristics, disability or need for special education services in admissions, access to, treatment of, or employment in educational programs or activities. The School District’s Compliance Officer is Ted Knight, Assistant Superintendent, 620 Wilcox Street, Castle Rock, Colorado, complianceofficer@dcsdk12.org, 303-387-0067. Complaint procedures have been established for students, parents, employees, and members of the public.

Email: anna.hylton@dcsdk12.org
Website: cte.dcsdk12.org
Location: 17302 Clarke Farms Drive, Parker, CO, USA
Phone: 3033878125
Facebook: facebook.com/ctestallions