CME BLAST

Hello Cougar Families!

I want to start by saying how much positive energy is surging through our halls this week as we welcome parents in for conferences. It has been great to see you all and witness the pride on our little Cougars' faces as they share all the wonderful learning they've accomplished so far. Thank you so very much for all the treats, breakfasts, and lunches you've brought to our staff to keep us all smiling. I love when there is food in the lounge for our staff because it brings everyone together, and the lounge is buzzing with conversation and laughter. We are all so grateful for the love you show us! I wish you all a happy and beautiful Fall Break!

Dogs on Campus -

We're so glad to see so many of you walking your students to school each day. We know that for many of you, your dogs are part of the family! This is a friendly reminder that, per district policy, dogs are not permitted on school grounds unless they are service dogs with proper identification. Even the sweetest, most well-behaved pups can't be on campus. We appreciate your help in keeping our students and staff safe.

Apple Awards -

I'm making one last request for your help with Apple Award nominations! This is our chance to shine a light on the incredible staff members who make our school so special.

Whether it's a teacher who sparked a love of reading, a counselor who offered a listening ear, or a staff member who greets you with a smile every morning, these nominations mean the world.

We've sent home a form in Thursday folders with all the info you'll need. It's a quick process, and your support makes a huge difference. Thanks for helping us show our staff some love!

Thanks CMEA -
Thanks to our PTO for organizing all the love this week at CME! Thank you also to everyone who brought in goodies and pitched in to clean up this week! It was amazing! On Friday, they are providing a super fun BMX show with an anti-bullying message out on our playground. I am so excited to end our day by having some fun!! Thanks, CMEA!!!

Link to CME Website

Link to CME B.A.S.E. Website

Link to My School Bucks

Attendance Line - 303-387-7377 - please call the attendance line if your child will be out

STUDENT LEADERSHIP SPIRIT DAY -

Next Friday, October 10th CME Student Leadership will be having our first spirit day. The theme is College Gear and we want to see students and staff wearing t-shirts, jerseys, hoodies, etc. from their favorite schools. In addition to having fun repping our favorite schools, this is an opportunity to introduce our students to the idea of higher education and get them excited about their future possibilities.

APPLE AWARDS -

THE 2026 NOMINATION WINDOW IS OPEN THROUGH OCTOBER 20TH!

The 2026 Apple Awards ceremony will be held on Saturday, March 28, 2026 at the DCSD Legacy Campus in Lone Tree, Colorado.

Click here to find out more and to nominate.

TRUNK OR TREAT AT MVHS -

Trunk or Treat event on Monday, October 28th, from 5–7 PM at Mountain Vista High School. It will be a fun evening filled with treats, games, and community spirit! See the flyer for more details! MVHS Trunk or Treat

BATTLE OF THE BOOKS-

Come join the Copper Mesa Elementary Battle of the Books Club!! Battle of the books is a voluntary reading competition for students in 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th grades. Students who choose to participate will read from a list of 10 books, and will compete by answering questions testing their knowledge of the books read. We will compete as a team against teams from other elementary schools.

Club meetings are most Fridays, beginning November 7th at 7:45 a.m. in Mrs. Hollist’s Classroom

Battles will be held at the Lone Tree Library on a weeknight evening, once a week starting around the last week of January. The official schedule will be posted around Thanksgiving break.

Each child who wants to battle will have to commit to reading 8 of the 10 books on the list. We will talk more about ‘expert books’ as we continue.

Facilitator: Emily Hollist Emily.hollist@dcsdk12.org

*Please direct all Battle of the Books questions to facilitators rather than classroom teachers.

For general information about Battle of the Books and a current book list, please visit:

https://www.dcl.org/botb/

ELEMENTARY ASSESSMENT DATES -

Please check out the dates for the Elementary Assessments!

BE A KINDNESS AMBASSADOR - Kindness Club

Do you want to join a team of world-changers? The new after-school Kindness Club is looking for you! We are on a mission to make our school and community a happier, kinder place. Get ready for fun projects, secret kindness missions, and a chance to make new friends while making others smile. Let's work together to start a wave of kindness!

For: Awesome 3rd and 4th Graders
Cost: $25 (for supplies to power our kindness!)
Team Size: Limited to 20 Kindness Ambassadors!
Kindness leaders: Mrs. Feinstein and Mrs. Squire
Details: Thursdays, 3:30-4:30, October 23- November 20, Mrs. Squire's room
Sign up today and get ready to change the world!

5th & 6th Grade Universal Screen

As part of this process, ALL students in 5th & 6th grade not identified for gifted programming will take the Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) the week of November 3, 2025. This assessment indicates the level and pattern of cognitive development of a student in comparison to grade and age mates. These general reasoning abilities, which start developing at birth and continue through early adulthood, are influenced by experiences gained both in and out of school.

Gifted Identification Referral Testing

If your child is in grades 3 and 4, and you believe they need evaluation for Gifted Identification and Services, you may refer your child for testing by initiating the Gifted Identification Process.
Please reach out to Heather Stinnett @ hlstinnett@dcsdk12.org (CME GT Facilitator) as your first step.

The process:

Request CogAT testing for your child by completing the Referral for Gifted Identification linked HERE. (Please reach out to Heather Stinnett before completing this step.)
NOTE: Requesting this assessment automatically initiates the process to evaluate for Gifted Identification.
Upon receipt of this form the Gifted Education Facilitator will connect with you to discuss next steps in the gifted identification process.

2025 FALL/WINTER COMMUNITY -

All tickets can be purchased directly from the Community Event page of our website - look for new opportunities to be added soon! Link to our most recent AUGUST - Back-to-School newsletter.