DCSD is partnering with the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office on a new middle school program
started this week at Sierra and Rocky Heights Middle Schools.
The Youth, Education & Safety in Schools (Y.E.S.S.) program will be offered to 7th grade
students this year, with lessons on:
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setting boundaries, risky behaviors, sexual harassment and sexual
assault.
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cyber bullying, predators, identity theft, “sexting,” gambling/gaming.
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illicit, over-the-counter and prescription drugs, peer pressure,
prevention.
The program replaces D.A.R.E. at the middle school level and addresses issues that more
directly affect this age group. “We know that the topics we are teaching are very relevant to middle
school students based the research that has been done,” says Phyllis Harvey, the Youth Education
Project Coordinator for the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office. “The subject areas were chosen with
collaboration between teachers, administrators and the Sheriff’s Office to hopefully reduce risky
behavior and increase positive social and life skills.”
their health class curriculums get underway.
For more information about the Y.E.S.S. program, contact Phyllis Harvey at the DC Sheriff’s
Office, 303.814.7033 or pharvey@dcsheriff.net.
District Nurse Consultants
and
interviewed this week for a story on
school preparedness for H1N1. The
in coming weeks.
Correspondent Tom Bearden also
interviewed Interim Superintendent
and Assistant Director
of Student Wellness
Mueller while flming for an episode of The
DCSD continues to make gains in student achievement.
Results for the fifth year of Reading Recovery in the District
show that 91% of students who went through the full program
achieved grade level or higher proficiency in reading.
Reading Recovery is an intervention program for children
having difficulties with early literacy and who have the lowest
achievement in the first grade. Children work one-on-one with a
specially trained teacher for 30 minutes a day, for an average of
12 to 20 weeks. Teachers who wish to become certified in Reading Recovery complete 9 semester
graduate hours during a year-long training. In the intensive 30-minute daily lessons, students
can accelerate quickly toward the goal of meeting grade level proficiency. Reading Recovery is
implemented in more than 10,000 schools all over the U.S.
This is the fifth year for Reading Recovery in DCSD, and the number of successes has climbed
every year. In five years, 735 first grade students received one-on-one intervention. There are now
18 elementaries in the District offering Reading Recovery, and 32 teachers currently teaching the
program.
In 2008-09, 91% of students who had the full series of lessons successfully exited the program
at grade level proficiency or above. Even the students who attended Reading Recovery for less than
the full series of lessons saw a high rate of success – 74% brought up to grade level or above.
weeks. These struggling readers progress quickly thus closing the reading achievement gap,” says
Kathy Tirrill, Reading Recovery Teacher Leader. “By intervening early, students get off to a good
start in literacy learning before confusion begins, and there are lasting effects. This also delivers
cost benefits because it reduces referrals and placements to special education.”
Reading Recovery directly addresses one of the District’s three Student Learning Goals, to
close achievement gaps for students who are not proficient in the essential skills of reading, writing
and mathematics by achieving a year or more growth. “The ongoing success of this program over
five years has allowed us to fulfill that goal in a measurable, hands-on way that puts these kids on
the path to success,” says Superintendent Jim Christensen. “Students who received one-on-one
intervention with the program continue to make gains over time, proving the long-term effects of
early intervention. We’re very proud of the program.”
confguration changes
The Long Range Planning
Committee (LRPC), a citizen-based
committee of the BOE, will be
presenting information regarding the
proposed grade configuration change
to add 6th grade to Sagewood Middle
(Ponderosa feeder) and Cimarron
Middle (Legend feeder).
The 6-7-8 grade configuration
has already been proven effective
at Rocky Heights Middle School
and is an educationally sound
design. District staff and Learning
Services leadership will provide
further information on the proposed
change and provide parents with the
opportunity to provide feedback.
Meetings for the PHS feeder will
be September 9 and 10, 7 p.m. to 9
p.m. at Sagewood Middle School.
Meetings for the LHS feeder will
be September 16 and 17, 7 p.m. to 9
p.m. at Legend High School.
The LRPC will also present at the
October 20 Board Meeting.
phone 303.387.0033 • fax 303.387.0107 • email communications@dcsdk12.org • www.dcsdk12.org
The Partnership of Douglas County Governments will be holding
Youth Congress
on Saturday, October 3 from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Villa Parker, 10936 North Pine Drive,
in Parker. Participants will also receive volunteer credit hours and awesome take-aways. If
you are between the ages of 13 and 19, you can be a youth delegate. RSVP to Carla Turner at
303.688.4825 x5327 or cturner@douglas.co.us.
This year’s DCSD Colorado Rapids Community Night, sponsored by the Douglas County
Educational Foundation, will be held on Saturday, September 5, 2009.
The Colorado Rapids will host Toronto FC at Dick's Sporting Goods Park, starting at 8
p.m. Beginning at 5 p.m., Douglas County High School will play Rock Canyon High School
in a varsity boys soccer game. Tickets are $12 for seating in the South Stands, a $20 value,
and parking is included with the cost of each ticket. Additionally, $2 of each ticket sold will be
donated back to the DCEF directly benefiting Douglas County Schools!
To order tickets contact your local DCSD school or visit http://schools.dcsdk12.org/dcef and
click on the Colorado Rapids Night ticket link.
Come celebrate the new Early Childhood Center South on Wednesday, September 9.
Speakers will include Superintendent Jim Christensen, Assistant Superintendent Annette
Fante, Early Childhood Coordinators Kerry Goudy and Mary Byrd and a parent guest speaker.
Renaissance Expeditionary Magnet School will provide a drum performance; preschoolers
will entertain with singing; there will be a ribbon cutting, building tour and refreshments.
Festivities begin at 11 a.m. at the new facility at 3950 Trail Boss Lane, Castle Rock.
•
would like to recognize
as the recipient of the
2009 Wal-mart Teacher of the
Year. Ms. Weickum has taught at
Northeast for 21 years, including
4th and 6th grades and physical
education. She continually spends
time and energy well beyond the
school day to enhance the school
experience. She has sponsored a
school-wide Walk-a-thon to build
awareness and raise contributions
for Teen With A Dream. She is a
staff sponsor for the Kids Running
America Club, which culminates
in students running their 26.5th
mile at the Denver Marathon. She
has sponsored a Learning Fair six
times in the last 18 years. Wal-mart
awarded $1,000, which goes toward
any grant funded through the
DCEF, and Ms. Weickum received a
$100 gift certificate.
The following students achieved a
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perfect 800 score on a portion of
their SATs.
Reading:
Critical Reading:
Representatives from Douglas County, Highlands Ranch Community Association, Highlands Ranch
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Metropolitan District, Douglas County School District and Ice Colorado/Sphere Sports shared the
conceptual planning of cooperative development of Wildcat Regional Park. Board of Education
provided positive feedback on the concept.
An update on the District work related to social/emotional wellness as part of End Statement 1,
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subend 1.6, was presented to the Board. The focus was on exemplars in Positive Behavior Support,
the Crisis Response Team and Suicide Prevention.
The BoE confirmed the September 22nd regional forums hosted by the District Advisory Committee
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(DAC). ThunderRidge High School will be the gathering site for all Highlands Ranch feeder area
School Advisory Committees (SAC). Castle View High School serves as the meeting place for all
Castle Rock SACs and Ponderosa High School for all Parker SACs. All regional forums will begin at
6:30pm. The BoE has requested that the DAC work closely with our School Advisory Committees to
review school improvement efforts, monitor the effect of programming and service changes due to
recent budget reductions as well as study the issues of transportation fees and school innovation.
At the September 15 meeting, the Board plans to approve a Request for Proposal (RFP) from
interested consulting companies to assist with the District’s Superintendent search.
School Board candidates fnalized
The list of candidates for the next school board election has been finalized as follows:
John Carson, Sue Catterall
Daniel Gerken, Kevin Leung
Douglas Benevento, Kristine Turner
Emily Hansen, Meghann Silverthorn
Douglas County WrapArounD, a program under the DC Youth Initiative, will be offering
Becoming a Love and Logic Parent
training course beginning September 8. The class will
be offered on Tuesdays from September 8 to October 27, 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the CSU Extension
Office at the Douglas County Fair Grounds.
There is no cost for families to attend, and WrapArounD will be arranging for daycare. For
more information, contact Carla Turner at the Douglas County Youth Initiative, 303.688.4825 or
cturner@douglas.co.us.