Parent Post – December 8, 2017

Posted December 8, 2017

Dear Cory Community,

This week has been another full one. Our fifth graders headed off to Balarat, the DPS outdoor education campus, for an overnight experience complete with hiking, teambuilding and environmental studies. Students across the grades have also been busily preparing and presenting their science fair projects– and they are wonderful! We also hosted the first round of the district spelling bee here at Cory. A former Cory student, Ben Holland, won the bee yesterday. Another former Cory student, Alyssa Robertson, placed 2nd and a current 4th grader from Cory, Lachlan Flanigan, tied for 3rd place! Congratulations Lachlan!

Our staff has been engaged in new learning as well as our students. We are in the process of identifying the most appropriate resources to extend and enrich our existing curriculum and provide opportunities for kids to delve into more complex and challenging inquiry based learning and projects. In order to do this, we are exploring different teaching tools to bring in to support classroom instruction. One such tool, Adobe Spark, provides an engaging way for students to present their learning and research. We first learned about Adobe Spark at the GT conference in the fall. At the conference our teachers saw a variety of ways to utilize technology resources, including creating short video and film projects, to enhance student learning and presenting. Our library/technology teacher, Dawn Miller, will be working with teachers to see how we can best bring this tool to life in our classrooms.

We are also exploring how we can extend the use of inquiry based learning that we have piloted in several of our math classrooms. Our goal is to continue to explore ways our integrated GT and HGT magnet model can elevate student thinking, promote curiosity and engage students in asking questions, thinking critically and solving problems.

Finally, please remember that the deadline for principal feedback submissions is this coming Monday, December 11th.  We only have 21 feedback forms at this time.  Selecting the best candidate to lead Cory is critical to your child’s education and the continued evolution of Cory. WE NEED YOUR FEEDBACK.

Please have your voice heard. If you don’t take part in this process, others will be deciding for you.  Below is a link to the form for community input as well as an application to serve on the committee. You can also submit the form electronically to Alison_walker@dpsk12.org.

Liz TenCate
Interim Principal
Cory Elementary

PRINCIPAL HIRING 

Identifying the traits of our next school leader is a very important part of the principal selection process. This School Leader Hiring Community Input form should be turned in to the main office at Cory by December 11th.   School Leader Hiring Community Input Form.  You can also pick up a copy of this form in the office.

The second opportunity to become involved in the Principal Selection Process is to apply to be on School Principal Search Advisory Committee (SPSAC). This committee will be creating the interview questions specific to Cory, aligned to the traits identified in the community feedback, and conducting the interviews with selected candidates. This committee will be meeting in early January and will require a significant time commitment after school. This commitment is outlined in the application attached here. Applications to serve on the SPSAC are also due by December 11th to the Cory main office.  The committee should represent a diverse set of parents (grade level, student needs, time at the school etc.).  School Principal Search Advisory Committee Rules and Responsibilities; Application to serve on the School Principal Search Advisory Committee

Thank you in advance for being a part of this very important process!

Liz TenCate
Interim Principal
Cory Elementary

Discovery Camp

Discovery Camp is coming up on 12/26 & 12/27.

Our program offers structured time where students are engaged in projects and activities that incorporate youth development best practices and are FUN for all ages.  We also offer unstructured time where students have a chance to imagine and explore at their own pace!

To register for Discovery Camp at Cory, please visit our Discovery Link webpage or go directly to the registration form by clicking this link: December 26-27.

Registration closes on December 19th by 3:30p.m.

Discovery Camp cancellation policy:
You will need to cancel your registration(s) on or before December 19th by 3:30p.m. or you will be billed for the days you registered for.  The fee will appear on your next month’s statement.  Credits or refunds will not be issued if the services are not used or if not cancelled one week prior to Discovery Day. If you need to cancel, please email discovery_link@dpsk12.org. All requests must be received in writing.

Please note that Cory, Teller, and Steele do not have ECE program.
Please reach out if you have any further questions. We look forward to receiving your registration.

Give Back When You Give!  Choose Cory @ Checkout

Spread a little more joy with every holiday gift you give this season With 3 easy ways to choose Cory this holiday season!

1) Benefit Mobile:
When you use the Benefit Mobile app in store or online at dozens of favorite holiday retailers, your purchase can generate up to 20% back to Cory!  Benefit Mobile has retailers everyone on your gift list will love.  Giving toys?  Target, Amazon.com, Toys R Us and Walmart all give back on Benefit Mobile.  Giving gear?  REI, Nike and the NFLShop.com give back on Benefit Mobile.  Got a DIYer (or need a new range to handle the holiday baking)?  Home Depot, Lowes and Sears all give back on Benefit Mobile.  Snow got you planning a get-away?  Southwest Airlines, American Airlines, and Royal Caribbean all give back on Benefit Mobile!  See the complete list of participating retailers here, and then download the Benefit Mobile app for iPhone or Android today!

2) Grocery Cards:
Grocery cards for King Soopers and Safeway are also a great way to benefit Cory when stocking up for holiday meals!  Get yours today – drop off your payment in the office or buy online!

3) Amazon Smile:
Step 1. Go to www.smile.amazon.com
Step 2. Log in with your regular Amazon login ID and password.
Step 3. First-time Amazon Smile users will be invited to choose a spotlight charity or choose your own charity as the recipient of Amazon donations based on your purchases. Type “John Cory Elementary PTA”  and hit “Search”.

Step 4. Start shopping.  Just remember each time you shop at Amazon to begin at smile.amazon.com

Fascination St. Fine Art store

Still ongoing! Now thru Dec., 10th stop in, or shop online, at Fascination St. Fine Art store and
they will donate 24% to CORY! http://www.fascinationstart.com/ Phone: 303-333- 1566 Inquiries:
Info@fascinationst.com
Gifts start at $25! Gorgeous art, framing and beautifications for you home! 24% of your purchases
(12% of all sales AND they will match that 12% up to $1000) will go directly to Cory PTA when
you mention our school! Shop both online & at Cherry Creek North, 315 Detroit St. & 2727 E. 3rd Ave. (same businesses). FREE parking, accessible through the alley entrance on 3rd Ave. Be sure
to say you are with CORY.

Shop At Bookies For Cory Elementary School

The Bookies Bookstore is donating a portion of their sales now through Dec., 18th to CORY Elementary School!

When you mention you are shopping for CORY Elementary school, a portion of every purchase
will go directly to the Cory PTA! Bookies will donate 20% of cash/check, 15% of credit card and
5% of online orders– to our PTA!

In the spirit of giving, purchase items on Cory families’ wish lists for the holidays! Get holiday
shopping done and purchase gifts for everyone! Upcoming birthdays to shop for? Buy ahead and
sales will benefit CORY! There are always new and one-of- a-kind items to purchase at Bookies! Be
sure to tell the staff you are there for CORY! See you at the store and, as always, thank you for
your support of CORY!

Results from Previous Fundraisers

Retail sale with (The Fashion truck and Matilda Jane) -$330
Esters – $420.59
Craft Alley – $79

Thank You for Supporting the Cory Book Fair!

Cory’s 2017 Scholastic Book Fair was a huge success!

  • More than 3,500 books were purchased at the Book Fair, which translates to more than 600,000 minutes of reading!
  • Book Fair Sales = $18,009.31
  • Several large boxes of gently used and new books were collected by Student Council to bring smiles to many children at nearby Denver Public School Doull Elementary, and via DPS’s Homeless Education Network.
  • Cory will receive more than $9,000 in profits to spend through Scholastic to benefit our library and classrooms!

Thank you to a great community of readers and volunteers!   Have fun reading!

– 2017 Book Fair Co-Chairs Kristi Lindwall, Milli Wolfson and Sam Sturhahn