Welcome to High Peaks Elementary
High Peaks Elementary is a focus school in the Boulder Valley School District that is based on the Core Knowledge curriculum. We offer a rich educational environment, including passionate teachers and staff, excited students, and involved parents. We hope you use this site to spend some time learning more about our community.
Have a Fun Summer!
Have a great summer as we all look forward to our new and improved building for the next school year.
We will be posting all the information you need for the next school year as it's made available.
Summer Calendar
August
3rd Office oppens for the Fall
12th
K-Care Teacher & Parent Info Night 6:00-7:00 K-Care room #302
14-19th Assessments
20th First day of School
26th Back to School Night 6:00-7:30
31st ED Team
September
7th Labor Day - No School
16th Math Night 6-7:30
18th Professional Development - No School
Back to School
School Supplies
Get ready for next year with the 2009-2010 School Supply List grades K-5, and the K-Care Supply list.
Fall Assessments
Teachers will be doing reading and math assessments in August on the following dates:
Friday, August 14, (p.m.)
Monday, August 17
Tuesday, August 18
Wednesday, August 19, (a.m.)
We’d like siblings to sign up for Friday, August 14 if possible, to help you all out with one day/time for assessments. There are two time slots available for each grade, including kindergarten.
To sign up for a time please use our new online Google Docs sign-up.
Please look at the Assessment FAQ if you have questions.
Poet-in-Residence Program
A poet-in-residence program was introduced at High Peaks this year,
sponsored by the Challenge Committee and funded by parents' generous contributions through the Giving Tree fundraiser. Two professional poets/poetry teachers, Carole Bieshaar and
Marj Hahne, each provided one-hour workshops for each of the 2nd and 3rd
grade classes. We hope to have them back again next year.
Sample of 2nd grade poems.
Sample of 3rd grade poems.
Eco-Cycle Grant
High Peaks is excited to be one of four schools awarded Eco-Cycle's Zero Waste-Green Star School Grant. This grant will provide High Peaks with compostable plates and cups for all students at four classroom parties throughout the 2009-2010 school year. The schools were selected on the basis of their participation in the Green Star School Program and their commitment to furthering Zero Waste activities in their building.
CSAP News
School results of the CSAP for third grade reading were released May 1, 2009. Third graders were assessed on how well they understood Colorado Reading Standard #1: Students read and understand a variety of reading materials. This CSAP test included a variety of multiple-choice questions and short-constructed response questions that required written answers.
The purpose of the CSAP is to provide the State a picture of student performance on state academic content standards for educators, policymakers, and the public and also to provide a context for improving public education. This year, 92 % of High Peaks Elementary School third graders scored at proficient or above as compared to the state’s average of 73% proficient and above. The Boulder Valley School District’s average is 85% proficient and above.
Well done, third graders! As always, our goal at High Peaks is to continue to reach all of our students to help them to be excellent readers. As we continue our work with teaching reading strategies and skills to students, the staff salutes the third graders for a job well done!
Sustainability Council
High Peaks and BCSIS are collaborating to create a Sustainability Council in hopes of becoming one of Boulder County's premiere environmental and sustainable public schools. The idea of sustainability centers around maintaining our precious resources for future generations and, more importantly, the notion of leading by example in sustainable practices. Examples of sustainable practices already in place include High Peaks' recycling and no-waste programs. In addition, there may be an exciting possibility to install solar panels atop the school's roof to create clean and renewable electricity to power our school. The Council will be for an open forum for new ideas and sustainable goals for both High Peaks and BCSIS. Our first meeting with take place on Thursday, April 9th at 2:00 PM in the Open Space. If you are interested in taking part, please contact Monica Pagnotta 303.530.0935.
Garden Committee
We hope to grow a Garden Committee to encourage the development of the Aurora 7 gardens. We will need designers, artists, organizers, grant writers, solicitors, fund raisers, fertile imaginations, volunteers of all kinds as well as gardeners. If you are interested in supporting this effort or being a part of it, please\ come to our first meeting. We need both BCSIS and High Peaks parents. We will meet on the second Friday of the month for the next year, and more often after that. Please bring questions, ideas, brainstorms, dreams, enthusiasm, organizational skills. Coffee and snacks will be served. If you can't attend the meeting but are interested in being a part of this fecund committee, please send your e‐mail and your interests to Robyn Churchill Rathweg.Thanks! Pass it on!
News
Here's the last newsletter of the school year May 28th newsletter(Spanish version)
