Motivated students and responsible parents working together with
exemplary teachers for excellent education.
In This Issue
Upcoming Events
2/23
9th Grade Registration Cherokee Trail 8:15am
2/25
Half Day for Students - Parent/Teacher Conferences
2/25
Used Uniform Sale 12pm - 5pm
3/2
Spring Box Top Collection
3/3
PIN Meeting 9:15am
February 23, 2015
Volume 21, No. 28

The Multicultural Festival was a big success!  Thank you to Rohini Ananthakrishnan, CCA PTO and the numerous volunteers that made the event possible.
STUDENT HALF DAY - FEBRUARY 25th
Students will have a half day on Wednesday, February 25th due to Parent/Teacher Conferences.

The half day pick-up times are as follows:
      11:35 - Half Day Kindy       

11:45 - 3:05 group

11:55 - 3:15 group

12:05 - 3:25 group

12:15 - 3:35 group
USED UNIFORM SALE
The PTO is holding a Used Uniform Sale on February 25th from 12pm - 5pm in the cafeteria. 

We will be selling all uniform pieces for K-8th grade (shirts, shorts, skorts, pants (girls and boys) sweaters, hoodies, pullovers, friday shirts, PE shirts, etc.) The prices are 50% off of Dennis prices.
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
Volunteers are needed for Used Uniform Sale 
Sort Volunteers Feb 24th 5:30-7:30 pm
Sale Volunteers Feb 25th 12:00 - 5:30pm
 
To Volunteer Contact: Lisa Duncan, lisa.duncan@me.com or
Lansing Ermentraut, lansingermentraut@me.com

Data Entry Volunteer - If you can volunteer some time to enter data into a spreadsheet, please contact Hethyr Fouse at hfouse@cherrycreekacademy.org. Part of this could definitely be completed from home.

Editing Volunteer - Do you have good editing skills? We could use someone to help ensure the CCA website current and accurate. Please contact Hethyr Fouse at hfouse@cherrycreekacademy.org
PLAYGROUND AIDES NEEDED
Do you like working with children? Come and join the exemplary team at one of Colorado's best charter schools!

CCA is accepting applications for two playground aide paid positions.  The hours for this position are from approximately 10:45am to 1:15pm.


If you are interested in applying, please email your cover letter and resume to ashafer@cherrycreekavademy.org.
LUNCHROOM REMINDERS
Lunchroom Reminders
1) Please do not send children with microwavable food since there is no microwave in the lunch room for students to use.

2) Please do not have your students bring any glass container or bottles.
 
3) Please do not send children with any kind of knives (not even plastic).
TRAFFIC AND SAFETY
Traffic Safety Enhancements
New signs have been added to increase student safety during pick up and drop off.  Please cooperate with the new signs for your student's safety.  

Help CCA be a Good Neighbor
We continue to receive complaints from our neighbors about CCA parent parking.  Please avoid blocking driveways and parking too close to stop signs in the neighborhoods surrounding CCA. 
SOAR TO THE TOP FUN RUN
Please join CCA for our 2nd annual "Soar To The Top" FUN RUN on Friday May 1st!
In the spirit of fun, music, and health, students will run laps around the 1/8th mile race course on the recess field. Last year was a great success, and we hope to do it again!

Sponsored by the CCA Foundation, our goal this year is to raise
over $20,000 to assist with playground modifications. Any additional proceeds may be used for technology updates and repairs.

 

 

Prior to this event, students will have collected pledges based on the amount of laps they believe they will complete. Students can also accept flat donations from family and friends instead of pledges per lap. A "Tasty Treat Party" will finish off the morning, and some of the students will earn special prizes based on their successes.  

 

On Field Day we will incorporate a celebration of the Fun Run, acknowledging outstanding student participation, along with a very fun event involving some of their favorite teachers!

 

WE NEED SPONSORS!!!

If you or someone you know is interested in their business sponsoring this event, please let us know! There are four levels of sponsorship to suit both families and businesses. Please click here http://cherrycreekacademy.org/FunRun for more information regarding sponsorship. 

BOX TOPS TIME
It is time to submit BOX TOPS once again!  Please send in your Box Tops during the weeks of Feb. 16th - 28th!

Stock up on products that you can receive a Box Top from.  Ask neighbors or Grandparents if they have any and have your kids collect them.  Send in your Box Tops in a sandwich baggie with the Teachers name on it. 

CCA is participating in a nationwide contest during the last two weeks of February. The top 3 classes will earn an exciting prize.

Volunteers are needed to count and sort the box tops for the submission deadline.  You can earn volunteer hours by helping with this.  Please contact Melissa Shafi missyshafi@yahoo.com. 

CCA needs Box Tops, its easy and earns money for our school!
CCA SPORTS
Tuesday Feb. 24th - Student vs. Staff Game @ 4:00 (8th Grade basketball players)

Thursday Feb. 26th - Boys Varsity Basketball Picture in Gym @ 3:30

Friday March 6th - All Boys and Girls Basketball uniforms need to be turned in to their coach.
MUFFINS WITH MOM
Mom's it's your turn!  Mark your calendars for a fun breakfast with your student on Thursday March 12th from 7.30-8.00 a.m.

Please RSVP by Tuesday 10th March at 
http://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0844aea723abfa7muffins2 so we know how many donuts to buy (your annual PTO activity covers the cost). 

We will need a few volunteers that morning from 7.00-8.15 a.m. Please contact Priya at priya.unadkat@gmail.com or 303-570-8553  (call or text) if you can help.
GOLDEN EAGLES
Congratulations to the 4 students who received the coveted Golden Eagle Award at the February 18th Eagle Honors Assembly. Cherry Creek Academy is very proud of their accomplishment!
Free Advocacy Training for
Charter School Parents
Free Advocacy Training for Charter School Parents at the Colorado Charter Schools Conference on Thursday, February 26 | 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM at the Marriott Denver Tech Center

When it comes public education issues, no one's voice is stronger than that of a parent. When parents mobilize, speak up and work together, they can make a tremendous difference in helping charter schools to receive equitable funding and treatment.

That's why the Colorado League of Charter Schools has coordinated a FREE Advocacy Training for Charter School Parents.

Attendees will:
  • Learn strategies for effective advocacy at both the state and local level
  • Gain an understanding of the legislative process and how to develop relationships with elected officials and decision makers
  • Learn how to build relationships and target optimal advocacy opportunities within their community
  • Gain core content knowledge to be an impactful advocate for charter schools and other high-quality public school options
Space is limited, parents can register by visiting www.cocharterconference.org  and selecting "Register" then "Charter Conference-Thursday Kickoff Workshop Only."

For more information, contact Dan Schaller at dschaller@coloradoleague.org.
ICE CREAM EVERY FRIDAY

Lunchtime Ice Cream and Popsicles, Only $1!

Don't scream for ice cream, bring $1 every Friday and enjoy tasty treats! Your dollars benefit the 8th grade Washington DC Trip.

 

Not a full day CCA student? No problem! Half Day Kindies, parents and volunteers are welcome to bring $1 and drop by the lunchroom from 10:40 am - 1:00 pm and enjoy a treat as well! So be part of a CCA tradition and help an 8th grader achieve their dream!

CHARTER SCHOOL ART CONTEST
The Colorado League of Charter Schools and S&S Worldwide is holding a
Charter School Student Art Contest.

If your K-8 student is interested in creating an artwork about what they want to be when they grow up, how they will take a leadership role or impact the community, or about someone in their community who is a role model for leadership, they can submit an artwork for this contest!  You can find complete rules, entry form, grand prize information and other details in Mrs. Peterson's February Newsletter on our school website.

Mrs. Peterson also has entry form/rules/information handouts in her class room.  The deadline to mail entries in to the League of Charter Schools is March 20th.
STAFF TEAM BUILDING
Principal Cerny held a staff team building evening teaching staff the intricate art of tie dye.  Staff showed off their creations last Friday during school and at the Multicultural Festival.

WEBPATH EXPRESS
CCA is excited to introduce a new internet based research tool that is free to our students. WebPath Express is part of CCA's new digital library management system and will help students and teachers conduct research in the classroom, the library or at home.

 

Follett's WebPath Express provides access to thousands of websites and databases. The sites are vetted by teachers and judged to be:

  • Relevant
  • Timely
  • Educational
  • Age appropriate
  • Safer than normal web browsing (i.e. through Yahoo, Google, etc.)
CCA student are invited to use WebPath Express from home.
To access WebPath, use the following URL,www.gofollett.com and type Cherry Creek Academy in the school search field.  

 

Content Filtering of WebPath Express

  1. Filters are set so WebPath content is appropriate for kindergarten through fifth grade students. This setting still allows middle school to access plenty of information that is useful, appropriate and informative.
  2. While on campus, CCA provides an additional layer of content filtering beyond the filters built into WebPath.
  3. Please be aware that CCA does not provide the additional layer of content filtering during off campus use of any internet resources. Therefore, adult supervision is recommended, just as if a child were searching the Internet through a traditional web browser such as Yahoo or Google.
  4. CCA expects students to use the Internet and WebPath responsibly even though WebPath is filtered. Cherry Creek School District (CCSD) policy dictates that "Students shall use district technology in a responsible, efficient, ethical and legal manner." For more on the CCSD please reference the Student use of the Internet and Electronic Communication. Parents agreed to this policy when enrolling students in CCA.

Enjoy the new resource and may all your researching be fruitful, informative and interesting.

STRESS IN KIDS

 Stress in Kids:

How Much is Too Much?

Anxiety looks different in children than in adults. While it's easy for parents to get frustrated when children ignore them or refuse to do what they ask, what they may not realize is that these behaviors can be the result of underlying anxiety. Parents can help their kids manage stress by opening the lines of communication and trying different strategies that build on their child's strengths.


At PIN's February presentation, parents turned out in record numbers to hear author Lauren Kerstein talk about anxiety in children. "The stress that comes with being a kid is not going to change," said Kerstein. "We need to give our children strategies to deal with it."

When Stress Crosses the Line

"Anxiety is a powerful emotion that happens when the demands made on us seem greater than our ability to accomplish them," explained Kerstein. "It involves the perception of a threat that's linked to a past trauma," she said. Stress has a range of triggers, including academic and social pressures, expectations, movies and media, and change of almost any kind.

 

While anxiety is a normal part of child development and serves an important purpose in life-by keeping us safe and helping us achieve goals, for example-there are signs that your child may need extra support. These include:
  • Out-of-proportion distress
  • Quick temper
  • Repeated "what if" concerns
  • High motor activity

 
  • Sleep disruption
  • Perfectionist tendencies
  • Unnecessary apologizing
  • Negative thought patterns

 
  • Overly responsible behavior
  • Headaches, stomachaches
  • Avoidance/refusal
  • Learning challenges

 

Make a Game Plan

Kerstein explained that to help a child with anxiety, parents need to recognize the fear, identify the trigger, and choose a strategy to deal with it. "In a calm moment, talk with your child about the symptoms of stress and try to identify the specific threat behind the fear," she advised. "Teach your child how to advocate for themselves." Parents can model these concepts by talking with their kids about their own stressors and how they're handling them.

Other strategies Kerstein recommends involve eating healthy, finding ways to help your child relax, starting a gratitude journal at night, and using creative ways to draw your kids out about what they're thinking. "Anxiety robs us of our strength, but parents can help kids get that strength back," said Kerstein. "The key is to find strategies that work for your child," she said. "That means trial and error, which may not be easy, but will be well worth the effort in the end."

Find out more at child anxiety at www.nimh.nih.gov or www.ColoradoCrisisServices.org.

 

Join PIN on Tuesday 3/3 to learn key strategies for creating a peace in your home life.

PIN needs volunteers! Email PIN@friendsofCCSD.org to find out how you can get involved.

Listen to the presentation by podcast: www.PINccsd.org.                                                                 By Bobbie Turner, PIN Publicity  

PARENT INFORMATION NETWORK

 Tuesday, March 3rd, 2015

9:15 a.m. - 11:15 a.m.

 Why Do Kids Act That Way?

Parent Coaching to Replace Strife with Peace in Your Home

 

Being a parent is a wonderful, yet sometimes daunting task. Join PIN to hear developmental psychologist Nancy Buck tackle the challenges facing families today using the science of choice theory psychology. Buck will explain the factors that motivate all behavior (including yours!) and will explain new, highly-effective strategies to make family life more peaceful. Parents of kids of all ages will learn about:

  • The "instruction manual" all children are born with
  • The inherent conflict between parent and child, and how to cope
  • A new model of ages and stages and how to parent effectively through it all
  • Strategies to make parenting more joyful

 

Nancy Buck, Ph.D., is a parenting coach and expert in children's motivation and behavior. She is also a registered nurse, author and national key-note speaker. Buck founded Peaceful Parenting Inc� to teach parents the skills necessary to navigate the push-pull relationship between themselves and their children.

Parents, school administrators and community members are welcome and encouraged to attend PIN's free presentations. No need to RSVP-just come! Presentations are FREE and are held the first Tuesday of each month at:

Student Achievement Resource Center (SARC)

14188 E. Briarwood Avenue, Centennial

(South of Arapahoe Rd., between Potomac and Jordan Roads)

 
                          Visit www.PINccsd.org for Podcasts and Meeting Highlights

 

MARK YOUR CALENDARS

April. 7th       Deal with it! Coping and caring for your child with mental health issues

May 5th        Annual Brunch (held offsite): Kids are Worth It! with Barbara Coloroso

 

CHERRY CREEK SCHOOLS - PARENT ACADEMY
Parenting the Strong-Willed Child
A clinically proven six-week program for parents of 2-8 year olds. Designed to help you find positive and manageable solutions to your child's difficult behaviors. This program is a modified version of the Parenting the Noncompliant Child program and has earned the highest marks as a research-based program with proven effectiveness.

Parents who have participated in this class report improved child behavior
at home and school. Parent-child relationships become more positive.

For more information see attached flyer.
Cherry Creek Academy | officeadmin@cherrycreekacademy.org
6260 S Dayton Street | Englewood, CO 80111