From the Principal
Congratulations! We made it through the first full week of school in Remote Learning, which I hear from other schools is the most challenging. I have been hearing from so many families about the trials and triumphs of this first week. I have also kept up on local, state, and national news about school reopenings, and it’s clear that we are experiencing what most families and schools are across the country. I hear how very frustrating it is for many families, how all options come at a cost, and how we all desperately want to go back to normal. I also hear how grateful many families are for the options at Mountain Song, and how some students are thriving. I thank you for your letters that allow me to keep a pulse on the community. I’ve also had the pleasure of “stepping into” some of the Google Classrooms, and I love seeing the student engagement and the dedication of our teachers. I look forward to sometime soon being able to walk the halls and physically step into classrooms again to keep the pulse.

So what next? The Mountain Song Safety Committee is keeping a close eye on local conditions, and the El Paso County Public Health data show consistently lowering numbers of community viral spread. This bodes well for Mountain Song to move into Phase 2 Hybrid Model with half the students returning at a time. We are working out details of Hybrid learning and will share more soon. A final decision has not been made yet about Phase 2, but I am optimistic if the numbers keep falling.  

In the meantime, we have a community full of activities. I am really delighted by what I hear from the Parent Council Festivals Committee as they plan a remote version of the Stone Soup Fall Festival, with the intention of keeping our beautiful community connected to the things about Mountain Song that are so special. More details will be shared soon.

Thank you for everything you are doing.   

Dr. Teresa Woods
Colorado State Assessments Begin Next Week
Parents, guardians, and caregivers of students in Grades 1-4, please be on the lookout for the upcoming testing schedule from your class teacher. The DIBELS (Dynamic Indicator of Basic Early Literacy Skills) assessment is required by the State of Colorado within the first 30 days of school.
 
Ms. Leslie Conrad, Reading Interventionist, will administer the DIBELS assessment to all students in grades 1-4, in person, on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays over the next 2-3 weeks. Please bring your student to school for his/her scheduled assessment time slot during which s/he will be assessed for reading.

Assessments will be at the school on September 15, 16, 17 and September 22, 23, 24. If needed, September 29, 30 will be scheduled as well. It takes 15-20 minutes for each child, and it must be administered individually by the reading specialist.
 
At the scheduled appointment time, please bring your student to the front entrance and ring the bell for entry into the building, and check in at the front office for a health screening. Remember that masks are required.  
 
Following safety precautions, Ms. Conrad will wear a mask at all times and sit 6 feet away from each student being assessed. All surfaces and materials will be wiped down between students.
 
If a student is unable to come in person, please contact Ms. Conrad at lconrad@mountainsongschool.com to make other arrangements during this 2-3 week period.

School Entry Requirements
Any person entering the school building for the first time each day will be required to wear a mask and check-in at the main office for a temperature check, along with a quick verbal questionnaire of the standard health screen questions. All information will be privately recorded for contact tracing purposes only.
 
Please be aware that Mountain Song will be following Colorado's Department of Public Health & Environment sustained transmission algorithms which can be provided at the main office, if needed.
Instagram
Mountain Song Community - we have a new Instagram account! 

Please take time to follow, tag, and support @mountainsongschool and use the hashtag #ShareYourSong. Encourage friends, family and community members to do the same. 

Our old Instagram account was abandoned, so it would be helpful if we all report the old one (@communitysong) as spam in hopes Instagram will take it down.
#ShareYourSong
It has been one whirlwind of a week since we welcomed our Mountain Song students and families back to school. Listen to how our teachers and staff describe week one!

Now, it’s your turn... 
 
We invite you to share your stories. Show us what Remote Learning looks like in your house. We want to see it all... the triumphs and the travails. 
 
Send your photos & videos to lferrara@mountainsongschool.com or tag Mountain Song on Facebook so we can #ShareYourSong.
Spanish Program Update
We were saddened this week to receive the resignation of our middle school Spanish teacher, Maestra Oralia Venzor. She is currently in Mexico and has been unable to get consistent internet service. We are grateful to the rich education she has provided our students, and we wish her all the very best. 

Her resignation unfortunately comes on top of the resignation of our elementary Spanish teacher, Maestra Maria Webb, due to health concerns. 

Given the unusual pandemic situation we are in with modified learning environments this semester, we are leaving both Spanish positions vacant currently, and we plan on searching for a Spanish teacher to start after the Winter Break. If you know of potential candidates, please have them contact Dan Kurschner at dkurschner@mountainsongschool.com.  

Please check with your child’s teacher for alternatives to Spanish during that block of time in the schedule.

Thank you for your understanding.
The Executive Leadership Team
Required Enrollment Paperwork 
Thank you!
Thank you to those who submitted the required enrollment paperwork online. We appreciate the thoughtful feedback many parents provided about filling in and submitting the forms online. Please go to the Back to School webpage and submit any missing paperwork now to finalize enrollment. Be sure to find the list that matches the program your student is enrolling in, and whether they are new or returning students.
Packet Pick-Up
Packet, Chromebook, and supply distributions will continue next week. Please note the new times for pick-up between 12pm-4pm, daily.

If you have not had an opportunity to pick up your child’s classroom packet, Chromebook, and/or supplies, please do so next week. Otherwise, teachers will communicate directly with you about any additional supplies available for pick-up occurring next week. 

If you need to pick up packets, Chromebooks, or supplies, please carefully observe the following protocols. It is imperative that we follow strict safety procedures.

Drive-Through Instructions
  1. From Kiowa Street, drive through the parking lot next to the gym.
  2. Stop your car by the picnic table next to the gym door.
  3. You must stay in your vehicle.
  4. If no attendant is visible - give one short beep on the horn to let the attendant know you are there.
  5. Roll down the passenger side window - to keep social distance and communicate the name(s) of student and the teacher’s name.
  6. Attendant will hand the packet(s) through the passenger side window.
  7. Drive straight through the backside of the school and exit onto Bijou Street.

Teachers will email you directly if additional packets or supplies are prepared and are ready for pick-up next week between 12pm-4pm.
Stone Soup Coming Soon From Parent Council
This year the Parent Council Festivals Committee will be holding our annual Stone Soup with many of the same activities. However, since we are distance learning, and it is still advised to keep gatherings small, we will be holding a virtual festival this year with take-home kits. While I know this is far from the festival that we all love, I believe it will still be a wonderful way to come together and gift our community with celebration.  

Keep an eye out for more information to come.
MSCS Board
The Mountain Song Community School Board of Directors needs additional volunteers! The Board has several committees. Each committee is composed of one or two board members and additional community volunteers. Mountain Song Board committees include: Futures, Grant Writing, Development, Governance, Statutory Oversight, Charter Renewal, School Accountability, Finance, and Parent Council. 

Contact the Board at board@mountainsongschool.com to get involved with any committee, especially the Grant Writing Committee and the Development Committee. The Futures Committee is also seeking any new leads for Mountain Song’s relocation site for next school year. 
Descriptions of 2020-2021 Program Enrollment Options
Mountain Song Community School has different enrollment options to choose from: a Full-time Learning option, and two Homeschool Enrichment options. For descriptions of these enrollment options, click here.
Volunteers Needed on the Farm for September!
Thanks to all the amazing volunteers who have helped us this summer! We still need a few volunteers to water, weed, and keep our animals fed toward the end of September. If interested, please volunteer via our Sign-Up Genius

This is a wonderful way for you and your family to safely engage with our school garden. If you haven't volunteered in the garden before, please contact Mr. Adam at awright@mountainsongschool.com so he can arrange a time for you to be trained.

Landsharks Running Club
Landsharks will be available as a 'running club' option and not available directly through Mountain Song for this fall season. Please see this letter of explanation if you are interested in your student participating.
Kindergarten Assistant Needed
Kinder-Assistant (full-time 30+ hours per week) 7:45 am to 3:00pm

The Kindergarten assistants help teachers in a variety of ways as a stable presence who is modeling purposeful work. Kindergarten assistants are the quiet doers in the classroom. They prepare snacks and set the stage for the teachers. They participate and help guide, working from the background rather than in the forefront.

They must be able to project the sense of a wholesome human being that is strong while able to work from the background. Assistants must be able to maintain confidentiality and hold sensitive information about a child or a family situation with discretion and tact. 
 
2-3 years of experience working with kindergarten or preschool age children.
$14-$15 per hour

Please see the application and job descriptions at the link below, and/or contact Dan Kurschner at (719) 203-6364 or dkurschner@mountainsongschool.com

Link to the Employment page on our website: https://mountainsongschool.com/about/employment/ 
Songbird Contributions
Article or announcement contributions must be submitted to Ms. Sŏnia Cruz by Tuesday at 5 p.m. for inclusion in each week’s Songbird newsletter, typically distributed on Fridays. (scruz@mountainsongschool.com
Mountain Song School Calendar
Mark your calendar with these important Mountain Song Community School dates.


Mountain Song Community School | 2904 West Kiowa St, Colorado Springs, CO 80904