CCHS: The CCHS outdoor adventure class had another incredible experience Thursday. The students went to Chickadee Ridge above Lake Tahoe. “The weather was ideal for the 27 students that snowshoed through the snowy woods. Though the chickadees won the day, the bluebird sky was magnificent,” said teacher Anne Smith. As the students made their way to the ridge, they enjoyed feeding the chickadees.
The outdoor adventure class is not your traditional PE course. Smith uses the curriculum from the Outdoors Tomorrow Foundation to teach outdoor education and promote the conservation of nature and wildlife worldwide. Many topics are taught from survival, angler education, archery, camping, camp cooking, backpacking/hiking, orienteering, boating education, wildlife conservation, and fauna. This is the first year this course has been offered and will be offered again next year.
CCMS: The Practical Assessment Exploration System (PAES) lab has been offered at CCMS for the last two years. This is a traditional classroom converted into a work development lab where students become employees and teachers become employers. “This lab is used to assess a student’s competitive work potential and interest level while exploring various jobs, using real tools, and developing proper work behaviors,” said PAES lab instructor/employer Amy Nichols.
The PAES lab consists of five units: business/marketing, computer technology, processing/production, consumer/service, and construction/industrial. There are 264 jobs, and the employees/students must follow work procedures to complete jobs independently before they are assisted. Employees earn “money” as they complete jobs and use proper work skills.
Every two weeks, employees receive a paycheck and learn how taxes are taken out of their paychecks. They deposit their money into a check register and have an opportunity to shop in the class store, save up for something larger, or a little of both. When they buy something, they must write a check and subtract the amount from their register. “This is an incredible opportunity for our students. They are treated as employees and learn their interests and strengths that we hope will help guide them into electives at the high school or even a career pathway,” said Nichols.
Numa: Every year Numa teachers choose a 5th-grade student leadership team. “This is our version of student council, but we do not refer to it as that because they are truly leaders and hold leadership roles within our school,” said school counselor Noreen Swenson. These students know the procedures, help plan activities, and are oftentimes asked to present to the entire school. “They are very confident in speaking to their fellow 5th-grade classes and the 4th-grade classes and they are excellent role models for all of our students,” said Swenson. At the beginning of the second semester, teachers also choose a 4th-grade leadership team called the S2S (student-to-student) team. “Since we have grade level schools, we found that it works better to let the 4th graders have a semester to learn Numa procedures and expectations, and then step up to leadership within their grade level during the second semester,” said Swenson. Students on the S2S team meet with Swenson once a week to learn about leadership, assist the student leadership team, and become representatives of their class.
E.C. Best: Classes at ECB celebrated St. Patrick’s Day on Friday. Activities included coloring and activity pages, making slime, and leprechaun traps, enjoying fun treats, dressing up, and reading fun St. Patrick’s Day stories. Students discussed why they are lucky and were asked to think about things in their lives they are lucky to have. “It is such a fun day. The whole school celebrates and the students and all of us have a blast,” said third-grade teacher Shannon WindRiver.
Classes at ECB celebrated St. Patrick’s Day on Friday. Activities included coloring and activity pages, making slime, and leprechaun traps, enjoying fun treats, dressing up, and reading fun St. Patrick’s Day stories. Students discussed why they are lucky and were asked to think about things in their lives they are lucky to have. “It is such a fun day. The whole school celebrates and the students and all of us have a blast,” said third-grade teacher Shannon WindRiver.
Lahontan: Kindergarten students and staff celebrated their 100th day of school on Monday by dressing up as 100-year-olds. Students in Rachel Gonzalez’s class made 100 days of kindergarten crowns, strung 100 Fruit Loops onto a necklace, and were awarded “100 Days Smarter” certificates to take home. “Me and Easton were the only two who dressed up in all of Mrs. Gonzalez’s class. He was a grandpa and I was a grandma and we sit at the same table right next to each other so it was funny,” said kindergarten student Harper Ritchie.
Lahontan: Kindergarten students and staff celebrated their 100th day of school on Monday by dressing up as 100-year-olds. Students in Rachel Gonzalez’s class made 100 days of kindergarten crowns, strung 100 Fruit Loops onto a necklace, and were awarded “100 Days Smarter” certificates to take home. “Me and Easton were the only two who dressed up in all of Mrs. Gonzalez’s class. He was a grandpa and I was a grandma and we sit at the same table right next to each other so it was funny,” said kindergarten student Harper Ritchie.
Northside Early Learning Center: LES hosted a family science night and book fair Wednesday evening. This is the fourth family engagement night that LES has hosted this year. “After doing Bingo for Books, Pirate Literacy, and crafts at Winterfest, we knew we wanted to host a science night,” said Literacy Specialist Katy Loop. Students and their families were able to move from one station to another and participate in an array of science-themed activities including dissolving a Styrofoam cup, making elephant toothpaste, dancing popcorn kernels, oobleck, building a structure, and more. “My staff is incredible and really went above and beyond to make this event fun for not just our students but their families as well. I couldn’t be more proud,” said Melendy.
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