CCSD Cool School News

CCHS 

Students and staff were invited into an engaging, real-time science experience in Alex Manskie’s classroom, where 60 chicken eggs were incubated. Throughout the week, visitors had the opportunity to observe embryo development inside the eggs, including visible movement and the formation of the cardiovascular system. The classroom also featured a preserved egg that stopped developing at day eight, providing students with a meaningful comparison to better understand early chick development. The eggs will remain in the incubator through May 11, with baby chicks expected to hatch shortly after.

“I love this activity because it is a great opportunity for me to provide students and staff with a rare look at life science in action, turning my classroom into an evolving window into early development,” Manskie said.

CCMS 

The Drama Llamas have spent the year building musical theater skills through hard work, creativity, and collaboration. Their recent showcase, Curtain Call Café, highlighted months of preparation with a full cast musical number, along with monologues, duets, solos, and small-group performances that demonstrated their growing stage presence and confidence.

“It is my honor to work with them, to teach them how to memorize lines and develop a stage presence. I am so proud of their hard work, and enjoy getting to be on stage with them as well,” teacher Amanda Peterson said.

Numa 

Numa Elementary recently hosted a Scripps-sanctioned Spelling Bee where the top spellers from fourth grade: William Caraway, Gemma Mountcastle, and Scarlett MacDougall; and fifth grade: Maddex Albury, Rori Renfro, and Anakin Ross, competed to determine who would represent their school at the Scripps State Spelling Bee in Las Vegas. The competition highlighted students’ dedication to academics, confidence under pressure, and strong spelling skills.  Photo below: Maddex Albury and William Caraway represented Numa Elementary at the Scripps State Spelling Bee in Las Vegas.

Albury and Caraway went on to represent the school at the state level, competing against some of Nevada’s best. Both students rose to the challenge and performed exceptionally well. Numa is proud of all students who participated for their hard work, perseverance, and commitment to academic excellence.

E.C. Best 

Third‑grade students have been working hard over the past two weeks, completing the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC) testing, beginning with math and followed by reading. After testing, students continued their learning through meaningful activities that built background knowledge and extended their understanding in new ways.

One example includes students Ryder Ferguson and Victoria Miranda expanding their knowledge of U.S. geography in Christine Mori’s classroom by completing a puzzle. With testing now complete, students should be proud of the focus, effort, and perseverance they demonstrated throughout the process. They stayed engaged, worked hard, and gave their best each day, showing true commitment to their learning.

Lahontan 

All kindergarten classes recently visited the Terry Lee Wells Nevada Discovery Museum in Reno for a hands‑on day of learning and exploration. Students experienced a variety of interactive exhibits, including Awesome Art Factory, Amazing Animals, Patel Exploration Gallery, Spark! Lab Smithsonian, and Cloud Climber, each offering opportunities to explore science, art, engineering, and creative problem‑solving.

They also got to see the special traveling exhibit Brick Masters Studio, an immersive experience featuring LEGO sculptures by artist Sean Kenney that blends creativity and science.

“The students had a wonderful time. We are so grateful to everyone who signed up for Box Tops for Education, which allowed this to happen. I’d also like to thank all of my parent chaperones for helping us make the most out of our day,” teacher Shannon Windriver said.  Photo below: Winona Gonzalez, Emma Dudley, Sterling Souza, and Rhyatt Dukes‑Kummer stand with a LEGO peacock sculpture in Sean Kenney’s Brick Masters Studio exhibit at the Discovery Museum in Reno.