School News

  We have some pretty exciting school news for both Ashlyn and myself!  I will talk about Ashlyn first.
     District 20 offers an amazing and unique opportunity just for 4th graders in the district.  It is called the School in the Woods and it is a school only for the fourth grade.  It is held in a nearby forest.  The kids basically still do math, reading, writing, science, but the also get to do so much more.  They spend most of their day exploring the outdoors.  They have archery, weather stations, astronomy, gardens, etc.  They even get to go on an overnight camping trip in August.  It is such a neat school.  The school only accepts 78 students each year. You have to fill out an application and then wait to hear if your child gets in.  Ashlyn wanted to apply, but we explained to her due to the popularity she was not likely to get in.  We were all ecstatic when we heard she had gotten in!  We went to a meeting this Saturday and got to see the school.  It is so incredible.  Ashlyn is a little nervous as she doesn't know anyone, but I know she will quickly make friends and will have an absolutely unforgettable 4th grade year. Ashlyn will go The School in the Woods for the 4th grade, and then she will go back to her elementary school for 5th grade.   I will hopefully be doing lots of updating this year with her adventures at her new school!
     I am taking on a new school adventure as well .  I am doing something I absolutely never thought I would do: I am going back to school!  For the last three years I have been working as a reading tutor to kids who are significantly behind in reading.  I absolutely love my job and I can say it is one of the most rewarding experiences ever.  I have become absolutely passionate about teaching reading.  Most days I can't believe I get paid to do what I do.  I love my kids, but most of them really, really struggle with reading.  We work hard and I have taken a lot of training on reading.  I still have these kids each year that reading just does not click with them.  I have often suspected dyslexia with most of them .  Unfortunately, dyslexia is an area where so little is done in public schools.  Legislation is hopefully changing and these kids will get the specialized training they so desperately need.  To truly help a dyslexic student, a great deal of highly specialized training is needed and there are so few teachers and therapists who have been trained.
   I received an email at work this year about a program that Colorado College offers that deals with becoming a licensed reading interventionist focusing on dyslexia.  I was immediately intrigued and decided to attend the required informational meeting.  I learned a great deal at that meeting and knew immediately that I needed to be a part of this cutting edge program.  Yet, I still wasn't sure if I wanted to go back to school.  I decided I would just apply and see what happened.  I quickly had to get together my application, transcripts, and letters of recommendation.  About a month later, I received the letter that I had gotten in.  I was very happy and knew that this was a sign that I needed to be part of this incredible program.  I truly feel like this is my calling in life.
    I will attend school for the first 3 weeks of June.  I will attend workshops throughout the school year, then go back to class next summer.  The program is three years long and in the end I will receive another master's degree along with a lot of accreditations in reading instruction.    It is a great program because the bulk of it occurs during the summer, so I can still tutor during the year.  I am nervous, yet so very excited for this new adventure in life.  I am really hoping it opens a lot of doors for me.  Most importantly, I am hoping to really change more kids lives.  Life is about to get super crazy and busy for me, but I am ready for the challenge.  Plus, I am a nerd and love to learn so I am super excited to learn everything there is to know about reading.  I know this is what I need to be doing and I am very happy about that.
     I really feel like we have had an abundance of blessings lately.  I am so thankful and grateful for them all.

Ashlyn at her new school

The outdoor classroom where some classes are held.  How cool is that? 

Such incredible surroundings

Muffins with Moms

  On Friday, I had a very special event to attend: Muffins for Mom with Dawson.  He was so excited for me to come to this special event.  I was just as excited to come to such a special event.  They had lots of good muffins and other breakfast pastries for us to enjoy.  Then each child, got to read aloud the book they had written for their mother's.  They were all so sweet and heartfelt.  I know I will cherish my special book forever.  What a great way to celebrate moms.  

The invitation he gave me

Below are the pages from the book he wrote for me. 

The cover of the book

He is off on my height, weight, and age, but he nailed the others.  

Ashlyn - Granny Awards

   On Thursday night, we had the great opportunity to watch Ashlyn and her fellow third graders perform in their program, "The Granny Awards".  The music teacher at their school is absolutely phenomenal.  Every school year, each grade get to put on a different program.  She makes sure each and every child has a line in every program.  She also makes a costume for every child.  It is quite the production and they are actually pretty entertaining to watch.
   Ashlyn's program this year was based on different fairy tales.  It was pretty cute.  Ashlyn had been telling us that she got to play one of Cinderella's stepsisters and that she got to sing part of a song solo.  We were blown away when she came out to do her part.  She had to pretend fight with the other stepsister for the glass sister.  They both did such a good job and let me tell you Ashlyn is quite the little actress.  In one part, she tried on the show and had to scream because it didn't fit.  I think the entire audience was impressed with her scream!  She did such a good job in her singing part too.  She had so much confidence on stage and did not seem the least bit nervous.  Go Ashlyn!  We were so proud of our little actress!

In costume 

The stage

Singing with her classmates

On stage

She is such a natural

Saying her lines

Such a pretty girl

Fighting over the slipper

I love how animated she was 

Isn't she a natural? 

Gracie watching her sister

Giving her brother a big hug

With her best friend Lucy the next day after school

Zoo Field Trip

   Dawson's kindergarten class recently took their last field trip of the year to the Cheyenne Mountain zoo.  Dawson has been to this zoo, many, many times, but never with his class before.  He was super excited to go with his friends.  Joey was a chaperone for the trip and got to take a small group of kids around the zoo.  Both Dawson and Joey reported a great time at the zoo.  Dawson said it was a great field trip.

Dawson and his class

Watching some giraffes

Giraffe close up

They love each other so much

Looking at the elephants

This is Dawson with his best friend Gabe

                                           

Sea otters

Silly bunch of kindergartners 

The tiger was particularly active that day and the put on quite a show for the kids.  

 

Time to pet some animals

                                               

View of the city

Denver Trip

  A few weeks ago the kids had a day off from school.  Whenever they have a random day off, we usually try to take them to do something special and fun.  We decided it would be a great day to head to Denver and go to our favorite museum.  When we first got there, there was hardly anyone there.  The kids had a great time exploring.  As the day wore on, it got much more crowded with school groups.  We left just as it was getting really crowded.  That's what I love about being members, we don't have to stay all day.
   After the museum, we headed to Cafe Rio for lunch.  It was Cinco De Mayo so we felt that Mexican food was fitting.  After lunch, we decided to stop at Little Man ice cream for some awesome ice cream.  It was a perfect day!

                               All of the kids had fun playing in the water area at the Denver museum.

Ella and the water tornado

Nice outfit Dawson!

He is always building

                                  This is a fun thing that Gracie played in at expedition health

Joey and Gracie

 NASA Astronaut Kjell N. Lindgren

Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kjell_N._Lindgren

  We also had the pleasure of seeing a real astronaut speak.  He had spent some time on the International Space Station, so he had some great stories and pictures to show.  

                                                      These are the mouthwatering flavors

                                      The kids had excellent ice cream at Little Man an ice cream parlor. The girls got cookie dough and Dawson got Snickers.

Ice cream!!!