Volume 3, Issue 1

Paxi Tid-Bits

Business Name

Important Dates &

Upcoming Events

2

What’s Happening? 3

Notes from Nurse Debbie 4

Spotlight Section:

School Board Members

5

What’s Happening? (cont.) 6-10

Inside this issue:

December, 2017

Mission Statement:

The mission of Fremont

School District RE-3 is to

provide a safe environ-

ment in which to help

students acquire the

knowledge, attitudes,

and skills necessary to

become healthy, happy,

and productive adults; to

help students become

enthusiastic, life-long

learners who are able to

manage change, and to

help students to perpetu-

ate and improve the dem-

ocratic process and have

a positive impact on their

communities, their coun-

try , and the world.

From the desk of Randy Bohlander, Superintendent

Dear Parents, Guardians & Community Members,

Hello and Happy Holidays to you all! We have so much to be thankful for here at

Cotopaxi Schools~ and that starts with YOU~ our students, parents and communi-

ty! I consider myself very fortunate to serve as Cotopaxi’s Superintendent and am

grateful for each of you. As we head into the Christmas season and wrap-up 2017, I

wanted to take a moment to update you on some exciting things happening at

school!

Back in August of this year, Cotopaxi Schools was notified that they were in line to

receive a grant to upgrade security and safety issues around the school. The process

to get this grant started quite a bit earlier, however. The School Board, along with

the myself, started assessing the needs of our school almost two years ago. Some

factors came to light right away. There is a great need to address several safety

concerns. These concerns included concrete issues in the plaza coming into the

main office, ADA compliance issues, intercom and bell upgrades, door security

issues, and signage for our school campus. Colorado Department of Education

came in and did their own needs assessment at that point and determined that we

were definitely in need of some major upgrades.

Fast forward to September of 2016, I had the opportunity to attend a grant writing

workshop to get familiar with the BEST Grant application process. BEST stands

for Building Excellent Schools Today. I then incorporated the help of an architec-

tural firm to get the process rolling. They in turn helped write the final version of

the BEST grant application. That grant was presented in August and approved.

The total amount for the grant was $385,388.18 with the school district paying

46% of that total, at a cost of $177,278.56 to the district.

The work begins! Surveying, permits, and advertising for a general contractor

have already been in the works. The Pre-bid walk-through was scheduled for De-

cember 7th and the main part of the work is to commence as soon as school is out

for the summer of 2018. This work will include: replacing the concrete coming

into the office area and making it ADA compliant; adding a new large sign out

front that will advertise upcoming events at the school; key card entry to the build-

ing; new door hardware throughout the building; and an intercom/bell system up-

grade.

For any questions concerning this project please feel free to call me at the school.

We are very excited for this opportunity! Cotopaxi School is moving forward into

the future with a better, safer place for our students and staff! I would again like to

express my appreciation to you and would like to wish you a very Merry Christmas

and a Happy 2018!

PAGE 2 PAXI TID -BITS VOLUME 3, ISSUE 1

DATE TIME EVENT LOCATION

Mon. Dec. 18 5-7 p.m. Financial Aid Workshop MS Computer Lab

Mon., Dec. 18 4:30 p.m. JV Basketball at Custer Westcliffe

Wed., Dec. 20 2:30 p.m. Elem. Christmas Program MPR

Wed., Dec. 20 7:00 p.m. Elem. Christmas Program MPR

Thurs., Dec. 21 NO SCHOOL– ELEMENTARY ONLY!!!

Thurs. Dec. 21 Half-Day– MIDDLE SCHOOL and HIGH SCHOOL

Thurs., Dec. 21 All Day End Quarter 2/Semester 1

Thurs., Dec. 21 TBA HS Basketball v. CCV Cotopaxi

Dec. 25– Jan. 8, 2018 CHRISTMAS BREAK! Have a safe & enjoyable Holiday Season!

Tues., Jan. 9, 2018 8:00 a.m.– 4:00 p.m. School in Session

Tues., Jan. 9 4:15 p.m. Booster Club Mtg. Cafeteria

Wed., Jan. 10 4:10 p..m. Wellness Team Mtg. Elementary Science Room

Thurs., Jan. 11 All Day Knowledge Bowl Alamosa

Thurs., Jan. 11 5:00 p.m. HS Basketball @ Custer Westcliffe

Fri., Jan. 12 10:00 a.m. MS Basketball @ Custer Westcliffe

Fri., Jan. 12 3:00 p.m. HS Basketball @ Sangre Mosca

Sat., Jan. 13 10:00 a.m. MS Basketball v. South Park Fairplay

Sat., Jan. 13 2:30 p.m. JV Basketball v. Lake City Cotopaxi

Thurs., Jan. 18 4:00 p.m. MS Basketball v. CCV Cotopaxi

Fri., Jan. 19 3:00 p.m. HS Basketball @ Creede Creede

Fri., Jan. 19 & Sat. Jan. 20 All Day MS Honor Band Competition TBA

Sat., Jan. 20 1:00 p.m. HS Basketball v. Centennial Cotopaxi

Jan. 22– 26 GREAT KINDNESS CHALLENGE (pre-K through 12th grade)

Jan. 23 4:00 p.m. MS Girls B-ball v. Salida Cotopaxi

Jan. 25 5:00 p.m. HS Basketball Moffat

Jan. 26 TBA MS B-ball League Tourn. Cripple Creek/Victor

Jan. 26 3:00 p.m. HS Basketball v. Antonito Cotopaxi

Jan. 27 1:00 p.m. HS Basketball Hanover

Jan. 29 4:30 p.m. MS Basketball Gardner

Jan. 30 All Day Regional Knowledge Bowl TBA

Feb. 1 4:00 p.m. HS Basketball v. C. Butte Cotopaxi

Feb. 1 4:30 p.m. MS Girls BB @ Salida Salida MS

Feb. 2 & Feb. 3 TBA HS Band @ Honor Bsnd Ft. Lewis- Durango

Feb. 2 3:00 p.m. HS Basketball @ S. Grande Sierra Grande

Feb. 3 All Day MS Basketball Tourn. Cotopaxi

Feb. 5 4:30 p.m. Accountability Mtg. Cafeteria Conf, Room

Feb. 6 4:30 p.m. HS Basketball @ Aguilar Aguilar

Important Dates & Upcoming Events

PAGE 3 PAXI TID -BITS VOLUME 3, ISSUE 1

Cotopaxi Lions Club– We are involved in many projects! One of the things we are proud of is our ‘Kids Sight’ program. Each year we screen every preschool and kindergarten student. The tests are reviewed by an ophthalmologist at Denver Children’s Hospital. If necessary, the child is then referred to an eye doctor for a follow-up exam and possible glasses. This allows sight problems to be discovered and treated at an early age to give every child a fair advantage when learning how to read. Another project that we are proud of is our adoption of 1 mile of Hwy. 50 for trash pick-up. We do this 4 times a year. Please take a look next time you drive through Cotopaxi! Among our other projects, are the Student of the Month and Student of the Year programs. Each month during the school year students are nominated on and voted on by teachers. The Lions Club sponsors a breakfast for the chosen student and their parents. Their name is engraved on a plaque which is on display in the front office of the school. We also have a yearly Spaghetti Dinner where a Student of the Year is chosen from the Student of the Month winners. We use the money raised from the Spaghetti Dinner for a college scholarship awarded to a deserving Cotopaxi High School Senior. If you would like to be part of this amazing organization, please contact Betsy Denney (942-3679) or Calvin Troutman (207-6743)- or come to one of our meetings– the 3rd Monday each month at 6:30 p.m. in the Cotopaxi School cafeteria. We would love to see you there!

Library News!

Did you know that the Cotopaxi School Library has a 25 cent book sale that goes on during

the school year?? These books are located on the bookshelf in the library foyer. You may pay

for your books in the library.

Proceeds go into the library fund.

Take a look & find a book for yourself or a friend!

Congratulations to our fall-season Pirate Athletes! Both volleyball and football had successful seasons and

they can be proud of their accomplishments!

The following athletes received special All-Conference recognition:

FOOTBALL VOLLEYBALL

1st Team All-Conference 1st Team All-Conference

Owen Voll– SR Hope Bondurant– SR

Kurt Vol– SR Claire Carlson– SO

Frank Ogden– SO Koylynn Gulliford– FR

Honorable Mention Honorable Mention

Steven Tunstall– JR Shealee Coleman– FR

Aubrey Whipple– SR

Take steps to keep you and your loved ones safe and healthy.

Brighten the holidays by making your health and safety a priority. Take steps to keep you

and your loved ones safe and healthy—and ready to enjoy the holidays!

1. Wash hands often to help prevent the spread of germs. It's flu season. Wash your hands

with soap and clean running water for at least 20 seconds.

2. Manage stress. Give yourself a break if you feel stressed out, overwhelmed, and out of con-

trol. Some of the best ways to manage stress are to find support, connect socially, and get plenty

of sleep.

3. Don't drink and drive or let others drink and drive. Whenever anyone drives drunk, they

put everyone on the road in danger. Choose not to drink and drive and help others do the same.

4. Bundle up to stay dry and warm. Wear appropriate outdoor clothing: light, warm layers,

gloves, hats, scarves, and waterproof boots.

5. Be smoke-free. Avoid smoking and secondhand smoke. Smokers have greater health risks

because of their tobacco use, but nonsmokers also are at risk when exposed to tobacco smoke.

6. Fasten seat belts while driving or riding in a motor vehicle. Always buckle your children in

the car using a child safety seat, booster seat, or seat belt according to their height, weight, and age.

Buckle up every time, no matter how short the trip and encourage passengers to do the same.

7. Get exams and screenings. Ask your health care provider what exams you need and when to get

them. Update your personal and family history. Get insurance from the Health Insurance Market-

place if you are not insured.

8. Get your vaccinations. Vaccinations help prevent diseases and save lives. Everyone 6

months and older should get a flu vaccine each year.

9. Monitor children. Keep potentially dangerous toys, food, drinks, household items, and

other objects out of children's reach. Protect them from drowning, burns, falls, and other potential ac-

cidents.

10. Practice fire safety. Most residential fires occur during the winter months, so don't leave fireplac-

es, space heaters, food cooking on stoves, or candles unattended. Have an emergency plan

and practice it regularly.

11. Prepare food safely. Remember these simple steps: Wash hands and surfaces often,

avoid cross-contamination, cook foods to proper temperatures and refrigerate foods

promptly.

PAGE 4 PAXI TID -BITS VOLUME 3, ISSUE 1

VOLUME 3, ISSUE 1 PAXI TID -BITS PAGE 5

A chance to get to know some of Cotopaxi’s School Board Members!!

Donna Nichols-Griesel– Board President

“I’m Donna Nicholas-Griesel and have been on Cotopaxi’s school board for 8 years. I was an educator for 32 years hav-ing taught science and math then becoming and elementary school counselor. I was asked to become a school board member when

a previous member had to leave her position. I have been fortunate enough to be elected twice to serve on the board and have been

it’s president for most of that time.

I enjoy running, hiking animals of all kinds– well maybe no spiders so much– and attending Cotopaxi School events. It has

been an honor to serve on the school board.. I’m looking forward to my last two years supporting the Pirates!”

Stephanie Tunstall– Vice President

“I started at Cotopaxi in 2nd grade. My brothers and sister are Cotopaxi alumi. I’ve been married to my high school sweet-

heart, Ken (also an alumni), for 26 years. We have a niece who is an alumni, and now our oldest son, Jacob! Our son, Steven, is a Junior this year. Pirate roots run deep in our family! I even know the original fight song, but don’t tell Mr. Geiring! I served on

PTC for 6 years and spent several years on the Accountability Committee. I’ve spent a lot of time at the school over the years, vol-

unteering in the library, substituting in the office, and as volunteer assistant Middle School Girls Basketball Coach for 6 years.

I was nominated to the board to fill a vacancy in my district last year after the previous board member moved. Due to that

circumstance, I had to “run” at the next election and will serve out the remainder of that term (2 years). I have been representing

Cotopaxi on the Board of the South Central BOCES since my nomination last year as well.

Serving on the Board seemed like a natural progression. Accountability committee was a great starting point to get famil-iar with budget reviews and board procedures. I’d recommend that you check that out if you are looking for a way to plug in at

school! There are so many ways to be involved if you want to be! My family and I care deeply about our school and our community.

We love being a part of Cotopaxi Schools and this valley!

Toni Reid– Secretary/Treasurer

“I moved to Cotopaxi when I was 2 years old and attended Cotopaxi School 1st grade through high school graduation. Af-ter high school, I attended Western State College and received a degree in Business Administration and Recreation. I worked many

years for the Colorado Department of Corrections and retired as the Warden of the Buena Vista Correctional Complex. I have been

married to my wife, Sherri, for 43 years. Together we have one son and one daughter and 5 grandchildren.

I have completed 1 1/2 terms on the school board (6 years). My reason for being on the board is to give back to the school I

attended and also to the community.”

Blair Decker– Newly elected Board Member

Blair joined the Cotopaxi RE3 School Board as a new member in November of this year. Father to little Mr. Weston at our pre-school, the Cotopaxi Early Learning Center, Blair wanted to immerse his family in this wonderful school district and communi-

ty. An opening on the board presented a terrific opportunity to do so– and a way to gratefully ‘pay-it-forward’.

Throughout his childhood, family was Blair’s constant as he grew up in an Air Force family– moving every 3 years across

Ohio, Germany, Alaska, Texas and Colorado. He learned to read situations, adapt and make friends quickly- strengths that have helped him both personally and professionally. He also learned volumes from both of his parents about showing up, being account-

able to your word and to others, and about the importance of listening. Blair’s daddy was known as the unofficial after-school

‘therapist’ to Blair’s wrestling buddies about everything from girls to ethics to life after high school.

Upon graduating from Aurora Central High School, Blair went on to earn a degree in Physics with a Mechanical Engi-neering Concentration from Colorado State University. Professionally, he spent 17 years in the high tech sector- with companies

like Texas Instruments– in engineering and manufacturing of integrated circuits. One of his proudest roles was heading Total Qual-

ity Management for STMicroelectronics and leading them to win the prestigious Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award.

Today, Blair, and his wife Lori, do vacation property management and treasure every Colorado blue sky day they get to

spend in this very unique, most exquisite spot in the United States!

PAXI TID -BITS PAGE 6 VOLUME 3, ISSUE 1

WHO ARE WE? The Cotopaxi Pirate Athletic Booster Club is made up of parents, family and friends of

Cotopaxi athletes. Our number one mission is to see our student athletes succeed!!

WHAT DO WE DO? We financially support our athletes at every level of our school. We support each

school sponsored sport by helping to purchase uniforms and equipment to ensure that our student athletes have

what they need to be competitive and safe in their respective sports. The Booster Club also coordinates Fall,

Winter and end-of-the-year sports banquets. We also assist with after-prom activities.

HOW DO WE DO IT? We run concessions and sell Cotopaxi spirit clothing and

supplies at all sporting events.

We have TONS of new merchandise!!! We have

child-sized T-shirts; customizable items;

hats; visors; jackets and MUCH more.

Have you seen our new “Pirates Stand with

Pride’ T-shirs???

Only $10! Get yours while they last!

Booster Club Pricing

$25– 1-year membership

$125– 1-year membership PLUS Family Games Pass

Senior Courtesy Pass– FREE for individuals over 60 in the school district (does not in-

clude Booster membership)

Student Season Pass Pricing- $18/season OR $28/year

Individual Parent Pass- $35/season OR $50/year

Family Pass- $65/season OR $125/year (valid for adults and children living in the same

home.)

2017-2018 Officers

President– Nicole Richards

Vice-President– Nicole Lewis

Secretary– Lorraine King

Treasurer– Mary Christensen

Questions/Comments?? Let us know what

we can do!

Meetings are the 2nd Tuesday of the

month at 4:15 in the cafeteria. Please

come!

It’s that time of year again and the snow will eventually come! In the event of bad/inclement weather that leads to a school closure or delay, here are the steps the school takes:

Administration will try to decide the night before the closure /delay (if possible) or by 6 a.m. the morning of.

An ‘all-call’ message will be made to all families with a child/children enrolled at \ Cotopaxi School to announce the closure or delay.

Closure/Delay information will be shared with News Channel 13 (krdo.com) and News 5 (koaa.com). It will also be posted on the school website.

A delayed start can possibly lead to cancelling the entire school-day.

The safety of our students and staff is our top priority!

PAXI TID -BITS PAGE 7 VOLUME 3, ISSUE 1

The Kindergarten and Mrs. Dotter’s high school Chemistry class learned about polymers firsthand by making bub-ble gum, silly putty and play dough. Each year the high school students help the kindergartners mix ingredients

which bond together to make polymers.

Fun and learning was had by ALL!!!!

What is a Polymer anyway???

Polymers are materials made of long, repeating chains of molecules. The materials have unique properties, depending on the type of molecules being bonded and how they are bonded. Some polymers bend and stretch, like rubber and polyester. Others are hard and tough, like epoxies and glass.

(from www.livescience.com)

PAGE 8 PAXI TID -BITS VOLUME 3, ISSUE 1

I have always wondered what being a School Resource Officer (SRO) meant. I think

about the role of a SRO, what immediately comes to mind is becoming a part of the

community that no one else understands.

Each student fights a battle on a daily basis which we have no knowledge of. As a so-

ciety we think student’s behavior during the day may be driven by somewhat inconse-

quential things, but in many cases the root of the problem is deeper than we expect.

These problems are not visible from the outer shell. The key factor in helping these students is to build a rela-

tionship or trust so that you can truly find the problem.

I look back to why I became a law enforcement professional, to help people. After attending the training for

National Association of School Resource Officers (NASRO), which I am a proud member of, to not only be an

agent of law enforcement in the school, but also a teacher and informal counselor. These three roles are the

foundation of NASRO. This triad allows the capability to encourage a positive representation of law enforce-

ment and also preserve a protected educational environment. Additionally, I can play the position of a social

worker, adviser or peer negotiator. This entails a distinctive set of character qualities in order to be able to per-

form all of these tasks while maintaining a school environment.

Something to keep in mind, is how I approach a situation can escalate or de-escalate a situation.

I have not allowed myself to get into a situation that requires me to be the disciplinarian at school. I have han-

dled circumstances that have created a safety concern or risk to a safe learning environment, which required

my involvement. In any case dealing with a juvenile issue needs to be addressed with a suitable method. This

can all be handled by how one carries themselves.

One thing I have learned is that I am interacting with a young person, not a grown person, this dictates my

character during the situation. Also, if I already have a rapport developed with the young person, this tends to

have a positive effect on the outcome. Rapport with students allows a trust which means as a SRO; students

are more likely to be comfortable talking to me about an array of things that may prevent a potential future sit-

uation from occurring.

It’s important to point out that I am an employee of the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office as opposed to being

employed by the school district. As a Fremont County Deputy, I am not only law enforcement professional at

the school, I handle truancy, provide protection at school events, traffic control, and even give law-

enforcement related presentations in classrooms.

My being there has made me part of the fabric of Cotopaxi School rather than an outsider, which strengthens

the relationships with the students, staff, visitors and stakeholders. The school is in essence a community in

itself, and building those relationships helps ensure that their school community is safe. It allows me to be

more effective, so that when students graduate from Cotopaxi School, they don’t just remember me as a uni-

form, badge and gun, but as someone who was there for them in their emergency, no matter how big or small.

As recently as last week, I ran across a prior student who walked up and shook my hand. The prior student

looked at me and said, “Thought I would never see you again. Great to see you

are still doing well.” Respect from a student I truly had my doubts about.

PAGE 9 PAXI TID -BITS VOLUME 3, ISSUE 1

Coaldale

The Coaldale Schoolhouse (previously the Coaldale Community Building) is having a Winter Solstice

Concert on Dec. 21st at 7 p.m. featuring Bruce Warren on Hammer Dulcimer, Andrea Ealey Coen on Violin and

Chris Leydon and Seth Roberts on Nyckelharpa. Tickets are $15.00

Howard

The Howard Hall- Line Dancing on Fridays from 9:30-11:30 a.m. No other events are planned for the

near future, but look for information about events in the spring.

The Pleasant Valley Club– Currently there aren’t any events open to the public this winter. However,

they are always open to welcoming new members!

The Western Fremont Historical Society– keep an eye out for events coming this summer!

Cotopaxi

The Cotopaxi Community Church– A Christmas Cantata, titled “On Christmas Day”, will be held at the

church on Dec. 17th at 11 a.m..

HOLIDAY GREETINGS FROM YOUR COTOPAXI PTC

We would like to wish everyone a Happy Holiday Season. The PTC is made up of teachers, staff and

parents/guardians of the students. We meet the last Tuesday of every month of the school year (except for Decem-

ber). Our meetings start at 4:15 and are held in the lunchroom. We would like to invite you to attend. There are no

dues. We discuss fund raisers, requests for funds from teachers, and discuss ways to help our school family.

Our main fund raiser is the Fall Festival. We also have Paxi Pride items that we sell, and our volunteers sign up to

man the sports concession stands. We get a percentage of the profits. We also collect “Box Tops for Education”.

We would like to ask everyone and their family, friends and neighbors to cut out and save these labels. Every

month you can put them in a baggy and send them to school with your student to give to their teacher. These add up

and every little bit counts! W e also sponsor the Ice Cream Social/Back to School Night each year and a

staff/faculty appreciation luncheon.

Anyone with questions about the PTC, or if you would like to help with any of our projects, please feel free to con-

tact our President, Patty Funk @ 719-942-3501 or pattyfunk@gmail.com. HAPPY HOLIDAY!

All kids deserve to learn in a safe, supportive, and caring environment. The Great Kindness Challenge pro-

vides a powerful tool that actively engages students, teachers, administrators, families, and communities in

creating a culture of compassion, acceptance, unity, and respect.

The Great Kindness Challenge is a proactive and positive kindness initiative that improves school climate

and increases student engagement. The Great Kindness Challenge is one week devoted to performing as

many acts of kindness as possible on campus. Using a checklist of 50 kind acts, students accept the chal-

lenge and show the world that KINDNESS MATTERS!

Cotopaxi Schools is very excited to again participate in this national campaign

to emphasize kindness! We will have various activities planned throughout the

week and we would love for everyone to join us in our Great Kindness Chal-

lenge 2018! (more information can be found at

https://thegreatkindnesschallenge.com/

Did you know that Cotopaxi Schools has a Wellness Team??

The purpose of this team is promote healthy schools by supporting student

wellness, good nutrition, and regular physical activity as part of the learning

environment. The Wellness Team also monitors the implementation of the

school’s wellness policy, evaluates the district’s progress on their policy’s goals,

serves as a resource to schools (i.e. provide lists of healthy incentives, snacks,

etc..) and recommends revisions to this policy as the team deems necessary or

appropriate.

The Cotopaxi School Wellness Team meets the 2nd Wednesday of the month at 4:15 in the

Science Lab (near the Kindergarten classroom). If you are interested in being a

part of our activities or have questions or if you have an idea,

please contact Jennifer Lang at jlang@cotopaxire3.org.

Each year our Wellness Team is tasked with specifying goals for our School Health Improvement Plan. This year we have identified 2

items/goals for our S.H.I.P.

Building active classrooms and flexible seating options

Creating/offering family and community events in the spring with mission to bring our school community,

families and the community at large together.