April 28th, 2025
Hello Columbine Community!
Newsletter Quick Hits:
Old News:
Additional Info:
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Attendance 📈
Our school wide attendance target for the end of the year is 93%. We are currently at 91.5% which means that over the next few months, everyday student attendance is critical! If your child is healthy, please send them to school, on time, and pick them up at the end of the day. Last week our attendance was 93%!! Let’s keep this up! |
🌸 Celebrating AAPI Heritage Month at Columbine! 🌸
At Columbine, we are proud to honor the rich history, culture, and contributions of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities during the month of May. Throughout the month, students will engage in a special school wide project designed to celebrate AAPI innovation in fun and meaningful ways.
Each crew will explore an Asian invention. Some will learn the art of origami, some will try out Tai Chi movements, discover the history of ramen, fireworks, or even video game systems like Nintendo and PlayStation! Whether through hands-on activities, research projects, or classroom discussions, our students will deepen their understanding of the many ways AAPI innovators and creators have shaped our world.
A special thank you to our multicultural team for making this month engaging and meaningful and to Ms. Kim for creating a wonderful AAPI Heritage Month presentation for our students. We look forward to a month of joyful learning and celebrating the incredible contributions of AAPI communities past and present!
Celebrating AAPI Heritage Month: Events Around Denver
Celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month around Denver!
Here are a few family-friendly events:
AAPI Culture Fest & Night Market
📍 Civic Center Park | 📅 May 16 | 🕔 5–10 PM
Cultural performances, food, and art auction. Free!AAPI Art & Culture Fest
📍 McNichols Civic Center Building | 📅 May 11 | 🕙 10 AM–4 PM
Live performances, art, and food vendors. Free!"201 Kimonos" Exhibit
📍 McNichols Building | 📅 Opens May 12
Explore traditional Japanese textiles. Free!Denver AAPI Public Art Tour
📍 Throughout Denver | 📅 All May
Self-guided tour of AAPI artists' public works. Free!
👉 Learn more here!
Columbine CSC Minutes
Last week our Columbine CSC met to discuss enrollment, hiring, new positions for the 25-26 school year, and reviewed our behavior support and discipline plan. Additionally, we discussed the nomination and elections process for our open CSC community positions for next year. Please see the meeting minutes here (English) and (Spanish).
For the 25-26 school year, we will have two open positions for community members. In our notes you can see the details of the election and voting process and timeline. If you are interested in joining our CSC next year, I encourage you to attend the May meeting!
See below for info this week on:
✨Black Excellence Planning Series - Thursday, May 1st 5:30-7:30
✨IDI Final Celebration - Friday, May 2nd 8-10
✨Better World Day - Friday, May 2nd 2-3:15
A very special SHOUT OUT to our students, staff, and community volunteers who participated in the Shakespeare Festival on Friday. It was a grand success!
In Crew,
Corey 💙💛
OLD NEWS
Final IDI Community Session 🌅
Join us for this year’s final, informal IDI (Intercultural Development Inventory) session on May 2nd—Better World Day! Better World Day is a powerful, one-day opportunity for EL students, educators, and community members to unite in service and take meaningful action. What better way to contribute to a better world than by deepening our own intercultural growth and connection?
We’ll gather in the library at 8 a.m. for coffee, donuts, and thoughtful conversation. Whether you’ve already taken the IDI or want to learn more, this is a chance to connect with your IDI partner (or find one!), reflect on your journey, and discuss plans for next year with Corey. You’ll also have the opportunity to meet our inspiring IDI facilitator, Dr. Ellen Miller-Brown from DU.
The IDI is a powerful tool for self-reflection and growth, supporting us in building a shared language to meet our learners where they are. So far, over 50 Columbine staff and community members have participated—come be a part of this meaningful work as we head into break and continue building a better world together!
💛🌎💙Better World Day - May 2nd
Better World Day is a day recognized by all EL schools across the country. As a way to celebrate Better World Day on May 2nd from 2:00-3:30 we invite the whole community to come learn from all of our crews about how our learning this year will help us contribute to a better world. Each crew will be presenting and sharing something that represents a piece of their learning from the year that will ultimately help them contribute to a better world. This will take place in the form of presentations, performances, experiences, and activities. We encourage you to visit grade levels beyond your own children! This day will kick off our Kindness Campaign Spring Fundraiser which starts on Saturday, May 3rd with a community clean up and pancake breakfast.
Structure for Better World Day
Each crew will be sharing their learning in three time blocks. 2:00-2:20 5 minute transition 2:25-2:45 5 minute transition 2:50-3:10 Transition outside 3:15-3:30 Registration, Refreshments, and Reflection 3:15-3:30 This will be a time for the community to go outside and engage in some offered booths and tables. We will have PTA registering families for the kindness campaign, we will have a lost and found table, we will encourage families to share something they learned, and we will have refreshments for families to enjoy. |
Help Create Our 25-26 Black Excellence Plan ✨
In March, we launched a six-session series for families to collaborate in writing our 2025-26 Black Excellence Plan. Your voices and perspectives are essential in ensuring we build a plan that uplifts and supports our Black students and their success. Here is a flyer for each upcoming session.
Departing Crew 👋🏻
We are so sad to say goodbye to a few of our teachers at the end of the school year.
Please see blurbs from our departing team members below:
Jeze Field - 3rd Grade
It is truly bittersweet to be leaving Columbine, the very first school I taught at right out of college. I have loved my time here and will deeply miss the students, staff, and the amazing community that has made this place feel like home. I’ve decided to leave Columbine because I’ll be moving to the Colorado Springs area in December. In the meantime, I plan to sub next school year—and you’ll still see me around Columbine from time to time until the move! I’m so grateful for the experiences I’ve had here, and for the people who made this chapter so special.
Jenna Melosi - MIA (Multi-Intensive Autism)
I came to Columbine three years ago after 2 years of remote and hybrid teaching during the pandemic. Every year had felt like my first year up until then, as education was constantly changing to fit the needs of the world. I entered the most supportive community that helped me grow as an educator, and as a person. I built relationships with my incredible students and their families, and made lifelong friendships among the staff here. I will miss you all so much. This summer, I will be moving to my husband's hometown of Banyoles, Spain. I plan to travel, learn new hobbies, new languages, and a new culture. While I don't know yet what I will be doing professionally- whether it's teaching English, pursuing a master's degree, or taking a short break from education- I'm excited for all that is in store in my personal life. Thanks to you all, wherever I am in the world, I know that I will always have a little place in Denver to come back to.
Sarah Salazar-George - ECE Paraprofessional
Ms. George has been our float paraprofessional for 3 years now. She is going to be retiring at the end of this school year and is off to enjoy the wonderful world of retirement! She will be missed!
Upcoming and End of Year Events
April Events: April 29th - Coffee with Corey @ 8:00am April 30 - Rockies Game April 28-May 2 - Better World WEEK! May 1st - Black Excellence Session 5:30-7:30 May 2nd - Better World Day from 2:00-3:30 at Columbine May 3rd - Community Pancake breakfast🥞 - grounds clean up day! May 9 - Columbine Planning Day - No Students May 13th - Black Excellence Session 5:30-7:30 May 16th - Coffee with Corey May 21st - CSC @ 5 PTA @ 6:30 May 22 - Talent Show May 27 - Field Day May 28 - Field Day (rain day) May 29th - Black Excellence Session 5:30-7:30 May 30- Kinder and ECE Continuations June 2 - 5th Grade Continuation June 3 - Half Day / Last Day |
Community Resource Team If you are looking for resources, book recommendations, and entry points into the essential learning about race, gentrification, cultural competency, and racial history in our country, the CR team has compiled a recommended book list. Black History & books about the Black experience for children |
Looking to stay in touch? Follow some of our Columbine Elementary social media accounts.
