"Welcome" from Susan
It's great to have you on board!
If you would like to contact me, my email is: [email protected]
Please come here often to get updates on our journey this year as a kinder crew! I'll also have a weekly newsletter, upcoming crew events, tips on supporting your child's academics, homework and assignment updates, as well as opportunities for you to be involved with our crew!
Dear families and students, Hello!!
A little about me. I grew up on a farm, roaming the hills, in a very rural tiny town in western CO. What an amazing adventure my childhood was! How hugely my education, often on those same hills, impacted my approach towards learning experiences. It led me down a path of diverse experiences in education and a long-term commitment to experiential learning and education reform. I am committed to providing access to content in multiple, differentiated, and authentic ways, seizing opportunities that build on prior knowledge, and providing students the chance to engage, explore, explain, and elaborate. I hope my classroom and approach provide positive learning experiences which feed the passion for discovery, inquiry, and learning while supporting the social, emotional and intellectual skills needed to move forward confidently.
I earned my Bachelors in Fine Arts and the honor of Deans Fellowship from the University of Colorado at Denver. I later received my Masters in Education, elementary teaching certification (K-6), and endorsement in art education (K-12) through Regis University where I was awarded the Regis Excellence in Graduate Education Award for my graduate research and commitment to community service. I live and breath Expeditionary Learning, and I wake up every day so excited that I get to teach this way, learning and growing together with my crew....here at Centennial. It really is the realization of a dream!
Here are some important things to know. I am thrilled to have my fabulous classroom assistant, Anne (known to most of the neighborhood as Teacher Anne from Steele Cooperative). Mrs. G, as we call her, brings with her years of experience as an educator and preschool director and I am so excited to have her as part of our crew! I know personally how invested she is with families and children, and her presence in our classroom is quite an asset.
I have worked long, preparing my classroom. I wish it to be inviting, full of warmth, life, and evidence of rich student learning. Our classroom will grow and change as the students contribute their own work.
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
Centennial families are vital to student success. There are many different ways to support your child and crew at Centennial and throughout the school year. Some of the important volunteer opportunities for our parents include:
• In-class support of reading, writing, math, science, expedition content, etc.
• Adventure parents – These parents help out on our adventures. The adventure parents provide added supervision and support during trips, but also help contact and support parents joining us for day trips.
• At home cutting/pasting/creating of instruction materials
• In room support. Reading volunteers....we want you. Come read with our students during our daily reading block.
COMMUNICATION
Throughout this next year, communication between home and school will be vital. My parent communication is sent through email (this saves paper) and via red folders sent home daily, so please be sure your email address is updated throughout the year if changes occur. I typically write a letter once a week to keep families up to date with the work that is happening in the classroom and to inform you of important dates to add to your calendar. Teacher letters are also posted on the Centennial website and outside my door (room 111).
I am typically pretty student-focused once the school day begins. I like to use the first moments of the day to say good morning to every child and to make sure that morning time is focused on kids settling into the school day. This means that having a quick conversation about a rough morning or after school plans is always welcome but longer conversations should be scheduled before or after the school day hours. I can always be reached by email at [email protected] if you have questions, celebrations, or concerns. I will get back to you as soon as I can with a thoughtful response. Please use this email to let me know if you child will be absent, tardy, or will have alternate plans for afternoon pick-up.
Thanks for reading this through to the end!
I look forward to seeing you all together with Centennial's very first Expeditionary Kindergarten crew!!
Yours most respectfully,
Susan Calkin
It's great to have you on board!
If you would like to contact me, my email is: [email protected]
Please come here often to get updates on our journey this year as a kinder crew! I'll also have a weekly newsletter, upcoming crew events, tips on supporting your child's academics, homework and assignment updates, as well as opportunities for you to be involved with our crew!
Dear families and students, Hello!!
A little about me. I grew up on a farm, roaming the hills, in a very rural tiny town in western CO. What an amazing adventure my childhood was! How hugely my education, often on those same hills, impacted my approach towards learning experiences. It led me down a path of diverse experiences in education and a long-term commitment to experiential learning and education reform. I am committed to providing access to content in multiple, differentiated, and authentic ways, seizing opportunities that build on prior knowledge, and providing students the chance to engage, explore, explain, and elaborate. I hope my classroom and approach provide positive learning experiences which feed the passion for discovery, inquiry, and learning while supporting the social, emotional and intellectual skills needed to move forward confidently.
I earned my Bachelors in Fine Arts and the honor of Deans Fellowship from the University of Colorado at Denver. I later received my Masters in Education, elementary teaching certification (K-6), and endorsement in art education (K-12) through Regis University where I was awarded the Regis Excellence in Graduate Education Award for my graduate research and commitment to community service. I live and breath Expeditionary Learning, and I wake up every day so excited that I get to teach this way, learning and growing together with my crew....here at Centennial. It really is the realization of a dream!
Here are some important things to know. I am thrilled to have my fabulous classroom assistant, Anne (known to most of the neighborhood as Teacher Anne from Steele Cooperative). Mrs. G, as we call her, brings with her years of experience as an educator and preschool director and I am so excited to have her as part of our crew! I know personally how invested she is with families and children, and her presence in our classroom is quite an asset.
I have worked long, preparing my classroom. I wish it to be inviting, full of warmth, life, and evidence of rich student learning. Our classroom will grow and change as the students contribute their own work.
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
Centennial families are vital to student success. There are many different ways to support your child and crew at Centennial and throughout the school year. Some of the important volunteer opportunities for our parents include:
• In-class support of reading, writing, math, science, expedition content, etc.
• Adventure parents – These parents help out on our adventures. The adventure parents provide added supervision and support during trips, but also help contact and support parents joining us for day trips.
• At home cutting/pasting/creating of instruction materials
• In room support. Reading volunteers....we want you. Come read with our students during our daily reading block.
COMMUNICATION
Throughout this next year, communication between home and school will be vital. My parent communication is sent through email (this saves paper) and via red folders sent home daily, so please be sure your email address is updated throughout the year if changes occur. I typically write a letter once a week to keep families up to date with the work that is happening in the classroom and to inform you of important dates to add to your calendar. Teacher letters are also posted on the Centennial website and outside my door (room 111).
I am typically pretty student-focused once the school day begins. I like to use the first moments of the day to say good morning to every child and to make sure that morning time is focused on kids settling into the school day. This means that having a quick conversation about a rough morning or after school plans is always welcome but longer conversations should be scheduled before or after the school day hours. I can always be reached by email at [email protected] if you have questions, celebrations, or concerns. I will get back to you as soon as I can with a thoughtful response. Please use this email to let me know if you child will be absent, tardy, or will have alternate plans for afternoon pick-up.
Thanks for reading this through to the end!
I look forward to seeing you all together with Centennial's very first Expeditionary Kindergarten crew!!
Yours most respectfully,
Susan Calkin