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School District 51 Parent Newsletter | April 2016

Performance Based Learning: A shift in school culture
Curiosity, confidence, candor, and cooperation are key for kids in a Performance Based Learning system. Read why Performance Based Learning is more than just a program, label, or curriculum here.

'Pathways' to success through drug counseling program
More students are choosing a pathway to a drug-free life over a pathway to expulsion through a District 51 counseling program called, appropriately, "Pathways." See the chart and learn more about how the program works and its encouraging success rate here.

Conservation and utility savings
District 51 spent nearly $900,000 LESS on utilities last year than it did in 2007-08, thanks to a series of conservation efforts made over the last nine years that have made District 51 one of the most efficient districts in Colorado. See the data and read more here.

Graduation 2016: live and online
Live- streaming will be offered at this link for all four of this year's graduations at Stocker Stadium. The link will go live 15 minutes before the ceremony.View the full 2016 graduation schedule here.

Fruita student wins 'My Favorite Teacher' essay contest
Fruita Middle School seventh-grader Grace King-Wagner's essay about her orchestra teacher, Rachel Lavadie, won this year's local Barnes & Noble My Favorite Teacher contest. Grace read her essay to school staff last week.

Choir student honors
Congratulations to the 26 District 51 middle and high school students who made All State Choir this year and the Palisade students who participated in the Southwest Division Honor Choir.

Huge music festival this week
More than 225 middle and high school choirs, orchestras, bands, and jazz ensembles from Colorado and Utah will perform at the 91st Annual Colorado West Invitational Music Performance Festival April 20-23. See the schedule here.

GJHS, PHS place in Top 3 at State Knowledge Bowl tourney
Congratulations to Grand Junction and Palisade high schools for placing 2nd and 3rd, respectively, in the state Knowledge Bowl championship! GJHS came in second in Class 5A and Palisade won in Class 4A. Both teams plan to compete in May at the National Academic Quiz Tournament.

Here's how you can help both teams get to nationals
Put your knowledge to the test at the Community Bowl from noon to 4 p.m. this Saturday at GJHS. The Jeopardy-style quiz bowl costs $250 for teams of four and all proceeds will help the teams travel to national tournaments. Email Heather to sign up or donate.

Volunteer to beautify Chatfield
Chatfield Elementary will host its first-ever Spring Clean-Up Day from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. this Saturday. Volunteers will fill planters with new plants and install a gazebo donated by the family of former Chatfield librarian Ann Sheets. Email here to volunteer.

Major scholarships awarded
Congratulations to Boettcher Foundation Scholarship winner Mari McCarville (GJHS) and Daniels Fund Scholarship winner Kiara Morrison (PHS), as well as all scholarship recipients in D51!

M.E.S.A. students test gravity Middle and high school students created egg carrying-devices and recruited CMU physics students to drop them from 50 feet above the ground April 14 to see if the eggs could survive the fall.

Career and College Fair
Local eighth-graders explored potential career fields and college majors last week at the interactive Career and College Day Fair. The fourth annual event featured hands-on job experiences provided by 40 vendors, including the FBI, Parks and Wildlife, and the WCCC welding department.

Events for the whole family
April 23: Southwest Arbor Fest. Noon to 5 p.m. Kids activities free.

April 29: R-5 High School Bike Club Refurbished Bike Sale. Kids and adults bikes. 8-10 a.m. on the yard in front of the school.

April 30: Ninth Annual Outdoor Heritage Day. 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Riverbend Park, Palisade. Free.

May 5: Art Show at Independence Academy. 4-7 p.m. Art in the school modulars, music in gym.

May 7: Spring Day on the Farm. 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Cross Orchards.

May 7: Cinco de Mayo. 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Main Street.

Q&A
Q: How can I report bullying?

A: Online reporting is just a click away. Visit the d51schools.org home page and click on the blue ribbon in the bottom right portion of the screen to submit a report anonymously or with contact information. School administration and security will see the report.

Spring Intersessions
Hundreds of District 51 high school students participated in Spring 2016 Intersessions. Four high schools offered test preparation and credit recovery, while R-5 High hosted two project-based learning courses - one focused on wildland fires and another integrating math and science into a disease spread and prevention lesson that used a mock zombie outbreak scenario.

Congratulations to our final round of Students of the Month for 2015-16!
The Student of the Month luncheon honors two outstanding eighth- and 12th-graders from each District 51 middle and high school.CMU and Alpine Bank fund a $500 scholarship, which can be renewed annually, for each Student of the Month if they choose to attend CMU or WCCC. April honorees are listed here.

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Grand Junction, CO | 81501 US

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