CSAP Scores 42% Growth Improvement.

Pikes Peak Prep charter school (K-12) has experienced steady growth over the past few years. A 42% improvement in the 3rd grade reading scores over the past four years marked one of the top growth scores in Colorado Springs. Third grade students were able to increase their proficiency scores over the past year by 4% and 19% in partial proficiency.

The students that had spent more than one year at Pikes Peak Prep saw the biggest growth in the scores demonstrating that if a student remains at the school for longer than one year they will reap the benefits of the school’s program, smaller classrooms and dedicated staff. “The literacy program is a key focus here at Pikes Peak Prep. Our staff receives professional staff training from key education leaders with top notch programs. We have been fortunate to receive training from Dr. Barbara Swaby, Professor of Education and a President's Teaching Scholar at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. The training has given the staff additional guidance needed in all classrooms.”

Pikes Peak Prep provided their students with a dedicated 90 minutes focused at literacy each day. The school also offers free after-school tutoring in all class work. These and other tools are put in place to obtain the 80% mastery required for each student. Pikes Peak Prep focuses on building student’s skills and knowledge to be successful in life and learning.

Pikes Peak Prep Board shows their appreciation to the Staff

As school starts to wind down we don’t want the year to end without the recognition of the stellar men and women who task daily to ensure that our students are well educated. That being said, The Pikes Peak Prep Charter School Board sponsored a “Teacher Appreciation Luncheon” held at the PPP Campus on Friday May 20, 2011.

Although teachers dealt with a vigorous schedule of training and updates on that day, there was a little time to relax and enjoy the well-deserved meal that was prepared in part by the famous “Howard’s Pit BBQ” and the Warehouse Restaurant.

Law Enforcement Experts Provide Crucial Information for Pikes Peak Prep Students

Lawrence Martinez, parent of a Pikes Peak Prep student, organized a presentation from local law enforcement agencies for the 5th through 12th grade classes at Pikes Peak Prep. Mr. Martinez has arranged these programs for various schools in the local community. This program focused on our youth being aware of their actions, the consequences of those actions, taking care of your friends and helping them with wise choices. All four presenters focused their discussion on making smart decisions. They also discussed the dangers of the internet and all grades were engaged and asked many questions.

Alan Gasper, Defense Attorney, is involved with youth sentencing and was able to provide additional insight. Detective Mark Pfoff, El Paso County Sheriff’s Department had students so engaged that nine of these students now are interested in law enforcement careers. He talked about some of his experiences with internet crimes and bullying. Ken Hilte, MSM, Chief of Police, Pikes Peak Community College, was able to provide examples and talked with the students on their level. Finally, Mr. Martinez was able to provide additional information and hosted the question and answer session.

Students Learning Badminton

Pikes Peak Prep students in grades K-9, learned much about the game of badminton.

K – Third grades
This group completed a very successful badminton unit. Students used balloons in place of shuttlecocks and this worked out extremely well as the balloons slowed down the shuttle so they were easier to hit for the younger group.

Fourth - Sixth grades
These students completed the badminton unit. They used shuttlecocks most of the time and learned about proper clothing, footwear and rackets. Students learned badminton terms and rally scoring to 21 points.

Seventh - Ninth grades

Seventh grade participated in the badminton unit and did quite well playing 21 point games against each other.
Ninth grade finished a 2 week badminton unit. Students just started a tennis unit today and we are hopeful to get them up to Memorial Park where we can use the tennis courts, like last year. Last year tennis was the favorite sport.

Words of Wisdom from Nurse Nowland

This month the Nurse’s Office will be teaching health awareness during P.E. classes grades K-6. This educational segment will be based on an inititive called 5-2-1-0 (http://www.letsgo.org/). Help your children form healthy habits now.

Healthy active children are more likely to be healthy active adults! Below is some of the information that will be shared with the students.

To lead a healthy active life, families can strive to reach these goals:
· fruits and vegetables a day
· hours or less of screen time (TV, computer, video games) per day
· hour of physical activity a day
· limit sugar-sweetened drinks.

To help children live healthy active lives, parents can:
· be role models themselves by making healthy eating and daily physical activity the norm for their family.
· create a home where healthy choices are available and encouraged
· make it fun - find ways to engage your children (playing a game of tag, cooking healthy meals together, creating a rainbow shopping list to find colorful fruits and vegetables, go on a walking scavenger hunt through the neighborhood, or grow a family garden.)

"The world's favorite season is the spring. All things seem possible in May." - Edwin Way Teale

La Boda Loca por la clase de los 8th graders

Last week the Pikes Peak Prep 8^th grade Spanish Class produced the play “La Boda Loca”.  The play was written, produced and performed by the class in Spanish for the Kindergarten and First grade classes.  The play took place on a large boat and the premise included a young bride that was to marry a seasick old man.  She did not love this older man, but loved another. The play ended happily with the bride eloping with her true love and the bridesmaid marrying the older man.  After the play was performed, the class translated the play for those who did not understand Spanish.  

School Wide Positive Behavior System

At Pikes Peak Prep we are represented by the Eagles, and like Eagles we S.O.A.R.:
Safe
On-Task
Achieve
Respect

Students are recognized for displaying the above behaviors through S.O.A.R. tickets. When students receive a S.O.A.R. and/or character word ticket they earn the chance to become the Eagle of the week and the Eagle of the month. One student is nominated from both the elementary and middle/high school population. The Eagle of the week is recognized in front of the entire school during the morning routine in the gym. The Eagle of the month, one from both the elementary and middle/high school student population, is treated by the principal for lunch off campus!

Roller Rex Skates His Way to Pikes Peak Prep

Roller Rex visits Pikes Peak Prep frequently to promote events at Skate City.  This Friday, May 20th, the Skate City Fun Bus will transport students to a party at Skate City.  The bus will pick up the children at 1:15 p.m.  The cost of the event is only $4.00 and that includes the transportation and pizza.  Parents are welcome to pick up their children at the rink at 3:45   Skate City is located at 1920 N. Academy Blvd.  Roller Skating is endorsed by the President’s Council for Physical Fitness and Sports and by the American Heart Association. Go to www.skatecitycolorado.com for other family fun events. 

May School Wide Character Development : Character Trait of the Month

Our Character trait word for the month of May is COURAGE. This month we will be working on understanding why courage is important and how it impacts our future and educational success. We will be commending courageous behaviors and talk about the ways they can be courageous in academics, overall character, and relationships with classmates, teachers, friends and family. We will also highlight the ways courage impacts our educational success and creates opportunities for triumph and growth. We will continue the character trait tickets. When students are seen displaying courageous actions they will be rewarded with “Caught Displaying Courage” tickets. These tickets allow students the opportunity to be nominated for Eagle of the week and month. Their names will be announced in the morning on Fridays and for Eagles of the month, the students are treated to lunch with the principal!

Third Grader Makes a Difference

Pikes Peak Prep third grader, Phoebe Hartman, had an idea that inspired students and teachers in her school to take action.  She was so moved by the hardship Japan was experiencing, she had to discover any way to help.  Her way to help was organizing a coin drive to involve fellow students in her mission.

Pikes Peak Prep elementary students grasped her idea and implemented it. To entice students to participate, a friendly competition was held. The two classes with the most money donated would receive the prize of a pajama party. 

With 1st grade raising $75, and 6th grade raising $115, they were the winners of the pajama party. Students in every grade came together to support the Red Cross and raised a grand total of $335. 

The Largest Fruit Bowl in Colorado Springs

Have you ever seen a ginormous fruit bowl? Not only have students at Pikes Peak Prep seen one, they also helped create one modeled after the work of sculptor Claes Oldenburg.  The project was so massive a school-wide effort was needed, involving every grade, K-12.

Materials for this great project were generously donated by the GEO Foundation, and parents. The GEO Foundation provided the paper that was needed through Donors Choose and parents provided newspaper and flour.  The students provided the much

needed hard work and dedication to getting the giant fruit bowl completed.

Every day students were up to their necks in paper-mache, trying to complete this one-of-a kind project.  Students learned many valuable skills by participating in this project.  These skills include learning how to plan a long term project, staying focused even when they want to give up, and perseverance to achieve awesome results. Even with learning all this information the students were able to complete the incredible task in a month!

Ms. Cross, Pikes Peak Prep art teacher, stated, “the students had a great time working on this project and were very proud of themselves and the finished sculpture.”   

Never judge a book my it's title!

Ronald McDonald came to visit Pikes Peak Prep on Friday the 13^th.  He was received with laughter and anticipation from our K – 6^th grade students as he took them through a journey in history with some of our country’s “firsts”; Maya Angelo, Bill Gates and Benjamin Franklin. Three of our students were dressed in costume as they briefly learned about their characters. In closing, we were engaged in a wonderful fictitious story “The Plane” from Ronald and two of our very talented teachers. As we learned how our principal, Dr. Arnold, in her private jet filled with an eight legged monkey came to play at Pikes Peak Prep playground. Whew! Never judge a book by it’s cover!

Dr. Arnold and "Dr. McDonalds" reading a book to support literacy. 

THE GAZETTE: Charter school students wowed by gift of netbooks

Eight-year-old Anthony Brown and Adrian Martinez, 16, were test driving a fancy netbook, solving a problem about temperature and friction for a bunch of dignitaries visiting Pikes Peak Prep charter school this week.

On the screen, a balloon drifted and stuck to a sweater. Anthony said it would be a neat thing to do that to his sister’s hair. “The balloon would stick,” he predicted.

Then Principal Patricia Arnold told him something even more exciting about the computer.
“I get to take it home to study? Wow!,” the third grader said. “I just thought I got to use it. I like the science about it.”

In fact, all 260 students at the K-12 school will have their very own netbooks for classroom and homework, thanks to a collaboration between companies.