Jan. 23, 2017

Grade Level News
Click link below for 
grade level newsletter   

Kindergarten
1st Grade
2nd Grade
3rd Grade
4th Grade
5th Grade
6th Grade
7th & 8th Grade
Nov 7

QUICK LINKS
Staff

CSP Calendar

Lunch Information

CSP Handbook

TCA Website

Palmarium


Titan Creed


LATE START SCHEDULE CSP
All day classes
Grade 1-8
10:15 AM to 3:30 PM
Kindergarten
AM class--10:15-12:30
PM class--1:15-3:30  



Contact Us
12201 Cross Peak View
Colorado Springs Co 80921
(719) 487-2000
















“One sees great things from the valley; only small things from the peak.”
~ G.K. Chesterton


From the Principal’s desk…

Hello CSP Families,

For the weeks of Feb. 6 and 13, the CSP Newsletter will be sent to parents via their classroom teacher. See info below listing important dates for 2017-18 enrollment for CSP Gr. 1-6 and CP JH. Gr. 3, 5, 7 testing permission slips are due TH Feb. 9. Please attach a $25 check (made out to TCA) to the slip. Now that a new semester has begun, please acknowledge TCA’s attendance policy (noted below).

CSP had over 70 prospective parents attend the CSP-CP Information Night last week. The homeschool community in Colorado Springs is certainly thriving! CSP is privileged to offer support to home educators who entrust their children with us. Enjoy a wonderful week!

In partnership,


Susan Nosal

 
IMPORTANT DATES - CSP Calendar of Events

CURRENT NEWS

READ THE LATEST ISSUE OF THE PALMARIUM
The current issue on creativity is available here 

CLASS PHOTOS
Week of Feb. 6 - 9
Wear a TCA uniform for this group photo.
No individual photos will be taken.
Info will be sent home this week.

MATH XL DEMO
Mon. Feb. 6
2:30 – 3:20, Rm. 218
CSP Gr. 5 -8 parents are invited to attend a special Math XL demo to learn about the Pre-Algebra curriculum offered to CSP homeschool families. This is the same Pre-Algebra curriculum taught in College Pathways. It is highly recommended that CSP students complete Math XL Pre-Algebra at home the year prior to enrolling in CP. Pete Penninga, CP Math instructor, will present a Math XL demo on Mon. Feb. 6, 2:30 – 3:20 in Rm. 218. No RSVP is necessary.

TCA Gr. K-8 FOOD DRIVE
Feb. 6 - 9
K-8 students are encouraged to donate non-perishable food items to the TCA Food Drive @ East campus. Collection boxes will be in the atrium that week only. Donations will go to a Care and Share. 
TCA-HS will host TCA vs. Cancer fundraiser that week, culminating with the TCA Girls’ Varsity game on Fri. Feb. 10 @ TCA-N, 7:00 pm.

IN-CLASS SPELLING BEES
Gr. 4-8 students will participate in a Spelling Bee in their class sometime before Feb. 2 (teacher’s discretion). The top 3 finalists from each grade per day will be invited to compete in the final CSP SPELLING BEE, Thurs. Mar. 2, 4:00 pm, East gym. This event is only open to CSP Gr. 4-8 students. Questions? Contact Ruth Kozyra, rkozyra@asd20.org.

2017-18 ENROLLMENT
• Feb. 7 - Seats will be offered to currently enrolled rising CSP Gr. 1-6 students 
• Feb. 13 - CP & CSP Jr. High seats will be offered to rising Gr. 7 & 8 CSP students. RSVP as quickly as possible because the JH CP seats fill quickly. You may choose only one program. If you accept a seat in CP, you need to attach a draft of your child’s desired JH schedule. Schedules will be filled on a first come, first serve basis by Frank Haist, CP Registration and pre-college Advisor.
• Early to mid-March - New student offers for K-8

TESTING/EVALUATION OPTIONS FOR HOMESCHOOLERS 
Per Colorado law, homeschool students in the odd grades, beginning in Gr. 3, are required to take a standardized test or have a formal evaluation submitted to your local school district. CSP offers the ITBS-CogAT Survey Battery in grades 3, 5, and 7 to our CSP families. This year two testing dates will be offered in March.

The first will be held on Friday, March 10th for students who currently attend 7th grade on Mondays as well as 3rd & 5th graders who attend classes on Wednesdays.

The second test date will be held on Friday, March 17th for CSP students who currently attend 3rd & 5th grade classes on Thursdays.

The time frame is 8:15am – 2:00pm on both Fridays.

The cost is $25.00 per student.

Classroom teachers have sent home and emailed CSP Testing Permission Slips. If you have not received either, please contact your child’s teacher as soon as possible.
All permission slips are due back: Thursday, February 9, 2017

2nd ANNUAL TCA vs. CANCER EVENTS

February 6-10, 2017
All of TCA is invited to participate. Submit pictures for the Wall of Courage and attend a Ribbon Banquet dinner for all who have been touched by cancer. The week will culminate with the TCA vs. Cancer Girls Basketball game which will be February, 10th at 7pm. Please wear pink to show your support at the game. Click here for more info to submit pictures and rsvp for the banquet dinner if your family has been touched by cancer.



SAVE THESE DATES


AUDITIONS FOR CSP FAMILY TALENT SHOW – prepare now!
Thurs. Jan. 26
3:40 – 6:30 pm, Rm. 121
Students prepare a 3 min. solo, duo, or group performance (solo or with sibs, friends, parents)
Talent Show will be held Thurs. Feb. 9, 6:30 – 8:30 pm., TCA-E gym
Contact Paula Higgins, phiggins@asd20.org for audition time

CSP CLASS PHOTOS
Week of Feb. 6 – 9
Students shall wear uniforms only.

TCA Gr. K-8 FOOD DRIVE
Week of Feb. 6 - 10
Collection boxes to benefit Care and Share in East atrium.

CSP TALENT SHOW
Thurs. Feb. 9
6:30 – 8:30 pm
TCA-E gym
Enjoy an evening of entertainment presented by our talented CSP students and families. A variety of quality acts – music, drama, dance, demos – will be performed.

Questions? Contact Paula Higgins, phiggins@asd20.org.

SPRING CONFERENCES
Feb. 20 – 23
Teachers will send parents their own class Signup.com schedule a few weeks prior to conferences.
We look forward to meeting with you to discuss your child’s progress in person, via email, or phone.

**Monday parents – teachers will contact you with conference options since CSP is not in session on Mon. Feb. 20 (President’s Day). 

CSP NOON DISMISS
Wed. Mar. 1
Teacher in-service starts at 12:30

CSP SPELLING BEE
TH Mar. 2
Gr. 4-8 finalists compete
4:00 – 5:30, TCA-E gym
Questions? Contact Ruth Kozyra, rkozyra@asd20.org


PREVIOUSLY POSTED NEWS.


CHARACTER
January Character Focus: Forgiveness & Humility. Teachers will note which character strengths were discussed each week so you may continue those conversations at home. CSP classes will also implement Peer Mentoring - pairing older and younger classes to engage in character discussions and activities together. Mentoring across grade levels is a part of the Board initiative for enriching TCA’s Character Education program.

LENDING LIBRARY
Several parents requested that we order an Easy Grammar teacher’s manual for them to borrow this year, to correct their child’s homework. The books are ready for check-out from our Lending Library. Bring $35 refundable cash deposit – no checks accepted. Books will be collected in May. Questions? Contact Ruth Kozyra, CSP Curriculum Specialist, rkozyra@asd20.org, 487-2027.

PAY MANDATORY STUDENT FEES – www.payforit.net
CSP 2016-17 Student Fees are online at CSP/ Fees & Forms. Pay mandatory CSP fees on-line through your Infinite Campus Parent Portal. Parents input child’s Student ID to complete the account set-up. Use payforit username and password to log onto: www.payforit.net. You may pay TCA student fees without incurring any convenience fee. (NOTE: There is a convenience fee for online lunch-money payments.) Questions? Contact Toni DeMott, tdemott@asd20.org, 488-6479.
JH Musical Fee - $20 (all 7th and 8th graders pay this fee)
Grades 3-8 IEW Licensing Fee - $5 (only for students borrowing a CSP IEW workbook this year)

KING SOOPERS REWARD CARDS
You may purchase a King Sooper Reloadable Rewards Card for $5.00 in the CSP office. The cards are loaded with $5.00 – so the card is FREE! CSP earns 5% of all grocery/fuel purchases – and you earn Rewards points. The card is good at Kroger, City Market, Loaf & Jug, and other affiliates listed on the card. We’ve earned over $2,500 to date. We have purchased several Easy Grammar manuals for parents to check out from the Lending Library. Please consider supporting CSP with this easy-to-use program. Questions? Contact Lainie in the CSP office at 487-2021.

ASD20 CHOICE WINDOW
Jan. 6 - Feb. 24, 2017

If your child is enrolled at TCA or already has accepted a firm TCA Kindergarten 2017-18 seat, please know that if you apply for a choice seat in D20, and get it, your student will be WITHDRAWN from TCA. This is an irrevocable situation.


If you withdraw your CSP student to enroll in D20s School in the Woods or Homeschool Academy (HSA) TRACKS, STEM or ARTS programs, you are not guaranteed a seat in CSP the following year. You must put your child back on the CSP wait list and go through the usual seat assignment process. Last year, few seats in Gr. 4-6 were available for new or returning students. Our enrollment grows steadily since students currently enrolled in CSP are guaranteed a seat in College Pathways in Gr. 7 – 9.


MESSAGE FROM TCA ADMINISTRATION:

Dear Titan Community,

District 20’s Choice Enrollment Program opened today and goes through February 24th, 2017. Nearly every year, we have some TCA families that choose to leave TCA to attend another D20 school. These decisions are often very difficult, but TCA is fully supportive of “partnering with parents in the education of their children” – even if that means leaving TCA. What is even more difficult, though, are the families that leave TCA and, subsequently, have a change a heart and would like to return. Based on our current waitlists and the student’s grade level, it is often impossible to return to TCA once a student has withdrawn. With that in mind, I’d like to remind you of several key points and aspects of the D20 Choice window.


• During this window, students may apply to attend any district school, beginning the following fall semester.

• Students may apply whether they reside inside D20's boundaries or not.
• If the student is accepted in his/her selected school of choice he/she must attend that school the following school year beginning in August.
• If a student wants to move out of the choice school, a new application will have to be completed during the next available choice application window; or, in TCA’s case, a new TCA enrollment application must be submitted.
• TCA is not a choice school – i.e. other D20 students cannot “choice” into TCA; however, any TCA student is allowed to participate and leave TCA, if desired.

As the Choice Enrollment Program is a D20 program which TCA must comply with, I want to clarify how this applies to us. In short: if you complete the choice application and you receive your choice school, you have withdrawn from TCA. The TCA Registrar Office will be notified by D20 of all students who receive their choice school and those students will be automatically withdrawn from TCA for the following school year. Should you and/or your student change your mind and wish to remain at TCA, you will have to reapply to TCA and go back on the waitlist.


In closing, I must emphasize to please consider very carefully what is best for your student and your family. We are here to help in any way possible, but please know this process is very different than, for example, applying to college, whereby a student applies to an institution and then decides upon acceptance whether he/she wishes to attend. In the D20 Choice Enrollment Program, if you fill out the application and get accepted, you will be withdrawn from TCA and must attend your choice school. If we can be of any assistance or you have any questions, please contact the TCA Registrar Office at TCARegistrar@asd20.org .


CSP WEBSITE & D20 PARENT PORTAL


TCA’s website: www.tcatitans.org

D20 PARENT PORTAL
If you have trouble logging into IC, contact help@asd20.org or 719-234-1777.
D20 asked parents to change their student’s password on IC this summer. You won’t be able to access IC until this is done. Read CSP Handbook, sign off on IC – Extended Parent Portal – that you read this important document. Also sign off on permission for other IC docs listed in your parent portal.

INFINITE CAMPUS
Do you need help with Infinite Campus? Click here for help. 
Infinite Campus 
IC FAQ

EMERGENCY CONTACT UPDATE
Please check to make sure your student’s emergency contacts are updated in Infinite Campus. Emergency contacts are used if the school’s staff can’t get in touch with a parent in emergency situations (i.e., sick child). They are also used if school releases early or is evacuated. Students will only be released to a parent or Emergency Contact listed in IC.

To update your student’s emergency contacts, click http://www.asd20.org/Info/Logins/Pages/default.aspx, then click extended parent portal on the right side. Log into your IC account. Click student name, then click emergency contacts. Add/update up to 3 contacts. Also, another helpful hint, is to put “John and Nancy Doe” instead of just “John Doe” under name. This gives you up to 6 people who would be Emergency Contacts.


CSP POLICY

ATTENDANCE POLICY
Parents - if your child will be absent please call 487-2000 and leave details on our attendance line. Students who are chronically absent and exceed 3 absences (6 Kinder half days) in a semester, excused or unexcused, risk not successfully completing the semester. IF A STUDENT EXCEEDS THE MAXIMUM ALLOWED ABSENCES, he/she must attend the final two class sessions of the school year or the student will be disenrolled by the Registrar. You will need to put your student back on the waitlist. Consistent attendance at CSP should be a top priority since we are a part-time program. See ATTENDANCE POLICY on the website: CSP/Parents/CSP Handbook/Attendance Policy.

DELAYED SCHOOL HOURS
In the event we have a weather 2-hour delay, please follow these times:

10:15-3:30 all classes, Grades 1-8
10:15-12:30 K AM classes
1:15-3:30 K PM classes

*Hot lunch will be served on 2-hour delays for Grades 1-6.

Morning kindergarten children need to bring a big snack since they are being dismissed later than usual.
*Students may wear denim bottoms + a uniform top on delayed start days.
NOTE: If we have a 2-hr. delay on an in-service date (Jan. 10, Mar. 1, Apr. 20), students will not come to class. Only teachers report 2 hrs. late and stay for in-service.

COMMUNITY NEWS

ANNIE JR.
Your whole family will fall in love with the fun songs, witty dialogue, and fabulous choreography, performed by the talented students of Starz Theater Company.
Four show times:
(1) Saturday, Jan. 28 - 2pm
(2) Saturday, Jan. 28 - 6pm
(3) Saturday, Feb 4 - 2pm
(4) Saturday, Feb 4 - 6pm

Original Pre-Show Performances: 1:40 & 5:40 pm – an exciting fusion of song, dance and conviction performed by “Fearless Ones” of Starz Rizing – an extension of Starz Theater Company.
Go to www.starztheater.org for info and online ticketing.
Location: Colorado Springs Charter Academy – 2577 N. Chelton Rd., Colorado Springs 80909
Information: (719) 445-9497; www.starztheater.org

COLORADO SPRINGS CHILDREN"S CHORALE
The Colorado Springs Children’s Chorale has invited CSP 3rd through 6th graders to the “In Harmony Festival” that will be held April 10 – 12th . For only $20.00 your student will get the opportunity to participate in a mass choir of several hundred elementary students at the Pike’s Peak Center. They’ll learn music, choreography, performance techniques and possibly make some new life-long friends in the bargain. Please send in your money (checks made out to CSCC) to Mrs. Higgins no later than Jan. 12th. Mrs. Higgins will distribute the music and will have a couple of rehearsals for any participating students before the large group meets in April. (Please mark your money envelopes clearly with each student you are paying for and their grade/day they attend CSP.) So far we have 19 students signed up, but we’d love to have 25! Anyone else interested? CSCC always does quality music education, and for the price this is a fabulous opportunity!


PHILHARMONIC KIDS CONCERT
Philharmonic Kids concert, The Orchestra Rocks
February 15 & 16, 2017
Register here: do so now so you may receive your Link Up materials and take full advantage of the Link Up program!
If you have any questions or would like more information, contact Bernie bernie@csphilharmonic.org, or 719-344-2456.

PIKES PEAK HOME SCHOOL BAND �� �� ��
The Pikes Peak Home School Band is now offering a new string program, along with the band program! We invite all eager instrumentalists ages 7 through high school to come learn the art of making music in our classes. Everyone is extremely excited and pumped up about starting a new chapter in the program! Contact Bill Callen at (719)-598-2373 for more details and any questions you may have. Go to Pikes Peak Home School Band Facebook page.


BETTY FIELD MEMORIAL YOUTH WRITING CONTEST - 2017
All 6th through 12th grade students in El Paso County and in areas served by the Pikes Peak Library District are invited to enter the Betty Field Memorial Youth Writing Contest-2017 and earn top honors plus cash prizes. This annual mystery writing contest encourages students to develop their creative writing skills. Details at www.writingcontest612.info. Deadline for submission of entries is 5:00 PM, Saturday, February 25, 2017. The winning authors in all categories will be honored at the April 15, 2017 Awards & Recognition Program. Questions? Contact Diane Pfalzgraf, PPLD Contest Coordinator, (719) 591-2404, 10 AM to 7 PM or email at FriendsPPLD@pcisys.net


PIKES PEAK LIBRARY DISTRICT (PPLD) HOMESCHOOL HUB
www.ppld.org
The public libraries offer activities & events for homeschool families.