1. Art and Diseño

Attendance Line: 720-554-3895
Cougar Club: 720-554-3821
Snow Delay & Closure Line: 720-554-4701
School Hours: 9:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
School Grounds Open: 8:45 a.m.
Website: http://walnuthills.cherrycreekschools.org
8195 E. Costilla Blvd.
Centennial, CO 80112
720-554-3800 office
720-554-3888 fax
Cyndi Burdick - Principal
January 9, 2015
Dear Parents,
As an Arts Focus school, we look for ways to intentionally integrate the Arts in
our instruction. I wanted to share three special events in the coming weeks that
are great examples of what this looks like.
Important Dates
Tuesday,
January 13
th
5 Grade Camp
Cheley Info Night
6:30 p.m.
Monday, January 19
No School – Martin
Luther King Jr. Day
Tuesday, January 20
West Middle School
Parent Information
Night at WMS
6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Friday, January 23
PTCO Chili Game
Night 5:30 p.m.
Tuesday, January 27
Science Fair Help
Session 3:45 – 4:15
p.m.
Tuesday, February 3
PTCO Meeting
5:45 p.m.
Wednesday,
February 4
First, we are excited to be part of a grant through Think 360 Arts, a local nonprofit organization that provides programs and speakers to integrate the arts in
schools, to bring Mr. Adrian Molina, a guest artist and musician to our building.
During the dates of January 12-20, Mr. Molina will be spending time working with
students in grades 3 -5 to write poetry that focuses on building friendships
through a theme of including others.
On January 16, Mr. Molina will perform for our 1-2 grades at an assembly with a
similar topic that incorporates music and dance. The grant is paying a
substantial amount of the cost for the presentations, with the school paying the
balance.
Next, we have two field trips coming up. On February 26, the kindergarteners,
first and second grade students will attend Charlotte’s Web at the Arvada
Center. On February 11, the third, fourth and fifth grades will attend African
Hands (a drumming performance) at the Fox Theater. I want to make a special
note about these trips. The cost of the transportation and admission for our
students to attend is almost $3,000 and the total cost is being paid by our
PTCO. I’m so appreciative of the hard working parents who support our PTCOs
fundraising efforts through your attendance at events, volunteer time and
financial support. Thank you to each of you for your part in providing these outof-school opportunities for our kids.
I hope you had a joyful holiday and best wishes for a successful 2015!
As always, thanks for being part of our community.
Cyndi Burdick
Principal
WALNUT HILLS ATTENDANCE LINE
Please call the Walnut Hills Attendance Line at 720-554-3895 if your child will be late or absent.
This is a recorded message that can be used 24 hours a day. Please call before 9:00 a.m. to report
your child absence. If we do not receive a phone call by 9:30 a.m. or 12:45 p.m. for afternoon
kindergarteners, we will call you to confirm that your child is accounted for and safe.
The Walnut Hills Spelling Bee is almost here!
Wednesday, January 14
9:30 a.m. in the Gym
All are welcome to attend!
Good luck to all participants!
SCIENCE FAIR HELP SESSION
Do you need help getting a science fair project off the ground? Meet us on January 27, from 3:45 – 4:15 in
the Library for a Science Fair Help Session.
3-5 Grade students all participate in the Science Fair
K-2 Grade students work on a group project in class and are invited
to do an individual project if they would like!
SCHOOL OF CHOICE
School of Choice applications will be available online in January 2015 for the 2015-16 school year. Please visit
the website at http://www.cherrycreekschools.org >>Admissions >> School of Choice/IntraDistrict Transfers for
more information and then in January to access the application.
CHESS CLUB
Calling all chess players! Chess Club is open to all Walnut Hills’ students in first-fifth grade
who know how to play chess and would like to play with other students and/or improve their
game. Chess Club meets once a week on Friday mornings before school at 8:00am in the
gym. Our first meeting begins on Friday, January 16th. If your child is interested, please print
out the attached flyer/permission slip and return to Mrs. Davies by Friday, January 9th.
Thanks, Kristina Davies
CALENDAR CHANGES FOR 2015-2016
We would like to make sure everyone is aware of the calendar changes for the 2015-2016 school year. The first
day of school will be on August 13. Please make your vacation plans with this in mind. See the 2015-2016
calendar below.
PE NEWS FROM COACH AGUIRRE
Winter is a time for wearing boots on cold, snowy mornings. Unfortunately, boots are not safe as
footwear in PE class. The children need to remember to bring their athletic shoes to wear in the gym.
PTCO SPONSORED ALL SCHOOL FIELD TRIPS COMING THIS SPRING!
The students at Walnut Hills have two exciting field trips to attend and it is all thanks to our wonderful PTCO.
Supporting PTCO events enables them to provide this type of educational opportunity for our kids! Both programs
help to enhance Walnut Hills philosophy of arts integration. Thank you PTCO!
- 3rd-5th Grade will be going to the Aurora Fox Theater on February 11 for the African Hands Drum performance.
- K-2nd Grade will go to the Arvada Center on February 26 to see Charlotte’s Web.
Permission slips will be coming home in January.
ARTIST IN RESIDENCE COMING THIS MONTH
Through a generous grant from Think 360 Arts, the students at Walnut Hills will be visited
by a local artist for a school-wide Artist in Residence program. The visiting artist will work
in the 3rd through 5th grade classrooms with a performance and class workshop. 1st & 2nd grade will attend a
performance. The presentations will all focus on poetry. We are so excited for this unique opportunity! Think 360
Arts mission is to lead Colorado in cultivating and sustaining the arts as essential to a complete education, a
vibrant economy, and a dynamic community. Everything they do is based in arts integration, the practice of
weaving together content area subjects with rich, substantive art lessons.
CHERRY CREEK DISTRICT CHESS TOURNAMENT
The Cherry Creek District Chess Tournament will be held at Overland High School on February
28, 2015. The tournament is open to any Cherry Creek student, grades K-12. A completed
Registration Form and the fee of $15.00 must be received by February 22 nd. Participation is
limited to the first 200 students that register. The registration form and tournament details can be
found on the district website: Cherry Creek School District >District Offices>Gifted and Talented
Programming>Chess Tournament. For additional information, please contact the tournament coordinator: Todd
Bardwick, 303-770-6696 or [email protected]
We would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to:



Pam Berke for organizing the cookie exchange for teachers! There were so many great cookies
for the teacher to choose from all donated by the following; Wylie Tidwell, Sarah Murr, Julie
Orr, Candice Bundy, Ellen Squires, Maureen Quarles, Alison Dow, Jurang Burkard, Beth PrattSitaula, Lindsay Carter, Aimee Macdonald, Sara Frank, Catherine Makaafi, Erin Poole-Swyers,
Joan Doot, Pam Berke, Cheri Lambert, Stacy Sautel, Manuel Vasquez, Tammy Miller, Sarah
Gray, Barbara Bruce, Jeri Crispe, Donny Mitchell, Becky Prouty, Anna Frank, Jan & Sonny
Lastrella, and Heidi Miller.
All the amazing families who have donated fleece for the service project. The kids were able
to make many beautiful blankets!
Joan Moore and Erin Swyers for organizing the parties, crafts and service project for the
Holy Day on December 19. Nancy Flinn, Jennifer Barta and Steve Dumonceau were also a big
help on Holly Day. The students made blankets to donate to needy children through Project
Linus. What a great way to teach the children at Walnut Hills to give back to their community!
Free Dental Care
For underserved and
uninsured children
(ages 0-18)
Friday, February 6, 2015
8:00 am-3:00 pm
KIND Clinic
Located in the
Mountain West Dental Instiute
Inside the Beauvallon Building
925 Lincoln St. #B
Denver, CO 80203
To make an appointment call 303-733-3710 x111
Atención Dental Gratuita
Para niños de bajos recursos y
Sin seguro dental
(Edades 0-18)
Viernes, 6 de Febrero, 2015
8:00 am-3: 00 PM
Clínica KIND
Ubicada en
Mountain West Dental Instiute
Dentro el edificio de Beauvallon
925 Lincoln St. #B
Denver, CO 80203
Para hacer una cita llame al 303-733-3710 x111
Thank you Board of Education members!
Jim O’Brien wasn’t fully prepared for the time commitment that came along with his new role as a member of
the Cherry Creek Board of Education.
When O’Brien joined the board seven years ago, he’d already built an extensive professional résumé as a
telecommunications executive and nonprofit manager. What’s more, he’d played the part of active and
engaged volunteer at the Cherry Creek schools where his two sons attended.
But all of that experience didn't fully prepare O’Brien for the work that was to come. Taking on the mantle of
school board member meant accepting a different level of responsibility, one that included up to 25 hours of
work in a typical week.
"To be an effective board member, you have to have the time to prepare for board meetings, you have to have
the time to visit schools and you have to have the time to interface with district leadership members," O'Brien
said. "There's so much to learn. Having been on the school board for almost eight years, I learn something
new every day. You have to do your homework.”
O’Brien isn’t the only board member who boasts that level of dedication. The Cherry Creek School District
Board of Education comprises five dedicated public servants who work tirelessly for the sake of more than
54,000 students. January is School Board Recognition Month, and the district is proud to acknowledge the
work of board members Karen Fisher, Claudine McDonald Jim O’Brien, Randy Perlis and David Willman.
These unpaid volunteers work hundreds of hours a week for a simple goal: to ensure that every student in the
Cherry Creek School District receives the best education possible. That means that every student in every
building has access to an education that properly prepares them for success in college, the military, the
workplace and the larger realm of society as a whole.
“How fortunate we are to have these selfless volunteers leading our district,” said Cherry Creek Superintendent
Harry Bull. “They give generously of their time to thoroughly study and carefully consider many challenging and
complex issues. Every decision they make is based on what is in the best interest of our students.”
That effort involves a high level of expertise. The Cherry Creek School District is home to more than 54,000
students. The board oversees the efficient management of a public entity with more than 9,000 part-time and
full-time employees. They successfully oversee an annual general fund budget of more than $400 million. All of
that work comes on top of the countless hours spent interacting firsthand with students, teachers, district
administrators, parents and other community members. That direct communication comes during the countless
school visits, special events and sporting events that take place throughout the year.
It’s all worth it for the Cherry Creek board members, who see their rewards in the success of every student. For
example, board member Claudine McDonald insists on attending every graduation ceremony at every one of
the district's high schools year after year. Standing on the stage and distributing diplomas gets to the very
heart of the job for McDonald, a longtime Aurora resident with deep community ties.
"We get to hand over diploma covers, shake the students' hands, give them a hug and say, 'Congratulations,
you did it,'" she said. "That's what we're working for."
Each board member represents one of the district’s five director districts, but they are elected ‘at-large’ to fouryear terms by registered voters via a non-partisan ballot.
Board of Education meetings are generally held at 7 p.m. on the second Monday of the month at one of the
Cherry Creek schools. Contact information for the Board of Education is 720-554-4300 or
[email protected].
Jim O’Brien
Director District A
Cherry Hills Village Elementary
Dry Creek Elementary
Greenwood Elementary
Heritage Elementary
Holly Ridge Primary/Holly Hills Elementary
Homestead Elementary
Walnut Hills Elementary
Willow Creek Elementary
Campus Middle School
West Middle School
Cherry Creek High School
Claudine McDonald
Director District B
Eastridge Community Elementary
Highline Community Elementary
Polton Community Elementary
Ponderosa Elementary
Village East Elementary
Challenge School
Prairie Middle School
Overland High School
David Willman
Director District C
Arrowhead Elementary
Cimarron Elementary
Independence Elementary
Indian Ridge Elementary
Meadow Point Elementary
Mission Viejo Elementary
Peakview Elementary
Summit Elementary
Trails West Elementary
Horizon Middle School
Laredo Middle School
Smoky Hill High School
Randy Perlis
Director District D
Antelope Ridge Elementary
Aspen Crossing Elementary
Buffalo Trail Elementary
Canyon Creek Elementary
Coyote Hills Elementary
Dakota Valley Elementary
Sunrise Elementary
Timberline Elementary
Fox Ridge Middle School
Liberty Middle School
Sky Vista Middle School
Thunder Ridge Middle School
Cherokee Trail High School
Eaglecrest High School
Karen Fisher
Director District E
Belleview Elementary
Cherry Creek Academy
Cottonwood Creek Elementary
Creekside Elementary
Fox Hollow Elementary
High Plains Elementary
Red Hawk Ridge Elem
Rolling Hills Elementary
Sagebrush Elementary
Falcon Creek Middle School
Grandview High School
Chess Club!
Our first Chess Club meeting will begin on Friday, January 16th! Chess
Club is for those students in grades 1st-5th who LOVE to play chess. All
students interested in signing up must know the basics of chess playing,
including the names of the pieces and how each piece moves. We meet
before school every Friday in the gym at 8:00 a.m. Please do not arrive
before 8:00 a.m. If you are interested in signing up, please return the
permission slip below to Mrs. Davies by Friday, January 9th.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------I give my child permission to participate in Chess Club on Friday
mornings. My child knows how to play chess.
Child’s name ________________________________________
(please print first and last name clearly)
Teacher name: ___________________ Grade: _____________
_________________________________________
(parent signature)
Tuesday, February 3rd, 2015
9:15 a.m. – 11:15 a.m.
What’s a Kid to Do?
Anxiety and Stress in Children & Adolescents
Anxiety and stress are very real in the lives of our children and adolescents. Join PIN at our
next meeting to learn how we can provide kids with tools that will increase their ability to
manage the stressful moments they encounter. In this presentation, Lauren Kerstein will:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Provide insight into what anxiety looks like in kids (it isn’t as straightforward as it
seems)
Attempt to sort out the role that normal child development plays in anxiety
Offer ideas for increasing your child’s capacity for flexible thinking
Fill your toolbox with strategies that will help your child manage stress
Lauren Kerstein is a child and family psychotherapist, adjunct professor, national speaker and the
author of books, chapters, and articles in the mental health field. She has written a children's
picture book, A Week of Switching, Shifting and Stretching my Thoughts, and a workbook, My
Sensory Book: Working Together to Explore Sensory Issues and the Big Feelings They Can Cause.
Parents, school administrators and community members are welcome and encouraged to
attend PIN’s free presentations. No need to RSVP—just come! Presentations are FREE and
are held the first Tuesday of each month at:
Student Achievement Resource Center (SARC)
14188 E. Briarwood Avenue, Centennial
(South of Arapahoe Rd., between Potomac and Jordan Roads)
Visit www.PINccsd.org for Podcasts and Meeting Highlights
MARK YOUR CALENDARS
Mar. 3rd
Why Do Kids Act That Way? Parent coaching to replace strife with peace in your home
April. 7th
Deal with it! Coping and caring for your child with mental health issues