DATES TO REMEMBER

February 5-12: Candy Grams

February 6: Free Cyber Safety Education 5:30pm

February 14: SAC Meeting 9:00am

February 17: Robotics Tournament HS Auditorium -Beginning 9:30-10:00am

February 19: President's Day - No School MS/HS

February 22: After School Choir Rehearsal at HS 3:00pm - 4:30pm

February 28: After School Choir Rehearsal at HS 3:00pm - 4:30pm

February 29: After School Choir Rehearsal 3:00pm Until Beginning of Concert

February 29: Choir Concert at HS Begins at 6:30

March 7: Parent Teacher Conferences After School

March 8: Staff Professional Development Day - No School MS/HS

March 11-15: Spring Break - No School MS/HS

May 16-27: Trip to Taiwan Cancelled (See Below for More Information)

**Information Sessions for Open Enrollment:

February 7: 4:30pm - 5:30pm

February 14: 4:30pm - 5:30pm

February 21: 9:00am - 10:00am

February 28: 9:00am -10:00am

Refer a family and you could receive $100 gift certificate for every new student who enrolls! For details check out our Refer-A-Friend Program.

Your student ID must be visible at all times while you are in the building. Please wear your ID. See Mrs. Schroeder in the front office for a temporary ID or get your replacement ID from Mrs. King on the 3rd floor. The cost of a replacement ID is $5.

CECFC will be hosting another high school / middle school - mixed robotics tournament on Saturday, February 17th at our high school, and we are looking for volunteers!! NO EXPERIENCE NEEDED for many of these roles. Food and training will be provided. A link is posted below to sign up for volunteer positions. Please reach out to head coach Mr. Englar if you have any questions.

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/9040D4DA9A82AABF49-46900432-cecfc

We have an immediate opening for a Kitchen Manager position to help support CEC food services in Northern Colorado. This position will be scheduled every day from 7:00-3:30 in our Fort Collins High School kitchen - no driving or nights/weekend required! 

This position will:

• Help serve Fort Collins students a FREE meal.
• Oversee the daily operations and meal production in our Fort Collins High School kitchen (500+ meals a day!)
• Advocate for scratch cooking when possible.
• Work to support the requirements of the National School Lunch Program

The ideal candidate will have experience working in a supervisory capacity in a kitchen setting and have a demonstrated passion for food! Bonus points for school food experience!

..and it's a very good problem to have! The Regional competition is approaching on February 24, and we have so many strong math students that we are having a hard time narrowing the list to the 10 students whom we are allowed to bring. Great work, everyone! At our most recent MathCounts night last Friday (1/26), students brought the team total to 8,279 problems solved -- crossing the 8,000 problem mark! -- and practiced the Team and Target rounds for Regionals. Best wishes to the team for next month's Regional competition!

Please encourage your students to not bring their earbuds to school. We are having too many getting lost or misplaced. Your cooperation is appreciated. Thank you!

National Junior Honor Society will be selling Candy Grams starting Feb. 5th through February 12th! Students can buy them during lunch & parents can stop in the front office to purchase them for their students. Candy grams are $1 & will be handed out on Valentine's Day! 

Please join us for our next SAC meeting and enjoy hot coffee and fresh donuts!

We will discuss a LOT of important items, such as:

• Our student’s academic progress to date (it’s HUGE!)
• How to support your child and help them ROCK the CMAS
• A summary of the Cyber Safety Education Presentation (DON’T MISS IT! Continue reading for more information)
• An update on our School-Wide Real Readers Reading Challenge
• And more!

We’re also going to start collecting gently worn WOLF WEAR! Our kids grow so fast, so if you have Wolf Wear that they can’t wear anymore, we’re accepting donations. We will re-sale your items at our SAC meetings and use those funds to support our teachers and our school throughout the year.



So please SAVE THE DATE and join us in the cafeteria on Wednesday, February 14th at 9:00 AM.

2023-24 SAC Committee

➢CECFC Leadership Team Member: Dee Dee Vicino

➢Chair: Jessica Spears

➢Co-Chair: Ade Lau

➢Secretary: Valerie Schultz

➢Treasurer: Nada Elmagbari

➢Appreciation Committee Chair: Brandy Simmers

➢CECFC School Representatives: Amy Kamin, Chris Vick

Please join us for future SAC meetings. If you can't join us in person, we hope that you can join us virtually. We will monitor the chat so that you can participate, ask questions, and provide feedback. Thank you for supporting our efforts to make CEC the BEST school in Northern Colorado.

February 14, 2023, 9:00 AM.

February 14th link: 

Click here to join the meeting.

Meeting ID: 283 221 160 727

Passcode: wduzuc

Download Teams | Join on the web

April 17, 2023, 5:30 PM.

April 17th link:

Click here to join the meeting.

Meeting ID: 269 050 198 295

Passcode: cxR82R

Download Teams | Join on the web.

Has someone in the CEC community shown you or your student an act of kindness? Click here or use the QR code provided to give them a shoutout on our Social Media pages! It can be big or small, but please share your experiences of kindness with us!

We need parents to volunteer during lunch (11:30-12:20) to play soccer outdoors with all MS students. Please contact Mrs. King at lori.king@coloradoearlycolleges.org to sign up.

Help us raise funds for CECFC! Bring in your Bottle Caps from your Morning Fresh Dairy milk bottles. The collection box will be near the front desk. Visit www.morningfreshdairy.com/giving-back/caps4cash.html for more information.

Congratulations on achieving Silver Level Status in The National Math Club! The National Math Club is funded by sponsors who help ensure MATHCOUNTS can offer math resources and programs, like the National Math Club, completely for free.

CECFCMS has earned Silver Level status for the 3rd year in a row and will go for the gold next month! 

Please note, children are welcome to attend. Please remember to RSVP! There will be an additional session for students. Stay tuned for more information.

HUGE shout out to Noah H, Conlan J, and Ivan S - also known as Ace of Spades - who, by recently winning a tournament, have qualified for State in early spring!!! WAY TO GO GUYS!!!

In addition to qualifying for the Colorado Middle School Robotics State Tournament, Ace of Spades has also qualified for Nationals in Iowa in March!!! This is quite the accomplishment, and we couldn't be prouder of the kids!

Another year of competitive robotics is upon us, and we would like to share a link that has been created for donations to the program for this season: CECFC Robotics Program Fund, Colorado Early Colleges

Please feel free to share this link with anyone you may think is interested in donating.

Thank you so much for your consideration, and feel free to contact head coach Mr. Englar Charles.Englar@coloradoearlycolleges.org if you have any questions! Go Wolves!"

CEC Fort Collins Middle School Robotics is proudly sponsored by Fort Collins Utilities.

For February, Ms. Lerner would like to share tips and information about Caring.   



Practicing, caring, and showing love for one another is one of the greatest gifts we can give each other. Practicing self-love and caring is the greatest gift we can give ourselves.    

Consider doing this with your middle schooler as they go through a stage of life whereby caring skills/expressions are still developing. Write two headings on a paper or poster: Caring and Uncaring. List examples underneath each heading. Then, discuss or comment on what efforts could be taken to move all items from the Uncaring column into the Caring column. 

Here is another insight: Did you know that the more self-critical you are as a parent, the less likely you are to engage in self-kindness practices? You deserve a break-check out this article in your free time about the role of compassion & parenting.

https://emergingminds.com.au/resources/parental-self-care-and-self-compassion/ 

As always, reach out if you need to connect with me about your student, resources or concerns.   

In addition, I want to remind you that Ms. Lerner is the McKinney Vento Liaison. Here is some information about that program (see next segment).

Bus Transportation has begun! IC will be updated to show your child's route and drop-off and pick-up times.

Complete the Transportation Registration Form: 23-24 Transportation Registration (Office. Com)

Buckle up, CEC! It’s going to be a GREAT ride!

8th Grade Parent/Guardians

Would you like to see your 8th grader spotlighted this semester on the CEC social media pages? Send your 8th grader's name, baby picture, a recent picture, and a fun fact to mary.bain@coloradoearlycolleges.org to be featured!

CEC AFTER SCHOOL CLUBS!

Drama Club

Drama Club. Drama Club is designed for students interested in learning more about the aspects of theater. This includes learning stage terminology, working on acting skills, set building, and costumes/makeup design. Drama Club is open to all students and will begin on November 7th.

Contact: Mel Pomponio

National Junior Honor Society

The primary goal of NJHS is to help students develop and grow into the four pillars (as defined by NJHS): Leadership, Character, Scholarship, and Service. Students participate in service projects and monthly character development meetings to achieve this. Students must have a 4.0, be nominated, and then apply to become a member.

Contact: Chris Vick

Math Counts

We will prepare for and participate in math contests. Colorado Math League is the most frequent contest, and we will also participate in the UNC Math Contest, and other contests that the team is interested in.

Contact: Karen Karppinen

Drone Racing

To develop engineering skills (mechanical, electrical, software, aerospace, video), social skills, teamwork, students will learn to test, trouble shoot, and race drones. This is a great club to develop lifelong skills in teamwork, school spirit, leadership, problem solving, and communication.

Contact: Kathleen Kingdom

Chess Team

Students will participate in a chess lessons provided by a Chessmates coach and then play practice games to prepare for the monthly tournaments. This is a pay to play activity through chessmatesfc.com

Contact: Karen Karppinen

Knowledge Bowl

Do you like Trivia? Put your random knowledge to good use. Our team competes in monthly quiz-bowl-style (buzzer machine) tournaments at various schools in the area. We need specialists in various subjects (history, science, current events, arts) as well as general trivia buffs!

Contact: Karen Karppinen

Art Workshops

Art workshops are offered throughout the year. Students sign up for specific art projects that would last one month. Projects are to be determined, but may include clay projects, painting, community murals, woodworking, or fiber arts.

Contact: Joy Easter

Jazz Jam Band

Every Monday from 3-4 pm in room 119. All levels and instrumentation are welcome.

Contact: Ashtyn Rossman

Intramural Sports

Intramural Sports are for students who want to have fun playing sports in an inclusive, low-pressure environment. Students will learn the rules of the games and build teamwork skills in addition to having a great time. All ability levels are encouraged to sign up for Fall and Spring semester sessions. Sports and times TBD.

Contact: Sarah Carver

Wolf Pack 

The CECFC Middle School Wolf Pack is a leadership and service club that represents our school. Wolf Pack members are considered Ambassadors and are nominated by the CEC staff based on character. The Wolf Pack meets weekly and acts as mentors to new students, gives tours to families throughout the school year, and preforms acts of service as needed. 

Contact: Allison Straubing  

Keep your eyes open - more clubs may be announced soon!

Happy New Year! Here are some friendly reminders about illnesses and absences. Let’s have a healthy spring semester!! 

• Illnesses: Please DO NOT SEND students to school if they are ill. 

• Contact Attendance with details if your student is out due to illness.
• Students must stay home for at least 24 hours after a fever has resolved without fever reducing medications to lower the fever.
• Students must stay home for at least 24 hours after vomiting and/or diarrhea without medication to reduce those symptoms.
• If your student has missed [5 consecutive days] or [7 days in a two-week period] due to illness, please provide medical documentation for these absences to be excused.
• ·    COVID-19: If your student is diagnosed with COVID-19, they should remain home from school for 5 full days since symptom onset or positive test. Your student should return only after symptoms have resolved. Masking is recommended for days 6 through 10.  

Contact Info:

• RN: Jen McGlue, RN can be reached at 970-377-0044 x10121 or Jen.mcglue@ColoradoEarlyColleges.org.

•   Health Tech: Lyniah Lester-Martinez can be reached at 970-893-4549 x11108 or Lyniah.Lester-Martinez@coloradoearlycolleges.org.

How’s our school doing on vaccinations? Annually, schools must report immunization and exemption numbers (not student names) to the state health department. Here are the school's immunization rates from the 2022-23 school year for MMR.

Hello Wonderful CEC Families,



As some of you may be aware, the government in general is not a huge fan of homeschooling. Of course, we know better and believe homeschooling is a truly wonderful opportunity for many people. At Colorado Early College, we fully embrace the idea that families know what is best for their children and they should have a choice in education. Many of our students are part-time students who are homeschooled at home or attend our online homeschool. Unfortunately, we have a battle on our hands. There are people in government who do not believe in homeschool enrichment. Being on the ground floor with our students and families, we know that these people are completely wrong and narrow-minded. We see the beauty that our program brings to our students and families. 

Please, PLEASE take a moment to share your story with the State Board of Education. We want to overwhelm them with your stories so they can see that we are indeed important and necessary. What does your family love about CECFC MS (or homeschool enrichment in general)? How would it affect your students if we didn't have our program? They will hold a session in mid-December to take action on homeschooling items. Please click on the link below and fill out the form on the right-hand side ASAP. It's quick and easy and we MUST BE HEARD!  It's time for homeschoolers and Charter School students and families to get LOUD!!! Please help us save our program.

CLICK HERE TO SHARE YOUR VOICE

Thank you so much for your help,

Dee Dee Vicino

Head of School

Colorado Early Colleges Fort Collins Middle School

Key Explorers offers a 10% discount for CEC families!

INTERESTED IN VOLUNTEERING?

Please contact Mrs. King at lori.king@coloradoearlycolleges.org if you are interested in volunteer opportunities. We need classroom volunteers, cafeteria volunteers, volunteers for field trips and off campus events, and more! Research shows that parents have a major influence on their child's achievement, and volunteering at school is a great way for parents to positively impact student achievement. 

REFER-A-FRIEND TO CEC!

Tell your friends and families that enrollment for the 2023-24 school year is still open and you could receive $100 gift certificate for every new student who enrolls! 

For details check out our Refer-A-Friend here.

SUPPORT OUR SCHOOL WITH KING SOOPERS

1. Log into your account at www.KingSoopers.com 
2. Go to Community Rewards 
3. Search Colorado Early Colleges (EG422) 
4. Click Blue Enroll Button 

Thank you for your continued support!!

INFINITE CAMPUS (IC) MOBILE APP

Parents, Guardians and Students, did you know IC is not only on the web but there is a mobile app as well? You can check attendance, grades, assignments, set notifications, and so much more!

Download the Infinite Campus Parent and/or Student App today to stay connected!



For more information, click the button below.

If at any time you are having problems with Infinite Campus and/or Teams, please contact our support team at: support@coloradoearlycolleges.org or click the link for support information: https://coloradoearlycolleges.org/support/

2023-2024 SCHOOL YEAR CALENDAR

2023-2024 STUDENT & FAMILY HANDBOOK

Welcome new and returning CEC Families! Please take a moment to read our MS Student and Family Handbook to familiarize yourself with our school policies.

If you have any questions, please feel free to call us at (970) 893-4549 and we will be happy to assist you.

SCHOOL INFORMATION

CECFC MS Main Line: (970)893-4549

Attendance: (970) 682-2007

Attendance Email: fcmsattendance@coloradoearlycolleges.org

Address: 4512 McMurry Avenue

Fort Collins, CO 80525