Mustang Monthly | March 2023

Good things are happening in all our schools! See these highlights and more on the Manitou Springs School District 14 Facebook and Instagram feeds.

Manitou Springs Elementary School

MSES Read Across Manitou

Dianne Derby with KOAA was among the local celebrities who read to students for the Read Across Manitou event. The mayor, a firefighter, police officers and other journalists also read books.

See this week's MSES newsletter.

Ute Pass

Elementary School

UPES Shaving Cream

Fourth graders had a blast expressing their creativity with food dye, shaving cream and card stock in art class!

See this week's UPES newsletter.

Manitou Springs

Middle School

MSMS Matchwits Practice

Students practiced for their next Matchwits competition. Manitou has three Matchwits teams!

See this week's MSMS newsletter.

Manitou Springs

High School

MSHS Mustang Strong Day

We had a beautiful day for staff and students to celebrate Mustang Strong Day! They ditched their regular class schedules and focused on a variety of activities and classes centered around wellness. One of the options students chose was to learn how to change the oil in your car.

See this week's MSHS newsletter.

Mr. McMartin’s Message:

Until the board of education selects the district’s next superintendent, Assistant Superintendent Eric McMartin will serve as interim superintendent. Mr. McMartin provides important updates for Manitou stakeholders in this video message.

Watch the video

High School Principal

After an extensive hiring process that included input from students, families, staff and community members, the district selected Anna Conrad, who is currently the interim principal, to be the next principal of Manitou Springs High School, starting with the 2023-2024 school year.

Strategic Vision Task Force

The Strategic Vision Task Force has already met twice to start the process of defining what a successful MSSD14 graduate and educator look like. We appreciate the students, families, staff and community members who volunteered to help us develop these important elements of our strategic vision, with the help of facilitators from the Colorado Education Initiative.

Superintendent Transition

The MSSD14 board of education continues to work with its search firm to conduct a nationwide search for the district’s next superintendent, with a goal of having the new leader start on July 1. To help with its decision-making process, the board is using feedback from students, families, staff and community members, who weighed in through input meetings and surveys. See the Superintendent Transition page on the website for more details.

Text-Message Alerts

You can now receive important information about events, school closings, safety alerts, and more right to your mobile phone. Our school district is using the SchoolMessenger system to deliver these messages via text. Family members and staff can sign up to receive these alerts simply by texting “Y” or “Yes” to our school’s short code number, 67587. You can also opt out of these messages anytime by replying to any of our messages with “Stop.” Get more information about this service on our website.

Preschool

Young children can learn important early skills through a play-based curriculum in the preschool programs at Manitou Springs and Ute Pass elementary schools. The programs serve children from age three to five, and thanks to Colorado’s universal preschool program, part-time preschool is covered for qualifying children. See the preschool page on the website for more about our programs, including virtual video tours, and how to access universal preschool.

Choice Enrollment

Our classrooms are filling up, so get enrolled when the next Choice Enrollment window opens on April 3 for the 2023-2024 school year!

Elementary Construction

Updates

After we complete the safe asbestos abatement process at UPES while everyone is out of the building during spring break, we will look forward to construction on the secure entryway and front office, which will begin after students’ last day of school.

We will start demolition on the old roof at UPES this spring, so we can replace the roof this summer.

This summer, we will also construct the new secure entryway for MPES.

Congratulations to our three high school seniors and three staff members who are nominees for the 2023 Manni Awards. The nominees for the Youth Visionary Leadership Award are Elanor Fugate, Peyton Smith and Lairden Rogge from MSHS.

The nominees for the Education and Learning Award are Janie Anderson, director of safety and security; Carrie Dunlap, art teacher at MSES; and Mike Talbott, teacher and coach at MSHS.

The 2023 Manni Awards take place tonight (Thursday, March 23) at 5 p.m.

Youth Visionary Leadership Award Nominees

Elanor Fugate

Lairden Rogge

Peyton Smith

Education and Learning Award Nominees

Janie Anderson

Director of Safety and Security

Carrie Dunlap

Art Teacher at MSES

Mike Talbott

Teacher/Coach at MSHS

At its March 20 meeting, the MSSD14 Board of Education heard about the Strategic Visioning Task Force and its work so far. They also discussed the next steps for the superintendent search and heard about the learning students are doing as part of the district’s partnership with Flying Pig Farm.

March 20 meeting agenda, details and video