CCSD Social Emotional Screener Information

Dear Cherry Creek School District families,

As part of our effort to support our students’ Whole Wellbeing, the Cherry Creek School District is once again implementing a universal social and emotional (SEL) screening for students. Last year we had approximately half of all schools participate; this year we are providing this screener to all schools.

Universal social and emotional screening can provide an impartial way to have students report how they are progressing in their social and emotional development. Screenings can also help identify areas where school staff can improve or adjust supports. Universal social and emotional screening is not a mental health assessment.

The online tool takes approximately 10 to 15 minutes to complete. Students in grades 3 through 12 self-report their answers. For students in grades kindergarten through 2, the questions are completed by classroom teachers (only select elementary schools are utilizing this tool). The social and emotional screening will occur two times per school year between Sept. 23 – Oct. 4 and again Feb. 24 - March 5, 2025. Repeated screening helps us determine if the supports we provide to students are meeting their needs. 

• If you have additional questions, please contact the district Social Emotional Learning Coordinator, Diana Rarich, at SELScreener@cherrycreekschools.org 
• Schools are using the results to improve instructional practices and student support. If significant needs are identified, school staff will reach out directly to parents/guardians. 
• Results will be available upon request; please email SELScreener@cherrycreekschools.org after October 28, 2024 or March 29, 2025.

You also have the option to opt out your child from participating in the screener. If you do not want your child to participate in social and emotional screening, please indicate so by completing this form. 

We thank you for your assistance as we work together to educate and support your students!

Cherry Creek Schools 

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October Count Day

On Tuesday, October 1, schools throughout the state of Colorado perform attendance counts. These counts determine funding allocations for schools and are vital for our budget and ensuring staffing and school support for your children.

Please make every effort to have your child at school on this day. The exception to this is if your child is sick, please keep them at home of course!

Check Your Voter Registration

Are you registered to vote this November? Check your registration today at https://www.coloradosos.gov/voter — it only takes 1 minute!

Reminder: Ballot measures that impact your town and your school district will be at the bottom of the ballot after national, statewide, and county measures. Don’t forget to fill out your ballot completely. Measures at the bottom of the ballot have the greatest local impact.

College & Career Readiness Day – Oct 9

EVERY Blazer will have the chance to prepare for their future on October 9. Better yet, our SOPHOMORES & JUNIORS will take the NMSQT/PSAT for FREE!

Freshmen: CollegeBoard Bluebook PSAT 9 Preparatory Exam

Sophomores: National Merit Scholarship Qualifying PSAT

Juniors: National Merit Scholarship Qualifying PSAT

Seniors: College & Career Planning

Homecoming Dance

Saturday, October 5

Guest Pass Due

September 24

Homecoming Dance Guest Pass

Overland students who would like to bring a non-Overland guest to the Homecoming Dance must submit a Dance Guest Pass application to the Activities Office by September 24 at 4:00pm.

Registration for Winter sports will open on 10-21-24. 

Winter Sports

• Basketball – Boys
• Basketball – Girls
• Basketball – Unified
• Cheerleading
• Ice Hockey
• Poms
• Swimming – Girls
• Wrestling – Boys
• Wrestling – Girls

Clubs & Activities

Want to join an Overland club? Check out the list of clubs, and attend one of the meetings. Be sure to check if the club has an audition or application process. Contact the club sponsor with any questions.

Complex Texts and Productive Struggle

Your child is encountering various texts in every classroom, every day at Overland. It is our hope that your child is engaging in what researchers and authors, Douglas Fisher and Nancy Frey call Productive Struggle. “A growing body of evidence suggests that students learn from productive struggle - that is, working through text that is initially difficult, using instruction and scaffolds to decode and make meaning from it” (Minnery & Smith, 2018, p. 743).



In the classroom, when reading complex text, your child will be challenged to learn new concepts, new vocabulary, and use problem-solving skills to build meaning. This will be hard at first, but as mentioned above, the struggle is a necessary component to learning.

Did you know that when students learn a new concept in class, their brains are producing myelin, a white matter that connects neurons, which makes learning easier? Students may struggle at first, but the more practice they have, the more exposure to that concept, the more myelin is produced, until mastery occurs. 

How can you support this at home? 

Remind your child that they can do hard things! Talk to them about concepts you have learned that were difficult at first, but with more practice, became easier. And encourage them to keep trying and ask for help if they need it.

Additional Resources:

https://youtu.be/ZEaJ_VASrR0?si=jrt_X19O8StcgvS0

https://www.edutopia.org/article/neuroscience-behind-productive-struggle/

Class of 2025

Get ready for your senior year by looking through the information on our website.

• Order cap & gown
• Yearbook
• Senior pictures
• Senior sunrise
• and more

Senior Panoramic Photo

The senior panoramic photo was taken on Wednesday, September 11 during Advisory. You may purchase one photo for $35 or all three poses for $55.

SEPTEMBER 2024 

9/19 Parent/Teacher Conferences 4:00-7:30pm in Gyms 

9/25 College and Career Info Night @6pm 

9/31–10/5 Homecoming Week 

OCTOBER 2024 

10/4 Last day to buy yearbook for $60

10/4 Senior Pictures +$10 due 

10/5 SAT: National Testing Day 

10/9 College and Career Readiness Day 

10/10 Academic Letter & AP Scholars, 7am Aud (morning) 

10/26 ACT: National Testing Day 

10/29 CCHS/CR Night College Fair @6pm 

10/30 Senior Class Meeting in Auditorium w/ Jostens 

NOVEMBER 2024 

11/7-8 Jostens in cafeteria during both lunches 

11/2 SAT: National Testing Day 

11/30 Senior Ads due 

DECEMBER 2024 

12/7 SAT: National Testing Day 

12/10–11 Cram Fest 

12/14 ACT: National Testing Day 

12/17 Final Exams—1A, 2A, 3A 

JANUARY 2025 

1/23 Jostens in cafeteria during lunches 

1/26 Last day to order cap & gowns for $40

1/26 Jostens in cafeteria during lunches 

1/27 Cap & gown price increases to $50 

1/30 Culture Night 

1/31 Last day for yearbook refund 

FEBRUARY 2025 

2/8 ACT: National Testing Day 

2/10–14 Wish Week 

2/16 Last day to buy yearbook for $80 

2/20 Parent Teacher Conferences @4-7:30pm

MARCH 2025 

3/1 Cap & Gown Photos in cafeteria during lunches 

3/8 Cap & Gown Photos in cafeteria during lunches 

3/8 SAT: National Testing Day 

APRIL 2025 

4/1 Mandatory Parent/Grad Meeting (A-Ln) @7pm (Jostens will be here) 

4/2 Mandatory Parent/Grad Meeting (Lo-Z) @6pm (Jostens will be here)

4/5 ACT: National Testing Day 

4/7 Graduation Performance Auditions @3pm 

4/10 Parent/Grad Makeup Meeting @6:45am 

4/16-17 SAT/PSAT, no school for seniors 

MAY 2025 

5/1 Senior Field Day

5/4 Yearbook Distribution 

5/3 SAT: National Testing Day 

5/5–16 AP Testing 

5/5–/8 Senior Exams 

5/8 Senior Clapout end of 4B

5/9 Senior Field Trip

5/10 Prom/After Prom 

5/12 Senior Checkout Day 

5/14 Senior Academic Awards, 6pm 

5/23 Mandatory Graduation Rehearsal, 12–4pm @OHS Luncheon, Rehearsal, Slideshow, get Cap/Gown if fees paid 

5/24 Grad Performers Rehearsal, 6–8pm @DU 

5/25 Graduation at DU Ritchie Center @8am Arrive no later than 6:30am

Dates and times are subject to change. Please check the Overland website for updates.

Questions?

Abby Cate, Activities Director

acate8@cherrycreekschools.org

Call Nurse Brian at 720-747-3789

Fax 720-747-3588

When schools are on a delayed start High School bus pickup is delayed 90 minutes. School starts at 9:50 a.m.

Overland Weather Station

Overland is now offering meteorology as a science elective, and students get to work with our very own professional weather station. Our station is one of over 250,000 professional and amateur weather stations connected to the Ambient Weather Network around the world. This network is free to use by all, no login or sign up required. You can also find the Ambient Weather Network on most app stores if you want access on your phone. 

Translation Help

Report an absence before 2:00pm on the day of the absence.

Attendance Google Form

click here

All-day absence or late arrival

720-747-3995

Early release

720-747-3996

Español

720-747-3997

In Cherry Creek School District and Overland School, our top priorities are your child’s safety, academics, and whole wellbeing. In order to maintain and excel in these areas, it’s critical that our kids come to school every day. 

Did you know that 1 in 3 students in CCSD in the 2023-24 school year were chronically absent? Chronic absenteeism is defined by the state as missing more than 10 days in the school year.

Chronic absenteeism has a significant impact on the academic performance of a child and their classroom. Over 4 out of 5 students who miss more than 10% of kindergarten and first grade are unable to read on-level by third grade. By 6th grade, chronic absenteeism is a critical warning sign that a student may not graduate high school. Missing just one lesson or period in class can have a serious impact on a student’s understanding of academic concepts. 

We also know that strong attendance improves our students’ Whole Wellbeing. Our students who experience anxiety about school often find care in our counseling staff and their support team in our school building. Missing school often exacerbates anxiety when our students then need to make up work that they missed, causing them to fall further behind. 

To improve this process and best support our families, this year CCSD is shifting the way that attendance is tracked and changing the notification process to guardians. 

If your child is chronically absent, or misses more than 10 days of school (or 40 class periods), parents or guardians will receive a letter from the district on behalf of our school notifying them of the issue. You will receive a second letter if your child misses more than 15 days of school. Our hope in automating this process at the district level is to provide our school staff with more time to meet with caregivers and problem-solve if your child or family needs extra support to attend school every day. We understand there can be challenges and barriers that we would like to work together to address. 

In order to accomplish our goals of student safety, literacy, and wellbeing, caregivers and staff will need to work together to support our students. If your family anticipates an issue with attendance this year, please reach out to our office and we will make a plan to ensure your student gets to class.

myCherryCreek

Check grades

Check attendance

Email teachers

Access classwork

LINK: myCherryCreek

VIDEO: How to use myCherryCreek

Cell Phone Expectations

For the 2024-2025 school year we will be partnering with Yondr to strengthen and better align with Cherry Creek School District's Policy on Student Use of Electronic Communication Devices Policy (JICJ), these expectations will promote and support the student learning experience by:

1. Minimizing Distractions
2. Enhancing Academic Performance
3. Promoting Respectful Behavior
4. Maintaining Classroom Integrity
5. Encouraging Responsible Use