D 49 transportation supervisor awardedThe Colorado State Pupil Transportation Association awarded Cindy Hardin, Falcon School District 49 transportation supervisor, the 2005-2006 statewide “Administrator of the Year” award.D 49 transportation department employees nominated Hardin, who has worked in the district since 2002. According to school news, Hardin has handled the district’s spike in growth and adjusted to transportation issues through innovative ideas – all focused on her goal to safely transport students.Hardin has earned all four National Association of Pupil Transportation certifications: driver-trainer, specialist, supervisor and director of transportation.In 2004, she was named “Administrator of the Year” in D 49.The transportation department’s mantra is “the driving force behind education,” and Hardin has been the driving force behind the successful department.Hardin will receive her award at the annual CSPTA summer banquet June 26 at Colorado State University.Technology focus for Falcon ElementaryStarting next year, Falcon Elementary School fifth graders will participate in Project Wetlands 2006, an ecosystems unit that will integrate technology with science and math investigation and data gathering techniques. Students will monitor the impact of anticipated residential and business growth on the plants, animals, soil and water of the wetlands area adjacent to the school. Laptop computers will be used to collect data from the students’ investigations in the wetlands, and various programs will be used to chart, graph, display and present the data. Technology-based communication tools will then be used to report the findings on a regular basis to the community via public presentations and the school Web site.The program is funded through a 2006 Hewlett Packard Technology for Teaching grant of more than $35,000. The money will purchase five computers, five multimedia projectors, five digital cameras, five all-in-one printer/scanner/copiers, software and accessories, a cash stipend for each teacher and a professional development program that includes customized learning opportunities, expert mentoring and participation in an online learning to support teachers’ use of technology.D 49 bus drivers take home top prizeD 49 bus drivers took first place in the team category at the Jefferson County 2006 Bus Driving Road-e-o in Denver in May. The team award is handed out to the top-five drivers in the competition.Twenty-two school districts participated in the event, which tests the skills of school bus drivers across Colorado.The competition consists of maneuvers in different categories involving a regular education transit type bus and a special needs type bus. The drivers also took a written test about laws and regulations and challenges that might occur like defects on a bus or a crisis where there is need for a first aid application.Individual D 49 bus driver awards included a first, second and fourth place in the “Regular Education” bus category, a first and third place for Falcon in the “Special Needs” bus category.Thousands of dollars garnered at annual dinner for D 49The Falcon Education Foundation’s annual dinner and silent auction, held this year at the Cheyenne Mountain Resort, raised more than $18,000 for Falcon School District 49 teachers and students.The money will be used for teacher mini-grants and student scholarships.One of the foundation’s primary tasks is to enhance children’s education by helping to raise money for unique educational opportunities that are not funded through traditional methods.New high school under way“It may be an empty field now, but that’s all about to change.” (Joe Cole)The D 49 Board of Education approved construction of a new high school in Falcon, with an anticipated opening date of October 2007.The state-of-the-art school will be built to accommodate 1,200 students. When the high school students transfer to their new facility, the students at Falcon Middle School will then move to their new middle school, which will be the old Falcon High School.As the construction process continues to unfold, the district will be holding some community and neighborhood meetings in the future to keep everyone informed.Falcon student designs festival logoJason Woslager, a senior at Falcon High School, designed the official logo for the Falcon Festival, which will be held June 10. Jason’s design, chosen by the festival committee, will appear on posters, flyers, T-shirts and all materials related to the festival.Jason will also receive a $50 prize for his efforts.
