Timber Trail Elementary (TTE) 690 W. Castle Pines Parkway Castle Rock, CO 80108 303-387-5700 Grades K-5 Calendar: Track www1.dcsdk12.org/elementary/tte/index.htm

Timber Trail fourth graders with their pen pal, soldier Josh Leany. The students, who are in Ms. Karen Kolibaba’s fourth grade class, have corresponded with Leany for more than a year.

TTE Letter Writers Meet Pen Pal

Fourth Grade students in Ms. Karen Kolibaba’s class received a visit from the pen pal they adopted as third graders. Josh Leany, a soldier the students chose as a pen pal more than a year ago, dropped in to meet the students who had sent him cards, letters, and lots of good wishes. Leany, who was accompanied by fellow soldier Wes McDonagh, ate lunch in the cafeteria with his new friends and even stayed to play a game of kickball.

Testing, Testing

CSAP testing is just around the corner for students across the state. TTE students have traditionally done well on the test, earning the school an “Excellent” School Accountability rating from the state for the last four years.

“We don’t ‘teach to the test,’” said Principal Michelle Radke. “This is a way to see how students apply the knowledge and skills they have learned. To get ready, students should get a good night’s rest, eat a healthy breakfast, and have a fun time doing their best.”

Watch DOGS Wanted

At the beginning of the school year TTE launched a program to get dads involved in volunteering at the school. Watch D.O.G.S. (Dads of Great Students), which is coordinated by Timber Trail dad Kevin Cooper, allows dads to sign up for a whole day of
volunteering at the school and includes time for dads to help with security, safety and learning activities.

“We ask that dads who want to participate donate one day per year to the school,” said Cooper. “Many employers encourage volunteer work, and some even pay their employees to participate in programs like this.”

Dads who are interested in volunteering with the program should visit the school office for more information.

Trivia Night

Brush up on your knowledge of all things trivial, and then sign up for Timber Trail’s first-ever Trivia Contest. The event, which will be held at the Castle Pines North Community Center on February 23 is open to anyone who is interested on a first-come, first-served basis. Tickets are $20 per person or $200 for a 10-person table. The evening’s topics will run the gamut from sports to music, history to cooking.