This school year has certainly been a challenge for students, families and staff members. Springtime for schools usually means finalizing preparations for ending the year on high-note and taking the annual state test and performing end-of-year diagnostic work. Mrs. Nicole Isaacs, Instructional Coach and Building Assessment Coordinator at Crab Orchard Elementary School, viewed this as an opportunity to spread hope.
A note was sent home with each student in grades 3-5, asking parents/guardians to write a note of encouragement for their child to be given out prior to taking spring exams. Melissa Houp, parent of 4th grade student, Tyler, and Emergency Department RN at Fort Logan Hospital, was moved by the idea and sought to get members of her workplace onboard in sharing kindness and encouragement.
Melissa distributed note cards, markers, and stickers to each department and encouraged her colleagues to encourage our students. The cards were created by Fort Logan staff, including doctors, nurses, med-techs, hospitality and housekeeping staff, and delivered to COES by Mrs. Houp.
“This year has been hard on everyone,” said Houp. “Especially hard for students. We wanted to find a way to spread hope and joy and encouragement to the kids.”
Mr. Justin Abbott, COES Principal stated, “We are so grateful for the strong partnerships we have with community businesses like Fort Logan Hospital, as well as the strong parental support of our programs and our school from Melissa and her counterparts. It is so important to us to know that they believe in what we’re doing.”
(Mrs. Nicole Isaacs accepts the donation of cards from Fort Logan Hospital.)
(“The Path to Excellence,” as coined by Mrs. Houp. The cards were created and collected by Fort Logan staff to encourage COES students with upcoming tests and diagnostics.)