Only applications received before 11am on Friday, August 28, 2020 will be considered.
Kiva will select applicants using a lottery system, overseen by the Board of Directors and administered by the Staff. Families will be selected and offered placement for the 1st Quarter of the school year. The first quarter ends on October 9, 2020.
We are creating the Kiva Study Space.
The Kiva Study Space is not a regular Kiva classroom, but rather a safe space for students to work independently on their online or paper/pencil projects in the Kiva Montessori building.
Families should be aware that the same protocol required for screening at home before school and upon arrival at school will be used for the Study Space. And, that the health and safety protocols for closing cohorts/classrooms and schools will be followed for the Study Space, as it is done for the rest of the School.
Dear Kiva Families,
I hope this post finds you healthy and well.
Our staff and Board of Directors has been working for two weeks in preparation for the start of school on August 24th.
This letter is about how we will be returning to school with your children: The Kiva Montessori will open the school in the Kiva Hybrid Learning mode.
This means that your child will attend school four (4) days per week, but some of the time they will be at home, and some of the time they will be with other students and their teachers at the Kiva or on an outdoor Learning Expedition. Lower Elementary (1-3) students will learn with only half their class to make social distancing easier.
Kiva will provide new Chromebooks for all children and will make every effort to assist families who don’t have reliable Internet service or materials at home for projects. Much of Kiva’s distance learning will include projects that don’t require technology, but rather use materials sent home with children.
While we hope to return to 100% In-Person learning with your child soon, it is not possible at this moment if we are to protect the health and safety of our students, families, staff and teachers to the highest extent we can. The Board and administration will continue to monitor local conditions in the community to determine whether to adjust the Hybrid Learning Mode, move to In-person Learning, or, conversely shift to Distance Learning. A full description of these modes can be found here in the Kiva Montessori’s Return to Learn plan.
So, What will Kiva Hybrid Learning look like?
The Kiva Hybrid Learning will start with a combination of Distance Learning with Kiva teachers and In-Person Learning at the school (or an Outdoor Learning Expedition). It looks different, depending on your student’s grade level:
Exceptional Students
- Participate in the least-restrictive environment–wherever class is
- 1:1 in-school learning
- Distance Learning (on-line and paper packets) as is appropriate
Lower Elementary:
- Three Days of Distance Learning
- On-line, daily lessons with teachers and customized content
- Paper/pencil packets and projects
- Daily movement
- Office Hours for 1:1 in person learning at school
- One Day At School
- Full day
- Class size 50% to support social distancing
- Outdoor classrooms used
- Mini expeditions
- Extra 1:1 for students needing support
Upper Elementary:
- Three Days of Distance Learning
- On-line, daily lessons with teachers and customized content
- Projects
- Daily movement assignments
- Office Hours for 1:1 in person learning at school
- One Day of Whole Class Outdoor Learning Expedition
- Full day
- Class size 100%
- Outdoor environment used to support safety and education
- Full day expedition (in all weather)
Middle School
- Three Days of Distance Learning
- On-line, daily lessons with teachers and customized content
- Projects
- Daily movement assignments
- Office Hours for 1:1 in person learning at school
- One Day of Class Outdoor Learning Expedition
- Full day
- Class size 100%
- Outdoor environment used to support safety and education
- Full day expedition (in all weather)
What are the modes of Operation?
Children’s Kiva now has three operating modes called Kiva Direct, as well as one extra option, called KOLO/CDLS not related to the other three.*
Kiva Direct = All three modes of operation
- In Person Learning: in-person, in-school learning at our facility four days per week;
- Distance Learning: used when a classroom or the school is closed, or, a small group of students must be isolated or quarantined for learning at home; and
- Hybrid Learning: A combination of Distance Learning with Kiva teachers and In-Person Learning. This is the operating mode we will begin the year with. We hope it is temporary.
Kiva KOLO/CDLS Option
- Kiva Online Learning Option (KOLO) in partnership with Colorado Digital Learning Solutions: Students learn with CDLS Teachers and a Kiva Coach to support connection to the school.
- KOLO/CDLS students will be allowed to participate in outdoor expeditions with their class. Families must do a health screening of the child beginning 48 hours before joining the class.
Note: *KOLO/CDLS students may opt out of the program and into Kiva Direct at any time. They may NOT move back into CDLS.
Why Start with Hybrid Learning?
Kiva Hybrid Learning balances high-quality academic and social/emotional learning with the health and safety of students, families, staff and teachers. With Hybrid Learning, adjustments can be made to support learning–academic and social emotional–as we move forward. And, we start the year with smaller class sizes (50%) in the Lower Elementary and ALL outdoor in-person learning in the Upper Elementary and Middle School classes, increasing health and safety for students and staff.
Hybrid Learning gives us another tool in our belt so that we are flexible and adaptive, rather than hoping that we do not have an outbreak and only then moving to distance learning in a reactive fashion.
It also offers stability and predictability for families for planning. Knowing that your student will be home on a certain day, and at school on another, is likely preferable to receiving a phone call late in the day indicating that the class, or school, is closed the next day.
Kiva Hybrid Learning creates a true partnership with parents, where teachers are engaged throughout the day with each child, either directly (on-line or In-Person), and/or through special projects at home. And, we will continue to provide lunch and breakfast to children when they are at school and at home through our School Lunch Program.
Still, planning and partnerships aren’t everything and we are aware that Hybrid and Distance Learning place a heavy burden on families. The good news is, it’s temporary. And while we can’t define temporary, we will monitor local conditions in the community to determine whether to adjust the Hybrid Learning Mode, move to Distance Learning or, conversely, shift to In-person Learning.
How do I find out or say more?
If you are interested in discussing the status of your child’s enrollment or, would like to learn more about learning at Kiva Montessori, please call the office at 970-564-9377 or email [email protected].
Parents of Lower Elementary Students (grades 1-3), please take four minutes to complete this survey to help inform Kiva Montessori’s current and future decisions.
You will also learn more when you attend a back-to-school meeting with your student’s teacher next week.
Details on scheduling back to school meetings will be released Monday.
As always, reach out to me with questions or concerns at 970-769-0808.
Sincerely,
Jeffrey Pope
Head of School
The Board of Directors of Kiva Montessori Charter School will meet Thursday, August 13 at 7:30pm, with a workshop preceding the meeting at 6pm.
The Board will be taking up the question of the mode of operation for the start of school: in-person, on-line or a blend of both.
The meeting is open to the public via Zoom. Click here to join the meeting.
Meeting ID: 871 1959 7036Passcode: 77k0SK
Dear Kiva Families,
This email is meant to update you on a change of policy regarding Kiva Online Learning Option (KOLO) that we are offering in partnership with Colorado Digital Learning Solutions (CDLS) and the Colorado Department of Education.
To provide families with more flexibility, students enrolled in KOLO/CDLS may now opt to come back to Kiva In Person Learning at any time in the first semester, instead of waiting until the semester break.
Families will not have the option to move back again to KOLO/CDLS once this options is exercised.
To inform families further on their decision to register for in In-Person Learning or KOLO/CDLS, we have another another important health and safety update:
- Kiva’s goal is to provide 50-75% of learning in an outdoor setting in the In-Person Learning Mode, and
- The school has upgraded its Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning System filters improve the air quality and reduce particulate transmission.
These measures are meant to increase the benefits of social distancing, facial covering and good hygiene in reducing the spread of COVID-19.
Important Dates
- KOLO/CDLS First Day of Class: Wednesday, August 26.
- KOLO/CDLS Registration: Wednesday August 12 – Tuesday August 18th. Parents will be asked to complete an information form provided by Kiva Montessori, and then Kiva will complete registration with CDLS.
- KOLO/CDLS The Kiva Information portal will be opened on Wednesday August 12 at kivacharter.org.
About KOLO-CDLS
- The Kiva Montessori Connect option will be taught by educators at our partner, Colorado Digital Learning Solutions (CDLS) and delivered via their platform. The intent for this program is to serve students with a robust and rigorous online learning experience. Students enrolled in the program will stay affiliated with The Kiva Montessori, and students may return to Kiva In-Person Learning at any time.
- This program is completely different from the Spring 2020 experience of emergency remote teaching and learning. This is not a homeschooling program. Each course will be taught by certified educators, supported by Colorado Digital Learning Solutions, and aligned with The Kiva Montessori’s academic expectations. While parents/guardians will play an instrumental role in the learning process at home, the parent/guardian will not be the teacher.
- Courses will be taught by licensed CDLS educators. The content will not be the same as is taught in the Kiva classrooms.
- Kiva has developed a “KOLO-CDLS Coach” position, whose role will be to provide a bridge between families, Kiva and CDLS. Jeff Sand, who holds a Masters Degree in Digital/Online Education and is a middle school teacher here will be our Coach.
- KOLO/CDLS Students may continue to participate in school social and extracurricular activities.
- Students will maintain ties and communication with The Kiva Montessori through the Coach for ongoing service, social components, and the potential return to the physical school environment.
- Parents/guardians will play an integral role in providing structure and accountability to the online program.
- Workload and expectations will be consistent with those outlined in Kiva Montessori In-Person Learning Model.
- Students will be expected to log in and have daily engagement in remote learning experiences.
- Grading practices for remote learning will align with the grading practices for a traditional school setting.
As always, please reach out to me directly with questions and/or concerns.
Thank you,
Jeffrey Pope
Head of School
970-769-0808
Dear Kiva Families,
There has been a change to the start date of school.
Kiva Montessori will start in-person learning at 8am on August 24th (instead August 17th) to ensure that the school is fully prepared to provide a safe, rich learning environment for students and staff.
Families choosing the Kiva 100% Online Learning Option (KOLO) will begin classes on Wednesday, August 19th.
The following are important dates:
- August 3: Registration begins for In-Person Learning. Parents are receiving information on how to register via email. Kiva will provide technical support: call 970-564-9377 or email [email protected].
- August 10: Registration opens for 100% Online Learning Option (KOLO). Parents will register on line at the Colorado Digital Learning Solutions site. Kiva will provide technical support: call 970-564-9377 or email [email protected].
- August 17-21: Required Montessori Orientation for ALL new Kiva Families. Times TBD
- August 17-18 Required KOLO Orientation for all families opting for the 100% On-Line Option. Times TBD
- August 19: First day of school for Kiva 100% Online Option (KOLO) Students
- August 24: First day of school for Kiva In-Person-learning
Background
The Board of Directors met in an open session on Friday July 31st and made this decision. In making the decision, the Board of Directors considered many factors, including:
- Disruption to family life
- Health and Safety of students and staff
- Weather for outdoor learning
- The indoor learning environment
- Current local, regional and national trends in the spread of COVID-19 and
- Current readiness of building systems and Hybrid Learning program
We believe that by investing in preparation up front–preparation of teachers, administration, families and students–we will strengthen our team inside and outside of the walls of the school, ensuring the best environment for academic success and safety of the students and teachers.
Maria Montessori once said, “The child developing harmoniously, and the adult improving themselves at her/is side make a very exciting and attractive feature.”
Our work leading up to the start of school is to prepare ourselves to improve at the side of our students, wherever they are, because it is very likely that our students will not always be physically at our side this year.
Or to put it another way, we are going to use our time before school to put together the ingredients to cook up the yummiest version of Green Eggs and Ham we can for the children to gobble up wherever they are:
SAY! I LIKE GREEN EGGS AND HAM!
I DO! I LIKE THEM, SAM-I-AM!
AND I WOULD EAT THEM IN A BOAT.
AND I WOULD EAT THEM WITH A GOAT…
AND I WILL EAT THEM, IN THE RAIN.
AND IN THE DARK. AND ON A TRAIN.
AND IN A CAR. AND IN A TREE.
THEY ARE SO GOOD, SO GOOD, YOU SEE!
SO I WILL EAT THEM IN A BOX.
AND I WILL EAT THEM WITH A FOX.
AND I WILL EAT THEM IN A HOUSE.
AND I WILL EAT THEM WITH A MOUSE.
AND I WILL EAT THEM HERE AND THERE.
SAY! I WILL EAT THEM ANYWHERE!
I DO SO LIKE GREEN EGGS AND HAM!
THANK YOU! THANK YOU, SAM I AM.
KIVA KIDS LEARN IN THEIR SCHOOL
KIVA KIDS LEARN NEAR A POOL
THEY LEARN WHILE HUNTING WITH THEIR MOM
THEY LEARN WHILE GARDENING BY GRANDPA TOM
KIVA KIDS BOUNCE UP AND DOWN
MOSTLY UP, WHEN YOU’RE AROUND
TO THE MOON AND BACK AGAIN
TO LEARN AND LEARN WITH ALL THEIR FRIENDS
I invite you to reach out to me with questions or comments at the phone number below or [email protected]
Thank you,
Jeffrey Pope
Head of School
970-769-0808