Page 45 - June 2020 - final proof - The Castle Pines Connection

A week of family fun
By Julie Matuszewski; photos courtesy of DCS Montessori
CastlePinesConnection.com
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Adaptive innovation
By Julie Matuszewski; photos courtesy of American Academy
Members of the American Academy (AA) engineering staff love to nd new and innovative ways to solve problems. When it became clear that procuring protective equipment for healthcare workers would be dif cult for many health organizations, the AA engineering staff collaborated
with a local designer and started making headbands and ear savers to donate to local hospitals and nursing homes.
Using resources that would have gone toward the eighth grade engineering unit and spring extracurricular activities, the department was able to provide more than 500 completed face shields and as many ear savers for local healthcare workers on the front lines.
American Academy Castle Pines campus engineering instructor Amy McKenzie removes nished headbands and ear savors from the low concentration sodium hydroxide bath. Ear savers provide healthcare providers comfort by keeping the elastic pieces of face shields off the backs of ears.
American Academy Castle Pines engineering instructor Melissa Sitzmann prepares an ear saver for its sodium hydroxide bath.
The rst completed batch of frames ready for protective transparency sheets.
DCS Montessori (DCSM) families and students nished the school year with a sense of renewed energy. The DCSM Education Foundation not only raised money for the school year, but also raised morale within the DCSM community. The organization planned weekly themed events for the entire family.
Families found weekly challenges posted to the school’s Facebook and Instagram pages. In addition to traditional spirit days like crazy hair and school spirit day, activities like bike riding, cake baking and live driveway DJ mash-ups were included. Six randomly picked winners were awarded gift cards to community merchants each week.
First grader Ayla Vosburg (left) and sister Bryn Vosburg (right) decide it is best to taste their homemade frosting before icing the entire cake.
Bella Eaton aka DJ Miss MixALittle, shares her love of song mixing with her dad, DJ Snaggle Finger. Together they have mixed greatest hits for their family and fellow neighbors to enjoy.
Third grader Sophie Tibar can’t get enough of her favorite cupcake desserts so she wears them on crazy hair day.
There is no such thing as having too much fun with the Jarvis family. All family members including the family dog dress as royalty in pink tutus and princess crowns.