LAKE COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT NEWS Blog

Nov. 2nd – 4th, 2026

Para traducir al español, desplácese hasta el final y haga clic en la bandera

Dear LCES Families and Guardians,

What a fun morning at LCES! A huge thank-you to all of the families who joined us for our Halloween Costume Parade. We were blown away by the creativity, effort, and fabulous costumes this year! It was so much fun celebrating together and seeing all of the smiles.

Looking ahead, our next family engagement event will be Thanksgiving Lunch at LCES on Monday, November 23, and Tuesday, November 24. Stay tuned for grade-level-specific days and times. We are working through all of the logistics to make sure everything runs as smoothly as possible, and we can’t wait to welcome families back into our building!

Have a wonderful Halloween weekend, enjoy the festivities, and don’t forget to set your clocks back this weekend!

Brandi Lovely, PK-5 Principal 

blovely@lakecountyschools.net 

Front Office: 719-486-6890

LCES Important Dates (PK – 5th)

November 23 & 24: Thanksgiving Lunch at LCES – times and specifics will be shared very soon!

November 25-29: Fall Break, NO SCHOOL

K-5 Specifics  

Extra Clothes: Please pack an extra set of clothes in your child’s backpack in case your child has an accident here at school or has a spill. 

October Reading Challenge: Our October Reading Challenge has concluded and we hope your child enjoyed this fun reading incentive. Keep reading, Panthers! 

November Panther HOWL (Habit of Work & Learning) Focus: Gratitude

For the month of November, we will celebrate gratitude. The state of being grateful and showing appreciation for something received or experienced. 

Perfect Attendance Pizza:  Our school-wide average daily attendance is 93%. Students who have perfect attendance every 2 weeks will be entered into a raffle for a free pizza from the Famous! Our next raffle is November 9th ! 

ADA by grade = K- 90%           1- 91%           2- 95%           3- 96%           4- 89%           5- 95%

Perfect Attendance Pizza Informational Flyer.png 

Come Have Lunch With Your Student!: We would love to welcome you into our school for lunch! Sharing a meal with your child is a wonderful way to see our new building, connect with your student during the day, and experience our school community.

Please review the LCES Lunch Visitor Flyer for important visitor expectations, and be sure to sign in at the front office when you arrive. We can’t wait to have you join us!

Lunch Schedule (Kindergarten–5th Grade):

Kindergarten: 10:35–11:00 a.m.

1st Grade: 10:55–11:20 a.m.

2nd Grade: 11:35–12:00 a.m.

3rd Grade: 11:40 a.m.–12:05 p.m.

4th Grade: 12:05 a.m.–12:30 p.m.

5th Grade: 12:40–1:05 p.m

K-5 Project Dream

LCES Project Dream Information

Friday 10/30 Trip to Denver Museum of Nature and Science

All Project Dream Friday students grades K-5 will be going on a field trip on 10/30 to the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. Here are some important details:

• We will be away from the building all day, between 8:30 and 4:00
• Please drop your student off no later than 8:15
• Our planned return to LCIS is 4:00
• Please send your student in their tie-dye Project Dream shirt (if they did not make one last Friday, we will have extras) 
• No costumes!
• Students can bring money for snacks, this is option

Project Dream Registration Update for Kinder

Project Dream is expanding afterschool registration to include three days of afterschool (Monday through Thursday) for Kinder students. If you are interested in adding a day for your Kinder student, please reach out to Blanca. As a reminder, Project Dream currently has a maximum of three days per week of afterschool for grades K-5. 

Blanca Rodriguez

Project Dream Student Coordinator

719-293-0115

brodriguez@lakecountyschools.net

The Center Specifics

Dear Preschool Families,

Wow! Costume day in preschool is soooo fun!  We loved seeing all the great costumes and smiles that went with them!

If you have worked on the School to Home connection activities at home, please send back your completed form on Monday November 2nd in your child’s yellow folder. Remember, we can count the time that you worked at home for family engagement.  If you have worked on a family tree or family tradition project with your child, please bring these into your child’s classroom for sharing and display.

November 5 is our 90 day deadline for dental exams. We know healthy kids thrive and routine care is important for your child’s development. If you need any support with accessing dental services for your child, please reach out to Raquel.  

Enjoy your weekend, see you Monday!

Tanya Lenhard, Director

719-486-6928 (work); 719-293-1055 (cell)

tdlenhard@lakecountyschools.net 

Classroom News!

This week for Emotional Literacy we learned two new feelings: mad and frustrated.  These are natural feelings to have and recognizing when we feel mad or frustrated will help us know when a strategy is needed to regulate.  

Need a simple feelings activity you can try at home? Read a feelings book together and pause on pages to make matching faces in a small handheld mirror (e.g., a “silly face,” a “brave face,” or a “frustrated stomp”). 

Meet Robbie Rabbit, our new letter and sound for the week.  Rr makes the /r/ sound like in rabbit, rock, or robot..  It is natural for this sound to be a little tricky for preschoolers!

From the Assistant Director

Dear Families,  

We had a great Halloween Parade with our staff and students. Here are some photos of our day!

A few parent reminders:

1. If your child will be arriving past 9:10am  please reach out and let us know, so we can ensure teachers include them in their meal count for the day. 
2. Tuition for November has been posted to your child’s account. We were able to offer a higher credit from our LCECE grant, so the amount posted is correct. The due date is November 1, if you have any questions please feel free to reach out to me. 

I hope you all have a great weekend. Stay warm. I look forward to seeing you all next week.

Marissa Martinez

Assistant Preschool Director

mamartinez@lakecountyschools.net

Office: 719-486-6927

Cell: 719-427-7075

Family Engagement Corner

Hello PreK Families!

Preschool’s Free Little Pantry

At the center,we believe that every family deserves to feel supported, valued, and cared for. We know that sometimes families need a little extra help, and we want you to know that you are not alone!

Our Free Little Pantry is here for our families to access extra food items when needed. Whether you need a little help this week or just a few extra items for your family, we invite you to stop by and take what you need.

• Take what you need.
• Give what you can, if you are able.
• Together, we can help our Panther community grow stronger!

We are proud to be part of a community where families support families. Thank you for being part of our Panther family!

Raquel Contreras

Family & Community Coordinator 

rcontreras@lakecountyschools.net

Cell:719-293-1403

Yo Hablo Español 

Lunch Menu

Fliers

Oct. 26th – 29th, 2026

Para traducir al español, desplácese hasta el final y haga clic en la bandera

Dear LCES Families and Guardians,

Happy Friday, LCES Families! What a great week at LCES! We are so grateful for the energy, kindness, and teamwork we see each day. On Thursday, students and staff wore orange to recognize World Unity Day and take a stand against bullying. Thank you for helping us continue to build a school community rooted in kindness, compassion, and respect! 

Looking Ahead: K-5 Costume Parade!

We are so excited for our Costume Parade next Thursday! We can’t wait to see everyone’s creative costumes and come together as one school to celebrate. Please check out the Costume Parade Flyer for event details.

A few important reminders:

• Opting Out: If your family does not celebrate Halloween and you would like your student to opt out of the parade, please notify your child’s teacher or the front office. An alternative activity will be provided during that time.
• Family Attendance: Families attending the K-5 Costume Parade should sign in at the front office and then take a seat in the bleachers. Immediately following the parade, students will return to their classrooms before parents are dismissed.
• No Candy or Food Items: Please do not send candy or other food items to school. We will continue our day as normally as possible, just with an extra costume-fun flair!

Thank you for your continued partnership and support. We love the opportunity to bring our LCES community together, and we look forward to a fun-filled week ahead!

Have a beautiful weekend!

Brandi Lovely, PK-5 Principal 

blovely@lakecountyschools.net 

Front Office: 719-486-6890

LCES Important Dates (PK – 5th)

October 29: Halloween Costume Parade (flier)

K-5 Specifics  

Extra Clothes: Please pack an extra set of clothes in your child’s backpack in case your child has an accident here at school or has a spill. 

October Reading Challenge: Our October Reading Challenge is in full swing!  Please look for your child’s reading log and family letter in your child’s backpack.  Each time your child brings back a reading log, your child will get to pick a special prize from Ms. Mulcey and Ms. Kortkamp.  The class who turns in the most reading logs will win a prize for their teacher.  Students who participate in the reading challenge will enter our raffle to win a basket with books and activities (one per grade level).  Have fun reading…’Grow your world and read every day!’

October Panther HOWL (Habit of Work & Learning) Focus: Compassion

For the month of October, we will celebrate the HOWL of Compassion. Compassion means, “I care for and help others, my community, and the world around me.”

Perfect Attendance Pizza:  Our school-wide average daily attendance continued to drop this week. Students who have perfect attendance every 2 weeks will be entered into a raffle for a free pizza from the Famous! Our next raffle is October 26th! 

ADA by grade = K- 90%           1- 91%           2- 95%           3- 96%           4- 89%           5- 95%

Perfect Attendance Pizza Informational Flyer.png 

Come Have Lunch With Your Student!: We would love to welcome you into our school for lunch! Sharing a meal with your child is a wonderful way to see our new building, connect with your student during the day, and experience our school community.

Please review the LCES Lunch Visitor Flyer for important visitor expectations, and be sure to sign in at the front office when you arrive. We can’t wait to have you join us!

Lunch Schedule (Kindergarten–5th Grade):

Kindergarten: 10:35–11:00 a.m.

1st Grade: 10:55–11:20 a.m.

2nd Grade: 11:35–12:00 a.m.

3rd Grade: 11:40 a.m.–12:05 p.m.

4th Grade: 12:05 a.m.–12:30 p.m.

5th Grade: 12:40–1:05 p.m

K-5 Project Dream

LCES Project Dream Information

No Friday Program 10/23 for Youth Development Training

As a reminder, there will be no Project Dream programs on Friday 10/23 due to a Youth Development Training hosted by Project Dream.

Friday 10/30 Trip to Denver Museum of Nature and Science

All Project Dream Friday students grades K-5 will be going on a field trip on 10/30 to the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. Here are some important details:

• We will be away from the building all day, between 8:30 and 4:00
• Please drop your student off no later than 8:15
• Our planned return to LCIS is 4:00
• Please send your student in their tie-dye Project Dream shirt (if they did not make one last Friday, we will have extras) 
• No costumes!
• Students can bring money for snacks, this is option

Project Dream Registration Update for Kinder

Project Dream is expanding afterschool registration to include three days of afterschool (Monday through Thursday) for Kinder students. If you are interested in adding a day for your Kinder student, please reach out to Blanca. As a reminder, Project Dream currently has a maximum of three days per week of afterschool for grades K-5. 

Blanca Rodriguez

Project Dream Student Coordinator

719-293-0115

brodriguez@lakecountyschools.net

The Center Specifics

Dear Preschool Families,

Wow, October has flown by!  It is a little hard to believe that we are entering the last week of this month.  

On Thursday, October 29, children and staff are encouraged to wear costumes to school for some fun.  We ask that you keep any play weapons at home and that you avoid full face paint or makeup.  Sometimes costumes get hot or less comfortable with longer wear so please send something for children to change into if needed.  We will also host a small Preschool Costume parade at 12:00pm. Families are welcome to attend, please sign in at the front preschool office and we will direct you from there.

Enjoy your weekend, see you Monday!

Tanya Lenhard, Director

719-486-6928 (work); 719-293-1055 (cell)

tdlenhard@lakecountyschools.net 

Classroom News!

We are learning about families!  With our new domain comes some new nursery rhymes.  This week our nursery rhymes were:

• Rain Rain Go Away: Sing the song and use names from members of your family for a fun twist!

• Five Little Monkeys

We are learning how families work and play together. We are practicing the vocabulary that goes with family members, like mom, dad, brothers, sisters, grandparents, aunts, uncles, ect.  We are talking about traditions families might do at home.  We have added birthday party supplies to our dramatic play areas for fun imaginative play and connection to family celebrations.

We learned a new letter this week. Meet Sammy Snake.  Ss makes the /s/ sound like in snake, snail, sock, and silly.  How many other words can you think of that start with the /s/ sound?

From the Assistant Director

Dear Families,  

A few parent reminders:

1. If your child will be arriving past 9:10am  please reach out and let us know, so we can ensure teachers include them in their meal count for the day. 
2. Tuition for November has been posted to your child’s account. We were able to offer a higher credit from our LCECE grant, so the amount posted is correct. The due date is November 1, if you have any questions please feel free to reach out to me. 

I hope you all have a great weekend. Stay warm. I look forward to seeing you all next week.

Marissa Martinez

Assistant Preschool Director

mamartinez@lakecountyschools.net

Office: 719-486-6927

Cell: 719-427-7075

Family Engagement Corner

Hello PreK Families!

This weekend is Leadville’s Trick or Treat on Main Street event held on Sunday October 24, 2026 from 1:00-3:00pm on Harrison Avenue.  See the flyer below for more details. 

• Trick-or-Treat Safety Tips 
  • Stay together: Keep children with a trusted adult at all times. 
  • Check costumes: Make sure costumes fit well and children can see and walk safely.
  • Choose safe treats: Check candy and treats before your child eats them. Avoid anything opened or damaged.
  • Be allergy aware: Check labels carefully if your child has food allergies.
  • Use caution with masks: Make sure masks do not block your child’s vision or breathing.
  • Walk, don’t run: Help children move safely between activities and treat stations.

Have fun!  We hope your family enjoys a safe and happy Trick-or-Treat event!

Join us for our Halloween Costume Parade at noon on October 29th .Families are welcome to come watch and celebrate with us. The parade will take place outside along the sidewalk by the playground.

Costumes are optional and not required. For everyone’s safety, please no weapons, masks, or face paint.

After the parade, you may take your child home if you’d like. Please check out with your child’s teacher so students can be signed out properly.

Please sign in at the Preschool front entrance when you arrive. We can’t wait to celebrate Halloween with our preschool families! 

Raquel Contreras

Family & Community Coordinator 

rcontreras@lakecountyschools.net

Cell:719-293-1403

Yo Hablo Español 

Lunch Menu

Fliers