By the first bell at Pleasant View Elementary, at 8 a.m., students in kindergarten through grade six are in their classrooms, eating a light breakfast of fruit or healthy muffins. Then they sit quietly, readying themselves.At 8:25 a.m., announcements over the PA system, of staff birthdays and the student of the week, break the silence. Last comes an explanation of the day's mindful practice -- a way to teach connection between body and mind."When you're in tune with your mind and your body," Principal Janace Fischer says, "you're in tune with your environment."For about 10 minutes, students participate in deep breathing exercises, yoga or Zen doodling.And then the 222 students at the Golden school are ready to learn.* * * * *In the spring of 2015, Jeffco Public Schools officials -- for the second time in six years -- placed Pleasant View on a list of schools considered for closure because of low enrollment and aging building conditions.Outcry from the Pleasant View community, as well as from parents from the other schools on the list, persuaded the district to shelve the plan for the time being."It became clear that there is abundant community support for this school," said Diana Wilson, the district's spokesperson. Susan Demboski, the school's family and community liaison, couldn't agree more.Pleasant View, she said, "has become the heart of the community."But the school still faces a host of challenges.A two-level white-and-orange brick building constructed in 1950 -- the same year that Jeffco became a school district -- Pleasant View sits on a one-way street, tucked in a neighborhood of modest ranch-style homes, a trailer park and apartment buildings just south of South Golden Road and north of West Colfax Avenue.Not far from the school are a corrections facility and the Colorado State Patrol Training Academy. A number of small businesses, car dealerships, auto shops and bars stretch along South Golden Road.Demographics haven't changed much since the school opened, Fischer said. It still serves predominantly white, English-speaking students, although Latino students comprise about 25 percent.The school, in a struggling economic neighborhood, is designated a Title I school because of the large percentage of children from low-income families. During the previous school year, only 55 of the more than 200 students were not eligible for free and reduced lunch programs.An estimated 20 percent of students are homeless and a large number are transient, which means they do not stay for an entire school year.Student performance scores on state assessment tests are well below the state and district average.But the school is more than just statistics, Fischer said: "We're bigger and better than our test scores."The school is a hub where families connect with each other, community resources and academics, school staff and parents said. In the midst of crisis, it is a safe space, a place where children can thrive and parents are supported."All these things have created a sense of belonging and active participation in the community," Demboski said. "Families and children feel respected and valued as individuals for what they can contribute."* * * * *Fischer has been principal at Pleasant View for six years. Passionate about her students' and teachers' success, she carries herself with a confident and calm manner.The school needs to rebuild, Fischer said. And "we're up to the challenge of rebuilding."Key to accomplishing that goal is dedication -- which Pleasant View parents and staff say the school has in abundance.On a daily basis, Fischer said, the school community works to meet students' learning, social and emotional needs with programs designed specifically for its students.Teachers are dedicated to students' success, said Fischer, adding that all have been rated effective or highly effective on annual evaluations.They "go out of their way to make sure every kid has a good learning experience," agreed Nickey Brumbaugh, a parent of a third grader.She points to her daughter Kenzie, who suffers from chronic headaches and sometimes needs special attention to support her learning. Kenzie's teachers recognize when it's best for her to participate in a group and when she needs to study alone, Brumbaugh said.Aireana Fobb, a fifth grader and the third child in her family to attend Pleasant View, talks proudly of the Pleasant View Panther Pride Mini Mart where students can buy items such as pencils, stickers or necklaces. And how students can earn fun rewards for being good students and citizens, such as becoming principal for an hour."This is a really good school," Fobb said. Teachers "want to get to know you. They want to teach you the things you don't know, and not what you already know."School staff also has great relationships with parents, Brumbaugh said. And many of the students are close, too, having grown up with each other."For a lot of families, it would be devastating if Pleasant View wasn't here," Brumbaugh said. "Shipping kids off to bigger schools where they would have to remake the lifelong friendships they already have here might affect their love for learning."A high percentage of parents also are engaged, Demboski said. The school has a thriving Parent Teacher Student Association (PTSA) and a parent academy actively involved with the greater community."We'll continue our daily mission and vision to guarantee a high-quality education for all of our students," Fischer said. "This (the challenges) is only a speedbump in our journey."* * * * *One afternoon in September, some of Brittany Brown's fifth-grade students are using a laptop to search online for inspirational quotes. Other students, strong writers with neat or artistic handwriting, sit around a large posterboard with colorful markers in hand, waiting -- not so quietly -- for the quotes.All the quotes center around "grit, empathy and fun" -- the school's theme for the 2016-17 academic year.Later, the posters are hung in hallways and along the stairs, visible to students, staff and Pleasant View visitors.The quote project is part of school beautification day. The parent academy is there, too, helping where needed -- volunteering in classrooms or assembling a bench outside.In the library, sixth-graders paint columns, covering up the light blue color with black to transform them into gratitude walls.On the gratitude walls, Pleasant View students, teachers, staff and parents can write messages throughout the year about anything they are thankful for, explained sixth-grade teacher Faye Doverspike."Showing gratitude is a good strategy for creating happiness," Doverspike said. And "happy kids are good learners."
from Lakewood Sentinel - Latest Stories http://lakewoodsentinel.com/stories/The-heart-of-the-community,236815
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