The Connection

By Lynne Marsala Basche Timber Trail Elementary (TTE) third-grade students participated in a Project Based Learning (PBL) unit called “Putting the Pieces Together.” PBL teaches students to acquire knowledge and skills by investigating and creating solutions to real-world challenges. As part of the lesson, students became playground engineers tasked with modifying a playspace to meet…

Students work virtually with a scientist from the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. By Susan Helton; photos courtesy of eDCSD Because students learn in different ways and can need different environments to thrive academically, the Douglas County School District (DCSD) offers options to help families find the educational program best fitting their child. One…

A number of people from the 80108 ZIP code and surrounding area are turning to flight clubs in effort to earn their private pilots license. Some are learning to fly as a career choice while others are seeking an adventurous new hobby. Pictured above is 2017 Rock Canyon High School graduate Grace Beall, who began…

The Ms. Colorado Senior America Pageant is coming to the Lone Tree Art Center on May 26, 2018. Information provided by Shari Ortiz, MCSA vice president The Ms. Colorado Senior America (MCSA) Pageant is coming to Douglas County, and applications for contestants are now being accepted. The pageant will be held on Saturday, May 26…

By Patte Smith Clever and fun event ideas never seem to cease at Douglas County Libraries – Castle Pines. For 2018, a few of the very enthusiastic staff members joined together and designed a monthly, year-long program that will be launched in January – The Great Outdoors. Thought about keeping chickens? In February, learn how…

By Lynne Marsala Basche; photos courtesy of Anna Mallinson On November 15, the annual fifth-grade Thanksgiving lunch took place at Timber Trail Elementary (TTE). Approximately 200 parents and grandparents participated in the traditional feast with the students. Courtesy of the number of diners, the festivities expanded into the library and the central area of the…

Amie Chitwood of Castle Pines at the Adventure Unlimited Ranches in Buena Vista, CO. The organization operates summer youth camps, adult and family programs and a secular program called 100 Elk Outdoor Center. Chitwood shares stories about experiences participants have had in the programs as part of marketing for the organization’s Foundation. By Lisa Nicklanovich;…

Article and photos by Patte Smith Buffalo Ridge Elementary School fourth and fifth graders bopped, rocked and twisted the night away on Friday, November 10 at the annual BRE Sock Hop. With a flashy light show provided by the DJ and great oldies and new mixes of songs, the kids bopped and grooved while several…

By Lynne Marsala Basche For the past eight years, the Community First Foundation and FirstBank have teamed up to promote online giving and philanthropy in Colorado. Colorado Gives Day, which begins at 12 a.m. on December 5, is targeted to increase donations to local nonprofit organizations. On this one day, people throughout Colorado are encouraged…

By Lisa Crockett Friends, neighbors and co-workers. We’ve all got ‘em, and this time of year is the season when we all wonder what to give them. Here are some tasty ideas – many of which can be assembled with little or no time in the kitchen– to say “Happy Holidays” to the people on…

Article and photos by Kathy Fallert Buffalo Ridge Elementary fifth-graders and parents enjoyed a fabulous Thanksgiving feast at the school on Wednesday, November 15. Served up by Principal John Veit and Assistant Principal Jen Murdock, there was plenty of turkey, gravy, and fixings to be enjoyed by all.

Information provided by the Douglas County School District Leaders from the Douglas County School District (DCSD) and the City of Lone Tree unveiled the newly purchased Douglas County Opportunities Center in November. The renovated building will now be home to DCSD’s evening high school, Eagle Academy, as well as DCSD’s Child Find and Bridge programs.…

By Amanda Merriman Christmas is such a magical time of year, especially when you have children in the house. Portable North Pole (PNP) has an app that can be incorporated into your family holiday traditions to enrich that experience. What makes PNP so special is that Santa and his elves use it to send messages…

Article and photo by Lisa Crockett I’ve never known exactly what a sugarplum is, but if I were to invent one, it would look something like this month’s dessert. This simple and sweet meringue Christmas wreath, topped in snowy drifts of whipped cream and sugar-frosted cranberries is practically torn from the pages of a Dickens…

Shreya Behera, Juliana Neufeld and Allison McDonald utilize art supplies to make cards for Jacob Thompson, a young boy who is fighting a rare form of cancer. By Liz Rector; photos courtesy of Eric Ptolemy and the Thompson family Maine residents Roger Thompson and Michelle Thompson Simard are the proud parents of nine-year-old Jacob Thompson,…

Our last year’s winner – Marley Thompson (taking a selfie) The Castle Pines Connection has teamed up with The Pet Stuff Place, As You Wish Pet Sitters and Happy Tails to bring you the fifth annual Cutest Pet in the Pines contest! We invite you to share your digitally-captured pet adventures with us. Send in…

Castle Pines resident Lynda Hernandez helped to pass out 6,000 pairs of socks at the Toy Shop Event on December 3, 2016. The Sock It To ‘Em campaign collects new socks for those experiencing homelessness. By Lisa Nicklanovich; photo courtesy of Susan Elizabeth Lee Temperatures are dropping, and did you know the number one clothing…

Grandkids enjoying swinging in the snow on Christmas day 2015. Article and photo by Patte Smith Being part of “The Next Chapter” generation so to speak, I get to interact with my Colorado grandchildren quite a bit. As grandparents, aunts and uncles of kids and teens, we “olderish” folks might feel we cannot connect with…

By Daniel Williams For most people, the month of December will be a whirlwind of activity with days and nights filled with shopping, feasting, traveling and maybe even a little caroling thrown in for good measure. With all the frenetic activity going on around the holiday season, do not get distracted from your financial goals.…

“No ocean no worries;” that’s the motto of the Stoic & Genuine seafood and oyster bar in Denver’s Union Station. With Santa Claus shortly on his way for the annual parade of lights and the beautiful lighting that adorns the Denver Courthouse building, why not treat the family to a fabulous seafood meal at Stoic…

By Susan Helton Many places of worship in the Castle Pines community offer celebrations this holiday season: Canyons Community Church 4825 Crowfoot Valley Road, Castle Rockwww.canyonscc.org Christmas Eve worship services: December 24 at 2p.m. and 4 p.m. Castle Oaks Covenant Church 826 Park Street, Castle Rockwww.castleoaks.org Christmas Eve candle lighting service: December 24 at 5…

Retired U.S. Marine Corps Colonel Roger Ryman is passionate about supporting the Toys for Tots program and he is working to keep efforts alive in the Castle Pines community. Article and photo by Joe Gschwendtner Castle Pines Village resident Roger Ryman is a retired colonel in the U.S. Marine Corps who, along with other community…

By Amanda Merriman Connection writer Amanda Merriman admits she is hopelessly addicted to books. It has been this way nearly all her life. Every month she shares what she has been reading with the hope that others will share in the obsession too. This month, my neighborhood book club chose Margaret Atwood’s thought-provoking novel, “The…

Castle Pines resident Jeannine Bernardi, with the help of neighbor Rob Hay, recently released “A Friendship Forever,” a children’s book in honor of Trey McCleery (below) who passed away in 2014 at the age of 6. Bernardi and Hay will be signing copies of the book at Trey’s Annual Toy Drive on December 7 (see…

Information provided by CDOT The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) is hosting two open houses focused on the I-25 South corridor, specifically the 18-mile stretch between Castle Rock and Monument known as “The Gap.” Since January, CDOT has been on an aggressive track to improve the road and develop a project to improve safety, mobility…

Information provided by the Douglas/Elbert Task Force Christmas morning can be especially sad for children when their parents are unable to buy them a gift. The Douglas/Elbert Task Force Adopt-A-Family program “Santa’s Sharing” helps by organizing sponsors for families in need. Individuals, businesses and groups willing to share the joy of the holidays are urged…

Article and photos by Kathy Fallert and courtesy of the Castle Pines Chamber of Commerce Top Golf in Centennial was the venue for the fun-filled Birdies, Bogies and Business golf event hosted by the Castle Pines Chamber of Commerce. The networking event, which had chamber members showing off their driving, hitting, and chipping skills, was…

By Kathy Fallert; photos courtesy of Corin Meibos The Buffalo Ridge Elementary fifth-grade Dream Team joined forces with the Rock Canyon High School girls swim and dive team to collect food for Operation Bright Star, a Castle Pines based organization that provides a Thanksgiving meal for neighbors in need.

By Lynne Marsala Basche The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) expects a record 2017 holiday season delivering mail with an estimate of more than 750 million packages being transported between Thanksgiving and December 31. While shopping may be considered the fun part of the experience, remembering shipping is just as important as finding the perfect present.…

“Reflect upon your present blessings – of which every man has many – not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some.” ~ Charles Dickens By Michelle Post Reflection, beyond an image that is seen when you look into a mirror, is earnest thought or consideration about someone or something. In business, reflection…

Kailah Kempney, the new girls lacrosse coach at Rock Canyon High School. By Jack Hibbett, RCHS Intern Writer; courtesy photos Rock Canyon High School (RCHS) has picked up two phenomenal coaches with impressive backgrounds to lead their boys and girls lacrosse squads, Kailah Kempney and John Gallant. Kailah Kempney is poised to take on the…

By Lynne Marsala Basche Last year, The Castle Pines Connection launched its e-subscription and began sending an email at the beginning of every month to our electronic subscribers with a link to the online edition of the newspaper. We are thrilled to report that our e-subscription list has grown to more than 5,000 readers. The…

By Susan Helton Snow can be a beautiful sight, and yet can also be one of the most challenging things about living in Colorado. When snow is expected, parents can have a difficult time predicting whether their schools will be delayed or closed. The Douglas County School District (DCSD) has several procedures in place for…

Through a unique public/private partnership, Colorado has taken the next step to providing high-speed travel through an enclosed, electromagnetic superhighway. The technology uses magnetic levitation to make the vehicles, which transport passengers and cargo, float and electric power to move them forward at full speed directly to its destination. Information provided by CDOT The Colorado…

By Lynne Marsala Basche It used to be that researching the best deals and placing orders for the perfect presents were the most stressful parts of holiday shopping. Now, however, comes the time for purchasers to wait for deliveries, and the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO) wants residents to be aware of “porch pirates.” Porch…

By Lynne Marsala Basche; photos courtesy of Castle Pines Athletics Castle Pines Athletics wrapped up another season of NFL Flag Football in Castle Pines. Season playoffs were held on Friday, October 20 and Sunday, October 22, with the top six teams advancing to the Super Bowl. On Monday, October 23, the top teams in each…

Information provided by the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office Life can change with just a moment’s notice, so it is important for emergency response personnel to be able to connect with residents during an emergency. To ensure accurate crisis communication with residents, the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office and all other Douglas County agencies utilize a mass…

By Lynne Marsala Basche; photos courtesy of Wendy Wilson This year, 10 Timber Trail Elementary (TTE) students participated in the Highlands Ranch Regional Art Show, which was held at Douglas County Libraries – Highlands Ranch. The annual show is a regional one, and only schools that are part of Highlands Ranch feeder schools are a…

Fitness 1440 owners (shown left to right) Vince and Jennifer Calvanese, Wind Dee and Russ Stallings, opened their new fitness club in Canyon Fitness’ former space in Castle Pines Village. Article and photo by Elizabeth Wood West When word began to spread earlier this year that Canyon Fitness Club was closing, club member Vince Calvanese…

Rocky Heights Middle School yearbook staff participated in Journalism Day at Colorado State University in October. Submitted by Kira Zizzo, RHMS student; photo courtesy of Julien Bouquet On October 19, young journalists from the Rocky Heights Middle School (RHMS) yearbook class attended Journalism Day at Colorado State University in Fort Collins. The field trip gave…

While compiling the list of our 2017 business partners, I was again reminded of how important the businesses are in this community and how far we have come together. Two of them, in fact, have participated in every issue of The Connection since its inception nine years ago – that is more than 100 consecutive…

Victor Mitchell By Susan Helton; photos courtesy of the Mitchell family Castle Pines Village (CPV) neighbor Victor Mitchell, a former state lawmaker from 2007 to 2009, is in the Republican race for Colorado governor in 2018. He seeks to replace current governor John Hickenlooper, who is term-limited. Mitchell’s history is one of hard work, a…

By Lisa Nicklanovich; photo courtesy of RCHS Rock Canyon High School (RCHS) had 15 National Merit Commended Scholars. These students were in the top 3.3 percent of the 1.5 million high school students who took the PSAT. Pictured from left to right: Haley Mayr (CP), Yunho Jung, Luke Zhang, Kevin Huang, Shreya Nallapati, Peter Deckerman,…

By Michelle Post I love the written word.  One of my favorite writers, Mark Batterson, in his book “A Trip Around the Sun” discussed the observation that children ask roughly 125 questions per day and adults ask about six questions per day.  The result being that somewhere between childhood and adulthood, we lose 119 questions…

Information provided by the City of Castle Pines On Monday, January 8, the City of Castle Pines will swear in Tera Radloff as the community’s third mayor in the City’s young history (see related story page 40), as well as five new City Council members. Radloff will vacate her seat representing Ward 1 when she…

By Liz Rector Castle Pines is a sprawling community largely made up of families, and within this 80108 ZIP code, The Castle Pines Connection has met and featured many talented young individuals. starting in the January 2018 issue, The Connection will be featuring a spotlight each month on a “talented teen” from our area. You…

The Rock Canyon High School marching band smiles with their semi-finalist award after an exciting season. By Sarah Bermingham, RCHS intern writer; photo courtesy of Suzanne Wilson The Rock Canyon High School (RCHS) marching band ended its season with an impressive finish at the state marching band competition. Riley Busch, RCHS marching band drum major…

By Lynne Marsala Basche; photo courtesy of DCS Montessori School A beloved DCS Montessori (DCSM) tradition, Mystery History is in its16th year and was held in late October. Each student in grades four through six researched a figure who made a lasting impression or an important contribution around the world ancient civilization to 1400 CE…

A very cheerful Karen Weber, a public service technician for Douglas County Libraries – Castle Pines sat in one of her favorite spots at the library, the upstairs patio on a sunny and breezy day. Article and photo by Patte Smith Karen Weber’s enthusiasm overflows when she talks about growing up in Douglas County and…

Information provided by Douglas County Are you a veteran enrolled in the Veterans Affairs (VA) healthcare system who still has not received your flu shot? The cold and flu season is upon us and the Department of Veterans Affairs has once again teamed up with Walgreens pharmacies nationwide to allow all veterans who are currently…

 By Lynne Marsala Basche The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO) and the Douglas County Youth Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition have teamed up to ask for help preventing teen substance use and the potential for teen-related DUI crashes and deaths. The Party Patrol will be in force during breaks and holidays when the likelihood of kids…

By Lynne Marsala Basche; photos courtesy of Laurie Jacobs Fall could not be ushered in without football games, pumpkin-flavored everything, colorful trees and, of course, the annual Turweston Lane Chili Cook Off. The eighth annual event was held September 24, and despite cold, rainy weather that forced participants to relocate to the HOA2 clubhouse, the…

Information provided by the Douglas/Elbert Task Force and the Crisis Center Sponsorship for the Douglas/Elbert Task Force (Task Force) Santa’s Sharing holiday adopt-a-family program has declined over the past few years, and the Task Force is asking the community for much-needed help. “Our sponsor numbers have decreased every year for the last five years,” said…

By Lynne Marsala Basche; photos courtesy of Anna Mallinson Each year, Timber Trail Elementary (TTE) has a fundraising event, and this year, students and teachers participated in a move-a-thon in late September. Students spent time outside rotating through a series of stations, including jump ropes, step ups, tire rolling, as well as the much anticipated…

Article and photo by Lisa Crockett Last year, my family and I went out for Thanksgiving dinner. There, I said it. As a dedicated home cook, I feel a little like a traitor to the cause, but going out for Thanksgiving was, in a word, awesome. No prep work, no piles of dishes, no mess.…

Deputy Jason Blanchard (left) and Sergeant Jeff Miller (right) with Castle Pines residents during the October 4 Coffee with a Cop. The event provided the opportunity for the DCSO and residents to get together outside of emergency situations By Lynne Marsala Basche; photos courtesy of Lauren Lekander The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO) has been…

By Amanda Merriman Ever since the world was introduced to the Weasley family’s magical clock in “Harry Potter,” I thought it would be so convenient to be able to locate your family members like that in everyday life. Of course, with smartphones there are many iterations of this available today. Life360 is a free app…

By John Basche Officially November 11 this year, veterans organizations around Douglas County and the Denver metro area are hosting a number of events in observance and remembrance to honor those who have served in our armed forces. While for many of us Veterans Day has always been marked by a parade in our local…

By Daniel Williams; photo courtesy of Nanowrimo.org There’s an old saying, “Everyone has a novel in them.” In July 1999, Chris Baty and 20 friends decided to make that idea a reality when they sat down in coffee shops around San Francisco and attempted to write a novel in a month. Only a few of…

Information provided by the Castle Pines Arts & Cultural Foundation The Castle Pines Arts & Cultural Foundation is excited to present a multi-media slide show presentation for the holidays by John Fielder on December 1 at 7 p.m. at the Castle Pines North Metropolitan District building, located at 7404 Yorkshire Drive, Castle Pines. “A Colorado…

Information provided by South Metro Fire Rescue Adult/Senior Driving Skills is a hands-on driving class, for senior citizens, and all other adults 21 and older who would like to improve their ability to handle challenging driving situations. Defensive driving skills and crash avoidance techniques will be taught. Students must have a personal vehicle to drive…

By Lynne Marsala Basche; photo courtesy of Rock Canyon High School Congratulations to Rock Canyon High School (RCHS) National Merit semifinalist scholars. From left to right: Castle Pines resident Olivia Voss, Nicole Wilking and Karen Yi are in the top scoring 16,000 out of 1.6 million students who took the PSAT NMSQT last year. (Dhivya…