Cache la Poudre Elementary School (CLP) in LaPorte, Colorado was the location of my second student

teaching placement. At CLP, I had the pleasure of working with Mrs. Sue Awsumb-Conn, my elementary
visual art mentoring teacher. I have been told by multiple art teachers that Sue is a bit of a legend in the
Poudre School District art education community. It is my understanding that I have become Sue’s twenty
second student teacher and a twenty third is already on the waiting list. In addition to teaching art at
CLP, Sue teaches technology, and supervises the operation of the library. My experience verifies that her
reputation is well founded.

LaPorte, Colorado is a small community just outside of Fort Collins, which lies to its South. Cache la
Poudre Elementary School draws students from this community and the surrounding rural area. The
demographic profile of the student body reflects that of the region. White students comprise 81% of the
school’s population. Hispanic students constitute 14% of students, and students of two or more races
and students who identify as black make up only 2% of the students respectively. Male students make
up 55% of the student body. Notably, 41% of CLPE’s students are categorized as low income based on
students at the school who are eligible for free and reduced cost lunch. Also, worth noting, average test
scores for students from this socio-economic group score significantly lower than their more advantaged
peers on state tests, but at levels near average statewide. Academically, the students at CLPE perform at
or somewhat above the state averages for English, Math, and Science. Depending on the source, student
progress from one year to the next is rated at average to slightly above average from one academic year
to the next.

Cache la Poudre Elementary School became an International Baccalaureate (IB) school in 2014. As a
student teacher, I have worked to align my planning and practice with the IB standards and
expectations. The school shares a resource officer with Cache la Poudre Middle School which sits
adjacent to CLPE to the West. During my student teaching, this officer was involved in training and in
responses to atypical student behavioral issues. The CLPE staff employs a wide variety of strategies to
address behavior and to improve performance throughout the school. Much of this structure is
umbrellaed under the Positive Behavior Interventions and Support (PBIS) program. Student behavior is
closely monitored and documented. Undesirable actions are addressed according to an established
hierarchy of consequences and corrective measures. Similarly, the staff of CLPE work closely with
student families and other members of the learning community to document and to celebrate positive
behavior and growth. This strategy is applied broadly and in a more concentrate manner as needed for
several students with severe academic and behavior challenges.

I have very much enjoyed working at CLPE. The school, its staff, and the surrounding community have
experienced natural, economic, and leadership disruptions in the relative recent history. These setbacks
are spoken about regularly in the course of serving the students and the community. Still, the underlying
mindset is one of resiliency and optimism. I requested a rural school for student teaching placement. I
grew up in a community similar in many ways to LaPorte and the surrounding area. Adjusting to the face
paced class schedule and various academic responsibilities has not been without its challenges.
However, I have come to feel very much at home working with the students and staff at Cache la Poudre
Elementary School and will miss being even a temporary member of its educational family.