
Learning a little bit about chemistry in 5th grade STEM today.





Growing radish plants and learning some science in kindergarten STEM.




Cruces Creatives invites K-12 LCPS Teachers to: Make it & Take it! Join us to learn how to make and take home your own plant propagation station! While building your propagation station, our instructors and CommunityShare coordinators will share how this project can be brought into your classroom in a variety of ways, whether through natural science, mathematics, or anywhere in between! Would you like to go even further with your students by engaging with folks in the “real world"? Stay after the build to connect with our CommunityShare team to hear about resources and community connections that can be brought to your students. During or after the event, you can join our ongoing Community of Practice in Education, which is open to all LCPS K-12 teachers who want to engage with, inspire, and be inspired by fellow educators in transforming classrooms into community experiences.
Join Us! Click the link to learn more: https://www.crucescreatives.org/event-4956844.


The rains have brought back the Columbia swamp and a multitude of tadpoles. By next week, we could be overrun by baby toads!





2nd Graders tilled up our garden bed and planted some seeds for our Fall garden. Here's hoping for some great sprouts.



Could your child benefit from tutoring? Sign them up for Tutoring by Two! Tutoring by Two is an online tutoring service created by two LCPS students, Lauren To and Nyasia Lambert-White. Both students attend Arrowhead Park Early College High School and created Tutoring by Two during the pandemic when schools at LCPS went into remote learning in 2020. Tutoring by Two provides tutoring services from kindergarten math to Algebra 2. Tutoring by Two also offers 3 types of help: lesson review, homework help, and test review. Spots are available on a first-come first-serve basis. Click here to learn more and sign up: https://sites.google.com/view/tutoringbytwo/home.

Need Glasses??
The Dona Ana Council of Lions Clubs & Essilor Vision Foundation Presents: Changing Life Through Lenses — FREE GLASSES DAY. The event will be held on August 20th from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the Lions Club Community Center, 1501 N Solano Dr, Las Cruces, NM 88001. The event is free and will be for single vision lenses or lined bifocals only. You must have a current copy of the glasses prescription (no expired prescription will be accepted). No progressive or transition lenses are available. For more information, please call 575-525 5631.


We need more students to sign up for our Cruces Creatives after school program. If you are in 4th or 5th grade, sign up with the link below and start next week on Tuesday. Class meets Tuesdays and Thursdays. Buses are available to take you home. Registration Link: https://forms.gle/mcsxWLgKRf7hnbM58


Foodie Friday was delicious thanks to our office staff.
Also, thank you Mrs. Lopez for making popcorn for all our classroom attendance winners.
Such a great way to end the week. Remember, no in person classes on Monday, August 22. Students were sent lessons to work on at home. See you all on Tuesday!





Columbia food distribution is this Monday, 8/22. See flier for more details.



COVID-19 Testing is available in Las Cruces with no out-of-pocket costs! Visit the testing location at Doña Ana Community College, 2800 N. Sonoma Ranch Blvd Mon-Sat from 8 AM - 3 PM. Testing is also available at New Mexico State University, (Lot #27) 1738 E. University Ave. on Mon-Fri from 8 AM - 3 PM. Book now at curative.com. ¡Las pruebas de COVID-19 están disponibles en Las Cruces sin costos de bolsillo! Visite el lugar de la prueba en Doña Ana Community College, 2800 N. Sonoma Ranch Blvd de lunes a sábado de 8 a. m. a 3 p. m. Las pruebas también están disponibles en New Mexico State University, (Lot #27) 1738 E. University Ave. de lunes a viernes de 8 am a 3 pm. Reserva ahora en curative.com.



As of 3:00 p.m., many campuses are sheltering in place due to lightning, including: Zia, Central, LCHS, Picacho Middle, Desert Hills, Sierra, Sunrise, Fairacres, Lynn, and Vista Middle School. Lightning is a very unpredictable event and is quite capable of striking anywhere and at any time throughout an active cell. Visitors to school campuses may be sheltered in place in a school cafeteria or gym. If you need to pick up your child while a school is sheltering in place due to weather, you may do so at your own risk. Las Cruces Public Schools assumes no responsibility for your child at that point. Please expect delays as it takes time to call each child out of class individually or in small groups. Please click the link to find the lightning safety protocols for LCPS: https://www.lcps.net/page/safety-tips. To receive important alerts and information from your schools, please download the LCPS app today! Download the app on Android: https://bit.ly/3z1L88X or iPhone: https://apple.co/3BYAOAh.


Several LCPS campuses are currently sheltering in place due to lightning, including Dona Ana Elementary, East Picacho, Picacho Middle, LCHS, Alameda, Sierra, OMHS, Central, Cesar Chavez, Mesilla, Mesilla Park, Sunrise, Sonoma, Vista Middle. We will keep you updated on how this could affect dismissal. To receive important alerts and information from your schools, please download the LCPS app today! Download the app on Android: https://bit.ly/3z1L88X or iPhone: https://apple.co/3BYAOAh. Please click the link to find the lightning safety protocols for LCPS: https://www.lcps.net/page/safety-tips.


Dear LCPS families,
This time of year, the weather can complicate our school day without much notice. Lightning strikes are a very real threat to student safety, and our protocols can sometimes make it inconvenient for families when a school must shelter in place because of weather, especially at the end of the school day. Unfortunately, we have previously experienced a lightning strike on campus that injured a student, and we do not want that to happen again.
In order to ensure the safety of all students, LCPS has adopted the following safety protocols in the event of inclement weather.
The district has purchased a weather application called Weather Sentry available for download by school administrators and coaches. This is the official weather monitoring system to be used to monitor weather districtwide.
If lightning is detected within a 10-mile radius, a school will activate a shelter in place. The district is currently reviewing this portion of our lightning protocol.
A return to normal activity can only be made once the weather system has clearly passed from the area and no lightning strikes within 10 miles have occurred with 30 minutes.
The administrator responsible for the accurate monitoring of the weather app will make the decision to seek shelter.
Lightning is a very unpredictable event and is quite capable of striking anywhere and at any time throughout an active cell. Failure to follow these protocols could result in catastrophic consequences.
Visitors to school campuses may be sheltered in place in a school cafeteria or gym.
If you need to pick up your child while a school is sheltering in place due to weather, you may do so at your own risk.
Las Cruces Public Schools assumes no responsibility for your child at that point. Please expect delays as it takes time to call each child out of class individually or in small groups. Please click the link to find the lightning safety protocols for LCPS: https://www.lcps.net/page/safety-tips


Several LCPS campuses are currently sheltering in place due to lightning, including Mayfield, Zia, East Picacho, Picacho Middle, MacArthur, Monte Vista, LCHS, Mesa Middle, Booker T. Washington, Fairacres, Alameda, Camino, Sierra, OMHS, MVLA, Hillrise, Central, Vista, University Hills, Cesar Chavez, Columbia, Mesilla, Mesilla Park, Sunrise, Sonoma, Vista, Loma Heights, Zia Highland. We will keep you updated on how this could affect dismissal.


The Dona Ana Council of Lions Clubs & Essilor Vision Foundation Presents: Changing Life Through Lenses — FREE GLASSES DAY. The event will be held on August 20th from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the Lions Club Community Center, 1501 N Solano Dr, Las Cruces, NM 88001. The event is free and will be for single vision lenses or lined bifocals only. You must have a current copy of the glasses prescription (no expired prescription will be accepted). No progressive or transition lenses are available. For more information, please call 575-525 5631.


We had a great time at our open house. Thank you families for coming out to support Columbia. It was great to see you all!!





Open house this TONIGHT, 8/4 @ 6:00 p.m. Learn what is going on at Columbia! Visit your child's classroom and see what they are learning. And, then join us for a hotdog, chips, drink, and dessert. We look forward to seeing you all in about an hour!!!


Columbia Open House is next Thursday, August 4 @6 p.m.-7 p.m. We want to gather to learn about our new school year while sharing a hot dog supper, and we need your help. Before Friday, July 29 please send the following to school with your student to assist in this event:
Kindergarten - Condiments
1st Grade - Drinks (Water or Juice Pouches)
2nd Grade - Pre-packaged Desserts
3rd Grade - Single Serving Chips
4th Grade - Hot Dog Buns (500 buns have been donated on behalf of 4th Grade)
5th Grade - 1 package of Hot Dogs
PTO - Boats


Happening today: FBI, Local Law Enforcement Host ‘Safety in Our Schools: A Conversation with Parents’ — District-organized conversation addresses safety, threat aversion. As the start of a new school year gets underway, administrators at Las Cruces Public Schools, together with local and federal law enforcement, will provide an opportunity for parents to hear about current training and safety plans aimed at mitigating potential threats on Wednesday, July 27 at 6 p.m. The meeting, hosted by LCPS and the City of Las Cruces, will include information from the FBI and the Las Cruces Police Department.
“Following the horrific news in Uvalde, school safety is on everyone’s mind,” said LCPS Superintendent Ralph Ramos. “This informational meeting is an opportunity for parents to hear from law enforcement and gain a better understanding of how we train and equip our schools to be as prepared as we possibly can for any potential threat.” Agents with the Albuquerque Field Office of the FBI will be opening the agenda on Wednesday, followed by remarks from Superintendent Ramos and Las Cruces Police Chief Miguel Dominguez. Training officers with LCPD will walk parents through certain scenarios related to active shooter training and protocols that would be followed in the event something similar happened in Las Cruces. “We hope law enforcement never has an opportunity to put this training to use in real life,” noted Ramos. “But not being prepared is not an option. In addition to our work with law enforcement, we will continue to stress the importance of situational awareness in our schools. Our students are always reminded to report suspicious behavior to a responsible adult and do their part to ensure a safe learning environment for all students and staff.” Safety in Our Schools: A Conversation With Parents will be hosted inside the Las Cruces City Council Chambers on Wednesday, July 27 from 6 to 7 p.m. The meeting is open to LCPS parents and members of the public as space permits. The meeting will be live-streamed at www.CLCTV.com, www.YouTube.com/clctv20, or on Comcast cable channel 20 or HD channel 928.