The Castle Pines Connection

Despite the cold weather, enthusiastic DCSM students geared up for a full day of road repairs. The project was one of many landscape projects during their time at Mission: Wolf. By Julie Matuszewski; photos courtesy of DCS Montessori DCS Montessori seventh and eighth graders received a hands-on experience which left a lasting impact on each…

By Bryan Goodland; courtesy photos It is not all that frequent that we in the Castle Pines community come into contact with animals that are common carriers of rabies (skunks, bats, raccoons, foxes and coyotes). However, they are ever present in the vast open spaces that surround us, and they do pose a threat to…

The Village at Castle Pines resident Louise Bowman (front row, far right) celebrated in style with friends at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts Women with Hattitude luncheon. Resident Gayle Raye (left) is pictured here with Ms. Senior America Gayle Novak and Hattitude Chairwoman Pam Sletten (right). By Nancy Koontz; courtesy photos Since 2005,…

Information and photo provided by the Boucher family Congratulations to Jordan Boucher, the 2019 Valor Christian High School valedictorian and a National Merit Scholar. Boucher, a resident of The Village at Castle Pines, excelled at Valor and balanced his academic pursuits with his passion for running cross country, track, climbing 14ers and participating in the…

By Terri Wiebold I have never met a business owner who was not interested in bettering his/her business. For some, “bettering” means increasing revenues and profits and/or decreasing expenses. For others, it may mean elevating their brand. For me, it is about improving the overall experience for everyone involved. As the publisher of The Connection,…

Brooks Gibbs (right) used a game called “Squabbles” to help with conflict resolution. Information and photos provided by American Academy Last month, American Academy (AA)hosted a parent assembly lead by Brooks Gibbs, a well-known speaker who focuses on helping children build emotional resiliency. Approximately 250 parents took part in the evening event. Gibbs also spoke…

Information provided by the Douglas County School District The Douglas County School District (DCSD) Board of Education met in a work session on Tuesday, May 23 to discuss safety and security in DCSD schools. The discussion included a review of DCSD Board Policy ADD: Safe Schools, which addresses a variety of directives ranging from physical…

By Terri Wiebold Invite your neighbors and head down to experience Spoons & Tunes in The Vistas at Park Meadows on Thursday, June 13 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. and get an exclusive special Castle Pines neighbor bonus! Park Meadows Retail Resort is hosting a free, family-friendly summer event every Thursday starting June 6…

Article and photos by Celeste McNeil Recently, Buffalo Ridge Elementary (BRE) school held an extravaganza evening billed as “BREXtravaganza.” The building was open to students, parents, grandparents and anyone interested in seeing the amazing happenings at BRE. The main hallways overflowed with masterpieces the students created in art class. The gym, filled with tables, held…

By Patte Smith Did you know that in February Colorado cyclists dominated the world leader board for the 2019 International Winter Bike to Work Day? Wow! More than 3,000 area cyclists rode on a bitter cold day or chose a day a little less bleak for the work day ride. A testament to the importance…

Assistant Principal Jen Murdock surrounded by first, second and third place winners of the annual BRE Science Fair. Article and photos by Celeste McNeil Spring brings experimentation, demonstration and inventions; spring brings the Science Fair! Bufflao Ridge Elementary (BRE) had 67 students from all grades participate in the eighth annual Science Fair. All projects, research…

City staff, elected officials and members of the community gathered to await the election results. Upon its passing, a joyous crowd toasted the citizens and the success of the election results. Information provided by the City of Castle Pines; photos by Terri Wiebold Tuesday, May 14 was a historic day in the City of Castle…

“I wanted to thank you and your staff for the nice note, gift card and candy. This was so thoughtful of you and nice to receive after a very chaotic Tuesday afternoon. As both a principal and a community member, I really appreciate your efforts and the positive approach you take to bring our community…

Lisa Dean (left) and Emily Ogden (right) proudly displayed their 2019 bronze volunteer awards. Stop by and congratulate Lisa, Emily and Lynn the next time you stop by the library. By Patte Smith, photos courtesy of Laura Eicher, Douglas County Libraries Congratulations and a big thank you to Lisa Dean, Emily Ogden and Lynn Gillingham…

By Lisa Nicklanovich Like most people, I often read reviews before making a purchase decision. Recently, however, I had two negative experiences despite the many super-positive reviews I spent time reading. Both my twenty-something kids said, “Well, you know, lots of times the reviews are fake.” I thought about the fact that I always trust…

Caption and photos by Patte Smith Prior to their continuation ceremony that was held on March 14, the three classes of fifth grade students at BRE braved the cold and rain and stamped their handprints on the famous “spirit rock” at the school on Monday, May 20. Smearing hands with their favorite colors, each student…

There With Care bags decorated by students at Buffalo Ridge Elementary school. By Celeste McNeil; photos courtesy of Sheri Flaherty Buffalo Ridge Elementary (BRE) fifth grader Ryan Flaherty is spreading the message of love, both figuratively and literally, through her work with the Colorado-founded nonprofit There With Care. There With Care’s mission is to provide…

By Lisa Crockett Getting dad a gift can be a daunting task – how many ties does one man need, anyway? Still, most dads love a good goodie, so if you’re stumped for a great gift to let your dad know you care, look no further. Here are some treats bound to make his day…

Castle Pines resident Anila Narayana, a recent graduate from Rock Canyon High School, received a Boettcher Foundation Scholarship. By Lisa Nicklanovich; photo courtesy of the Boettcher Scholarship Foundation Anila Narayana, a recent graduate from Rock Canyon High School (RCHS) and a Castle Pines resident, was selected as a recipient of the Boettcher Foundation Scholarship. The…

Caption and photo by Lynn Zahorik The Castle Pines Connection is proud of its business partners that give back to the community in big ways. Cranelli’s Italian Restaurant in Lone Tree recently hosted an annual Dining Out for Life event for Project Angel Heart. Cranelli’s was one of more than 250 restaurants that donated 25%…

Zach Spector’s laid back style and personality serve him well as student pastor at The Rock Church. Article by Steve Whitlock; photos courtesy of Zach Spector Zach Spector’s path to full-time church work wouldn’t have been predicted by his family or friends – or even himself. After excelling at sports at Rock Canyon High School,…

Article and photos by Terri Wiebold May 18 and 19, residents in the Castle Pines community were treated to an eclectic mixture of fine art at the [SMASH] Fine Arts Festival held in The Village at Castle Pines business district. The outdoor exhibit showcased a variety of national artists with displays of painting, photography, mixed…

Castle Pines Chamber of Commerce Events Director Whitney Shank proudly accepted a well-deserved award from the Colorado Chamber of Commerce Executives organization. By Terri Wiebold; photo courtesy of the Castle Pines Chamber of Commerce Please join The Connection in congratulating Castle Pines Chamber of Commerce Events Director Whitney Shank for receiving the 2018 Team Member…

The RidgeGate end-of-line station east of I-25 is operational and open for service. By Patte Smith; photo courtesy of Sidney Clough The new 2.3-mile RTD Southeast Rail Extension is up and running and for many residents in the southeast corridor, this is very good news. The rail extension consists of three stations – Sky Ridge,…

Trevor Christensen and Zach Johnson performed a song and dance that was a crowd pleaser. They performed Tim Hawkins’ YouTube-inspired “Chick-fil-A” song. Article and photos by Julie Matuszewski The annual Timber Trail Elementary (TTE) variety show hosted 21 acts of talent during this year’s performance. Ribbon dancing, gymnastics, hula hooping, vocals, instrumentals, diabolo yoyo and…

Caption and photo by Patte Smith Kathy Newell, a member of The Village Idiots Cycling Club, joined fellow club cyclists to pick up litter along a section of South Havana frontage road on Saturday, April 27. The club, known for giving back to the community, adopted a section of the road a few years ago…

By Patte Smith Get out your lawn chairs and blankets to celebrate the 4th of July close to home in Castle Rock. While there is no official celebration in town, fireworks will be launched from the Santa Fe Quarry Butte that is located above Red Hawk Ridge Golf Course, south of The Meadows. This is…

By Patte Smith, photo courtesy of Hutch Tibbetts, Douglas County Libraries The Douglas County Community Foundation (DCCF) held its annual Focus Forward Breakfast on April 25 at the Charles Schwab Conference Center in Lone Tree. Speakers addressed the critical needs of Douglas County residents and explained the foundation’s Hearts & Hands Fund that was established…

Congratulations to the spring 80108 student-athletes who have signed letters of intent to play their sport in college! By Lisa Nicklanovich; courtesy photos Rock Canyon High School Isaac Abramovitz Boys Lacrosse U.S. Air Force Academy, CO Isaac will attend Northwest Prep Academy in California before attending the U.S. Air Force Academy. Coach John Gallant said,…

Sarah Matarelli (playing Millie) and Brennan Lanam (playing Johnny) are all dolled up and ready for the stage. By Julie Matuszewski; photos courtesy of Adoration Pro Photo American Academy (AA) students delivered a show stopping performance that had the audience dancing the Charleston! “Thoroughly Modern Millie Jr.” is a story of a 1920s small town…

Ninety-seven students were honored at the annual RCHS community service lettering ceremony for volunteering at the 100, 250, 500 and 1,000 hour level. By Lisa Nicklanovich; courtesy photos The annual community service lettering ceremony took place on April 23 at Rock Canyon High School (RCHS), honoring 97 students who volunteered their time and talents to…

Article and photos by Terri Wiebold On Saturday, May 4, nearly 600 guests gathered at CU Denver South’s campus to learn more about The Canyons in Castle Pines. Visitors learned about the homebuilders and discovered information on planned community amenities. Shea Homes Colorado Division President Chetter Latcham welcomed participants during each of the three informational…

By Patte Smith, photo courtesy of Allen Zearing Summer fun – getting outside enjoying family, friends, and neighbors, shopping at farmers markets, going fishing, bicycling, barbecuing – great summer days and so many things to do. If you enjoy classy and classic cars, “really cool” hot rods, clean machines, macho trucks or sweet corvettes, cruise…

Sophomores (left to right) Grant DeRose, Tanner Leonard, Maddy Merritt, Reese Titensor and Kayla Mash smiled after being inducted into the Science National Honors Society of Rock Canyon High School April 9. By Maddie Merritt, RCHS intern writer; photo courtesy of Stephanie Leonard The first class of Rock Canyon High School (RCHS) sophomores for the…

Melissa Rufenacht shows her style and sass at A Line Boutique’s “inspiration wall” which features all the current styles for the season.  Article and photos by Terri Wiebold Congratulations to Castle Pines resident and A Line Boutique co-owner Melissa Rufenacht for a successful first year of business in Castle Rock. A long-time customer turned owner,…

Photo and caption by Terri Wiebold Special thanks to Jack Yi, owner of Castle Pines North Cleaners, for helping with my “between meetings wardrobe malfunction.” I lost the closure button on my blazer and Jack not only replaced the button, he found a matching set of three buttons to change out the sleeves as well.…

Taking steps to walk in Maria Montessori’s shoes By Julie Matuszewski; photo courtesy of Ryoko Fusatani After the Bomb Cyclone hit Colorado, DCS Montessori upper level teacher and Castle Pines resident Ryoko Fusatani was relieved to learn that her scheduled flight to her dream destination of Rome, Italy would be a “go.” Fustani’s excitement mounted…

By Terri Wiebold; photos by Lynn Zahorik With the most perfect weather imaginable, hundreds of Castle Pines families gathered at The Ridge last month to participate in the City of Castle Pines Egg Scramble. In three separate waves according to age, the air horn sounded and children flooded the driving range to collect eggs stuffed…

This RCHS SNHS student helped a BRE science club member build a bridge. By Celeste McNeil; photo courtesy of Delaney Y. Rock Canyon high school (RCHS) student Delaney Y. has a passion for science. She and her fellow Science National Honor Society (SNHS) members are sharing their love of science with younger students through an…

By Susan Helton Filling in for Amanda Merriman, Connection writer Susan Helton is also a lifelong, avid reader. This month, she shares a delightful cozy mystery novel. Shannon Hammer specializes in renovating and repairing Victorian homes in the small town of Lighthouse Cove. In A Wrench in the Works, by Kate Carlisle, Shannon’s younger sister…

By Patte Smith; courtesy photo Memorial Day is an important time for all Americans to remember the sacrifices that veterans have made to ensure our freedom. Whether attending a Memorial Day remembrance event, or sending a note to a veteran, take a few minutes to bring to mind these brave men and women. Really stop…

By Elise Brassell; photo courtesy of Megan Liestman Megan Liestman of Castle Rock has a busy summer break from school ahead. She’s a sophomore studying political science at the University of Colorado at Boulder who is taking her summer break to run her own business as part of a unique opportunity from Young Entrepreneurs Across…

By Lisa Nicklanovich I recently took a free photography lesson from the Apple Store at Park Meadows Retail Resort. Our class learned about using a few of the features on our camera phones, and something the instructor said after the class surprised me. The instructor, who is a professional photographer, said that he thought most,…

Information and photo provided by the Van Vechten family There wasn’t a mountain Jacob “Jake” Peter Van Vechten didn’t want to climb or a puzzle he couldn’t solve. He was surrounded by friends and lived with a sincere concern for others. He loved with a tender heart. Jake competed on every field and every court…

Toby, his brother Evan and their parents stand at the bottom of the main stairs of RCHS with the lacrosse team and their coaches. Toby and Evan were adopted by the team through the Friends of Jaclyn Foundation. By Jana Seal, RCHS intern writer; photo courtesy of John Gallant For the Rock Canyon High School…

Surrey Ridge kids gathered at the neighborhood park for the annual search for Easter eggs on Saturday, April 20. After an adventurous hunt, the kids visited with the Easter bunny, who shared more treats with the kids. Photos courtesy of Josh Gonzalez

By Julie Matuszewski; photos courtesy of Chelsey Nielson In which book? was the question asked by librarians to Timber Trail Elementary (TTE) Battle of the Books (BOTB) participants during one of many book battles. This year, TTE participated in BOTB through Douglas County Libraries as an after school club for third through fifth grade students.…

Pictured right: Students created posters to promote the Rebel Service Club backpack drive By Julie Matuszewski; photo courtesy of American Academy The American Academy (AA) Rebel Service Club (RSC) has a simple mission, but one that carries a lot of weight. Their mission is to be educated on the value of serving others while providing…

By Michelle Post Is your business running you? Do you know what you have regarding your business? These are questions I often ask business owners when I begin working with them. We do not know when it happens, but there comes a time when our business is running us instead of us running our business.…

Article and photos by Julie Matuszewski Nerf junkies young and old took the field armed with their favorite Nerf guns, eye protection and unlimited foam darts for a night of Dads and Dudes Nerf Wars. In one afternoon, the Timber Trail Elementary (TTE) gym was transformed in to a Nerf warrior’s dream of obstacles, barricades…

The editorial staff of Rock Canyon’s Black and Gold yearbook pose under Columbia University’s subway sign on March 22. The staff attended the Columbia Scholastic Press Association’s annual journalism conference over spring break. By Amanda Brauchler, RCHS intern writer; photos courtesy of Kristi Rathbun Rock Canyon High School’s (RCHS) Black and Gold yearbook editorial staff…

By Terri Wiebold; photo courtesy of the O’Melia family Drowning is preventable. Tragedies often lead to change, which is precisely what we hope will happen after reading this pool safety article. Every year as the weather warms and pool season begins, The Connection reminds readers about precautions to take in and around pools. Whether it…

Representatives from the Castle Pines Parks Authority, the Castle Pines North Metropolitan District, the City of Castle Pines, Douglas County Parks, Trails & Building Grounds and students and teachers from TTE all gathered to celebrate (and try out) the new inclusive playground equipment. By Terri Wiebold; photos by Julie Matuszewski Braving unexpected cold weather, third…

BRE fifth grade students celebrated their last year in elementary school with a show for fellow students and parents. By Celeste McNeil; courtesy photos BRE fifth graders recently showcased their talents, growth and love of “super cheese songs.” Students performed two shows, one morning performance for the school and another for parents in the evening.…

For the first time, the Rocky Heights Middle School (RHMS) mathletes took team first place at the State MATHCOUNTS Competition. The RHMS team members all performed well at the competition on March 23, and Max Xu and Anthony Chui placed in the top ten. “I really liked it because we got to go to the…

By Terri Wiebold; photos by Lynn Zahorik “It’s all been an incredible and sometimes wild ride,” stated Mike. “I am personally humbled and honored to have been able to serve this community for the past 20 years. The credit really needs to go to the people of Castle Rock, of Douglas County and of Colorado…

Left to right; Reese Pucciano, Julianna Perez, Bessie’s Hope Program Coordinator Darlene Stiny, Caitlin Taylor and Mo Grebe sharing a joyous moment after a fun-filled visit with Brookside Inn residents. By Julie Matuszewski; photos courtesy of American Academy Bessie’s Hope (BH) and American Academy (AA) are filling the gap between generations by spending time together.…

Bishop Castle, Rye Colorado By Michelle Post What exactly makes a castle a castle? Whether a structure qualifies for the title of ‘castle’ is not something set in stone and is a topic often debated by historians. According to the Free Dictionary, a castle is: “A) a large fortified building or group of buildings with…

Maycee Taylor is a very well-rounded 9-year-old. By Nancy Koontz; photos courtesy of Jennifer Taylor Buffalo Ridge Elementary student Maycee Taylor is only 9 years old, but she is quite remarkable. After being screened and tested in the first grade, it was determined she was a gifted child who possessed high intelligence, artistic creativity, leadership…

By Bryan Goodland; photo courtesy of Nick Lucey Castle Rock has grown significantly over the past few years. From the expansion of shops and anchor retail stores, to the introduction of new neighborhoods and living options. And now, once again the shape of Castle Rock is changing. Downtown Castle Rock has always offered a wide…

Eaten alone or paired with a delicious cheese and/or fruit combination, these tasty homemade crackers will not disappoint. Article and photos by Lisa Crockett I was recently gifted a beautiful block of artisanal cheddar cheese. I nibbled a corner and decided that what I really needed to complement this gift was a nice crunchy cracker…