COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado (KKTV) – A first-year principal at a Colorado Springs elementary school had a great team-building idea!
“You always want to do something that brings them together,” said Julie Cassano, principal of Foothills Elementary School, about bringing her staff together. “But you don’t want to waste their time because teachers are very busy people!”
Cassano approached Josh and John’s Ice Cream before school started and asked if they would partner with her school to develop an ice cream flavor. Under the agreement, Josh and John’s Ice Cream would make the treat, while Foothills Elementary had to come up with the name.
“They were extremely accommodating and handled things wonderfully,” Cassano said of Josh and John.
Cassano put together teams of teachers from different grades to come up with names. Cassano said teachers tend to stick with their own grades throughout the school year as they build bonds, so she wanted this activity to help connect teachers who wouldn’t normally work together, and that’s exactly what she did. Kindergarten teacher Lora Tannehill came up with the winning name, “Falcon Brain Freeze.” Tannehil was also honored as the 2022-23 Charles W. Tewell Elementary School Teacher of the Year!
It only took Josh and John’s Ice Cream about a week to create the new flavor: a chocolate mint mousse with Oreo!
“The reviews are very positive,” explained Cassano. “Our Facebook page is full of parents sharing their experiences and really becoming ice cream condensers. Some say the mint is just enough flavor, the chocolate mousse is so creamy!”
Mountain Shadows’ general manager said the flavor sold out within days.
“They all wanted their ‘Teacher Ice Cream,'” said GM Brandon Dale. “They were touting it before they released it on Friday.”
But this project was more than just a tasty treat.
“I think we’re a very close-knit community,” Cassano explained. “I think our families were so excited that our teachers came up with this. We’re in a wonderful place where our families just love and appreciate everything our teachers do. So honestly, the sentiment could have been terrible and our community would have still supported it because they love our community and our staff so much.”
The Falcon Brain Freeze was only available at the Mountain Shadows location, with a second batch expected.
John of Josh and John’s tells 11 News that anyone interested in creating a unique flavor for their school or special project in Colorado Springs is welcome to contact him at [email protected].
“You might even end up with a best-seller like Purple Mountain Majesty, a taro ice cream with raspberry cups that was a hit after it was created for the 60th Pikes Peak Ascent Marathon,” Josh wrote in an email.
Josh also gave some background on his company and what it means to be part of the Colorado Springs community.
Josh & John’s opened its doors on Kiowa Street in Downtown Colorado Springs on June 26, 1986, nearly a year after I graduated from Colorado College. As the fourth oldest restaurant in Downtown, we are immensely proud of our role as an important part of this vibrant community. Our success is deeply rooted in the support we have received, and we strive to give back generously in return.
With three locations in Colorado Springs and a fourth in the pipeline, our commitment to the community is stronger than ever. Our leadership team, many of whom are former or current educators, are actively involved in local schools through various initiatives. Our Scoop Buses can be seen at teacher appreciation days, proms, school festivals, and sporting events. Recently, we began partnering with schools to create unique flavors that we then bottle into pints and deliver to local locations. So far, we have worked with the Air Force Academy, Colorado College, Foothills Elementary, and Trailblazer Elementary.
We are honored to be an integral part of the Colorado Springs community. We participate in local events such as the Pikes Peak or Bust Rodeo, where next year we will be introducing a new community specialty, the Rocky Mountain Rodeo. We also sponsor Colorado College hockey and offer ice cream at Robson Arena. This year, one of our Scoop Buses will be located at the new Ford Amphitheater and we look forward to potential collaborations with the Switchback Soccer Club.
All rights reserved.
