tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53834229159086612552024-03-13T23:45:59.996-06:00School NewsUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger352125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5383422915908661255.post-83244443538697621082012-06-07T05:02:00.001-06:002012-06-07T05:02:08.857-06:00Adams County School District #14 Vote 5 to 0 to Appoint Patrick Sanchez as the New SuperintendentThe Adams #14 Board of Education are all on the same page when it came to the recommendation of the new Superintendent of Schools. The district started the national search which resulted in 18 total candidates from all over the Nation. The Board narrowed the pool to four finalists who included: Dr. David L. Gray, John Randal (Randy) Johnson, Dr. Bobby Northern and Patrick Sánchez. The Board voted on Wednesday June 6th to appointment Patrick Sánchez as the new Superintendent.<br />
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Board member Dave Rolla expressed he was surprised at the number of interested candidates due to the negative light and turmoil the district has been put in. Board president Robert Vashaw stated that the chosen candidate, Patrick Sanchez will be respectful to not only the parents and children, but the staff teachers and board members as well. Board member Mary Morton says this was a daunting task that was not easy.<br />
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Candidate Dr. Bobby Northern, an affiliate with the U.S. Air Force Academy was portrayed as a very close second. It was even stated that Mr. Northern might have even been a perfect fit for Adams #14. The only problem is that Adams County School District #14 is on a timeline with the state to turn things around. It is reported that the district has 2, maybe 3 years to improve or face a possible state take over. Board member Adrian Schimpf stated that the chosen candidate Mr. Sanchez has a history of turning schools around and also has very good references.<br />
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The Adams #14 Board of Education expressed their desire to gain the support of the community in their final decision of appointing Patrick Sanchez as the new D#14 Superintendent of Schools. Another fact that should be noted was the unanimous vote of the board in this appointment.
Learn more about the New Adams #14 Superintendent <a href="http://www.adams14.org/Websites/adams14/images/Patrick_Sanchez.pdf">CLICK HERE...
</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5383422915908661255.post-14586448269609094722012-05-10T23:54:00.001-06:002012-05-10T23:54:51.280-06:00District third graders make record gains on reading tests<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kVS7AHjB5w0/TGWFOLF3WkI/AAAAAAAADug/WkZUOam4cXw/s1600/WEBlogo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kVS7AHjB5w0/TGWFOLF3WkI/AAAAAAAADug/WkZUOam4cXw/s1600/WEBlogo.jpg" /></a>BRIGHTON – A record number of School District 27J third-grade students tested proficient and advanced on the 2012 Transitional Colorado Assessment Program test, according to unofficial data released by the Colorado Department of Education May 9.
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The data shows that 76 percent of district third-graders tested at a proficient or advanced level in 2012, up from 72 percent in 2011. The results marked School District 27J’s highest level of proficient and advanced students since the testing began in 1998. It surpassed a previous high mark of 75 percent in 2009. It also marked the third consecutive year that 27J students have shown an overall improvement on the reading test. The School District surpassed the state average, which increased to 74 percent in 2012 from 73 percent in 2011.<br />
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Eight out of 10 district-managed elementary schools showed increases in proficient and advanced reading scores. The highest gain came at Northeast Elementary, which showed a 19 percentage-point increase (83 percent) from 64 percent in 2011. Second Creek Elementary increased 15 percentage points (81 percent) from 66 percent in 2011. South Elementary increased 10 percentage points (80 percent) from 70 percent in 2011.<br />
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“I am very proud of our students and staff for these outstanding results,” said 27J Superintendent Rod Blunck. “The Board of Education has taken the bold step to establish student achievement as the highest priority in our system. Given the economic challenges we have faced over the past several years, our students and teachers have risen to the task and have demonstrated that we can show results at a high level.”
“This is just one measure of academic achievement,” added 27J Chief Academic Officer Kelly Corbett. “We’re pleased with the progress of our students. We’re excited for the future. We want to keep the momentum moving forward and keep doing good work.”<br />
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A total of 1,267 district students took the February third-grade reading TCAP test in English and 18 district students took the Spanish version.<br />
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The TCAP test is designed to transition students and school districts from the former Colorado Student Assessment Program test. TCAP testing, which provides an overlap between the old Colorado Model Standards and the new Colorado Academic Standards, will be administered to students this year and in 2013. A new Colorado assessment test will be begin in 2014. It is expected to be an online assessment, which will allow for a faster return of results and allow educators to utilize the data in the same academic year.<br />
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The Colorado Department of Education plans to release official third grade TCAP reading results along with scores for remaining TCAP and ACT tests in early August.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5383422915908661255.post-47796472251109273882012-04-13T10:01:00.000-06:002012-04-13T10:01:14.886-06:00One hundred scholarships available for teachers seeking National Board certification<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xIaOxRbBll0/TP6APPYM8mI/AAAAAAAAE8E/mPsO9Q3wwz8/s1600/Colo+Dept+of+Education.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xIaOxRbBll0/TP6APPYM8mI/AAAAAAAAE8E/mPsO9Q3wwz8/s1600/Colo+Dept+of+Education.jpg" /></a></div><i>Considered the “Gold Standard” for teaching, more than 97,000 teachers have obtained certification; 641 in Colorado</i><br />
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The Colorado Department of Education’s Office of Professional Services and Educator Licensing today announced the limited availability of a new round of scholarships to support teachers applying for National Board Certification with the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards.<br />
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Colorado teachers can apply for one of 100 federal scholarships worth $1,250 provided by the U.S. Department of Education. Colorado does not have funds for matching state scholarships, but will reassign all funds remaining from former candidates who have dropped out. These funds will provide a $250 state scholarship to the first 84 candidates to apply. Candidates who apply after the funds are exhausted will be placed on a waiting list for state funds. The scholarship window is open through Dec. 1, 2012, or until funds are no longer available.<br />
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Scholarships are provided on a first-come, first-served basis, but Colorado also reserves the right to fund teachers in low-performing schools first. Several school districts provide salary increases to teachers who obtain NBPTS certification, while other districts utilize certified teachers as teacher-mentors or teacher-leaders. Recent studies show that more than half (55 percent) of all board certified teachers work in high-need schools (according to the National Center for Education Statistics). A National Research Council report found that students who were taught by board certified teachers show higher gains on achievement tests than those taught by other teachers.<br />
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Interested teachers should begin by applying with the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. Candidates must check the box that allows their information to be released to funding agencies. After paying an application processing charge of $65 and initial fee of $500, teachers complete the Federal Scholarship Application Form, a one one-page essay and the Colorado Scholarship Application Form. Scholarship application forms, the essay and proof of payment of the $565 should be faxed to the Colorado Department of Education at 303-866-6866. Those receiving scholarships will then need to pay the remaining $500 by Dec. 1, 2012.<br />
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Certification cycles start now and candidates will work on their assessments until March 31, 2013. Candidates will find out if they achieved certification in November 2013. Currently, 288 Colorado candidates are working toward national board certification. The prior cycle resulted in the addition of 93 newly certified teachers and seven teachers who renewed their certification for another 10 years.<br />
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Application forms are available at http://www.cde.state.co.us/cdeprof/NBCT.htm. For additional questions on the process of certification, visit http://www.nbpts.org/. To apply for scholarships, fax all required information to 303-866-6866 or contact Anne Marie Roberts in CDE’s Office of Professional Services at roberts_a@cde.state.co.us.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5383422915908661255.post-70203146351696420052012-04-10T15:02:00.002-06:002012-04-10T15:02:35.833-06:00Central Elementary and Rose Hill Elementary Named Colorado Healthy School Champions<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9WdUwa9HM7c/TE2MX5EINWI/AAAAAAAADKA/bwXYUcYprOc/s1600/D+14+WEB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9WdUwa9HM7c/TE2MX5EINWI/AAAAAAAADKA/bwXYUcYprOc/s1600/D+14+WEB.jpg" /></a>COMMERCE CITY, Colo. (April 10, 2012) — Thirty-two schools throughout Colorado were selected as “Healthy School Champions” as part of a statewide program that recognizes and rewards schools that are healthy. Adams County School District ’s Central and Rose Hill were among those selected and on April 4th both were recognized as awardees at Colorado Legacy Foundation’s 2012 Healthy Schools Summit. The Colorado Commissioner of Education, Robert Hammond, presented all of the Champions with a grand total of $42,500 in awards. Both Central and Rose Hill received $500 and Rose Hill also won a $2,500 salad bar in a raffle.<br />
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Champion schools completed an online Score Card that identified how they are ensuring that the connection between health and learning is present and thriving, using a coordinated approach to health and wellness. “We know that healthy students learn better,” said Dr. Helayne Jones, President and CEO of the Colorado Legacy Foundation. “These Score Card Winners serve as a model for the state. We are proud to honor their leadership in health and wellness.”<br />
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“We are very lucky to work in a school district that focuses on healthy students,” said Samara Williams, Principal at Rose Hill. “In fact, all of the schools in Adams 14 are doing amazing work in the area of school wellness. It is such an honor for both Central and Rose Hill to be recognized for their schoolwide efforts to make school a healthier place for the students of Commerce City . On behalf of the staff at both schools, I'd like to sincerely thank the Colorado Legacy Foundation for honoring them with the Healthy School Champion Award." Gov. Hickenlooper also presented Cindy Veney, Nutrition Services director for Adams 14, with Colorado Legacy Foundation Leadership Award for the "Capacity Building is Critical."<br />
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The 2012 Healthy Schools Summit is one of the highest profile school wellness events in Colorado . This third summit brought together nearly 500 teachers, district leaders, health experts, policymakers, and community stakeholders, focusing on policies and best practices for creating, enhancing and maintaining healthy, safe and welcoming schools for all students. For more information about the summit, visit www.colegacy.org.<br />
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The 2012 Healthy School Champions’ Breakfast and Healthy Schools Summit was sponsored by the Colorado Health Foundation, and the Western Dairy Association, and supported by the Colorado Department of Education and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.<br />
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About Adams 14:<br />
Adams 14, a nationally recognized leader in education innovation, is Colorado ’s 23rd largest school district and serves more than 7,000 students annually. Nestled in the historic community of Commerce City , Adams 14 strives to ensure academic success for every student by providing highly effective classroom instruction, supplemental enrichment opportunities and parent/family collaboration opportunities. Under Superintendent Dr. Susan Chandler’s leadership, the District is implementing a strategic plan to improve student achievement so that 80 percent of students assessed will be on grade level by 2014, by ensuring that each classroom has a dynamic, standards-based teacher who provides powerful 21st century learning experiences. To learn more about Adams 14, visit adams14.org.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5383422915908661255.post-42954196619010239302012-03-23T14:53:00.002-06:002012-03-23T14:53:14.949-06:00Learn What Kids Know About Drugs<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-x121igP8WNw/THWmhnoZZQI/AAAAAAAAD5Y/9C_i6Zx-EjU/s1600/WEBlogo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-x121igP8WNw/THWmhnoZZQI/AAAAAAAAD5Y/9C_i6Zx-EjU/s1600/WEBlogo.jpg" /></a>Parents will have an opportunity to learn about illegal and legal substances being marketed to their kids when Lynn Riemer, President of Act on Drugs, Inc., speaks in Brighton on April 3rd, 2012. Riemer will explain synthetic marijuana products being marketed as incense, how the potency of today’s marijuana has increased, health concerns about energy drinks, bath salts that are being inhaled and injected, and the dangerous abuse of inhalants in everyday household products. From alcohol to prescription drugs, methamphetamine to “Ecstasy”, parents will find out how to detect and prevent substance abuse.<br />
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Riemer has developed an outstanding reputation as a trainer on the issues related to drugs. She talks to students, communities, companies, and governmental agencies on drug awareness, recognition and prevention. As an experienced chemist and prior member of the North Metro Drug Task Force in Colorado , her life experiences bring a vivid face to the drug problem facing society today. <br />
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This event will be at the School District 27J Training Room at 80 South 8th Avenue from 6:00-8:30 p.m. Sponsored by the Adams County Prevention Partnership, it is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be provided.<br />
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For more information, contact:<br />
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Beckah Terlouw, MPA<br />
Project Manager, Adams County Prevention Partnership<br />
303-412-3793<br />
acppfamilies@gmail.com<br />
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Nancy Ross<br />
Emergency Response & Crisis Specialist, School District 27J<br />
303-655-2954<br />
nross@sd27j.orgUnknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5383422915908661255.post-6253315279125026732012-03-23T14:46:00.000-06:002012-03-23T14:46:15.229-06:00Trina Norris-Buck has accepted the offer to serve as principal at Vikan Middle School<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-x121igP8WNw/THWmhnoZZQI/AAAAAAAAD5Y/9C_i6Zx-EjU/s1600/WEBlogo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-x121igP8WNw/THWmhnoZZQI/AAAAAAAAD5Y/9C_i6Zx-EjU/s1600/WEBlogo.jpg" /></a>27j is very pleased to share with all of you that Trina Norris-Buck has accepted the offer to serve as principal at Vikan Middle School! As many of you know, Trina is currently the assistant principal at Vikan.<br />
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Trina was one of two finalists interviewed this morning by Terry Lucero, Kelly Corbett, and myself. She did an amazing job this morning with the three of us as well as during the screening and panel interviews chaired by Ruth DeCrescentis. My sincere thanks to Ruth, her staff in Human Resources, and the numerous stakeholders from Vikan, who made this another excellent principal selection process!<br />
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Trina has served for the past four years at Vikan as assistant principal and served prior to that as an instructional coach at Second Creek Elementary. Prior to joining us in 27J, Trina served as a Literacy Coach and ESL and Reading Teacher at Angevine Middle School and as a CHOICE teacher at Nevin Platt Middle School in the Boulder Valley School District.<br />
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We were once again extremely blessed by the quality of our two finalist! Dr. Nate Howard, current science teacher at PVHS and former administrator in Denver Public Schools, was the other finalist and was very impressive this morning as well. I have communicated our decision to Nate and indicated how impressed we were with him and encouraged him to apply for future administrator positions in the District.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5383422915908661255.post-26949120584672058542012-03-18T02:45:00.002-06:002012-03-18T02:45:12.673-06:00Taking a Stand Against Violence<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9WdUwa9HM7c/TE2MX5EINWI/AAAAAAAADKA/bwXYUcYprOc/s1600/D+14+WEB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9WdUwa9HM7c/TE2MX5EINWI/AAAAAAAADKA/bwXYUcYprOc/s1600/D+14+WEB.jpg" /></a></div>On March 29th and 30th, A Call to Men (ACTM) Institute and Alternatives to Family Violence will host a free, two-day, community-wide, training focusing on ending violence against women. The training will be held from 9a.m.-5p.m. at the Iglesia del Nararno and is open to men, women, youth, teachers, parents, school board, community and members.<br />
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Registration for the training is available online in English (www.surveymonkey.com/s/ACallToMenColorado) y en Español (www.surveymonkey.com/s/ACTMColoradoEspanol). The goal of the Institute is to help men, women and teens “shift social norms that define manhood.” A free reception, for men and boys, with Tony Porter, co-founder of ACTM, will be offered on March 28th from 5-7:30p.m. at the Red Lion Hotel, located at 4040 Quebec Street, Denver, CO. Registration for the reception is available online (www.surveymonkey.com/s/ACTMReception). Participants may also register for both events by calling 303-428-9611 o 720-297-4129 en Español. Read more about the training in English o en Español. More information about the reception is also available in English o en Espanol.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5383422915908661255.post-87640900746582396612012-03-08T20:44:00.000-07:002012-03-08T20:44:16.434-07:00Landmark Academy Students “Tee Off” New Golf Program<b>Students to learn health, wellness, respect for others as part of First Tee program</b><br />
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COMMERCE CITY, Colo. (March 7, 2012) – This spring, while Landmark Academy students practice their downswing, they’ll also be learning about the importance of health and wellness, respect for others and honesty. It’s all part of Landmark’s after school golf program, The First Tee of Green Valley Ranch, hosted at Buffalo Run Golf Course (15700 East 112th, Commerce City).<br />
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About 20 Landmark students, ranging from 5th to 8th graders, will participate in the program’s inaugural year. To date, Landmark is the only school in the area participating in this type of program. The series of six classes will begin March 21 and continue through May 2.<br />
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“The First Tee program connects the game of golf with important life lessons and reinforces the virtues we emphasize with our students,” said Matt Carlton, principal at Landmark Academy. “Not only are the students having fun, but they’re gaining knowledge that will last beyond these classes.”<br />
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The First Tee program establishes a foundation for young people to become lifelong players of the game of golf. The program emphasizes three elements: play, learn and appreciate. Players learn athletic skills, life principles and an appreciation for the game - all while having a lot of fun.<br />
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The program costs only $60 per student and scholarships are available to students with financial need.<br />
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For more information about Landmark Academy, visit www.landmarkacademy.org.<br />
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About Landmark Academy at Reunion<br />
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Founded in 2007, Landmark Academy at Reunion is a public charter school managed by National Heritage Academies and serves more than 600 students in grades K-8. For more information, visit www.landmarkacademy.org.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5383422915908661255.post-10399095232205748742012-02-28T01:23:00.000-07:002012-02-28T01:23:39.913-07:00GETTING TO KNOW YOU AT PRIMROSE SCHOOL<b>Open House Offers Parents a Fun and Easy Way to Do Their Homework</b><br />
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Choosing which early education school is right for your child is not an easy decision and often requires parents to do a fair bit of their own homework. The Primrose School at Reunion hopes to make this process a little bit easier by offering families a chance to visit the school during their Open House on Saturday, March 3rd from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM. Any families who are interested in learning more about quality, educational care for their children are welcome to attend this event. The school’s professional, highly-qualified management and teaching staff will be on hand to answer questions about their Balanced Learning Curriculum, ancillary programs like art class, soccer, fitness, and dance, supplemental programs like music enrichment and Spanish, their nutritious meal program, registration and more! Refreshments will be served and fun activities will be available for the children who visit. Those families who are truly interested may register for open spaces at this time. Any families who register and start in August will qualify for complimentary registration, as well as be entered into a drawing for a free month of tuition!<br />
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At the Primrose School at Reunion, we offer full and part-time, year-round, educational care for children ages six weeks to 12 years, including Infants private Kindergarten, a Before and After School Program. Families are encouraged to learn more about this program during the Open House as well. Call today and set up a tour in advance!<br />
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As one of the country’s leaders in early childhood education, we provide ourselves on the services and care we provide to children and their families. We hope that you will include this announcement in your calendar of community events to inform interested parents of this opportunity to experience a new kind of care for their children.<br />
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Thank you for your consideration.<br />
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Details:<br />
Primrose School at Reunion<br />
17050 E. 103rd Avenue<br />
Commerce City, CO 80022<br />
303.637.9999<br />
www.primroseschools.com/reunion<br />
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Saturday, March 3rd, 2012<br />
10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.<br />
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About Primrose Schools:<br />
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Founded in 1982, Primrose Schools is the nation’s leader in providing consistent, accredited early childhood education and child care services in more than 200 schools in 16 states. Primrose School’s foundation is based on a dedicated and passionate group of early childhood professionals providing high quality education with a balance of learning, character development and play. Primrose School’s Balanced Learning® Curriculum blends teacher-directed and child-initiated activities and is consistently delivered in all Primrose Schools nationwide. This exclusive curriculum is standards-based and enables teachers to help children build a foundation of knowledge and skills that will enable them to move successfully from one level of development to the next. Primrose is the first preschool organization in the country to achieve the gold standard in educational accreditation from AdvancED and to require all of its schools to become SACS CASI or NCA CASI accredited. For more information, visit www.primroseschools.com.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5383422915908661255.post-14117024323195111272012-02-28T01:03:00.002-07:002012-02-28T01:03:28.050-07:00Eight ACHS Students Named Semifinalists for Daniels Scholarship<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9WdUwa9HM7c/TE2MX5EINWI/AAAAAAAADKA/bwXYUcYprOc/s1600/D+14+WEB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9WdUwa9HM7c/TE2MX5EINWI/AAAAAAAADKA/bwXYUcYprOc/s1600/D+14+WEB.jpg" /></a>Adams City High School announced today that eight students have been named semifinalists for the Daniels Scholarship.<br />
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Ashley Nolasco, Justin Wheeler, Katrina Rice, Marcus Silliman, Maria Jimenez, Thalia Valenzuela, Gabriel Bustos and Genesis Galdean were nominated for the scholarship. These students are among the approximately 700 semifinalists in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming entering the final selection phase for the Daniels Scholarship. In early April, 250 Daniels Scholarships will be awarded to finalists.<br />
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In establishing the Daniels Fund, cable pioneer Bill Daniels directed the program to seek out promising students who demonstrate strength of character, a well-rounded personality, potential to give back to the community, and other characteristics. <br />
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The Daniels Scholarship has grown from a small pilot program with 32 students launched in the year 2000, to awarding some 250 scholarships each year in the spring. To date, 2,262 Daniels Scholarships have been awarded, allowing students to attend colleges and universities across the United States.<br />
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The Daniels Scholarship is not “full ride,” but is supplemental to all other financial aid resources available to the student. By requiring students to apply for other readily available financial resources such as Pell Grants, the Daniels Fund is able to provide even more scholarships to deserving young people seeking to attend college.<br />
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Bill Daniels, a cable pioneer known for his kindness and generosity to those in need, established the Daniels Fund to provide grants and scholarships in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming. When he died in the year 2000, his estate transferred to the Fund, making it the largest foundation in the Rocky Mountain West.<br />
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About Adams 14:<br />
Adams 14, a nationally recognized leader in education innovation, is Colorado’s 25th largest school district and serves approximately 7,500 students annually. Nestled in the historic community of Commerce City, Adams 14 strives to ensure academic success for every student by providing highly effective classroom instruction, supplemental enrichment opportunities and parent/family collaboration opportunities. Under Superintendent Dr. Susan Chandler’s leadership, the District is implementing a strategic plan to improve student achievement so that 80 percent of students assessed will be on grade level by 2014, by ensuring that each classroom has a dynamic, standards-based teacher who provides powerful 21st century learning experiences.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5383422915908661255.post-79022897062642815192012-02-28T00:54:00.002-07:002012-02-28T00:54:31.347-07:009NEWS: How Safe 2 Tell helps students report threats<object id="flashObj" width="380" height="322" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=9,0,47,0"><param name="movie" value="http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f9?isVid=1" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="flashVars" value="videoId=1477084476001&playerID=34762914001&playerKey=AQ~~,AAAAB_wnNRk~,WN9MweAQd_tBaI99JKgDAcW3bUx7peWv&domain=embed&dynamicStreaming=true" /><param name="base" value="http://admin.brightcove.com" /><param name="seamlesstabbing" value="false" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="swLiveConnect" value="true" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><embed src="http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f9?isVid=1" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" flashVars="videoId=1477084476001&playerID=34762914001&playerKey=AQ~~,AAAAB_wnNRk~,WN9MweAQd_tBaI99JKgDAcW3bUx7peWv&domain=embed&dynamicStreaming=true" base="http://admin.brightcove.com" name="flashObj" width="380" height="322" seamlesstabbing="false" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowFullScreen="true" swLiveConnect="true" allowScriptAccess="always" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/shockwave/download/index.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash"></embed></object>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5383422915908661255.post-5084957434306964902012-02-17T19:17:00.000-07:002012-02-17T19:17:53.935-07:00Colorado again called to Washington to share education insights<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xIaOxRbBll0/TP6APPYM8mI/AAAAAAAAE8E/mPsO9Q3wwz8/s1600/Colo+Dept+of+Education.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xIaOxRbBll0/TP6APPYM8mI/AAAAAAAAE8E/mPsO9Q3wwz8/s1600/Colo+Dept+of+Education.jpg" /></a><b>State Board Chairman Bob Schaffer testifies to U.S. House Committee on Education</b><br />
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Colorado’s state education officials are becoming a regular feature recently in Washington, D.C., being called to explain the state’s nationally recognized reform system. Now, the State Board of Education’s Chairman Bob Schaffer has been requested to testify in front of the U.S. House Committee on Education and the Workforce on two bill proposals.<br />
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Today, Schaffer gave a Colorado perspective on two bills before the committee for consideration – the Student Success Act (H.R. 3989) and the Encouraging Innovation and Effective Teachers Act (H.R. 3990). In his testimony, Chairman Schaffer talked about Colorado’s value of parental involvement, options for choice for families and the value of having local control for important decisions.<br />
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“These broad strategies enjoy general bipartisan consensus among the seven members of the Colorado State Board of Education,” Schaffer told the committee. “I can assure you that Colorado’s board also shares an ambitious vision for the future of Colorado’s education system.”<br />
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Sharing Colorado’s system for transforming its teacher corps, Schaffer explained Colorado’s new educator evaluation system and how, for the first time, teachers and principals’ evaluations will be tied 50 percent to their students’ academic performance. The other half will be comprised of a combination of objective and subjective observations.<br />
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“For the vast majority of Colorado’s teachers who will thrive under the new system, they will finally begin to be treated like real professionals with compensation, recognition and advancement being directly associated with performance, and most importantly, with useful and constructive feedback on their professional practice and student results,” he said.<br />
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Schaffer encouraged the committee to support more flexibility in how federal education dollars could be used and to resist the urge to use funding as a means to push states in a direction it might not be so inclined to do on its own.<br />
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Schaffer applauded the direction of the two bill proposals before the committee saying they were a big step in the right direction.<br />
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“The combined effect of these bills is to rely on state-designed accountability systems, state-designed academic standards and state-designed assessments,” he said. “The bills would allow us to move forward with teacher assessments predicated upon verifiable success rather than the current federal definition which is predicated upon credentials, tenure and meaningless, expensive certificates from state bureaucracies.”<br />
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Clarifying the need for greater accountability, Schaffer underscored how the two bills and Colorado’s recently obtained waiver from parts of the No Child Left Behind law would not lower expectations for school and student performance.<br />
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“Quite to the contrary, Colorado’s proposal actually holds more schools and districts accountable to higher academic standards, and for more students in historically disadvantaged subgroups than NCLB ever did,” he said. “We are proud of state leadership in pushing accountability even further in a freer, post-NCLB world.”Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5383422915908661255.post-14858731258636492842012-02-11T22:48:00.000-07:002012-02-11T22:48:22.152-07:00Community Representatives Requested for ACHS Principal Interviews<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9WdUwa9HM7c/TE2MX5EINWI/AAAAAAAADKA/bwXYUcYprOc/s1600/D+14+WEB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9WdUwa9HM7c/TE2MX5EINWI/AAAAAAAADKA/bwXYUcYprOc/s1600/D+14+WEB.jpg" /></a>Adams 14 is beginning the interview process for candidates applying to serve as Adams City High School (ACHS) principal. Shelli Robins has served as the interim principal since the beginning of the 2011-12 school year, and the District is now beginning the process to select the permanent principal of ACHS.<br />
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Adams 14 wishes to involve parents or community members in the interview process, as has been done in the past. If you are interested in serving on the interview panel, please email the District at <a href="mailto:hr@adams14.org">hr@adams14.org</a> and answer the following questions:<br />
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Name:<br />
Address:<br />
Phone:<br />
Email:<br />
Are you a parent of a current Adams 14 student?<br />
If so, where does your student attend?<br />
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Replies are due to the District no later than Wednesday, Feb. 15.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5383422915908661255.post-30087194244124585792012-02-11T22:45:00.002-07:002012-02-11T22:45:38.906-07:00Coffee and Conversation with Members of the 27J Board of Education<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kVS7AHjB5w0/TGWFOLF3WkI/AAAAAAAADug/WkZUOam4cXw/s1600/WEBlogo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kVS7AHjB5w0/TGWFOLF3WkI/AAAAAAAADug/WkZUOam4cXw/s1600/WEBlogo.jpg" /></a>Come and share coffee and conversation with the members of the Board of Education. The Board will host two events. Both are from 9-10:30 a.m. The first one will take place on February 25, 2012 at the Todd Creek Fire Station 55. The address is 15801 Havana Street (located at the corner of Hwy 7 and Havana Street). The second conversation will occur on March 17, 2012 at the Great Rock Fire Station 54. The address is 15229 Great Rock Road (located at the corner of Great Rock Road and Bromley Lane). This will be a great opportunity to get information about the school district, and provide input on future goals and plans. Everyone is welcome.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5383422915908661255.post-91312121081666899152012-02-10T00:29:00.000-07:002012-02-10T00:29:25.145-07:00Colorado among first in nation to be granted waivers from NCLBColorado got further affirmation today of its strong education reform system when the White House announced it was among a very select few states to earn waivers from the federal No Child Left Behind law.<br />
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The waiver now gives Colorado the authority to use the state’s accountability system in place of key federal accountability requirements. Colorado’s state accountability system will now meet many of the No Child Left Behind requirements, including the requisite to annually determine school and district progress in meeting performance targets.<br />
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“Clearly Colorado is a noted leader in the nation for making the right changes in our education system to better support student learning,” Colorado’s Education Commissioner Robert Hammond said. “Colorado’s comprehensive state accountability system has gained the U.S. Department of Education’s quality seal of approval and has become a model for other states.” <br />
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The Colorado Department of Education aggressively pursued the waiver and the flexibility it offered when the option was first announced by the U.S. Department of Education in September. State officials see the waiver as a solid support to the state’s education reform system aimed at getting students college- and career-ready upon graduation. For Colorado, an important aspect of the waiver flexibility was around holding schools accountable for student growth, especially with regard to historically disadvantaged subgroups of students such as English language learners, students with disabilities, and students who are not yet proficient.<br />
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In the past, Colorado used two different accountability systems – a state system and a federal system. With the waiver granted, Colorado will now have one, unified accountability system which will better streamline schools’ improvement work and it will be much easier for parents and the public to fully understand.<br />
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“The waiver really supports our state system of continuous improvement and allows schools and districts to focus their energies on one accountability system designed to elevate student achievement,” Hammond added.<br />
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Colorado’s full waiver application is online at www.cde.state.co.us/Accountability/NCLBWaiver.asp.<br />
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The state department of education plans to exercise its waiver flexibility quickly. Work on implementation planning will begin immediately. However, because Colorado’s waiver application was based largely on its existing system, the current state accountability requirements as outlined in Colorado’s Educational Accountability Act will remain in effect, with some small changes.<br />
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Any changes in accountability determinations and sanctions will be in effect for the 2012-13 school year, based on the results of the 2011-12 assessments and the most recent postsecondary and workforce readiness measures. That begins in August 2012 when the federal Adequate Yearly Progress results are no longer calculated and consequences aren’t based on those results. Rather, school accountability will be based on the results of Colorado’s own accountability system.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5383422915908661255.post-53822597400029752472012-02-10T00:18:00.002-07:002012-02-10T00:18:32.995-07:00State Board of Education hears two charter school appeals<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xIaOxRbBll0/TP6APPYM8mI/AAAAAAAAE8E/mPsO9Q3wwz8/s1600/Colo+Dept+of+Education.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xIaOxRbBll0/TP6APPYM8mI/AAAAAAAAE8E/mPsO9Q3wwz8/s1600/Colo+Dept+of+Education.jpg" /></a><b>Board also briefed on progress in licensing backlog</b><br />
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The Colorado State Board of Education met this week for regularly scheduled meetings on Wednesday, Feb. 8 and Thursday, Feb. 9. Highlights from the meeting include:<br />
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Charter School Appeals<br />
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The State Board of Education heard two charter school appeals on Wednesday. The first, an appeal by Northeast Academy Charter School was based on a decision by the Denver Public Schools Board in November to close the charter school’s kindergarten and sixth-grade, based on the school’s inability to meet important performance milestones. The State Board of Education voted that the decision by the local board was not in the best interest of the students and remanded the local board’s decision to impose unilateral conditions back to the local board with written instructions for reconsideration.<br />
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Monarch Montessori of Denver Charter School also filed an appeal of the Denver Public Schools Board of Education’s decision to deny the school’s charter application. The argument of the local school board was that the school did not have the capacity to serve its target population and the school was not financially viable. Monarch’s argument was that the school would ideally serve its target population. The State Board of Education voted in favor of Monarch Montessori, that the decision by the local school board was contrary to the best interests of the pupils and the community and remanded the matter back to the local board with written instructions for reconsideration.<br />
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Educator Licensing<br />
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The Educator Licensing Office at CDE has been working hard to improve the licensing backlog. Staff has reduced the time it takes for an educator to get a license from six months to two-to four-weeks processing time. The office continues to work on its error rate, at 1.6 percent, and hopes with additional upgrades over the next couple months that the system will continue to improve.<br />
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Educator Effectiveness<br />
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The State Board approved the notice of rulemaking for the process by which a nonprobationary teacher may appeal a second consecutive performance rating of ineffective. The State Council for Educator Effectiveness made recommendations for appeals of educator evaluation performance ratings. In order for the state board to approve rules and submit them to the General Assembly for review during the 2012 legislative session, the department recommends the following timeline:<br />
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•February 24 (special session board meeting)—department presents updated draft of rules<br />
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•March 7-8 (regular board meeting)—rules are information item on board agenda<br />
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•March 30 (special session board meeting)—state board holds public hearing<br />
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•April 11-12 (regular board meeting) - SBE votes to adopt rules<br />
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Race to the Top Round Three<br />
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CDE is working with local education agencies to secure participation in the grant. To participate in the Race to the Top program, LEAs must submit a signed Memorandum of Understanding by Feb. 24. Those that chose to participate must then complete a Scope of Work by March 14.CDE is in the process of setting up the office that will manage the grant, to be called Vision 2020. Vision 2020 is a reference to the year 2020, when the students who are in Colorado’s education system now, will graduate. For more information, visit www.cde.state.co.us/index_educator_RTTT3.asp<br />
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Rulemaking Hearing<br />
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The board conducted a rulemaking hearing on the Rules for Student Possession and Administration of Asthma, Allergy and Anaphylaxis Management Medication or Other Prescription Medications. The rules outline the requirements for student possession and administration of prescription medication, should a local school district board of education, including the Charter School Institute choose to adopt and implement a policy for the management of student possession and administration of prescription medication. The board heard public comment and staff will revise the rules before the final board vote in March.<br />
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Departure of Deputy Commissioner Diana Sirko<br />
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Deputy Commissioner Diana Sirko will retire at the end of the fiscal year, through June. Having worked in education in Colorado for 38 years, she’s decided to spend more time with her family, and take some time to enjoy her grandchildren.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5383422915908661255.post-36161401766003745442012-02-09T01:48:00.001-07:002012-02-09T01:50:21.517-07:00THE PROM DRESS EXCHANGE PROVIDES GORGEOUS PROM DRESSES & MENSWEAR TO TEENS FOR JUST A $10 DONATION & STUDENT ID<b>NO TEEN TURNED AWAY FOR LACK OF PAYMENT IN ADVANCE OF THEIR BIG DAY</b><br />
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COMMERCE CITY, COLO. - (FEB. 10, 2012) – You’ve got a date to the big dance - but what about the dress? For many teens, the ritual of prom is the highlight of high school. But it can be expensive. According to promgirl.com, the cost of the big night ranges anywhere from $175 - $2,100. The dress cost is a large percentage of that estimate. A Seventeen magazine poll found that 94 percent of girls planned to spend about $195 on a prom dress. But when you’re on a budget, what’s a girl to do?<br />
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Attend the Prom Dress Exchange on Saturday, March 3, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City . Hosted by local non-profit The Prom Dress Exchange Corp., metro teens can shop for the dress of their dreams from thousands of gently-used items, including a selection of menswear. A valid student ID and $10 donation will provide access to the event, an outfit and free on-site alterations. Those unable to donate won’t be turned away – the goal of the event is to ensure every teen can attend their big day in style.<br />
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“Attending prom can be an expensive proposition in today’s economy,” said Laura Bauer, president of The Prom Dress Exchange Corp. “Thanks to the generosity of donors, we are able to help defray the cost in a small way and really make a teen’s day. For example, last year we were able to help a girl – the day of her prom – find a perfectly fitted gown.”<br />
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WHAT: SECOND ANNUAL PROM DRESS EXCHANGE<br />
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WHEN: Saturday, March 3, 2012<br />
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10 a.m. – 6 p.m.<br />
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WHERE: Dick’s Sporting Goods Park<br />
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6000 Victory Way , Commerce City<br />
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The exchange wouldn’t be possible without the help of sponsors such as Kroenke Sports, LUPEC Denver, Copper Fields Event Chateau of Wheat Ridge, Ocean Cleaners of Commerce City, Adams 12 Five-Star School District’s Prom Shop, and Insit, LLC.<br />
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For more information, visit www.facebook.com/PromDressExchange. Want to donate? The non-profit is always looking for men’s attire and dresses – especially in sizes 14-28. Contact Bauer at promdressexchange@gmail.com or 303-875-4783 to assist.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5383422915908661255.post-45727467723083603992012-02-09T01:47:00.000-07:002012-02-09T01:47:04.399-07:00Colorado continues to rank in top 10 for scores on Advanced Placement Exams<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xIaOxRbBll0/TP6APPYM8mI/AAAAAAAAE8E/mPsO9Q3wwz8/s1600/Colo+Dept+of+Education.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xIaOxRbBll0/TP6APPYM8mI/AAAAAAAAE8E/mPsO9Q3wwz8/s1600/Colo+Dept+of+Education.jpg" /></a>The 8th annual AP Report to the Nation, released today by the College Board, reports that Colorado ranks 8th out of the 50 states and Washington, D.C. for the percentage of the class of 2011 scoring a 3 or higher (qualifying score) on Placement Program (AP) Exams during high school. Further, Colorado has consistently ranked in the top 10 over the last five years.<br />
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Most students at public colleges and universities take five or six years, or even longer, to earn bachelor’s degrees, but research has consistently found that AP students scoring 3 or higher on AP Exams are more likely than other students to be successful in college and graduate on time. This means that being successful in AP can help students and their families reduce the costs of college by helping students complete college on time. <br />
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Colorado Highlights:<br />
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• The total number of 2011 graduates is 47,987, down from 48,329 from 2010.<br />
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• The number of graduates who took an AP exam in high school increased from 16,740 in 2010 to 17,303 in 2011 or 36.1 percent.<br />
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• The number of graduates who scored 3+ on an AP exam in high school also increased from 10,330 in 2010 to 10,692 or 22.3 percent.<br />
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• On College Board’s AP equity and excellence for underserved students measure, Colorado scored at 49.5 percent. Hispanic/Latino students made up 22 percent of the class of 2011 and 10.9 percent of those students were successful AP exam takers scoring at qualifying score of 3 or higher.<br />
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The 8th Annual AP Report to the Nation national report is available at http://apreport.collegeboard.org.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5383422915908661255.post-58843411645764722642012-02-02T20:45:00.002-07:002012-02-02T20:45:08.344-07:00Adams City High School Offers Students Late Bus Run<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9WdUwa9HM7c/TE2MX5EINWI/AAAAAAAADKA/bwXYUcYprOc/s1600/D+14+WEB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9WdUwa9HM7c/TE2MX5EINWI/AAAAAAAADKA/bwXYUcYprOc/s1600/D+14+WEB.jpg" /></a>This week, Adams City High School (ACHS) began offering daily bus transportation for students participating in after school activities, athletics, clubs and tutoring. The District's goal is to enable more students to participate in important after school activities.<br />
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The first bus will leave ACHS at 4:45 p.m., and the second and final bus will leave at 5:30 p.m. Buses will drop off students at the elementary school closest to their house or at their usual bus stop.<br />
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For questions about these daily bus routes, please call the transportation department at 303.853.7909.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5383422915908661255.post-648014023712820692012-02-01T12:19:00.000-07:002012-02-01T12:19:21.346-07:00Commerce City Schools Help Raise $78,000 for Troops<b>ABC Fund Raising Inc and Colorado Elementary Schools Donate $78,000 to American Troops</b><br />
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Denver based ABC Fund Raising Inc, in partnership with 120 local elementary schools, has donated over $78,000 worth of merchandise to the Yellow Ribbon Support Center to help support American forces serving abroad.<br />
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ABC Fund Raising Inc offered parents the opportunity to donate money to the Yellow Ribbon Support Center during the 2011 fall elementary school fund raising season. This was in addition to normal fund raising items such as cookie dough, wrapping paper and chocolates. "The response from Colorado families for the troops was overwhelming. It was the #1 item purchased this fall," says Stu Nickell, owner of ABC Fund Raising Inc.<br />
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The Yellow Ribbon Support Center was founded after SSgt Matt Maupin went missing to keep his face fresh in minds of those most able to find him, his brothers and sisters in arms. Care packages with Matt's picture on them were sent to soldiers in hopes that someone, somewhere, might have information about his whereabouts.<br />
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As the effort grew, the need for some basic necessities for our troops became apparent. While focus never wavered from discovering Matt's fate, the Yellow Ribbon Support Center was soon sending packages to any soldier's unit whose family supplied the center with an address. To date, more than 17,500 packages have been sent to Iraq, Afghanistan and Africa.<br />
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According to Brian Binn, President of Military Affairs for the Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce, there are six military bases in Colorado, five of them Air Force bases. The sole Army base is Fort Carson, also known as the Mountain Post. Between all of them, there are over 62,000 active duty, reservists, and government contractors employed. Colorado Springs is one of the leading retirement locations for all branches of the military. In fact, Colorado is the 6th most popular destination in the world with 48,672 retired military living in the state. "It seems like everyone in Colorado is connected to the military in one way or another," says Patrick Anderson, Manager at ABC. "This is why we think the program did so well."<br />
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In Commerce City, Second Creek Elementary donated $640 and Alsup Elementary donated $340.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5383422915908661255.post-34695627239832389762012-02-01T12:03:00.001-07:002012-02-01T12:03:35.330-07:00Legal Notice<div style="text-align: center;">Foundations Academy</div><div style="text-align: center;">340 S. 45th Avenue</div><div style="text-align: center;">Brighton, CO 80601</div><div style="text-align: center;">303-659-9519 (phone)</div><div style="text-align: center;">303-835-7151 (fax)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">OPEN ENROLLMENT NOTICE</div><div style="text-align: center;">Open enrollment for the 2012-2013 academic school year ends on Wednesday, 2/29/2012 at 5 p.m. Applications are available for K-7 and can be obtained at the school, at www.NHAschools.com or by calling NHA at 866-NHA-ENROLL. Should the number of applications received during open enrollment exceed available seats, a random-selection drawing will be necessary. The drawing, if needed, will be held on Tuesday, 3/6/2012 at 6 p.m. at the school. Applications received after open enrollment will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis for remaining open seats. Waiting lists will be formed accordingly.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Landmark Academy at Reunion</div><div style="text-align: center;">10566 Memphis St</div><div style="text-align: center;">Commerce City, CO 80022</div><div style="text-align: center;">303-287-2901 (phone)</div><div style="text-align: center;">303-287-4196 (fax)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">OPEN ENROLLMENT NOTICE</div><div style="text-align: center;">Open enrollment for the 2012-2013 academic school year ends on Wednesday, 2/29/2012 at 5 p.m. Applications are available for grades K - 8 and can be obtained at the school, at www.NHAschools.com or by calling NHA at 866-NHA-ENROLL. Should the number of applications received during open enrollment exceed available seats, a random-selection drawing will be necessary. The drawing, if needed, will be held on Wednesday, 3/14/2012 at 4 p.m. at the school. Applications received after open enrollment will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis for remaining open seats. Waiting lists will be formed accordingly.</div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">NOTICE OF NONDISCRIMINATORY POLICY AS TO STUDENTS</div><div style="text-align: center;">Foundations Academy and Landmark Academy at Reunion admits students of any race, color, and nationality or ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of intellectual or athletic abilities, measures of achievement or aptitude, disability, status as a handicapped person, homeless status, English proficiency, religion, creed, race, sex, color, or national origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies and athletic or other school-administered programs.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5383422915908661255.post-24688106265519195112012-02-01T00:17:00.000-07:002012-02-01T12:17:42.401-07:00Anythink to Host Tournament for Young Entrepreneurs<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DSp4qVzueI4/TJYaybgk6LI/AAAAAAAAEWM/SiuIbP1pxgw/s1600/anythink.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DSp4qVzueI4/TJYaybgk6LI/AAAAAAAAEWM/SiuIbP1pxgw/s1600/anythink.jpg" /></a><b>Competition Aims to Promote Business Dreams</b><br />
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THORNTON, Colo. –February 1, 2012–Over four Saturdays in March, young business minds will have the chance to learn how to become entrepreneurs in a tournament hosted by the Adams County Workforce & Business Center and the Governor’s Summer Job Hunt Program. The goal of the Young Entrepreneur tournament is to inspire, educate and encourage young adults ages 14-21 in a competitive entrepreneurial environment that prepares them to start and run a successful business.<br />
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The tournament’s workshops will be led by entrepreneur Nick Tart, founder of JuniorBiz, LLC, and facilitated by staff from the Adams County WIA Youth Program. Tart came up with the idea for the competition a few years ago while volunteering at the Larimer County Workforce Center , and received the Governor’s Summer Job Hunt Award for running the inaugural tournament last year in Fort Collins .<br />
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“I wanted to create something that was more designed to get kids to actually start businesses rather than to just get them to think about it,” he says. “In order to make something real, they just need to see a little bit of success. As soon as they get that first $100, it switches something in their brain and it makes them think, ‘This is something that works.’”<br />
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The workshops will be held at Anythink Wright Farms from 9 am to 2 pm on the following dates:<br />
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• Saturday, March 10<br />
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• Saturday, March 17<br />
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• Saturday, March 24<br />
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• Saturday, March 31<br />
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Participants will be selected through a competitive application process. Application forms can be downloaded from adcogov.org or picked up at Anythink locations and the following Adams County Workforce & Business Centers:<br />
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Aurora<br />
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Brighton<br />
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3538 Peoria St., Suite 511<br />
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303-363-9380<br />
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Adams County Government Center<br />
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4430 S. Adams County Pkwy, 1st Floor, Suite W5000<br />
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720-523-6900<br />
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The deadline for submission is March 2. Space is limited; early registration is encouraged.<br />
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About AnythinkTM<br />
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Anythink is a new style of library – a place of unlimited imagination, where play inspires creativity and lifelong learning. Rangeview Library District serves the residents of Adams County with seven Anythink libraries and Anythink in Motion – the district’s mobile library – and is one of the recipients of the 2010 National Medal of Museum and Library Service from the Institute of Museum and Library Services. For more information, go to anythinklibraries.org.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5383422915908661255.post-72339647716504034292012-01-31T13:57:00.002-07:002012-01-31T13:57:18.346-07:00Landmark Academy Hosts Enrollment Information Meeting<b>Parents interested in enrolling their child encouraged to attend</b><br />
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COMMERCE CITY, Colo. (Jan. 31, 2012) – Landmark Academy at Reunion will host an enrollment information meeting for prospective parents on Feb. 7 at 6 p.m. The meeting will be held at the school, located at 10566 Memphis St. in Commerce City.<br />
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Staff members will be on hand to present information about the school. The meeting will include an informal question and answer period with parents.<br />
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Landmark Academy at Reunion features a commitment to hard work, good citizenship and personal responsibility in a safe and secure environment where achievement thrives in preparation for success in high school and college.<br />
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To RSVP for this event, please call (303) 287-2901.<br />
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About Landmark Academy at Reunion<br />
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Founded in 2007, Landmark Academy at Reunion is a public charter school managed by National Heritage Academies and serves more than 600 students in grades K-8. For more information, visit www.landmarkacademy.org.<br />
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About National Heritage Academies<br />
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National Heritage Academies (NHA) partners with community groups to build and operate K-8 tuition-free public charter schools. NHA partners with 71 schools in nine states serving more than 44,000 students. NHA schools are designed to eliminate the achievement gap and provide school choice to families while preparing children for success in high school, college, and beyond. For more information about National Heritage Academies visit www.nhaschools.com.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5383422915908661255.post-65897552383629016602012-01-27T22:15:00.000-07:002012-01-27T22:15:24.215-07:00Statewide K-12 student enrollment continues to grow<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xIaOxRbBll0/TP6APPYM8mI/AAAAAAAAE8E/mPsO9Q3wwz8/s1600/Colo+Dept+of+Education.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xIaOxRbBll0/TP6APPYM8mI/AAAAAAAAE8E/mPsO9Q3wwz8/s1600/Colo+Dept+of+Education.jpg" /></a><b>Online schools statewide also see gains</b><br />
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The Colorado Department of Education announced today the statewide pupil count for the 2011-2012 school year increased by 10,949 over the previous year, bringing the total to 854,265 public school students.<br />
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The change represents an increase of 1.3 percent, the same growth rate as the 2010-2011 school year. In 2008-2009, enrollment surged 2 percent, the largest increase in recent history.<br />
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The largest 15 districts and their current student enrollment are: Jeffco Public Schools (85,751 students), Denver Public Schools (80,890), Douglas County Schools (63,114), Cherry Creek Schools (52,589), Adams 12 Five Star Schools (42,990), Aurora Public Schools (39,969), Boulder Valley School District (29,780), Colorado Springs School District 11 (29,509), St. Vrain Valley School District (28,109), Poudre School District (27,510), Academy School District 20 (23,657), Mesa County Valley School District 51 (21,917), Greeley-Evans School District 6 (19,840), Pueblo City Schools (17,877) and Thompson School District RE-J (15,655). <br />
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These 15 school districts represent 67.8 percent (578,884 students) of the total statewide enrollment.<br />
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On the other end of the size spectrum, 109 of Colorado’s 183 local education agencies have an enrollment of fewer than 1,000 students. These 109 local education agencies enrolled just 4.2 percent of the total number of students in the state in 2011.<br />
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A larger group of 134 local education agencies have an enrollment of fewer than 2,000 students. These 134 agencies enrolled just 8.2 percent of the total number of students in the state in 2011.<br />
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Race and Ethnicity Data<br />
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Among ethnic groups, students identified as two or more races increased by 10.6 percent from 23,565 students in 2010 to 26,073 students in 2011. Students identified as Asian increased by 8.3 percent from 24,493 students in 2010 to 26,522 students in 2011. All other race and ethnicity changes were minor.<br />
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Fast-Growing Districts<br />
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The Charter School Institute saw the largest percentage increase, gaining 2,525 students, representing a 31.64 percent increase from 2010-2011. CSI continues to be a fast-growing agency − 2011 marks the first year the student count has climbed over the 10,000 threshold, with a total student enrollment count of 10,506 students. <br />
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Denver Public Schools had the largest number of student gains by adding 2,573 students − a 3.29 percent increase for their district. Hi-Plains R-23 and Pawnee RE-12 school districts also had significant increases, both a little more than 20 percent as compared to their prior year student enrollment. Hi-Plains had a 20.56 percent increase from 107 to 129 students and Pawnee had a 21.33 percent increase from 75 to 91 students in 2011.<br />
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District Decreases<br />
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The largest decrease in total student population was in Julesburg School District RE-1 with a decrease of 899 students, representing 50.3 percent of the student population from the prior year. The decrease is primarily due to a decline in enrollment at Insight School of Colorado at Julesburg, where enrollment dipped from 1527 students to 628 students. Agate School District 300 had the largest percentage decrease with a loss of 72.7 percent of prior population, from 33 students to 9 in 2011, due to a closure at Agate Junior-Senior High School.<br />
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Online Enrollment Surges<br />
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The 2011-2012 enrollment totals include 16,221 students registered to online educational programs. That total is 1.9 percent of all students.<br />
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The current enrollment reflects a 6.4 percent increase from 2010-2011, when there were 15,249 students in online programs. In 2002-2003, there were just 1,987 students in online programs and, at the time, those students reflected .26 percent of the entire statewide enrollment.<br />
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Streak Continues<br />
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Statewide enrollment has grown every year since 1989, when the state’s total student count stood at 562,755.<br />
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For access to the complete 2011-2012 school year student count information, click “2011 Pupil Membership” on http://www.cde.state.co.us/index_stats.htm.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5383422915908661255.post-70298817963363052792012-01-27T22:13:00.002-07:002012-01-27T22:13:19.564-07:00Local Teacher Receives Outstanding Reading Teacher AwardCOMMERCE CITY, Colo. (Jan. 27, 2012) – The Colorado Council International Reading Association (CCIRA) recently selected Sarah Iversen, 4th grade teacher at Landmark Academy at Reunion in Commerce City, as the winner of the Past Presidents’ Memorial Award for Outstanding Reading Teacher. CCIRA annually presents the award to a teacher who has achieved a significant and successful reading program in his/her first five years of teaching.<br />
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“It is obvious Sarah has a passion for teaching reading,” said Suzanne Schwartz, academic dean at Landmark Academy. “For a teacher who is new to her craft, she has a good knowledge base of reading strategies and understanding of the need to differentiate her instruction to meet the needs of her students.”<br />
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Not only does Iversen have a passion for reading, she is transforming the way Landmark Academy teaches the subject. In just three years, Iversen built her program by combining other teaching models that have a proven track record for success. Now, she is helping to implement the program in all 4th grade classrooms at Landmark Academy.<br />
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“Because of Sarah’s determination to learn more, energy to make changes, and willingness to share, we are able to better educate more children in reading and instill skills that will last them a lifetime,” said Christina Ziccardi, 4th grade teacher at Landmark Academy.<br />
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“Sarah makes kids who hate reading love to read. This is one of the hardest things to do as a teacher and she’s been successful year after year,” she added.<br />
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Iversen will be presented with the award at the CCIRA annual conference in February.<br />
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About Landmark Academy at Reunion<br />
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Founded in 2007, Landmark Academy at Reunion is a public charter school managed by National Heritage Academies and serves more than 600 students in grades K-8. For more information, visit www.landmarkacademy.org.<br />
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About National Heritage Academies<br />
<br />
National Heritage Academies (NHA) partners with community groups to build and operate K-8 tuition-free public charter schools. NHA partners with 71 schools in nine states serving more than 44,000 students. NHA schools are designed to eliminate the achievement gap and provide school choice to families while preparing children for success in high school, college, and beyond. For more information about National Heritage Academies visit www.nhaschools.com.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com