Spring EditionJoin the conversation, � nd us on social media!

MOUNTAIN RANGE STUDENTS HEAD TO THE CAPITOLTwo seniors compete in moot court competition

March 2015 Adams12.org

Mrs. Laura Birdsill assists students in Ms. Rydzy’s third-grade class at McElwain Elementary. After undergoing a lengthy and rigorous qualification process, McElwain Elementary and Coronado Hills Elementary earned full authorization from the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO) to offer the IB Primary Years Programme. Thornton Elementary will learn the results of its February authorization visit within a few months. Leroy Elementary received IB PYP accreditation in 2013. As part of schools’ accreditation, students have the opportunity to participate in a curriculum that’s focused on inquiry-based learning and an international perspective to create a relevant, engaging, challenging and significant educational framework.■

Adams 12 Five Star Schools is launching a new way for parents and community members to increase their knowledge of school district and state education a� airs.

� e Five Star Leadership Academy will begin in September 2015 and participants will obtain a foundation in district operations and governance, and become more e� ective participants in school district a� airs. � e leadership academy will be held once a month September through May and each session will be about two hours.

Participants will learn about state and district funding, enrollment projections and planning, the district’s approach to learning, safety, gi� ed and talented and special education programs, and much more.

A� er participating in the leadership academy, graduates will have made long-lasting connections with other committed parents and community members, and they’ll be empowered with information to help support them as partners in education and to take on leadership roles within the district. Additional information and an application form for the � rst leadership academy class will be available in April and will be announced through email, and on the district’s website and Facebook page.■

New opportunity for parents and community members to engage in public educationFive Star Leadership Academy set to begin in September 2015, applications available in April

VOL. 14 | NO. 3

An Adams 12 Five Star Schools Publication

B O L L M A N T E C H N I C A L E D U C AT I O N C E N T E R S T U D E N TS R E N O VAT E C I T Y O F T H O R N TO N B U I L D I N G | PAGE 6

Growing problem with aging buildings plagues districtBoard explores band-aid solution to address most critical needs at existing schools

As of July 2014, Adams 12 Five Start Schools had $90.7 million in deferred maintenance needs, or maintenance that should be performed but has been postponed due to funding challenges as a result of the Great Recession and no new bond dollars since 2004. � at � gure continues to grow as buildings age and maintenance issues are not addressed due to a shortfall of funds.

A $220 million bond failed to pass in November 2014 that would have addressed many of the critical needs. As a result, the district is moving forward with the use of a $27 million Certi� cate of Participation (COP) to address some of the district’s serious critical failing needs that have the greatest potential to interrupt classes and/or pose a safety risk to students and sta� .

Some of the critical needs include roofs that are beginning to fail or are at the end of their useful lives, failing sewer lines, structural de� ciencies, HVAC systems not performing properly, aging water mains, deteriorating � re protection systems and moisture intrusion.

About 13 percent of the district’s most critical maintenance needs are at STEM Lab in the school’s aging west wing. � e school has canceled classes two days within the last year due to water-main breaks.

COPs are tax-exempt government securities used to raise funds to improve and construct buildings or purchase equipment. COPs help � nance capital costs related to construction or acquisition and may not be used to � nance ongoing operating costs.

District takes proactive approach to immunization compliance

McElwain and Coronado Hills earn IB authorization

Goal is 95 percent or greater immunization compliance by end of October each year

� e recent measles outbreak has brought the topic of immunization into the spotlight across the country. Fortunately, immunization conversations are not new to Adams 12 Five Star Schools and the district has had a strategic plan in place the past several years to increase immunization compliance at all schools.

Julie McRae, the district’s health services coordinator, said the district’s goal is to have 95 percent, or better, immunization compliance by the end of October each year.

Immunization compliance means there is a Certi� cate of Immunization on � le at the school listing all required vaccinations for a student. Students also are considered compliant if the appropriate vaccination exemption

form is signed by a parent or guardian and in the student � le.

While vaccination and exemption rates vary by school, the Five Star District has the lowest noncompliance rate (1.4 percent) in the metro area and just 3 percent of district students have exemptions, according to data compiled and published by the Denver Post in February.

Our compliance rates are high and our exemptions rates low due to the e� orts of our school health aides, district nurses and our health services coordinator over the past several years. � eir strategy includes: • Collecting an immunization

inventory of students at the beginning of the school year and cross-referencing our data with the Colorado Immunization Inventory System (CIIS).

STUDENTS HEAD TO

PAGE 7

KEEP YOUR CHILD SAFE IN DIGITAL WORLD

PAGE 8

Get Internet and cell phone safety tips

SEE COP | PAGE 3

SEE IMMUNIZATION | PAGE 5

A deteriorating structural beam at Centennial Elementary. The Five Star District faces mounting critical maintenance issues that must be addressed.

By Mark Clark, PresidentAdams 12 Five Star Schools Board of Education

PAGE 2 | March 2015

Board calls upon Legislature to reduce time spent on state assessmentsResolution outlines board’s position on the future of state testing

�e Adams 12 Five Star Schools Board of Education unanimously passed a resolution calling for a reduction in the amount of time spent on state testing at its Feb. 18 regular meeting.

�e board recognizes the value of state assessments. We rely on results from these state assessments to make sure our students are making yearly progress to be college and career ready upon graduation. �ese tests also allow our schools and district to see how they are doing in meeting the needs of students as compared to other schools and districts.

Having said that, the board believes we can still achieve this end without overburdening our sta� and students with lengthy assessments.

I would like to highlight a few of the board’s top priorities in terms of how we would like the Legislature to address state testing.

Given the many high-stakes tests already completed by high school juniors and seniors, including Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, and ACT/SAT exams, the board believes the value of administering state assessments in language arts, math, social studies and science in those grades is outweighed by the burden of those assessments. As a board we urge lawmakers to remove testing requirements in these grades and content areas.

We’re encouraged that the recommendations of the Colorado Standards and Assessments Task Force, established by the General Assembly in 2014 (HB 14-1202), include eliminating state-mandated tests in 11th and 12th grade.

�e board also urges state policy-makers to demand that PARCC, or any other assessment-creator engaged by the state in future years, develop a single end-of-year assessment that measures student learning rather than the separate performance-based and summative assessments mandated in the current system. �e revised assessment system should emphasize, to the extent possible, measurement of critical thinking, problem-solving, and practical application of knowledge in each content area.

Finally, we need to reduce the total testing time completed by students in language arts, math and science from the current level, which ranges from approximately 10-15 hours per year depending on a student’s grade level, to no more than 4-5 hours.

�e board of education commends the students and sta� of Adams 12 Five Star Schools for their hard work in preparing for the Colorado Measures of Academic Success (CMAS) assessments this spring. We’re hopeful that the results of these assessments will re�ect continued growth in student achievement.

As a board, we will continue to work with state and federal policy-makers to �nd a more appropriate balance in the amount of student assessments administered in the 2015-2016 school year and beyond.

Should you ever want to contact the board of education, please visit our website at www.adams12.org/board_of_education/contact_us. ■

CMAS spring assessment begins in MarchAssessments re�ect rigor of new state standards, measure annual academic progress

Monitoring student learning through a variety of assessments is essential to ensuring your student’s success. �roughout the course of the school year, our teachers closely monitor what our students are learning and where they need additional support or enrichment opportunities. �is is done through observation, asking questions and classroom assessments. Teachers make meaningful adjustments to instruction based on the knowledge that comes from these in-classroom, formative assessments.

Similarly, we rely on results from state assessments to make sure our students are making yearly progress to be college and career ready upon graduation. �is annual data comes to us through the Colorado Measures of Academic Success (CMAS). �is information allows each of us – students, parents and teachers – to see the progress kids are making over time. It also allows our schools to see how they are doing in meeting the needs of our students, especially as compared to other schools. Finally, these assessment results help us monitor our district’s ability to raise the bar for all students and close the achievement gap for groups of students who have historically underperformed their peers.

While we acknowledge the bene�ts of the CMAS results above, we also want to acknowledge the concerns among our community and our board of education in relation to the amount of time spent on CMAS. In the interest of advocating for local �exibility with assessments, less time taking assessments and more timely results from those assessments, our board of education recently adopted a resolution which communicates these interests and concerns to the state legislature.

�e board’s resolution commends sta� and students throughout the district for their hard work in preparing for CMAS. We are committed to providing a successful CMAS experience for your child. Please refer to the calendar for the assessment window at your particular school. CMAS is aligned to the new Colorado Academic Standards that re�ect the rigor necessary for students to be college and career ready upon graduation. �roughout the course of the year, our teachers have used the standards as the goal posts. �rough e�ective instruction, our teachers have been moving students down the �eld toward mastery of these standards.

�roughout the CMAS window, we want to support student success and create an environment where students can demonstrate their knowledge, skills and abilities. We all play a role in supporting that success. Here are a few ways you can help your student(s):• Have your child get a good night’s rest and eat a healthy

breakfast each morning.• As always, encourage your child to do his/her best.• Schedule outside-of-school appointments for another time.• Remind your child to carefully listen to and follow instructions.• Encourage your child to answer all of the questions and use all

of the time allotted.• Relax and take a few deep breaths before the test begins.• Most importantly, remind them that this is an opportunity for

them to showcase what they’ve learned and how they’ve grown over the year.

�ank you for your continued support of our schools. Our students experience success because of the meaningful partnership that exists between students, parents, sta� and the community. ■

Note: �is information was originally emailed to Five Star families in February 2015.

By Chris Gdowski, SuperintendentAdams 12 Five Star Schools

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720.972.4005

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Connecting you to your Five Star Schools

March 2015 | Published Quarterly

PAGE 2 | March 2015 March 2015 | PAGE 3

COP: District weighs critical maintenance optionFROM PAGE 1

Adams 12 Five Star Schools’ graduation rate outpaces stateHorizon and Legacy High Schools’ graduation rate continues to exceed 90 percent

�e four-year, on-time graduation rate for Adams 12 Five Star Schools’ Class of 2014 was 77.8 percent (this �gure does not include district charter schools). �e district’s graduation rate exceeds the state average of 77.3 percent as reported by the Colorado Department of Education.

�e 2014 graduation rate increased at four out of �ve of the district’s traditional high schools: Horizon, Legacy, Mountain Range and Northglenn High Schools.

Horizon High School had the highest graduation rate of 93.6 percent. Mountain Range High School saw the greatest gain out of the district’s �ve traditional high schools. �e school’s 88.2 percent graduation rate increased 2.5 percent from the previous year.

“Our work to improve the graduation rate is ongoing, and I’m encouraged by

the impact our alternative schools are having on helping more students earn their diploma,” said Superintendent Chris Gdowski.

Vantage Point High School and Pathways, the district’s alternative schools, help students in the Five Star District graduate by providing additional learning options such as credit recovery programs, online and classroom blended-learning courses, night classes and a variety of curricula to support the individual needs of students.

�e alternative schools are also helping to lower the district’s dropout rate. In 2014 the dropout rate was 2.2 percent, compared to 2.3 percent in 2013 and 2.7 percent in 2010.

“Improving the graduation rate is important and we continue to graduate more students on time,” Gdowski said. “More importantly, we continue to graduate students on time while increasing achievement. �is is evident by our composite ACT and AP course outcomes.”

�e Five Star District’s 2014 composite score for the ACT was 19.5 compared to 18.6 in 2006.

�e district has increased access to Advanced Placement (AP) courses while simultaneously increasing achievement on the AP exams, which earned the district

one of 547 spots across the United States and Canada on the 5th Annual AP District Honor Roll.

�e 2014 graduation rate for all of the Adams 12 Five Star Schools’ traditional, non-charter schools are as follows: Horizon High School’s graduation rate was 93.6 percent, Legacy High School’s was 92.0 percent, Mountain Range High School’s was 88.2 percent, Northglenn High School’s was 80.2 percent and �ornton High School’s was 77.3 percent. ■

Vantage Point High SchoolThursday, May 14 at 11 a.m. Colorado Heights

Mountain Range High SchoolMonday, May 18 at 7 p.m.CU Events Center

Horizon High SchoolTuesday, May 19 at 2 p.m. CU Events Center

Thornton High SchoolTuesday, May 19 at 7 p.m. CU Events Center

Legacy High SchoolWednesday, May 20 at 2 p.m.CU Events Center

Northglenn High SchoolWednesday, May 20 at 7 p.m.CU Events Center

PathwaysThursday, May 21 at 6 p.m.Legacy High School auditorium

Here’s a listing of graduation ceremonies in the Five Star District.

Class of 2015

COPs do not require voter approval. Under a COP arrangement, the district leverages the asset (typically a building) to be constructed or acquired and leases the asset from an investor or group of investors. �e investor, or investors, receives a return based upon the lease revenues and the district assumes complete ownership of the asset at the end of the lease payment schedule. �e district has utilized COPs in the past to �nance the aquatic center, building renovations and

the transportation facility.Last month, the Strong Schools, Strong

Communities Panel made up of parents, sta� and community members, reconvened to weigh in on the use of a COP. Panelists were asked if they support the use of a COP to address critical maintenance needs and what trade-o�s should be taken into consideration.

�e interest rate for the COP will be slightly higher (one-quarter to one-half percent) than that of a General Obligation bond and the principal and interest payment would be paid through the district’s operating budget over 20 years.

“I would support a COP if we make sure we’re addressing safety, compliance issues and protecting the things taxpayers have invested in,” said Adams 12 Five Star Schools parent and panel member Je� Jasica.

Teacher Ian Simpson said a COP is becoming one of our few remaining options to address the district’s critical maintenance needs.

Some panel members expressed reservations about using a COP. Community member Josh Bastian feels deferred maintenance issues should be addressed on a year-by-year basis through the operating budget rather than incurring more debt that would burden the district for many years to come.

At its March 4 meeting, the board of education took the Strong Schools, Strong Communities Panel’s recommendation into consideration and authorized the use of a COP to address critical maintenance needs.

�e district’s �nancial advisor and bond company will prepare the necessary documents to place the COP in the market for sale. �e district facilities team will begin to secure bids to complete the work to be paid for from the proceeds of the COP beginning this coming summer

Even with the use of a $27 million COP, the district has more than $63 million in deferred maintenance that needs to be addressed, and that �gure continues to grow. �e COP also does not address the district’s school capacity issues. ■

A corroding beam in Rocky Mountain Elementary’s crawl space is just one example of critical maintenance needs the district must �nd ways to address with limited available funds.

Even with the use of a $27 million COP, the district has more than $63 million in deferred maintenance that needs to be addressed,

and that �gure continues to grow.

“Improving the graduation rate is important and we continue to graduate more students on time,” Gdowski said. “More importantly, we continue to

graduate students on time while increasing achievement. This is evident by our composite ACT and AP course outcomes.”

PAGE 4 | March 2015 March 2015 | PAGE 5

• Sending a letter to parents/guardians of children who are identi� ed as being out of compliance. If needed, a follow-up letter is sent and personal calls are made to families of students who are still out of compliance to see how we can help.

• Connecting our families to immunization resources and to our Family Outreach Program if there’s a need for � nancial or medical coverage assistance.

“It’s an ongoing process and we review our compliance data throughout the school year and proactively reach out to families with children who are not up-to-date on their vaccinations,” McRae said.

Having a high vaccination compliance rate and low exemption rate is important because when a signi� cant portion of a school community is immunized it makes it more di� cult for contagious diseases, such as whooping cough or measles, to spread because there are fewer susceptible students le� to infect. � is is o� en referred to as “herd immunity.” Herd immunity also provides a measure of protection for individuals who cannot have vaccinations due to allergies to components of a vaccine or those who have autoimmune diseases.

� e district’s proactive and personal approach has contributed to its immunization compliance success. It sets the district apart from our neighboring districts and, most importantly, it helps protect the health and well-being of school communities.

Immunization: Compliance an ongoing processFROM PAGE 1

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Vaccination ResourcesTri-County Health Department’s Walk-in Clinics are held each Tuesday from 8:30 to 10 a.m. (or until capacity reached) at Tri-County Health Department’s Northglenn o� ce at 10190 Bannock St. in Northglenn. For additional information, please call 303-451-0123.

Rocky Mountain Youth Clinic’s Ronald McDonald Care Mobile visits Federal Heights Elementary on Mondays. Every district student and students’ siblings can receive low cost vaccinations, as well as other healthcare services, at the mobile care unit. Call 720-837-4761 to make an appointment. ■

NEW RULE FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS – Starting with the 2015-2016 school year, all high school students are required to have two doses of the Varicella vaccine. Varicella vaccine protects against Chickenpox.

MIDDLE SCHOOL BOOSTER REMINDER – All sixth-graders are required to have a Tdap vaccine to start middle school. Tdap includes protection against Pertussis, also know as Whooping Cough. There have been a number of Whooping Cough outbreaks in recent years. Whooping Cough is a highly contagious disease that can be deadly for babies and young children.

For more information about vaccination requirements, visit www.adams12.org/health-services/immunizations.

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PAGE 6 | March 2015

Bollman Technical Education Center students renovate City of � ornton buildingWorking classroom a blueprint for authentic, hands-on learning

A group of 60 students representing all � ve traditional high schools in the district are transforming a vacant building on Dorothy Blvd. in � ornton into o� ces for the � ornton Arts and Culture Center.

� ree classes of 10th through 12th-grade Bollman Technical Education Center (BTEC) construction technology students have spent about 21 hours each week over the past two months renovating the building under the direction of BTEC construction and technology teacher Aaron Cooper, as well as licensed contractors and building inspectors.

City of � ornton Parks and Golf Manager Andy Jennings said the city approached BTEC to renovate the building because they thought it would be an excellent opportunity for the students and an interesting project for them to work on.

� e building sits on the property of a former church that was acquired by the city and now used as the � ornton Arts and Culture Center.

“We’ve turned the building into a classroom,” Cooper said. “� e students are doing most of the renovation work themselves and it’s been an incredible opportunity for them to work on a real-life project.”

Students are framing walls and doors, installing ceiling joists, insulating walls, installing drywall, mudding, taping and painting.

From simply seeking experience to tackling home improvement projects to planning to pursue a degree in construction management, the BTEC construction technology students are gaining hands-on experience and life-long skills that will help them achieve their personal and post-graduation goals.

� ornton High School 11th-grader Adrian Kois hopes to use his experience to study construction management in college and to one day become a general contractor.

Kairi Guimalan, a 10th-grader at Mountain Range High School says she’ll use the skills she’s learning to � x things on her own at home.

� e hands-on experience is what Holden Banks, an 11th-grader at Mountain Range High School, has liked the most about his experience. He said he has learned to read blueprints and the basics of electrical wiring.

“I’ve been impressed by the students’ willingness to learn and take on new challenges throughout this project,” Cooper said. “� ey’ve learned residential construction skills, and gained a lot of leadership and teamwork skills too.”

By the end of this school year renovation of the � rst � oor of the building will be complete. During the 2015-2016 school year the next class of BTEC Construction students will � nish the lower level of the building. ■

Legacy High School 11th-grader Victoria Medina (left), 12th-grader Max Arjona (below) and Mountain Range High School 10th-grader Teara Ben-Joseph (right) secure drywall in the Dorothy Blvd. building. Bollman Technical Education Center (BTEC) construction technology students are renovating the building in partnership with the City of Thornton.

“I’ve been impressed by the students’ willingness to learn

and take on new challenges throughout this project,” said

Aaron Cooper, BTEC construction and technology teacher.

“They’ve learned residential construction skills, and gained a

lot of leadership and teamwork skills too.”

PAGE 6 | March 2015 March 2015 | PAGE 7

Mountain Range students head to D.C. for national competitionTwo 12th-graders to represent Colorado at National Marshall-Brennan Moot Court Competition

Don’t get in an argument with the criminal justice students at Mountain Range High School. � e odds aren’t in your favor.

� at’s because two students took top honors at the Colorado Marshall-Brennan Moot Court Competition and will put forward their best arguments at the National Marshall-Brennan Moot Court Competition in Washington, D.C., March 27 to 29.

� e students competed with about 75 students from across the Denver metro area. Each competitor delivered oral arguments to panels of volunteer judges and lawyers. � e arguments involved whether or not a search of a student’s cell phone by a school resource o� cer would have been allowed.

In their � rst year at the competition, senior Nicole Siebels took � rst place and senior Krista Essmaker placed sixth.

“I was absolutely shocked; it was a shock but it felt really good,” Siebels said.

� rough their criminal justice class at Mountain Range, students take part in public speaking experiences, including other moot courts and mock trials. In this moot court competition, the students worked with two college students from the University of Colorado Law School each week who helped them hone their arguments for mock Supreme Court cases made to a panel of volunteer judges.

Mountain Range criminal justice class teacher Mandy Byrd says there’s no great way to prepare for a moot court other than knowing the case inside and out.

“Much of the competition is about being able to improvise and think on your feet,” Byrd said. “I think that it adds this level of critical thinking that’s completely authentic.”

Although neither Siebels nor Essmaker plan to become attorneys, Byrd says the skills they’ve learned will help them no matter what career they enter.

“I think it de� nitely is going to give them skills that work in other points of life—particularly to be able to make a claim and understand how to support it,” Byrd said.

Essmaker plans to get her degree in criminal justice and then start a career as a conservation o� cer, enforcing laws related to natural resources, recreation and the environment. Participating in moot court solidi� ed that this is the path she wants to pursue a� er high school.

“Being able to do this brought up my con� dence and made me realize how far I can actually go,” Essmaker said. Siebels plans to study veterinary medicine and marine

biology. She believes having the skills she’s learned through her moot court experience will allow her to make connections with new people and will enable her to excel and pursue her passions with tenacity.

“I can make my school, my teachers, my family and even myself proud just by going [to the national competition],” Siebels said. “I will do my best for them and for myself.”■

Mountain Range High School 12th-grader Nicole Siebels delivers oral arguments to a panel of volunteer judges and lawyers during the Colorado Marshall-Brennan Moot Court Competition at the University of Colorado Law School. Siebels earned � rst place and will compete in the national competition later this month, along with fellow 12th-grader Krista Essmaker who earned sixth place.

“Much of the competition is about being able to

improvise and think on your feet,” said Mountain Range

High School criminal justice class teacher Mandy Byrd.

Bollman Technical Education Center students renovate City of � ornton building

PAGE 8 | March 2015

Technology is here to stay and more children are using technology on a daily basis for learning and for fun. In our increasingly high-tech world, there are some fundamental strategies you can use to protect children.

� e Child Sex O� ender Internet Investigations Unit (Cheezo Unit), a non-pro� t organization based out of the First Judicial District Attorney’s O� ce and under the supervision of Je� erson County District Attorney Peter A. Weir, has compiled some helpful safety tips for parents.

Educate yourself, then your childBanning a child from certain sites may only motivate them to spend more time on them. � ey can go elsewhere to go online where

you then have no control. Talk to your child about how to be safe in life and online. Talk with your child about the dangers of posting personal information. Talk about how people who are online may not actually be who they say they are. � is same rule applies to cell phones.

Teach children the obvious rulesTell your children not to put their photos on the Internet or to give out their names, addresses, phone numbers, schools, or other personal information. Once a picture is on the Internet there is no way to know where that picture has gone. � ere is no way to get it back. Pictures can be manipulated. Pictures can be saved by sex o� enders.

Install an Internet � lter or family safety so� wareSo� ware is an e� ective way to � lter dangerous content. � is so� ware usually comes with tools like time management, remote monitoring and reporting, and keystroke recognition. Check with your Internet Service Provider (ISP). Some ISPs have � lters you can purchase or they may provide � lters for free. Visit a local electronics or computer store to examine and purchase a � ltering so� ware program or research and order a � ltering so� ware package online. Choose one that is best for your family. � ere are safety features available for cell phones as well, such as MyMobileWatchDog.com

Know the dangers associated with sites your children frequentWhether it is MySpace, Facebook, Runescape or anyplace, talking to your child about the dangers associated with any social networking site is important. Communication is the most important thing you can do. You may control your child’s environment at home, but when they are away from home someone else might not have your same rules and concerns. Communicating and helping your child understand the dangers online is our most important message.

Talk with your children about encountering pornographyTeach your child that if they encounter pornography to quickly turn the power o� and get an adult. � is can prevent a child from attempting to stop the situation by clicking more buttons and thereby spreading the attack and being exposed to more pornography. Talk with your child about the dangers of pornography and how it can become an addiction. Many teenagers are now becoming addicted and obsessed with the viewing of pornography. � e addiction to pornography can become just as dangerous as an addiction to drugs. Addiction to pornography can lead to boundary issues and worse.

Manage your child’s time on the Internet/cell phones Scheduling times when a child can be on the Internet and the amount they can be online ensures that you know when they are on the Internet and for how long. When you set guidelines or limits on their Internet usage you reduce their chances of being exposed to inappropriate content. Many children use their phone to text message late into the night. Consider having your child check-in their phone at a certain time at night.

Set Internet guidelines and enforce consequences if they are not followedProviding guidelines will ensure they know where they stand when it comes to how they use the Internet as well as the consequences when they break the rules. If you enforce consequences consistently, children will be more likely to follow the rules.

Keep computers out of children’s bedroomsIf you place the computer in a more open room, one that is commonly used by the entire family, children will be less inclined to view and access material that may not be acceptable.

Create a relationship with your child that fosters trust and open communicationOpen communication and trust is the key. Many times parents overreact. If your child comes to you about pornography on the computer or about being approached by a stranger, they should be applauded. Many parents immediately react out of fear and love. � ey tell their child they cannot go to that speci� c site or prohibit Internet usage altogether. � at defeats all trust and closes the door to communication.

If you don’t understand the Internet, a website or a game site ask your child to show youWho likes to show o� their skills and knowledge about the Internet to adults? Our children. You also are accomplishing other things when you ask for your child’s help. You are spending valuable one-on-one time with them as well as communicating with your child and learning where they go and what they do online.

Compromise – Communicate Teenagers are attracted to MySpace and similar sites. Many parents do not allow their children to be on these sites. Keep in mind if a child is determined to be on a site, they will � nd a way. � ey can access these sites from friends’ homes and other places. Parents should keep in mind that some teenagers have two di� erent accounts. � ey have one for mom and dad, and they have one for their friends. In Internet safety classes with teenagers, we warn them that if they can’t show mom and dad their account then they are probably putting themselves in harm’s way. We suggest that children set their account settings to private and limit who can access those accounts. Be careful with the personal information contained on the account. If you are communicating with someone online that you don’t know in person, they could be anyone. In these situations, do not give out any personal information.

Video games – Game sitesMany children and teenagers frequent popular game sites online, such as Club Penguins and Runescape, just to mention a couple. � ey are fun and very attractive to kids. Many of these game sites let you communicate with others who are also playing in these areas. Tell children and teenagers that if they choose to communicate with others, talk only about the game. If someone asks how old you are, your name, where you live or any other personal information that has nothing to do with the game.

For more tips to keep your children safe while using technology, visit Cheezo.org.

Source: Printed with permission from the First Judicial District Attorney O� ce’s Cheezo Unit.

Keeping kids safe in a high-tech worldLearn Internet and cell phone safety tips for parents

Learn more about keeping children safe in a high-tech world at the District School Improvement Team’s (DSIT) April meeting with nationally recognized experts Mike and Cassandra Harris, investigators in the Internet Crimes Against Children unit with the Je� erson County District Attorney’s O� ce. The Cheezo Educational

Program presentation is Thursday , April 23, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the Educational Support Center, 1500 E. 128th Ave. in Thornton.

PAGE 8 | March 2015 March 2015 | PAGE 9

Legislature contemplates testing and education fundingMultiple bills call for changes to academic standards, testing

� e Legislature is in full swing and a number of bills have been introduced that deal with standards and assessments. � e House and Senate Education members will be faced with several dueling testing bills. Many of the stakeholders and school districts from around

the state are awaiting a bill that includes the recommendations of the HB 1202 Standards and Assessments Task Force. � e following is a summary of the bills that have been introduced.

• Bills Seeking to Repeal Assessments and Standards: Several bills havebeen introduced in the House and Senate to roll back the Colorado Academic Standards as well as to repeal the state’s participation in PARCC assessments. � ose bills include HB 1105 Revising CO Ed Accountability Measures, and HB 1125 CO State Academic Standards & Flexible Assessments which would require the State Board of Education to review and revise the standards every � ve years and would repeal the mandate that Colorado participate in PARCC. HB 1208 Repeal of Common Core Education Standards would repeal Colorado Academic Standards in math and English, and require new ones to be developed.

• Bills Seeking to Reduce Testing to Federal Minimum: � ree other bills have been introduced to reduce state assessments to the federal minimum. HB 1123 would allow local districts to pass a resolution to administer statewide assessments only to the extent required by federal law. SB 073 would restrict statewide tests to the federal requirements and SB 056 Frequency of Statewide Social Studies Testing seeks to roll back the state’s social studies assessment.

� e Colorado Standards and Assessments Task Force was established by the General Assembly in 2014 (HB 14-1202) and was charged with studying the implications of Colorado’s state and local assessment system for school districts. � eir recommendations were presented to the Joint House and Senate Education Committees in January and will inform policy decisions regarding state assessments. � e gist of their recommendations centered on the Colorado Measures of Academic Success and seek to get down to the federal minimums for testing including eliminating state-mandated tests in 11th and 12th grade. A bill that includes these recommendations is forthcoming and will likely be a bipartisan bill.

Aside from the testing and standards conversation, the Joint Budget Committee will be presented with an updated revenue forecast on March 18. � is forecast will inform the budget committee’s work on the state budget bill and School Finance Act. Additionally, the budget committee will � gure set the budget for the Department of Education on March 10 and at that time, will determine an appropriate � gure for the School Finance Act which is the annual spending bill that funds public schools across the State of Colorado. ■

Adams 12 Five Star Schools is looking for qualified people to translate and interpret as part-time independent contractors for the district.

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Colorado Preschool Program available to qualifying children

Adams 12 Five Star Schools o� ers preschool to a limited number of Colorado Preschool Program (CPP) qualifying children. � e program is funded by the State of Colorado and eligible children will attend at no cost to the family. Classes are four days per week for 2 hours and 55 minutes per day.

Some eligibility requirements for the program include:• � e child and parent/guardian must reside within the Five Star District

boundaries. • � e child must be 4 years old on or before Oct. 1, 2015.• � e child must go through a screening process.• � e child must meet the state’s criteria for eligibility.• All students must have an up-to-date immunization record, physical and

an o� cial birth certi� cate.• � e parent/guardian must be responsible for transportation to and from

the program.For more information about the program, call 720-972-8761.

Five Star District named to the College Board’s 5th Annual AP District Honor Roll

Adams 12 Five Star Schools is one of 547 school districts in the United States and Canada to earn a place on the 5th Annual AP District Honor Roll for increasing access to AP course work while simultaneously maintaining or increasing the percentage of students earning scores of 3 or higher on AP Exams.

Children’s Hospital Colorado and Five Star District o� er free Comprehensive Athletic Physicals

Registration begins Wednesday, April 15

Children’s Hospital Colorado is o� ering free Comprehensive Athletic Physicals (CAPS) to all Adams 12 Five Star Schools students. Students who register for the physical have the opportunity to receive a general medical exam, an e� cient orthopedic assessment and a thorough cardiovascular evaluation free of charge.� e exams will be held on Saturday, May 16, from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. at � ornton High School, 9351 N. Washington St.

Students must register by contacting their respective athletic trainer:

Kristi Castellaw Northglenn High School 720-972-4649

Kate Brooks-Bennett Legacy High School 720-972-6801

Matt Brewer Horizon High School 720-972-4507

Ruth Hart � ornton High School 720-972-2804

Jenny Van Meter Mountain Range High School 720-972-6431

Students should wear athletic attire (shorts, t-shirts, sports bras, etc.) for the physical.

Malley Drive Elementary celebrates 50 years

Saturday, April 25, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Malley Drive Elementary’s 50th anniversary community celebration is 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 25, at the school, 1300 Malley Dr. in Northglenn.

Past and present students, families and sta� are invited to attend the celebration to reconnect, reminisce and reunite with friends, old and new. For more information visit www.malley.adams12.org.

Upcoming District Calendar Dates

March 23 – 27 Spring Break – all schools closedApril 10 No school for K-8 studentsMay 1 Elementary assessment day May 8 Elementary work day - no school for K-5May 25 Memorial Day – all schools closedMay 27 Last day for students

Calendar dates may not apply to district charter schools, so please check each school’s calendar for school-speci� c information.

Visit www.adams12.org/calendars for more detailed dates.

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PAGE 10 | March 2015 March 2015 | PAGE 11

Community weighs in on 2015-2016 budget planning

Colorado Supreme Court a�rms vacancy in Director District 4 Board of Education seat

Modest opportunity for new investments expected

Board establishes process to �ll vacancy

As Colorado’s economy continues to grow, school districts are seeing more state funding, but not the amount required to erase the e�ects of more than $1 billion in cuts made during the Great Recession as part of a work-around mechanism used to cut funding referred to as the negative factor.

Governor Hickenlooper’s November 2014 budget plan called for additional funding to re�ect 1.3 percent in statewide enrollment growth and 2.8 percent for in�ation. �e governor also proposed $200 million in one-time dollars to reduce the negative factor from 13.1 percent to 9.8 percent.

�e exact amount of funding will not be determined until the Colorado General Assembly �nalizes the School Finance Act for the 2015-2016 budget year, but the expectation is that schools are more likely to see about $100 million in one-time dollars, which would mean about $4.7 million for the Five Star District.

For the second year, 174 of 178 Colorado school district superintendents joined together to ask the state

legislature for more funding for K-12 education: $20 million more for small rural districts and $50 million for districts with high numbers of students living in poverty. �e superintendents also stressed the need for adequate additional funding to carry out new testing, teacher evaluations and academic standard mandates.

In the Five Star District, 2015-2016 budget planning is already well underway. Last month a budget committee made up of about 30 parents and sta� members met to identify and prioritize areas for new investment.

A�er planning for increased costs associated with healthcare, the Public Employees’ Retirement Association (PERA), utilities, as well as funding for employee compensation, the district anticipates having approximately $7.8 to $8.2 million for new investments.

As part of their work, the budget committee evaluated various investment priorities, including those identi�ed as part of the mill levy override package that did not earn voter approval in November 2014.

�e top priorities the group supports are: restoration of assistant principal support at the elementary and middle school levels; additional mental health support for schools; adding campus security supervision at secondary schools; and funding for technology maintenance, which includes keeping systems already in use running smoothly.

�e budget committee also agreed that dollars should be allocated for successful programs currently funded through grant dollars that are set to end soon. Some of these programs include the Colorado Graduation Pathways grant and the High School Counselor Corps. Both programs provide credit recovery courses and support to students to keep them on track to graduate.

�e budget committee’s recommendation will help inform the superintendent’s recommendation to the board of education. Decisions on new investments will not be �nalized until the state legislature passes the 2015-2016 School Finance Act within the next few months. ■

�e Colorado Supreme Court has upheld the decision of the Broom�eld District Court to declare a vacancy in Director District 4 of the Adams 12 Five Star Schools Board of Education. Rico Figueroa previously served in this seat since he was appointed to the Board in January 2012. He ran for election to the same seat in November 2013 in a two-candidate race against Amy Speers, which resulted in a court challenge.

On July 11, 2014 the Broom�eld District Court determined that while Figueroa’s opponent in the election was not quali�ed to take o�ce because she didn’t reside within the director district; she was legally

elected because she received the most votes and was not deemed unquali�ed by a court prior to the election. �e District Court went on to determine that Figueroa was not legally elected because he did not receive the most votes. Although the District Court’s order declared a vacancy, that order was stayed pending �nal resolution by the Colorado Supreme Court.

On March 2, 2015 the Colorado Supreme Court a�rmed the District Court’s judgment in this matter. �is decision means the Board of Education must appoint someone to serve as the director of District 4 through the November 2015 election. �e Board is responsible for determining

the process for how to �ll the vacancy, and under the law, the Board has 60 days in which to appoint a person to �ll the vacancy. If the Board does not �ll the vacancy within 60 days, the President of the Board must appoint a person to �ll the vacancy. �e deadline for �lling the vacancy is May 1, 2015. Until an appointment is made, the Board will comprise of four members.

At its March 4 meeting, the board of education declared a vacancy in District 4. �e board will accept applications from quali�ed individuals to �ll the vacancy through midnight on April 8. ■

Mountain Range High School students and sta� created beautiful ceramic bowls that were sold at a cereal bar and chili cook o� during the school’s 7th annual Empty Bowls event. The service-learning project raised $400 to �ght local hunger through the Food Bank of the Rockies.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

• Reside within Director District No. 4 (visit www.adams12.org/board_of_education for map)

• Registered to vote in Adams County

• Have resided within Adams 12 Five Star Schools boundaries for at least 12 consecutive months before the date of appointment

• Members of the board cannot be employees of the district

• Cannot have been convicted of or pled guilty/nolo contendere to a crime involving a sexual o�ense against a child

HOW TO APPLY

1. Contact Frances Mullins, Sr. Executive Assistant to the Board of Education, at 720-972-4007 or frances.mullins@adams12.org

2. Applications due by midnight on April 8, 2015

3. Board of Education will conduct interviews that will be open to the public

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• The appointee will fill the vacancy through the November 2015 election.

• Seat for Director District 4 will be up for election in November 2015 and the elected candidate will serve in that position for a term of two years.

Information on Application Process for Director District No. 4 Position

PAGE 12 | March 2015

Connecting your communitywith the classroomwww.adams12.org/fsstv