 
April 22, 2011
Welcome to another edition of the Friday Wire.
Let us know if your school is in the news! Please send any articles, comments, or questions to Stacy Rivera, Director of Communications at the League.
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ANNOUNCEMENTS
Colorado Charter Schools Week and Rally
Don't miss the Colorado Charter Schools Rally at the State Capitol in Denver on Thursday, April 28. This year, we have added pre-rally activities which include a mock trial at 9am by students from Ridgeview Classical Schools, featuring special guest judge Secretary of State Scott Gessler. And a debate competition at 10am between students from Jefferson Academy and Woodrow Wilson Academy, featuring special guest judge Attorney General John W. Suthers. Click here to view the full agenda for the day, or visit www.coloradoleague.org/charterweek for more information. Questions? Contact Sarah Pearman at spearman@coloradoleague.org.
Chuggin' for Charters
Run, jog, walk, or volunteer with the Colorado League of Charter Schools at the 2011 Kaiser Permanente Colfax Marathon on Sunday, May 15. Simply register for the Colfax Marathon (as a runner or volunteer), then collect pledges. All proceeds will benefit Colorado League of Charter Schools programming for member schools including advocacy, professional development, and more. Click here to learn more.
Save the Date! 18th Annual Colorado Charter Schools Conference
Mark your calendar for the 2012 Colorado Charter Schools Conference. It has been scheduled for February 23-24, 2012 at the Omni-Interlocken Resort in Broomfield. The Conference is a great opportunity to connect with, and learn from, colleagues, peers and experts from Colorado and from around the country. More information will be coming soon. |
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GALS training for the Colfax 5K
9News - April 22, 2011
There aren't many 6th and 7th graders who are willing to wake up early twice a week to run before school. But a group of gals at the Girls Athletic Leadership School (GALS) are doing just that. |
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Two CDE Commissioner Finalists Named
Colorado Department of Education - April 22, 2011
The Colorado State Board of Education today named two finalists in its search for a new commissioner of education: John Barry and Robert Hammond. |
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YAFA seeks change in authorizer
Pueblo Chieftain - April 21, 2011
Officials from the Youth and Family Academy charter school have submitted an application to have the Charter School Institute become its authorizer. |
Douglas County voucher plan draws private schools in
Denver Post - April 20, 2011
The voucher movement in Douglas County has drawn criticism from some who feel taxpayer money should not be used to pay for private or religious school tuition. But district officials say vouchers will provide its students more educational choices. |
Montessori school joins in disaster relief
News Press - April 20, 2011
Enlisting the support of the DCS (Douglas County Schools) Montessori in Castle Pines, where her children attend school, Peralta was joined by teachers, staff and students who delivered 2,000 cranes to support disaster relief efforts. |
Union Colony students bring home science title
Greeley Tribune - April 20, 2011
Union Colony Preparatory School was the only Greeley school to participate in the event, which was held April 7-9 at Colorado State University. |
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New filings in failed DPS recall
EdNews Colorado - April 20, 2011
However, John McBride, the registered agent for Take Back Our Schools, said Easley's opponents will mount a second recall effort. McBride said he plans for it to coincide with the November general elections. |
The Gazette's Best & Brightest: The class of 2011
Colorado Springs Gazette - April 17, 2011
Twenty high school seniors from the Pikes Peak region have been named The Gazette's Best & Brightest Class of 2011. Katie Peters, The Classical Academy. |
SBE finally agrees on parent notice rule
EdNews Colorado - April 14, 2011
The State Board of Education has voted unanimously to pass a regulation that requires schools to notify parents whenever a staff member is arrested. |
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A Whirlwind Week of Work
Prowers Journal - March 18, 2011
Alta Vista Charter School students will be wondering just went on at their school during spring break. JHL Constructors, Incorporated went to town and went to work March 14-18, erecting the walls on a new, full-sized gymnasium. |
Alta Vista School, Getting Room to Grow
Prowers Journal - March 14, 2011
Alta Vista Charter School is using BEST (Building Excellent Schools for Tomorrow) funds, approximately $5.9 million, for a major expansion and renovation of the facility, adding a full gym, classrooms, an elevator, cafeteria and kitchen, library and music area. |
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Opinion & Commentary Articles |
| Please Note: The following is a sampling of opinion articles about charter schools that appeared in the media over the past week. The opinions in these articles do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Colorado League of Charter Schools. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ | |
Fundraising Events Planned for WWA 7th Grader with Relapsed Leukemia
Woodrow Wilson Academy - April 22, 2011
The community of Woodrow Wilson Academy in Westminster is coming together to help one of its families affected by cancer. Jonathan Harrison, 12 and a WWA 7th grader, has been fighting Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) since he was five years old. The disease has returned for a third time, this time one year after he received a bone marrow transplant in March of 2010. With chemo no longer an option, fundraisers are planned to help the family pursue alternative treatments for Jonathan. |
American Academy Students take on Colorado State Science Fair
American Academy - April 19, 2011
Three American Academy middle school students qualified last month at the Denver Metro Regional Science Fair to take American Academy to the level of competition. On April 9, those students, seventh graders Natalie Hunt and Kristina Stilson, and eighth grader Kelcey Beckman, all represented American Academy exceptionally well at the Colorado State Science Fair this Saturday at CSU in Fort Collins. The competition consisted of three days where the girls presented their projects to judges, participated in educational career tours throughout the CSU campus, took part in the awards ceremony and then presented their projects to the general public. |
Mountain Middle School Updates Lottery Enrollment
Mountain Middle School - April 19, 2011
As a free, public charter school, total enrollment in Mountain Middle School (MMS) is limited. In MMS's inaugural year demand was greater than available seats for students (oversubscribed).
MMS had the following seats available: 56 seats for 6th grade; 56 seats for 7th grade; and 28 seats for 8th grade. All three grades were oversubscribed. |
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CIVA and the Horticultural Arts Society Team Up for Earth Day
CIVA Charter High School - April 19, 2011
In honor of Earth Day, and as a way to dovetail service learning and the civic responsibility of helping community, CIVA Charter High School has arranged for its students to perform a service project with the Horticultural Arts Society. |
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Other schools should consider class change
Greeley Tribune - April 19, 2011
University Schools is true to its heritage as the former University of Northern Colorado Laboratory School in creative thinking in separating the sexes for reading in the seventh grade. |
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Effectiveness Council recommendations comprehensive
EdNews Colorado - April 18, 2011
The Colorado State Board of Education is now reviewing the Council's recommendations and is expected to rule on them by November. The new educator evaluation system then returns to the state legislature in 2012 for a final review. State legislators can veto individual rules set forth by the state board of education. |
Effectiveness Council grade: Partially effective
EdNews Colorado - April 18, 2011
Despite all of the time and resources spent by the council in drafting this report (not to mention the 177 pages of text), the council came up short in providing necessary and specific recommendations about how both teachers and principals should be evaluated. The report does a nice job of giving a broad overview of the work that needs to be done to implement an effective teacher and principal evaluation system, but gives very few specifics about what that evaluation system should entail. |
DPS reform opponents aren't going to give up
Denver Post - April 17, 2011
Think about choice in DPS, and the availability of high-quality charters and magnets, such as the Denver School of Science and Technology and Denver School of the Arts. |
Stay the course on school reform
Denver Post - April 15, 2011
Colorado has reached an important milestone in devising a new teacher evaluation system that will include student academic progress in measuring an instructor's effectiveness. |
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Colorado One Step Closer To New State Assessment With Move To Transitional Assessment In Spring 2012
Colorado Department of Education - April 15, 2011
Next spring as students across Colorado sit down to take the statewide summative assessment, they will not see the Colorado Student Assessment Program (CSAP) on their desks. Instead, students in grades three through 10 will take the Transitional Colorado Assessment Program (TCAP), a test that will use assessment items that are common to both the previous Colorado Model Content Standards and the new Colorado Academic Standards. |
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CDE Plans Three Outreach Efforts Related To Standards And Assessment
Colorado Department of Education - April 15, 2011
The Colorado Department of Education's Office of Standards and Assessment and Office of Teaching and Learning will hold five events statewide this month to keep district leaders, teachers and the greater education community involved and updated regarding changes to standards and assessments. |
Advancing teacher quality in Colorado
EdNews Colorado - April 15, 2011
Colorado may not have made the final cut in the competition to secure federal funds for Race to the Top. But in SB10-191, Colorado passed potential national model legislation requiring annual evaluations for every teacher and principal in the state, based at least 50 percent on student growth measures, and including multiple measures of teacher effectiveness, career ladders with pay for the most effective teachers, and tenure decisions based on effectiveness. |
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TELL Survey Data Released Today; Almost 30,000 Educators Participated
Colorado Department of Education - April 15, 2011
Results from the Colorado Teaching, Empowering, Leading & Learning Survey are available today at http://www.tellcolorado.org/. TELL Colorado is a statewide survey of school-based educators to assess teaching conditions at the school, district and state level. |
Mandarin, anyone?
Denver Post - April 14, 2011
If you doubt the liberating power of charters, you should have been with me on a visit not long ago to the Denver Language School in east Denver. Here's a concept - total immersion in either Mandarin Chinese or Spanish - that elected school boards would almost never initiate, given its somewhat limited appeal and risk. |
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STEM School and Academy Construction Launch Celebration
Date: Saturday, April 23
Time: 10:30 AM - 12:30 PM
Location: 8773 Ridgeline Blvd, Highlands Ranch, CO
Description: Celebrate the groundbreaking for STEM School and Academy's renovated building! There will be FREE hot dogs, chips and soda and you can watch the STEM School and Academy Rocket Club launch projectiles high into the sky. Please bring donations for the silent auction at the May 6 "Shooting for the Moon" fundraiser and materials for the school's library. Enrollment forms will be accepted at this event! |
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Reach Out to Teach Out - Again!
Hosted by Elements Academy
Date: Saturday, April 23
Time: 10:30 AM - 2:00 PM
Location: Montbello Rec Center, 15555 E. 53rd Avenue, Denver, CO 80239
Description: Our last event was such a success, and we secured support from over 140 community members for the opening of Elements Academy. When you're on a roll, keep going! Click here for more information. |
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Engaging Classroom Assessments
Dates: Monday, April 25 - Tuesday, April 26
Time: 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Location: Colorado School District Self Insurance Pool, 6857 South Spruce Street, Centennial, CO 80112
Cost: League members: $300 per person | Non-members: $400 per person. (Grant funds have been used to subsidize the cost of this training, which would normally cost $655/person.)
Audience: Teachers & Teacher Leaders
Description: Teachers use "Power" standards to develop meaningful performance assessments. This two-day seminar focuses on each participant's effective design, creation, and use of performance assessments that are the foundation of powerful standards-based instructional and assessment tools. Performance assessments are a powerful teaching and learning tool that make differentiated instruction and assessment possible.
Registration: Click here to register. Deadline: April 22 |
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2011 Colorado Charter Schools Rally
Hosted by the Colorado League of Charter Schools
Date: Thursday, April 28
Time: 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM
Location: West Steps, Colorado State Capitol, Denver
Description: The Colorado Charter Schools Rally is a great chance for the charter school community to come together to voice support for equitable funding and treatment for Colorado charter school students -- and to educate elected officials about why "Charter Schools Rock!" Click here for more information and to register for tours of the State Capitol. |
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Pikes Peak Prep Community Open House
Date:Thursday, April 28
Time: 1:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Location: 525 East Costilla Street, Colorado Springs, Colorado
Description: Pikes Peak Prep invites you to join them for an open house to learn more about Pikes Peak Prep, how they are ensuring children have educational success and growth, and an introduction to their programs and staff. |
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Best Practices in Gifted Education
Hosted by Academy for Advanced and Creative Learning
Date: Saturday, April 30
Time: 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Location: Academy for Advanced and Creative Learning, 510 North Chestnut, Colorado Springs, CO 80907
Cost: $15 Includes lunch and a certificate of participation.
Description: Academy for Advanced and Creative Learning seeks to support the gifted educational needs of students in the Pikes Peak Region. Part of our vision and mission is to develop as a resource center for families and staff who work with gifted students, and one of our first opportunities is available this spring. Our focus will be to provide a solid introduction to giftedness and best practices in education for these students. We will review definitions of giftedness, characteristics of these learners, their unique social-emotional needs, and Colorado requirements. Teachers will have the opportunity to work on differentiating actual lessons and units for these students, and to explore differentiation techniques with those units. Cancellations after Thursday, April 28th at 4 p.m. will be billed for lunch. To RSVP, please visit http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/bestpracticesapr30 and mail your check to AcademyACL, 2510 North Chestnut, Colorado Springs, CO 80907. We will email you to confirm your registration once your check has been received. For any questions, you are welcome to contact office@academyacl.org or call 719.434.6566. |
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High Point Academy Playground Community Build
Hosted by High Point Academy
Date: Saturday, April 30 - Sunday, May 1
Time: The weekend will be divided into four work sessions: 8:30 - 12:30 and 1:00 - 5:00 on Saturday, and same times on Sunday.
Location: 6750 N. Dunkirk St, Aurora, CO 80019
Description: Over 100 people will join together to build two playgrounds that will provide a safe and fun outdoor play area for over 600 HPA students and the local community. It promises to be an amazing weekend, filled with hard work, new friends, and the satisfaction of building something that will bring joy to children for years to come. For more information or to volunteer, please contact Annette Sloan at asloan@highpointacademy.net. |
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Performance Management Training for Boards
Date: Tuesday, May 3
Time: 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Location: Colorado League of Charter Schools, 725 S. Broadway, Denver, CO, 80209
Cost: League members: $100 per person | Non-members: $150
Description: Introduces charter school boards to internal and external accountability expectations and outlines the board's responsibility in maintaining a strong performance management system within their school. This training will educate charter school board members about their role in monitoring the academic program and results at their school. The training will also provide boards with tools and resources to assist in the role of appropriate oversight and evaluation. The focus of this session is on understanding student performance data, key questions board members should know how to answer, and how boards can establish sound practices in providing academic performance oversight and monitoring. Other topics typically included are key school performance expectations and measures as well as state and authorizer performance expectations and measures.
Registration: Click here to register. Deadline: April 29 |
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Rocky Mountain Deaf School Reaching Beyond the Horizons Fundraiser
Date: Friday, May 6
Time: 6:00PM - 10:00 PM
Location: Fossil Trace Golf Club, 3050 Illinois St, Golden, CO
Cost: $60 per person | $110 per couple.
Registration: www.rmdeafschool.net/about-us/spring-gala/ |
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STEM School and Academy Shooting for the Moon Fundraiser
Date: Friday, May 6
Time: 6:30PM - 10:00 PM
Location: Hilton Garden Inn, 1050 Plaza Drive, Highlands Ranch
Cost: $50 per person.
Description: 6:30-7:00pm - Cocktail Reception | 7:00-8:00pm - Heavy Hors d'oeuvres buffet and dessert | 8:00-10:00pm - Drawing and Live Auction. Funds raised will help support: Instructional Technology, Web-based Curriculum and Lockers. www.STEMHigh.org |
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Technical Assistance/Performance Management for New Schools
Date: Monday, May 9
Time: 8:30 AM - 2:00 PM
Location: Colorado School District Self Insurance Pool, 6857 South Spruce Street, Centennial, CO 80112
Audience: School founders and leaders
Cost: $300 per session, $900 total. This training has been pre-approved by CDE and is automatically funded if included in Start Up and Implementation grants.
Description: Standards-based Environments, Data Driven Environments and Guaranteed Viable Curriculum. The three trainings that are offered by the Colorado League of Charter Schools under the title of Performance Management are required under the Colorado Charter School Grant Program and serve to prepare schools with best practices in areas of Standards-Based Environments, Data Driven Environments, and Guaranteed Viable Curriculum. In addition, these trainings include the latest and most pertinent information from the Colorado Department of Education in terms of the Colorado Growth Model, School Performance Framework, Unified Planning Template, and the Colorado Student Assessment Program in order to best inform new schools as to how to meet and understand state requirements. Rather than scheduling three separate 90 minute sessions, we will be hosting all three sessions in one day. Registration closes May 5. Click here to register. |
Pikes Peak Leader Meeting
Hosted by the Colorado Department of Educaiton
Date: Tuesday, May 10
Time: 11:30 AM - 2:00 PM
Location: AACL (Academy for Advanced & Creative Learning), 2510 North Chestnut Street, Colorado Springs, CO 80904
Register on SurveyMonkey by Friday, May 6, 2011 at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/H9ZN57C. After submitting the registration, a confirmation screen will appear.There is no fee to attend this lunch meeting; however, those who RSVP and fail to attend will be billed $16 for their lunch. |
KIPP Community Breakfast
Hosted by KIPP Sunshine Peak Academy
Date: Friday, May 13
Time: 7:45 AM - 9:00 AM
Location: KSPA Cafeteria, 375 S. Tejon Street, Denver, CO 80223
Description: Please contact Mandy Hughes at 303-513-1144 or mhughes@kippcolorado.org for more information. |
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Employment Practices Seminar: Family Medical Leave Act ("FMLA")- What Every Charter School Needs to Know for FMLA Compliance
Hosted by the Colorado League of Charter Schools
Date: Tuesday, May 17
Time: 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Location: TBD (will be in the metro Denver area, location will be determined depending on number of attendees)
Cost: Free
Description: This event brought to you by Colorado League of Charter Schools in conjunction with Kevin Perez and Jennifer Madsen of Kennedy, Childs & Fogg, P.C. RSVP by May 11 to Jessica Johnson at jmjohnson@coloradoleague.org. |
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Rocky Mountain Deaf School 3rd Annual Golf Tournament
Date: Friday, May 20
Time: 7:00AM
Location: Raccoon Creek Golf Course, 7301 W. Bowles Avenue, Littleton, CO
Cost: $250 per person
Registration and Information: http://rmds.eventbrite.com/ |
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REACH Education Conference
Hosted by REACH Center
Date: Thursday, June 2 - Friday, June 3
Location: Inverness Hotel and Resort, 200 Inverness Drive West, Englewood, CO 80112
Cost: Registration fee: $169. Continuing education credit available upon request.
Description: We are proud to present the REACH Education Conference in Colorado! REACH Center is an accredited 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that, for over thirty years, has helped students, educational institutions, and instructors, as well as businesses and communities acquire the skills, attitudes, and knowledge necessary to thrive in a diverse world. This Conference will provide an opportunity for you to celebrate arts and cultural diversity within the context of learning, and to discover how beneficial these elements are to the process.
Click here for more information or email Nelly at Nelly@mdcampbellassoc.com. |
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Charter School Boot Camp
Date: Wednesday, June 8 -Friday, June 10
Time: 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Location: Early College High School, 4905 W. 60th Ave., Arvada, CO
Cost: $15 per day (includes breakfast, lunch and materials)
Description: Are you planning on submitting a charter school application to your district? This 3-day intensive training is a must for charter school organizers in understanding the substantive information that is required in a charter school application.
Registration: Click here. Deadline: June 6 |
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2011 National Charter Schools Conference
Date: Monday, June 20 - Thursday, June 23
Location: Atlanta, GA
Registration: Click here for more information and to register.
Description: The 2011 National Charter Schools Conference's theme, Because Every Child Can Succeed, embodies the charter school movement more than ever before. We hope you will join us for next year's gathering to be held June 20 through June 23, 2011, in Atlanta. |
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2011 NACSA Leadership Conference
Hosted by the National Association of Charter School Authorizers
Date: Monday,October 24 - Thursday, October 27
Location: Amelia Islands, Florida
Description: The National Association of Charter School Authorizers invites you to engage with this community at the 2011 NACSA Leadership Conference, hosted October 24-27 at Amelia Island, Florida. Through three days of networking and discussion, attendees will explore the actions necessary to redesign public education to ensure a brighter future for our children and our country. Click here for more information. |
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Take Action! Join the Colorado Charter Advocacy Network (Colorado CAN)
Join the Colorado Charter Advocacy Network (Colorado CAN) to receive news, legislative updates and ALERTS about political issues impacting charter schools. Easily send emails to state legislators weighing in on important political matters impacting Colorado's charter schools! Visit www.coloradoleague.org and click "Take Action!"
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Let us know if your school is in the news! Please send any articles, comments, or questions to Stacy Rivera. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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