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3/27/2015
Friday Wire (12­5­14)
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December 5, 2014
Welcome to another edition of the Friday Wire. Let us know if your school is in the news! Please send any articles or announcements to Stacy Rader, Director of Communications at the League. Articles and announcements are due by noon on Thursday of each week. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
ANNOUNCEMENTS
2015 Colorado Charter School Friend Nominations Due Today
Does your charter school have an exceptional administrator, board member, business
manager, teacher or other leader who is deserving of recognition? Does your charter
school's authorizer demonstrate a high level of commitment to advocacy on behalf of
charter schools? Do you know of an elected official or community leader who has
demonstrated significant influence in public policy on behalf of charter schools? Nominate
one (or more) of these outstanding leaders for a Charter Friend Award! Click here to learn
more and to submit a nomination. Remember the League on Colorado Gives Day ­ December 9 The Colorado League of Charter Schools supports groups who wish to start new, high­
quality charter schools. We provide supports and services, best practices, access to
funding and grants, and honest feedback about their charter application. And we offer all
of this at no cost. It takes a village to ensure that all children have access to the high­
quality public school that best fits their needs and learning style. And we need your help.
Please schedule your donation to the Colorado League of Charter Schools
through Colorado Gives Day. Together we can ensure that no child ever has to sit on a
waiting list for their preferred school, or settle for a less than quality public school
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Charter­Specific Training on State Model Performance Management System for
Educator Effectiveness (Recorded Webinar) A training by CDE's Educator Effectiveness team, in collaboration with the Colorado League
of Charter Schools, regarding the State Model Evaluation System was recorded and is
available online. This training is designed to help charters understand the state system, its
flexibility and how it can be adapted for charter schools. This training covers the
evaluation process, components of the State Model Evaluation Rubrics for teachers and
principals, instructions on how to score the rubrics, and how to make determinations for
the measures of student learning. It also covers Senate Bill 10­191 (Educator
Effectiveness bill) and what it means to have a waiver from this statute. Click here to
access the recording of the training. High School Math Curriculum For Sale ­ Price Negotiable! SkyView Academy in Highlands Ranch as the following high school math curriculum for
sale. 1) Saxon Math, Course 3, 2012 ed | Stephen Hake | 978­1­591­41884­9
26 copies (18 very good, 7 good, 1 acceptable)
2) Prentice Hall Geometry, 2009 ed | Bass, Charles, Hall Johnson, Kennedy
978­0­13­365948­1 | 38 copies (4 new, 7 like new, 11 good, 16 acceptable)
3) Prentice Hall Algebra 2, 2009 ed | Bellman, Bragg, Charles, Hall, Handlin, Kennedy
978­0­13­365947­4 | 55 copies (9 like new, 28 very good, 11 good, 7 acceptable)
Please contact the Business Manager at SkyView Academy to discuss pricing options ­
[email protected] or 303­471­8439 ext. 247. Wanted: Portable Performance Stage Crestone Charter School is in need of a portable stage to showcase their theater
productions to their community. If you have a stage you no longer use and would like to
donate, please contact [email protected]. Preferred specs would be 12'deep x
14' long x 15' high. News Articles
Rocky Mountain Deaf School opens new doors
9 News ­ December 4, 2014 After years of struggling with a run­down facility and after years of political controversy
regarding the initial location for a new building, students at the Rocky Mountain Deaf
School finally start classes in a new building in Lakewood.
Returning Democratic lawmaker vows testing cutback
Chalkbeat Colorado ­ December 4, 2014 New state Sen. Mike Merrifield draw applause from school board members Thursday when
he promised, "I will definitely carry some legislation that will push back on the amount of
testing that I think is drowning our education system."
Report: Denver parents feel informed about school choice options, want better
transportation
Chalkbeat Colorado ­ December 3, 2014 Parents in Denver are more optimistic about the direction of the school system and feel
positive about the information they have about school choice than parents in other cities­
but equity issues and challenges in providing transportation as more students leave their
neighborhood schools remain.
Testing, standards skepticism surface at pre­session legislative hearing
Chalkbeat Colorado ­ December 3, 2014 https://ui.constantcontact.com/visualeditor/visual_editor_preview.jsp?agent.uid=1119353492396&format=html&printFrame=true
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The state's academic standards and testing system drew skeptical questions from both
sides of the political aisle Wednesday, providing a taste of what are expected to be
prolonged discussions on those issues after the 2015 legislative session convenes on Jan.
7.
Former legislator named to fill State Board vacancy
Chalkbeat Colorado ­ December 3, 2014 Lobbyist and former Republican legislator Steve Durham has been named to fill a vacancy
on the State Board of Education. Durham will replace chair Paul Lundeen on the seven­
member elected board. Lundeen, a Republican from Monument, recently was elected to a
seat in the state House.
No Child Left Behind gets renewed focus
The Aurora Sentinel ­ December 2, 2014 The No Child Left Behind education law could be making a political comeback. Sen. Lamar
Alexander, the Tennessee Republican who is the incoming chairman of the Senate
committee overseeing education, says his top education priority is fixing the landmark
Bush­era law. His goal? Get a bill signed by President Barack Obama early next year.
Six Pikes Peak region school districts earn state awards for academic performance
The Colorado Springs Gazette ­ December 2, 2014 Six local school districts and various schools within those districts received honors from
the Colorado Department of Education Tuesday morning at the agency's headquarters in
Denver.
Colorado ed department recognizes districts, schools for performance
Chalkbeat Colorado ­ December 2, 2014 The Colorado Department of Education recognized dozens of school districts at its annual
awards ceremony today in Denver. Commissioner Robert Hammond honored schools and
districts that earned acclaim in 10 award categories.
Boulder Valley ups bond issue allocation to Peak to Peak Charter School
The Boulder Daily Camera ­ December 1, 2014 Peak to Peak Charter School originally was awarded a $4 million allocation from Boulder
Valley's $576 million capital construction bond issue. But Peak to Peak officials recently
negotiated for more money, convincing the district that $10 million was needed to bring
the K­12 Lafayette school's two buildings up to the same standard as other district
schools.
Chavez Huerta team to fill void
The Pueblo Chieftan ­ November 27, 2014 The Chavez Huerta Preparatory Academy will rely on its own leadership to guide the
kindergarten through 12th­grade charter school network until a new executive director is
hired. Food Rescue Volunteer Secures $6,715 Grant Colorado College News ­ November 24, 2014 Addis Goldman '14, a volunteer with the Colorado Springs Food Rescue, has received a
$6,715 grant to support the expansion of the student­run food rescue organization.
Goldman, who worked on the grant with CSFR Director Daniel Lewis '14 and CSFR Grant
Writer Jeremy Flood '15, said the funds would be directed toward creating and
establishing multiple grocery programs throughout Colorado Springs. One such program is
being established at Atlas Preparatory School, a charter school for low­income students in
Colorado Springs co­founded by Tony Rosendo '02.
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Senate Education Committee membership filled out
Chalkbeat Colorado ­ November 21, 2014 Senate Democratic leaders on Friday named members of the Senate Education
Committee, bringing back familiar names to a panel where Republicans now have a one­
vote majority.
Denver school board approves slate of charter renewals, enrollment changes
Chalkbeat Colorado ­ November 20, 2014 In a series of mostly­unanimous votes, the Denver Public School board renewed its
agreements with 15 charter schools and approved changes to school enrollment zones in
southwest and southeast Denver.
SkyView students have warm hearts
The Highlands Ranch Herald ­ November 18, 2014 Sixty­six students at an elementary school in Denver will be bundled up in warm coats
this winter, thanks to the efforts of SkyView Academy students and their Warm Coats,
Warm Hearts Donation Drive.
Opinion/Commentary Articles & Press Releases
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.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
DPS teacher pay plan needs a makeover
The Denver Post ­ November 27, 2014
When it was proposed a decade ago in Denver's schools, ProComp was a cutting­edge
teacher pay plan that took a big first step away from the practice of tying salaries solely
to a teacher's seniority and education. It allowed Denver teachers to be rewarded for
student achievement, too, which was a radical thought at the time.
Education Blogs, Forums and Resources Below are some other great education reform news, blog and discussion sites that may be
of interest: Chalkbeat Colorado
Charter Pulse Charter School Solutions Blog Democrats for Education Reform Blog EdisWatching.org (Independence Institute) National Alliance for Public Charter Schools ­ The Charter Blog
ScoopToo Community Calendar
Rocky Mountain Academy of Evergreen ­ Open House and Parent Info Meeting
Rocky Mountain Academy of Evergreen (RMAE) is hosting an Open House on December 9,
2014, for parents of K­8 students interested enrolling K­8 students for the 2015­2016
school year. In addition, RMAE is also hosting a Parent Informational Meeting on
Thursday, December 11, 2014, at 8:00 a.m. for parents interested in enrolling their
Kindergarten student for the 2015­2016 school year. Parents will have an opportunity to
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meet with RMAE administrative team, kindergarten teachers, and board representatives to
learn about their Core Knowledge curriculum and STEM focus.
For more information, visit www.rmae.org Webinar: What is Strategic Talent Management? Date: Thursday, December 11
Time: 9:00 AM ­ 9:30 AM
Location: Online
Cost: None
Description: Join this brief webinar ­­ presented by the Colorado League of Charter
Schools' Preferred Partner, TalentEd, for an introduction to the value of strategic talent
management while getting to know how TalentEd can help. Attendees will learn about 1)
Building your talent pipeline, 2) Developing processes to identify and hire best applicant,
3) Creating a system that evaluates, challenges, and helps staff develop, and 4) Taking
care of all your employee needs while maintaining trust and confidence.
Registration: Click here to register.
Fall E­Rate Training from CDE (Greeley) Hosted by Colorado Department of Education Dates: Thursday, December 11 and Friday, December 12 Time: Day 1: 9:00 AM ­ 4:00 PM | Day 2: 9:00 AM ­ 1:00 PM Location: Hi Plains Library, 2650 W 29th Street, Greeley Description: CDE is pleased to offer a one and a half day E­rate training sessions for
Funding Year 2015­16. Many changes to the program occurred when the 7th Report and
Order was released in July 2014. During training we will review the 7th Report and Order
to understand all program changes. We will also cover the proposed Eligible Services List,
the new forms 470 & 471, district wide discounts, phased and eliminated services and cost
allocation requirements. This training is available for all E­rate applicants and service
providers. It is highly recommended that all E­rate applicants attend this training. Registration: Click here to register. Sing it to Me Santa: Colorado Rocks for Teachers AEG Live, KBCO, Westword and Professional Association of Colorado Educators (PACE)
Date: Friday, December 19
Time: Doors open at 8:00 PM
Location: The Gothic Theater, Englewood
Description: A teacher appreciation event featuring a lineup that includes Ryan Chrys,
Something Underground, Tracksuit Wedding, and other musical acts yet to be announced!
Open to the general public. To show their appreciation for you, PACE has purchased enough tickets for 20 of
its members and a guest to attend this concert for free! Click here to request a
pair of free tickets. Information: Click here to learn more about the concert.
Response to Intervention Regional Training Hosted by Colorado League of Charter Schools Date: Thursday, January 8 and Friday, January 9 Time: 9:00 AM ­ 4:00 PM Location: Colorado League of Charter Schools Training Center, 4201 E. Yale Avenue,
Denver Cost: League Member: $325 for one registrant; $100 for each additional registrant Non­League Member: $425 for one registrant; $100 for each additional registrant Description: Response to Intervention (RTI) is a comprehensive student­centered
assessment and intervention model used to identify and mitigate individual student
academic difficulties or challenges. Learn how to effectively select intervention strategies
aligned with current evidence of student learning through a collaborative model that
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includes: Collecting and analyzing data; setting appropriate goals; selecting instructional
interventions; and monitoring student progress. Deepen your understanding of the
principles of RTI and best practices as shared through actual case studies. Learn to select
appropriate instructional strategies and interventions and to monitor the process with skill
and confidence. Registration: Click here to register. Deadline: December 30.
Business Managers Network Meeting Hosted by CDE Schools of Choice Unit Date: Friday, January 9 Time: 9:00 AM ­ 3:00 PM Location: Adams 12 Conference Center 1500 E. 128th Avenue, Thornton
Cost: $20 per person. Lunch will be provided. Description: These meetings are hosted jointly by the SOC Unit and the Colorado League
of Charter Schools and occur bi­monthly on Fridays during the school year. Each meeting
includes the Business Manager 101 course for those with less than three years'
experience, networking and troubleshooting for more experienced managers, and
Responsive and Technical Expert presentations on key issues of relevance to all business
managers. Registration: Click here to register. Deadline: January 7 at 8:00 AM. Educational Coaching for School Leaders with LeeAnne Sanders
Hosted by The Center for Professional Development at Peak to Peak Charter School Dates: Begins Saturday, January 10 (six live sessions plus six online sessions)
Location: Peak to Peak Charter School, 800 Merlin Drive, Lafayette
Cost: $1000 per person for full workshop series. Description: Attendees will learn the best practices of traditional executive coaching
blended with the best practices of K­12 education. Participants will set personal goals for
their coaching development, experiment with hands­on coaching techniques, and reflect on
their progress, successes, and challenges through guided activities. This series of
workshops will focus on three areas of coaching competence:
Building foundational relationships (setting guidelines, agreements, and building
trust)
Developing key communication skills (skillful questioning, listening, and speaking)
Creating learning and action (taking forward­moving steps, encouraging ownership,
and implementing accountability)
Registration: Click here for more information and to register. Deadline: December 19.
Space is limited. Fall E­Rate Training from CDE (Alamosa) Hosted by Colorado Department of Education Dates: Monday, January 12 and Tuesday, January 13 Time: Day 1: 9:00 AM ­ 4:00 PM | Day 2: 9:00 AM ­ 1:00 PM Location: Adams State University, 1701 First Street, Room 316, Alamosa Description: CDE is pleased to offer a one and a half day E­rate training sessions for
Funding Year 2015­16. Many changes to the program occurred when the 7th Report and
Order was released in July 2014. During training we will review the 7th Report and Order
to understand all program changes. We will also cover the proposed Eligible Services List,
the new forms 470 & 471, district wide discounts, phased and eliminated services and cost
allocation requirements. This training is available for all E­rate applicants and service
providers. It is highly recommended that all E­rate applicants attend this training. Registration: Click here to register. Administrator Mentoring Cohort https://ui.constantcontact.com/visualeditor/visual_editor_preview.jsp?agent.uid=1119353492396&format=html&printFrame=true
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Hosted by CDE Schools of Choice Unit Date: Tuesday, January 13 Time: 8:00 AM ­ 4:30 PM Location: Compass Golden Montessori 4441 Salvia Street, Golden Cost: $20 per person. Lunch will be provided. Description: A mentoring program that meets five times a year, geared toward new
administrators or experienced administrators that are new to the charter school
environment (though administrators outside these categories are welcome).
Administrators will work as a cohort team, work one­on­one with a mentor, and
participate in site observations as they build leadership capacity among new charter
school administrators. Registration: Click here to register. Deadline: January 11 at 8:00 AM.
Webinar: Online Speech­Language Therapy ­ HOT Questions. COOL Answers. PART 2 of Presence Learning Series Date: Thursday, January 15 Time: 10:00 AM ­ 11:00 AM Location: Online/Webinar Cost: Free Target Audience: Administrators, SPED service providers, and teachers Description: Though online therapy is a rapidly growing option that helps school districts
around the country serve their students with special needs, many educators have
questions about how online speech therapy actually works. A new guide answers the
questions we hear most frequently as we talk to districts about new ways to provide high
quality services, alleviate high caseloads and improve transparency and efficiency. Join
this webinar to hear more about this guide and to get your questions answered. Invite
your colleagues who are unfamiliar with online therapy. Registration: Click here to register. 5th Annual Colorado PowerSchool Users Conference Hosted by the Colorado League of Charter Schools Dates: Thursday, January 22 and Friday, January 23 Location: Cherry Creek Schools Student Achievement Resource Center, 14188 Briarwood
Avenue, Centennial Cost: Early Bird Rates ­ Two­Day Registration ­ $175 per person
One­Day Registration: $150 per person. Rates increase December 14.
Description: PowerSchool Users: If you want to increase your skills in this powerful
program, this conference is for you! The Colorado PowerSchool Users Conference will
feature 50 breakout sessions on a variety of PowerSchool topics for beginner to advanced
level users, and everyone in between. Each year, over 100 participants from Colorado
school districts and charter schools attend this event to increase their PowerSchool skills,
and share best practices with their peers.
Registration: Click here to register.
For more information, contact Tisha Bouwmeester at [email protected]. Core Knowledge Colorado Network
Hosted by Twin Peaks Charter Academy
Date: Friday, February 13
Time: 8:30 AM ­ 12:00 PM
Location: Twin Peaks Charter Academy, 340 Sunset Street, Longmont Cost: $10 per person. Breakfast provided.
Audience: K­8 Teachers, Administrators, and Support Staff
Description: Twin Peaks Charter Academy is excited to host the second Core Knowledge
Colorado Network. Colorado currently hosts approximately 119 Core Knowledge schools.
The Core Knowledge Colorado Network is an opportunity for Core Knowledge schools to
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develop a networking system throughout Colorado where teachers are able to mentor,
share ideas for lessons, showcase effective CK implementation, and communicate updates
from the CK Foundation. Twin Peaks is honored to continue this networking opportunity for
the Core Knowledge community. The power of networking is in its simplicity: get together,
share ideas, and improve each other in the process. The more schools involved, the more
ideas we will share, and the better we will all become. Registration: Click here to download registration form.
2015 Colorado Charter Schools Conference Today's Students. Tomorrow's Leaders. Hosted by the Colorado League of Charter Schools Dates: Thursday, February 26 and Friday, February 27 Location: Marriott Denver Tech Center, 4900 S. Syracuse Street, Denver Description: Join over 700 attendees at the Colorado Charter Schools Conference to learn
and share best practices in all areas of a charter school, from the classroom, to the
business office, to the board room, and more. Choose from over 60 Breakout Sessions
taught by those who know the topics best ­ your charter school peers. Whether you are a
new charter school leader, business manager, board member, teacher or new school
developer, the Colorado Charter Schools Conference has something for you! Registration: Visit www.cocharterconference.org for all of the details and to register.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Take Action! Join the Colorado
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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 Rader. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Visit us online at: http://www.coloradoleague.org
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