Friday Wire (9-26-14)

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September 26, 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

2014 Charter School Policy & Facility Summit - October 6 Register to attend the 2014 Charter School Policy & Facility Summit, scheduled for Monday, October 6 at the Wellshire Events Center in Denver. The Summit will provide charter school leaders with important information about policy issues being pursued by the Colorado League of Charter Schools, and potential legislation affecting Colorado charter schools. The event will also provide charter school leaders with best practices around making facilities decisions for their schools. Click here to view the event agenda. Click here for more information and to register.

2015 Safe Routes to Schools, Non-Infrastructure Grants http://www.coloradodot.info/programs/bikeped/safe-routes Applications are due COB Friday, November 14th. This program is managed through the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT). Grants are awarded through a statewide competitive process. All of the SRTS funds available for FY15 projects will support non-infrastructure (education, encouragement, and enforcement) projects.

The CollegeInvest Matching Grant Program is Now Accepting Applications The CollegeInvest Matching Grant Program is one more reason to feel good about living in

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Colorado! Designed to help lower to middle-income Colorado families save money for higher education, this program can provide eligible account holders with matching funds - up to $2000 - when they open and contribute to a CollegeInvest 529 College Savings Account. For more information please go to: https://www.collegeinvest.org /matching-grant

News Articles

Jeffco school board curriculum committee idea latest divisive issue The Denver Post - September 25, 2014 In the face of mass protests from students, members of the Jefferson County school board majority Wednesday defended a proposed curriculum committee and called it misunderstood, while signaling the most criticized elements are likely to be cut.

Bill Clinton: Charter Schools Must Be Held To 'The Original Bargain' Huffington Post - September 24, 2014 Charter schools have great potential, but they aren't living up to their promise, former President Bill Clinton said late Tuesday night at a gathering of about 100 international philanthropists and businesspeople.

Colorado Springs District 11 to Arm Security Guards KOAA 5/30 - September 24, 2014 School security guards in District 11 could soon be armed. They'll be given the option of carrying a gun, but not before undergoing an extensive training process. Some security guards have already starting training, a process that's expected to take about two more months to complete.

New rules may force schools to look at fundraising through a healthier lens Chalkbeat Colorado - September 24, 2014 When Allison Howe's son started preschool in the Morgan County School District two years ago, her stomach churned when she learned about the school's chief fundraising tool: frozen pie.

Financing a Hurdle in Charters' Hunt for Space, Says Report Education Week - September 23, 2014 Federal, state, and private financing for charter school facilities is not keeping up with demand for the publicly funded but largely independent schools, says a report released this month by a nonprofit group.

19 times Jeffco parents challenged curriculum and changed how students are taught Chalkbeat Colorado - September 23, 2014 In 1981, a Jefferson County curriculum review committee banned The Book of Lists, which, according to the book's publisher, is "filled with intriguing information and must-talk-about trivia it has spawned many imitators - but none as addictive or successful."

Southern Colorado's Largest School District to Propose Testing Opt-Out KRDO News 13 - September 23, 2014 Colorado Springs School District 11 could be a bellwether of testing in the state of Colorado. The irony? District 11 wants out of state-mandated testing. Superintendent Dr. Nicholas Gledich and the District 11 Board of Education plan to craft a resolution Wednesday night, requesting a testing waiver.

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What are the top 3 public schools in Denver? 9News Denver - September 22, 2014 Denver Public Schools announced the top three public schools in Denver. All three of them are DSST Public Schools.In all, DSST Public Schools operates the top five secondary schools in Denver, according to DPS rankings and charter schools comprised 9 out of the top 10 secondary schools in Denver.

More schools at the top and the bottom in Denver rankings Chalkbeat Colorado - September 22, 2014 A sea of elementary schoolers crowded into McMeen Elementary School in southeast Denver on Monday morning were eager to tell their superintendent Tom Boasberg what made their school great. "We have good teachers," said one student. "We respect other people," said another. "It's fun!" said a third.

Vision Charter Academy names new executive director Delta County Independent - September 18, 2014 Vision Charter Academy (VCA) has named Teri Kinkade as its new executive director. Greg Hunt, chair of the board of stewards, which oversees VCA, said, "Teri brings the right balance of a strong background in education, leadership experience, and a passion for the VCA mission which is the pursuit of the best learning environment for each learner."

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. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Soapbox: Old-school methods net record-breaking scores Fort Collins Coloradoan - September 24, 2014 Opinion article written by Liberty Common High School students. Newer is usually thought of as being better. New technology, new products, new methods are always more effective and reliable - or at least we have a tendency to believe this is the case. However, a high school in Northern Colorado has produced record-breaking ACT scores using "old school" methodology.

DSST Schools Ranked Top Three Public Schools in Denver DSST Public Schools - September 22, 2014 Denver Public Schools (DPS) announced today that the top three public schools in Denver are DSST Public Schools. Of more than 180 schools in Denver, DSST: Byers Middle School is the #1 ranked school, DSST: Stapleton Middle School is #2 and DSST: Green Valley Ranch High School is #3 according to the Denver Public School's School Performance Framework (SPF). Two other DSST schools are ranked #5 and #6; DSST: Stapleton High School and DSST: College View Middle School. In all, DSST Public Schools operates the top 5 secondary schools in Denver, according to DPS rankings and charter schools comprised 9 out of the top 10 secondary schools in Denver.

Charter Schools Deserve Equal Funding U.S. News - September 22, 2014 While all eyes in New York are on a lawsuit challenging teacher tenure, another suit stands to have an even larger impact on the future of the state's low-income and minority students - and it could set a precedent for other states. Five families in Buffalo and Rochester have filed suit challenging the state's persistent underfunding of public charter

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schools. The Northeast Charter Schools Network is assisting the families with the suit, which seeks equal funding for all public school students, whether they attend a charter school or a traditional district school.

Thomas MacLaren School posts highest average ACT score in Pikes Peak Region Thomas MacLaren School - August 15, 2014 Thomas MacLaren School, a tuition-free, public charter school in Colorado Springs, is proud to announce that the class of 2015 has achieved the highest average ACT score in the Pikes Peak region and ranks #2 in the state. This class scored an average of 28.1 on the ACT test they took in April 2014. This class will be the third graduating class of Thomas MacLaren School.

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 Democrats for Education Reform Blog EdisWatching.org (Independence Institute) National Alliance for Public Charter Schools - The Charter Blog ScoopToo

Community Calendar

Counselor Workshops Hosted by Colorado Council on High School/College Relations Dates/Locations: Multiple Dates and Locations. (see below) Time: Days start at 8:00 AM and end around 3:00 PM Description: Counselor workshops, held throughout Colorado each fall, are an opportunity to share knowledge and recharge professional relationships. Breakout sessions cover topics such as college/university academics, admissions, financial aid, and much more. Participants benefit from visiting several college campuses. Dates/Locations: September 26 - Colorado Christian University October 2 - Pueblo Community College Registration: Click here for more information and to register.

Charter School Health and Wellness Regional Forums Hosted by the Colorado League of Charter Schools Date/Location: Multiple Dates/Times/Locations (see below) Audiences: Charter school leaders, board members, wellness coordinators, wellness champions, PE/Health teachers, wellness committee members, etc. Description: What does a healthy school look like to you and how can the League help you get there? In an effort to take inventory of the current needs and assets related to the health of charter schools statewide, as well as to inform charter schools about the many resources available to them, the Colorado League of Charter Schools is hosting several regional school health forums. We are continually learning more about how to become a healthier and more effective learning environment by improving in the areas of nutrition, physical education and movement, and behavioral/general health supports and prevention. In addition, there will be an opportunity to learn from each other as well as to voice your school's immediate health needs and goals.

Dates/Locations:

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Monday, September 29 - Flagstaff Academy, Longmont Tuesday, September 30 - Parker Core Knowledge, Parker Thursday, October 2 - Colorado League of Charter Schools, Denver Registration: RSVP to Lindsey Friedman at [email protected]. Please let her know which meeting you plan to attend and how many people you will be bringing with you.

Webinar: How to Leverage the E-Rate Modernization Order Hosted by VertiKing LLC Date: Tuesday, September 30 Time: 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM MST Location: Online/Webinar Cost: Free Description: Join this webinar to understand the E-Rate Modernization Order adopted by USAC on July 11, 2014. Funding for the revised eligible services will be awarded on a first come, first served basis. As your school prepares for The PARCC Initiative, increasing technological needs such as interactive video conferencing, online learning applications and remote teaching, you will need increased bandwidth to take advantage of these tools. Amongst other changes, safety of your data through firewall protection can now be funded via E-rate. If you previously thought the E-Rate program and application process were too daunting and complex to add value to your school, for no charge, we can be your advocate in completing the required forms. Registration: Please send your request to participate to [email protected]

Webinar: Blended Learning in the Math Classroom: Leveraging Professional Development to Equip Educators to Best Use Adaptive Learning Technology Date: Tuesday, September 30 Time: 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM Location: Online/Webinar Cost: Free Description: Attend this webinar to learn about common misconceptions around what adaptive technology can do for teachers in their classrooms, how to best leverage professional development while blending your classrooms/schools and steps to selecting the best digital curricula that will support your goals. Hear how a school that transitioned to a blended learning environment equipped their teachers with professional development to allow them to best leverage the adaptive learning technology used in their classrooms and transform the way their students learned and how teachers used data to inform instruction. Registration: Click here to register.

UIP Workshop - Colorado Springs Hosted by the Colorado League of Charter Schools Date: Thursday, October 9 Time: 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM Location: James Irwin Charter Schools, 5525 Astrozon Blvd, Colorado Springs Cost: League Members: $75 for one person. $25 for each additional attendee. | Non-Members: $100 for one person. $25 for each additional attendee. Meals: Light breakfast will be provided. Lunch will NOT be provided. Please consider bringing a sack lunch and snacks. There will be a break for lunch. Audience: School Leaders and Teachers Description: These workshops will provide time for charter schools to work through each section of their Unified Improvement Plan (UIP) (Data Narrative, Root Cause, Target Setting and Action Planning). League staff will be present and available to provide support. There will also be an opportunity to network with other schools. For more information, contact Tisha Bouwmeester at [email protected].

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Registration: Click here to register. Deadline: October 3.

UIP Workshop - Denver Hosted by the Colorado League of Charter Schools Date: Friday, October 10 Time: 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM Location: Colorado League of Charter Schools' Training Center, 4201 E. Yale Avenue, Denver (Directions and parking instructions) Cost: League Members: $75 for one person. $25 for each additional attendee. | Non-Members: $100 for one person. $25 for each additional attendee. Meals: Light breakfast will be provided. Lunch will NOT be provided. Please consider bringing a sack lunch and snacks. There will be a break for lunch. Audience: School Leaders and Teachers Description: These workshops will provide time for charter schools to work through each section of their Unified Improvement Plan (UIP) (Data Narrative, Root Cause, Target Setting and Action Planning). League staff will be present and available to provide support. There will also be an opportunity to network with other schools. For more information, contact Tisha Bouwmeester at [email protected]. Registration: Click here to register. Deadline: October 6.

Webinar: Edlio Custom School Websites Date: Wednesday, October 15 Time: 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM Location: Online/Webinar Cost: No cost to attend Description: Edlio creates custom designed websites with an intuitive content management system. This system allows individuals with minimal computer backgrounds to be able to update the school website and pages. Edlio's goal is to increase marketing, enrollment, and communication for your school. Edlio has worked with over 2,000 schools and school districts nationwide and have helped launch several charter schools web presence. Please join us, as our webinar will be discussing ways to launch your school to greater levels of success through social media marketing, SEO, advanced communication, and ways that you can increase enrollment all through your web presence alone. Registration: Click here to register.

A Great Teacher in Every Classroom: The Role of Pensions in Recruiting and Retaining Quality Teachers Date: Thursday, October 16 Time: 5:30 PM - 7:00 PM Location: Craig Hall Community Room, University of Denver 2148 S. High Street, Denver, CO 80208 Cost: No cost to attend Description: Join us for a discussion about how Colorado can ensure all teachers benefit from a secure retirement and more competitive salaries. Colorado offers comparatively low pay for teachers and suffers from comparatively high teacher turnover - and the current public retirement system perpetuates the problem. Hear from a distinguished panel of experts on how the state's current public pension system affects schools' ability to attract and retain the best teachers. Registration: Click here to register.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Take Action! Join the Colorado Charter Advocacy Network (Colorado CAN)

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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 Rader. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Visit us online at: http://www.coloradoleague.org Quick Links...

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