Great Things Going On Now
I would like to thank the Skoglund Middle School-Center High School Building Leadership Team for resurrecting the Coin of Excellence Award. The concept behind this is for staff members to indentify co-workers who they feel are having a positive impact on our organization and to issue the coin to that person with a certificate describing their specific contribution. In a recent meeting the middle-high BLT recently discussed ways staff members could share their appreciation for one-another and it was decided to go this route. Members of the Skoglund-CHS BLT are Katrina Ruggles, Kevin Jones, Carrie Zimmerman, Alice Burch, Daniel Newmyer, Kindra Rounds, Linda Donaldson, Becky Reed, and Julie Weatherford.
Speaking of the Coin of Excellence, I heard that Center Schools Custodian Arnold Lujan was recognized this past week with it. The person who honored Arnold sees him as a person who tries to lead by example. "Arnold inspires others as he goes above and beyond to make our grounds and building look as good as possible." Since Arnold began helping outside our schools we have yet to see trash cans overflowing nor have we had to step around debris in the building entrances. This is greatly appreciated, especially at a time where there is construction all around and the district and its employees are trying make our old buildings and grounds survive for just a few more months.
Speaking of the Coin of Excellence, I heard that Center Schools Custodian Arnold Lujan was recognized this past week with it. The person who honored Arnold sees him as a person who tries to lead by example. "Arnold inspires others as he goes above and beyond to make our grounds and building look as good as possible." Since Arnold began helping outside our schools we have yet to see trash cans overflowing nor have we had to step around debris in the building entrances. This is greatly appreciated, especially at a time where there is construction all around and the district and its employees are trying make our old buildings and grounds survive for just a few more months.
I want to thank Center High School Principal and Athletic Director Kevin Jones for allowing our wrestlers to compete at Colorado Mesa University in a venue designed for college competition. I know Kevin’s real motive behind the event was to offer our wrestlers the opportunity to tour the campus as a way to familiarize them with the possibilities of college life. During the past several years Mr. Jones and his staff have done a wonderful job of providing such opportunities for our high school students and I have no doubt it makes a difference in getting our students to consider more seriously the prospect of continuing their education after they graduate.
I also want to thank Technology Department staff member Teddy Garcia for designing a new Center Consolidated School District logo. In conjunction with the upcoming opening of our new building we are hoping to incorporate this new district logo to be used on letterhead, business cards, our website, and other Center Schools business items. Teddy has become quite good at creating digital artwork images, as he is also the designer of the new Viking logo for our schools.
I also want to thank Technology Department staff member Teddy Garcia for designing a new Center Consolidated School District logo. In conjunction with the upcoming opening of our new building we are hoping to incorporate this new district logo to be used on letterhead, business cards, our website, and other Center Schools business items. Teddy has become quite good at creating digital artwork images, as he is also the designer of the new Viking logo for our schools.
I became aware this week that Haskin Elementary School Physical Education Teacher Andy Hawkins is being showed much appreciation from the creators of the SPARK PE curriculum. SPARK is a scientifically based program designed to promote appropriate exercise and movement in students of all ages. Andy has faithfully been planning objectives aligned to this curriculum and has been doing a great job of teaching it as designed. We are grateful to finally have access to a well thought out PE curriculum and very proud of the way Mr. Hawkins is being viewed as a Valley leader during SPARK's early implementation.
Finally, as of now fourteen Center Schools employees have joined ten other local participants in training for the Center Beginner Triathlon on June 2nd. Since 2008 Center Schools has been promoting this event and many Center Schools employees, as well as other greater San Luis Valley residents, have participated and completed their first sprint length triathlon at this annual event. Anyone out there interested in joining us can get more information about the program at http://www.centertriathlontraining.com/
Finally, as of now fourteen Center Schools employees have joined ten other local participants in training for the Center Beginner Triathlon on June 2nd. Since 2008 Center Schools has been promoting this event and many Center Schools employees, as well as other greater San Luis Valley residents, have participated and completed their first sprint length triathlon at this annual event. Anyone out there interested in joining us can get more information about the program at http://www.centertriathlontraining.com/
The Past Week
During the past week the district adopted an updated budget at a special Board of Education meeting held on Monday at Noon.
I then spent the better part of the week in Westminster to attend a CDE sponsored Teacher Effectiveness work session aimed at helping to implement the requirements of SB 191, a CDE sponsored Turnaround Professional Learning Community meeting, and then the Colorado Association of School Executives Winter Leadership Conference.
The big storm that hit Denver caused our CASE Conference Friday morning keynote speaker to cancel his flight and drive home, which started earlier than anticipated, was a little challenging, to say the least.
Big Things We Are Working On
The on site work for our annual audit has been completed. We will possibly be scheduling a special board meeting to formally accept it in the near future.
During the January re-budgeting process we revised our beginning fund balance to match actual audited numbers and increased our revenue projections to match actual pupil count and some previously unanticipated revenue streams. Our total revenue adjustment came to about a $240,000 increase in anticipated district income. Much of this revenue was allocated to cover the first staff raises we have been able to offer in three years. Some other budget lines such as technology equipment and building maintenance, which had been significantly reduced going into the budget year, had to be increased at the mid fiscal year point to address some unanticipated costs. The remainder of our revenue adjustment was allocated to increase district reserves from an end of year balance in July 2011 of $510,000 to and anticipated end of year balance in June 2012 of $600,000.
Our Administrative Team and District Leadership Team will begin taking action on Monday to establish a 2012-13 school year Academic Improvement Plan.
During the January re-budgeting process we revised our beginning fund balance to match actual audited numbers and increased our revenue projections to match actual pupil count and some previously unanticipated revenue streams. Our total revenue adjustment came to about a $240,000 increase in anticipated district income. Much of this revenue was allocated to cover the first staff raises we have been able to offer in three years. Some other budget lines such as technology equipment and building maintenance, which had been significantly reduced going into the budget year, had to be increased at the mid fiscal year point to address some unanticipated costs. The remainder of our revenue adjustment was allocated to increase district reserves from an end of year balance in July 2011 of $510,000 to and anticipated end of year balance in June 2012 of $600,000.
Our Administrative Team and District Leadership Team will begin taking action on Monday to establish a 2012-13 school year Academic Improvement Plan.
Construction News
This past week work on construction continued at a feverish pace: painting rooms, hanging ceiling tile, installing cabinetry, installing doors, installing the elevator, and even laying the floor in the new auxiliary gymnasium.
Our Core Beliefs
Our Core Belief number 3 states, “Quality planning, instruction, and assessments lead to high student achievement for ALL.” This means Center Schools staff members work diligently to plan all of their lessons on a weekly basis, and these lessons align to the curriculum we have adopted. In addition, Center School District Teachers work hard to engage ALL students in daily instruction to ensure ALL children are learning curriculum concepts. Finally, Center Schools teachers continually measure what students have learned. This is done on a daily, quarterly, and annual basis. This data is then used to adjust the way we teach to ensure that ALL students have the opportunity to learn and increase their academic achievement.
Extra Points
The family of Anthony and Denise Lobato was honored Friday morning at the CASE Winter Leadership Conference immediately after a speech by Governor John Hickenlooper. As CASE President and Superintendent of Schools here in Center I was asked to introduce the family. As an extra point this week I have printed below the speech I delivered for this purpose.
Center Schools has been actively involved in what became the Lobato v Colorado lawsuit since 2003 when Kathy Gebhardt approached me with concerns she had about the categorical funding provisions in the Colorado School Finance Act. At that time we arranged for a series of evening informational meetings within our community to discuss these issues, usually luring people out by providing food.
I believe Center was one of Kathy’s early points of focus because of its high at risk student population, high minority population, vast number of English Language Learner students, and low property wealth. These factors have caused the children of Center, who are already among the poorest in personal wealth, to be among the least funded students in Colorado.
As the effort progressed from taking on categorical funding to going after the “whole enchilada;” four Center School District families formally signed on to the litigation effort; the families of Anthony and Denise Lobato, Miguel and Yuridia Cendejas, Dave and Linda Warsh, and Pantaleon and Maria Villagomez. The case ultimately got its name in 2005 when Kathy Gebhardt, having noticed the continual engagement in the process by Anthony and Denise Lobato, asked me if I thought they would be good candidates to approach about becoming the lead plaintiffs.
My answer? Would they ever!
I have never known a more intelligent couple, raising smarter children, who have been more actively and appropriately engaged in a school system than the Lobatos. Thus we arranged to have Kathy formally ask Anthony and Denise to accept the responsibility of being listed as the first plaintiffs on the lawsuit. A decision that, no doubt, has significantly changes their lives.
As the case progressed, Center Schools stayed involved by formally signing on as a school district Plaintiff, providing nominal financial support to the effort, offering stories and expertise regarding its own financial circumstances, and providing documents and expert deposition as the case proceeded toward trial.
As many of you may know, in August 2011 Center Schools took to the statewide stage when I served as the leadoff witness on the first day of the trial. I would also like to point out that my good friend and former board secretary Miguel Cendejas also testified in court. And I just can’t tell you how proud I was when a kid I know named Stefan Welsh testified as to the learning conditions he witnessed in schools throughout the state when he was asked to narrate the video he made for the case about school facility conditions. However, these were mere supporting roles when compared to the responsibility Anthony, Denise, Taylor and Alexa Lobato took on.
Throughout the trial, and since it ended, the Lobato family has served as the human face of the case with dignity, grace, and intelligence. Often attacked in the press for taking this stand, the family has stood together and endured a media onslaught while continuing to effectively communicate the basic tenets of the case.
In my opinion the absolute highlight of the trial was when Taylor Lobato, a middle school student at the time our efforts began to solve this problem, took to the witness stand to describe the lack of resources and support she and her classmates experienced as Center Schools students. For those who were not present for this testimony I would like to describe it like this: The back and forth exchange that took place between trial attorney Kenzo Kawanabe and Taylor Lobato was like a beautiful ballroom dance, absolutely flawless. Taylor and Kenzo simply put into perfect words what we had all been trying to say for years.
Kenzo also happens to be a San Luis Valley native, a proud graduate of Alamosa High School.
I believe the earth moved underneath Judge Rappaport’s seat during Taylor’s testimony, and I must say the smartest move the state attorneys made during the whole trial was NOT to cross-examine Taylor Lobato.
As I turn over the stage to the Lobato family I want to add a personal note of appreciation to them. Because I know that with open enrollment and school choice in Colorado the Lobatos could simply have just chosen to give up on Center Schools, and move their children to another school district.
Instead, the Lobatos hung with us and chose to engage us and support us in the process of making our schools better, and ultimately to challenge the overall school finance system for the benefit all children in Colorado. That has made all of the difference in our little part of the world.
Through this process my personal bond with Anthony has also become strong. You see we both happen to get what little exercise we endeavor at the same hot springs pool near the small town of Hooper, Colorado.
My greatest hopes are that we push hard to secure the victory at the Supreme Court level, ultimately changing Colorado for the better.
However, I also fantasize that thirty years from now you might come to the Sand Dunes Swimming Pool and see two crabby old men racing each other side by side in the swim lanes. Of course this crabby old man will finish first. But, perhaps, if you sit by these old men on a bench to catch some rays you just might hear them reminiscing about when one of them, the slower swimmer of course, had the courage to stand up and demand a better education system for our children in Colorado.
Ladies and gentlemen join me in welcoming Anthony, Denise, and Taylor Lobato.
After my introduction of the Lobato family, Taylor and Anthony were given the opportunity to address the audience and each of them told how honored they were to represent parents and children form all over the state, how the trial was a once in a lifetime experience, and how they are holding out hope that the victory will be secured at the Supreme Court level and our legislators will then conduct the work it takes to establish a thorough and uniform system of education for ALL children.
Video of the Week
This week’s video comes compliments of Haskin Elementary School Teacher Amy Halbach’s 4th grade class. Her kids took on the responsibility to snap a picture of our construction site from her classroom each day during fall semester. I combined these images with pictures I took over the summer from the District Board Room as the construction project progressed and the end result is a pretty nifty time-lapse photography project that shows the construction of our new school from the end of May 2011 through Christmas.
You can access the video at this link http://keepingourfocus.weebly.com/videos.html
You can access the video at this link http://keepingourfocus.weebly.com/videos.html
The Last Hurrah!
In conjunction with the last event that will take place in the Center High School Gymnasium, the CHS Student Council has organized a festival called "The Last Hurrah." This celebration will take place during the upcoming week.
The festival includes spirit dress up days including Pajama Day on Monday, Generation Day on Tuesday, Class Color Day on Wednesday, and "The Last Hurrah Day" on Thursday.
The festival will culminate with a High School Pep Assembly in the gym on Thursday at 1 PM and the final games to be played in the CHS Gym on Friday February 10th against the Del Norte Tigers. There will be many exciting game night activities including honoring athletes who participated in the very first games held in the gym and an opportunity for Class of 2012 athletes to share their fondest memories of the facility.The gym will be removed from the school site in late February to make room for a new high school field house being built in conjunction with the construction of our new school.
Thanks for once again listening and have another great week!
George
The festival includes spirit dress up days including Pajama Day on Monday, Generation Day on Tuesday, Class Color Day on Wednesday, and "The Last Hurrah Day" on Thursday.
The festival will culminate with a High School Pep Assembly in the gym on Thursday at 1 PM and the final games to be played in the CHS Gym on Friday February 10th against the Del Norte Tigers. There will be many exciting game night activities including honoring athletes who participated in the very first games held in the gym and an opportunity for Class of 2012 athletes to share their fondest memories of the facility.The gym will be removed from the school site in late February to make room for a new high school field house being built in conjunction with the construction of our new school.
Thanks for once again listening and have another great week!
George