denver school board electionsdenver school board elections

.hideResponses { display: none;} Jos Silva is running to represent District 4 and currently serves as executive director of the Colorado Association for Infant Mental Health. Oct. 20, 2021, 4:00 am Listen Now 4min 49sec Jenny Brundin/CPR News Campaign signs in Woodland Park in Teller County often label certain candidates as "conservative." There has been an increase. I need to have the confidence and ability to be clear and transparent in all my decisions. }) This needs to be addressed at both the local and state level. padding-bottom: 5px; .key-messages li:last-child { margin-bottom: 0px;} Equity. In working toward Classroom Equity, Nicky will focus on: The current emphasis on standardized testing as the primary measure of student achievement and school quality is no longer justifiable based both on newer research and the need for equity for all students. Students from all communities, backgrounds, ethnicities should have a quality school to attend in the community they live in. Chalkbeat is a nonprofit newsroom dedicated to providing the information families and educators need, but this kind of work isnt possible without your help. The board must oversee the school district budget and adopt policies to provide for systemic review and evaluation of all aspects of the district's programs. Then we must do our part as a district to ensure that ALL educators are paid a true living wage. I'd like to see the state strengthen non-profit regulation in the areas of donor disclosure and issue advocacy. Douglas County School Board violated Colorado Open Meetings Law, judge I'm currently working as a consultant and executive coach for education leaders and entrepreneurs. 3. I want to bring my skills and experiences as a teacher, a district reading coordinator, elementary and middle school principal, executive coach, and a realtor to the decision-making and vision-setting work necessary to guide the superintendent to improve learning outcomes for all DPS students. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Notice and European users agree to the data transfer policy. We need a proportional representation of students in Gifted/Talented programs and Special Education services. Advocates call requirement dangerous, Eating this food may be a reason why some people live to 100, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. Candidates for School District Director may not circulate the nomination petition for signatures prior to ninety days before the election August 4, 2021. We need to ensure that educators have access to culturally relevant and scientifically proven effective curricula, with structures and supports for success for every child. Beginning August 2, 2021, nomination petitions may be obtained at the Denver Elections Division, 200 W. 14th Avenue, Suite 100, Denver, Colorado. Gene is married to Kenya who is a writer, poet, and performer; as well as the Chief Creative Officer of 5280 Artist Coop. .inner_percentage, .inner_percentage.Nonpartisan, .inner_percentage.Independent, .inner_percentage.Constitution, .inner_percentage.unknown { .key-messages li {margin-bottom: 10px;} As information became more accessible and I learned more about my own ancestry, it got me thinking about how our identities are formed and shaped by both nature and nurture. Increased partnerships with city and community agencies to realize vision, Strategic planning between district, city, and community agencies to deliver on our promises to our children, We believe that together, WE CAN THRIVE![8]. letter-spacing: .03em; Meanwhile, reports show the Denver teachers union had given more than $157,000 directly to four candidates: Esserman, Olson, Gaytn, and Quattlebaum. The board heard a mix of support . As the father of a daughter who works as a counselor in DPS, and as someone who has been coaching DPS principals and leaders for the past nine years, I understand the urgent needs of students, teachers, and all district staff. $('.pastResponses').hide(); It would be fulfilling for me as a citizen to know that I could contribute to policies that help all students experience increased achievement and a heightened sense of well-being in all aspects of their learning and overall personal development. } margin: 0; p.survey-question {font-weight:bold;} We see a lot of lip service to equity, but see little policy change to support it. ". margin-top: 0px; There were two main tasks in this job: take orders by phone when the customer called the department, and call the customer when their order came in. In-fact the only extractable information from our standardized tests is the socio-economic status of a student. margin-bottom: .75em; Cities | I have centered relationships, teamwork, and fundamental skill-building in all of my work. The at-large videos will be shared soon. p.survey-response {margin-left:10px;} Why you should care about the Denver school board elections if (typeof $ != 'undefined') { This book is a thoughtful, philosophical explanation of how our world has evolved up to recent times. Strong schools have also been a foundation to build and maintain stronger communities. Our son Drew often gets roped into helping out with video shoots or running tech, making it a full family affair. Get to the bio by clicking the linked words "Chalkbeat Colorado" at the start of this paragraph. What's At Stake In The Denver School Board Election $('.showResponses').show(); Student-based budgeting is not working today to meet the increased demands and needs of our students and staff. This information was current as of the candidate's run for Denver Board of Education District 3 in 2021. .hideResponses { display: none;} Helen H. Richardson/The Denver Post The Denver teachers union endorsed. font-size: 0.9em; Inclusive Leadership Author: Sonia Gutierrez Published: 9:03 PM MDT October 18, 2019 Updated: 12:58 PM MDT October 21, 2019 DENVER A Denver software entrepreneur has invested more than $325,000 of his own money. Click here to contact us for media inquiries, and please donate here to support our continued expansion. } Throughout my career, I have connected with students beyond the classroom, including coaching soccer, basketball, field hockey, and founding a nationally-recognized speech and debate program at Kent Denver School. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Esserman's responses. He believes in community schools, which he said have culturally relevant curriculum and discipline is aimed at repairing harm. The statewide teachers union gave at least another $75,000. margin-bottom: 4px; He resigned from the position on Oct. 8. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Here are the winners for each seat: }, 100); margin-bottom: 0px; } The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by DeGuire's responses. What plans do you have to be inclusive of parental involvement? As the father of a daughter who works as a counselor in DPS, and as someone who has been coaching DPS principals and leaders for the past nine years, I understand the urgent needs of students, teachers, and all district staff. On her website, Benavides blamed the districts focus on equity for a failure to improve teaching and student performance. Allowing teachers to lead development of a culturally responsible curriculum. Mike DeGuire completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2021. height: 50px; Equity and wellness are the seed and the water, achievement is the fruit of our commitment to be both well. I didnt know what my talents and abilities were back then, so I had no clue what major to pick. The Douglas County School Board's conservative majority violated the Colorado Open Meetings Law in connection with its . (function() { You cant always get to the school board meeting. The present structure is one that fosters isolated conversations about individual school needs. For students to be prepared for the future, they need more experiences in learning life skills and developing the mindsets to to think critically, problem solve, and develop empathy though collaboration with others. What is DPS doing about this? Nearly all students at DPS are at a disadvantage because they cant read well enough to have equal opportunity. .mw-body #mw-content-text th.votebox-results-cell--text { The greatest challenge students face is being able to engage in meaningful, rigorous, relevant, learning experiences that enable them to learn how to think critically and to develop positive mindsets for their future in society. Studies are clear on students emotional and learning benefits when they see themselves in their teachers and school leaders. Alongside a coalition of community leaders, he lobbied Denver Democrats to overwhelmingly pass the resolution, clearing a path for Denverites to elect a slate of pro-education candidates in 2019's Denver Public School Board elections. Silva's campaign website stated the following: 1. color: #6db24f; font-weight: 100; $(".expand-all").on('click', () => { 4 min. We need new experienced leadership to address the real challenges facing students today. Whether you have kids in school today or not, every family in Denver deserves the opportunity for an excellent, equitable education opportunity within their neighborhood. Scott plans to foster more support for our educators by advocating for their interests. if (typeof $ != 'undefined') { overflow-y: hidden; Public education leads us all into economic stability. position: absolute; Four school-board elections maintained pro-reform majority control during the nearly 14-year Bennet-Boasberg era. Current school board President Carrie Olson had a commanding lead 69% of the vote over her challenger in District 3, which spans central-east Denver. Article. We need new leadership on the Board to restore our trust in DPS and to focus on the real challenges facing our students today. This section includes candidate profiles created in one of two ways: either the candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey, or Ballotpedia staff compiled a profile based on campaign websites, advertisements, and public statements after identifying the candidate as noteworthy. In addition, the funding for local schools has been woefully inadequate and inequitable for students in many areas of the district. $('.pastResponses').hide(); letter-spacing: .04em; $('.showResponses').hide(); Denver Public Schools is located in Denver County, Colorado. Charter School Accountability - requirements for private funding/grant funding disclosures, and set standard for transparency, oversight and equity to school board and vice-versa. Ballotpedia features 409,905 encyclopedic articles written and curated by our professional staff of editors, writers, and researchers. $('#candidate-connection-twitter-103042').on('click', () => { ga('send', 'event', 'surveycta', 'surveycta-click-twitter'); }); Little did I know that I had a massive gap in my literacy skills. in Business Management from MSU Denver, I now work in real estate where I have been representing working families in Southwest Denver for the past 19 years. .large-date { text-align: center; margin-top: 30px; margin-bottom: 20px; font-size: 20px; font-weight: 600;} Every childs path to success is different, and it all starts with access to a high-quality education. I build organizations that are respectful and open, and I care deeply about the health and well-being of our school communities. Most importantly, she give us both reason and purpose to restore the human spirit which we need both to survive and to thrive. p.survey-question {font-weight:bold;} Recognized for honoring students lived experience, I have prioritized culturally relevant curricula everywhere I taught. 85% of the students at DPS graduate unable to read at the most basic level. Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. $('.showResponses').on('click', () => { Teachers should have more growth opportunity, provided with a more secured master contract and financial support from the administration and the Board of Education of the school district they work in. Conducting an aggressive audit of every penny and position in the Central Administration with community members invited to join in the work. Click here to view or fill out the survey. This will provide us the information needed to fully understand the current state of the district. Deborah Meier asserts that its time for us to measure schools by the values we believe in for public life in general, and to measure our students, then, by the long-term impact they will have on our larger society and the vitality of our democracy. overflow-y: auto; She has served as Principal-in-Residency, Assistant Principal, Instructional Coach, and both a founding teacher and classroom teacher. ". display: block; As of October 4, 2021, Ballotpedia could not identify campaign themes for Mosby Jones. } We know this is essential in our work of dismantling structures of bias and racism. What was the last song that got stuck in your head? .electionsectionheading { .expand-all:hover, .collapse-all:hover {cursor: pointer; text-decoration: underline;} It is key that we create partnerships to enrich student academic programming and wellness. Who are the Denver school board candidates for 2019? How will you support advanced teaching approaches? Scott is committing to a listening tour with faculty and staff in order to determine how to ensure that we are best serving students. If you value Chalkbeat, consider making a donation. Follow whats happening in Colorado schools in our newsletter, delivered every weekday. This demands dialogue, co-creation and co-delivery by the entire ecosystem. Our students need us to work together across all areas of the district to improve the life skills and learning outcomes for every student no matter where they live. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office? p.survey-question {font-weight:bold;} .votebox-results-metadata-p { Gene Fashaw is a math teacher at High Point Academy charter school in Aurora who is running to represent District 4 on the board. Two investigations reached different conclusions. } They turned out in record . The safety of our students, staff, and families is paramount. This will require us to go beyond surveys and committees. I received my B.S. I would participate in local parent meetings related to board policy and I would be available to work with parent groups whenever possible. I did love law enforcement and research. DPS parent Harvey Park is the community I have chosen to live, work and raise my family in. I began working at a local department store selling men's clothing, while I was a senior in high school at the age of 16. .key-messages li {margin-bottom: 10px;} Four seats are up for election in the November 2, 2021 Biennial Election, Director Districts 2, 3 and 4, and an At Large seat. I have a clear understanding of how our school board's decisions and policies affect our students' engagement in learning and their academic achievement. The winners of the election will overseea new superintendent, craft a new strategic plan, and grapple with several long-simmering issues, includingdeclining enrollmentand continued disagreement over the role of independentcharter schoolsand semi-autonomousinnovation schools. And I see my role as the last hope for education reform. You can read her full profile here. They will also help lead a district that is still navigating the COVID-19 pandemic. $('.showResponses').hide(); .results_row.winner { U.S. President | $('.showResponses').on('click', () => { Renewing the Districts emphasis on cultural accountability. $('.pastResponses').show(); padding-bottom: 0px; Trump and DeSantis court Moms for Liberty in a sign - The Denver Post color: #888; } z-index:1; None of us is an archetype of any one race, culture, religion or upbringing and all of us are influenced by our DNA, our families, communities and the events we experience. We have witnessed our public education system fail to adjust to our childrens needs for far too long. Together they are raising two amazing DPS kids: Kylia, age 8, and Gene Jr., age 5.[8]. After retiring from Aurora Public Schools, I developed a program for principals and district leaders focused on leadership for transformational change. Michelle Quattlebaum defeated Gene Fashaw and Jose Silva in the general election for Denver Board of Education District 4 on November 2, 2021. Lifting the work of Dr. Sharon Bailey and commissioning a study for the Latino/x/a Denver population. width: 50%; All students must have access to post secondary readiness opportunities. In order to achieve that, we must increase budgetary transparency and reconsider and adjust the DPS per-pupil funding model that fails our students and is designed to cultivate a competitive education model. Submitted Biography: "Nicky grew up in the Houston Area, where he took to community organizing from a young age. a[aria-expanded=false] .fa-chevron-down { display: none; } Candidates must be a registered elector of the school district for at least 12 consecutive months before the election and be a resident of the director district represented if applicable. Building tangible mechanisms that require DPS to follow the communitys lead, such as a Community Action Team (CAT) which will put forth quarterly recommendations the Board will be required to vote on. I have a talent for connecting seemingly unrelated dots, creating order out of chaos, and putting together powerhouse teams. She was elected in 2017 and has served as president since 2019. Students First. Students are more than test scores. Strong schools have also been a foundation to build and maintain stronger communities. (function() { Gene earned an academic scholarship to the historically black college Morehouse College in Atlanta, GA and earned his B.A. $('#candidate-connection-twitter-103044').on('click', () => { ga('send', 'event', 'surveycta', 'surveycta-click-twitter'); }); Parents and communities should also get involved and support their local schools. $(".collapse-all").on('click', () => { I am ready to address that challenge to improve learning and well-being for students. } I am running for re-election to continue to use my experience in our district. display: inline-block; Support and Hold account our new Superintendent to the needs of the varying communities and be a guiding voice in those conversations. .hideResponses { display: none;} Harvey Park is the community I have chosen to live, work and raise my family in. The National Education Association guides the six pillars of a community school: Strong and proven culturally relevant curriculum We must break the survival silos and operate in the power of our interdependence, in the brilliance of the collective, to solve for present and future challenges that threaten equity, wellness, and achievement for students. Literacy matters if you want every child to have equal opportunity. } Counties | Esserman's campaign website stated the following: Scott's perspective on policies are inspired by his work in classrooms and with communities. If you felt participating in the 2020. } (function() { In the past two years, the union-backed board has undone or halted many reforms put in place by previous boards. $('.collapse').collapse('show'); High-quality teaching and learning Denver School Board Director At-Large Marla F. Benavides: 10,877 votes, 15.84 percent Scott Esserman: 26,990 votes, 39.31 percent Jane Shirley: 11,056 votes, 16.1 percent Nicky Yollick: 4,059. line-height: 1.5em; in History from the University of Missouri, emphasizing African American Studies, and a Certificate in Education Finance from Georgetown University. The Denver Post and five other Colorado news organizations sued the school district, alleging the Board of Education violated the Colorado Open Meetings Law when it met in closed session one day af Engaging students with educators who reflect their lived experiences. width: 350px; She lost in the general election on November 2, 2021. It is critical to identify that preparation also requires critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, communication, information literacy, media literacy, technology literacy, and flexibility. .large-date { text-align: center; margin-top: 30px; margin-bottom: 20px; font-size: 20px; font-weight: 600;} For students to thrive in the future, they need to learn life skills, complex problem solving, and citizenship, along with academics. Olson is a former Denver teacher who was endorsed by the union. } I will focus on the healthiness of school cultures, the experience and competence of school leaders, and the opportunities for teachers to engage in meaningful professional learning. div.survey-scrollbox { height:400px; overflow:scroll; margin:20px; padding:10px; border:1px solid gray; }