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. 62

October 2014 | Volume 1 | Issue 4www.adams14.org

NEW!

Engage withAdams 14

Online! Check out our brand new website:

www.adams14.org

See ACHS Homecoming on page 3

2014 HOMECOMING

O C T O B E R 2 0142 adams14.org

Dave RollaVice Presidentdjrolla@adams14.org

Connie QuintanaTreasurercquintan@adams14.org

Larry QuintanaDirectorlarryq@adams14.org

Mary MortonSecretarymmorton@adams14.org

Robert VashawPresidentrobertv@adams14.org

Your Adams 14 Schools Board of Education

Public Invited to Board of Education Meetings� e Adams 14 Board of Education typi-cally meets at 6:30 p.m. on the second Tuesday of each month for a public hear-ing, and at 5 p.m. on the fourth Tuesday of each month for a study session, at the Education Support Services Building, 5291 E. 60th Avenue. � e public is wel-come to attend and translation services are available. Time is set aside at the public hearing for public comment. For agenda information and to con� rm meet-ings, please call 303-853-3205 or visit www.adams14.org.

� e Adams 14 Quarterly is publishedby the Adams 14 School District5291 E. 60th AvenueCommerce City, CO, 80022

Editor: Breanna Deidel, Communications Specialist | Photographer: Cameron Weise | Graphic Layout and Design: Colorado Community Media

IN THE

TO ADVERTISE CALL 303-853-3221

Mailed to over 13,000 Commerce City Householdsin English and Spanish!

Get Involved!Board of Education Strategic Imperatives• To dramatically improve academic per-

formance, and move the District from Priority Improvement to Accredited with Distinction by the year 2020.

• To signifi cantly empower all families and community members to become engaged partners in their child’s educa-tion, by creating welcoming environ-ments District-wide that re� ect and support a culturally diverse population.

• To intentionally increase and improve communication District-wide, both internally and externally, as well as en-hance the resources o� ered to our cur-rent clients and community members.

October

14

Upcoming School Board MeetingsDates and times subject to change.

November

12

November

25December

9

Engaging our parents and our community is at the heart of what we do. � ere are many opportunities to be involved at Adams 14.

District Accountability Advisory Committee (DAAC)� e DAAC typically meets on the � rst Monday of every month at Adams City High School at 6:30 p.m.

DAAC participants receive timely updates from District leadership, review the goals and plans of individual schools, and make recommendations to the Board of Education, and discusses important topics facing the District. Meetings include dinner. Language translation and child care are available. For more information on DAAC, please contact Debra Montoya at 303-853-3244 or dmontoya@adams14.org.

Financial Review Committee� e Financial Review Committee is a budget subcommittee of DAAC, which makes recommendations to

the Board of Education relative to priorities for expenditures of district funds and provides a copy of the rec-ommendations to the superintendent. � e Board shall consider these priorities when it adopts the annual budget. � e Committee meets from February through April each year. If you are interested in participating in the 2014-15 FRC, please contact Eddie Storz at 303-853-3201 or estorz@adams14.org

Special Education Advisory CommitteeAll parents, guardians, and friends of students with disabilities are welcome to join this supportive fo-

rum. All meetings are held at the Educational Support Services Building Board of Education Room at 5291 E. 60th Avenue. Dinner, childcare and language translation will be available. For additional information, please contact Reyna Gallegos at 303-853-3248 or rgallegos@adams14.org.

Facility Review Committee� e Facility Review Committee (FRC) promotes and enables input and feedback from the community, as

well as sta� , providing a framework for continual facility improvements for the next generation of Adams 14 students. As educational needs continue to change, it is necessary to ensure that all elements enhance and embrace an environment that is conducive to learning. � e FRC meets the second Wednesday of every month, except December, at 6 p.m. in the Adams City High School cafeteria at 7200 Quebec Parkway. For more information, please contact Regina Baca at 303-853-3217 or rbaca@adams14.org.

For more informationAdams 14 School DistrictEducation Support Services ..................... 303-853-33335291 E. 60th AvenueAdult Education ...............................................720-322-8154Board of Education Agenda ...........................303-853-3205Building/Grounds............................................303-853-7903Career and Technical Education ...................720-322-8158Communications .............................................303-853-3221Education Foundation ....................................303-853-3253Elementary Education ....................................303-853-3261Food Services ...................................................303-853-7950Hope Resource Center ....................................303-853-3274Human Resources............................................303-853-3201Preschool Education .......................................303-853-5675Secondary Education ......................................303-853-3233Special Education ............................................303-853-3248Student Behavior .............................................303-853-3308Student Records ...............................................303-853-3238Superintendent’s O� ce ...................................303-853-3205Technology .......................................................303-853-3228Transportation .................................................303-853-7906Volunteer Program ..........................................303-853-3221

ACHS Back toSchool Night

Your Community Speaks Out on Education

Community Gathering with Consuelo Castillo Kickbusch

Science at Adams City High School

Bringing It Home

O C T O B E R 2 014 3adams14.org

In just under seven days, Adams City High School put on a Homecoming Week for the record books. Everything, from parade entries to spectator turnout at the two sporting events, exceeded expectations. School spirit and community partici-pation was truly remarkable.

“� is was a great example of our school and community working together for the kids,” said Anthony Smith, executive director of turnaround and principal at ACHS. “� e commu-nity supported our students and our students supported the community.”

Homecoming Week included four themed days - Students Dress Like Teachers, Teachers Dress Like Students Day; Twin Day; Wear Pink Day; and Class Spirit Day. Students did not have school on Friday, Sept. 12, but ACHS teachers and sta� still had their own themed day - Alma Mater Day - complete with high school and college attire, and an alma mater sing-o� .

“� e energy is di� erent,” said Smith. “� e teachers are excited; the students are excited. We had high participa-tion among students and teachers in the themed days dur-ing Homecoming Week. You can feel the pride in our school growing; you can see it.”

Homecoming Week included two all-school assemblies, the traditional Pep Rally and an Anti-Bullying assembly put on by ASA Entertainment. Funded in part by the United States Marine Corps, � e ASA High School Tour brought

� ve X-Games athletes to do bike tricks while an emcee shared anti-bullying messages with the students.

“Bullying has been such a big deal in the news and in the schools,” said Damian Brown, athletic and activities director at ACHS. “� is isn’t the kind of assembly where one person is talking at the kids. ASA draws them in with the bike tricks and the pull-up contest, and then the emcee catches their ear with anti-bullying conversations.”

Adding to the enthusiasm of the assembly, Brown and Smith went head-to-head in a chin-up contest, and Krista Farver, physical education teacher at ACHS, sat still while an X-Games athlete jumped over her on a bike!

Homecoming Week’s themed days and assemblies helped build school spirit leading up to the big events held Friday and Saturday, Sept. 12 and 13.

� e junior girls ousted the seniors 6-0 in Friday evening’s Powder Pu� Football Game at ACHS. Boys from the ACHS Football Team coached the two teams.

Following Powder Pu� , students, teachers and members of the community ventured over to Ryerson, Inc., a metals com-pany in Commerce City, Colo., for the Homecoming Bon-� re. Fire� ghters from the South Adams County Fire Protec-tion District lit pallets at 9 p.m. and the � re burned steadily for two hours while the students danced to DJ Trinidad, an ACHS alum.

“It was great to have the Bon� re back this year,” said Smith.

Participation and school pride on the rise

ACHS Homecomingsoars to new heights

ACHS HOMECOMING continued on page 5

O C T O B E R 2 0144 adams14.org

Patrick SánchezSuperintendent303-853-3204psanchez@adams14.org

Dr. Kandy SteelDeputy Superintendent 303-853-3260ksteel@adams14.org

Leon CernaChief Human ResourcesO� cer303-853-3203lcerna@adams14.org

Walt KramarzLegal Counsel303-853-3258wkramarz@adams14.org

Your Adams 14 Schools Administrative Team

Sandy RotellaChief Financial Operations O� cer303-853-3252srotella@adams14.org

Dr. Robyn DuranChief Equity andCommunications O� cer303-853-3230rduran@adams14.org

Superintendent Sánchez Recognized by White House

On Monday, September 22, 2014, at 10:15 a.m., the White House hon-ored local “Champions of Change” who are doing extraordinary work to educate the next generation of Americans. � ese Champions have distinguished themselves by devoting their time and energy to creating opportunities for young people to succeed, particularly in low-income communities.

As a part of Hispanic Heritage Month, this event will showcase these leaders and the exceptional contributions they have made to Latino communities and this country. � e program will feature remarks from Jim Shelton, Deputy Secretary of the Department of Education, Roberto Rodriguez, Deputy Assistant to the President for Education, and Ale-jandra Ceja, Executive Director of the White House Initiative on Educa-tional Excellence for Hispanics.

� e Champions of Change program was created as an opportunity for the White House to feature individuals doing extraordinary things to empower and inspire members of their communities. � e event will be live- streamed on the White House website at www.whitehouse.gov/live. To learn more about the White House Champions of Change program, visit www.whitehouse.gov/champions.

Amelia CastañedaAlexandria, Virginia

Amelia Castañeda is the Alexandria Center Director for Higher Achieve-ment, an organization dedicated to closing the opportunity gap for mid-dle school youth. In this role, Ame-lia works closely with middle school students and their families, helping them navigate the educational system and providing much-needed support. In the Higher Achievement program, students participate in a rigorous year-round a� erschool and summer acad-emy program, which creates for them opportunities to succeed and raises their own expectations of themselves. It is Amelia’s mission that these students graduate the program college-bound and equipped with the necessary tools for success.

Susana CordovaDenver, Colorado

Susana Cordova is Chief Schools Of-� cer of Denver Public Schools (DPS). She is a life-long Denver resident and has worked at the elementary, middle, and high school levels. She has also held several leadership positions in the DPS central o� ce. Susana believes in the power of our schools to transform our communities. She has worked with principals, content specialists, and classroom teachers to support rigorous instruction and strives for inclusion-ary practices to meet the needs of all learners. Among other things, Susana brought the English Language Acqui-sition program to DPS for students learning English as a second language.

Patricia CortezSalinas, California

Patricia Cortez is a teacher at Alian-za Elementary School, a charter school

with a two-way bilingual immersion program in Watsonville, California. She has been at the school for 18 years. As a product of a bilingual education from the very same community, Patri-cia’s goal is to inspire the next genera-tion to develop and take pride in their bilingualism.

Dr. Daniel KingMission, Texas

Dr. Daniel King is the Superinten-dent of the Pharr-San Juan-Alamo Independent School District, which serves more than 32,000 students in the lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas. Dr. King has implemented a compre-hensive approach to drop-out preven-tion and recovery, as well as a systemic scale-up of dual enrollment and Early College High Schools. � e results have been staggering: Over the past few years, the district’s four-year gradu-ation rate increased from 62.4% to 90.1%. Dr. King looks forward to con-tinuing to increase educational attain-ment for students in his district, the vast majority of whom are Latino.

Dr. Gonzalo La CavaAtlanta, Georgia

Dr. Gonzalo La Cava is the Area Superintendent for Fulton County Schools’ Central Learning Community, a grouping of schools surrounding the city of Atlanta. More than 18,000 stu-dents attend 23 schools in this learning community. Dr. La Cava works with each school’s leadership to achieve un-precedented academic results for all students and to guide its leaders in day-to-day operations and management. Prior to this role, Dr. La Cava served Fulton County Schools as its Assistant Superintendent of Student Support Services and its Executive Director of

Services for Exceptional Children.

Leonel PopolCheverly, Maryland

Leonel Popol is a Bilingual Counsel-or at the Francis L. Cardozo Education Campus in Washington, DC. Nearly 29 years ago, Leonel came to the United States with $300 in his pocket, limited knowledge of English, and a determi-nation to succeed. His career began by cleaning toilets and working in the construction industry. Today, he is a Bilingual Counselor at Cardozo and is also the coach of Georgetown Univer-sity’s women’s soccer team.

Pedro A. RiveraLancaster, Pennsylvania

Pedro A. Rivera is Superintendent of the Lancaster School District in Pennsylvania. His district serves a di-verse student body of 11,500 students, 84% of whom are economically dis-advantaged and about 10% of whom experience homelessness over the course of the school year. Pedro is a � rst-generation college graduate and the � rst Latino superintendent in the district. As Superintendent, he em-phasizes the importance of providing a high-quality education for all students and highlights his personal journey as an example for others to follow. Under his leadership, the school district has developed and implemented a new curriculum, an aggressive professional development plan, and innovative teacher observation tools.

Shana RunckAlbuquerque, New Mexico

Shana Runck is the Assistant Vice President of Community Relations and Financial Capabilities with the New Mexico Educators Federal Credit

White House Honors Latino Educators “Champions of Change”

CHAMPIONS OF CHANGE continued on page 6

O C T O B E R 2 014 5adams14.org

Save the Date

Visit www.BrightonKiwanis.org for more info • https://www.facebook.com/events/465687740228176/

Dodge Sign CompanySign-A-Rama United PowerHalliburton

Lemke, Feis & Company, P.C., CPA’sTabor - Rice Funeral Homes

Advanced Urgent CareBrighton Legacy Foundation

Gri�mages/Colorado Marketing ChickESCLA (translation services)

Your Neighbor MagazineGreenworks Video

Worth Financial PartnersValley Bank & Trust

Local Color MagazineThe Brighton Buzz

Allstate-Rippy Insurance

Keep our kids safe!

A FREE, fun, and educational event for parents and kids! Educational sessions by national and local experts. A WHOLE DAY FULL OF MUST HAVE INFO AND LOTS OF FUN!

Also made possible by generous support from:

Saturday, October 4, 2014 10:00 - 4:00 22 S. 4th Ave., Brighton, CO 80601

“It’s such a big part of the traditions here at ACHS.”Last year’s Homecoming Bon� re was cancelled because of

weather.Saturday’s Homecoming Parade through Commerce City

had a record-breaking 54 entries, more than twice as many as last year. Led by the ACHS Marine Corps JROTC, the parade line-up stretched multiple blocks down Olive Street, south of 64th. Adams 14 schools participated, elementary through high school, as well as Commerce City government o� cials and community organizations.

ACHS Student Council, Commerce City Rotary Interact, ACHS cheerleaders, football team and culinary students brought back the beloved Senior Citizens Homecoming on Aug. 30, for community members 55 and older. � e stu-dents crowned Senior Homecoming King, Les Knisley and Queen, Martha Stallsworth Steadman, both of whom rode in the Homecoming Parade and, later, were recognized at the Homecoming Football Game.

� e football game started with a bang - literally - with the � ring of the historic ACHS cannon. Smith � red the cannon again and again as the Eagles defeated Skyview High School 37-0. � e win was the school’s � rst homecoming shutout since 1966 – and they beat out that year’s score, breaking the record!

“� e boys came out and played hard; they wanted it,” said Head Coach Dan Jajczyk. “� ey knew it had been a long time since they had won a homecoming game at this school.”

Bigger than the team’s victories on the � eld, however, according to Jajczyk, are the ways the boys are growing as young men. He encourages them to work on di� erent as-pects of character development each week.

“Our approach and focus this week was all about honor; how to honor your school, how to honor the past players, how to honor the great citizens of Commerce City, how to honor yourself, and how to honor your family,” said Jajczyk. “It’s all tied together. � at’s what homecoming is about.”

Saturday night, students concluded the 2014 Homecoming Week festivities with a Homecoming Dance held at ACHS.

ACHS defeated � ornton High School in their � rst game of the season, which was the � rst win since 2005 (the Bron-cos named Coach Dan Jajczyk Coach of the Week a� er the win). � e Eagles lost to Mountain View in their second game. � ey just beat Aurora Central 24-23, leaving them now with a record of 3-1!

“We are going to continue to build on everything that hap-pened this year, and we are going to make next year even better,” said Brown.

ACHS HOMECOMINGContinued from page 3

All Veterans are invited to participate in Kearney Middle School’s Veteran’s Day Program, which honors Veterans in our country for their incredible service. Please call Reba Drotar at 303-853-5017 for information, and to RSVP.

Adams 14 Honors Veterans

O C T O B E R 2 0146 adams14.org

On Tuesday, August 26, 2014, the Adams 14 Board of Education unanimously referred two measures to be presented to the voters of the District at the November 4, 2014 election: One question is for an override mill levy (Issue 3E) and one is for a bond issue (Issue 3F). � e questions are set forth below.

BALLOT ISSUE NO. 3E:SHALL ADAMS COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 14 TAXES BE INCREASED $4.985 MILLION IN 2015 AND BY SUCH AMOUNTS AS MAY BE GENERATED ANNUALLY THEREAFTER BY THE IMPOSITION OF AN ADDI-TIONAL MILL LEVY OF NOT TO EXCEED 8.168 MILLS FOR GENERAL FUND PURPOSES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO:

ADDING ADDITIONAL CLASSROOM SUPPORT TO IMPLEMENT NEW EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES AND PROGRAMS, INCLUDING EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION AND PRESCHOOL FOR 3 AND 4 YEAR OLDS;

IMPLEMENTING AND INCREASING ADDITIONAL SERVICES, INCLUDING THE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH SUPPORTING SUCH SERVICES AND NEW EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS, SUCH AS SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, ARTS AND MATH (“STEAM”) AS WELL AS ADDITIONAL MUSIC PROGRAMS AND WORLD LANGUAGE PROGRAMS FOR 4TH THROUGH 8TH GRADE;

AND SHALL THE DISTRICT BE AUTHORIZED TO COLLECT, RETAIN AND SPEND ALL REVENUES FROM SUCH TAXES AND THE EARNINGS FROM THE INVESTMENT OF SUCH REVENUES AS A VOTER APPROVED REVENUE CHANGE AND AN EXCEPTION TO THE LIMITS WHICH WOULD OTHERWISE APPLY UNDER AR-TICLE X, SECTION 20 OF THE COLORADO CONSTITUTION OR ANY OTHER LAW?

BALLOT ISSUE NO. 3F:SHALL ADAMS COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 14 DEBT BE INCREASED $95,700,000, WITH A MAXIMUM TOTAL REPAYMENT COST OF $199,500,000, AND SHALL DISTRICT TAXES BE INCREASED NOT MORE THAN $12,500,000 ANNUALLY FOR CAPITAL PURPOSES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE FOLLOWING:

RENOVATING AND MODIFYING EXISTING ELEMENTARY SCHOOL FACILITIES TO ACCOMMODATE UNI-VERSAL PRE-SCHOOL PROGRAMS FOR THREE AND FOUR YEAR OLDS;

IMPROVING, UPGRADING, RENOVATING AND EQUIPPING 4TH AND 5TH GRADE FACILITIES IN ORDER TO PROMOTE ADVANCEMENT IN SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, ARTS AND MATHEMATICS;

ACQUIRING, CONSTRUCTING AND EQUIPPING A SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, ARTS AND MATHEMATICS MIDDLE SCHOOL (STEAM MIDDLE SCHOOL);

PROVIDING FOR HEALTH AND SAFETY REQUIREMENTS BY REPAIRING, MODERNIZING, RENOVATING, AND/OR REPLACING AGING, DETERIORATING OR OBSOLETE INFRASTRUCTURE IN ORDER TO EXTEND THE LIFE OF CURRENT CLASSROOMS, SCHOOLS AND OTHER FACILITIES;

AND SHALL THE MILL LEVY BE INCREASED IN ANY YEAR, WITHOUT LIMITATION OF RATE AND IN AN AMOUNT SUFFICIENT TO PAY THE ANNUAL PRINCIPAL OF, PREMIUM, IF ANY, AND INTEREST ON SUCH DEBT AS SET FORTH ABOVE OR ANY REFUNDING DEBT (OR TO CREATE A RESERVE FOR SUCH PAYMENT), SUCH DEBT TO BE EVIDENCED BY THE ISSUANCE OF GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS, INSTALLMENT SALES AGREEMENTS, LEASE PURCHASE AGREEMENTS OR OTHER MULTIPLE-FISCAL YEAR FINANCIAL OBLIGA-TIONS; SUCH DEBT TO BE SOLD IN ONE SERIES OR MORE, FOR A PRICE ABOVE OR BELOW THE PRINCIPAL AMOUNT OF SUCH SERIES, ON TERMS AND CONDITIONS, AND WITH SUCH MATURITIES AS PERMITTED BY LAW AND AS THE DISTRICT MAY DETERMINE, INCLUDING PROVISIONS FOR REDEMPTION OF THE DEBT PRIOR TO MATURITY WITHOUT PAYMENT OF THE PREMIUM; AND SHALL THE DISTRICT’S DEBT LIMIT BE INCREASED FROM AN AMOUNT EQUAL TO 20% OF THE DISTRICT’S ASSESSED VALUE TO AN AMOUNT EQUAL TO 6% OF THE DISTRICT’S ACTUAL VALUE, AS CERTIFIED BY THE COUNTY ASSESSOR OF ADAMS COUNTY; AND SHALL SUCH TAX REVENUES AND THE EARNINGS FROM THE INVESTMENT OF SUCH DEBT PROCEEDS AND TAX REVENUES BE COLLECTED, RETAINED AND SPENT AS A VOTER AP-PROVED REVENUE CHANGE UNDER ARTICLE X, SECTION 20 OF THE COLORADO CONSTITUTION OR ANY OTHER LAW?

Issue 3E and Issue 3F are the culmination of study and work by the Adams 14 Facilities Review Committee, a community group of parents, Adams 14 sta� , elected o� cials, local businesses, governmental entities and other Adams 14 stakeholders. A� er several years of meetings, tours of the Adams 14 buildings and properties, as well as comprehensive presentations from a wide range of entities and stakeholders, members of the committee presented and recommended to the Adams 14 Board of Education a plan that would address capital needs.

ARGUMENTS IN FAVOR OF THE BALLOT ISSUES INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING:

• If passed, Adams 14 students would benefi t from world-class learning environment enhancements District-wide, in-cluding the development of a new Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) Middle School, as well as capital improvements at all school buildings.

ARGUMENTS AGAINST THE BALLOT ISSUES INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING:

• If passed, taxes for a Commerce City residential homeowner per $100,000 of home value would increase approximately .32¢ per day to accommodate the improvements and expansions across Adams 14.

Union. In this role, she has worked to promote � nancial educa-tion and job training among students in New Mexico. As a New Mexico native and seasoned educator, she is passionate about providing at-risk Latino youth with the � nancial tools and life skills necessary for a successful transition into college, employ-ment, and � nancial independence. Shana has played a vital role in the development of the City of Albuquerque’s “Running Start for Careers” program and also helped design the program’s � rst Financial Services Career Exploration course.

Pat SánchezDenver, Colorado

Pat Sánchez is Superintendent of Adams County School Dis-trict 14 in Colorado. Pat holds more than 23 years of adminis-trative experience and has chosen to serve disadvantaged com-munities by working in urban, predominantly Latino schools. In Adams 14, roughly 80% of students qualify for free or reduced price school meals, and over 85% of students are children of color. In 2013, the district made unprecedented academic prog-ress, as Adams 14 Schools experienced the largest single-year increase in Transitional Colorado Assessment Program (TCAP) scores since 2007. His mantra – “Failure is Not an Option” – guides his leadership and will continue to inspire him to work harder on behalf of the students he engages.

Anibal Soler, Jr.Rochester, New York

Anibal Soler, Jr. is Principal of East High School, the largest urban high school in Rochester, New York, serving a popula-tion of 1,700 students. In 2000, Anibal began his career in urban education as an art teacher. Less than a decade later, he became Principal of East High School, a school that was then-labeled as persistently dangerous by the New York State Education De-partment. At East High School, Anibal has instilled a focus on increasing academic outcomes for students. He continues to lead the school’s transformational e� orts by developing a part-nership with the University of Rochester’s Warner School of Education.

CHAMPIONS OF CHANGEContinued from page 4

Finance DepartmentReceives Accolades

Adams County School District 14 (Adams 14), which serves more than 7,500 students annually, has received two accolades in recognition of its � nancial reporting division.

� e Association of School Business O� cials Interna-tional’s (ASBO) presented Adams 14 with its Certi� cate of Excellence in Financial Reporting award, for having met or exceeded the program’s high standards for � nan-cial reporting and accountability. � is award recognizes Adams 14 for its Comprehensive Annual Financial Re-port for the � scal year ending 2013.

Sponsored by VALIC, the Certi� cate of Excellence (COE) award con� rms Adams 14’s Financial Depart-ment’s commitment to � nancial accountability and transparency. Recognition through the COE program can help strengthen a district’s presentation for bond is-suance statements and promotes a high level of � nancial reporting.

Additionally, Adams 14 received the Certi� cate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting Pro-gram (CAFR Program) from the Government Finance O� cers Association (GFOA).

“� ese recognitions certainly celebrate the high-cal-iber work and commitment of the entire Adams 14 Fi-nance Department,” said Sandy Rotella, Adams 14 Chief Financial O� cer. “� is team works tirelessly to ensure the District continues as a good steward of taxpayers’ dollars, and that our � nancial reporting is transparent and accurate.”

O C T O B E R 2 014 7adams14.org

Childcare and snacks will be available at both meetingsFor more information, please contact Anne Wolf,

Adams 14 Gifted and Talented Coordinator, at 303-853-3249

Adams 14 Gifted and Talented Parent Talks

Adams 14 parents and guardians of gifted and talented students are invited to join us for two special

presentations this October.

When: October 8, 2014, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Where: Adams City High School Theater, 7200 Quebec Parkway Who: Parenting and Teaching for Students’ Lifetime Achievement, featuring Susan Winebrenner Meeting will be conducted in English, and Spanish interpretation will be available

When: October 21, 2014, from 6 to 8 p.m.Where: Kemp Elementary School, 6775 Oneida StreetWho: Dr. Gallagher will discuss her book, Educando Hijos Exitosos Meeting will be conducted in Spanish, and English interpretation will be available

On February 11, 2014, the District entered into an Agreement to Resolve the alleged vio-lations with O� ce for Civil Rights (OCR). While the District makes no admissions of wrongdoing or liability in connection with this complaint or OCR’s � ndings, this Agreement to Resolve outlines the actions Adams 14 must now take to address the alleged violations. A copy of the Agreement to Resolve (in English and Spanish) may be viewed on the Adams 14 website at www.Adams14.org/agreement, or, at the front o� ce of your child’s school.

� e Adams 14 Board of Education and Su-perintendent Sánchez rea� rm their commit-ment as stated in the Agreement to Resolve, to equity and non-discrimination in Adams 14. � e District will not tolerate acts of ha-rassment, including harassment based on race, color, or national origin (including harassment based on being Hispanic).

Pat Sánchez was appointed as superinten-dent of Adams 14 in July of 2012. Since that time, he has worked alongside the Adams 14 Board of Education to implement three Stra-tegic Imperatives to support District students, families, sta� and the entire community:• To dramatically improve academic perfor-

mance, and move the District from Priority Improvement to Accredited with Distinction by the year 2020.

• To signifi cantly empower all families and community members to become engaged partners in their child’s education, by creat-ing welcoming environments District-wide that re� ect and support a culturally diverse population.

• To intentionally increase and improve com-munication District-wide, both internally and externally, as well as enhance the re-sources o� ered to our current clients and community members.Please be assured that if the District is made

aware of any alleged harassment or discrimina-tion, steps will be taken to e� ectively respond to those allegations. Investigations will occur promptly. If we determine that national origin discrimination or harassment has occurred, the District will take steps reasonably designed to e� ectively address, prevent and respond to it. Any students, sta� , or administrators who have been found to have engaged in acts of harass-ment or other acts that create a hostile environ-ment based on race, color, or national origin will be promptly disciplined. Discipline may include suspension and/or expulsion, employ-ment discipline, and/or termination.

� e District strongly encourages anyone who believes they have been subjected to or have witnessed harassment, discrimination, or a hostile environment to report this to the District by contacting the District Grievance O� cer at the Adams 14 Educational Support Services Building. Reports may be made in any language, and language translation support will be available:

Dr. Robyn Duran, Chief Equity andCommunications O� cerrduran@adams14.org

Educational Support Services Building5291 E. 60th AvenueCommerce City, CO 80022Phone Number: 303-853-3230� e District is con� dent that, working to-

gether, we will meet and exceed the OCR’s requirements as set forth in the Agreement to Resolve. Our District honors and respects di-versity, and is a place where all students have access to an outstanding education.

Please take the opportunity to get involved by responding to our upcoming climate and needs surveys and participating in our Adams 14 Equity and Anti-Discrimination Commit-tees.

Community Equity and Anti-Discrimination Committee:

� e Adams 14 Community Equity and Anti-Discrimination Committee gathered together for their � rst meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 16 at 5 p.m. at Adams City High School.

� e Community Committee will consider how outreach e� orts to families and family advocacy organizations can be made to garner support for the District’s anti-harassment pro-gram. � ey will also provide Superintendent Sánchez and the Adams 14 Board of Education with input regarding strategies for preventing harassment/discrimination on the basis of race, color and national origin, and protections from retaliation for reporting alleged discrimination.

To learn more about the Adams 14 Com-munity Equity and Anti-Discrimination Com-mittee, or to join, please contact the Committee Co-Chairs, Dr. Manuel Escamilla at Manuel.Escamilla@Colorado.EDU or Manny Gonza-lez at mannysam1@gmail.com.

Employee Equity and Anti-Discrimination Committee:

� e Adams 14 Employee Equity and Anti-Discrimination Committee gathered together for their initial meeting on � ursday, Aug. 28, from noon to 4 p.m. at the Educational Support Services building.

� e Employee Equity and Anti-Discrimi-nation Committee will be responsible on an ongoing basis to provide a forum for sta� to address matters relating to discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, national ori-gin, or color. � e Committee will also increase awareness of the Adams 14 anti-harassment program, and provide speci� c suggestions to the Superintendent and Board of Education – regarding prevention of a hostile work environ-ment based on race, color, or national origin, and developing an e� ective sta� orientation program that promotes respect and tolerance for others.

To learn more about the Adams 14 Employee Equity and Anti-Discrimination Committee, or to join, please contact the Committee Co-Chairs Regina Baca at rbaca@adams14.org or 303-853-3217, or Debra Montoya at dmon-toya@adams14.org or 303-853-3244.

Adams 14 Equity andAnti-Discrimination

� e entire community was invited to gather with Adams 14 as the District kicked-o� Hispanic Heritage Month with a special event presented by the Student Councils from Adams City High School and Lester Arnold High School.

� ese student leaders proudly presented an exclusive screening of Cesar’s Last Fast, a powerful documentary � lm featuring never-before-seen footage from Cesar’s journey.

Attendees enjoyed food, fun and music, as well as entertainment from the No “MO” Violence Dance Group.

Celebrando el Grito

EQUITY AND ANTI-DISCRIMINATION continued on page 8

Equity and Anti-Discrimination

O C T O B E R 2 0148 adams14.org

Adams 14 Special Education Advisory Committee

All parents, guardians and friends of students with disabilities are welcome to join us for these

supportive discussion forums!

When:• Monday,Sept.15from5to7:15p.m.,We’re here to help! Adams 14 parents presentation• Monday,Oct.20from5to7:15p.m.,How can I help my child with reading, writing and math?• Monday,Nov.17from5to7:15p.m.,What about medicine? Ask the psychiatrist!• Monday,Dec.15from5to7:15p.m.,What can I do about my child’s behavior?• Tuesday,Jan.20from5to7:15p.m.,How should I prepare for the IEP meeting?• Tuesday,Feb.17from5to7:15p.m.,What are my rights? Ask the Lawyer!• Monday,March16from5to7:15p.m.,Meet some advocates - Peak Parent Center - Arc of Adams County-TriCounty

Health-Denver Metro PRC• Monday,April20from5to7:15p.m.,Student-led IEPs - Teaching students to advocate for themselves• Monday,May18from5to7:15p.m.,Advocating for my child in the community and with my family

Where:AllmeetingswillbeheldintheEducationalSupportServicesBuildingBoardof EducationRoomat5291East60thAvenue.

Schedule:Dinner-5p.m.Presentation-5:15-6:15p.m.ParentSupportGroup-6:15-7:15p.m. Please RSVP with Reyna by calling 303-853-3248.

All parents, guardians and friends of

Dinner, childcare and interpreters will be

available

Student Equity and Anti-DiscriminationCommittee:

� e Adams 14 Student Equity and Anti-Discrimination Com-mittee gathered together for their second meeting on � ursday, Sept. 4, from 3 to 4 p.m. at Adams City High School.

� e Student Equity and Anti-Discrimination Committee will be responsible on an ongoing basis to provide a forum for students to discuss matters relating to discrimination or harass-ment on the basis of race, national origin, or color. � e Com-mittee will also increase awareness of the Adams 14 anti-harass-ment program, and provide speci� c suggestions to the Adams 14 Superintendent, and to the Adams 14 Board of Education, on promoting respect and tolerance for others, and make sure that we never allow a hostile environment based on race, color, or national origin for any of our students.

To learn more about the Adams 14 Student Equity and Anti-Discrimination Committee, or to join, please contact the Com-mittee Chair Neisa Lynch at nlynch@adams14.org or 303-853-7949.

Meet Dr. Robyn DuranAdams 14’s Chief Equity and Communications Offi cer and District Grievance Offi cer

Dr. Robyn Duran brings more than 15 years of exten-sive experience to her new role as Adams 14’s Chief Equity and Communications O� cer.

With a seamless blend of educational experience, com-munications experience and an unapologetic commitment

to anti-racist educational practices and policies, Dr. Duran pro-motes practices aimed at eradicating racial predictability in stu-dent academic achievement through leadership development, program design, and community outreach and engagement.

Dr. Duran is a natural leader and accomplished educator who leverages her in� uence to establish and maintain a positive or-

ganizational culture and climate, while insisting on transparent communications to build and enhance trust and rapport with District stakeholders.

With an innate and genuine passion for students and fami-lies, Dr. Duran is committed to providing all employees with the tools they need to ensure each classroom in the District re� ects inclusive excellence for all students.

Dr. Duran also presents at the local and national level at vari-ous venues, speci� cally around Opportunity to Learn and Inclu-sive Excellence. Most recently, Dr. Duran presented at the Har-vard School of Education, speci� cally addressing applied critical leadership for administrators of color.

In her free time, Robyn enjoys spending time with her hus-band and � ve children.

Adams 14 Equity and Anti-DiscriminationCommittee ChairsManny Gonzalez mgonzalez@adams14.orgAdams 14 Community Equity and Anti-DiscriminationCommittee Co-Chair

� is Adams 14 graduate made it his mission to return to the community where he was raised to help support and inspire Commerce City youth, especially those experiencing challenges similar to those from his own upbringing. Manny is motivated to leverage his experiences to support the growth and sustain-ability of his community. Manny is proud to serve as the co-chair of the Adams 14 Community Equity and Anti-Discrimination Committee, which will work to provide the Superintendent and Board of Education with feedback and strategies to ensure all community members in Adams 14 have an inclusive and collab-orative experience in the District. � is important committee will discuss and address matters relating to discrimination or harass-ment on the basis of race, national origin or color.

Manuel Escamilla Manuel.Escamilla@Colorado.eduPh.D. BUENO Center for Multicultural Education Adams 14 Community Equity and Anti-DiscriminationCommittee Co-Chair

Manuel Escamilla is currently a project Director at the BUE-NO Center for Multicultural Education at the University of Col-

orado, Boulder. He received his Ph.D. in Early Childhood Edu-cation from the University of Kansas. He has been a professor of education at California State University and at the University of Arizona. He served as Assistant Vice President for Student Af-fairs at the University of Arizona, Associate Vice President for Academic A� airs at the Metropolitan State College of Denver and as Special Assistant to the President at Texas Tech Univer-sity in Lubbock, Texas. Dr. Escamilla serves as the co-chair of the Adams 14 Community Equity and Anti-Discrimination Committee, and provides strategic oversight on all four Adams 14 Equity and Anti-Discrimination Committees – Community, Parent, Employee and Student.

Regina Baca rbaca@adams14.orgAdams 14 Employee Equity and Anti-DiscriminationCommittee Co-Chair

Regina Baca has a long history with Adams 14. She was born and raised in Commerce City, and attended seven schools in Ad-ams 14. All of Regina’s children attended school in Adams 14, as well. Her deep roots in the Commerce City community motivate Regina to serve the children in Adams 14. Regina believes in the District’s mission and direction, and is inspired watching the new leadership team creating systems that are designed to better support our students, as well as their genuine commitment in ensuring equity and excellence for all students. Under Regina’s leadership, the Adams 14 Employee Equity and Anti-Discrim-ination Committee will be responsible on an ongoing basis to provide a forum for sta� to address matters relating to discrimi-nation or harassment on the basis of race, national origin, or color. � e Committee will also increase awareness of the Adams 14 anti-harassment program, and provide speci� c suggestions to the Superintendent and Board of Education, regarding pre-vention of a hostile work environment based on race, color, or national origin, and developing an e� ective sta� orientation pro-gram that promotes respect and tolerance for others.

Debra Montoya dmontoya@adams14.org Adams 14 Employee Equity and Anti-DiscriminationCommittee Co-Chair

Debra Montoya joined Adams 14 in August of 2012, bring-ing with her a lifetime of experiences that have motivated her to serve students in a public education system that insists on both excellence and equity. Debra currently works as the administra-tive assistant to Deputy Superintendent Dr. Kandy Steel. Debra believes in the power of supporting culturally-responsive envi-ronments for all students, employees and families in the District, which is why she is proud to serve as the co-chair of the Adams 14 Employee Equity & Anti-Discrimination Committee. Under Debra’s leadership, the Adams 14 Employee Equity and Anti-Discrimination Committee will be responsible on an ongoing basis to provide a forum for sta� to address matters relating to discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, national ori-gin, or color. � e Committee will also increase awareness of the Adams 14 anti-harassment program, and provide speci� c sug-gestions to the Superintendent and Board of Education, regard-ing prevention of a hostile work environment based on race, color, or national origin, and developing an e� ective sta� orien-tation program that promotes respect and tolerance for others.

Neisa Lynch nlynch@adams14.orgAdams 14 Student Equity and Anti-DiscriminationCommittee Chair

Neisa Lynch is an assistant principal at Adams City High School, and believes that our students have incredible potential to set the tone for excellence and equity for all children across the District. As the Chair of the Adams 14 Student Equity and Anti-Discrimination Committee, Neisa will provide a forum for students to discuss matters concerning discrimination or harass-ment on the basis of race, national origin or color, increase stu-dent awareness of the District’s anti-harassment program, and suggest measures for improving the e� ectiveness of the District’s program. Under Neisa’s leadership, the Student Committee will provide speci� c suggestions to the Superintendent and Board of Education for developing an e� ective program that promotes respect and tolerance for others, and takes steps reasonably de-signed to prevent the establishment of a hostile environment based on race, color or national origin for students.

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