Education

Edgewater

Edgewater School Transportation Plan Aims for Safer, Smoother Commutes

In a move to address transportation challenges faced by families around Lumberg and Edgewater Elementary Schools, the City of Edgewater has initiated a community-based transportation planning program.  The Edgewater School Transportation Plan is currently in the public input phase, with the project’s website acting as a hub for information and engagement. Organizers hope to accommodate

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Education

Embracing Challenges, Changes and Cheer at Peak Expeditionary School

On the evening of Dec. 6, I pulled onto Independence Street, heading to Peak Expeditionary School’s Festivus Celebration. Midway up the road, cars were lining the sidewalks, and as I turned into the school’s driveway, the parking lot was completely full.  Having gone to Pennington Elementary (now Peak) myself and having kiddos there since 2015,

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Education

School Consolidation Update

The Jeffco Schools consolidation process has been, simply put, tough. The merged school populations are working hard to make the best of a challenging situation but the loss of culture and community is draining for students, families and staff. The school district branded the closure process “Regional Opportunities for Thriving Schools” but I have talked

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Education

Now and Then

It’s been years since our kids attended school, and yet we are so happy when we run into parents we met at pick up and drop off, PTA activities and more, all those years ago.  Recently Brenda Reitz had organized a meet up for parents whose children attended Prospect Valley. It was great to reunite

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Education

Back To School, Back To Normal?

As my eldest son Hudson and his lifelong friends embark on their senior year of high school this year, I cannot help but reflect on their journey. How have the remarkable amount of changes around what all of our students and educators went through in a COVID-19 world impacted them?  Fast forward to today, going

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Community

A Fair Trade: Swapping College Debt For A Reliable Career

More and more, people young and old are looking for a different career path than one needing a college degree and the debt that comes with it.  At the Construction Industry Training Council of Colorado (CTIC), now located in Wheat Ridge, the incentives and options available to those interested in trades are nearly too good

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Education

Empower Students To Navigate The Logistics Of The Real World

Each phase of my education has provided several building blocks to the foundation of the person that I am today. As a college student, I often reflect and refer to these building blocks to better assess academic and personal matters. While I learned many useful lessons that I will continue to carry with me, I

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Education

Some Thoughts On The Passing Of Prospect Valley

Healing our inner child is a concept that most of us are familiar with, unique to each person’s perspective. For me, this looked like running to Prospect Valley Elementary School, followed by sitting under the big cottonwood tree that overlooked the playground and field. I caught myself several times engulfed with nostalgia, recovering lost memories

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Education

New Jeffco Leadership Focused On Education And Financial Transparency

Back in the 1960s, the British Prime Minister was asked what the greatest challenge is for a statesman. His famous reply has been repeated many times: “Events, dear boy, events.” In my remarks to this year’s graduates, I’ve said that In August 2019, they started high school with the same hopes, dreams and fears as

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Education

Reimagining High School

The invitation read “Reimagining High School.” The description was too enticing to refuse. We’ve spent years complaining about our public education and here was an opportunity to be part of the conversation. It’s really the only way you’re granted an official permission to complain. It’s a snowy Saturday morning and I’m headed to the Jeffco

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Education

Following The Bond Money On The Farm

The Neighborhood Gazette, in an attempt to do a meaningful story about the bond project at Wheat Ridge High School, has stumbled upon some questions that remain yet to be answered.  A Feb. 13  tour of “The Farm” revealed some troubling issues within the walls of a building that should be considered one of the

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Education

Truth And Hope For Wheat Ridge Schools

Let me introduce myself. I’m Susan Miller, and I represent District Four on the Jefferson County Board of Education. So why am I here writing about Wheat Ridge? Because I’m a fiercely proud mom of four Farmer graduates. We choiced our first child into Wheat Ridge High School back in 2010, when Griff Wirth and

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Education

Why Is Colorado Lowest In The Nation In School Immunization Rates?

When it comes to our children and the immunizations they are required to have when enrolling in school, Colorado ranks last in the United States with low rates of immunization. We’re not talking about the COVID shots but the ones that keep you from getting the measles, mumps, polio, chicken pox and pertussis. The kind

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Education

How Are We Doing In Prepping The Next Generation?

In its usual thoughtful way, Wheat Ridge High School organized a two-day event where professionals in the community were invited to speak to high school students about their careers, occupations and jobs. All in hopes that it would answer questions, clear the way and help form a path as they studied toward graduating with a

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Education

Brandon Wilkes’ Coaching The Farmers Was ‘Clearly Meant To Happen’

Wheat Ridge high school is proud to welcome Brandon Wilkes to the Physical Education team and coaching staff for the Farmers Football team.  The Wilkes family rolled into Wheat Ridge on July 30 of this year. At the time the family consisted of Brandon, his wife Jessica, Bennett (who is currently a sophomore at Wheat

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Education

Jane Johnson And Career Explore Keeps Kids In School

Jane Johnson, coordinator of the Career Explore program at Wheat Ridge High School, is particularly proud of her high school graduates who nearly dropped out before enrolling in Career Explore. “Many were not on track to graduate. We keep them in school by addressing their interests and helping them gain career readiness before they graduate.”

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Education

What’s In Store For Middle And High Schools?

The Denver school board had a list of schools to be shut down due to not meeting the minimum criteria set in their closure study. It started with 19 schools, down to 10 and then five. After further community pressure, that list was further reduced to two schools, only to be reduced to zero the

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Education

Closures: How Did We Get Here, What Can We Do?

I’m the proud father of four WRHS Farmers. I served as the Chair and CoChair of the WRHS School Accountability Committee for five years, and have watched the interaction between Jeffco Public Schools and Wheat Ridge for a decade. Like many, I’m outraged by the proposal to close three WR elementary schools after millions in

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Education

Kudos For Ms. Siddoway, Kullerstrand

Dear Editor, From the moment you are greeted by Ms. Siddoway you are embraced with warmth, kindness, love and passion. After 18 years of being a teacher at Kullerstrand Elementary, her passion for teaching continues to grow. My son had Ms. Siddoway for first grade, he started her class as a remote student in August

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Education

Bill Gold Teaches In A Real-World Community

“I don’t teach fake anything,” says Bill Gold, social studies teacher at Everitt Middle School. While at Everitt, he’s taught all eighth-graders U. S. history almost every year. This year, Gold is teaching three eighth-grade classes with 30 students each and, due to declining enrollment in the Everitt school neighborhood, two sixth-grade classes.  Books stuffed

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Education

Parents And Neighbors Speak Out On Proposed Elementary School Closures

Kullerstrand, Vivian and Wilmore Davis are among 16 Jefferson County elementary schools that are recommended for closure next year, according to a report from the Jeffco Public Schools Superintendent Tracy Dorland at a special meeting of the Board of Education, Aug. 25. The board will vote on the proposed recommendation on Nov. 10, following a

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Education

Wheat Ridge Schools Need Your Kids, Not Your Yard Signs

There was a time where you moved to a neighborhood and your parents would look for the nearest school and that’s where you would go. Schools were about pure education. Teaching you to write, to read and various levels of math. When families started tuning in closer to what motivated their children, they began shopping

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