2016 Winter Five Star Journal

FIVE STAR NOTES
District establishes committee to plan for and implement new
graduation guidelines
The Adams 12 Five Star Schools Graduation Guidelines Committee is tasked with analyzing the benefits
and challenges of multiple graduation guidelines options for the Class of 2021. This includes multiple
variations of credits and competencies needed to graduate from one of the five comprehensive
high schools in the district. The committee includes school staff, content coordinators, counselors,
students, military representatives, community members and district leadership.
Through meetings, the committee gains knowledge on graduation guidelines in neighbor school
districts, growing careers throughout Colorado, college requirements and student interests. Requested
statistics and related information is collected and presented to the committee. Once consensus
is reached on the new graduation guidelines, the committee will present its recommendation to the
district’s Board of Education. Learn more about the new graduation guidelines starting with the Class
of 2021 set by the State Board of Education. •
On Oct. 21, Nobel Peace Prize recipient
Malala Yousafzai surprised Mariah, a
sixth-grader battling Leukemia, at Century
Middle School. While she was sick, Mariah
read Malala’s book multiple times, and felt
a connection with her story of hospitalization
and recovery. The connection deepened
as she underwent her own treatment
and found similarities between her life and
Malala’s story. Last year, when Mariah was
sick, she hoped to Skype with Malala and
talk about their recoveries. But after Mariah’s
parents reached out and told her story,
Malala had different plans. A few days before
Mariah finished treatment, she met her
hero in person at her school. •
Mariah has since finished treatment and can officially say “I beat Leukemia!”
Five Star Journal | page 27