2017 Summer Five Star Journal

Summer 2017 Vol. 16 | No. 4 

adams12.org 

COVER: 

Hispanic 

Advisory 

Council 

Awards 

Page 41 

School highlights 

from the year 

Page 10 

District expands 

online registration 

Page 19 

Give feedback 

about the Five 

Star Journal 

Page 42 

Cover: Juliana Lopez, Outstanding Middle School Student of the Year, Rocky Top Middle 

INAUGURAL CERTIFIED EDUCATOR OF THE YEAR AWARD | PAGE 16

News Journal 

Vol. 16 | No. 4 | Summer 2017 

Connecting you 

to your Five Star Schools 

News Journal 

Communications Services 

1500 E. 128th Ave. 

Thornton, CO 80241 

(720) 972-4156 

adams12.org 

Board of Education 

Kathy Plomer 

Laura Mitchell 

Norm Jennings 

Brian Batz 

Jamey Lockley 

Adams 12 Five Star Schools is a caring, inclusive and 

engaging district which exists so the students it serves 

can attain the knowledge and skills necessary to 

pursue the future of their choosing and are equipped 

to navigate and thrive in our rapidly changing world.

FEATURES 

6 Middle School Spotlight 

9 Five Star Education Foundation Gala Recap 

10 School Points of Pride 

16 Certified Educator of the Year Award 

19 Online Registration 

21 High School Spotlight 

26 Scholarship Recipients 

28 Parent and Community Groups 

32 School Based Health Center 

34 New P-8 School 

36 State Honors for Schools 

40 Children Eat Free this Summer 

IN EVERY ISSUE 

5 Board Message 

20 District Calendar 

25 Legislative Update 

30 Parent Pointers 

38 Five Star Notes

Join us for our inaugural 

TASTE TEST MENU ITEMS GET HELPFUL RESOURCES PROVIDE FEEDBACK 

SEPTEMBER 21, 2017 

4 - 7 PM 

MOUNTAIN RANGE HIGH SCHOOL 

12500 Huron St, Westminster, CO 80234

BOARD MESSAGE 

By Kathy Plomer, President 

We have much to celebrate as 

school year ends 

Groundbreakings join the list of festivities 

School concerts, plays, continuation ceremonies and graduations—the end of the school year 

is always a celebratory and busy time. This year we add groundbreakings to the list thanks to 

our community coming together to pass a bond in Fall 2016! 

On April 19, a groundbreaking celebration was held for our new P-8 school in Broomfield. 

This is an exciting opportunity for Adams 12 Five Star Schools to design a brand new school 

from the ground up with community input. Residents are eager to have the long-awaited 

school become a reality and relieve overcrowding in the northwest part of the district. Check 

out adams12.org/bond for pictures and coverage of the ceremony. 

On May 19, another groundbreaking ceremony was held at STEM Lab in Northglenn. This 

marks a very different type of project as new life is given to an old structure by tearing down 

and rebuilding one full side of the school. When the rebuild is complete, more students will be 

able to attend the school and have state-of-the-art learning spaces to continue their learning 

in science, technology, engineering and math! 

The end of the year is also a time of transitions and new beginnings for our students. Many 

students will say goodbye to their schools as they move to middle school and high school next 

year with ceremonies (and parental tears and cheers) to recognize the passage. 

Finally, the ultimate transition—graduation will be celebrated by over 2,489 students at our 

five comprehensive high schools and two alternative high schools. Our district graduation 

rate has risen 9.1 percent over seven years so the members of the Adams 12 Five Star Schools 

Board of Education have the opportunity to shake more and more hands, and to congratulate 

students as they move on to the next phase of their lives. 

As a school district we are all about preparing our students for the path of their choosing and 

the Board of Education congratulates all of the students who will receive their diploma this 

month. We wish you happiness and success in whatever path is ahead! • 

Five Star Journal | page 5

Middle School Spotlight 

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT 

MIDDLE SCHOOL 

Lorenzo (center) received the Adams County Mayors and Commissioners Youth Award with his guardian Lynn, and teachers Maria Wiesner, Kelly 

Bettcher and Ellen Reffel-Lillo in attendance. 

Student overcomes personal adversity, 

looks to a bright future 

Silver Hills Middle School student receives recognition 

When Lorenzo Roman learned he would receive the Adams County Mayors and Commissioners 

Youth Award, his teachers weren’t surprised by his response. 

He simply asked why and said he hadn’t done anything of notice, recalled seventh-grade 

language arts teacher Ellen Reffel-Lillo. His teachers say it’s his calm, cool, collected and humble 

nature. That modest attitude may be rooted in a lesson he learned from his mother before she 

passed away over seven years ago: “Simply knowing how to do something doesn’t mean you 

know how to do it.” 

page 6 | Summer 2017

Middle School Spotlight 

His perseverance and drive were what 

inspired his nomination for this award, 

which recognizes teens ages 13 to 19 who 

have overcome personal adversity to create 

positive change in their lives. Westminster 

Mayor Herb Atchinson bestowed the 

honor on the Silver Hills Middle School 

seventh-grader and six other teens at the 

City Hall chambers in March. 

“It was a huge honor,” Lorenzo said. 

Guardian Lynn Miranda said she was proud 

to see his hard work recognized. 

“He has come a long way and accomplished 

quite a bit since his mom passed,” she said. 

Miranda is a longtime friend of Lorenzo’s 

mother who became his guardian after she 

passed away. His mother’s death has served 

as his primary motivator. 

“Lorenzo has maturity beyond his years. 

His calm demeanor stands out,” Reffel-Lillo 

said. “He wants to do well, but he also takes 

the time to make sure that others are being 

successful, too.” 

Maria Wiesner, a social studies teacher at 

Silver Hills, said Lorenzo’s drive is clear in his 

attitude and his school work, noting that he 

even took on a special project with her over 

spring break. Science teacher Kelly Bettcher 

said he stays after class to help her shut down 

computers and pick up the room. 

It’s science that interests Lorenzo most in 

school. Although he’s always been interested 

in becoming a doctor, he’s now set his sights 

on a career in biomedical engineering and 

hopes to work in genetics after learning 

about the Human Genome Project. 

Reffel-Lillo said there are students she’s 

observed over her 35 years of teaching that 

are balanced and have a quiet confidence 

and friendliness; Lorenzo is one such student: 

“Lorenzo will become 

an adult who holds the 

seams of our society 

together. Those who 

work with him and for 

him will be made better 

by the experience.” 

His teachers also credit the support 

Miranda has created as his guardian. 

Lorenzo does, too: “Family isn’t just what you 

call blood,” Lorenzo said. “As long as they’re 

there for you that’s what you call family.” 

Miranda said she’s learned something from 

Lorenzo, as well: “It doesn’t matter so much 

where you came from, it’s where you’re 

headed,” she said. “Your future doesn’t have 

to stem as a result from what happened in 

your past.” • 


HIGH SCHOOL LACROSSE 

IS RETURNING 

to Adams 12 Five Star Schools 

Planning has begun to offer lacrosse as a single 

high school team for the 2018-2019 school year. 

Boys and girls 

programs will 

be offered. 

If interested, please take the online survey.

Five Star Education Foundation Gala Recap 

Five Star Education Foundation thankful for 

overwhelming community support 

‘Reach for the Stars’ gala raises record-setting funds to further student success 

The Five Star Education Foundation enjoyed 

its most successful gala to date on March 11, 

raising over $156,000 for Adams 12 Five Star 

Schools. 

“On behalf of the Five Star Education Foundation, 

I want to give a heartfelt thank you 

to the many generous supporters, sponsors, 

volunteers and guests who took part in this 

year’s successful ‘Reach for the Stars’ gala. 

It was truly an amazing evening,” said 

Foundation Executive Director Mary Litwiler. 

Over 260 community and district leaders 

attended the black-tie event. The night’s 

festivities included student musical performances 

from the Northglenn Middle School 

Jazz Band and the Stukey Elementary School 

Choir. The evening also featured successful 

silent and live auctions. The highlight of the 

evening was the auctioning of custom-built 

metal fire pits crafted by Bollman Technical 

Education students. The five students who 

crafted the award-winning, one-of-a-kind, 

fire pits were able to attend the gala and see 

their skills and hard work pay off by raising 

money for the district. 

The Five Star Education Foundation works 

closely with the Five Star District by forging 

partnerships and raising money to invest 

in student success. In collaboration with 

the district and community, the foundation 

supports opportunities that prepare students 

for a variety of options after high school, 

ranging from post-secondary education to 

directly entering the workforce. 

The record-setting proceeds from this year’s 

gala will be used for innovative programming 

that will provide hands-on, real-world experiences 

so that students are uniquely prepared 

to compete and succeed after graduation. 

In her remarks during the evening, Foundation 

Board Chair, Shannon Bird said, “We 

are investing in and growing our own local 

talent. The career and technical training at 

Bollman and in other Five Star high schools 

is giving more kids the opportunity to live up 

to their true potential.” 

Litwiler added, “Thanks to our very generous 

community of supporters, the Five Star 

Education Foundation can further support 

Five Star students by funding career-ready 

programs ensuring students are ready for a 

bright future!” • 


School Points of Pride 

School Points of Pride 2016-2017 

Arapahoe Ridge Elementary School 

• In October, following the theme “Champions of 

Character,” promoted an awareness of character traits, 

bullying prevention and positive behavior choices. 

• Received the Governor’s Award for Distinguished 

Improvement for demonstrating exceptional 

student growth. 

• Fifth-graders raised $2,000 through a service 

learning project to benefit the World Wildlife Fund; 

specifically the endangered Sumatran elephant. 

Centennial Elementary School 

• Implemented an extended day, increasing student 

contact by 250 minutes a week. 

• Provided an extensive extra-curricular menu to 

nurture the whole child and support students in 

finding their strengths outside of academics. 

• Selected to participate in the SOLE program through 

Colorado Parks and Wildlife. 

Century Middle School 

• Hosted the largest Xcel Energy Service Day in the 

state, creating over 600 meals for those in need. 

• Celebrated two teachers appointed as Teach Plus 

Fellows for the 2017-2018 school year. 

• Celebrated an educator recognized as a Heart of 

Broomfield award winner. 

Cherry Drive Elementary School 

• Named a 1:1 iPad School and a 24/7 learning 

environment. 

• Awarded the Distinguished Apple School Award 

for the second straight year. 

• Raised $3,040 for the American Heart Association 

during Jump Rope for Heart. 

Coronado Hills Elementary School 

• Partnered with the Colorado Mountain Club 

in Golden (the CMC) providing students with a 

progression of outdoor recreation and science 

experiences. 

• Fourth-graders participated in the Hike Off to 

Summer field trip promoting getting outdoors, 

being physically active, wildlife education, 

wilderness safety and Leave No Trace. 

• Designed three field trips a year, one per 

grade level, building on each experience 

the following year. 

Cotton Creek Elementary School 

• Cotton Creek Chorale, comprised of fourthand 

fifth-graders, sang the National Anthem 

at a Colorado Rockies game marking the 12th 

consecutive year of being invited. 

• Student Council collected more than 2,300 canned 

food items to be donated to Growing Home. 

• Fourth- and fifth-graders participated in 

Battle of the Books. 

Coyote Ridge Elementary School 

• Recipient of the John Irwin Award of Excellence for 

academic achievement. 

• Launched Coyote Cares, where students take 

action to serve the community. 

• Awarded an innovation grant to create a Makerspace 

learning center, available to every student. 

Eagleview Elementary School 

• Raised more than $15,000 at the Freaky Fun 

Fundraiser in the fall. 

• Featured on 9News regarding Health and 

Wellness efforts. 

• Art teacher, Damon Graham-Haradon, recognized 

by Horizon North for partnership with their 

Structured Learning Support program. 



Early Childhood Education Center 

• All 13 district preschool sites accomplished the first 

milestone in Colorado Shines, the new statewide 

early childhood quality rating system, by raising 

quality ratings one level. 

• Staff members completed training in Pyramid Plus, 

a model curriculum for training early childhood 

providers focused on positive guidance and 

inclusion strategies. 

• Held three rounds of parenting classes in English 

and Spanish to families of preschoolers. 

Federal Heights Elementary School 

• Added an additional 108 hours of student 

contact time during the 2016-2017 school year 

by expanding the day. 

• PTO supplied a Hispanic Advisory Council 

scholarship to a deserving Five Star student 

for the third consecutive year. 

Glacier Peak Elementary School 

• Students participated in a year-long “Miles to 

a Marathon” race accumulating distance by 

running laps around the track each Tuesday 

during lunch recess. 

• Student Council sponsored an annual Giving Tree; 

collecting toy donations for the Adams County 

Santa Claus Shop, and canned and non-perishable 

food items for the local food bank. 

• Battle of the Books team won the district’s 

Battle of the Books Competition. 

Hillcrest Elementary School 

• Improved to a performance-rated school. 

• Received a grant from DaVita Dialysis for the 

Shoes that Fit program providing 175 pairs of 

shoes to Hillcrest students. 

• Continued partnership with Crossroads 

Church and Northglenn Police providing 

nearly 100 families with Christmas presents. 

Horizon High School 

• Graduating senior received an appointment to the 

Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs and ten 

students from Horizon’s DECA program qualified for 

the International Career Development Conference 

competition. 

• For the second year, the SOAR Honors Program 

received grant funding for its work on Continuous 

Improvement Strategies and Data Driven 

Instructional Shifts from Adams County 

Youth Initiative. 

• For the second consecutive year, the girls 

basketball team made it to the Great Eight 

round of the state basketball tournament and 

were Front Range League Champions. 

Hulstrom K-8 

• Received the John Irwin School of Excellence Award 

for excellent academic achievement. 

• Bretta Loeffler, first grade teacher, was selected as 

the recipient of the PBS Digital Innovator Award for 

the state of Colorado. 

• Implemented a schoolwide initiative around Depth 

and Complexity, an instructional model designed to 

guide students to think and discuss at deeper levels 

through inquiry. 

Hunters Glen Elementary School 

• Teachers and students are using Growth 

Mindset, Kagan structures, and Depth and 

Complexity Framework. 

• Completed first annual Jump Rope for Heart 

fundraiser for the American Heart Association 

where students collectively jumped more than 

one million times. 

• Led by the Student Council, students raised 

$1,713.09 in a coin drive benefiting the 

Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. 




Legacy High School 

• Class of 2017 celebrated the highest average 

ACT score in the school’s history. 

• Marching Band named state champions. 

• Graduating student awarded the Boettcher 

Scholarship. 

Leroy Elementary School 

• Continued status as a performance-rated school. 

• Fifth-graders culminated their IB/PYP experience 

at the elementary level with “Exhibition,” a rigorous 

project. 

• Hosted the first annual Fun Run and surpassed 

fundraising goals thanks to generous support from 

parent groups and the community. 

Malley Drive Elementary School 

• Selected for a Community School grant through DTEA 

and NEA to go to Wisconsin and receive training. 

McElwain Elementary School 

• Started “Super Steggie” assemblies honoring six 

students each month for illustrating strong learner 

profiles. 

• Laurie Gaudrault, physical education teacher, received 

one of only ten national Jump Rope for Heart grants 

from SHAPE America. In addition to the grant, the 

school received a US games package to enhance the 

physical education program. 

• Students raised $1,764 for the Leukemia/Lymphoma 

Society. 

Meridian Elementary School 

• Received the John Irwin School of Excellence and the 

Governor’s Distinguished Improvement awards for 

academic achievement and growth scores. 

• Raised over $15,000 to support the American Heart 

Association. 

• Meridian Mustangs Special Olympics Project Unify 

team won the gold medal at the state basketball 

tournament. 

Mountain Range High School 

• Student awarded the Daniels Fund Scholarship for 

demonstrating exceptional character, leadership and a 

commitment to serving their community. 

• Jennifer Cooper, Google Certified Trainer named one 

of 33 educators in the state of Colorado to be certified 

to support educators as they redefine learning with 

technology through the use of Google Apps. 

• Student named the Gold-Key Art Scholastic Award 

winner, receiving a silver medal at the national level. 

Mountain View Elementary School 

• Two students earned CCIRA Young Writer’s awards. 

• Received a grant from the Advanced Academic and 

Gifted Services Department to support the Logic Lab. 

North Mor Elementary School 


• DaVita Dialysis donated over 100 pairs of shoes for 

students through Shoes that Fit. 

• Students worked with Northglenn High School’s 

Environmental Club to learn how to help the 

environment and plant a variety of plants in the 

school courtyard. 

North Star Elementary School 

• Battle of the Books team won the lower bracket at the 

district Battle of the Books competition. 

Northglenn High School 

• Early College at Northglenn STEM received a $40,000 

Five Star Foundation Grant for P-TECH. 

• STEM program received guaranteed acceptance 

agreement for STEM Pathway students from CU- 

Boulder Engineering and a $75,000 Morgridge Family 

Foundation Grant to renovate the greenhouse and 

install Kitchen Community Learning Gardens. 

• Four students had abstracts accepted by the National 

Science Foundation and were invited to present at 

the Emerging Researchers National Conference in 

Washington DC. 



Northglenn Middle School 

• 18 students were nominated for the Hispanic 

Advisory Council’s Award for Excellence. 

• 26 seventh- and eighth-graders accepted into the 

University of Colorado’s Pre-Collegiate Program. 

• Seventh-grader awarded the Adams County Mayors 

and Commissioners Youth Award. 

Pathways Future Center School 

• Senior awarded the Power of One scholarship. 

• Students and staff volunteered at the Ronald 

McDonald House serving lunch to people who 

have family members in the hospital. 

• Pathways celebrated 86 graduates in December 2016 

and expects more than 125 in May 2017. 

Prairie Hills Elementary School 

• PTO, classes, families and staff donated 3,032 books to 

sister school, North Mor Elementary. 

• Two primary teachers received recognition for having 

the highest hours logged for students using the 

Waterford program in the district for the 2016-17 

school year. 

Prospect Ridge Academy 

• During annual “Miner Mania” all-school event, 

students put together 600 care packages for children 

in Children’s Hospitals across the Denver-metro region. 

• 15 middle school students participated in the Science 

Olympiad State Competition at the School of Mines, 

and came in the top 10 in six events. 

• Model UN students traveled to New York City to 

participate in the International Model UN competition 

with over 1,000 students from 50 countries. 

Riverdale Elementary School 

• Student Council sponsored fundraiser that raised 

$1,000 to support a first-grader diagnosed with 

leukemia. 

• Third grade teacher, Leslie Smith, named district 

winner in the Waterford “Spring into Usage” contest 

with the most intervention minutes in reading for 

third-graders in the district. 

Riverdale Elementary School continued 

• Two teachers awarded a Family Literacy Event Grant 

through ACCIRA (Adams County Council of the 

International Reading Association) which will be used 

to help fund school’s first annual College and Career 

READy Day. 

Rocky Mountain Elementary School 

• Received the RELAY Literacy grant for Principals, 

allowing administration to be trained in intensive 

observation and feedback. 

• Celebrated 94% average daily attendance for K-5 

students since Sept. 1, 2016. 

• Over 200 students earned tickets to the Outlaws game 

after reading at least 15 hours during Spring Break. 

Rocky Top Middle School 

• Raised money for Rocky Top families in need at annual 

Grizzlies Give Back week. 

• 3rd annual 5K walk/run raised funds to support 

families in need. 

• Staff recognized more than 350 students for 

displaying one of the Seven Habits of Highly 

Effective Teenagers. 

Shadow Ridge Middle School 

• Received Think 360 Arts for Learning’s Outstanding 

Arts School Award for 2017. 

Silver Creek Elementary School 

• Received the Governor’s Distinguished Award 

for PARCC and CMAS test scores for the 2015-16 

school year. 

• The Silver Creek Sneak and Carnival raised $50,282 

to be put back into programs and technology for 

students. 

• Held a Bake Sale to raise funds for families in need 

within the community. 




Silver Hills Middle School 

• Two staff members were recognized for excellence 

in their field. Renee Dreher, Paraprofessional, was 

recognized as Adams 12 Classified Employee of the 

Year, and Deanne Romero was recognized as Teacher 

of the Year for the Central District by SHAPE America. 

• TSA Team had an impressive showing at state where 

the catapult team qualified for nationals. 

• Community came together to raise more than 

$5,000 for Make a Wish Foundation in support 

of one student’s wish. 

Skyview Elementary School 

• Supported the whole child by implementing a 

“Girls on the Run Club”. 

• Raised funds for a new community garden. 

• Expanded the “Genius Corner” with a Jared Polis grant 

that added a set of robots used across the K-5 curriculum. 

Stargate School 

• Received grant funding from the Adams County Open 

Space Advisory Board to partially fund a nature trail 

and site amenities at the new campus. 

• Tessa VonHilsheimer, English Department Chair, 

nominated for Teacher of the Year. 

• Parent-led fundraising committee, GALA, and myriad 

of other fundraising events, nearly met fundraising 

goal of $200,000 during the 2016-17 school year. 

Stellar Elementary School 

• Hosted a Love and Logic Class for parents. 

• Hosted morning conversations with moms, providing 

muffins to welcome them, called “Moms and Muffins”. 

• Hosted “Dads and Doughnuts”, where school 

leadership met with dads for a Q&A session before 

dropping off their students for school. 

STEM Lab 

• Received the John Irwin School of Excellence Award 

for excellent academic achievement. 

• Jessica Noffsinger - Science and Engineering 

Teacher - received the Presidential Award for 

Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching. 

• Current sixth-grader has his own business and is a 

young entrepreneur appearing on the Today Show 

and on the ABC show, Shark Tank. 

STEM Launch 

• One of only three Colorado schools to receive a grant 

to implement a Freight Farms pilot next fall. 

Stukey Elementary School 

• Due to the collective work of staff and students, 

Stukey is proudly a performance-rated school. 

• Highlighted in a Promising Practices article and 

video by the Colorado Department of Education 

and Chalkbeat Colorado. 

• Home to the first school-based Free Little Library, 

where all neighborhood residents have access to 

free books any day, any time. 

Tarver Elementary School 

• Robotics Team (Technic Tigers) won the Judges 

Award. 

• Fourth-grader spent her 10th birthday feeding 

the homeless. 

• Announced two recipients of the 2017 Tarver 

Alumni Scholarship. 

The International School at Thornton Middle 


• The Significant Support Needs (SSN) Program was 

chosen to pair up with UNICEF this spring semester 

as a Kid Power School working to end global 

malnutrition. 

• Battle of the Books team placed second in the district 

Battle of the Books competition. 



The Studio School 

• Acts of Kindness Fifth Grade Leadership Club 

sponsored “Art for the Heart” for the fourth year, 

where students raised funds and collected art 

supplies for the children at Children’s Hospital 

during Cardiac Awareness Month in February. 

• Continued partnerships with Imagination Makers 

Writer’s Residency Program, Cleo Parker Dance, 

Residency, Think 360 Arts Integration, The Boulder 

Ballet, Tinker Art Studio, The Arvada Arts Center 

and the Colorado Thespians. 

• Staff received Kagan Cooperative Learning and 

Every day Math for professional development. 

Thornton Elementary School 


• Approved by the State Board of Education as an 

Innovation School. 

• Implemented a school-wide enrichment program 

with over 25 offerings for students. 

Thornton High School 

• Two graduating seniors were awarded full 

academic scholarships, one to M.I.T and one to 

Brown University. 

• Teacher, Brad Peer, recognized as the Colorado 

Marketing Teacher of the Year by the Colorado 

Marketing Educator Association. 

• Mary Shea, Alumna (Class of 1980) inducted into 

the CHSAA Hall of Fame. 

Vantage Point High School & Crossroads Middle 

• Students met Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, 

Jody Williams at the Peace Conference. 

• The largest school group (14) in the metro area 

participated in the Second Wind Fund Walk/Run 

to raise money for students who need therapy to 

prevent suicide. 

• Student named an Adams County Mayors and 

Commissioner Youth Award finalist. 

Westgate Community School 

• Celebrating its second graduating class and that 

six of the 22 graduates will receive their Associate’s 

Degrees from Front Range Community College in 

addition to their high school diplomas. 

• Awarded the CDE Bullying Prevention and Education 

Grant, providing funds over three years to implement 

and develop bullying prevention strategies. 

• Completed Phase 1 of the Outdoor Education Campus, 

including new play areas, gathering areas, an outdoor 

classroom, chicken coop and greenhouse. 

Westlake Middle School 

• Sixth-grader selected to write for Scholastic Magazine. 

• Students placed at high levels locally and regionally in 

Spelling Bee and Geography Bee. 

• Students involved in a number of community outreach 

projects, including Pennies for Patients, Soles for Souls, 

Giving Tree, Thanksgiving Food Drive and PBiS Warrior 

Buck matching funds drive. 

Westview Elementary School 

• Improved to a performance-rated school with high 

student growth. 

• Parent Staff Partnership helped purchase another 

Chrome cart to increase technology use for students. 

• Implemented a Genius Lab as a place for creative 

exploration, problem-solving, critical thinking and 

collaboration. 

Woodglen Elementary School 

• Implemented 20 co-curricular clubs at no cost 

to parents. 

• Delivered 142 totes to families per week with 

Totes for Hope. 

Great job schools. We are proud of all 

of your accomplishments and look 

forward to seeing what you achieve 

in the 2017-2018 school year. • 


Certified Educator of the Year Award 

Amy Rehberg, English Language Development teacher at Horizon High School, named the 2016-2017 Certified Educator of the Year. 

Congratulations to our Certified Educators 

of the Year 

Amy Rehberg, English Language Development teacher at Horizon High School, 

earns districtwide award 

District Twelve Educators Association (DTEA) and Adams 12 Five Star Schools congratulate the 

winners of the 2016-2017 Certified Educator of the Year award. 

From teachers to counselors, librarians to learning specialists and social workers to speech 

pathologists, the many different roles and responsibilities of certified employees pave the road 

for student success in every classroom, every day. To honor certified educators, colleagues 

from across the district were asked to nominate an educator who goes above and beyond 

normal duties to achieve student success. Nominations were built on the three strategies 

in the Five Star Schools’ plan for student success; creating multiple pathways for learning; 

striking a “just-right” balance of empowerment and accountability; and building strong 

community relationships. 

The award received over 65 nominations from district colleagues, the names of which you 

can find on our website. A panel of various district employees and community members 

reviewed the nominations, determining five winners – four finalists and a grand prize winner 

from a variety of levels and roles: 


Certified Educator of the Year Award 

The four finalists: 

• Eric Fengler, Sixth Grade Social Studies, 

Rocky Top Middle School 

• Teresa Kajiwara, Instructional Coach at 

Silver Creek and Eagleview Elementary 

schools 

• Melissa Kooi, Kindergarten, Woodglen 

Elementary School 

• Juanita Laramie-Eaton, School 

Psychologist at Vantage Point High 

School and Crossroads Middle 

Certified Educator of the Year: 

• Amy Rehberg, English Language 

Development teacher, Horizon High School 

Amy Rehberg, an English Language 

Development teacher at Horizon High 

School, exceeds the qualifications of the 

Certified Educator of the Year for Adams 

12 Five Star Schools. Nominated by Lyanne 

Terada, a colleague of Mrs. Rehberg at 

Horizon High School, a common thread in 

her work is an awareness of underserved 

populations and her leadership in creating 

programs and opportunities for students to 

succeed in high school and beyond. 

Mrs. Rehberg was instrumental in the 

creation of the English as a Second 

Language (ESL) program at Horizon High 

School. This year, the graduation rate for 

Hispanic students at Horizon High School is 

the highest in the district at 96.2 percent, 

which makes it higher than the overall 

Horizon graduation rate of 95 percent and an 

impressive 15 percent higher than in 2012. 

In addition, Mrs. Rehberg was also the 

designer of the Adelante Program which 

helps students develop 21st century skills 

and resources to stay in high school in 

order to graduate. Rehberg has spent 

countless hours mentoring students, collaborating 

with colleges and coordinating 

college visits. She also partners with teachers 

of the students she does not have in class 

to ensure they have the right strategies and 

supports. 

According to Terada, the increase of graduating 

students is attributed to Mrs. Rehberg 

and the way she works with staff on behalf of 

students. 

“Amy is a no-nonsense, dedicated and caring 

educator,” Terada said. “She fights for the 

under-represented to ensure representation 

and success for all students in access, resources 

and opportunities.” 

Ultimately, the respect from her colleagues 

comes down to her relationships with 

students. She holds an open-door policy, 

often meeting with students’ family members 

and celebrating special occasions and 

holidays. Academically, Mrs. Rehberg individualizes 

instruction to meet abilities while 

still maintaining rigorous expectations. 

“Students feel her genuine care and 

concern for their well-being,” said Terada, 

“and the success follows.” 

Mrs. Rehberg received a cash award from 

DTEA, recognition by the Five Star Schools 

Board of Education and a celebration at her 

school. • 


FREE 

BACKPACKS & 

SCHOOL SUPPLIES 

Backpacks & school 

supplies donated by 

community partners. 

for Five Star 

District students 

While supplies last 

Immunization Clinic 

by the Tri-County 

Health Department 

Saturday, August 12, 2017 

9 a.m. - 12 p.m. 

Five Star Stadium 

9351 WASHINGTON ST, THORNTON, CO 80229 

• Sign up for Free and 

Reduced Lunch 

• Transportation info 

RESOURCES AVAILABLE FOR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES: 

• Online registration for 

Middle and High students 

• Check / update contact info 

• Health and Wellness 

information booth 

• Giveaways and more! 

www.adams12.org/back2school

Online Registration 

District expands online 

registration for fall 2017 

Online registration now available for 

students in a middle or K-8 school 

After a successful pilot at the high school level last year, Adams 12 Five Star Schools is expanding 

the online registration process to include all students enrolling in middle or one of the K-8 

schools (Hulstrom K-8, STEM Lab or STEM Launch) starting fall 2017. Now, families with 

returning students or students starting in eligible schools can skip the lines at school check-ins 

and confirm student registration at their leisure from anywhere with an internet connection. 

In its inaugural year, 9,274 high school students, nearly 87 percent of those enrolled were 

registered before the first day of school. The overwhelming adoption of the new process 

immediately provided time-saving benefits for parents, students and staff. 

“Following a successful first year, the obvious next step was to expand this process to 

students at our middle and K-8 schools,” said Ash Mahajan, chief information technology 

officer. “This summer additional families will reap the benefits of the faster and more efficient 

online process.” 

Online registration for the 2017-2018 school year opens June 19 and continues through 

August 15. The extended registration timeframe eases the typical congestion that occurs during 

August check-ins and allows parents to confirm registration for school at their convenience. 

Housed in the Infinite Campus portal, parents can verify household information and confirm 

student registration for school all in one location. By completing the online process, students 

also receive their class schedules online prior to the first day of school eliminating the need to 

pick-up their schedule from the school. 

Based on parent feedback, the district aims to bring other processes online in upcoming 

school years, reducing or eliminating the need for paper and parent wait-time in lines. • 

Sign up for an Infinite Campus portal account 

To register eligible, returning students at district K-8, 

middle and high schools online, parents must have 

an Infinite Campus portal account. Visit adams12.org 

and click on the “Infinite Campus” button at the 

bottom of the page to get started. For assistance, call your 

child’s school, or the IT Service Desk at (720) 972-4120. 


Plan now for the next school year 

Adams 12 Five Star Schools 

1500 East 128 th Avenue 

Thornton, CO 80241 

SCHOOL CALENDAR– 2017-2018* 

JULY 2017 F First Day of School for Students 

JANUARY 2018 

S M T W T F S FS-August 16, 2017 6 th morning; 7 th -8 th afternoon; 9 th ONLY 

S M T W T F S 

FE-August 16, 2017 ALL Elementary K-5 and K-8 Report 

1 1 2 3 4 5 6 

FS-August 17, 2017 ALL Students K-12 Report 

2 3 4 5 6 7 8 7 B 9 10 11 A 13 

L Last Day of School for All Students 

9 10 11 12 13 14 15 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 

May 23, 2018 

16 17 18 19 20 21 22 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 

A Elementary Assessment Days 

23 24 25 26 27 28 29 28 29 30 31 

September 5, 2017; January 12, 2018 

30 31 

May 4, 2018 

AUGUST 2017 

W Elementary School Work Days (No School for K-5 Students) 

FEBRUARY 2018 

S M T W T F S October 12 , 2017 

S M T W T F S 

1 2 3 4 5 February 14, 2018; May 11, 2018* potential snow day make up 

1 2 3 

6 7 8 9 I D 12 D Teacher Duty Days (No School for All Students) 

4 5 6 7 8 9 10 

13 D I FS/FE FS 18 19 August 11, and 14, 2017 

11 12 13 W B I 17 

20 21 22 23 24 25 26 December 22, 2017 

18 19 20 21 22 23 24 

27 28 29 30 31 May 24, 2018 

25 26 27 28 

C Teacher Comp Day – All Schools (No School for All Students) 

SEPTEMBER 2017 November 20, 2017 

MARCH 2018 

S M T W T F S I District In-service Days – All Schools (No School for All Students) S M T W T F S 

1 2 

August 10, and 15, 2017; February 16, 2018 

1 2 3 

3 4 A 6 7 8 9 B In-Common Release Days – K-8 (No School for K-8 Students) 

4 5 6 7 8 9 10 

October 13 , 2017 

10 11 12 13 14 15 16 11 12 13 14 15 Q 17 

January 8, 2018; February 15, 2018; April 2, 2018 

17 18 19 20 21 22 23 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 

Q Quarters Days 

24 25 26 27 28 29 30 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 

Oct.13 , 2017 42 days 

Dec.21 , 2017 43 days 

OCTOBER 2017 

Mar. 16, 2018 47 days 

May 23, 2018 43 days 

APRIL 2018 

S M T W T F S Pupil Count Window ............................ September 25 – October 9, 2017 S M T W T F S 

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 

Calendar Information 

1 B 3 4 5 6 7 

B/ 

8 9 10 11 W 14 Registration of New Students .............. Please Contact Your Local School 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 

Q 

15 16 17 18 19 20 21 School Year Starts, K-9 ................................................... August 16 , 2017 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 

School Year Starts, All Students Report ......................... August 17 , 2017 

22 23 24 25 26 27 28 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 

Labor Day .................................................................. September 4, 2017 

29 30 31 Elem. Assessment Days ........... Sept.5, 2017; Jan.12, 2018; May 4, 2018 29 30 

Dist. In-Svc. No School-All Students ...... Aug.10, 15 , 2017; Feb. 16, 2018 

NOVEMBER 2017 Elementary Work Days ...... Oct.12, 2017; Feb. 14, 2018; May 11* , 2018 

MAY 2018 

S M T W T F S In-Comm. Rel. Days, K-8 ....... Oct. 13, 2017; Jan. 8, Feb. 15, Apr. 2, 2018 S M T W T F S 

1 2 3 4 Veterans’ Day Observed ........................................... November 10, 2017 

1 2 3 A 5 

Teacher Comp Day-No School ................................. November 20 , 2017 

5 6 7 8 9 10 11 6 7 8 9 10 W* 12 

Thanksgiving Break .............................................. November 20-24, 2017 

12 13 14 15 16 17 18 End of First Semester ............................................... December 21, 2017 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 

19 C 21 22 23 24 25 Teacher Duty Day-No School-All Students ................ December 22, 2017 20 21 22 Q D 25 26 

26 27 28 29 30 Winter Break ................................. December 25, 2017- January 5, 2018 27 28 29 30 31 

High School In-Common Release Day ..............................January 8, 2018 

S M 

DECEMBER 2017 All Students Return..........................................................January 9, 2018 

JUNE 2018 

Martin Luther King Day..................................................January 15, 2018 

T W T F S S M T W T F S 

Presidents’ Day ............................................................February 19, 2018 

1 2 Spring Break ................................................................ March26-30 2018 

1 2 

3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Last Day for Students......................................................... May 23 , 2018 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 

10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Teacher Duty Day ............................................................... May 24, 2018 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 

Memorial Day ..................................................................... May 28, 2018 

17 18 19 20 Q D 23 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 

24 25 26 27 28 29 30 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 

31 

BASE CLOSED ...................................................... August 7-11, 2017 

SUMMER BASE OPEN - ............................... May 31–August 4, 2017 

BASE OPEN ..................................... August 14, 2017 A.M. and P.M. 

page 20 | Summer 2017 

*Subject to Revision 

Approved May 8, 2017

High School Spotlight 

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT 

HIGH SCHOOL 

Vantage Point High’s poetry and performing arts club, Innovative Non-Komformists, celebrate after a collaborative presentation for the Board 

of Education. 

Vantage Point students use poetry to vocalize 

pride for their school 

Prompted with the phrase “Here, I ________” students eagerly completed the phrase 

When the Adams 12 Five Star Schools Board of Education planned a visit to Vantage Point High 

School, Jon Rethinger, language arts teacher, and his students wanted to vocalize their pride 

for the school. But how best could they make their voices heard? Read below for a personal 

reflection on how Rethinger and his students tapped into their poetry experience to show 

what their time at Vantage Point has meant to them. 

When we heard the Board of Education was planning a visit, we knew it was a great opportunity 

to uplift our entire school community by letting them know how special our alternative campus is 

to all who attend. I chair the poetry and performing arts club, Innovative Non-Konformists (INK), 

and presented the idea of performing what we call a “collabo” to a few of my most talented and 

enthusiastic students. A “collabo” is a collaboration of student pieces that use a unifying phrase to 

provide a focus and common theme. To my pride and pleasure, each student I approached was 

eager to participate. 

For this particular assignment, the hook was, “Here, I _____.” For example, here I matter; here 



I have value; here I have a voice. A typical 

collabo involves four artists, each writing a 30- 

45 second verse before returning to the group 

to share and tinker with their content. We often 

stick with only four artists, because any more 

can be overwhelming to listeners who might 

feel bombarded with poetic sentiment. But 

as word traveled throughout INK, several kids 

wanted the opportunity to show their school 

pride to the board. Not wanting to turn away 

brave and motivated performers, I gave my 

approval and the collabo swelled to 10 artists. 

Not an ideal number, but you only get one shot 

at something like this. We got together after 

school, shared our verses, rehearsed a little, and 

a few hours later we performed for the board. 

In the end, all 10 students performed wellwritten 

verses in different locations—without 

mics—throughout our commons area. I have 

long known the beauty and artistry of our 

students, but I was particularly pleased to see 

all in attendance give the students a standing 

ovation. That response solidified that the larger 

Five Star community appreciates our students’ 

passion, talent and authenticity. I am glad 

that our message resonated with the board 

and the community. To quote Auggie Pullman, 

the main character in Wonder, a novel by R.J. 

Palacio, “everyone deserves a standing ovation 

at some point in their lives” and I’m thrilled our 

kids at Vantage Point got to experience that 

indescribable feeling. 

Here are five of the verses that were shared to 

show a sampling. Not every verse is identical 

to what was ultimately performed, nor are they 

in the same order, but it is awfully close for the 

most part. Enjoy! 

– By Jon Rethinger 

By Mario Gonzalez: 

Here I am someone. Here I am not just 

another statistical drop out. Here we 

are taught to think outside the box that 

boundaries are merely not a setback but 

a new insight on how to overcome an 

obstacle. Here at Vantage Point we strive 

for opportunities to make a difference, 

for challenges that will better ourselves. 

To approach every day with a P.M.A. 

Here I have found family that are not 

just employees but people I share my 

livelihood with people that have taught 

me how to be a better me. Here I have 

found my home away from home. 

By Kayla Jordan: 

Here, I have a voice / I am not a fish forced 

to climb a tree or run a mile / Graduating 

in just a year and a half’s work / 

No homework, just hard work / The time 

here has been the best time of my life / 

A’s and B’s nothing lower / F’s previously 

everything was slower / Came in with a 

0.214 GPA, Now averaging a 3.6 / 

My life is back on track / Thanks to my 

staff and teachers I’m graduating on time / 

My school is much more than people see 

it to be / We are all talented, it just takes 

caring teachers to bring it out / I didn’t 

become a dropout never fell out i made it 

throughout / Here, I’m going to graduate. 



By Madison Shover: 

Here I sit every day in this building with 230 students around me. Most of us do not have 

any thing in common and most of us won’t even speak ten words to each other either but 

we all have one thing in common: everyone here wants another chance to graduate. In 

many instances, this school was a last resort. Past mistakes in public school environments 

then controlled our futures, the futures we want to renew. But because of Vantage Point 

I have learned that my mistakes no longer define me. Here I have grown to love learning 

again. Here I have learned i am intelligent and that I do matter. Here I discovered myself 

and Here I know I have a voice, that I will be heard. Here I feel brilliant. 

By Alan Frazzell: 

Once upon a time I wouldn’t ever go to class / Now I’m a student at Vantage so let’s keep 

the past in the past / Naysayers say, “You go to Vantage Point I heard that schools lame.” 

/ I tell them to do their research that’s not at all what the students say / And for all the 

negative rumors towards my school I take offense / Because here we have the best minds 

and the best writers with the best pens / We have teachers to help mend the youth to who 

they want to become / There I got bored of large classes with no connections so you’re 

sitting there feeling dumb / Vantage Point makes students feel like their opinion is desired. 

Here we reach Higher We are Inspired / Yesterday’s News didn’t care if I wanted to give up. 

They made me tired / I raised my hand in class but was given false hope as i was told to 

wait / I am here to be successful. Here….I am...Motivated to Graduate. 

By Nickole Morgan: 

Here, I am free / I am free from the judgment that had me biting my fingernails to the nub 

in hopes to feel numb / I am free from standard institutionalism where grades and GPAs 

define the finish line I must cross / Here, I no longer fear you’ll stack me up on your 

informational text books only to slide one out each time I fail like a Jenga game because 

success was just below my fingertips before you pulled the largest book out from beneath 

my feet / But here, ohana defines us / Ohana means family and family means nobody is 

left behind nor forgotten / So when I look to my brothers and sisters in this alternative 

institution I see unity / The outsiders see labels / I see their achievements / 

Where everyone else sees their failure I see inspiration because all of us were lost / 

Here, we have been found in our prime / When you look into our eyes it’s no longer 

hopelessness it’s auspiciousness because here, we are successful. • 


BEST WISHES GRADUATES 

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LEGISLATIVE UPDATE 

Key education legislation passes in waning 

hours of session 

Lawmakers avoid further cuts to education funding 

The Colorado General Assembly completed 

its 120-day legislative session on May 10 with 

several key education bills in play during the 

last few days. 

School Finance Act 

The School Finance Act is required every 

year to legally set the inflation rate that drives 

annual increases to district funding. It also 

sets the negative factor. Starting in 2009, in 

order to make across-the-board cuts to all 

districts, the Legislature added a new “budget 

stabilization” or “negative factor” to the School 

Finance Act formula. In Adams 12 Five Star 

Schools, the negative factor currently results 

in $945 less funding per student. 

This year’s School Finance Act, Senate Bill 

17-296, keeps the negative factor flat at $828 

million in less funding statewide. Earlier in the 

session, the negative factor was anticipated to 

increase as much as $154 million to a total of 

$982 million statewide. Revised estimates of 

revenues from local property taxes allowed 

lawmakers to keep the factor the same. 

Local Mill Levy Override Sharing with 

Charters 

After much debate, on the 118th day of the 

session, a compromise bill was introduced 

to address how dollars raised from local mill 

levy overrides should be shared with charter 

schools. 

House Bill 17-1375, which awaits the 

Governor’s signature, attempts to focus 

more on “equitable” treatment of all students 

rather than “equal” per-student distribution 

of dollars. If they choose, districts can develop “ 

equitable” plans for using override revenues 

for traditional, charter and innovation 

schools by July 1, 2018. Those plans would 

have to be fully implemented by the 2019- 

2020 school year. 

Additionally, the legislation calls for 

charters to post on their websites lists of 

information about the waivers they’ve received 

from various state education laws. 

They also will have to post more information 

about their finances and outside income. 

Change in Ninth-Grade Testing 

A major highlight of the legislative session 

involves ninth-grade testing. High school 

freshmen will take a version of the PSAT 

instead of PARCC language arts and math 

tests under House Bill 17-1181, Required 

State Assessment for Ninth-grade Students, 

a bi-partisan bill that passed through the 

Legislature unanimously and with only 

modest discussion. The bill awaits the 

Governor’s signature. HB 1181 would change 

the mandated statewide English language 

arts and math assessments taken by ninthgraders 

beginning in 2018 to an assessment 

that is aligned with the state’s other high 

school assessments (PSAT 10 and the SAT). • 


Scholarship Recipients 

District celebrates graduating scholarship recipients 

As another year comes to an end, we are reminded that getting to graduation is a true testament 

of not only the student’s hard work, but that of the families, teachers and community 

members who helped them gain the knowledge and skills necessary to pursue a future of 

their choosing. 

This educational teamwork, yet again, proved a success with select graduates from each of 

the district’s high schools earning scholarships. Below represents only a few of the honors 

from the 2017 class – congratulations to each and every graduate for their accomplishments 

during their time at Five Star Schools. 

Twelve students awarded scholarships from the Hispanic Advisory Council 

The district’s Hispanic Advisory Council (HAC) proudly awarded 12 scholarships to deserving 

seniors at its 10th annual scholarship awards brunch on April 29. 

Congratulations to the 2017 recipients: 


Lizette Sanchez 


Amanda Helguero 

Guadalupe Ortega Ortiz 


Vanessa Avila 

Micklaus Garcia 

Isabel Manzo 

Jason Sailas 

Daisy Solis 


Amanda Garcia 


Guadalupe Gutierrez Miranda 

Guadalupe Rodriguez Estrada 

Vantage Point High School 

Betsabe Torres 

HAC is comprised of former educators, district staff, family members of district students and 

community members who value the richness and diversity that their Hispanic culture brings 

to our educational system in the Five Star District. 

Scholarship recipients received their award in front of their families and members of the 

council. This year, there were 39 applications submitted. 


Scholarship Recipients 

Three Five Star students named 2017 Daniels Scholars 

The Daniels Scholarship Program offers resources, encouragement and inspiration far 

beyond the financial assistance needed to earn a college degree. The goal is not only to 

help Daniels Scholars succeed in college, but to ensure that they thrive beyond their years 

in college. Daniels Scholars are selected from the four-state region of Colorado, New Mexico, 

Utah and Wyoming for demonstrating exceptional character, leadership and a commitment 

to serving their community. 

Congratulations to the 2017 Daniels Scholars from Adams 12 Five Star Schools: 


Yolanda Ortiz 


Michael Brandon LaDuke 

Bradley Allen Murphee 

The Power of One Charity awarded scholarships to 16 Five Star students 

This year, the Power of One Charity awarded $16,000 to students, making it the largest 

amount since its inception. Congratulations to the 2017 recipients: 


Leo Rodriguez-Macias 

Alejandro Xavier Andreu 

Santana Rodriguez 


Sophie Kelly 

Lauren Gilbreath 


Rylee Lay 

Jillian Lumpa 

Daysha Edgerton 


Jack Zeidlik 

Ti’Shauna Thomas 

Savannah Babish 

Zachary Hardman 

Pathways Future Center 

Nancy Roman 


Terrell Schlegel 

Yingxin Ye 

Vantage Point High School 

Betsabe Torres 

The Power of One Charity was created in memory of Andrew James Dollaghan, son of Judi 

Madsen and Brian Stanley, to provide college scholarships to high school seniors who have 

lost a parent or sibling, or have substantial financial need. 

Their 7th annual golf tournament will be held at The Ranch Country Club in Westminster 

on Tuesday, June 6. For more information please visit thepowerofonecharity.org or contact 

Judi Madsen madsen65@msn.com. • 


Parent and Community Groups 

Parent and community groups foster important 

partnership with district 

Different groups met throughout the year to learn and provide feedback 

Adams 12 Five Star Schools partners with parents and the community to create mutual learning 

and feedback opportunities. To learn more about opportunities for involvement, visit 

www.adams12.org/getinvolved. 

District Accountability Committee 

In fall 2016, the District Accountability Committee was formed with parent and community 

members to partner on three key areas: spending priorities, district Unified Improvement 

Plan (UIP) and to review applications from charter schools. Joining three teachers and three 

school administrators were eight parents and three community members. The group met 

four times over the course of the year with subgroups collaborating on the three key areas. 

Group members agreed to a two-year term and will continue for the 2017-2018 school year. 

Learn more at www.adams12.org/DAC. 

Five Star Leadership Academy 

The Five Star Leadership Academy is an opportunity for Five Star Schools parents and community 

members to increase their knowledge of public education. Meeting once-a-month for the 

2016-2017 school year, over 60 parents “went to school” on issues such as education funding, 

governance, safety, teaching and learning, and maintenance. The program creates a sense of 

shared responsibility and partnership, empowering members with information and resources 

needed to step into future leadership roles within the schools, district or community. The new 

Five Star Leadership Academy will start in fall 2017. Learn more at www.adams12.org/FSLA. 

Long Range Planning Advisory Committee 

The Long Range Planning Advisory Committee (LRPAC) is a community-led oversight and 

planning committee featuring parents and community members of the Five Star District. Last 

year, the LRPAC helped form the bond proposal and the committee currently serves in an 

oversight and accountability role for the 2016 Bond Program. The committee also reviews the 

district’s attendance boundary-setting priorities and assists in the formation of boundaries for 

new school projects. Learn more at www.adams12.org/LRPAC. 


Parent and Community Groups 

Parent Leader Action Network 

The Parent Leader Action Network (PLAN) is an opportunity for leaders of school-based 

parent groups to network with other parent leaders from across the district. Whether as a 

leader of PTO/A, SIT, PTG, booster club or committee, PLAN sessions are open to any parent 

who leads any group of parents at the school level. Parents collaborate on leadership support, 

resource sharing, engagement strategies and fundraising ideas. This spring PLAN hosted two 

sessions: the first session discussed how to fundraise and the second session discussed how to 

determine what to spend the money on. Principals and content specialists joined the group to 

provide insight on the topics. Learn more at www.adams12.org/PLAN. • 

Students experience large map of Colorado 

Students at Westview Elementary explored Colorado in a big 

way — with one of the world’s largest maps of the state. The 

National Geographic Giant Map of Colorado was given to the 

state by the National Geographic Society as an expression of 

the Society’s commitment to educating students about the 

world and empowering them to make a difference. The 14 

foot by 21 foot, brightly colored, smooth vinyl surface of the 

map accurately illustrates Colorado’s rivers, lakes, mountains, 

cities and capital. • 


PARENT POINTERS 

Preventing summer learning loss 

Ideas for parents to avoid the “summer slide” 

Ah, summer. A great time for kids to play, 

swim and unwind from the school year. But 

it’s also a time when students can lose what 

they’ve worked hard learning all year. This is 

called “summer slide” and it happens when 

children do not engage in reading throughout 

the summer. 

As you are planning your summer, here are 

a few ways to keep your children reading to 

ensure their learning skills stay sharp and 

momentum carries into next year. 

Make time for reading 

During the busy summer months, it can be 

hard for you and your child to find a chance 

to read. Set aside a quiet time each day for 

reading and remember to include “reading 

time” when planning summer activities. 

Read aloud every day 

Find time each day to read aloud to your 

children – even the older ones. Reading aloud 

benefits children and teens, particularly those 

who are struggling readers. Read aloud in 

different places, from the porch to the park. 

Help your child get a library card 

Getting your child their own library card 

will make them feel special, and will motivate 

them to use their library card to check 

out books or other items. Make sure they 

understand the library’s return policy. 

Allow your child to choose what they read 

Allow your child to choose their own reading 

material, including popular fiction, magazines 

and comic books. Summer is a time when 

children can discover the joys of reading, 

and they will be more motivated if they 

are reading something they enjoy. If you 

are concerned about the content of what 

your child is reading, talk with them about 

interests and set some guidelines for appropriate 

choices. 

Keep it fun 

Don’t set rules about reading for a 

certain amount of time or reading a minimum 

number of pages, and don’t make reading 

a punishment! Keep it fun so that it’s something 

your child wants to keep doing! 

Listen to audio books 

If you will be spending a lot of time in the car 

or at home, rent books on CD/MP3 from the 

library and listen to them together. This can 

also be a great way to encourage language 

development, to encourage children with 

learning disabilities to enjoy stories, and to 

provide alternatives to long car rides instead 

of playing video games or watching movies. 

Connect books to summer activities and 

travel 

Read books related to your summer activities 

and trips. For example, you might read 


a book about dinosaurs after visiting a natural history museum, or a story about sand castles 

while at the beach. Helping your child connect books with their own experiences will build 

vocabulary and make the experiences more meaningful. Older children may also enjoy 

helping you research your summer plans online or at the library. 

By encouraging your children to engage in summer reading activities, you will help them 

find lots of fun ways to use reading throughout the summer while keeping their reading skills 

in good shape! 

Tips adopted from Colorin Colorado, a bilingual site for educators and families of English 

language learners. • 

Students compete in book cover design 

Bollman Technical Education Center students Jadin Watt (Left) Jolynn Jackson (center) 

and Holly Pollack (Right) display their book cover designs for this year’s Adams 12 Five 

Star Schools Financial Plan and Budget Book. All three students will be honored for their 

exceptional graphic design work during the Adams 12 Five Star Schools Board of Education 

meeting on May 25, 2017. • 


School Based Health Center 

School Based Health Center to open at Thornton 

High School 

Grant-funded center expected to open in fall 2017 

Adams 12 Five Star Schools is excited to announce the addition of a School Based Health 

Center (SBHC) at Thornton High School as a result of generous grant funding. 

School-based health centers are high-quality models for delivering medical care to lowincome, 

uninsured, underserved and at-risk school-age children and youth. Currently, there 

are 2,315 SBHCs located in 49 states throughout the United States. Research has documented 

that school-based health centers positively impact educational success by: 

1. Improving student health 

2. Reducing absenteeism 

3. Decreasing discipline referrals 

4. Increasing parent involvement 

5. Improving readiness to learn 

The Colorado State Legislature has taken notice of the benefits of SBHCs and in 2013 the 

General Assembly voted to invest $5.3 million annually to fund new and manage existing 

centers. In addition, the Colorado Health Institute released a report in April 2015 assessing 

the need for SBHC services in Colorado. They found urban schools with the highest needs 

are primarily located in Denver and Adams counties. Thornton High School is listed on their 

Colorado’s 100 Highest-Need Urban Schools. 

The districts Student Engagement Initiatives began to explore partnership and grant funding 

options to open a SBHC in the district. The district partnered with the following organizations 

to open a SBHC at Thornton High School: 

1. Kids First, a local medical non-profit, will serve as the primary fundraiser and as the pass 

through organization for funding. Kids First will also provide staffing for the SBHC. Kids First 

established the first SBHC in Colorado in Adams County School District 14 in 1978, which was 

the second SBHC established in the country. 

2. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment will provide operating 

funds for the SBHC for a period of four years, assuming a fall 2017 opening with construction 

completed. This four years of funding will allow Kids First to create ongoing and sustainable 

operational funding through Medicaid. 


School Based Health Center 

3. The City of Thornton (via the Community Development Block Grant) will provide $220,000 

in capital for construction. 

4. The Colorado Health Foundation has committed $300,000 for construction. 

5. Caring for Colorado will provide $50,000 for construction and architectural design. 

The construction and operation of the SBHC is completely grant funded and will not require 

the district to provide funds from the operations budget or bond funding. 

The SBHC project is a tremendous opportunity to provide healthcare to needed students 

at Thornton High School and Bollman Technical Education Center. Thanks to great community 

partnerships, the new SBHC is set to open in fall 2017. • 

New districtwide health and wellness 

initiatives for the 2017-2018 school year 

Student-led 

WELLNESS TEAMS 

at STEM Launch & 

Shadow Ridge Middle 

Dare to Move 

CHALLENGE 

at Century Middle 

COOKING 

MATTERS 

at Cherry Drive 

Elementary 

STUDENT 

NUTRITION CLUB 

at Meridian 

Elementary 

Staff personal GOAL CHALLENGE 

at Mountain Range High 

New hydration STATIONS 

at Silver Hills Middle 

HANDWASHING/SANITIZATION 

initiative at Federal Heights 

Elementary 

Continued & expanded GARDEN CLUB 

at Tarver Elementary 

Mental health 

CAMPAIGN & FAIR 

at Vantage Point High 

BULLYING 

PREVENTION 

at Stellar 

Elementary 

SCHOOLWIDE CHARACTER building 

program at Silver Creek Elementary 


New P-8 School 

Future students of the new P-8 school in Broomfield led the way as they donned hard hats and meticulously flung shovelfuls of dirt to commemorate 

the occasion. 

District breaks ground on new P-8 school in Broomfield 

New school is first of many projects made possible by the voter-approved 

$350 million bond 

April 19 was a day to celebrate as Adams 12 Five Star Schools marked the start of construction on 

a new preschool through eighth-grade school in the Anthem community of Broomfield. 

“I can’t wait,” school principal Teresa Benallo said of the school’s planned fall 2018 opening. 

“Before we know it, we’ll be standing on the entrance to our school and welcoming everyone 

into a beautiful building with an innovative, cutting-edge design and technology where we can 

dream big, learn big, work together, work hard, have fun and make all our dreams come alive.” 

The new preschool through eighth-grade school is being built on a 13-acre site in Anthem 

Highlands, a planned community of about 2,600 residential units, located near state Highway 7 

and Interstate 25. The school is eventually expected to serve between 900 – 1,000 students. 

The 142,000 square-foot, multi-level school is being designed by architectural firm Hord 

Coplan Macht. 


New P-8 School 

Upon completion, the new P-8 school is 

slated to become the first school in the Denver 

metro area certified under the Collaborative 

for High Performance Schools (CHPS) Verified 

Leader program. The goal of CHPS is to fundamentally 

change the design, construction 

and operation of schools to: protect student 

and staff health; and enhance the learning 

environments of school children everywhere; 

conserve energy, water and other natural 

resources; and reduce waste, pollution and 

environmental degradation. 

General contractor, Adolfson & Peterson 

Construction, will build the new school. 

District voters approved a $350 million 

school construction bond in November 2016 

that allows for the construction of the new 

school. Five Star Schools Board of Education 

Vice President Laura Mitchell pointed out that 

the impact of the bond will reach far beyond 

the Anthem community. 

“This is the first project taking off but we will 

be undertaking projects in every corner of our 

district, expanding elementary schools [and] 

STEM Lab,” she said. “We will be significantly 

expanding our career and tech ed capacity. We 

look forward to creating numerous pathways 

and partnerships with our local governments, 

higher education and community business 

leaders for students to pursue their passions.” 

The bond will also allow the district to 

address critical deferred maintenance needs 

in aging schools and facilities. Each school and 

facility in the district will see improvements as 

a result of the bond. 

Maura Devine, an Anthem community 

parent and president of the Adams 12 

Community Action Network, praised the 

community for its support. Adams 12 CAN 

played a pivotal role in rallying community 

support around the passage of the bond. 

“Our community 

demonstrated its 

commitment to our 

children and the 

importance of investing 

in high quality, safe and 

secure facilities in which our 

children can learn,” 

she said. 

“Most importantly, our 

community showed that, 

when we work together, 

we can accomplish amazing 

things and that led us 

to today.” 

Get updates and information on the 2016 

Bond Program at adams12.org/bond. • 


State Honors for Schools 

Superintendent Chris Gdowski, on behalf of the seven recognized schools in the district, accepted the school performance awards from the Colorado 

Department of Education on March 1, 2017. 

Seven schools in the Five Star District earn state honors 

Schools receive recognition at March 1 ceremony 

Seven schools in the Five Star District earned school performance awards from the Colorado 

Department of Education at a ceremony on March 1, 2017 in Denver. 

Of the nine categories for awards, schools in the Five Star District earned awards in two 

different categories. 

Colorado John Irwin Schools of Excellence Awards 

The John Irwin award, named after former Colorado State Representative John J. Irwin is 

given to schools that demonstrate excellent academic achievement. On the three-year school 

performance framework that is used by the state to evaluate schools, these schools “exceed” 

expectations on the academic achievement indicator. 

• Coyote Ridge Elementary 

• Hulstrom K-8 

• Meridian Elementary 

• Stargate Charter School 

• STEM Lab 


State Honors for Schools 

For STEM Lab, the award signifies the success 

of the STEM model. 

“We covet this award because it backs our 

strong belief that STEM learning supports all 

students regardless of their learning profile,” 

said Tracy Tellinger, principal at STEM Lab. 

“The success of our school is the result of 

passionate collaboration between families, 

students and staff.” 

Moving forward, Tellinger is excited to 

offer the STEM program for more families 

and continue their success. 

Similarly, Coyote Ridge Elementary believes 

the award confirms the strong work the staff 

is doing to make a positive impact on student 

achievement. 

“We have focused on collaboration and 

meeting the needs of every student in 

partnership with our parents and school 

community,” said Michael Keppler, principal at 

Coyote Ridge Elementary. “Moving forward, 

we are intent on maintaining high student 

achievement as well as high student growth 

at every grade level.” 

Colorado Governor’s Distinguished 

Improvement Awards 

The Governor’s Distinguished Improvement 

Awards are given to schools that demonstrate 

exceptional student growth. On the 

school performance framework that is used 

by the state to evaluate schools, these schools 

“exceed” expectations on the indicator related 

to longitudinal academic growth and “meet or 

exceed” expectations on the indicator related 

to academic growth gaps. 

• Arapahoe Ridge Elementary 

• Meridian Elementary 

• Silver Creek Elementary 

Kate Vogel, principal at Arapahoe Ridge 

Elementary, said she is extremely proud of the 

award and how it has encouraged her staff. 

“Our teachers have worked 

extremely hard and have stayed 

focused on looking 

at student work and planning 

meaningful instruction in 

response to the student work,” 

Vogel explained. 

“It is proof that staying focused on a few 

major improvement strategies over the 

course of a year will lead to positive results for 

students.” 

Moving forward, Silver Creek Elementary 

is excited to continue its efforts in providing 

supports for students and staff. 

“We will continue to create time to allow 

teachers to know where their students are 

academically,” said Darren Oliver, Silver Creek 

Elementary principal. “Our staff will also 

continue to challenge our students that need 

more depth and complexity, as well as put in 

supports for students that will benefit from 

these supports.” 

In addition to these awards, the district also 

saw significant student achievement growth 

resulting in a higher performance category for 

the district and fifteen schools. Read more on 

our academic progress this year. • 


FIVE STAR NOTES 

Board of Education to finalize new graduation requirements 

Learning Services continues to engage staff, students and parents regarding the 

potential changes to the graduation requirements for the class of 2021 and beyond. 

Throughout 15 engagement sessions, the Learning Services team presented three options 

ranging in flexibility of student choice. One option, allows students to select up to nine elective 

classes based on their interests and post-secondary plans. On the opposite side of the spectrum, 

an option includes more prescriptive guidelines requiring one credit in World Language 

and two credits in Fine and Practical Arts. The third option is balanced, including a requirement 

of two credits in Fine and Practical Arts, and no required World Language credit. 

All stakeholders had the opportunity to rank the three options, provide anecdotal feedback 

and create an alternative option of their choosing. All stakeholder feedback will be summarized 

and presented to the Adams 12 Five Star Schools Board of Education (BOE) in May. 

The final decision regarding the graduation requirements for the class of 2021 and beyond 

lies with the BOE. All three options, along with the feedback collected during all engagement 

sessions, will be considered. More information regarding the current guidelines, the composition 

of the Graduation Guidelines Committee as well as student and family resources can be 

found on the district website. • 

Share your news 

Help Adams 12 Five Star Schools spread the word about the great things happening 

across the district. With nearly 39,000 students across five cities in 52 schools, we need your 

help in sharing the exciting events, initiatives and success stories happening at your child’s 

school. 

Is your child’s class participating in a unique program? Is your 

child’s teacher receiving an award? The district wants to hear these 

good news stories to promote Five Star schools and student successes 

with the entire community. For more information and to submit 

your good news story, visit adams12.org/share-your-news. • 

Look for this image 

on the website 


FIVE STAR NOTES 

Five Star District prepares application for federal funds 

Through June 30, 2017, the Adams 12 Five Star Schools Office of Federal Programs 

will coordinate preparation of the annual Consolidated Application for federal 

education funds under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) formerly known as No Child 

Left behind (NCLB). 

Parents, community members, teachers, students and other constituents of the Adams 

12 Five Star Schools community are invited to contact Rochelle Garcia-Gomez at rochelle.l. 

garciagomez@adams12.org with questions, comments or suggestions regarding the development 

of the application, budgets, and specific programming to be supported with the 

grant funds. 

Programs under this application include: Title I – these funds supplement instructional and 

support resources in schools with high concentrations of students from low-income families; 

Title IIA – funds supplemental teacher and principal training and recruitment programs; Title 

IIIA – funds supplement language instruction to foster English proficiency for students who 

are English learners (EL); Title IV- funds provide students with a well-rounded education and 

academic enrichment. • 


Children Eat Free this Summer 

Children eat free this summer 

Adams 12 Five Star Schools will provide free breakfast and/or lunch at six schools this summer 

to children ages one to 18. Meals are provided to all children at no charge and are the same for 

everyone regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability. To participate in the 

program, children simply eat at one of the participating schools. It is not necessary to fill out any 

forms or qualify in any way. 

Free breakfast and/or lunch is available this summer at the following schools: 

SCHOOLS BREAKFAST LUNCH DAYS 

Coronado Hills Elementary 8:30–9:30 10:45–12:30 M–F 

North Star Elementary* Lunch Only 11:00–12:00 M–Th 

Riverdale Elementary 8:30–9:30 10:45–12:30 M–F 

STEM Launch 8:30–9:30 10:45–12:30 M–F 

The Studio School 8:30–9:30 10:45–12:30 M–F 

Westlake Middle 9:30–10:30 10:45–12:30 M–F 

*North Star Elementary is only open for lunch Mondays through Thursdays. 

The Summer Food Service Program runs from June 5 through July 21, Monday - Friday, and 

will be closed on July 4 in observance of Independence Day. 

Adults can take advantage of the food service program at a discounted rate - $2.50 for 

breakfast or $3.75 for lunch. For questions about the program, please contact Nutrition Services 

at (720) 972-6279. • 


Hispanic Advisory Council Awards 

Recipients of the Hispanic Advisory Council awards were celebrated on April 24, 2017. 

(Pictured from top left to bottom right) Yakim Hernandez, HAC Outstanding Elementary School 

Student of the Year, Coronado Hills, 1st grade; Alyssa Cruz, Outstanding High School Student 

of the Year, Legacy High, Senior; Donald Beuke, HAC Administrative Employee of the Year, 

Principal, Coronado Hills; Gilbert Almanza, HAC Classified Employee of the Year, Head 

Custodian, North Mor; Pam Trujillo, HAC Certified Employee of the Year, Counselor, Shadow 

Ridge Middle. • 


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