Latest news with #ColoradoDepartmentofEducation
Yahoo
5 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Semifinalists for 2026 Colorado Teacher of the Year revealed
DENVER (KDVR) — And then there were 22. The semifinalists for the 2026 Colorado Teacher of the Year were revealed Thursday, with the remaining contenders representing 22 schools from 17 districts and two charters. The Colorado Department of Education said this year's semifinalists — which already beat out nearly 400 other contenders — are the most 'geographically diverse' to date, with at least two representing every region in the state. Lawsuit against Purina plant's 'rancid' odor dismissed 'We're proud to recognize this incredible group of educators who represent the best of Colorado's teaching profession,' said Education Commissioner Susan Córdova, in a statement. The semifinalists were selected from a pool of 419 initial applicants from a total of 106 school districts, the CDE said. The candidates were reviewed by a committee of more than 40 people, including previous Colorado Teacher of the Year winners, Colorado Department of Education staff and representatives from the Boettcher Foundation. 'Each of these semifinalists has made a meaningful impact in their classrooms and communities, and we wish them all the best as they move forward in the selection process,' Córdova said. The 2026 Colorado Teacher of the Year semifinalists are: Julie Ahrens from Twin Peaks Classical Academy (authorized by St. Vrain Valley School District) Artemio Baltazar from Grand Valley Center for Family Learning in Garfield County School District 16 Sarah Bayer from Polaris Expeditionary Learning School in Poudre School District Jessica Bell from Denver Green School Northfield in Denver Public Schools Kevin Brown from Red Rocks Elementary School in Jeffco Public Schools Liz Fitzgerald from Mesa View Elementary School in Mesa County Valley School District 51. Emily Gaytan from Centennial Elementary School in Harrison School District 2 Malynda (Mindy) Green from Revere School in Revere School District Elisamaria Heredia from Alamosa Elementary School 3-5 in Alamosa School District Re-11J Brittney Isom from Genoa-Hugo School in Genoa-Hugo School C-113 Teri Kopack from Durango High School in Durango School District 9-R Stephanie LaCount from Grand Junction High School in Mesa County Valley School District 51 Julie Milam from Canon City High School in Canon City School District RE-1 Julie Naski Roman from Carson Elementary School in Denver Public Schools Stephen Paulson from Greeley Central High School in Greeley-Evans School District 6 Tyler David Philipsen from Coronado High School in Colorado Springs School District 11 Gayathri Ramkumar from Aurora Central High School in Aurora Public Schools Diana Remick from La Junta Primary School in East Otero School District Sabra Sowell-Lovejoy from Campo Undivided High School in Campo School District RE-6 Elizabeth Rose Tarbutton from Peak to Peak Charter School (authorized by Boulder Valley School District) Kendall Van Valkenburg from Red Canyon High School in Eagle County School District Re-50J Leon Vasquez from Drake Middle School in Jeffco Public Schools Colorado fentanyl dealer sentenced in Texas after mailing pills to man who died The eventual winner will be Colorado's nominee for the Council of Chief State School Officers' National Teacher of the Year Program, be honored at a special ceremony in Washington, D.C., and receive $5,000 from the Boettcher Foundation, according to the CDE. Finalists for the 2026 Colorado Teacher of the Year will be announced by the CDE in September. The ultimate winner will be named in October. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Two D51 teachers named semifinalists for Colorado Teacher of the Year
GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KREX) — On Thursday, the Colorado Department of Education announced the 2026 Colorado Teacher of the Year. Out of the 22 educators named as semifinalists, two are educators from District 51: Liz Fitzgerald from Mesa View Elementary School and Stephanie LaCount from Grand Junction High School. Fitzgerald is a first-grade teacher at Mesa View Elementary School in Grand Junction. She has been an educator for 17 years, and her honors include FIRST Inspire the Future Honoree and Outstanding Coach Award from the National FIRST Lego League. According to her semifinalist bio, she 'wants to create a safe place for students like her teachers did for her.' LaCount is an English Language Arts teacher at Grand Junction High School and has been an educator for 19 years. She has won awards such as the City of Fruita Teacher Appreciation award in 2020 and the KREX Golden Apple Award in 2018. According to her semifinalist bio, 'one of her goals as a teacher is to give students the power of self-acceptance.' Fitzgerald and LaCount were chosen from a pool of 419 applicants representing 106 school districts statewide. The pool of applicants had increased by 375% compared to the prior year. The Colorado Teacher of the Year program honors K-12 educators who have made an impact on their students, schools and communities. The selection process mirrors the standards of the national Teacher of the Year program. The semifinalist selection consisted of a review committee of over 40 people, including Colorado Teacher of the Year winners, Colorado Department of Education staff, representatives from the Boettcher Foundation and the lead sponsor of the Colorado Teacher of the Year program. 'We're proud to see educators from District 51 recognized among this year's semifinalists,' saidDr. Brian Hill, Superintendent of Mesa County Valley School District 51. 'We appreciate the workall of our teachers do each and every day to support our students, and we're cheering on and Ms. LeCount as they move forward in the process!' The semifinalists will move on to the next stage of the selection process, which includes additional essay questions from the teachers, and the finalists will be announced in September. The 2026 Colorado Teacher of the Year will be named in October. 'These semifinalists reflect the dedication, passion, and innovation that great teaching requires,' said Boettcher Foundation Vice President of Grants and Programs Tiffany Anderson. 'We're honored to serve as lead sponsor for a program that shines a spotlight on educators who are shaping Colorado's future, and we look forward to celebrating all they've accomplished.' The educator chosen as Colorado's Teacher of the Year represents over 55,000 educators across the state, will receive national recognition in Washington, D.C. and will earn a $5,000 award from the Boettcher Foundation. Individuals can learn more about the program and the other semifinalists on the Colorado Department of Education's website. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
7 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Free summer meals available for Colorado children aged 18 and younger
GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KREX) — On Tuesday, the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) announced that 635 summer meal sites are open throughout Colorado to provide free meals to children aged 18 and younger. Out of those 635 locations, 16 are open in Grand Junction. In Grand Junction, these locations include: Chipeta Elementary School, Dos Rios Elementary School, Pear Park Elementary School, Pomona Elementary School, Tope Elementary School, Bookcliff Middle School, Orchard Mesa Middle School, Grand Junction High School, CMU Tech, Candlewood Park, Clifton Community Center, Dual Immersion Academy School, EUREKA! Science Museum, Kimwood Park, Lincoln Park and Mesa Avenue Park. Parents, families and community members can learn more about locations and hours at No registration, identification, or proof of income or enrollment is required to access summer meals. All meals served meet USDA nutrition guidelines. The Colorado Department of Education's School Nutrition Unit, in partnership with community-based program sponsors, runs the Summer Meal Program and provided over 1.9 million meals to Colorado youth last year. The U.S. Department of Agriculture funds the program. CDE is currently working with 82 community organizations to run the 635 meal sites across the state. In rural areas, a to-go or delivery option for meals may be offered. Local schools, nonprofits, government agencies, camps, faith- or community-based organizations can join the program to provide new meal sites at any time throughout the summer. 'Many Colorado children rely on their schools for access to food, and our Summer Meals Program provides a critical resource for children and families during the summer months. We are grateful to our 83 community partners for stepping up to serve them,' said Colorado Education Commissioner Susana Córdova. In addition to the Summer Meals Program, children and teens can get free meals over the summer through the Lunch Lizard. The mobile summer food program operates across Mesa County and served its first set of children on Monday in Fruita. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Thompson School District hires Bret Heller as its new superintendent
The Thompson School District Board of Education formally hired Bret Heller as the district's new superintendent May 21, with a unanimous 7-0 vote to accept the negotiated terms of his contract. Heller, identified May 7 as the sole finalist among three candidates who came to Loveland for tours and interviews, signed a three-year contract that runs from July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2028, district spokesperson Michael Hausmann told the Coloradoan via email. His gross annual salary will be $235,000. Heller is an Idaho native who spent most of his professional career in his home state before accepting his current job as superintendent of the School Town of Munster district in Indiana. He will have served in that role for three years when he leaves at the end of June to begin his new job with the Thompson School District. Heller is replacing Marc Schaffer, who is resigning effective June 30, 2025, after seven years to become superintendent of Community High School District 128 in suburban Chicago near his hometown. Thompson is the 17th-largest school district in Colorado, serving 14,751 students at 32 schools this year, according to the Colorado Department of Education's annual enrollment count. Two of those schools are in south Fort Collins — Cottonwood Plains and Coyote Ridge elementaries. Heller's annual salary is well above the state average for superintendents of $141,986 for the 2022-23 school year, the most recent year available through Colorado Department of Education data, but below what superintendents in 20 other school districts in the state were making that year. Schaffer's 2022-23 salary of $212,956 was No. 25 on that list. Reporter Kelly Lyell covers education, breaking news, some sports and other topics of interest for the Coloradoan. Contact him at kellylyell@ and This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Bret Heller formally hired as Thompson School District superintendent
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Colorado Department of Education presents nearly 700 awards recognizing schools, districts
DENVER (KDVR) — The Colorado Department of Education presented a total of 695 performance awards to 71 districts and 346 schools during an event on Friday. The event celebrated schools and districts that received awards for the 2023 and 2024 school years, in categories recognizing academic achievement and student growth, among other things. Safe2Tell report led to sex assault arrest of DougCo middle school teacher 'Behind every one of these awards is a story of hard work, heart, and hope,' State Board of Education Chair Rebecca McClellan said in a statement. 'These schools and districts are shining examples of what's possible when educators, students, and families come together with a shared purpose—to help every child thrive. The awards were presented by McClellan, Vice Chair Yazmin Navarro, Board member Lisa Escárcega, Board member Kathy Gebhardt and Colorado Education Commissioner Susana Córdova. Did your school win an award? The full list of winners can be found here. The awards seem to follow a positive trend of upward growth for education in Colorado, with data released in January from the 2023-2024 school year showing the state's four-year high school graduation rate and student drop-out rates improved. CDE noted at the time that the growth was not equal among all student groups, with students experiencing homelessness, students from migrant families, students with disabilities, multilingual students, students in foster care and male students not reaching the statewide graduation rate of 84.2%. Undercover shoppers discover Kroger is over-charging Four schools from Colorado were also designated as 2024 National Blue Ribbon Schools by the U.S. Department of Education last September, including DSST: Cedar High School in Denver, Mesa View Elementary School in Grand Junction, Skyview Middle School in Pueblo West and Zach Elementary School in Fort Collins. The schools were also presented with awards at Friday's event. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
