Arvada Press 0915

Page 1

September 15, 2016

EXOTIC PETS

VO LUM E 1 2 | IS S U E 1 6

Reptiles and amphibians require unique foods, habitats. PAGE 10

ArvadaPress.com J E F F E R S O N C O U N T Y, C O L O R A D O

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A HEROICALLY GOOD HARVEST FEST

Shift eyed at middle schools Jeffco schools plan to move sixth-graders in coming years By Crystal Anderson Special to Colorado Community Media

Arvada’s annual festival and parade drew large crowds and lots of smiles this Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Pictured: Amber Jones, community risk reduction specialist for the Arvada Fire Protection District, hands Justyn Morris, 2, of Arvada, a rubber duck toy during the parade Saturday morning. For more on this year’s spelling bee, turn to PAGE 5. More photos of the fun at the festival and parade are on PAGE 5. Photo by Kevin M. Smith/For the Arvada Press

A look at the future, a reflection on the past

BRONCS HELP KIDS GET FIT

Three years ago, Mitchell Elementary in Golden became a K-5 school, shifting its sixth graders over to Bell Middle School. The move has been a good one, Mitchell Principal Samantha Hollman said. “It strengthened our K-5 curriculum,” she said. “And our middle school teachers are content-driven, so kids were not only given the opportunity to have content specialists, but also electives that we can’t offer here … They have more choices.” The reconfiguration of middle schools in Jefferson County to include sixth grade is a key initiative in what school district officials describe as a way to better utilize existing facilities, alleviate overcrowding at the elementary school level and give students more educational and recreational opportunities. But although school officials say nearly 75 percent of sixth-graders across the country attend a sixth- through eighthgrade middle school, the change has some Jeffco parents asking about social and educational effects of the transition. Reasons for the shift Overall, the district has about 6,500 sixth-grade students in elementary, middle school and K-8 buildings. Reconfiguring middle schools to include sixth grade Shift continues on Page 4

ALREADY MADE THE GRADE

Arvada Center’s galleries celebrate 40 years with established and new artists

Five of Jefferson County School’s 17 middle schools already include sixth-graders on campus:

By Clarke Reader creader@coloradocommunitymedia.com

• Bell Middle (Golden)

In the Arvada Center’s 40 years, it has played host to established artists, ones just getting into the swing of their careers, and provided space for artists’ first exhibits. All of this is highlighted in “Looking Back/ Moving Forward,” the center’s two new fall exhibits. “The artists we have on display here aren’t just important to the Arvada Center, but the entire metro area,” said Collin Parson, the center’s exhibition manager and curator. “There is so often a theme here of contemporary Colorado artists, and it’s great we can highlight that.” The exhibits run at the center, 6901 Wadsworth Blvd., through Nov. 13. “Looking Back: 40 Years/40 Artists” is on display in the Main Gallery, and “Moving Forward: The Next 40 Years” is on display in the Upper and Theatre galleries. Galleries are open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, and 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday.

• Evergreen Middle

Center continues on Page 13

• Deer Creek (Littleton) • Falcon Bluffs (Chatfield) • West Jefferson (Conifer)

PREP FOOTBALL D’Evelyn clashes with Green Mountain in high school football action on PAGE 19.

VIPs dropped by Allendale Elementary last week to encourage child fitness. Read more on PAGE 22. Photo by Shanna Fortier


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