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April 8, 2021
JEFFERSON COUNTY, COLORADO
A publication of
INSIDE: CALENDAR: PAGE 11 | VOICES: PAGE 12 | LIFE: PAGE 14 | SPORTS: PAGE 17
VOLUME 16 | ISSUE 45
Possible closure ahead for Arvada elementary school Low enrollment could mean the end of the line BY BOB WOOLEY BWOOLEY@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Joe and Madison Carpenter show off their creations in Arvada Colorado.
PHOTOS BY BOB WOOLEY
Joy on four wheels for Arvada students Beers and boards make for a fun way of giving BY BOB WOOLEY BWOOLEY@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
On a recent sunny afternoon on the back patio of Arvada’s New Image Brewing, a skater named Azamat sipped a cold beverage and built skateboards to donate to underserved youth at Lawrence Elementary School in Arvada. The volunteer event was organized by Can’d Aid, a nonprofit that rallies volunteers from all walks of life to distribute water, provide access and opportunities for underserved youth to experience music, arts and the outdoors; and protect and restore the environment. They like to call it spreading Do-Goodery. Abbi Arneson, Program Coordinator, Can’d Aid, said 81 new skateboards would be donated from the event, part of their Treads and Trails program that encourages kids to get outside and lead healthy, active lifestyles. She said skateboards and bikes (which they also regularly donate) are great tools, not just for getting kids outside, but also for helping them better their mental, emotional and physical health. “We rally volunteers in public spaces to help us build the skateboards and bikes,” she said. “So, it’s a full-circle type of event where we have volunteers building them, plus people love to volunteer — get out and do good in their own communities, and it goes to benefit youth in their own
MORE INFORMATION To find upcoming opportunities to do some Do-Goodery yourself, head to Can’d Aid’s website www.candaid. org or look for them on Facebook events at www.facebook.com/CandAid neighborhoods.” She said a lot of the folks helping out are repeat volunteers. They also attract a lot of interest and reach volunteers through social media. Arneson said most of the donations go to Title One schools, and they do bike and skateboard events pretty much every month of the year, although not always in Colorado. Can’d Aid does events across the nation. Jennifer Lockhart works for SM Energy. She heard about the event through a volunteer group at her office. This was her first time building a skateboard. She said it was the perfect way to give back to the community and spend a fun afternoon with her sons, Cameren and Noa. A few tables away, Madison and Joe Carpenter are busy applying grip tape to skateboard decks. Madison said she’s been skating since she bought herself a longboard for her birthday when she was 12. You can tell by watching her, it’s not her first time building a board. “I have one at home that has purple grip tape — I’ve painted my own board before,” she says. Joe Carpenter said the opportunity to do some good brought him out more than the skateboards. “I don’t seem to have the co-
Azamat builds a board for a good cause in Arvada.
ordination for skateboards, I’m more of a bicycle guy,” he said. “I remember when I first tried riding one a long time ago when they had the really hard wheels — the smallest pebble would send you flying,” he said with a chuckle. According to a Can’d Aid press release, they’ve donated more than 2,000 bikes and skateboards nationally to students in the past year. “At a time when our nation’s youth are experiencing extreme levels of anxiety, depression and mental health issues, Can’d Aid’s programs provide healthy and active outlets for underserved and at-risk children across the country,” it read. More information and a list of upcoming projects is available at www.candaid.org. So, to recap, there is a way to sit on a sunny patio, drink a craft brew or beverage of your choice, build a skateboard or put together a bicycle with other cool, likeminded people and have your work donated to kids in need, most likely in your own community.
Families of students at Allendale Elementary recently received a letter from the school’s principal and several District officials, including Interim Superintendent, Kristopher Schuh, informing them that the school is at risk of closing due to low enrollment. The letter began by stating “District leadership is beginning to have tough conversations regarding the future for Allendale.” It goes on to explain that because of Allendale’s low enrollment, declining enrollment at nearby elementary schools, lack of school-aged children in the neighborhood or families choicing-in, there simply aren’t enough students to fill the seats in what is already a very small school. Allendale has less than 150 students and is currently in its 57th year of operation. The letter acknowledges that the small size of the school can limit the educational experience that can be best for students. “We know students benefit greatly from things like targeted support from multiple staff members in a school, learning in groups with other students, exposure to larger groups of peers for social interaction, access to before/after school programming, and teachers having gradelevel colleagues with whom they plan lessons, field trips, and design creative educational opportunities. Being able to offer these positive elements for the students at Allendale is also guiding our decision to explore options for our school moving forward,” it explained. Since 2011, Allendale has experienced a 45% decrease in enrollment with an annual enrollment drop of about 13%. According to the letter, Rob Malling, Allendale’s Principal, recently announced plans to leave his position at the end of the school year, triggering the decision to revisit a conversation, in the works for the past five years, about Allendale’s future. The letter stressed the District’s understanding that this news may be upsetting to the school’s families and asked for feedback and participation as the process moves forward.