Arvada press 1114

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November 14, 2013

A Colorado Community Media Publication

ourarvadanews.com

Jefferson County, Colorado • Volume 9, Issue 25

Stevenson announces retirement Jeffco superintendent stepping down after 12 years By Vic Vela

vvela@ourcoloradonews.com There were few dry eyes and even fewer empty seats inside a packed Jefferson County school board meeting on Nov. 7, as supporters of Superintendent Cindy Stevenson showed up to hear the district’s longtime superintendent announce her retirement. “The past 12 years have been the best years of my life,” said Stevenson, often wiping away tears, while announcing that she would retire on June 30, when her contract expires. “This is an exceptional school district and it’s been my honor to lead an amazing staff of talented people.” Stevenson received a standing ovation at the conclusion of her remarks. Stevenson, who was appointed to her position in 2002, will retire as Jefferson County Public Schools’ longest-serving superintendent. A product of the school district that she has led for more than 12 years, Stevenson has worked as a teacher, a principal, or as a member of the superintendent’s office during a span of four decades. School board member Jill Fellman recalled meeting Stevenson for the first time in 1989, when Stevenson taught at Arvada’s Little Elementary School and Fellman was a first-year teacher at Moore Middle School. “I just kept thinking when I was that first-year teacher, ‘I want to be like Cindy Stevenson,” Fellman said after the board meeting. Stevenson was named the 2010 Colorado Superintendent of the Year, and was a finalist for the national award that year. Jeffco students have consistently scored above the state average in proficiency test scores during Stevenson’s tenure. And she was an instrumental campaigner for mill levy overrides that Jeffco voters supported in 2010, which allowed the district to stop the financial bleeding that was taking place during the economic downturn. “Her absence will be felt across the district,” said Patti DeLorenzo, a principal at Lakewood’s Devinny Elementary School. “As hard as it may be, administrators will continue to work toward your vision.” But not everything has been sunny for Stevenson as of late. She was a key sup-

Jefferson County Schools Superintendent Cindy Stevenson speaks in support of a school finance act tax hike during an Aug. 15 rally at Lakewood’s Green Mountain High School. File photo porter of Amendment 66, the school finance tax hike that voters flatly rejected on Nov. 5. And Stevenson took a lot of heat from parents for her support of a company with whom the district was to partner with to store student information as part of a data dashboard — inBloom, a Georgia-based nonprofit that has been the subject of national controversy over privacy and security concerns. After an outcry from parents, Stevenson announced in September that she would allow students to opt out of the data dashboard, after she had previously said that doing so would compromise the dashboard’s data. On the night of Stevenson’s retirement announcement, the board voted to sever ties with inBloom, altogether. And Stevenson’s announcement comes at a time when the district is going through significant personnel and political chang-

‘This is an exceptional school district and it’s been my honor to lead an amazing staff of talented people.’ Superintendent Cindy Stevenson es. With conservatives about to control the school board, it would not have been a given that Stevenson’s contract would have been renewed any way. Board members-elect Julie Williams, Ken Witt and John Newkirk handily won their races on Nov. 5 and their collective conservative ideology will surely mean a change of policy direction for the 5-member board.

But Stevenson said after the meeting that the board’s upcoming changes played no role in her decision to step aside. “You don’t leave because it’s difficult,” she said. “You leave because it’s the right time, and you’ve done good work, and you’ve got strong people around you and they can carry on. And if I was going to leave because of tough times, boy I could name much harder times.”

Student recognized for academic achievement Autism no barrier to lettering in academics for Ortega By Crystal Anderson

canderson@ourcoloradonews.com

Ronnie Ortega smiles as Principal Andy Geise presents him his letter jacket. Photos by Crystal Anderson

Hard work in academics has meaningful rewards for Pomona High School student Ronnie Ortega. As a surprise, Ortega, 17, was recognized for lettering in academics in an assembly of more than 30 students, friends and family, Nov. 4, at Pomona High School, 8101 W. Pomona Drive. During the presentation, Pomona’s Principal, Andy Geise, spoke about Ortega’s academic achievement and presented him with his own, Pomona Panther letter jacket, something Ortega thought couldn’t happen. “I’m overjoyed, I can’t believe I got this,” Ortega said while proudly showing off his new black and red Pomona letter jacket. “This is the best time of my life.”

Ortega, a junior at Pomona, is a softspoken, friendly, articulate student who is autistic and loves to learn. “Ronnie is a great kid” said Jim Glasmann, Pomona’s School Resource Officer said while reminiscing on their first meeting. “I knew immediately he was a special kid; now I talk and shake hands with him every day.” According to Officer Glasmann, lettering in anything, specifically academics, is a rarity amongst special needs kids, but for Ortega, it’s just about hard work. “I believe every student should work hard, sadly, some don’t think they need to

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