WEEK OF JANUARY 18, 2024
VOLUME 36 | ISSUE 3
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Adelante Celebrates Dia de los Reyes Charter school
group facing legal challenge Group fires management that helped launch schools in Brighton, Lone Tree BY ERICA BREUNLIN THE COLORADO SUN
Mothers Susana Montellano and Jhoana Garcia pose for a picture outside of Salon Madrid with their kids as they leave Adelante’s Dia de Reyes 2024 event on Jan. 6, 2024 in Commerce City, CO. Pictured from left to right: (back) Susana Montellano and Derek JAQUELINE RAMIREZ Montellano (front) Delaney Montellano, Jhoana Garcia, and Karen Garci BY JACKIE RAMIREZ SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA
• Vestas to lay off 200 employees •27J Schools moves online-only Dec. 1
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Twelve days after Christmas, Mexicans all over the world get together to celebrate children and family through Dia de los Reyes (Day of the Kings), a day that celebrates the three kings who visited baby Jesus bearing gifts. Now Commerce City-based nonprofit Adelante is helping to reintroduce the holiday in Colorado. Dia de los Reyes is the designated day in Mexican tradition for gift-giving, while Christmas celebrations emphasize the birth of Jesus. For those living in the United States, Mexicans end up celebrating and giving gifts on Christmas Day, moving away from the traditional Dia de los Reyes celebration. Adelante celebrated Dia de los Reyes with the Commerce City community at Salon Madrid to reunite parents with the traditions that they grew up with and to teach newer generations about the holiday. The celebration had a dual purpose, helping Adelante celebrate its tenth year as an organization serving Latinx families and entrepreneurs.
“We want to see the kids happy, to celebrate without worry and to celebrate this wonderful moment in communities,” said Maria Gonzales, CEO and founder of Adelante. “If there’s an opportunity to celebrate our customs and traditions, then we should bring our community together and celebrate and come forward together.” Very personal holiday
Adelante has regularly celebrated Dia de los Reyes. The non-profit began by giving away 75 gifts on Dia de los Reyes. This year, the group gave away 1,500 gifts. With the help of other nonprofit organizations and members of the community such as Folklorico dancers, face painters, and volunteers, Adelante created a celebration that gave children a chance to spend time with their families and friends. “El Dia de los Reyes is a holiday that is very personal to me,” Gonzales said. “I arrived in the United States on Jan. 6, 1985 on Dia de Reyes. The first moment that I was able to give back to the community, I remembered the day that I arrived here and how a lot of people opened doors for me and offered me resources and accompani-
ment so that I could have a better life.” Gonzales said the cultural impact of Dia de Reyes as its not only a holiday of giving back to community and family, but a way to keep people united forever. Mothers at the event Susana Montellano and Jhoana Garcia, each brought their kids to celebrate Dia de Reyes. Both hope that Adelante continues celebrating this holiday to keep the children happy and to pass down the holiday that comes with delicious roscas, a bagel-like bread popular in Spain, Portugal and Mexico, and other colorful treats. “I’m happy to be with my family today with this event because everyone’s busy and we don’t get to spend time with each other all the time,” shared Delaney Montellano. Delaney’s brother, Derek, said it was his first time celebrating Dia De Reyes and he was impressed at how fastpaced Adelante’s event was with all the gifts and festivities. Kids walked out of the event happily with new toys and the joy of being able to spend time with their families at Adelante’s event. Many are excited to return again next year.
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A Colorado charter school network in December fired the management group that helped it launch four schools across the state, triggering a chaotic series of events that included the dismissal of more than 300 employees, swift action to rehire all staff under a new management group and, now, a potential lawsuit. Ascent Classical Academy Charter Schools — the governing board over charter schools serving nearly 2,000 students in Lone Tree, Brighton, Windsor and Grand Junction — terminated its contract early with management organization Ascent Classical Academies, which is a Golden-based nonprofit with a similar name that establishes and operates charter schools. Both the governing board and parents say the schools have faced multiple challenges with ACA over the past six years since their first school began operating in Lone Tree, including high turnover among school leaders and teachers and debates over what curriculum to use. The board in September unanimously voted to end its contract with ACA on June 30, 2024, “contingent upon continued cooperation by ACA,” minutes from a Sept. 26 board meeting show. Rob Williams, the charter school network’s temporary president who has long served as the board chair and treasurer, told The Colorado Sun that the board decided to sever ties sooner. SEE LAWSUIT, P5
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