Golden Transcript 0915

Page 1

September 15, 2016 VOLUME 150 | ISSUE 40 | 50¢

1866

2016

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

A publication of

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

Riley Anderson and Karen Antuna, sixthgrade students at Gertrude Bell Middle School in Golden, eat lunch with other sixth- and seventh-graders. The middle school added sixth grade three years ago. Photo by Shanna Fortier

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 sixththrough eighth-grade middle school, the change has some Jeffco parents asking about social and educational effects of the transition. Shift continues on Page 5

9/11 HEROES HONORED

Tiny homes making big impact Recent expo highlights benefits of energy efficiency By Christy Steadman csteadman@coloradocommunitymedia.com

A firefighter stands beneath the United States flag, hoisted near the start of the 2016 9/11 Stair Climb memorial event at the Red Rocks Amphitheater. Firefighters and residents from across the Denver metro area participated in the annual event. See more on PAGE 11. Photo by Tim McClanahan

Living in a tiny house provides people with the opportunity to have a big life. At least in Darla Vercruysse’s opinion. “People are so impressed once they see them,” she said. “They’re always pleasantly surprised.” Vercruysse is a tiny house builder with a shop in Aurora where the homes are built. Not only are there economic cost advantages to living in a tiny house, Vercruysse said, everything is compact and easy. So less time is spent doing household chores, she said, which allows more time for enjoying life. “Tiny house, big life,” she said, reciting her company’s motto. And there are so many options for them — they’re perfect for single people or a small family just starting out, Vercruysse said. Or they can be used as separate student housing, a mother-inlaw addition, a guest house or detached home office. “Tiny houses open up a lot of opportunities,” Vercruysse said. People can’t believe how spacious they actually are, she added. Vercruysse and other local businesses in the energy efficiency and tiny house industries were in Golden for the Energy Efficiency Business Coalition’s tiny house expo on Sept. 1. The coalition, a nonprofit organization with the purpose to advocate for energy efficiency, is specific

GOLDEN TRANSCRIPT (ISSN 0746-6382) OFFICE: 722 Washington Ave, Unit 210, Golden, CO 80401 | PHONE: 303-566-4100 A legal newspaper of general circulation in Jefferson County, Colorado, the Golden Transcript is published weekly on Thursday by West Suburban Community Media, 722 Washington Ave, Unit 210, Golden, CO 80401. PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID AT GOLDEN, COLORADO and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address change to: 9137 S. Ridgeline Blvd., Suite 210, Highlands Ranch, CO 80129 DEADLINES: Display: Thurs. 5 p.m. | Classifieds: Tue. 8 a.m. | Obits: Tue. 12 p.m. | Legals: Thurs. 11 a.m.

Tiny continues on Page 14


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.