Lakewood Sentinel 0211

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February 11, 2016

GRAB A PARTNER

VOLUME 92 | ISSUE 26

Do-si-do into the health benefits of dancing on PAGE 12.

LakewoodSentinel.com A publication of

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

JEFFERSON COUNTY SCHOOLS

Blended education on the rise in district Jefferson Virtual Academy merging into Two Roads Charter School By Crystal Anderson canderson@coloradocommunitymedia.com

Red Rocks Community College staff at the groundbreaking for the school’s new recreation center on Feb. 4. Photo by Clarke Reader

RRCC breaks ground on rec center New $12 million facility offers health and social benefits By Clarke Reader creader@coloradocommunitymedia.com Most community colleges don’t have recreation centers. The come-and-go nature of these campuses means that students are usually only on campus when they need to be, and then they’re carrying on with their lives. Red Rocks Community College is not most community colleges. On Feb. 4 the college hosted the

groundbreaking of its 38,000-squarefoot rec center — the result of years of work by students and staff. “The construction of our Student Recreation Center is the direct result of our student body being empowered by our campus administration to serve our students and improve our campus,” said Barbara Goodnight, president of the Red Rocks Student Government. The facility is scheduled to to open a year from now, and will include gym space, weight/cardiovascular area, dance/exercise studios, climbing and bouldering wall, an outdoor fitness deck, student meeting and gathering

Green Mountain agriculture instructor Courtney Mayo works with teacher Kevin Rice at an irrigation event hosted by the Associated Landscape Contractors of Colorado. Photo by David Winger Photography

Ag program is career-focused Green Mountain High School partners with landscapers group By Clarke Reader creader@coloradocommunitymedia.com One of the key things Green Mountain High School agricultural science instructor Courtney Mayo has been emphasizing since day one of the program is the myriad job options available to those who want to work in agriculture. Now, Mayo is teaming up with the As-

sociated Landscape Contractors of Colorado to shine a light on just one industry they can find a career in. “Career-focused learning allows students to gain skills in industries with a high demand for employees,” Mayo wrote in an email interview. “This introduces students to an industry that they may have not thought of as an opportunity before.” The Associated Landscape Contractors is a group for landscaping firms all over Green Mountain continues on Page 5

spaces, and improvements to the current multipurpose field. “What an asset this is going to be for us,” said Dr. Michele Haney, president of Red Rocks. “I want to congratulate all the students on getting here, especially those in student government who lead the way.” The rec center’s roots can be traced back to 2012, when the school finished its Students Health Clinic. Mark Squire, coordinator of Student Activities, said interest in a better recreation center started almost immediately. The college’s current recreation area Center continues on Page 9

A mix of individualized, online and face-to-face instruction classes — known as blended-learning classrooms — are giving Jeffco students more options to help them succeed. “We want to be a place where we can give families a lot of options,” said Wendy Noel, principal of Two Roads Charter School about the district’s Jefferson Virtual Academy, which is moving into the Two Roads charter after seeing low enrollment in its K-6 courses. “We typically specialize in the unique and this is something different.” On Feb. 4, the Jeffco Board of Education approved the academy’s move after finding that the school — a blendedlearning system of online and in-person instructional time — cost the district $700,000 for the two years the elementary education was running, and did not meet Charter continues on Page 5

BLENDED LEARNING Blended learning is a mix of online and face-to-face instruction that gives students a deep, engaging and personalized education. VIDEO: https://vimeopro.com/edelements/blendedlearning

Bill aims to change concealed carry rules Measure in state Senate would eliminate need for gun owners to get permits By Shanna Fortier sfortier@coloradocommunitymedia.com A bill making its way through the state Senate would eliminate the requirement for concealed carry permits for gun owners. Senate Bill 16-017 is sponsored by state Sen. Tim Neville — a Republican from south Jefferson County who recently announced a bid for the U.S. Senate — and his son, state Rep. Patrick Neville, a Castle Rock Republican. The measure would allow a person who legally possesses a handgun under state and federal law to carry a concealed handgun in Colorado without applying for additional permits. If the bill were to pass both chambers and be signed into law, a person who carries a concealed handgun would

have the same carrying rights and be subject to the same limitations that apply to a person who holds a permit to carry a concealed handgun under current law. That includes the prohibition on the carrying of a Tim concealed handgun on Neville the grounds of public schools. “This is an ability for people to defend themselves without paying a tax,” said Tim Neville of his bill, which has been referred to as “constitutional carry.” “No other constituPatrick tional right requires a Neville fee to practice,” he said. “There is no fee for free speech and there shouldn’t be for the Second Amendment.” Bill continues on Page 6


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