August 6, 2015
46th Annual
VOLUME 91 | ISSUE 51
Festival Guide Inside 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
Teachers, parents, district debate teacher turnover Reasons for departures range from basic life decisions to district culture By Crystal Anderson
canderson@colorado communitymedia.com The end of the 2013-2014 school year saw 710 of Jefferson County Schools’ 4,830 teachers leave their jobs — the highest teacher turnover rate in an eight-year period and a 5.4 percentage-point increase since the 2010-2011 school year. The 14.7 percent turnover rate, based on reports from the Colorado Department of Education and the school district, is lower than 2013-2014 TEACHER the state teacher TURNOVER RATES turnover average of 17.1 percent. Littleton — 8.3 % Although individual Boulder — 9.4% district numbers Cherry Creek — 9.3% for the 2014-2015 Jeffco — 14.7% school year won’t be Douglas County — 16.7% delivered to the CDE State average — 17.1 % until December, Denver Public Schools — 21.7% the state’s teacher Source: Colorado Department of Education turnover rate for that year is estimated to be 16.6 percent, according to the department’s data specialist. “While Jefferson County historically has had a teacher turnover rate lower than the state average, the gap is the lowest it has been within the past five years,” said Megan McDermott, the CDE’s assistant director of communications. That shrinking gap has many parents and teachers worried about what they say is an increasing exodus of teachers. They blame the school board for changes in teacher pay and evaluations, the hiring of Superintendent Dan McMinimee, a controversial proposed review of the district’s Advanced Placement U.S. History course and a lack of respect and transparency by the conservative board majority elected in 2013.
“From an insider’s perspective, there are hundreds of people looking,” said Barb Aswege, a Jeffco teacher who will be an assistant principal in Boulder County this fall. “It’s just a matter of whether they get that position or not.”
Although several district staff said the turnover rate is not abnormal, McMinimee said he is concerned. Turnover continues on Page 9
RALLYING SUPPORT FOR CLIMATE-CHANGE PLAN
Committed climate-change activists gathered at Mountair Park Community Farm recently to support President Obama’s Clean Power Plan that proposes the first-ever national limits on carbon pollution from existing power plants. Environment Colorado organized the rally, which drew a local legislator, educators and community activists. For more photos and a story, turn to Page 6. Photo by Clarke Reader
The Colorado Department of Transportation has finished the first phase of its Wadsworth widening project and is in the process of preparing for the second phase, which runs from 10th Avenue to Highland. Places like Big Daddy’s Pizza along the way may see significant loss of parking spaces during construction. Photo by Clarke Reader
Wadsworth drivers get break from construction Widening project will resume work around November By Clarke Reader
creader@coloradocommunitymedia.com Commuters on Wadsworth Boulevard have a respite from construction on the well-traveled thoroughfare as the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) finished the first phase of the street-widening project. Construction will begin again about November, this time adding capacity and making aesthetic improvements from 10th Avenue to Highland, according to Emily Wilfong, Region 1 communications manager with CDOT. The cost for the second phase is $15 million, and a Drivers continues on Page 10