March 20, 2015 VOLU M E 1 4 | I S SUE 1 7
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School district picks new leader Englewood’s Ewert selected to take over for retiring superintendent Staff report The Littleton Public Schools Board of Education has selected Brian Ewert to be the district’s new superintendent. Ewert, superintendent of Englewood Schools since 2010, was among four finalists for the post. He will replace Scott Murphy,
who is retiring after the school year. The other finalists were Amy Oaks, Littleton High School principal; Clay Abla, LPS director of secondary education; and Jackie Kapushion, Mapleton Public Schools deputy superintendent. Ewert said March 16 that Ewert he was notified of the decision earlier in the afternoon. In an email to Englewood Schools’ staff on March 17, Ewert said he was contacted by Lit-
tleton’s school board and he was offered the position as superintendent, pending contract negotiations. Tentative plans were to hold the negotiations with Ewert on March 19. Last year, Ewert was named state superintendent of the year by the Colorado Association of School Executives. He was the human resources director for the Douglas County School District from 2006 until taking the Englewood superintendent job. Murphy has been with LPS for 25 years, serving as superintendent since 2006. His retirement is effective June 15. On March 14, the four candidates to re-
GIVING IT A WHIRL
place Murphy were interviewed by two superintendent selection advisory committees made up of school district faculty, staff members and community residents. The panels made a recommendation to the board of education, which conducted its own interviews and made the final decision. “On behalf of the board, I want to thank all those who participated in focus groups last fall and advisory interview committees this past Saturday,” school board President Jack Reutzel said in a news release. “The input was valuable to our process.”
Teens from Finland need place to stay 13 students to visit Colorado this summer By Christy Steadman
csteadman @coloradocommunitymedia.com
Patrick Buell, of Centennial, gives his son, Benjamin, 5, a push on the spin cup at Centennial Center Park March 16. The day was unusually warm for winter, which brought a lot of people out to enjoy the weather and get a preview of spring. Photo by Christy Steadman
Local piano students perform, compete South Suburban Music Teachers Association hosts annual Masterworks Festival By Christy Steadman
csteadman @coloradocommunitymedia.com Since last fall, about 80 piano students have been brushing up on their Bach, Beethoven and Tchaikovsky. A two-day competition and recital gave them the opportunity to show off their skills during the South Suburban Music Teachers Association’s annual Masterworks Festival. The six-hour competition took place on March 7 at the Arma Dei Academy in Highlands Ranch. Each student played in front of two anonymous judges, said Ardith Sloan, chair of the festival. The judges come from all over Colorado for anonymity, and the students enter with only their first names, she said, so the judging is fair and unbiased. “Each student plays two memorized selections of contrasting moods,” Sloan said, “from two different periods of music history.” Students were able to choose something from either the Baroque or Classical eras as one choice; and the Romantic, Impressionistic or Contemporary eras for the second choice, Sloan said.
Julia Driggs performs for Nationally Certified Teacher of Music judges Linda Sommer and Judy Bonnell March 7 at the Arma Dei Academy in Highlands Ranch. Judges of the competition came from all over Colorado to provide anonymity for a fair and unbiased competition. Courtesy photo Of the 80 student entrants, 47 scored high enough to perform during of two honors recitals, which took place on March 8 at Skyview Presbyterian Church in Centennial. The South Suburban Music Teachers Association is a local chapter of the Colorado State Music Teachers Association and Music Teachers National Association. To be qualified as a teacher for the na-
tional association, teachers must receive additional training to meet the national regulations, Sloan said. “It’s almost like earning an extra degree,” she added. The South Suburban Music Teachers teach in Highlands Ranch, Centennial, Littleton, Englewood and Parker. For more information, visit www.ssmtamusicteachers.org.
A group of 13 Finnish teens is coming to Denver’s south metro area again this summer, and 10 of them still need a place to stay. The teens, who are coming as part of the Finland Young Ambassadors Program, will be here for 5½ weeks, said Leena Gould, program coordinator. The students arrive in Colorado on June 12, and will depart on July 20. Their average age is 17. It is not necessary for a host family to have children, Gould said. The Finnish students speak English, she added, so people do not need to be intimidated by a language barrier. “It’s a great opportunity for people interested in (getting to know) international students,” Gould said. To become a host family, contact Gould by phone at 720-201-8246 or 303-484-1817; or by email at LeenaNGould@gmail.com. Gould will explain the application process, which includes filling out an online form for Youth For Understanding, found at www.yfu-usa.org, and a background check. Deadline to apply to become a host family is April 6. The Finland Young Ambassadors Program is a branch of the Youth For Understanding organization, which is a nonprofit intercultural exchange program. The Finland Young Ambassadors Program is sponsored by the U.S. Embassy in Finland. The teens’ trip to Colorado will include studies of environmental policies and American culture. The 13 Finnish students were chosen out of 300 applicants to be awarded a scholarship to fund each individual’s trip. The scholarship is not associated with a school, and the students had to meet certain criteria through the application and interview processes. Among other qualifications, the selected students must have an interest in international affairs, Gould said. The students bring their own pocket money, Gould said, so besides any costs of providing room and board, some meals and expenses related to providing transportation to local meet-up locations for the students’ excursions, there are no additional fees for host families. Being a host family is a fun experience, said Redd Geurts, of Centennial, who has been a host every summer since the program started five years ago. She encourages everyone to consider becoming a host family. “The best part,” Geurts said, “is the infusion of a new culture into the family, and all the conversations that come with that.”