Northglenn Thornton Sentinel 0904

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September 4, 2014 VOLU M E 51 | I SS UE 3 | 5 0 ¢

Northglenn-ThorntonSentinel.com A D A M S C O U N T Y, C O L O R A D O

A publication of

Overcrowding prompts bond ask D27J student enrollment increases as does its space needs By Tammy Kranz

tkranz@coloradocommunitymedia.com Going to a full-year calendar and an extended daily schedule (6:20 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.) because of overcrowding is not a scare tactic, said District 27J Superintendent Chris Fiedler. It’s a reality unless voters approve a $148 million bond issue in November. “None of these contingency ideas are our best scenarios,” Fiedler said. “We don’t think it’s best for our kids. There is no foreseeable end to this district’s enrollment growth. We may surpass 17,000 students during the 201415 school year and we will be a district of more than 20,000 students in the near future.” By 2030, the district is predicted to double in size to 32,000 students, he added. The district covers portions of Adams, Broomfield and Weld counties. Of the current population, 2,055 students are from the Thornton area, and by 2018 that area will bring about 3,118 students to D27J, an increase of 1,063, according to Joy Gerdom, the district’s planning manager. The cost to homeowners if the $148 million bond passes is about $3.45 per month per $100,000 of home value, according to Suzi DeYoung, chief financial officer. The average home value in the district is about $217,000, so most homeowners would see an increase

Vanessa Kelley goes over a lesson with her fourth-grade students inside a modular classroom at Brantner Elementary in Thornton. District 27J is asking voters to approve a $148 million bond to construct new schools and renovate and expand existing schools – including completing construction at Brantner, which is only partially finished. Photo by Tammy Kranz of $7 per month. The proposed $148 million bond would fund a new high school (the third in the district), two new elementary schools, complete the build-out of Brantner Elementary, expand Overland Trail Middle School and renovate Vikan Middle School. Money would also be available to finish learning space inside the district charter school Eagle Ridge Academy. There will also be funds to update, repair and improve other schools to increase safety features and technology needs. The new high school location will be at

136th Avenue and Yosemite Street in Thornton and would alleviate overcrowding at Prairie View and Brighton High Schools. “The district has done a great job maximizing the space and resources we have, but to accommodate now and for the future, we need the bond issue to pass,” said Patrick Day, president of the District 27J Board of Education. “We’re in desperate need for seats. We’re at a point now where the bond issue is the solution for the future.” To alleviate the overcrowded classrooms, the district has set up modular buildings, im-

plemented a shift schedule and closed open enrollment to out-of-district students at four schools for the 2014-2015 school year. The overcrowding is at a level now that even if the bond issue passes, the district will still have to implement an extended, split schedule temporarily for some classes while the new schools are built, Fiedler said. The modular building at Brantner will be removed by January 2015, if the bond passes, to make room for the new construction. The last successful bond the district passed was in 2006.

Some progress shown with TCAP scores Adams 12, Mapleton and D27J officials highlight progress POSTAL ADDRESS

NORTHGLENN-THORNTON SENTINEL (ISSN 1044-4254) (USPS 854-980) OFFICE: 8703 Yates Dr., Ste. 210 Westminster, CO 80031 PHONE: 303-566-4100 A legal newspaper of general circulation in Adams County, Colorado, the NorthglennThornton Sentinel is published weekly on Thursday by MetroNorth Newspapers, 8703 Yates DR., Ste. 210 Westminster, CO 80031. PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID AT WESTMINSTER, COLORADO and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address change to: 8703 Yates Dr., Ste. 210 Westminster, CO 80031 DEADLINES: Display: Fri. 11 a.m. Legal: Fri. 11 a.m. | Classified: Mon. 5 p.m. G ET SOCIAL WITH US

By Tammy Kranz

tkranz@coloradocommunitymedia.com The growth rates in reading, writing and math are the highest they have been in three years for students in Adams 12 Five Star Schools. But there is more work to be done, said Adams 12 Superintendent Chris Gdowski. “Literacy is the gateway to learning in all content areas and we’ve made a very deliberate effort to focus on improving literacy across the district leading up to the 2014-2015 school year,” he said. “Parents are a child’s first teacher and we’re partnering with parents so we can collectively support student success by encouraging children to get to school on time every day; to have children read or be read to every day; and to talk to children regularly about their interests, including college and career options.” Statewide, third- through 10th-grade students took the Transitional Colorado Assessment Program (TCAP) tests, formerly called the Colorado Student Assessment Program, in the spring. Students are tested in reading writing and math, and fifth, eighth and 10th graders are tested in science. The results came out earlier this month.

Mapleton

Results are moving in the right direction for Mapleton Public Schools students, said executive director of Learning Services Karla Allenbach. She said scores increased or held steady on 12 of the 24 tests. For third grade writing, students scored 33.91

percent proficient, a decrease from 34.94 percent in 2013. For 10th grade, students scored 32.31 percent proficient, an increase from 31.02 percent last year. For third grade math, students scored 37.04 percent proficient, a dip from 44.87 percent in 2013. For 10th grade, students scored 15.10 percent proficient, an increase from 13.07 percent last year. For third grade reading, students scored 53.19 percent proficient, an increase from 52.49 percent in 2013. For 10th grade, students scored 56.98 percent proficient, an increase from 53.83 percent last year. “We did experience some dips this past year,” Allenbach said. “What that tells us is that the interventions we implement like Academic Parent Teacher Teams, MyOn reader, Math Literacy take time to be implemented well and show results. These interventions are research-based, specific and focused on ensuring our students have the skills necessary to succeed.” She added that while there is a long way to go to move students toward proficient, TCAP scores do not paint a full picture of a child’s progress. “We continue to see increases in ACT scores, the number of kids we graduate and the number of students we prepare to tackle college and TCAP continues on Page 5

Bond question, mill levy override headed to voters Adams 12 to consider $220 million bond By Ashley Reimers

areimers@coloradocommunitymedia.com

P L EA SE R ECYC L E T H I S C OPY

In writing, 38.69 percent of third-grade students scored proficient, an increase from 36.59 percent in 2013. The state proficient level was 43.44 percent. For students in 10th grade, 36.44 percent scored proficient in writing, a slight increase from 36.69 percent in 2013. The state proficient level was 40.92 percent. Tenth grade students also saw a math gain in proficient level at 25.36 percent — it was 24.11 percent in 2013. The state proficient level was 26.93 percent. There was a slight dip for math proficient scores for third graders but it was still close to the state average. Students scored 40.17 percent in 2014, 41.48 percent in 2013. The state proficient level was 40.29 percent. Third grade students scored 60.62 percent proficient in reading, a small decrease from 61.67 in 2013. Tenth-grade students’ scored 58.87 percent proficient; it was 58.84 percent last year.

Applause filled the board room after the Adams 12 Five Star school board approved two resolutions to place a bond question and mill levy override on the November ballot. After recommendations from the Strong Schools, Strong Communities Panel, a group of 25 district residents with various backgrounds who identified priorities for a bond and mill levy

override, the board approved a $220 million bond question and a $15 million mill levy override during an Aug. 27 special meeting. “I have to thank the committee for putting in long hours and giving us their input,” board president Mark Clark said. “What was looked at is going to be the best to actually give our kids a leg up in the world and make them better learners in the future. “ When the panel began discussions components for a $200 million bond was on the table. But after consultation with bond advisers, Superintendent Chris Gdowski said a $220 million bond package could be implemented without a tax increase, largely because interest rates remain

lower than projected when the district’s bonding options were first analyzed early in 2014. Possible use of the bond money if approved include: the construction of one or two K-8 schools, expansion of the school proposed for construction in the Lewis Pointe subdivision to four classroom rounds per level rather than three classroom rounds per level, further expansion of existing district middle schools to serve additional students and relieve future crowding, expansion of high school capacity and additional allocation to maintenance of existing district buildings. “I’m excited to put this bond on the ballot this fall,” said board director Kathy Plomer. “We Bond continues on Page 5


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