October 20, 2016
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VO LU ME 71 | ISSU E 50 | 50 ¢
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A DA M S C OU N T Y & J EF F ERS ON C OU N T Y, C OLOR A D O
WestminsterWindow.com
Adams County Drug Court is changing lives One man finally sees results and leads a life of sobriety By Amy Thomson Special to Colorado Community Media George Wittner believes that if he had entered the Adams County Drug Court after being arrested for his first criminal
offense while using drugs 40 years ago, it might have saved him a life of addiction and crime. “Drug court is just a better alternative (to prison),” Wittner said. “I wish they had it 40 years ago, I probably wouldn’t have had all the trouble I had.” Since the program began in 2011, Drug Court — also known as Highway to Health — has been working with drug-
using offenders to change their lives with judicial monitoring, therapy groups and treatment. From Oct. 1, 2011 to Aug.31, 2015, 19 high-risk individuals graduated from the court. Wittner completed the program last summer. “If Drug Court wasn’t here, there would be a lot of addicts in jail or prison not getting help,” Drug Court Probation Officer Carissa Gonzales said. “They potentially
would get released back into the community before having the treatment they need to be successful…and go right back to their old behaviors.” The program includes many phases of sobriety and if participants ever fail a drug test, those days reset to zero. There are $5 gift cards for two weeks of sobriety Court continues on Page 12
Westminster Schools aims at getting a fair shot District uses different approach to learning amid state’s accountability system By Yesenia Robles Chalkbeat Colorado
Lakewood resident Addie Cravens gets her face painted during the Pink Showdown tailgate at Jeffco Stadium Oct. 14. Photos by Shanna Fortier
Pink partnership shines light on disease Wheat Ridge High and Standley Lake faced off in the Pink Showdown By Shanna Fortier sfortier@colorado communitymedia.com Pink was the color of the night at Jeffco Stadium last Friday. For the past three years, Wheat Ridge High School has partnered with Lutheran Medical Center to celebrate breast cancer awareness during a football game in October. “Every year it has gotten better with involvement of the student senates of both
schools,” said Nick DeSimone, athletic director at Wheat Ridge High School. “The kids really get into it because (breast cancer) touches so many different people in so many ways.” This year, The Wheat Ridge Farmers took on Standley Lake High School Gators on the field Oct. 14, beating them 36-9. But off the field, Standley Lake joined the pink effort by partnering with Good Samaritan Medical Center to double the breast cancer awareness efforts. “It’s a good partnership,” DeSimone said. “Typically, we play them every year, so in future we think that we’ll maintain that relationship” for the Pink Showdown.
Leaders of the largest school district in Colorado facing possible state intervention next year are contending that the current system for rating schools is not capturing progress their students are making under an approach to learning that is one-of-a-kind in Colorado. In 2009, Westminster Public Schools began phasing in competency-based learning, which is based on grouping kids together based on what they know instead of their age. “Our system is at odds with the traditional accountability model,” said Oliver Grenham, chief education officer for Westminster Public Schools. He added that the district is showing growth and closing achievement gaps separating students of different backgrounds. The state’s preliminary rating for the district is priority improvement, the second lowest rating on the scale, and the same as in previous years. The state Schools continues on Page 15
Wheat Ridge High School Cheerleaders practice stunts before their football team takes on Standley Lake at the Pink Showdown.
ELECTION DAY IS ON THE WAY And we’ve got the rundown on all the races you need to know about as part of our election guide on PAGE 19.
WESTMINSTER WINDOW (ISSN 1072-1576) (USPS 455-250) OFFICE: 8753 Yates Dr., Ste. 200, Westminster, CO 80031 | PHONE: 303-566-4100 A legal newspaper of general circulation in Adams and Jefferson County, Colorado, the Westminster Window is published weekly on Thursday by MetroNorth Newspapers, 8753 Yates Dr., Ste. 200, Westminster, CO 80031. PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID AT WESTMINSTER, COLORADO and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address change to: 9137 S. Ridgeline Blvd., Suite 210, Highlands Ranch, CO 80129 DEADLINES: Display: Thurs. 12 p.m. | Classifieds: Mon. 2 p.m. | Obits: Mon. 2 p.m. | Legals: Thurs. 11 a.m.