Tag: Nicole Brady

Douglas County School District asks voters to pass $490 million bond

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HIGHLANDS RANCH, Colo. — At $490 million, the Douglas County School District’s 2024 bond request pales in comparison to surrounding districts asking for nearly a billion dollars. The question is whether voters will approve funding that they voted down last year.

This time around, the district is asking for money to build new schools and make improvements to existing schools, particularly in Highlands Ranch, where some elementary schools will soon close due to declining enrollment.

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Superintendent Erin Kane said the school board will vote in the spring on which elementary schools to close.

“The bottom line is we had 10,000 elementary kids in Highlands Ranch spread over 18 buildings back in 2012 and today we have about 7,000 kids stretched over the same 18 buildings,” Kane said

Money in the bond would be used to make improvements to the buildings that will receive students once the schools are consolidated.

Where the bond money comes from explained in the video player below:

Schools asking voters for billions of dollars to make facility improvements

The largest chunk of the bond though — $150 million dollars — would build new schools. The Sterling Ranch/Solstice community and the RidgeGate community in Lone Tree would each get a new elementary school. Sierra Middle School in Parker would also get an expansion.

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The bond would not raise property taxes.

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Nicole Brady

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October 24, 2024
Denver Public Schools $975 million bond would fund improvements for performing arts

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DENVER — Denver Public Schools is hoping voters will pass a $975 million bond to fund projects throughout the district, including putting air conditioning in the 29 schools that still don’t have it. But one group of students is especially excited about what the bond could mean for performing arts.

Northfield High School and DSST-Conservatory Green High School share the Paul Sandoval Campus in northeast Denver. They also share a stage with a cafeteria. Their “cafetorium” has been used for everything from plays, to concerts, to speaking events. Vice President Kamala Harris even gave a climate change speech there in 2023.

Climate activist and band student Amelia Fernadez-Rodriguez hopes future events will have a more formal space.

“In the case that an historic event happens again, we want to have a formal auditorium to be pared for that,” Fernadez-Rodriguez said.

The DPS 2024 bond includes $43 million for middle and high school auditorium upgrades, including a brand new $18 million auditorium on the Paul Sandoval campus.

Where the bond money comes from explained in the video player below:

Schools asking voters for billions of dollars to make facility improvements

Many of the performing arts students from Northfield have been campaigning for the bond, setting up booths and passing out fliers to the community.

Senior Sophia Brown said it’s been an educational experience in itself.

Denver Public Schools

“I didn’t know that there were so many schools that didn’t have air conditioning, that needed fire safety upgrades, electrical upgrades, so this has definitely been an opportunity for us to understand the vast amount of things DPS needs in order to educates students,” Brown said.

While students like Brown will graduate before the auditorium is completed, they’re excited for what it will mean for future students. Sophomore Yaya Rodriguez said it means so much more than just the opportunity to perform.

“As a freshman, it was really amazing to have open arms and lots of people just being kind and lovely to me and all the other freshmen that were coming in,” Rodriguez said.

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Nicole Brady

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October 23, 2024
Denver Public Schools focusing on safety as schools incorporate more artificial intelligence

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DENVER — As Colorado schools implement more artificial intelligence tools for teachers and students, Denver Public Schools is prioritizing safety with the programs it’s using.

Kali Peracchia, a technology instructional coach with Denver Public Schools, said the district is using two main AI platforms right now — Canva, a content creation and multi-media platform, and MagicSchool which was created by a former Denver educator. It has education-specific tools like a family email generator or a text leveler, as well as a chatbot for students.

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“There are safe parameters so a student can’t ask any inappropriate questions,” Peracchia said, noting that a teacher can program parameters for the chatbot.

The programs DPS is using protect data privacy and student confidentiality, Peracchia said. As the district implements more AI in classrooms, she said the hope is to enhance what students are already doing and save teachers time and resources. For example, a program called Packback uses artificial intelligence to give students feedback on their writing.

Denver Public Schools focusing on safety with artificial intelligence

“A teacher will program a rubric that’s targeted to their learning standards and once 20 or more words are put in students are getting live assessed and getting tips on how to improve their writing,” Peracchia said.

DPS has trained 1,200 teachers on AI literacy in the last year and plans to launch a student advisory council for AI at South High School this fall to allow students to provide feedback on how they’re using AI.

The Colorado Education Initiative has also launched a Roadmap for AI in K-12 Education with guidelines for schools and districts implementing artificial intelligence.

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Colorado education nonprofit helping schools navigating artificial intelligence

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Nicole Brady

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August 26, 2024
The STEAD School in Commerce City has its first senior class and big plans for the future

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COMMERCE CITY, Colo. — It’s not often students get to help build a new school, but that’s exactly what happened in Commerce City three years ago. The STEAD School opened in 2021 to its first 9^th grade class.

STEAD stands for science, technology, engineering, agriculture and design. The campus incorporates agriculture features like a greenhouse and farm. Students can choose a pathway in animal science, plant science, environmental science or food science.

Nicole Brady | Denver7

But as principal Amie Weldy likes to say, it’s not a farm school. The goal is to prepare students for a variety of careers by teaching a variety of skills.

“We have the writing skills, we have communication skills. Each quarter, our students are answering a big question for a project that they then exhibit at a community night,” Weldy explained.

Nicole Brady | Denver7

Several of the founding students are now the first seniors at STEAD, and said they were interested in the hands-on and project-based learning style. Ryder said it also helped him connect to an internship in horticulture at the Denver Zoo.

“It helped develop an interest in agriculture for me,” Ryder said.

The school has a goal of getting 60-75% of the seniors in internships in a variety of industries.

Nicole Brady | Denver7

The campus has also evolved — from one building to now three classroom buildings, a greenhouse, plus a seed and soil lab. All the food that’s grown in the greenhouse and farm is used in the cafeteria or at the STEAD market where students have a chance to learn entrepreneurship skills.

One thing the school hasn’t had for its first three years is a natural grass field for sports. That’s now under construction thanks to a grant from Adams County.

“We’re really excited to have this opportunity, it helps to just build well rounded students,” Weldy said.

Amy Shwartz, a vice president with Oakwood Homes — which has been involved with the STEAD School since it’s creation — praised the continuing partnerships with the community and Adams County.

“The Founders Field will enhance the physical education and sports experience for the students, while serving as a new gathering place for recreation and community events,” Schwartz said.

Senior Sadie, who will graduate this year, is hoping the school will continue to grow.

“I’m sad to leave before it’s fully finished, because I did want to see it all the way through. But I’m also just happy because the new freshmen get to experience it,” she said.

Denver7’s Nicole Brady tours The STEAD School again after expansion

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August 23, 2024
Aurora Public Schools students start the 2024-25 school year Wednesday

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AURORA, Colo. — Aurora Public Schools students started the new school year Wednesday. This is one of the earliest districts in Colorado to go back to school.

At Hinkley High School, seniors said they’re looking forward to their final year, while freshmen were just trying to get acquainted with the new building.

Aurora Public Schools students start the 2024-25 school year Wednesday

Senior Laila Solorzano also reflected on the past three years of hard work.

“It’s paid off especially this upcoming year because I have a lot of free time now with all the classes I’ve taken and credits, I have a lot more opportunities for other classes and other programs now,” Solorzano said.

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Solorzano is one of many Hinkley students who will complete enough coursework for an associate’s degree by the time she graduates next spring.

As Aurora works to provide more opportunities for college and career readiness, the district is also facing infrastructure needs.

Tuesday night, the Aurora school board voted unanimously to send a mill levy override and bond measure to voters this fall. The mill levy override would generate $30 million to increase staff salaries and fund various programs. The bond measure would generate a billion dollars to build a new high school and two new elementary schools, as well as update older schools.

Aurora Public Schools

The district just completed renovations on the APS stadium, adjacent to Hinkley High School. The improvements will be unveiled during a middle school track meet on Aug. 17. APS is also opening a new early childhood development center in the old Sable Elementary School building, giving new life to a school that closed because of low enrollment.

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August 7, 2024
Colorado authorities warn first day of school pictures could pose safety risks

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JEFFERSON COUNTY, Colo. – As students across Colorado head back to school this month, authorities are warning about social media posts meant to celebrate the new school year.

Taking a picture of a child on the first day of school is a tradition for many families, but Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office Sergeant Michael Harris with the Child Sex Offenders Internet Investigations Unit (Cheezo) said sharing those photos can come with unintended consequences.

“Once you send something, whether it’s a message or a photo, you lose all control over that photo. Just like when you have your kid go to the mall, you tell them not to talk to strangers, but yet you’re posting these photos. And if you don’t know everyone in your social media or on your friends list, there could be somebody that takes an interest in your cute child,” Harris said.

Harris suggests only sending first day of school pictures to family and friends who parents know and trust.

But Harris said if parents choose to post those pictures on social media, they should double check their privacy settings to make sure only their friends can see them or stick to platforms like WhatsApp which encrypt photos.

“When we go and teach at schools, we tell the kids, you need to turn off location services, because it shows the exact place where that picture was taken. We don’t want that, because if you’re taking it at home, now they have your home address if you’re taking it at school. Now we know what school you go to,” Harris said.

Harris said now is the time to be vigilant and put parental controls in place.

Colorado authorities warn first day of school pictures could pose safety risks

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Micah Smith

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August 6, 2024
Colorado workers’ compensation company releases new data on road dangers

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COMMERCE CITY, Colo. — Driving can be dangerous — for those who drive all day for a living or those who commute to and from an office job.

Workers’ compensation insurance company Pinnacol Assurance released new data Wednesday showing motor vehicle fatalities outnumber other job-related deaths by a 2-1 margin.

The data shows the most dangerous times on the roads are 9-11 a.m. and 4 p.m., according to Pinnacol Assurance safety learning specialist Monica Cabrera.

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“We theorized that in the morning, that caffeine is dwindling. And then at the end of the day, we have so many distractions, we’re ready to get home. And that’s when you’re more likely to get hurt,” Cabrera said.

Pinnacol Assurance encourages companies to help by making safety a priority. Examples include making sure employees aren’t required to respond to emails or texts at all times, and implementing driver training, especially for people who don’t drive as their primary job.

“It’s healthcare workers, it’s police officers, it’s non-commercial drivers, they’re the ones that are more prone to getting injured, because they don’t have as robust safety trainings when it comes to driving,” Cabrera said.

JFW Trucking in Commerce City has four dedicated safety directors.

JR Saenz, one of those four, said JFW Trucking has one-on-one coaching for drivers and technology in company vehicles that holds them accountable.

“The biggest tool that we have is our dash cam systems. They’re both outward and inward-facing,” Saenz said.

The cameras even know if a driver picks up their phone to take a call. Even professionals deal with distractions, JFW Driver Jaime “Jimmy” Villagrana said.

“It’s tough to not pay attention, sometimes I’ll get a text from the family,” Villagrana said.

Even with safety technology in their vehicles, Villagrana siad drivers learn that they have to be focused on the road at all times.

“You have to just be watching for everything, scanning ahead, looking right, looking left and looking for the two wheelers, the four wheelers, the 18 wheelers, the pedestrians, just everything,” Villagrana said.

Workers’ compensation company releases new data on road dangers

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Nicole Brady

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May 29, 2024