From the Board - September 11, 2024 School Board Meeting

On Wednesday, September 11, we convened at the newly renovated Wamsley Elementary, showcasing significant improvements by FCI & JCI, including two new modular buildings for SSN and Preschool, a new roof, new floors, and more. 

Wamsley Elementary showed us they continue to excel in all they are doing! Kathi Señor and Betsy Rice spotlighted literacy and math scores while serving a wide demographic of children. 

We proudly celebrate Wamsley as one of the highest-achieving schools in Re-2 and noted by the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) as a Performance School for the second consecutive year. 

Thank you WES for hosting us. I am excited to see you all continue to learn and grow!

The 2024 State Assessment Data was reviewed along with the District Performance Framework (DPF) and the School Performance Frameworks (SPFs). The DPF review revealed an increase in Garfield Re-2’s overall score rising to 55.1%. This improvement signals that we are on the right path. 

District data shows that elementary math achievement has increased by 6.5 points over the past three years. However, English Language Arts (ELA) scores have declined by 3 points during the same period. We are enthusiastic about the new ELA pilots this year and hope that these initiatives will help reverse the trend and improve ELA performance.

Our Middle Schools have shown growth in ELA, although there has been a slight decrease in Math achievement. In contrast, our High Schools have demonstrated substantial Math growth, with a notable increase of 11 points. However, SAT achievement experienced a significant drop of 25.6 points from last year. This decline may be attributed to the transition from paper-based SAT testing to digital testing formats. 

To address these challenges, strategic action plans are in place across all levels. These plans are designed to focus on areas needing improvement and to drive continued progress.

The School Safety Committee shared updates on the 2024 accomplishments. All staff have completed the I Love U Guys training, which equips them with effective emergency response strategies and protocols, comprehensive strategies for emergency response including protocols for drills, Safe 2 Tell procedures, and coordination with School Resource Officers (SROs). This training ensures we have a robust threat assessment plan and strong partnerships with community organizations, including Mind Springs and Hope Center. Additionally, we reviewed and approved policies JLCE (First Aid & Emergency Medical Care) and KDE (Crisis Management) and introduced six new policies for board review.

Our next board meeting will be held at Rifle Middle School on September 25th, with Shine the Light starting at 4:45 PM. Additionally, this week, some board members will attend the Latinos in Re-2 meeting on September 16th at 5:30 PM and the District Accountability Committee meeting on September 17th at 5:30 PM. We invite everyone to join us at these events, and we look forward to seeing you there!