From The Board

At the recent school board meeting held at Elk Creek Elementary, we began with a special presentation, Shine the Light. Elk Creek Elementary honored a Community partner, Classified staff member, and ECE Certified teacher. The Community partner was the ECE PTAC; they were honored for their contributions to the school & community. The PTAC, which consists of 25 dedicated volunteers, has organized numerous successful events, including a spell-a-thon, winter formal, Dads & Donuts, and they are looking forward to hosting moms and muffins this spring. Their ongoing efforts have made a significant impact! Thank you, ECE PATC! The stellar classified staff member honored was Vania Rodriguez, who has unmatched outreach for every family at ECE. Finally, Emily Quinn was the recognized teacher who is courageous at moving kids while nurturing them every step of the way.  

It looks like winter finally decided to show - a perfect Valentine's Day gift from Mother Nature. I
hope everyone stays safe and warm. I’d like to congratulate our Bears and Titans who are
representing Garfield Re-2 at state wrestling this weekend. Please be safe traveling to Denver
or back this weekend from supporting our student-athletes, we know you’ll represent well and
make us proud!

There is a lot for us to celebrate, and it was very apparent when we were invited into Highland
Elementary School for our February 12th School Board Meeting. I always enjoy going into the
schools and seeing how unique our schools are. We heard about the different clubs and
activities at HES.

On January 22, the Board met at Kathryn Senor Elementary. As the representative from Director District E, which includes most of New Castle, I am always excited to visit the schools in my District. 

The staff at KSE did not disappoint. They made us feel welcome and appreciated for School Board Appreciation Week, and the food, as usual, was great. Our nutrition services team is outstanding.

Whenever we go to schools, the staff gets an opportunity to share their data and all of the amazing things that are happening within the school. Kathryn Senor Elementary has made a steady improvement in its School Performance Framework and is now in the green with a Performance Plan. 

I hope everyone had a merry Christmas and a happy New Year! Students have returned from Christmas break refreshed and ready to tackle the second half of the school year. Let’s make it a great one!

Winter sports are in full swing, and we’re excited for the basketball and wrestling seasons ahead. A huge congratulations to the Coal Ridge Cheerleaders for stepping up into a higher division in the state classification and still dominating their way to the state title. Way to make us proud!

I would like to say, “thank you” to the Cactus Valley Elementary administration and staff for hosting our November 13 board meeting.  It is always appreciated to be a part of Shine the Light, meeting everyone and sharing awesome food.  When I first visited CVE three years ago we were preparing for a major renovation project to fix the floor slabs, and the school was beginning its Grow To Green campaign. 

Over the last three years, $5.6 million in school improvements have been made, including a BEST grant,  and CVE is now working on Blooming to Blue to reach the highest Colorado Accreditation benchmark.

As we have not convened in some time, I would like to take this opportunity to share an important message from the Board.

It is vital to recognize the countless freedoms we enjoy daily, which we often take for granted. These rights are not merely given; they are earned through the unwavering dedication and sacrifices made by the men and women who have fought for them.

Thank you to everyone who participated in the Aug 28^th board meeting held at the District Office.  Our Shine the Light focused on Transportation, where we learned a little more about the intricacies of getting our students safely to and from school. Many times, it's our teams like Transportation that are the forgotten heroes of the school year, but we found out this group can come together and get the job done.  It's going to start getting dark earlier, so everyone be aware when you see those big buses and those flashing lights to give them plenty of room. 

Dear Garfield Re-2 Teachers,

On behalf of the Garfield Re-2 School Board, I am writing to express our deepest appreciation and gratitude for your exceptional dedication and commitment to the students, families, and community of Garfield Re-2.
 
The Re-2 school board's vision is conveyed through the Re-2 Strategic Plan which gives you a pathway to deliver that young productive adult into our community. As members of the school board, we recognize the invaluable team effort role that teachers play in shaping the lives of our students and fostering a positive learning environment. Your unwavering passion for education and your tireless efforts to support student growth and achievement have not gone unnoticed.

Thank you to those who came to the School Board meeting this past Wednesday, March 13^th,  at Rifle High School.  I’d especially like to thank Principal Kyle Mickelson and his AMAZING team for welcoming all of us into their Bear Den. 

Thank you to everyone who attended the February 28 school board meeting. It was another opportunity to learn so much about our district.

Last week, our Transportation Department was part of Shine the Light.  Did you know that in a single year, our school buses drive the equivalent of 11 times around the earth’s circumference? That’s 273,688 miles.

I wanted to say thank you to everyone who attended our school board meeting last week, either in person or via Zoom. Your presence and engagement truly make a difference. 

If you have not been to a board meeting, especially one at a Garfield Re-2 School, I would highly encourage you to join us. When we have meetings at a school, the building leaders have the opportunity to “Shine the Light” on the really great things happening.  We start around 4:45 and have an opportunity to meet staff and learn how the school is moving forward with the strategic plan.  I encourage all community and staff to come to a “Shine the Light” and see for yourself.  It is part of our culture.