Excellence is the Aim: Opportunities

My experience, as a Jeffco student, then as a teacher, and now as a Jeffco parent, has refined my vision for education. It is laser-focused on all students’ best interest. I believe the Jeffco community deserves nothing less than a steadfast commitment to Excellence, Transparency, and Cooperation.

I want to articulate what I mean by Excellence, recognizing that Jeffco schools already aim for excellence. Everyone in Jeffco whole-heartedly working for it has my profound respect and gratitude. In support of ongoing efforts:

Students in Jeffco need

• Excellence in learning
• Excellence in opportunities and
• Excellence in relationships

I’m amazed at the support the Jeffco community has shown me in my campaign for Jeffco’s school board. I know it is rooted in a commitment to our schools and students. Thank you for the opportunity to share my vision of Excellence with you.

Part One

Part Two: Excellence in Opportunities

A well-rounded education is more than classroom learning, and Jeffco wins accomplishments worth celebrating. We have regional and state championships in athletics and students receiving athletic scholarships to invest in their futures. We have STEM education that builds award-winning hydrogen-fueled vehicles and launches projects to the International Space Station. This year, we saw a Jeffco student reach the finals in the Scripps National Spelling Bee. There have been numerous other recognitions awarded to educators and students–and seeing them honored is my favorite part of school board meetings!

Whether it is Outdoor Lab or debate, instrumental music or student council, theater or athletics, IB, AP, or concurrent enrollment, Jeffco schools offer a wide variety of opportunities for students to explore their interests and extend their learning. We will know we are achieving excellence when we pay as much attention to access and participation in these activities as we do to standardized test scores.

All Jeffco students deserve to learn lessons about experimentation, teamwork, risk-taking, perseverance, and fun through activities that move beyond sitting in a desk. Let’s banish the opportunity gap from Jeffco. Let’s measure our ability to provide and support these opportunities equitably for all students.

Action Steps: Explore possible proxies or data points for monitoring accessibility and participation in extracurricular activities and project-based learning. Articulate traits of quality programs and endeavor to deliver high-quality, accessible opportunities across district schools and across student populations.