The board has officially withdrawn the proposal for good. None of this would have happened if you had not spoken up to demand better for our neighborhood schools. Please stay watchful as we keep an eye on their future plans.
June 12, 2015
Final supporters
Dear Fellow Jeffco Parents,
Do you know where your child is going to attend school next year? Don’t be so sure.
I and fellow parents in the Applewood community have just learned a hard lesson about what happens when the School Board Majority does not bother to listen to the community they are elected to serve.
Throughout the month of March, many of us living in Applewood did not know where our students would be attending school next year because of a surprise motion from Mr. John Newkirk on the Jeffco School Board of Education that was seconded by School Board President, Mr. Ken Witt. Without any community input - and despite being told by school district staff that the plan was unworkable - members of the Jeffco School Board Majority proposed a motion on March 5th to overhaul the school our kids love. The proposal would have made our neighborhood elementary school larger than most middle schools and even larger than some high schools. Can you imagine? Ultimately, the motion was pulled from consideration a few weeks later, but not until our community mobilized to organize and attend several community meetings, educate our neighbors about the potential impact, and expend our energies on what turned out to be a significant waste of time, district resources and taxpayer dollars. And we still don’t know for sure that they won’t bring this motion back again some other time.
Our families moved to Jeffco and Applewood specifically so our kids could attend Maple Grove Elementary. The new Board Majority seems to believe that the school district can take a successful elementary school, double it in size, and still be as successful. Don’t they understand that younger students will be lost in such a vast and crowded learning environment? The three members in the Board Majority – Mr. Ken Witt, Mr. John Newkirk and Ms. Julie Williams – haven’t spent time in a classroom or even studied education at all. They are driven by ideology and personal agendas, not the best practices of learning. And, they certainly are not interested in listening to the concerns of parents.
Over the last month our parent community came together and demanded the Jeffco School Board Majority listen to us. We were successful in getting them to back down from this bad idea (for now), but we worry about what will happen the next time the Jeffco School Board Majority decides to make a surprise motion. Will it affect your child?
The Jeffco School Board Majority does not listen. They don’t listen to district staff and they don’t listen to parents. In the past year the Board Majority has spent money contrary to public input, attempted to make changes to staffing levels at schools that put our students’ safety at risk, and refused to deal with the overcrowding at many schools and the need to accommodate additional growth in several areas of the district. They even attempted to censor the AP US History course, prompting thousands of students to walk out of school in protest.
The schools and community should be working hand in hand to educate our kids. This partnership is not happening under the Board Majority. We encourage you to learn more about what is going on in Jeffco schools and specifically with the school board.
We hope your students’ choices are never jeopardized like ours were.
Sincerely,
Updates
Reached 500 supporters
June 4, 2015
June 3, 2015
I am honestly a bit stunned at how many people have joined in after I first posted this. This momentum belongs entirely to the parents who refused to accept being left in the dark about our children's schools.
Reached 100 supporters
May 26, 2015
148 Comments
Mother of 2 at Mitchell Elementary and am very concerned about the new developments and overcrowding of schools. Also very concerned that there has been no talk about new schools being built. I am in complete support of this Petition.
I no longer have kids in public schools but I am concerned about the recent attempts by the board to impose their ideology on the school curriculum (AP US History). I am proud of the way students here in Evergreen responded in opposition but I am concerned about future similar efforts by the board.
Overcrowding is a serious issue in the Meiklejohn and WestWoods areas and getting significantly worse with the growth of this area of Arvada. Please find the money and break ground on the Candelas school site asap.
I was a Jeffco student (class of '81), a taxpayer, a parent, and I continue to live and work in this county. I want it to be the best education experience for all children for generations to come. The Board Majority must listen to the community and its voters. This is a disgrace.
I used to be proud of Jeffco School District, now I'm embarrassed. All because of the current board's decisions and actions. I refuse to vote for any tax increases for the school district until this board is out, or they start abiding by the wishes of their constitutents.
my daughter has been in private school from preschool to 6th grade. I hope this mainly financial decision will not be a regret!decision to
Board actions continually move toward an agenda different from Jeffco constituents
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The board has officially withdrawn the proposal for good. None of this would have happened if you had not spoken up to demand better for our neighborhood schools. Please stay watchful as we keep an eye on their future plans.
June 12, 2015
Final supporters
Dear Fellow Jeffco Parents,
Do you know where your child is going to attend school next year? Don’t be so sure.
I and fellow parents in the Applewood community have just learned a hard lesson about what happens when the School Board Majority does not bother to listen to the community they are elected to serve.
Throughout the month of March, many of us living in Applewood did not know where our students would be attending school next year because of a surprise motion from Mr. John Newkirk on the Jeffco School Board of Education that was seconded by School Board President, Mr. Ken Witt. Without any community input - and despite being told by school district staff that the plan was unworkable - members of the Jeffco School Board Majority proposed a motion on March 5th to overhaul the school our kids love. The proposal would have made our neighborhood elementary school larger than most middle schools and even larger than some high schools. Can you imagine? Ultimately, the motion was pulled from consideration a few weeks later, but not until our community mobilized to organize and attend several community meetings, educate our neighbors about the potential impact, and expend our energies on what turned out to be a significant waste of time, district resources and taxpayer dollars. And we still don’t know for sure that they won’t bring this motion back again some other time.
Our families moved to Jeffco and Applewood specifically so our kids could attend Maple Grove Elementary. The new Board Majority seems to believe that the school district can take a successful elementary school, double it in size, and still be as successful. Don’t they understand that younger students will be lost in such a vast and crowded learning environment? The three members in the Board Majority – Mr. Ken Witt, Mr. John Newkirk and Ms. Julie Williams – haven’t spent time in a classroom or even studied education at all. They are driven by ideology and personal agendas, not the best practices of learning. And, they certainly are not interested in listening to the concerns of parents.
Over the last month our parent community came together and demanded the Jeffco School Board Majority listen to us. We were successful in getting them to back down from this bad idea (for now), but we worry about what will happen the next time the Jeffco School Board Majority decides to make a surprise motion. Will it affect your child?
The Jeffco School Board Majority does not listen. They don’t listen to district staff and they don’t listen to parents. In the past year the Board Majority has spent money contrary to public input, attempted to make changes to staffing levels at schools that put our students’ safety at risk, and refused to deal with the overcrowding at many schools and the need to accommodate additional growth in several areas of the district. They even attempted to censor the AP US History course, prompting thousands of students to walk out of school in protest.
The schools and community should be working hand in hand to educate our kids. This partnership is not happening under the Board Majority. We encourage you to learn more about what is going on in Jeffco schools and specifically with the school board.
We hope your students’ choices are never jeopardized like ours were.
Sincerely,
Updates
Reached 500 supporters
June 4, 2015
June 3, 2015
I am honestly a bit stunned at how many people have joined in after I first posted this. This momentum belongs entirely to the parents who refused to accept being left in the dark about our children's schools.
Reached 100 supporters
May 26, 2015
148 Comments
Jeffco Board, I'm very concerned about how your actions are affecting teacher morale. We love our teachers at Red Rocks Elementary and want to keep them in Jeffco. Please listen to the concerns of Jeffco parents.
Mother of 2 at Mitchell Elementary and am very concerned about the new developments and overcrowding of schools. Also very concerned that there has been no talk about new schools being built. I am in complete support of this Petition.
I no longer have kids in public schools but I am concerned about the recent attempts by the board to impose their ideology on the school curriculum (AP US History). I am proud of the way students here in Evergreen responded in opposition but I am concerned about future similar efforts by the board.
Overcrowding is a serious issue in the Meiklejohn and WestWoods areas and getting significantly worse with the growth of this area of Arvada. Please find the money and break ground on the Candelas school site asap.
I was a Jeffco student (class of '81), a taxpayer, a parent, and I continue to live and work in this county. I want it to be the best education experience for all children for generations to come. The Board Majority must listen to the community and its voters. This is a disgrace.
I used to be proud of Jeffco School District, now I'm embarrassed. All because of the current board's decisions and actions. I refuse to vote for any tax increases for the school district until this board is out, or they start abiding by the wishes of their constitutents.
my daughter has been in private school from preschool to 6th grade. I hope this mainly financial decision will not be a regret!decision to
Board actions continually move toward an agenda different from Jeffco constituents
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Jeffco Board, I'm very concerned about how your actions are affecting teacher morale. We love our teachers at Red Rocks Elementary and want to keep them in Jeffco. Please listen to the concerns of Jeffco parents.