Update from Briggs Gamblin, BVSD Director of Communications and Legislative Policy

The Colorado General Assembly convened its annual regular session on Wednesday, January 7, 2009. That session is limited by the Colorado state constitution to run for no more than 120 calendar days or May 6.  If an issue of critical state importance arises at any other time the governor may call Colorado’s 35 state senators and 65 state representatives into “special session” to address that issue or issues. 

As expected, the current session is heavily focused upon the budget even more than usual. School funding issues for K-12 public education are understandably Boulder Valley School District’s (BVSD) greatest concern. This is especially true in light of Colorado government’s severe revenue shortfall this fiscal year. This fiscal year’s actual revenue collection is now anticipated to be over $600 million less than expected when the 2008-09 state budget was approved by the legislature in April. Colorado state government, like BVSD, operates on a fiscal year that runs from July 1 through June 30. Colorado’s constitution requires that state government operate on a balanced budget annually. So, if actual revenues turn out to fall below projected revenues and what existing fund reserves can absorb, the legislature must cut the existing budget. The legislature is engaged in this work right now.

As you may have heard or read, the Congress is currently finalizing an $825 billion federal economic stimulus package proposed by President Barack Obama. The latest figures shared with BVSD are that $39 billion of that will go to K-12 education nationally. Exactly what Colorado state government will be allocated and specifically how Colorado Governor Bill Ritter plans to recommend its allocation among the state’s 178 school districts is still being finalized. As of today (1/26/2009), President Obama is expecting to receive and sign this federal legislation in early February. After completing work this month on the budget cuts necessary to bring the current fiscal year’s budget into balance, the governor and legislature will focus on Colorado’s share of the federal stimulus package and where it will be appropriated.

During the regular session, the annual state budget for the next fiscal year is also debated, amended and ultimately approved.  This bill contains hundreds of pages and is by far the lengthiest of all the state legislature’s bills.  Not surprisingly, it is referred to at the State Capitol and in the media as “The Long Bill.”  It funds the majority of Colorado government operations and provides more than half the overall funding for Colorado K-12 education with the remainder mostly coming from local property taxes, federal programs, and grants.  Additionally, other non-fiscal policy issues can arise that are of importance to Colorado’s 178 public school districts in general and BVSD in particular.

Because of the critical fiscal and policy importance of the legislature’s deliberations to BVSD, the Boulder Valley Board of Education, upon the recommendation of Superintendent Chris King, retains a professional lobbyist to represent and advocate for the positions of BVSD at the Capitol.  That lobbyist for BVSD is Tanya Kelly-Bowry. Tanya brings a strong background in education and legislative representation to her position.  Since 2004, she has been an associate vice president of federal and state government relations for the University of Colorado system.

Day-to-day oversight of Tanya’s contract with BVSD is provided by BVSD Director of Communications and Legislative Policy Briggs Gamblin. Briggs also has prior legislative lobbying experience for Colorado higher education, Colorado Common Cause and Colorado environmental organizations.

Most importantly, Boulder Valley Board of Education members Jean Paxton of Broomfield and Patti Smith of Boulder provide ongoing Board oversight to make certain that district lobbying efforts proceed within the parameters set by the annual Board-approved legislative platform. This platform  is under preliminary revision for the Board to study in November and, with whatever changes they make, final approval in December.

Two notable changes in BVSD’s legislative delegation are the departure, due to term limits, of former House Majority Leader Alice Madden (D-Boulder) who has been succeeded by Representative Dickey Lee Hullinghorst (D-Niwot) and former Senator Ron Tupa (D-Boulder) who has been succeeded by Senator Rollie Heath (D-Boulder). 

The 2009 BVSD Legislative Platform can be found at http://bvsd.org/boe/Documents/legistlativePlatform2009.pdf

The February BVSD Key Communicator will include a breakdown of fiscal year 2008-09 budget cuts as they apply to BVSD programs and operations. It will include a listing of legislation being monitored, supported or opposed by BVSD at the State Capitol.

Watch future editions of the BVSD Key Communicator for updates as this legislative session moves forward. If you have any questions or comments, please contact Briggs at briggs.gamblin@bvsd.org.

With rising food costs, strained tax bases and ongoing academic achievement needs, how can any large Colorado public school district think of reforming its entire school food operation within the next few years? The answer, according to the Boulder Valley School District, is found in a thriving community partnership, The School Food Project, which got a kick start in December at Lafayette Elementary School.
 
Boulder residents and BVSD parents Robin and Kevin Luff, at a morning news conference, thrilled those in attendance with a donation of $100,000 to the community wide effort to make BVSD breakfasts and lunches healthier, scratch-cooked and fresher. Their contribution will immediately fund most of the six-month consulting contract between the state’s eighth largest school district and nationally renowned chef and school food advocate, Ann Cooper of Lunch Lessons, LLC.
 
Like many of the state’s 178 school districts, BVSD is bracing for tough financial times. District leaders stated that without significant community support, the costlier reforms to the district’s nutrition programs would have to be shelved until better economic times.
 
“If it weren’t for the passion of community committed to the health of each of our students, the school board and I could never hope to launch such a bold initiative now,” said Dr. Chris King, BVSD superintendent since 2007.
 
The Lunch Lessons, LLC new contract was approved December 9 and began in January 2009. Chef Cooper, a noted author on school food, is to plan and implement the school food recommendations from the Nutrition Services Feasibility study she presented to the board on October 28, 2008. No district tax dollars are being used to fund this contract which runs through June 30, 2009.
 
“The desire for each of our kids to have access to healthy, fresh, scratch-cooked and good tasting meals combined with the district’s public commitment to change drove Kevin and my decision to share our family’s resources,” stated Robin Luff. “We urge everyone in the community to join us at whatever level of giving works for them and their family.”
 
Chef Cooper stressed that she has seen that once operational and structural changes are in place and students are buying better-tasting meals that are more nutritious, the fresh, scratch-cooked model can become just as budget-neutral as its frozen, processed school food predecessor.

Also stepping up to make a financial contribution was Whole Foods Markets. “We are proud to partner with the Boulder Valley School District on this critically important project. We hope to add an important piece to this puzzle ensuring the program is not only successful here in Boulder, but has the opportunity to spread to the rest of the country as well,” said Mark Law, Vice President of Operations for the Rocky Mountain Region of Whole Foods Markets.  Starting in January and going though December of 2009, Whole Foods Markets stores within the BVSD territory will redirect all funds collected through their reusable bag donation program to the School Food Project.

“The district has worked tirelessly with Ann Cooper for the last six months to ensure that we could accomplish this enormous food service overhaul,” stated Dr. Helayne Jones, board president and a longtime community advocate of school food reform. She thanked the Luffs and Whole Foods Markets for stepping forward with “their very generous contributions.”

Along with the Luffs and Whole Foods Markets in particular, Dr. Jones thanked the district wide community in general, singling out other key community partners Impact on Education, the Boulder County Farmers’ Market, the Growe Foundation, Vermillion, The Fresh Ideas Group, and the Culinary School of the Rockies as well as the members of the joint district/community School Food Project Committee co-chaired by Luff and BVSD Chief Financial Officer Leslie Stafford.
 
Dr. Jones also pointed out that the School Food Project web page on the BVSD website was now live and capable of accepting online financial contributions.

This month, Bond staff began early steps for the kick off of Phase 2 of the Bond Program. Phase 2 is starting earlier than expected to try to take advantage of the favorable construction market. The projects in Phase 2 have been divided into two sub-phases as follows:

Phase 2a

Birch Elementary
Emerald Elementary
Kohl Elementary
Eisenhower Elementary
Heatherwood Elementary
University Hill Elementary
Whittier International
Louisville Elementary
Superior Elementary
Community Montessori
Monarch K-8
Jamestown Elementary
Gold Hill Elementary
Nederland Elementary
Douglass Elementary playground
Ryan Elementary playground

Phase 2b

Bear Creek Elementary
Creekside Elementary
Mesa Elementary
Sanchez Elementary
Pioneer Bilingual Elementary
Nederland Middle/Senior

This week and next pre-qualified architects and contractors are touring some Phase 2a buildings to learn more about the work planned for these buildings. Final selection of architects and contractors will be made in February. Design Advisory Teams will begin to meet with architects in April. Construction for these projects is scheduled to be complete by the start of the 2011-12 school year.

Staff are preparing to issue the second set of bonds in February. Proceeds from this sale will support expenditures in the remainder of Phase 1 and Phase 2.

Seeking participants for Columbine Design Advisory Team

The design phase of the Columbine rebuild project will officially kick-off in February with the first meeting of the design advisory team (DAT) and the project architect.

The Bond team is currently accepting applications from people interested in participating on the Columbine DAT. We are looking for broad representation of the Columbine community and want to include school staff, current and prospective parents and neighbors.

The DAT will meet two to three times a month from February through the end of the school year. A meeting schedule will be established at the first meeting. Additional meetings beyond the end of the year may be required. More information about the DAT’s responsibilities can be found in the Design Advisory Team guidelines on the Bond Program website.

Anyone interested in applying should submit a letter of interest explaining their relationship to the school and why they want to participate on the DAT. Letters of interest should be submitted to Susan Cousins in the Bond Program or mailed to 6500 E. Arapahoe Road, Boulder, CO, 80303 by January 30. Selected participants will be notified the first week in February.

Many students and staff start 2009 in new facilities

Students and staff across the district returned from winter break to resume classes in new and remodeled facilities. This week the Boulder High varsity girls’ basketball team christened the new gym with a victory over Lincoln High School. Counselors at Boulder High are enjoying newly remodeled offices.

Foothill Elementary students now are enjoying a brand new library as well as literacy rooms and new classrooms. Construction work at the school will be ongoing through the summer. Future work includes renovation of the main office and Kindergarten classrooms.

At Fairview High School, students now are using the new classroom wing. The school’s entrance also has a brand new look.

The project at Manhattan Middle School is wrapping up and students there are using new science classrooms, new music rooms, a remodeled auditorium and cafeteria, a new dance studio, and remodeled locker rooms. The school’s administrative staff also are enjoying new offices and the front of the school has a whole new look.

Over winter break, Casey students and staff moved into their new temporary home at Platt. “The move went very well,” said Bond Support Coordinator Melinda Gomez who was responsible for coordinating the move.

“Our success is really due to a large collaborative effort from IT, Transportation, Food Service and District Maintenance as well as a great attitude and teamwork on the part of the schools,” Gomez went on to say.

Board reviews revised Design Advisory Team Guidelines

Boulder Valley has chosen to use a Design Advisory Team (DAT) process in designing the projects of the Bond Program to ensure decision-making is community based and that projects meet the needs of individual schools. In general, the process has worked well to involve school communities in the projects. However, our experience in Phase 1 also has shown us there is room for improvement.

To improve the process for future phases, the Bond Program collected feedback from various sources including project managers, DAT members, and architects. This feedback was collected through surveys and interviews and has been used to revise the Design Advisory Team Guidelines. We received a lot of constructive feedback and would like to thank everyone who took the time to respond. We appreciate their contribution to helping us improve our process.

To help ensure future DAT processes reflect the expectations described in the revised guidelines, the Bond project management team will conduct a project orientation meeting with the project architects to explain our expectations for how the process will function. In addition, architects and project managers will review the guidelines with DAT members in the first meeting.

It is our hope these revisions to the guidelines will improve the DAT process to make it a successful and fulfilling experience for the district and the community members involved.

The revised guidelines can be found on the Bond Program website. Be sure to keep up with what’s happening in the Bond Program.