A message from Superintendent Chris King -
Community invited to August meetings to discuss the tentative BVSD/BVEA agreement
As was reported at the June 23 board meeting, I had scheduled three superintendent forums to discuss the basic elements of the BVSD/BVEA tentative agreement set to be voted upon by our teachers and other Unit B employees next Monday and Tuesday.

With the help of Bill Sutter, I was also able to explain the budget context that we are working in this year. More than one hundred teachers total have shown up for what has expanded from three public meetings in the last month to seven meetings to date including last night at Monarch High School.

There will two more meetings this week. They are scheduled for:

• 4:00-5:30 p.m. Wednesday, August 12, Broomfield High School Library 
• 4:00-5:30 p.m. Friday, August 14, Boulder High School Library

This means that staff and I will have held nine meetings total by the time the tentative agreement is voted upon – one each in Nederland and Lafayette, two each in Broomfield and Louisville and three in Boulder. Several of these meetings were covered by local media. In addition, one meeting was recorded and has been playing on Comcast cable channel 22 in the Boulder and east Boulder County area. Finally, teachers and the general public have been able to access this video off the BVSD website and view it at their convenience.

On a personal level, I have also been contacted by teachers by email, telephone and in person to discuss these matters, answer their questions and clear up misconceptions or misinformation each person may have had.

If the tentative agreement is approved, I will recommend it be taken up by the full board at your August 25 meeting with the recommendation that you vote to ratify as well.

Should the tentative agreement be defeated next week, I fully expect that BVSD schools will remain open and classes will be held. The 2008-2009 agreement between the district and BVEA provides that that contract will remain in force until a new agreement is negotiated and ratified by both parties. It is my expectation that BVEA and our negotiating teams will resume meeting.

On June 9, I expressed my hope that individual teachers would carefully examine the district offer which manages to meet both our community and staff’s highest budget priority – maintaining classroom teacher ratios – while still managing to offer increases in health, dental, pension benefits and step increases plus a one percent stipend increase for 2009-2010. Today, I renew that hope.

I urge all teachers, parents, staff, and other community members who are interested to attend at least one of our two remaining public meetings. Bill and I have been able to limit our presentations to no more than 20 minutes of the 90 minutes scheduled, allowing plenty of time for questions, comments and conversation.

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Impact on Education moves up date for annual Impact Awards
Nominations will be accepted between Sept. 1 and Nov. 2
For the past seventeen years, Impact on Education has annually honored five individuals who have had an extraordinary impact on student learning in BVSD by valuing education, service to students, and leadership by example. Over this time, 87 educators have received this meaningful and distinguished recognition, many citing it as a highlight of their career.

To better manage the workload associated with its many programs and events, Impact on Education will hold the 2010 Impact Awards dinner on Thursday, February 11, two months earlier than in previous years.  Consequently, nominations will be accepted between September 1 and November 2. Each year, dozens of classroom teachers, administrators, paraprofessionals and/or community volunteers are nominated by parents, associates and students to receive an Impact Award.

Impact Award nominations are evaluated by community members through a blind read process (identity of the nominee and associated school is masked) and the 10 nominees who receive the highest median scores are recognized as Impact Award Finalists ($150 gift certificate to the Flagstaff House Restaurant).  The finalists are interviewed by the Impact Awards committee comprised of community volunteers to determine the five Impact Awards recipients.  The 2010 Impact Awards recipients will be announced in their schools on December 10 and will be acknowledged and celebrated at our 18th Annual Impact on Education Awards Dinner on February 11 at the Glenn Miller Ballroom at CU.  At that dinner, Impact Award recipients will receive a $1,500 award for their school, a $500 personal award, an award plaque, and inclusion in an inspiring video shown at the dinner.

Impact on Education is dedicated to increasing student learning and support for public education in the Boulder Valley School District. The organization’s three focus areas are teacher excellence, science & technology and at-risk students. For more information, visit our website.

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What's green in the BVSD Bond Program?
New report details the district’s green building efforts
Sunlight floods the corridors and classrooms of many of the new facilities constructed through BVSD's Bond Program. This abundant sunshine is the result of a variety of innovative techniques used to bring more daylight into buildings. Daylighting is the practice of using natural light to illuminate building spaces rather than relying solely on electric lighting during the day. The technique reduces the need for electric lighting and produces natural, pleasant light. It is just one of the techniques employed by architects in the Bond Program to create spaces which are comfortable for users and more efficient to operate.
A new report produced by BVSD details the green building techniques used in projects in the first phase of the BVSD Bond Program. To document green building efforts, the district asked project architects to provide a summary of sustainable features for each project and compiled the results in the report which can be found online.

One of the initial steps the district took to “green” the Bond Program was to update BVSD’s technical specifications to include more sustainable elements. Technical specifications are the guidelines the district uses for construction. In addition, the architecture firms selected for the Bond work were chosen in part because of their expertise and experience with the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program.

The results of these efforts are facilities that are energy efficient, use resources wisely, and are comfortable to occupy. Many projects include more efficient mechanical and electrical systems and better insulation. Strategies such as window glazing and reflective roofs were used to reduce heat gain and cooling demands in warmer months. Lights have occupancy sensors and, in some cases, dimming ballasts that adjust electric lighting levels as the natural lighting in a room changes. To create high quality indoor environments for students and staff, many new spaces offer user climate and lighting controls, operable windows, abundant daylighting and views. Most interior finishes such as carpet and paint are low VOC emitting to reduce unpleasant odors.

“We are proud of what we have been able to achieve for Boulder Valley students through the Bond Program,” said Don Orr, Executive Director of Bond Planning, Engineering and Construction. “Through the generous support of Boulder Valley taxpayers, we have been able to create healthy, productive learning spaces that also are beneficial to the district’s bottom line.”

Bond staff help move “Chair Mountain”
Metal clanged and sparks flew late last month as the Bond team dismantled a mass of chairs and desks at the district surplus building known as “Chair Mountain.” This huge battered furniture pile consists of the broken and busted chairs and desks that have come out of BVSD schools as a result of Phase I of the district’s $296.8 million capital improvement bond program. In an effort to divert waste from landfills the district has committed to dismantling this furniture and working with a couple of different organizations to recycle the materials.

Past practice would have seen these items hit the landfill; definitely not what BVSD wants to do now.  The school district has significantly reduced its use of landfills through a partnership with Resource 2000, who has taken some of BVSD’s surplus and is selling it at its site on 63rd Street.  Disassembling the furniture is the next step in the process is to recycle what is left.

Over the summer, warehouse staff took on the task of taking apart the mass of old chairs and desks that ran the entire length of the surplus building and called upon Ed Center staff to pitch in. To help with the endeavor, the Bond team set aside an evening to help move the mountain. Using an arsenal of drills, pry bars, grinders and good old muscle, the team filled pallets with plastic bucket seats and packed a large dumpster with metal chair legs. All in all, the district diverted  approximately 250 chairs and 400 chair/desk combos from landfills—that’s 4 dumpsters filled with metal legs and 20 pallets of wood desk tops and plastic seats!

A large dose of credit and appreciation goes to the warehouse staff who organized the effort and put in the lion’s share of the effort!

Seats available on the Citizens’ Bond Oversight Committee
The Bond Program is seeking a middle level teacher and a middle level principal to fill two vacancies on the Citizens’ Bond Oversight Committee.

The Board of Education created the Citizens’ Bond Oversight Committee (CBOC) to provide independent review and monitoring of the Bond Program. A complete description of the committee can be found here.

The oversight provided by the committee is vital to the success of the Bond Program. The members of CBOC reflect the diverse population of our school district. The committee is comprised of members that include school faculty and administrators, representatives from each community in the district and a student representative. 

The committee meets approximately every other month except in the summer. Meetings are held the first Thursday of the month at 5 p.m. and last for approximately two hours. Between meetings, committee members are given budget and project status reports to review in preparation for the meetings. The teacher representative will serve a two-year term and the principal representative will serve a three-year term. If you are interested, please contact Susan Cousins at 720-561-5793.

Manhattan Middle School wins Golden Hard Hat award
The Bond Program learned recently that the Manhattan Middle School Bond project was awarded the Golden Hard Hat award given by the McGraw Hill Construction. The project was submitted by Adolfson and Peterson, the general contractor. The awards recognize the best projects completed by Colorado companies in a calendar year. OZ Architecture was the project designer.

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BVSD recognized as a 2008 Campaign of the Year by Community Shares of Colorado
At the Community Shares of Colorado 2009 Summer Celebration Event held on June 3, BVSD Human Resources Director Jeanne Aguilar accepted the Campaign of the Year award on behalf of the district. Community Shares highlighted BVSD’s continued commitment to community investment and the environment. This year, in an effort to be more environmentally friendly and reduce paper, the district offered their first electronic giving campaign using Community Shares’ online giving system. This proved to be a fantastic success with 63 percent of donations pledged online. The campaign saw a 15 percent increase in giving from the previous year. The campaign unites four funding options in shared goals, covers a geographically and economically diverse employee group, and welcomes all who wish to give.

Year after year, the district seeks new ideas to increase and energize its giving campaign. Special congratulations to Jeanne Aguilar, chair, and the rest of BVSD’s Employee Contribution Campaign’s organizing committee for being recognized as a 2008 Campaign of the Year.

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Mark your calendars! BVSD Health Fair - Sept. 14
The 3rd annual BVSD Health Fair for staff and families will be September 14 from 3:30-6:30 p.m. at the Boulder Valley YMCA , 2800 Dagny Way, Lafayette, CO 80026 (corner of 95th and Arapahoe).

• Free Food, Prizes, Free Skin Cancer Check and other screenings.
• Bring your family and enjoy FREE ice skating from 5:00-6:30 p.m. (skates provided or bring your own)!
• Learn about PERA and the district 401(k), 403(b) and 457(b) savings plans.
• Check out different fitness classes  (YOGA, Sports Conditioning, Pilates, Kinesis, Tai Chi, etc.) at no charge!
  Free Childcare provided for children age 5 and under.
• Find out about Rec Center discounts.
• Learn about the new Vision Benefit through VSP.

Teachers are eligible for one hour CDE credit.

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Under New Management

• Kevin Braney, Principal, Boulder High, effective July 27, 2009
• Jonathan Wolfer, Principal, Douglass Elementary, effective July 27, 2009
• Stephanie Esquibel, Assistant Principal, Boulder High, effective July 27, 2009
• John Long, Interim Athletic Director/Assistant Principal, Broomfield High, effective August 4, 2009
• Sharon Trompeter, Assistant Principal, Columbine Elementary, effective July 27, 2009
• Jeff Van Iwarden, Assistant Principal, Eldorado K-8, effective August 10, 2009
• Catalina Martis, Director, Language, Culture & Equity, effective August 1, 2009

Other Board Approvals

• The board approved a donation of $70,000 from the James H. Woods Foundation to Whittier Elementary School. The donation will be used to supplement the Whittier Elementary bond project.
• The board granted approval to Shelagh Turner, 6th Grade Reading/Language Arts Teacher, Louisville Middle School, to sell CSAP practice materials.
• The K-12 Curriculum Essentials for Fine Arts and Physical Education were approved by the board. The curriculum is posted on the following website: http://bvsd.org/curriculum/curriculum//Pages/default.aspx .
• The board approved the service agreement between Boulder Valley School District and Boulder County Public Health, through the Boulder County Prevention and Intervention (BCPIP) Program. The parties have had this partnership for multiple years, though they are formalizing this relationship for the 2009-2010 school year.
• The Boulder County Prevention and Intervention Program (BCPIP) provides prevention and intervention (P/I) services at the following BVSD schools: Angevine Middle School, Louisville Middle School, Centaurus High School, Nederland Middle/Senior High School, Monarch High School, and Monarch K-8.

Two contracts were approved:

• The contract with Lunch Lessons, LLC was approved by the board. The term of the contract will be from August 1, 2009 to June 30, 2010. Funding for this contract is being provided entirely by outside donations. The consultants will assist the district in creating the foundation for the elements needed to transition the district's processed food-based meal program to a whole foods environment, where food is procured regionally to the greatest extent possible and prepared from scratch. This will include implementation of upgrades to the current procurement and warehouse system; researching and contracting new vendors; procurement of new equipment needed for program transition; reorganization of the staffing structure; intensive staff training in sanitation and culinary skills; creation of employee manuals; expansion of district breakfast offerings from 18 to 46 sites including universal breakfast where possible; roll out of salad bars in secondary schools and expansion in elementary schools; assistance in fundraising for and marketing of the program; development of a new interactive and dynamic website for the School Food Project; implementation of the newly created lunch menus and distribution of a new calendar of menus for the 2009-2010 school year. To complete this work, a full-time consultant will be on site for the school year assisting Nutrition Services staff with the new program implementation. Two additional consultants will be on site for the first several months of the school year. It is acknowledged that Ann Cooper is employed as the District's Nutrition Services Director and is also a principal of Lunch Lessons, LLC.
• The architectural and engineering contract for the Bond Program Bear Creek Elementary School Renovations and Addition Project was awarded to RTA, Inc.

Eight grants were approved:

• Deputy Superintendent – Consolidated Federal Programs Titles I-V – Colorado Department of Education – 09
• Deputy Superintendent – Expelled and At-Risk Students (EARSS) – Colorado Department of Education - 09
• Planning and Assessment – Formative Assessment Systems – Colorado Department of Education - 09
• Student Success - IDEA Part B - Colorado Department of Education - 09
• Student Success – IDEA Preschool – CO Department of Education - 09
• Student Success – IDEA PART BARRA – Colorado Department of Education – 09
• Student Success – IDEA PRESCHOOL ARRA – Colorado Department of Education – 09
• Student Success – Title X ARRA – Colorado Department of Education - 09
  

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Hats off!
Congratulations to this week's Superintendent's Honor Roll recipients:
During the August 11 board meeting, BVSD Warehouse staff members Materials Supervisor Matt Stewart, Joel Johnson, Mark Anderson, Mike C’Debaca, Robert Ditlow, Will Ewing, Aaron Huffman, Keith Knicely, Robert Luxner, Ricky Pace and Dale Strange were honored for their outstanding performance of their respective duties. BVSD Administrative Assistant Ginger Farhar from the Department of Language, Culture and Equity initially nominated this outstanding crew and BVSD Budget and Procurement Director Bill Sutter enthusiastically seconded it. Ginger wrote that she was nominating the BVSD Warehouse staff “for going above and beyond to ensure that the Summer Academic Academy for English Learners began their summer session with whatever was needed within a very short amount of time.  They were and always are very accommodating and kind with their time and attention to the needs of our students.”

Bill cited this team’s outstanding work in dissembling “Chair Mountain,” a pile of more than 2,400 desks and chairs that were well beyond any classroom use. In the past, this mountain of dilapidated classroom furniture would have simply been piled into trucks and disposed of in a local landfill. In keeping with BVSD’s heightened commitment to achieving as great a degree of environmental sustainability as possible, a firm in Arkansas was found that would recycle virtually all of this materiel. The only catch was that the company required each piece of furniture to be taken apart with chair seats, desk tops and metal frames loaded separately for shipment. With the help of dozens of Education Center volunteers, Matt and his crew brought down the mountain. Their work was highlighted July 8 by a 9 NEWS crew from Denver that arrived at 4:30 a.m. and broadcast several live shots of this work to Front Range viewers during morning newscasts.

Thank you for your commitment to doing a professional job in a professional manner.

Call for nominations!
Nominations for Superintendent’s Honor Roll are accepted throughout the year. Send an email to Briggs Gamblin and Maela Moore telling us who you are nominating and why you think she or he deserves to be honored by the superintendent.

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