News from
Sheridan School District No. 2
Contact: Mark
Stevens
[email protected]
303-495-8699 (mobile) • 720-328-5488 (office)
News
Release
July 11, 2018
Mill Levy Ballot Proposal Pondered
Superintendent
Pat Sandos told the Sheridan Board of Education and its meeting this week that
the board will be required to notify the county by Friday, July 27 if it wants
to place a mill levy proposal on the November ballot. That means the board will
likely decide the fate of the mill levy proposal at its next meeting on
Tuesday, July 24.
Sandos, running his first meeting as the district’s new superintendent, told the board that staff recommends pursuing the ballot proposal to improve the district’s safety systems and staffing, to improve salaries for all employees, to address critical maintenance issues, and to update the district’s bus fleet. Sandos did not specify a recommended dollar amount to pursue.
Safety needs include upgrading district radios, adding trained campus monitors, and upgrading cameras and software, said Sandos. While the district improved starting salaries for teachers in the new budget, he added, neighboring districts have already raised their salaries and Sheridan needs to remain competitive as part of the broader effort to reverse declining enrollment. “We are going to have to work on being competitive there,” said Sandos, making a point that the salary improvements must also cover support staff.
Sandos added that district roofing systems are in “bad shape,” including an existing leak at SOAR Academy. There are drainage issues on the district’s main athletic field, bleacher repair requirements at the stadium, and a critical retaining wall issue that needs repair at Alice Terry Elementary School, he said. And the district’s bus fleet is aging; the newest bus was purchased in 2011 and eight were purchased in 2004. A new bus costs roughly $162,000.
Board member
Karla Najera asked Superintendent Sandos if he could identify one top priority
on the list and Sandos said the needs are across the board. Board member Daniel
Stange noted classroom technology improvements as well and Superintendent
Sandos concurred.
Board president
Bernadette Saleh noted a pending statewide initiative that would require the
legislature to improve funding for public education (early childhood through
high school) by linking expenditures to a percentage spent to a percentage of
state and local and personal income. Under the proposal, the percentage would
increase to at least 4 percent by the 2021-2022 school year. It is estimated
the proposal, if approved by voters statewide, would generate $2.7 million for
Sheridan School District 2.
Based on current
assessed valuations, Sandos told the board, raising $1 million in new money
from a mill levy election would mean taxes on every $100,000 worth of
residential home value would increase by $30.89 per year or $2.57 per month.
Taxes on business property would increase by $124.43 per year or $10.37 per
month for every $100,000 worth of business valuation.
Safe,
Smart, and Happy
Superintendent Sandos introduced the district’s new tag line—“Safe, Smart and Happy!”—and announced the district has hired three new administrators, all of whom are fluent in Spanish.
* Todd Legge is the new principal of SOAR Academy, Sheridan’s alternative high school. Legge recently worked as a bilingual educator at Lester Arnold High School in Adams School District 14. Sandos said 22 out of 25 students received a score of 3 or higher (a very good score indicating the student is qualified for college credit) on their Advanced Placement test last year. Legge is a wrestler, said Sandos, and co-founder of the Mile High Wrestling Club.
* Diego Romero is the new principal at Alice Terry Elementary School. He recently worked at Hanson Elementary School, also in Adams 14. Romero has also worked in three elementary schools in southwest Denver.
* Maegan Daigler is the new Director of Assessment. She was previously the Director of Accountability and Research in Denver Public Schools.
“They are all just thrilled and can’t wait to get started,” said Sandos. “They are here to challenge kids and they are here to challenge adults. I look forward to them watching them grow with our kids in the district.”
“A Better Place”
Sheridan High School graduate Jackie Gomez unveiled her painting, “A Better Place,” which will have a home in the board room as part of Superintendent Sandos’ student spotlight initiative to bring more student work, performances, and talent to each board meeting. The initiative will also feature teacher work and accomplishments. Jackie attended the unveiling with her mother Marely Aleman and brother Felix Gomez. Her painting, “A Better Place,” was the winner of the superintendent’s award at the district’s art fair earlier this year. The mounted painting includes Jackie’s artist’s statement, printed in both English and Spanish.
Community
BBQ
Sheridan School District and the Sheridan Educators Association will cohost a barbecue for the entire community on Wednesday, Aug. 15 from 5 to 7 p.m. The event, with free food for all, will be held on the lawn in front of Sheridan High School, 3201 W. Oxford Ave. “Come with an appetite,” said Superintendent Sandos. “We look forward to seeing everyone there.”
Other dates:
Opening Session for staff begins at 7 a.m. with breakfast at Fort Logan
Northgate School on Monday, July 31; orientation for kindergarteners and
ninth-graders is Wednesday, Aug. 1 and the first day of school is Thursday,
Aug. 1.
Charter
School Application
Superintendent Sandos told the board that the district has received an “intent to apply” notice from a potential charter school group called FLORA. The group has until July 29 to turn in its application for consideration for the 2019-2020 school year.
Consent
Agenda
All consent items
were approved.
About
Sheridan School District 2
Located southwest
of Denver, Sheridan School District 2 seeks high-level post-secondary options
for all students through continuous improvement of quality instruction. More: www.ssd2.org
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