Diane Santorico was a year shy of completing her third decade as a teacher when the profession that once gave her so much joy nearly stole all of it. She was sick – physically sick – and tired. The first few weeks of school had demanded that she teach in a second-floor classroom baking at […]
Sheridan School District No. 2
Posted inColoradans, Education, News
One of Colorado’s poorest school districts gave its superintendent a 17% raise after losing $1M-plus in state funding
A superintendent over one of Colorado’s poorest school districts collected a nearly 20% raise this year, igniting a debate over spending even as enrollment is in freefall. Supporters of Pat Sandos’ raise — which increased his base salary 17% to $202,000 — call it a crook to keep him in Sheridan School District No. 2, […]
Posted inColoradans, COVID, Culture, Education, Food and Restaurants, News
Universal free lunch will help Colorado districts keep feeding kids. But could it also rob some schools of state funding?
When Paula Buser heard that the U.S. Department of Agriculture would fund universal free lunch for schools throughout the country next year, she hit a crossroads of emotions, falling somewhere between contented and concerned. Food insecurity has plagued families in Fremont County during the pandemic, said Buser, who directs support services for Cañon City School […]
Posted inEducation, News
Colorado grants $27 million to support career training, literacy programs, Indigenous curriculum
Colorado awarded $27 million in education grants to 19 programs aimed at helping students in communities hit hard by the pandemic, Gov. Jared Polis and state officials announced Monday. The announcement represents the second round of funding under the RISE grant program, which emphasizes cooperative programs between school districts, charter schools, and higher education institutions […]
Posted inCOVID, Education, Health, News
Some school staff are eligible for coronavirus vaccine in Colorado right now, but not teachers
Teachers cannot yet get the COVID-19 vaccine in Colorado, but some school staff can. School nurses, health technicians who assist them, occupational and physical therapists, speech-language pathologists, campus security guards, and educators who work with children with serious disabilities are among those whose names have been submitted by school districts in the Denver metro area […]
Posted inColoradans, COVID, Education, News
Colorado teachers are working twice — sometimes three times — as hard when their students learn both in person and online
Rhiannon Wenning’s school days have grown longer with the pandemic, and in her 20 years of teaching, she’s never worked as hard. Her usual 50-hour work weeks have notched up to between 60 and 70 hours. Recently, the Jefferson Junior/Senior High School social studies teacher clocked an 80-hour week, committing at least 16 hours to […]