Providing a safe and welcoming environment for all students

Dear BVSD Parents, Guardians and Staff,

Boulder Valley School District (BVSD) recognizes there is uncertainty and fear among some members of the community regarding federal immigration policy. The highest priority for BVSD is to provide a safe and welcoming environment for each student and their families. BVSD is also committed to provide high-quality education for all students, regardless of gender, religion, immigration status, ethnicity, income, sexual orientation or their family’s national origin. Our district celebrates and values the rich diversity in our community. To this end, the information below provides answers to questions regarding immigration status and reaffirms our commitment to maintain learning environments free of discrimination and harassment.

Sincerely,
Dr. Bruce K. Messinger
Superintendent

Your Questions Answered:

(Adapted from FAQ released by Denver Public Schools on November 14, 2016)

Q: What impact does undocumented immigration status have on my child’s education?
A: None! Children have a constitutional right to have equal access to education regardless of their immigration status or their parents’ status. That right cannot be taken away by the president or the state or federal legislatures.

Q: Does Boulder Valley School District ask for a child’s immigration status when he or she enrolls?
A: No. Public school districts like BVSD have an obligation to enroll students regardless of their immigration status and without discrimination on the basis of race, color or national origin.

Q: Would the school district ever share our students’ immigration status with the federal immigration officials?
A: As mentioned above, we do not ask for students’ citizenship or immigration status when they enroll. However, if we became aware of a student’s lack of immigration status, we would not share that information with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). 

Q: Do we know whether there will be any immigration enforcement actions on school grounds?
A: As of today, we believe that the federal government is still following guidance that designates schools as sensitive locations where immigration enforcement actions should not happen. In the unlikely event that federal officials arrive at a campus, they will be instructed to wait in a specific area and not be given access to students, family members or staff until the request is processed through BVSD’s Legal Counsel, to ensure that applicable policies and laws are followed.

Q: If I am a parent or guardian and I am worried about being detained while my child is at school, what should I do?
A: Please take this opportunity to update your emergency contact information for your students.  You can turn in the Emergency Contact Update Form (English, Spanish) to your school. Please consider creating a family preparedness plan. The following checklist (English, Spanish) and Boulder County resources document (English, Spanish) may be helpful.

Q: What does Boulder Valley School District do to ensure that no student or family is discriminated against or harassed because of their race, ethnicity, religion or national origin?
A: BVSD believes deeply in ensuring equity – it is one of our core values. We have policies in place that mandate no discrimination or harassment for our students, families or employees on the base of race, ethnicity, religion, national origin and many other protected classes.

Q: What should I do if I feel like I have been the victim of discrimination or harassment?
A: Please report the behavior immediately to a supervisor, school leader or to the superintendent. Complaints and concerns can be filed using the forms and procedures in Board Policy AC-R (English, Spanish). We take these complaints very seriously in order to assure that our schools continue to be safe spaces.

Q: What about if I am a DACA recipient?
A: Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) is based on an order by the president. The new president could choose to rescind that order. If you are a recipient of DACA, consider reaching out to an immigration attorney now in order to determine if you have access to a better form of immigration status.

Q: What should I do if I want to understand my immigration rights?
A: Only immigration attorneys can provide you with accurate advice about immigration status and how you can pursue any legal rights you might have. For your own protection, please do not seek the advice of notarios or others who are not licensed immigration attorneys. Here is a list (English, Spanish) of low-cost or free legal resources. You can seek an immigration attorney from the American Immigration Lawyers Association (English, Spanish).

If you have a question that is not answered here, please reach out to communications@bvsd.org. We will work to provide an answer and will continue to update this document with answers to your questions.

Introducing the 2017 Annual Report

Dear BVSD Parents, Guardians and Staff,

I would like to invite you to view the 2017 BVSD Annual Report. 

One of the key objectives with the Annual Report is to provide financial transparency, as it is fundamental in the district's standing with the community. Another objective is to share BVSD goals, growth, and progress. 

BVSD successful construction work through the 2014 voter-approved bond, a program we refer to as Building for Student Success, is outlined in the report with an overview of efforts toward sustainability, energy efficiency, and indoor air quality. We have also highlighted educational innovation and how it is being utilized to improve existing schools as well as new construction projects. 

Finally, BVSD’s strategic plan, The Success Effect, provides the foundation to ensuring success for all students. I am hopeful that you find value in this year’s report, which is available in print at schools and district sites, and I look forward to our continued success this semester.

Sincerely,

Dr. Bruce K. Messinger
Superintendent

BVSD Affirms Support for Transgender Students

On Wednesday, February 22, President Trump rescinded protections for transgender students allowing them to use bathrooms corresponding with their gender identity; it is a retraction of guidance provided by President Obama last summer.

Boulder Valley School District will maintain our present practice supporting transgender students and their families as we have in the past. Our position is consistent with the district’s equity values and our district mission and vision. Our guidelines supporting students and staff who are transgender may be found in the Board Policies section of the district website at bvsd.org/policies/Policies/AC-E3.pdf.

We appreciate that Colorado state law also forbids discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity in public places — including schools. Colorado Chalkbeat published an informative article about this on Wednesday.

BVSD remains committed to providing a safe learning environment for all students.

Development of the 2017-18 budget underway

BVSD leadership is presently working with the Board of Education on a budget for the 2017-18 school year. Budget development in BVSD involves multiple decision points throughout the process. Funds made available through the operational mill levy approved by voters in November 2016, will provide relief in our continuing effort to maintain quality services and address the needs of students. BVSD is very fortunate to have the ongoing support of voters in our community.

The 2016-17 budget adopted in June had $6M of programs, services and expenditures that were funded by one-time resources necessitating reductions to programs and services next year if additional resources were not made available. Revenue from the operational levy have provided those resources and will allow BVSD to maintain current programs/services and provide some additional resource allocations such as school staffing, transportation funding and textbooks.

The main goals we seek to achieve with additional revenues provided by the operational mill levy are to:

• Maintain present level of educational services,
• Invest in preventative maintenance for buildings and equipment,
• Replace out-of-date textbooks and learning materials,
• Fund compensation and benefits for all employees,
• Provide training for staff, and
• Employ educators to meet student needs.

The Boulder Valley Board of Education is discussing other budget priorities in a series of special work sessions over the next few months.

Community input is welcome during Public Participation at the beginning of regular board meetings. Interested parties are also welcome to attend board work sessions to listen to the discussions. We strive to have budget priorities established by spring break when staffing allocations will be made to schools and staffing plans are developed for 2017-18.  

BVSD Ballot Measure 3A - Operational Levy

Thank you to voters for passing the Operational Levy for Boulder Valley School District. I appreciate the high level of support from the community.

Ballot Measure 3A approved by voters establishes an operational mill levy which will fund a portion of the $33.4 million in present ongoing maintenance, custodial, security, and technology expenditures. Resources from the levy will allow investment for ongoing preventative maintenance and repairs to extend facility life.

General fund resources freed up by the operational levy will be available to support the following services:

·         Maintain present level of educational services.

·         Invest in preventative maintenance for buildings and equipment.

·         Replace out-of-date textbooks and learning materials.

·         Fund compensation and benefits for all employees.

·         Provide training for staff.

·         Employ educators to meet student needs.

Initially the levy will generate $10 million dollars a year. The Board of Education has authority to increase the levy to 4 mills in future years which would provide more than $25 million dollars a year for district investment in services.

I appreciate voters approving this much-needed financial support for BVSD students. Resources from the levy will be used to offset inadequate funding provided by the state legislature.

Additional information is available at BVSD.org  

Operational levy3A

3A Informational flyer 

November 2016 Election Information

Election ballots were delivered through US mail last week. Ballot Measure 3A – operational levy for BVSD – is on the November 2016 ballot. I encourage you to study the proposed levy and vote in the upcoming election. Nov. 8 (by 7 p.m.) is the last day to vote or drop off a ballot.

A lot has changed in Colorado since the last presidential election. Here’s what you need to know to vote in this election:

●      Check your voter registration as all active voters are sent a ballot in the mail! Make sure your address is current. This is especially important if you have moved in the last year or if you haven’t voted for a few years. Check online at govotecolorado.com.

●      Track your mail ballot. If you live in Boulder County, you can sign up for Ballot Track to receive messages by email, text, or phone when your mail ballot has been printed, mailed, and received back by Boulder County Elections during election periods.

●      In person voting is available. If you prefer to vote in person, a list of Voter Service and Polling Centers will be included in your mail ballot packet.

●      Vote early! Once you decide how to vote, return your mail ballot. Voting early helps reduce campaign phone calls for you and helps the county process ballots throughout the election period rather than just on one night. Note that no votes are tabulated before election night.

For more voter and election information, visit the following websites:

Boulder County

Broomfield County

Gilpin County

State of Colorado

2016 Election Dates

October 17	Ballots mailed to voters
October 24	Voter Service Centers open (you can visit these locations if you would like to vote in person)
October 31	Last day to register and still receive a ballot in the mail (otherwise you need to vote in person)
November 8	Election Day - Last day to vote or drop off ballot (by 7 p.m.)

New Voter Checklist

Welcome to a new school year!

Now beginning my sixth year as superintendent of the Boulder Valley School District, I am pleased to see the continued implementation of our long-range strategic plan – “The Success Effect.” Numerous parents, students, staff and community members helped develop this plan, which focuses on three key areas  – Learning, Talent, and Partnerships. We have identified six initial strategic priorities:

1. Literacy and Early Learning
2. Systems of Support
3. Parent and Family Partnerships
4. Successful, Curious, Lifelong Learners
5. Educator Growth and Development
6. Educator Pipeline. 

Learn more about The Success Effect online at bvsdsuccesseffect.org. The site features a blog with posts from several leaders in BVSD on a variety of topics including innovative learning, family partnership, systems of support, district recruitment efforts, professional learning, and new graduation guidelines.

During the summer, district staff made progress on The Success Effect and related initiatives, including the Building for Student Success bond program. Over $55 million in work was completed at schools during the summer months. Students and staff will return to upgraded interiors and exteriors, renovated restrooms, enhanced security and innovative learning spaces. Essential repair and maintenance on building systems along with energy efficiency upgrades will take place in all schools. Construction of replacement schools for Creekside, Douglass, Emerald and a new PK-8 in Erie began a few months ago and will be completed in August 2017. Bond project information is available at bond.bvsd.org.

The environmental health of all learning spaces continues to be a top priority for BVSD. Last year, the  district launched a long-term, districtwide indoor air quality initiative with the University of Tulsa to improve indoor air quality in all district schools. This project will involve collecting indoor air quality data which will be used to make recommendations to building operations and occupant behavior and to identify building renovations to improve air quality.

Thanks to our generous and engaged community, highly qualified educators, excellent leadership, and dedicated support staff, Boulder Valley School District is known for its academic excellence and overall student success. We are committed to providing innovative and effective student learning experiences, employing and developing talented staff, and cultivating strong family and community partnerships to foster even greater student success in the future.

Introducing the 2016 Annual Report

The 2016 BVSD Annual Report is being emailed this week to all students, families and staff. The report provides a glimpse of district goals, priorities, financial standing and vision for student success. 

The BVSD Board of Education, administration, educators, staff and parents in every school are vital to the success of all students. The strategic plan, called the Success Effect, is based on three principles: learning, talent and partnerships. The intrinsic objective of the Success Effect is to achieve individual success for all students.

Our commitment to achieving student success will be accomplished by various means, one of those being innovation, achieved by building for student success funded by the bond approved in 2014. Educational innovation is at the core of our effort to improve existing schools as well as new construction projects. Sustainability and secure learning environments are also high priorities. Financial transparency is a fundamental component of the report and our standing with the community.  

BVSD vision, mission and goals will be realized through a commitment to community and family partnerships. We rely on these relationships to achieve student success.

I am hopeful that you find value in this year’s report, and I look forward to our continued success this semester.

The Six Pillars of the Success Effect

Boulder Valley School District has developed a dynamic strategic plan, The Success Effect, with an innovative approach to individual learning and instruction. The goal is to maximize every student’s potential to succeed through a personal approach that recognizes and fosters the unique talent of every child.

Our district is redefining what it means to succeed—building on our strengths, elevating the state of our schools and providing all students with the tools and confidence needed to meet the great challenges of their time. That’s The Success Effect in action.

More than 75 teachers, administrators, staff, parents and community members are presently developing implementation plans to accomplish The Success Effect. Six action planning teams are refining activities to achieve short-term outcomes for the next two to three years. Six priority areas are embedded in three organizing principles of The Success Effect:

Learning

• Systems of Support
• Literacy & Early Learning
• Successful, Curious, Lifelong Learners

Talent

• Educator Pipeline
• Educator Growth & Development

Partnerships

• Parent & Family Partnerships

We believe that communication is key to keeping staff, students, parents, and the greater community informed and involved in The Success Effect as our work progresses. To that end, Boulder Valley School District is proud to announce the release of our newly redesigned Success Effect website. The website is designed to update all stakeholders about our goals and the priority action areas in the strategic plan. The improved website will serve as a gathering place for information about the strategic plan, school improvement plans, and innovation in our schools. There are expanded capabilities for learning, sharing and interaction.

We encourage you to visit: bvsdsuccesseffect.org.

BVSD graduation rates rise for fifth straight year

The Colorado Department of Education recently released graduation and dropout data for the state. I am pleased to report the overall rate for students in the Boulder Valley School District who graduated on time in 2015 is 92.3 percent, increasing for the fifth straight year. Statewide graduation rates for 2015 were at 77.3 percent. BVSD has considerably improved its on-time graduation rate from 84.7 percent in 2010 to its current 92.3 percent. Boulder Valley has the highest graduation rate of the top 20 largest school districts. Limited English Proficient, Economically Disadvantaged and Homeless all had an increases in their graduation rates. The dropout rate in Boulder Valley remains the lowest of the top ten largest school districts in Colorado.

Improvement in the graduation rate is the result of very intentional efforts to address student needs as early as possible. By providing prompt individualized support, students are more likely to experience success in school. Employees/educators in every school are committed to increasing student success which makes all the difference.

Boulder Valley has significantly improved credit recovery programming in all schools. Educators work to reach students who are in danger of failing and help them learn the content/skills. Students are able to restore class credits by utilizing various alternative programs during the school year and in the summer.

Counseling is an integral part of appropriate and early intervention for students. BVSD has secured additional resources to help with this effort, specifically the Colorado School Counseling corps grant and other sources, targeted to assist high-risk students through personalized intervention.  

Boulder Valley School District is committed to increasing success of all students and prepare them for life after high school. The district strategic plan, The Success Effect, will enhance services and opportunities in the future fostering student success. Boulder Valley schools are exceptional because talented employees/educators are working in partnership with families and community to provide exceptional learning opportunities for all children.

Researching the ideal school day for all BVSD students

The Ideal School Day Task Force met throughout 2015 to develop a plan that maximizes success for all students using time as a variable and asset. The task force, formed under the auspices of a memorandum of understanding between the Boulder Valley School District Board of Education and the Boulder Valley Education Association, aligned its work with the district strategic plan.

Members of the task force included teachers from different levels and disciplines as well as parents and school administrators. The group was co-facilitated by Lynn Jackson, Boulder Valley Education Association, and Sandy Ripplinger, Assistant Superintendent.

District administrators are analyzing the task force recommendations, including potential logistical issues and costs, before presenting them to the Board of Education and me. We will determine early this semester which recommendations could be implemented in 2016-17 and which need further study. The recommendations under consideration are:

• Length of school day – Although contract time remains consistent for teachers at all levels, the task force recommends a 7-hour instructional day for elementary and middle school students and a 7.5-hour instructional day for high school students.
• Later start times for high schools – All high schools should have a later start time.
• District-wide K-5 rotation model with art, music and physical education – Ensure that students have 55-minute classes in each special, which increases time for art education.
• District-wide fifth grade instrumental music – The task force received additional proposals late in the process, so the district plans to continue studying this issue. No changes will be made for the 2016-17 school year to give us more time to develop a strategy that addresses the needs and desires of our students, staff and community.
  
  A representative group – general and instrumental music teachers, classroom teachers, counselors, parents, and school and district administration – will convene to review current models and propose a model that will better meet the needs of all students.
  
  We will continue to be guided by the work of the 2010-11 Elementary Specials Task Force, which adopted four principles:

1. Help students grow into well-rounded, healthy adults (based on current medical and educational research)
2. Provide equal time amongst the specials (Music, Instrumental Music, PE and Art)
3. Provide adequate time to teach the Guaranteed and Viable Curriculum
4. Maintain four content areas (Music, Instrumental Music, PE and Art)

• Analysis of middle school day and schedule – Formation of an Ideal Middle Level Day Task Force to investigate and recommend models that support students and foster optimal growth.
• Preschool day – Increase preschool to three hours.
• Board-approved regulation ADF-R on Wellness Physical Activity – Full implementation of the policy including a full 25 minutes for lunch and daily recess at elementary schools of at least 40 minutes.
• Universal breakfast – Provide breakfast during the school day.
• Time for teacher collaboration – All schools should have professional learning time for teachers outside of the instructional time for students but inside the contract time for teachers. 

I am pleased with the commitment of the task force members and thank them for their hard work to resolve complex problems with our current schedules that will enhance opportunities for success for all Boulder Valley students.

If you wish to provide feedback on these recommendations, please visit our Ideal School Day website.

Happy New Year!

Welcome back to the 2015-16 school year. I hope everyone had a restful and rejuvenating Winter Break.

As students return to school and begin second semester, school and district staff continue work on numerous initiatives supporting student success. Priority action plans are being implemented supporting the district strategic plan, The Success Effect. Phase one planning is well underway on the new bond construction and innovation work. The Board of Education and administration will begin developing the 2016-17 budget. Information describing the Colorado state student assessment will be distributed later this month.

The 2016 Colorado legislative session will begin January 13. This is an optimal time to work with legislators to secure adequate funding for public education. Underfunding public schools in Colorado is having a negative impact on schools, teachers and students throughout the state. BVSD has lost $175M since 2009 due to underfunding and the governor’s proposed budget will result in over $30M additional loss of funds.

If funding from the state had kept pace with inflation and enrollment growth since 2009, BVSD would be able to provide additional services for students including district-wide full-day kindergarten, implementing a comprehensive literacy program, and hiring more school counselors, nurses and teachers. For details, view this handout about The Cost of Education Student Services at BVSD.

Following are a few websites that provide information on organizations working on school funding and related issues.

• Great Education Colorado - an excellent advocacy organization for parents and educators http://www.greateducation.org/
• Colorado School Finance Project - BVSD is an active member of this organization. You can find a lot of information on this website and search TABOR on the site to find specific information. http://www.cosfp.org/
• Colorado Fiscal Institute - another excellent resource and we will be asking them to provide a presentation to the BVSD community after the first of the year. http://www.coloradofiscal.org/
• Colorado Futures Center at Colorado State University - provides vital research and analysis of public policies impacting Colorado’s future and quality of life. It has helpful information about TABOR. http://coloradofutures.colostate.edu/

I encourage all parents, students and staff to contact the governor and legislators to remind them of the importance of public education and encourage them to provide adequate funding. Legislators whose districts are wholly or partially within the boundaries of our school district are listed on the BVSD website. A full directory of members of the Colorado General Assembly is on the state’s website.

I’m looking forward to a great start for the new year!

State Assessment Results for 2014-15

On December 11, the Colorado Department of Education released district and school specific PARCC test results for the 2014/2015 school year. PARCC was administered to students statewide in grades 3-11 last year, assessing Math and English language arts. “PARCC” stands for “Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Career.”

PARCC is a new assessment and measures the state content standards. It is difficult to compare the results to previous assessments because PARCC measures different outcomes and the nature of the test items are notably different. The PARCC results will serve as a baseline to measure future student performance and growth. 

One way to review the assessment data is to examine BVSD student performance compared to the performance of all Colorado students. In the grade-by-grade analysis presented in these slides, BVSD elementary and middle level students outperformed the state by a wide margin overall, though not for students who receive meal assistance or English Language Development services. About 90% of BVSD elementary students took PARCC, compared to 95% statewide, and 80% of BVSD middle school students took PARCC, compared to 89% statewide. 

At the high school level, 34% of BVSD high school students took PARCC English Language Arts, compared to 61% statewide. Results from this level of participation should not be used to make inferences about district wide performance at high school.

The PARCC is developed to measure analytical thinking, rather than memorization, to better prepare students for college and careers. Education experts, including the state education department, have advised for months that test scores will be lower than previous assessments, given the more rigorous standards of the PARCC.

BVSD will continue using multiple measures to assess student performance and district educators will work to determine the value of PARCC. If we can find educational value in the PARCC, the participation rate will likely increase. It will take several years to fully appreciate what PARCC means to us and if the results will be helpful.

BVSD believes there is benefit to using quality classroom-based assessments to determine the needs of all students to inform educational strategies, investment of resources and appropriate interventions for students. However, present Colorado state assessment requirements for accountability are excessive and have limited utility for instructional improvement and supporting student success.

The Boulder Valley School District and Boulder Valley Education Association are committed to managing the impact of state-mandated assessments and utilizing appropriate assessments to foster student success and realize the school district vision, mission, and goals.

Student assessment will continue to be a major issue of discussion in the legislature and the state Board of Education this spring. This issue is not resolved for Colorado and with recent changes to federal law, it is not at all clear how our state will determine accreditation standards or accountability for school districts.

The discussion of multiple measures of student performance aligns with our strategic plan - The Success Effect. During the community consensus process in 2012-13, BVSD participants encouraged us to use multiple and diverse measures of student success. Strategic action plan priority teams are working on common measures that will align with BVSD vision, mission goals and new graduation expectations.

Data sourced from Colorado Department of Education.

Credit Jackie Fortier / KUNC

Data sourced from Colorado Department of Education.

Credit Jackie Fortier / KUNC

New Safe2Tell mobile app helps keep students safe

Student safety is a high priority in the Boulder Valley School District. I am writing to express my support of a new, free mobile app available from Safe2Tell and to encourage you to download it onto your smartphones.

Launched in 2004, the statewide Safe2Tell program was established as a phone tip line that students could call anytime day or night to report concerns about threats that potentially endangered them or someone they knew. A key element of the program’s success has been that the caller remains anonymous.

The new Safe2Tell app continues that commitment to anonymity while providing reporters with a more convenient and modern alternative to the phone line. The app allows students, parents and community members to submit secure, anonymous safety concerns with dialogue, image and video upload features sent to a live 24/7 answering point. The system provides Colorado school administrators and law enforcement officials with accurate information enabling quick, effective interventions to prevent violence and tragedies.

You can find this app in the Apple App Store or Google Play by searching for any of the following: Safe2Tell, Safe 2 Tell or Safe to Tell.

Tips can still be submitted on the Safe 2 Tell website at safe2tell.org or by calling the 24-hour tip line at 877-542-SAFE (7233).

Safe2Tell fields reports about a wide variety of threats, including:

• Bullying and physical threats

• Domestic violence and child abuse

• Assaults and harassment

• Sexual assault and misconduct

• Alcohol and drugs

• Suicide threats

• Gangs and fights

• Explosives, guns, knives and other weapons

• Stealing and vandalism

• Starting fires

• Internet misuse

• Ditching

• Animal cruelty

“Safe2Tell® is a state-funded strategic initiative of the Colorado Department of Law, Office of the Attorney General. The strategy focuses on Colorado children and youth and the issues they face today. The model was based on the Columbine Commission Report’s recommendation that students need a safe and anonymous way to keep lines of communication open. They realized that tragedies might be prevented if young people had a way to tell someone what they knew without fearing retaliation. The anonymity of all Safe2Tell reports is protected by C.R.S. 07-197. This means the reporting party remains UNKNOWN by Colorado state law.” (Source: http://safe2tell.org/who-we-are/)

Download the new app now!

Safe2Tell app for iPhone

Safe2Tell app for Android

Get the new BVSD Mobile App while you’re there!

BVSD app for iPhone

BVSD app for Android