Expansion of technology, greater access coming soon to your location
Wireless access to the internet is now a reality in all LPS facilities. According to Dan Maas, LPS chief information officer, the goal was to have wireless active in all schools by the first day of class, and that goal was met. Wireless access gives employees opportunities to use technology for student learning and for their day to day work without the physical “tether” to the wall. It allows students and teachers to use technology together anywhere within the facility. Internet access will remain filtered, and everyone is bound by district policies for acceptable use. Wireless is currently active for district and school-provided computers. Access for personally-owned devices is a topic principals will address in the coming weeks. Look for more information about wireless access in upcoming issues of E-Contact.
First late start scheduled for August 29
All Littleton Public Schools will begin classes exactly two hours later Wednesday, August 29. This is the first of 10 late start days this school year, which were scheduled to allow time for Professional Learning Communities districtwide. Buses will also run exactly two hours later on all late start mornings. The late start dates have been widely publicized to our parent community through school newsletters, various websites, and the Back To School mailer. Please remind the parents you come in contact with of this important date.
LPS welcomes 109 new teachers
One hundred nine new teachers were formally welcomed and “pinned” at this year’s new teacher breakfast August 15 at Powell Middle School. Featured speaker Mark Sanborn, author of “The Fred Factor” and “You Don’t Need a Title to be a Leader”, addressed the group. New teachers and their instructional coaches attended training sessions addressing the four critical questions of Professional Learning Communities during the remainder of the day. A New Teacher E-Academy is now available on the LPS Intranet and includes links to resources for classes, curriculum, licensure, library searches, etc. Visitors need to log in with their user name and password to access the LPS Intranet.
Heritage to host national best-selling author August 28
Ishmael Beah, author of “A Long Way Gone – Memoirs of a Boy Soldier”, will be a guest speaker at Heritage High Tuesday, August 28 at 8:30 a.m. Beah’s visit is timely; last spring, Heritage raised more than $14,000 for Sierra Leone, Beah’s war-torn homeland.
Hats Off
Littleton High social studies teacher James Gordon was recognized as a 2007 Boettcher Foundation Teacher at the Boettcher Awards Program on August 5. The recipients of the award received a $1,000 grant that may be used toward a special program or project at their school. James was nominated by 2007 Boettcher Scholar Greg Sobetski.
Julie Carlson - coordinator of instruction, Kevin Rieban (Heritage), Amanda Crosby (Arapahoe), Laura Rink (Twain), Kendy Blake and Laura Hamill (Powell), and Marty Oliver (Goddard) presented at the National Staff Development Council summer conference July 18. Their topic was “Rethinking Classroom Grading: Guiding Teachers to Grading for Learning”.
The Arapahoe High School Band received a Colorado Bandmasters Association Exemplary Award. The award is given to band programs across the state of Colorado that perform at a superior level in the areas of concert, marching, jazz and solo/ensemble music.
Arapahoe High, Heritage High and Littleton High bands performed in the Western Welcome Week parade on Saturday, August 18. They sounded and looked fantastic!
Becky Burgess (Runyon) was awarded a Susan Royer Skye Literacy Fellowship for $500 to enhance her professional practice.
Brett Boyles (Options) was one of only two teachers in Colorado chosen to attend the Honeywell Educators at Space Academy Program this summer at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama. Read about Brett's experiences.
Guy Grace, LPS director of security and emergency planning, was one of three featured panelists in a national "webinar" that took place June 21 on various public education security issues. About 370 security professionals from public schools and universities across the country participated in the online seminar.
LPS Assistant Superintendent of Student Support Services Lucinda Hundley has been appointed to Governor Ritter's P-20 Education Coordinating Council. The 32-member panel has been charged with overseeing education reform in Colorado.
Arapahoe High School yearbook, Calumet, was a National Yearbook Pacemaker nominee. The award was given by the National Scholastic Press Association. Twenty-three Pacemakers were named this year and the Calumet was the only Colorado nomination. The yearbook was judged 9th place Best of Show at the convention co-sponsored by NSPA and Journalism Education held in Denver. The Arapahoe Herald newspaper was named 10th place Best of Show. Caitlin O’Brien earned an Excellent in Editorial Writing (newspaper) and Kiersten Peterson earned a Superior and medal of recognition for Newspaper Feature Writing (yearbook).
Several LPS employees hold offices in professional organizations this year. Susan Perow (Euclid) is president and Lori Nichol (Littleton) is president-elect of the Littleton Association of Education Office Professionals. Lori will represent LAEOP on the Classified Employee’s Advisory Council this year. Dan Maas, chief information officer, recently took office as president of the Colorado Association of School Executives. Lori Kinney, director of human resources, has been elected secretary/treasurer for the Colorado Association of School Personnel Administrators. Diane Leiker, director of communications, has been elected secretary for the Colorado School Public Relations Association.
Twenty-three Arapahoe High School students and seven teachers gave up a night of their summer to participate in the Littleton Relay for Life at Hudson Gardens. Three teams together raised over $11,000 for the American Cancer Society.
Arapahoe High School Band has been selected to perform in the 2009 New Year’s Parade in London England. In addition, the London Parade Gala Concert Series has invited the Arapahoe Wind Symphony to perform a concert at one of their evening concert venues.