Children’s Hospital Colorado Celebrates 10 Years of Giving to Aurora Public Schools

NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 8, 2016 

WHAT: Children’s Hospital Colorado Transforms an APS School
WHEN: June 10, 8 a.m. – 2 p.m.
WHERE: Crawford Elementary School, 1600 Florence St., Aurora, CO 80010

Children’s Hospital Colorado Celebrates 10 Years of Giving to Aurora Public Schools

On Friday, June 10, Children’s Hospital Colorado employees won’t just be saving lives – they will be enriching the lives of APS students. Dozens of Children’s Colorado staff volunteers and APS volunteers will join together at Crawford Elementary School at 8 a.m. to give the school a landscape makeover.

This is the tenth year APS has partnered with Children’s Hospital Colorado on this school improvement community project:
Montview Math & Health Sciences Elementary – 2007
North Middle School Health Sciences & Technology Campus – 2008
Park Lane Elementary – 2009
Sable Elementary – 2010
South Middle – 2011
Laredo Elementary – 2012
Vaughn Elementary – 2013
Jewell Elementary – 2014
Wheeling Elementary – 2015
Crawford Elementary – 2016

Many generous organizations have donated from across the metro area to make this project possible:
A Mac Underground
CPS Distributors
Munding Design
Rainbird Manufacturing
Singing Hills Landscape
A&B Builders
Colorado Best Block
Dewitt Manufacturing
Hunter Irrigation
Pioneer Sand Co.
Rocky Mountain Flag CO
Ron Bath Masonry
Straight Line
Aquacita LLC
DBC Irrigation
MOA Architecture
Sand Creek Wholesale Nursery
EnergyCAP
Helena Chemical
Lasco
Old Castle
Spears
Tagawa Gardens
Trion Promotions
Wold Architects & Engineers

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Interested media may contact APS News Media Specialist
Patti Moon at 303-326-2755 or pamoon@aps.k12.co.us for more information

Crawford Elementary School Celebrates a Colorado Outstanding Assistant Principal of the Year

                                                                                                        

NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 4, 2016

WHAT: Crawford Elementary Celebration
WHEN: Tuesday, April 5, 2 p.m.
WHERE: Crawford Elementary School, 1600 Florence St, Aurora, CO 80010

Crawford Elementary School Celebrates a Colorado Outstanding Assistant Principal of the Year

Crawford Elementary School students, teachers, parents and community members are celebrating Assistant Principal Jennifer Buster. The Colorado Association of School Executives (CASE) recently named her a 2016 Outstanding Assistant Principal of the Year for Colorado.

Buster has been an educator for over 18 years and this is her fifth year as assistant principal at Crawford Elementary School. In her role, Buster has helped reshape student success and initiate tangible change. Described as a dedicated and selfless leader, Buster has been critical to the turnaround story of Crawford Elementary. After witnessing younger students struggling with literacy, Buster was instrumental in creating a new reading initiative program.

Crawford Elementary School has a diverse student population of 650 students and is heavily impacted by poverty. A quarter of its students are refugees.

CASE and the Colorado Association of Elementary School Principals (CAESP) will formally present Buster with her award at an upcoming school event on April 5. Please join us to celebrate with the Crawford Elementary School community.

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Interested media may contact APS News Media Specialist
Patti Moon at 303-326-2755 for more information

Aurora Public Schools Leader Named Outstanding Assistant Principal of the Year for Colorado

                                                                                                                    

NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 4, 2016

Aurora Public Schools Leader Named Outstanding Assistant Principal of the Year for Colorado

Jennifer Buster, Assistant Principal of Crawford Elementary School in Aurora Public Schools, has been named one of the 2016 Outstanding Assistant Principals of the Year for Colorado by the Colorado Association of School Executives (CASE) and a committee of her peers from the Colorado Association of Elementary School Principals (CAESP). 

Upon being notified of this honor, Buster stated, “I am incredibly honored and humbled to be recognized as a CASE 2016 Assistant Principal of the Year. I share this award with all of the staff, students and families at Crawford Elementary and thank them for their kindness, support and guidance. I am both grateful and blessed to represent such an amazing community of learners.” 

An educator for over 18 years, Buster is in her fifth year as assistant principal at Crawford Elementary School. In this role, Buster has helped to reshape student success and initiate tangible change. Described as a dedicated and selfless leader, Buster has been critical to the turnaround story of Crawford Elementary. After witnessing students struggling with literacy among the younger grades, Buster was instrumental in creating a new reading initiative program that included a plan for implementation, updated phonological instruction, professional development for teachers and progress monitoring for students.

Of the success of this program, Crawford Elementary Principal Jennifer Passchier, the 2015 recipient of the National Distinguished Principal of the Year Award for Colorado, said, “Our staff is now more knowledgeable of reading foundational skills, and the impact is evident through our students’ reading and writing…Ms. Buster’s leadership was instrumental in this celebration.” 

Buster also recognized that to better help students meet the vision that “every Crawford student is an engaged individual who shapes a successful future,” Crawford Elementary needed a truly dedicated and trained staff of educators. Working in collaboration with administrators and staff at Crawford Elementary, Buster not only improved professional development, but helped to establish a rigorous hiring process that resulted in a staff fully committed to Crawford students and their needs.

Superintendent of Aurora Public Schools Rico Munn said, “Assistant Principal Jennifer Buster is a champion of the amazing work staff members do every day to support Crawford students and families. It is an honor to be able to celebrate the hard work and dedication exemplified by Jenny and her colleagues at Crawford.”

Crawford Elementary School is an urban school located in Aurora and is part of the Adams/Arapahoe 28J - Aurora Public Schools District. With 650 students in pre-kindergarten to fifth grade, Crawford Elementary serves a diverse student population of which 90 percent of students receive free or reduced-price meals and approximately 25 percent of students come from refugee backgrounds. Buster, along with the staff of Crawford Elementary, works tirelessly to meet the ever-changing needs of these students.

“We know that the relationship between principals and the school community is a powerful one, and CASE is proud to recognize the outstanding efforts of Jennifer Buster and to honor her as a leader in Colorado education,” CASE Executive Director Bruce Caughey said. “Her work as Assistant Principal directly impacts and positively influences the students of Crawford Elementary— she is an inspiration for those endeavoring to deliver on the promise of public education.” 

Buster was selected for this honor by her peers through a rigorous and competitive process facilitated by the Colorado Association of Elementary School Principals (CAESP), a department of CASE and affiliate of the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP). The Outstanding Assistant Principal of the Year program is sponsored by CAESP, CASE and McGraw Hill Education.

The award recognizes the exceptional leadership of those responsible for the day-to-day operations of PreK-8 schools. By recognizing the efforts of these leaders in education, the award instills pride in their accomplishments and reinforces their leadership in helping children develop a lifelong love of learning.

CASE and CAESP will formally present Buster with her award at an upcoming school event. She and other CASE award winners also will be recognized at an awards ceremony this spring, as well as at the 47th Annual CASE Education Leadership Convention this summer in Breckenridge.

About CASE: The Colorado Association of School Executives (www.co-case.org) is the preeminent professional association for public school administrators in Colorado. The organization’s mission is to empower Colorado education leaders through advocacy, professional learning and networking to deliver on the promise of public education.

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Interested media may contact APS News Media Specialist 
Patti Moon at 303-326-2755 for more information

 

 

ACTION Zone Innovation Update

Based on feedback from parents, students, staff and the community, the Aurora Central High School innovation plan has been revised and posted at the ACTION Zone website.  The revised plans from the other proposed ACTION Zone schools were also posted a week ago at the ACTION Zone website at aps2020.aurorak12.org/action-zone/.

Innovation plans for Boston K-8, Crawford and Paris will be presented to the APS Board of Education on March 1.  The Aurora Central plan will likely be presented to the Board later this month. Staff at Aurora West College Preparatory Academy decided not to move forward with their innovation plan at this time.

Four APS Schools Begin Universal Breakfast and Lunch Program

NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 7, 2015

Four APS Schools Begin Universal Breakfast and Lunch Program

Boston K-8, Crawford Elementary, Kenton Elementary and Paris Elementary are participating in a Universal Breakfast and Lunch program for the 2015-2016 school year. Breakfast and lunch will be available to all students enrolled at these schools at no charge. All meals will be served to all students at no charge regardless of eligibility status.

Studies have shown that children who are not hungry perform better in school. By providing breakfast and lunch to all children at no charge, we are hoping to continue our efforts to provide the best learning environments possible for our students.

The school breakfast and lunch that we serve follows U.S. Department of Agriculture guidelines for healthy school meals. The Universal Meals Program cannot succeed without community support. Please encourage students to participate in school meal programs.

Non-Discrimination Statement: The U.S. Department of Agriculture prohibits discrimination against its customers, employees and applicants for employment on the bases of race, color, national origin, age, disability, sex, gender identity, religion, reprisal, and where applicable, political beliefs, marital status, familial or parental status, sexual orientation, or all or part of an individual’s income is derived from any public assistance program, or protected genetic information in employment or in any program or activity conducted or funded by the Department. (Not all prohibited bases will apply to all programs and/or employment activities.) If you wish to file a Civil Rights program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Complaint Form, found online at http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html, or at any USDA office, or call (866)632-9992 to request the form. You may also write a letter containing all of the information requested in the form. Send your completed complaint form or letter to us by mail at U.S. Department of Agriculture, Director, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410, by fax (202)690-7442 or email at program.intake@usda.gov. Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339; or (800) 845-6136 (Spanish). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

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Interested media may contact APS News Media Specialist
Patti Moon at 303-326-2755 for more information

Denver Broncos' David Bruton Jr. Visits APS Students, Encourages Reading During Summer

NEWS RELEASE #48
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 8, 2015

WHAT: David Bruton Jr. Visits APS Students, Encourages Reading
WHEN: Monday, May 11, 2015 from 1-2:30 p.m.
WHERE: Kenton Elementary (1-1:45 p.m.) & Crawford Elementary (2-2:30 p.m.)
                  1255 Kenton St.                                  1600 Florence St.
                  Aurora, CO 80010                               Aurora, CO 80010

Denver Broncos' David Bruton Jr. Visits APS Students, Encourages Reading During Summer

Denver Broncos’ David Bruton Jr. will be visiting third-grade students at Kenton and Crawford elementary schools on Monday, May 11. Bruton will talk to students about reading over the summer, the importance of literacy and share why he is passionate about books.

His new charity foundation, Bruton’s Books, will focus on improving reading proficiency for students from kindergarten through third grade. The foundation is partnering with Colorado Reading Corps and School Partners to help schools in low-income areas of Denver. Together, the organizations will provide tutoring opportunities and reading supplies.

Bruton will visit with students at Kenton Elementary on Monday afternoon from 1-1:45 p.m. He will then head over to Crawford Elementary and visit with students from 2-2:30 p.m. Following this initial visit, he will drop off books at both schools on Monday, May 19.

About Colorado Reading Corps: The Colorado Reading Corps is a strategic program of the School Readiness Initiative at Mile High United Way. The goal of the program is to ensure that all children are competent readers by the end of third grade. Tutors serve more than 1,700 hours per year at each elementary school. They work with 25-30 students every school year.

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Interested media may contact APS News Media Specialist
Patti Moon at 303-326-2755 or pamoon@aps.k12.co.us for more information

Crawford Elementary School Celebrates National Distinguished Principal of the Year for Colorado

                                                                                                                                      

NEWS RELEASE #37
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 31, 2015

WHAT: Crawford Elementary Celebration
WHEN: Thursday, April 2, 1:45 p.m.
WHERE: Crawford Elementary School, 1600 Florence St, Aurora, CO 80010

Crawford Elementary School Celebrates National Distinguished Principal of the Year for Colorado

Crawford Elementary School students, teachers, parents and community members are celebrating Principal Jenny Passchier. The Colorado Association of School Executives (CASE) recently named her the 2015 National Distinguished Principal of the Year for Colorado.

Passchier has been an educator in Aurora Public Schools for more than 15 years and has served as a principal for the past seven. Upon starting at Crawford Elementary School, she focused on drastically improving student achievement. In fact, Crawford achieved the highest overall proficiency increase of all elementary schools in Aurora based on 2014 TCAP (Colorado’s state assessment) scores.

Passchier attributes the positive, trusting and collaborative culture in the building as a factor to the school’s success. The building climate survey results improved significantly under her leadership and teacher turnover decreased fourfold.

Crawford Elementary School has a diverse student population of 755 students and is heavily impacted by poverty. A fifth of its students are refugees. Passchier and her staff have met students’ basic needs by creating various community partnerships and family supports.

CASE and CAESP will formally present Passchier with her award at an upcoming school event on April 2. Please join us to celebrate with the Crawford Elementary School community.

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Interested media may contact APS News Media Specialist
Patti Moon at 303-326-2755 for more information

Crawford Elementary School leader named National Distinguished Principal of the Year for Colorado

                                                                                                                                      

NEWS RELEASE #33
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 23, 2015

Crawford Elementary School leader named National Distinguished Principal of the Year for Colorado

Jennifer Passchier, Principal of Crawford Elementary School in Aurora Public Schools, has been named the 2015 National Distinguished Principal of the Year for Colorado by the Colorado Association of School Executives (CASE), and will represent Colorado in the national award program.

An educator for more than 16 years and in Aurora Public Schools for all but her first year, Passchier has served as a principal for the past seven years. Upon starting at Crawford Elementary School two years ago, Passchier made the strategic decision to focus on a standards-based teaching learning cycle and writing across all content areas. She attributes this decision as the reason why Crawford achieved the highest overall proficiency increase of all elementary schools in Aurora based on 2014 TCAP (Colorado’s state assessment) scores.

Passchier also attributes the positive, trusting and collaborative culture in the building as a factor to the school’s success. The building climate survey results improved significantly under her leadership.  Teacher turnover decreased four-fold resulting in a strong community of educator professionals committed to the vision and sustaining the work.

Superintendent of Aurora Public Schools (APS) Rico Munn said, “Principal Passchier will be humble and defer to the great work of her students and staff, but we also want to recognize her incredible work. She is an incredible asset to the families at Crawford Elementary, Aurora Public Schools and the greater community.”

Jocelyn Stephens, Passchier’s supervisor and APS P-20 Learning Community Director, states, “I count it a gift to have a leader like Ms. Passchier in our learning community; she models how the work of a principal can be relevant to the true needs of a school community in a passionate, authentic and strategic way.” 

Upon being notified of this honor, Passchier stated, “It is a great honor and a humbling experience to be recognized in this way.” She adds, as Superintendent Munn anticipated, “In addition, this honor is a reflection of the hard work that our students and teachers have taken on this past year through our work together.”

Crawford Elementary School has a diverse student population of 755 students and is heavily impacted by poverty. Twenty percent of its students are refugees. Passchier has addressed some of the challenges of meeting students’ basic needs by creating community partnerships and family supports, such as classes for families to educate them on how to support reading at home.

Passchier was selected for this honor by her peers through a rigorous and competitive process facilitated by the Colorado Association of Elementary School Principals (CAESP), a department of CASE and affiliate of the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP). The National Distinguished Principal of the Year program is sponsored by NAESP, in corporate partnership with VALIC.

“As studies indicate, principal leadership is second only to strong instruction when it comes to impacting student achievement,” stated CASE Executive Director Bruce Caughey. “CASE is proud to honor Jenny Passchier and to recognize the leadership she has demonstrated at Crawford Elementary School and throughout her education career.”

CASE and CAESP will formally present Passchier with her award at an upcoming school event on April 2. She and other CASE award winners also will be recognized at an awards ceremony this spring, as well as at the 46th Annual CASE Education Leadership Convention this summer in Breckenridge.

About CASE
The Colorado Association of School Executives (www.co-case.org) is the preeminent professional association for public school administrators in Colorado. The organization’s mission is to empower Colorado education leaders through advocacy, professional learning and networking to deliver on the promise of public education. 

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Interested media may contact APS News Media Specialist
Patti Moon at 303-326-2755 for more information

Public Hearing on Priority Improvement or Turnaround Unified Improvement Plan Schools

NEWS RELEASE # 43
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 28, 2012

Public Hearing on Priority Improvement or
Turnaround Unified Improvement Plan Schools

On December 11, 2012, the Aurora Public Schools Board of Education will hold a public hearing  at 6:00 p.m. in the Dr. Ed Lord and Patricia Lord Boardroom, ESC 4, 1085 Peoria Street, Aurora, Colorado,  80011, to review the adoption and implementation of a school improvement plan as described in section 22-11-404 C.R.S., a school priority improvement plan as described in section 22-11-405 C.R.S., or a school turnaround plan as described in section 22-11-406 C.R.S. 

The district and following schools are required to develop a priority improvement or turnaround plan:

• Arkansas Elementary School
• Crawford Elementary School
• Jewell Elementary School
• Kenton Elementary School
• Paris Elementary School
• Sixth Avenue Elementary School
• Mrachek Middle School
• Boston K-8 School
• Fletcher Intermediate School of Science and Technology
• APS Online High School
• Aurora Central High School

The Board of Education is expected to approve the plans on January 8, 2012.  For more information, please contact Chief Accountability and Research Officer Lisa Escárcega, at 303-344-8060 ext. 28436.

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