PUEBLO PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT 70
Lisa Asbury, Principal of Rye Elementary School, attended the February 7 District 70 School Board of Education meeting to share the good news that Rye Elementary had received two generous donations. She spoke to the board to let them know that Don Banner had donated $1000, and Kim and Kimberly Barickman had donated $9435 towards the planned outdoor classroom. Asbury advised that with these donations, funds are now available so that the outdoor classroom can be built at Rye Elementary this summer.
During the bond update to the board, Bond Manager Ted Ortiviz advised that the long-awaited screen for the Rye High School scoreboard had finally arrived. It was delayed by eight months due to multiple setbacks.
Ortiviz said as soon as the weather warms up, the parking lot at Craver Middle School will be repaired. The lot was damaged by a crane being used to set cooling units on top of the school. He assured the board that the repairs would not cost the district as the crane company did not take proper precautions and they will be covering the cost of the repairs.
Ortiviz spoke about security systems that have been installed throughout the district, with training so staff can view cameras remotely will be held soon. Rye Elementary is one of the schools where training will be provided.
With National School Counseling Week being held from February 6 to the 10, three of D70’s counselors spoke to the board about their jobs and roles in the schools. Katie Brown of Prairie Winds Elementary, Tara Roybal of Skyview Middle School, and Julie McMurry of Pueblo West High School reminded the board of the counselor's importance and urged them to try to get counselors into every D70 school.
Pueblo West High School (PWHS) Principal Jamison Wagner and PWHS Academy Coordinator Tonja Odell discussed the new apprentice program available at their school.
Wagner advised that following a discussion he had with PEDCO President Jeff Shaw about how to get students interested in school, Shaw arranged a donation through the Watts Foundation. This allowed three junior students to attend classes at Pueblo Community College (PCC) while also doing apprenticeship work with the D70 ground maintenance and electrician workers. The Watts Foundation recently made an additional $30,000 donation to add another student to the program. The students rotate their training through several different types of work, including plumbing, electrical, and HVAC. Upon completing their high school years of the program, they are eligible for an additional year of education through the Ascent Program allowing them to graduate from PCC debt free.
Odell advised that a similar program is being set up for a law and justice program to assist students in legal and judicial studies. Classes will be taught at PWHS by law enforcement personnel and can lead students to careers in many different branches of the judicial system.
During the open forum portion of the meeting Mike Gutierrez, of Destination Imagination, spoke about a regional science fair to be held at PCC on March 11. He predicts approximately 210 elementary students from the 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades will participate in the science fair.
The next D70 Board of Education meeting will be held on February 21 at 6:00 p.m. at the Educational Services Center at 24951 E. Hwy 50, Pueblo.