Announcement
Opportunity to Provide Public Comment on New Tool for Green Schools in Colorado
Attn: Superintendents, Business Managers, Operations and Facilities Directors
There is a new voluntary tool for green schools in Colorado called CO-CHPS. The draft document is complete and is available for public review and comment.
The tool, developed by the Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS) and a Colorado based advisory committee, creates a benchmark for the design and construction of Colorado high performance school buildings that are efficient, comfortable, environmentally responsible and healthy spaces.
CO-CHPS will help ensure that the state’s schools have access to appropriate tools and resources to design high performance schools, schools that can improve student and staff health, improve student performance, increase a sense of community, reduce environmental impact and reduce operating expenses.
Colorado joins ten other states that have high performance schools programs including California, Texas, Washington, New York, Massachusetts and many northeastern states.
You can learn more about CO-CHPS, and review and comment on the new resource through Monday, March 30, at the link below.
Click Here for Additional Information
For More Information, Contact:
Ted Hughes
Division of Public School
Phone: 303 866-6948
Email: hughes_t@cde.state.co.us
School Psychology Recruitment
Attn: Special Education Directors, Human Resource Directors
In an effort to reduce the growing shortage of school psychologists in Colorado, CDE is conducting recruitment activities at the upcoming National Association of School Psychologists Conference, Feb. 24-27, 2009. The goal of the conference is to bring more out-of-state practitioners to Colorado to balance the reduced number of graduates in Colorado’s psychology programs this year.
CDE will recruit intern and regular school psychologist positions. CDE will have a table at the event to display district brochures and notebooks highlighting job openings by region.
Screening interviews will also be conducted. Information on promising candidates will be forwarded to special education directors, based on the geographic preferences of the interviewees. (Last year 18 prospective school psychologists and interns were interviewed, many of whom were interested in areas outside of the Denver metro region.)
In order for this effort to be successful, we are asking special education directors to provide CDE with:
• Information on the number of potential openings you will have along with a job description, including salary guidelines if available. (We will make multiple copies.)
• Flyers, brochures or other promotional materials about your district.
• Please send your materials by Wednesday, Feb. 18 to Barb Bieber at 1560 Broadway, Suite 1175, Denver CO 80202, or to the e-mail address below.
We hope you will join our effort to bring more school psychologists to our state.
For More Information, Contact:
Barb Bieber
Exceptional Student Leadership
Phone: 303-866-6933
Email: bieber_b@cde.state.co.us
CDE Authorization for Speech Language Patholgy Assistant
Attn: Special Education Directors
An Interim Speech Language Pathology Assistant (SLPA) CDE authorization was approved by the Colorado State Board of Education at its Jan. 14, 2009 meeting. Candidates for the interim SLPA authorization must meet the following requirements:
“An individual currently hired by an Administrative Unit or BOCES, who has a BA/BS in speech language hearing sciences (SLHS) or a BA/BS in a related discipline, who has completed a minimum of 22 semester credit hours in SLHS leveling course work, and who is functioning in the capacity of a SLPA providing speech-language services to children birth through 21 under the supervision of a CDE licensed and nationally certified speech-language pathologist, and who does not currently have a valid SLPA authorization from CDE may be granted an interim SLPA authorization for a period of one year. The individual must demonstrate good faith effort in completing the requirements for an SLPA authorization within a one year period.”
Click Here for Additional Information
For More Information, Contact:
Fran Herbert
Exceptional Student Leadership
Phone: 303-866-6604
Email: herbert_f@cde.state.co.us
Colorado Lincoln Bicentennial Commission Literary Contest
Attn: Teachers, Princpals, Librarians/library staff, Writing Coaches
The Colorado Lincoln Bicentennial Committee has announced a literary contest for elementary, middle, high school and college students to encourage today’s youth to discover the importance of great leaders like Abraham Lincoln. Submitted entries will be judged on their ability to answer the question through an essay response, creative writing, poetry, or visual art. Entry topics include:
-Elementary: describe a person who has the positive qualities possessed by Lincoln.
-Middle School: describe how you can incorporate Lincoln’s life ideals into your own life and attitudes.
-High School: Describe how your local community or the State does (or could) reflect the ideal of a community “conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.”
Submissions must be received by Monday, March 23. Judging will take place regionally and statewide beginning in May. Prizes may include certificates, medals, trophies, media coverage, tickets to sporting or cultural events, gift certificates, savings bonds and/or college scholarship opportunities. Please visit the link below for additional details and entry forms.
Click Here for Additional Information
For More Information, Contact:
Eugene Hainer
Colorado State Library
Phone: 303-866-6733
Email: hainer_g@cde.state.co.us
School Library Profiles Are Available Now
Attn: Superintendents, Principals, Librarian/library staff, Teachers
The 2008-09 School Library Profiles created by the State Library's Library Research Service (LRS) are available for schools that responded to the survey.
Eight hundred and thirty schools provided information about their libraries for 2008. Profiles compare individual school data with averages for schools of similar grade level and enrollment ranges.
Schools that did not respond to the survey can still compare statewide averages or area schools to assess current strengths or needs. The profiles can serve as a tool for planning the improvement of the library program in areas such as usage, expenditures, collection budget and visits. Contact the LRS for assistance with the profiles or other library-related data needs.
Click Here for Additional Information
For More Information, Contact:
Zeth Lietzau
Library Research Service, Colorado State Library
Phone: 303-866-6827
Email: lietzau_z@cde.state.co.us
Conference
Autism Workshop
Attn: Special Education Directors, Special Education Coordinators, Autism Teams, Autism Specialists
Autism teams, autism specialists or anyone responsible for district/BOCES wide training, coaching and consulting on autism is encouraged to attend this highly interactive two-day workshop.
Day one: PBS Regional Technical Assistance Coordinator, Nancy George-Nichols, will help teams improve their team decision making process while also providing techniques and instruction on the effective coaching and consultation of adult learners.
Is it autism or is it something else? Or is it both? Day two, Dr. Susan Hepburn, from the University of Colorado Health Science Center, will discuss differential diagnosis, dual diagnosis and strategies to use with these very complex students.
Bret Mixon and Melinda Graham will lead the teams in developing their protocol for service delivery and preview the State Autism Spectrum Disorder Quality Program Indicators.
This workshop is free and offered in the following locations.
March 4 & 5 Durango – Durango School District Administration Building
March 10 & 11 Sterling – Northeastern Junior College
April 2 & 3 Pueblo - TBD
April 15 & 16 Craig – Center of Craig
April 16 & 17 Glenwood Springs - CMC
April 28 & 29 North Metro area – TBD
Times at all locations: 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
A continental breakfast and lunch will be provided each day.
To register, or for more information on this workshop, contact Melinda Graham at the contact information below. In your e-mail, list the title and location of the workshop, your name, title or position, grade level(s) you serve and e-mail address. You will receive a certificate for 13 CDE contact hours.
For More Information, Contact:
Melinda Graham
Exceptional Student Leadership
Phone: 303-866-6707
Email: graham_m@cde.state.co.us
Colorado Department of Education
201 East Colfax Avenue
Denver, Colorado
80203-1799
Phone: 303-866-6822 or 303-866-2334
Do you know somebody in your school district who needs to read The Scoop each week? Send an e-mail to: CDE_Communications_Office@cde.state.co.us with "Sign Me Up For The Scoop" in the subject line. If you are having trouble signing up, please call the communications office at the telephone numbers above.
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