• Make Your Voice survey
• Budgeting for Results
• Legislative issues update
• Celebration of Excellence
• Columbine Community Day
• April Construction Fact Sheet
• Important Dates

The Key Communiqué is an online publication for Jeffco Public Schools Key Communicators, a network of community residents and leaders whose opinions are well respected by friends and colleagues.

Coming next week:
2006 Key Communicator Survey

Student survey shows positive response to schools and learning

The majority of students at Jefferson County Public Schools feel positive about their schools and their learning experience, according to the results of a comprehensive survey conducted in the fall. More than 60,000 students in second through 12th grade participated in the anonymous, biennial Make Your Voice Heard student survey that has been conducted by the school district since 1998.

Secondary school students were asked to rate their schools giving an “A” through “F” grade. Sixty-four percent of the respondents in seventh and eighth grades rated their school with an “A” or “B,” and nearly six in 10, or 58 percent of high school respondents gave the “A” or “B” grade to their schools.

Second through sixth grade students were asked about learning in various subjects; 89 percent of respondents agreed they are learning to become better readers, 88 percent agreed they are learning more about doing math. More than 87 percent of the student respondents agreed they are learning to be better writers.

The majority of high school respondents agree they are getting a quality education in history, social studies, English language arts, world languages, math and science and electives such as art, P.E., music, drama and computer technology. The remainder of the respondents on both questions were mostly neutral rather than disagreeing. Students also gave high marks to school safety and environment issues.

Key results for elementary students include:

•  Teachers: Ninety-six percent of elementary respondents agree or strongly agree that the teachers at their school believe they can learn and that their school has teachers who help students.

•  Parents: Between 93 percent and 99 percent of elementary respondents believe their parents help them learn, expect them to learn, and behave in school.

•  Safety: When asked if they feel safe in their school, 87 percent of respondents agree while nine percent are neutral. This is a positive increase from the previous survey. When asked if adults stop bullies at their school, nearly nine in 10 agree (eight percent are neutral).

•  Instruction: With elementary respondents, eight in 10 agree that taking tests helps them learn, while 12 percent are neutral. Agreement for this question increased three percentage points from the previous survey.

Key results for middle school students include:

•  Teachers: Most middle school respondents agree that their teachers are available to help them learn and listen to them. A new question on the survey this year asked respondents if the staff at their school challenges them to do their best. Nearly eight in 10 respondents agree with the statement while 15 percent are neutral.

•  Parents: 97 percent of students report that their parents expect them to do well in school, and to graduate. About three-quarters of respondents agree that parents ask them about what they are learning and help with homework. All of the parental involvement areas have improved since the last survey.

•  Safety: 70 percent of students agree that they feel safe in their school, and 19 percent are neutral. When asked if bullies or students who threaten others are not tolerated at their school, eight in 10 agree, while 13 percent are neutral.

•  Instruction: 82 percent of middle school respondents agree that school staff has high expectations for students to learn. The majority of middle school respondents agree that they are learning in a variety of areas, with 87 percent agreeing they are growing in their knowledge of science, 82 percent agreeing they are growing in their knowledge of math and 81 percent agreeing they are learning to understand history and/or geography and learning to be better writers. Two questions about computers were added to this year's survey. More than half (55 percent) agree that they are learning how to use computers/technology and the Internet (24 percent are neutral). When asked if “my teachers uses computers/ technology to help me learn,” nearly 6 in 10 (59 percent) of respondents agree while more than one-quarter (26 percent) are neutral.

Key results for high school students include:

The Jeffco Public Schools Board of Education continues to track current legislative proposals and as applicable takes a stand. Below is a comprehensive list of the board's position on each of the proposed bills (boldface titles indicate bills that the board has taken a position on since the last issue of the Key Communiqué was issued March 22).

The Board is studying the remainder of the draft bills and as they reach consensus on each, their decisions will be reported in the Key Communiqué.
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The annual Columbine Community Day is set for Saturday, April 29 in Clement Park, and this year will raise funds for the Columbine memorial. The event, sponsored by Columbine High School, will begin with a Run for Remembrance.

There will be 5K competitive and non-competitive races at 8 a.m. and a 4K fun run/walk at 8:30 a.m. The 5K run begins in the front parking lot of Columbine High School, winds around Johnston Reservoir through Clement Park and ends near the site of the future memorial. Race registration is $25 per person before April 15 ($30 thereafter) and includes race entry, t-shirt and awards. For information or registration, call 303-982-4488 or on the Run for Remembrance Web site.

Other Community Day events will follow the groundbreaking for the memorial at 10 a.m. Activities include a motorcycle rally, carnival, arts and crafts booths, pie throwing, hot dog eating contest, face painting, kids' events, sidewalk café and food concessions, and sales of t-shirts and remembrance bracelets. Columbine High School clubs will host the different activities, all to be held in Clement Park.
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The Board of Education holds Study/Dialogue Sessions (Seminar Room, 4th floor) and Business meetings (Board Room, 5th floor) at the Educational Services Center, 1829 Denver West Drive, Bldg #27, Golden, unless otherwise noted.