February is always an exciting month with many opportunities for D’Evelyn students to display their talents in athletics and extracurricular activities. This weekend (February 23 - February 25) will be one of the year’s biggest weekends for D’Evelyn community members to support our students on the court and the stage.
Friday, February 23rd - the 7th seeded D’Evelyn girls’ basketball team will host the 26th seeded Classical Academy in the 2nd round of the Colorado 4A girls’ basketball tournament at 7 PM in the D’Evelyn gymnasium. As evidenced by their 7th seed in the tournament, the girls have completed a very successful regular season in one of the state’s most competitive conferences. Best of luck to Coach Olson and his squad heading into the playoffs! The Colorado 4A Girls Basketball Tournament bracket can be found here. Saturday, February 24th - the 13th seeded D’Evelyn boys’ basketball team will host the 20th seeded Mead High School in the 2nd round of the Colorado 4A boys’ basketball tournament at 7 PM in the D’Evelyn gymnasium. Like the girls, the boys have completed a great season to date in their very competitive conference. Best of luck to Coach Zinn and his team heading into their first playoff game of the year! The Colorado 4A Boys Basketball Tournament bracket can be found here. Ticket pricing will follow state guidelines for the entirety of the playoffs. For this weekend specifically, general admission adult tickets are $7, and student and senior citizen tickets are $5. Except for CHSAA passes, no passes will receive free admission for attendees. On the stage, the cast, crew, orchestra, and production team of the D’Evelyn musical has already completed three stellar showings of this year’s show, Big Fish. I had the great fortune of seeing the play last night, and offer my most sincere praise for the great production. Good news! There are still two remaining shows for those that have not yet seen the play, or that would like to view the play again. On Friday, February 23rd and Saturday, February 24th, the musical will have its final two showings of 2018. Best wishes to directors Adam and Jennifer Lillibridge and the entire cast, crew, and orchestra on two more wonderful performances! Tickets can be purchased for $11 online here and $14 at the door. One of the most rewarding and refreshing elements of my job as D’Evelyn principal is seeing our very talented students in action, both inside and outside the classroom. As a former coach, I sincerely believe in the benefits the D’Evelyn program provides students throughout all areas of their lives. The proof lies in the work of these fine student-athletes, student-performers, and technical theatre crew members. Thank you to these great students, their families, and the teachers, coaches, and sponsors responsible for leading these integral student programs. The school shooting on Wednesday at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida is deeply saddening, troubling, and concerning. Sadly, this incident is not new or unknown to American communities - the frequency and intensity of school violence is already high and consistently growing.
This week’s incident is a tragic reminder of the importance of vigilance and mindfulness in keeping students safe in school. My most sincere thoughts and condolences lie with the families of students, faculty, and staff involved in this horrific event, as well as the many families around the country that have been the victims of violence in the school setting. As a school administrator, my primary role in the school is ensuring a safe, secure environment for all students. An integral part of our training of faculty & staff throughout the year involves the safety and security of D’Evelyn students and staff. The successful management of a safe and secure school environment requires the support and engagement of all school stakeholders. In our February 20th faculty meeting, I will review safety norms and procedures. In that meeting, I will reiterate the importance of being watchful and mindful of students and their wellbeing. This is an important component of maintaining a safe and supportive school community, and being responsive to student needs as they arise. However, I am also confident that the faculty and staff cannot solely sustain oversight of the wellbeing of all students all day, every day. We rely heavily upon the support of parents, family members, peers, and friends to gather information about students that may be struggling. I request the support of all D’Evelyn community members - students, parents, family members, faculty, staff, and administrators - to reach out to trusted adults if they are concerned about the wellbeing or safety of any member of the D’Evelyn community. We have a talented, skilled, and responsive faculty and staff. I encourage all students and families to develop connections with D’Evelyn faculty and staff members, and to reach out when there are concerns. A brief review of the most relevant personnel follows:
Additionally, students, families, faculty, and staff are welcome to utilize confidential reporting measures to convey concerns to D’Evelyn leadership. The Safe2Tell program has been effective in mitigating school violence and supporting student safety - reports may be filed at www.Safe2Tell.org or by calling 1-877-542-7233. I reiterate my earlier request - when D’Evelyn community members have a concern about the wellbeing or safety of any other community member, I ask for your commitment that you will share that concern with the most appropriate trusted adult in the building. Ultimately, the most important point of emphasis is that reports are made to at least one adult employee in the D’Evelyn community. The objective of perfect school safety and security can only be achieved when the efforts of all stakeholders are unified and directed to that end - the maintenance of a safe, secure, distraction-free, and comfortable learning environment. I sincerely thank you for your support and commitment to keeping our school safe and secure. I am honored and grateful to have been selected as the D’Evelyn Junior/Senior High School principal in an ongoing capacity. I sincerely thank the Steering Committee, Principal Hiring Committee, parent, student, and faculty/staff interview teams, and Jeffco Schools personnel for their support of my candidacy for the principal position. I appreciate the support I have felt from throughout the D’Evelyn community during my interim appointment to the principal position, as well as in the application process. Additionally, I am very thankful to have the support of my loving family and friends, who in many ways provide the support needed for me to fulfill the responsibilities of the D’Evelyn principal position.
It is an honor to serve as the leader of this great school. I share a sincere belief in the greatness of the D’Evelyn program, as outlined in the Program Document and carried out in the school each day. I am thankful that this educational opportunity is available to D’Evelyn students - high behavioral and academic standards, a rigorous liberal arts curriculum, and a knowledgeable, committed faculty delivering our rich education to all students. Most importantly, I believe that the cumulative benefits of the six-year D’Evelyn program are so great that students will be prepared for their future - personally, socially, academically, and professionally - regardless of their pursuits after high school. I am grateful to fulfill this position for a myriad of reasons. It is wonderful to lead a school filled with students dedicated to learning and personal growth. It is both beneficial and refreshing to serve this school community, where families have a shared sense of the value of education and its importance in the development of each child. I am constantly impressed by the expertise and service of our faculty and staff, and am confident that D’Evelyn students and families are fortunate to share in the work of our committed faculty and staff. I also appreciate the support, and guidance of the D’Evelyn Steering Committee, working to ensure that the vision of the D’Evelyn philosophy is lived each day in our school. I feel a combination of relief and excitement to move into the “permanent” principal role. I understand that the D’Evelyn principalship carries great responsibility and expectations. It is my sincere commitment to ensure that the D’Evelyn program, as outlined in our Founding Document, stays consistent, and is available to students for years to come. However, I share my additional, and more pressing, commitment with you that I take my responsibility to lead this school in the present very seriously. While I am personally able to see and celebrate the excellent traits of D’Evelyn, I am committed to leading the school in a way that supports D’Evelyn students and celebrates their many successes. I will lead the school in a manner that honors our philosophy and the many great practices already existing in the school, while maintaining a consistent eye on areas where we can improve as a school and system. I look forward to serving the D’Evelyn community as principal for many years. I am confident that my experience, leadership, and decision-making will provide a clear vision for the school going forward. Thank you for your support of D’Evelyn Junior/Senior High School - I am excited to work with you and serve this community going forward. D’Evelyn Junior/Senior High School was recognized with the John Irwin School of Excellence Award at the February 1 Jeffco Schools Board of Education Meeting. The award recognizes schools that demonstrate exceptional academic achievement over time. This is the 15th consecutive year that D’Evelyn received the honor.
The recognition is a great reflection of the work and academic growth shown by D’Evelyn students each day. Additionally, it is a recognition of the quality instruction and student support offered by the D’Evelyn faculty and staff. I find this distinction particularly gratifying for our school, because of the important role that Mr. Irwin played in Colorado government and his educational experience during his illustrious professional career. Further, he was a strong advocate of choice schools, a movement that permitted the creation of D’Evelyn Junior/Senior High School in 1994. At D’Evelyn, the academic focus has been and will remain on providing all students with access to a rich, liberal arts curriculum, complemented by electives intended to support each student in their full academic and personal development. It is exciting to see our students perform well on various standardized tests with which they are presented. It is my sincere belief that the liberal arts program, quality instruction, and student and family dedication we see at D’Evelyn provides the necessary preparation for students to thrive when faced with any academic challenge. Without teaching specifically to any test, D’Evelyn students continue to earn very high marks, and significant accolades for the school. Congratulations to all D’Evelyn students, faculty, staff, and families on this great achievement. |
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