Tonight was tough, and wonderful to stand side by side other Campbell supporters. Numerous parents and grandparents spoke, teachers current and past spoke, Campbell faculty of 20+ years spoke, community members and even a concerned parent from one of Campbell’s receiving schools spoke. One by one we took our turn, I had to pause to catch my breath before I could proceed I wasn’t the only one. It was emotional, it was heartfelt and poignant. It was also sad. Every time I leave one of these meetings I need to decompress. Tonight I witnessed a district member reading on a laptop while people spoke, what was so important? Why couldn’t they stay present? I was watching. I’ve watched, I’ve listened.. I’ve cried. Tonight I cried on the way home. The gravity of the situation feels even heavier now. The board will vote in 8 days, on the eve of my daughter’s birthday. What a way to spend your 7th birthday. Fear not, I will not allow it to go dim. Birthdays are meant for celebration, they are our own personal New Years. She deserves the best! That sentence is exactly why I started this petition to begin with.
And because I know Campbell is special, for all the reasons that matter and more. Its a family and clearly it is cared about deeply as expressed in speeches given tonight.
Each time I have spoken or written to the board I have shared my thoughts here. Tonight is no exception. I typically pour over my letters and speeches for days, maybe weeks before presenting them. Not this time. This time I have been met with writers block, it finally shifted this afternoon..I hope it reads well, I’d like to believe it was heard. Thank you to everyone who has signed this petition, shared it, listened to me rant, and for being partners with me in this journey. I have learned a lot, and I’ve learned I have a lot more to learn about how schools in Colorado not just Jeffco are funded. I want the head of the dragon. My journey may or may not be over soon with Jeffco. Jeffco has some making up to do to keep my family in it’s chairs. I want proof of “robust funding of extraordinary experiences” for ALL children of Jeffco not just the upper class. I will be watching, I will make noise when necessary and I will press for accountability!
My speech 11/02/2022 Public Hearing, RE: Campbell for closure:
Coming down the stretch to this last and final public meeting for Campbell, I found myself not knowing what to say tonight... I have said all the things, I created a petition, I’ve done radio, tv interviews, written countless letters and I’ve stood before the board and spoke my concerns. Perhaps it is the inevitable reality glaring down that prevented my thoughts from paper... perhaps it’s a fact that I believe my words fall on deaf ears, especially after posing a question RE: Board accountability, to each board member and Superintendent with little to no reply. Out of the two replies I received only one felt authentic. The other told me to quote; “hold the board accountable at the ballot box” and “to ask whether my child is getting all the basic things they need, like a digital teacher librarian, a class size that allows their teachers to really know and help them without being too small for dynamic relationships. Above and beyond—a fostering of passions and intellectual curiosity, expect co-curricular and extra-curricular opportunities.” (end quote) Her list is ALL things that exist at Campbell, plus Campbell’s test scores are in the green, more reasons why we choice into Jeffco for Campbell!
Except class size...class size is disproportionate in the lower grades at Campbell and far exceeds the 18-24 class size the district supposedly uses as a foundation. My child’s 1st grade class is just under 30! When is it enough for another teacher? The same story is true for kindergarten and 2nd grades at Campbell... so many tables and chairs it’s a maze to navigate. Teachers are struggling at 24, and its constantly being pushed to 30. Over crowded classroom to save a buck needs to stop. It needs mentioned how much money it costs families to participate in classroom parties such as Halloween and Valentines, when you must supply enough for 30 kids, how is it fair for low-income families? The solution I hear now is, “it will
improve...next year will be better”. I am here to say I will personally take the time to research class sizes at elementary schools next year and I will hold you to the 18-24 promise.
Lack of long-range planning in Jeffco is nothing new, for example the district put the need for an $22 million-dollar Olympic pool before it’s students learning. To quote Susan Miller “This money should be going for the purpose of our competency of teaching our children and should be providing opportunities for our kiddos”, especially schools like Vivian and Molholm, ironically both now face the chopping block.
But hey there will be a tank to hold our tears.
This district is off track and out of touch with what really matters and why families continue to choice-out. Until Jeffco gets to the root of the problem, this trend will continue and more schools will close. We are collateral damage and a band-aid to a much bigger problem. If Charter schools are continually allowed to open within two miles
of a public school, and are allowed to advertise, public schools will continue to lose students to charters. Charters can and do serve a purpose. By design they are meant to supply children with specific
curriculums not taught at public schools... they also are not a part of the FCB report, how interesting. No wonder why families near Campbell select Lincoln, at least they can live without fear of closure.
The Campbell community has become family at drop offs and pickups...we communicate, ask and learn about each other’s children, backgrounds and more. Lately it has been, which school are you going to? Because there is no one school big enough, close enough to house us all. Campbell is being split down the middle. Jeffco is forcing our school to be divided, tearing apart a community that we have worked so hard to foster.
I have visited several schools nearby Campbell at drop off and pickup times... I can not fathom how chaotic some of these parking lots will become. No more visiting before or after school, there goes our efforts to grow a community. Safety at drop off and pickup is a concern, more vehicles, and schools without school-zones.
Most of us will have to drive our students to school because of a lack of bus drivers. When the BUS question has been posed at previous meetings, it has been met with sarcasm and jokes like, “anybody here want to drive a bus?” more smoke and mirrors. Behavior we have become accustomed to, similar to district leaders showing up late for school meetings and leaving early, because they scheduled multiple schools on the same night. Are we not worth more time and grace?
Actions during this process will not be forgotten. Beginning with the board requesting the FCB report, communities should have been brought to the table then. We should have been put on alert and given the chance to rally our enrollments. But instead, we are now a product of this process.
*Quoted article.
https://jeffcotranscript.com/stories/jeffco-school-board-votes-yes-on-new-arvada-aquatics complex,386460
Thank you all and goodnight,
Nicole