Apr 3, 2020 | Press
With Governor Polis’ announcement this week that all schools will stay closed through the end of April, many school districts are now making the prudent, but very sad decision to cancel in-person learning for the remainder of the school year. This is crushing news for Colorado’s public school educators. We so miss doing what we love most – spending quality time with our students and watching them experience the love of learning. We knew for weeks this day may come, but it’s heartbreaking to realize with finality that we won’t stand in front of our classes or see our students’ smiles on the school bus or in the lunch line.
This somber action is taken with the utmost concern for the personal safety of you and your students. We must all abide by the social distancing rules that are helping stop the spread of the terrible coronavirus. The latest models tracking the disease currently show the impact of COVID-19 is likely to peak in the last week of April. Even when the spread reaches its peak in Colorado, the coronavirus will continue to pose a significant threat for some time afterward. The public health risk is too great for our students, educators, families and communities to go back to school.
There is no adequate way to console students and educators who will lose musicals, plays, proms, graduations, and just the daily gathering of students and educators in these wonderful places of learning and inspiration, our public schools. We will all struggle with this loss for some time, but know we are here to support you as you support your students during this unprecedented time. Together, we will get through this and continue our pursuit to help every student thrive.
– Amie Baca-Oehlert, high school counselor and CEA President
Apr 2, 2020 | Press
CEA poll finds educator priorities include student needs beyond learning during COVID-19 pandemic
DENVER – Colorado educators demonstrated their commitment to support the physical and mental health needs of their students during the coronavirus crisis in a survey of more than 2,400 members conducted by the Colorado Education Association, March 19-23.
While educators agreed that continuing quality student learning during school closures is their top priority, they also want to take action to halt the evictions of families from their homes and to expand access to free, healthy food at food banks during the pandemic.
“We surveyed our members to understand the challenges educators are facing during this unprecedented disruption and to see what actions they are willing to take with their union to ensure the health and safety of their communities, students and themselves,” said CEA President Amie Baca-Oehlert, a high school counselor.“The high response rate tells us our members are clearly ready to lead in their communities to support students and their families under these most difficult circumstances.”
When licensed educators and education support professionals were asked about concerns that most weighed on their minds during school closures, they identified:
- Working through the challenges of distance learning with students;
- Ability of their students’ families to pay rent and afford essentials;
- Mental health supports for students;
- Students who lack access to nutritious meals at school.
“Education is important and I want the kids to still have some normalcy. I worry more about how their families are doing financially and health-wise,” remarked one licensed educator from the Adams 12 district in the survey comments.
“I worry that varying levels of access to technology will create a new kind of segregation for students,” responded an education support professional in Jefferson County.
CEA leaders and staff across the state will analyze the survey results and create opportunities to get members involved in advocating for the student-centered issues that ranked highest in the poll.
“We are a member-driven, member-led association of 39,000 members who will advocate for the issues that matter most to students, families and educators. With a proud collective voice, CEA members are ready to make bold demands and take action with their union for the schools all Colorado students deserve, even in this new reality,” Baca-Oehlert added.
Media may request a summary of the poll findings from Mike Wetzel, CEA public relations director, at mwetzel@coloradoea.org.
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Apr 2, 2020 | Press
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 1, 2020
DENVER – Statement from Amie Baca-Oehlert, president of the Colorado Education Association, on Gov. Polis’ executive order to pause teacher evaluations for 2019-20 academic school year:
“We applaud Governor Polis and his recommendation to suspend teacher evaluations for the 2019-20 school year in response to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak and its profound impact on the state’s public education system. However, he has ultimately deferred to school districts to make decisions on how to proceed on the evaluation process.
“Colorado law currently requires that 50% of an educator’s evaluation be based on student growth as determined by Colorado Measures of Academic Success (CMAS) assessments, which have been suspended by the Colorado Department of Education for the 2019-20 school year.
“Because a large percentage of an educator’s evaluation is based on state assessments that will no longer will take place this year, it only makes sense to pause teacher evaluations as well. Unless evaluations were completed prior to the Governor’s Executive Order to close schools, we call on school districts to suspend evaluations for the 2019-20 school year. Districts should negotiate with the local education association in order to come to an agreement on educator evaluations.
“Our top priority is supporting our 39,000 members and equipping them with resources so that every student thrives during this unprecedented time of disruption and distance learning. Educators are resolutely focused on making distance learning a success for their students. This includes not just their academic success, but also their social-emotional and physical health and safety. Educators need to be given the time to maintain relationships with their students, not worry about evaluations during this challenging time.”
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Mar 19, 2020 | Press
DENVER – Today Governor Jared Polis provided an update on the state’s response to COVID-19 and announced new executive actions to protect the health and safety of Coloradans. Earlier today at a news conference, Governor Polis announced the launch of the Help Colorado Now effort where Coloradans can donate or volunteer, as well as the Colorado COVID Relief Fund, which has already raised nearly $3 million to help Coloradans impacted by the coronavirus.
“We are acting boldly and swiftly together to protect the health and safety of all Coloradans. The science and data tells us this will get worse before it gets better,” said Governor Jared Polis.“We are in this together and the state is taking the necessary actions to slow the spread of this disease.”
The Governor signed an executive order suspending in-person learning in public and private schools across the state from March 23 to April 17. The executive order directs Colorado school districts and the Charter School Institute to make every effort to provide alternative learning opportunities during this time while taking into account the needs of local communities. This order also directs the Commissioner of Education to issue guidance to support P-12 school systems in developing and implementing plans to assist families and students in accessing alternative learning, providing free and reduced lunch and breakfast, and offering waivers for instructional time as appropriate. Click here to read.
“Protecting the health of all Coloradoans is our top priority, and moving to online learning and other ways to support learning at home is absolutely the right thing to do,” said Education Commissioner Katy Anthes.“We know school leaders, educators and families will have a lot of questions about how to support their students’ learning at home during this unprecedented time. The department is working on guidance and developing resources to support our schools and students, and it will be available very soon.”
The Governor also announced that he would be extending the suspension of downhill ski area operations through April 6. COVID-19 has spread throughout many mountain communities where ski resorts are located and this is a necessary step to help slow the spread of the virus. Last week, the Governor issued an executive order suspending ski area operations until March 22. Click here to read the order.
In accordance with CDC guidelines, the Colorado Department of Public Health also issued a public health order prohibiting gatherings of more than 10 people. Gatherings include community, civic, public, leisure, faith-based events, sporting events with spectators, concerts, conventions, fundraisers, parades, fairs, festivals or any similar event that brings more than 10 people together. Click here to read.
Coloradans can donate or sign up to volunteer at www.HelpColoradoNow.org.
Originally from Governor of Colorado website (https://www.colorado.gov/governor/news/colorado-takes-further-action-address-public-health-threat-covid-19).
Mar 17, 2020 | Press
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 17, 2020
DENVER – Despite new federal guidance released today to limit public gatherings to 10 people, more than half of Colorado school districts have yet to announce plans to close. Having any schools open while the COVID-19 virus continues to spread unnecessarily puts the health of students, educators and the public at risk, according to the Colorado Education Association.
“Governor Polis has taken decisive steps to ensure the safety and health of Coloradans by making tough decisions to temporarily close down restaurants, bars, casinos, gyms, breweries and coffeehouses. Yet there has been no order or recommendation to Superintendents to close down Colorado’s public schools for public health and safety as we have seen happen in other states,” said CEA President Amie Baca-Oehlert, a high school counselor.“Today we call on the Governor and the Superintendents of schools that have yet to close to put the health and safety of students and educators first in order to help stave off this massive public health crisis.”
Only about 85 of Colorado’s 178 school districts have closed. The majority of large districts have closed but there are still a significant number that have not closed. Some districts on spring break this week have yet to communicate a closure beyond their spring break period.
“The COVID-19 pandemic is clearly not slowing down in our state. Every parent, student and educator has good reason to worry that school could be a place where this disease can be contracted despite our best efforts. As long as this unprecedented threat looms over us, teaching and learning should not occur inside our school buildings. We call on Governor Polis to act decisively and encourage all Superintendents to close our public schools,” added Baca-Oehlert.
Baca-Oehlert reiterated CEA’s earlier calls for school districts to establish food service programs for all students in need, to compensate all dedicated school staff with the full pay and benefits they would normally receive during the school year, and for the Colorado Department of Education to reassess and waive standardized testing requirements for students.
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Mar 13, 2020 | Press
DENVER – As schools begin closing across Colorado to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus, the Colorado Education Association has a message for school districts: feed children and pay staff.
“Student safety is the top concern of every educator and CEA members respect the decision of many districts to close schools in an effort to slow the spread of the coronavirus. We must be mindful, though, that our public schools are safe, supportive environments for Colorado children and provide critical resources that our students can’t afford to miss for a prolonged period,” said CEA President Amie Baca-Oehlert, a high school counselor.
“Educators are keenly aware that many children only receive hot, nutritious meals by way of school breakfasts and lunches. We applaud the districts that have already created plans to ensure students have access to food during the school closures and we are calling on all districts to utilize the UDSA waiver to allow emergency feeding programs for students in all districts that are experiencing closures,” Baca-Oehlert said.
Baca-Oehlert emphasized that districts have a responsibility to compensate dedicated teachers and school support staff during school closures too.“The people who keep our schools running – custodians, food service workers, secretaries and bus drivers just to name some – are most vulnerable to distress and losing their sense of economic security during a long school closure. Districts must value the immeasurable contributions of education support professionals to student success and compensate them with the full pay and benefits they would normally receive during the school year.”
CEA also calls on the Colorado Department of Education to reassess and waive standardized testing requirements for students. We are also calling for discussions on the impacts of school closures at this point in the year on educator evaluations.“Districts should focus resources to student needs,” observed Baca-Oehlert.“Our educators, students and families have enough stress and uncertainty in their lives right now and high stakes testing that is linked to educator evaluations shouldn’t be yet another weight on their minds.”
The coronavirus will test our school communities to be at their best for students and employees, Baca Oehlert added, and those that rise to the challenge will be remembered for lending comfort and care at this critical time.
“Districts attempting to solve one crisis can create a different kind of crisis for students and educators by not keeping a ‚Äòpeople-first’ sense of purpose. The last thing we need at this time is to create any more anxiety for people than is already out there,” Baca-Oehlert concluded.
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