Aug 14, 2023 | COpilot
Meet Brittany Metke – One of our amazing COpilot Facilitators!
Brittany teaches math at PSD Global Academy and is a proud member of the Poudre Education Association.
How long have you been facilitating COpilot classes and what made you want to do it?
I have been a COpilot facilitator since 2019 and what drew me to it was the applicable learning opportunities from other teachers just like me! We share similar passions, highs and lows and I always felt heard as a participant. I had the opportunity to start sharing skills, philosophies and resources that really supported me as an educator and what I felt every teacher should have the access to!
Why are you OR why did you become an educator?
I always grew up claiming “I wanted to be a teacher” as I naturally felt drawn to kids, helping others learn and bringing joy and encouragement to those who needed a little push! I’m a firm believer in “all can do”! My sister and I always loved playing school as kids, creating grade books, lessons, and implementing them pretending to be each other’s students, and here we both are, teachers in PSD and COpilot facilitators! I have really found my place in middle school and love learning with and from kids these ages!
When you’re not working with kids or facilitating COpilot classes, what is your favorite thing to do?
I love spending my time with my family, traveling, singing the alphabet forwards, and backwards, with my 3 year old, Noah, and exploring with my 1 year old, Micah! My husband, Troy, and I both have a secret passion for social media and writing recipes for a local restaurant in NOCO, Jim’s Wings, and we’re equally as passionate about the Iowa Hawkeyes! Definitely no dull moments around our house, especially because we’re just coming up on our one year anniversary of moving in, and I’m extremely thankful to be part of the CEA COpilot community!
Brittany will facilitate several classes that start next week! Click the links below to enroll in one of her great classes.
Jun 19, 2022 | Blog
This June, we congratulate one of Pueblo County School District 70’s most treasured teachers, Eileen Lovell, as she retires after 32 years.
She began her teaching career in the district right out of college and for the past five years, she has been teaching the district’s Home Hospital Students who are those students who are too medically fragile to attend regular school. She travels to their homes and teaches them in their home environment so that they can still receive a quality public education without putting themselves at risk.
“I have been blessed to be able to teach these students for the past five years,” said Lovell. “Less than 2 years ago I was diagnosed with breast cancer and thought I would have to quit my job but my students and their families became my biggest cheerleaders throughout my fight. They were my inspiration to beat this horrific disease and I learned what courage was from them.”
Eileen was an “Army Brat”, born in Germany and growing up in Hawai’i before her family finally put down roots in Pueblo West, Colorado. She wasn’t sure what she was going to major in college but she had taught swim lessons for several years and she also had amazing, patient teachers growing up who were great role models, so teaching seemed the natural choice. She knew during student teaching that she had picked a great career.
She was a member of her union on day one of her teaching career. She knew that the teachers before her fought hard for their contract. After eight years of membership, she became a building association representative. She then served for three years as the president of the Pueblo County Teachers Association, where she helped combine the classified and certified union after the district did not want to recognize the classified union. The two unions became one: the Pueblo County Education Association. She has also been on the union bargaining team for the past 12 years.
After 32 years, she will miss her students but will enjoy “riding into the sunset”, which will include travel, outdoor activities and reading on a beach somewhere in Hawai’i.
Dec 10, 2021 | Blog
Growing up in Morrison, Sydney Slifka didn’t always know that she wanted to be a teacher. It wasn’t until she took an “Intro to Teaching” class in college that she knew where she wanted to go with her professional life.
“I knew that I wanted a career that was different every day and involved working with people,” said Slifka. “While figuring out my options, I took that class, which landed me in a first grade classroom and I fell in love with the students. Since then, I’ve found my calling to working with students in highly impacted urban schools.”
Sydney’s favorite part about her job is building a community within my classroom. She relishes in seeing kids’ smiling facing come in the door each day, excited to learn, and creating a safe space for them to be who they are. For Sydney, each and every day is a new adventure, and she’s always looking for ways to spark the excitement/desire for learning within each of her students.
Sydney joined the union to be able to have a voice for herself and her colleagues. Sydney believes the union brings strength in numbers and allows us to better advocate for our rights as educators and fight for the schools that our students deserve.
When she’s not being a superhero to her students and an inspiration to her union colleagues, Sydney loves to travel. She’s been to over 20 countries, usually on solo trips, hostel style. She loves to learn about new cultures, see history and art, and to meet people along the way. She’s also into all of the Colorado things: skiing, snowboarding, hiking, kayaking, in addition to making jewelry and cooking.
Sydney, a product of the Jefferson County Public Schools system herself, is a graduate of the University of Colorado at Denver and earned a Masters in Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Education. She is currently pursuing a doctorate in Curriculum & Instruction with an emphasis in Gifted Education from the University of Denver.
Sydney Slifka is an elementary school teacher and high school volleyball coach in Jefferson County and a proud member of the Jefferson County Education Association.
Dec 10, 2021 | Blog
Autumn Rivera, a sixth-grade science teacher at Glenwood Springs Middle School in the Roaring Fork School District was named 2022 Colorado Teacher of the year on Oct. 22. The surprise announcement came at a limited capacity, COVID-19-counscious ceremony in Glenwood Springs.
Amie Baca-Oehlert, high school counselor and president of the Colorado Education Association, attended the ceremony to congratulate Rivera, who is a member of the Roaring Fork Community Education Association.
“Autumn’s selection as the 2022 Colorado Teacher of the Year is a reflection of who she is and what she means to her students and her community,” said Baca-Oehlert. “She is a passionate educator who helps her students realize their self-worth and potential. Autumn wants to ensure that her students, no matter where they come from, realize that change begins with them.”
Rivera believes that there are many issues in public education that need addressing but one, in particular, is something that we need to tackle in order to make public education exceptional for all students.
“Providing adequate funding, increasing social and emotional support, and supporting teachers are all big issues that need to be solved before we can fully move forward,” said Rivera. “However, the major issue I see that needs to be addressed as soon as possible is equity in education. The past year my school’s Instructional Leadership Team, of which I am a member, tasked our staff to reflect on how we, as teachers, address unconscious bias in our school.”
It was a very difficult year to begin these conversations, but we felt it was crucial, now more than ever, to push forward,” said Rivera. “Of course our work is not complete and, as a leadership team, we decided to continue with this goal for the upcoming school year.”
During her more than sixteen years as an educator, she has worked with students from elementary to postgraduate levels. She is an adjunct professor at Colorado Mountain College in the Education Department. She holds both a Bachelors of Arts in Biology and a Masters of Arts in Teaching Secondary Science from Colorado College; and a Masters in Educational Leadership from the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs.In her very limited free time, she enjoys hiking, traveling, reading, volunteering, and spending quality time with people she loves.
Rivera, the seventh consecutive CEA member to be named Colorado Teacher of the Year, will compete for the National Teacher of the Year Award and will be honored with other state Teachers of the Year at a White House ceremony next year.
The Colorado Education Association (CEA) is a longtime sponsor of the Colorado Teacher of the Year Award, and will provide Rivera with a stipend to travel in her new role and to engage in networking opportunities with past Colorado Teachers of the Year.
Oct 22, 2021 | Press
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 22, 2021
Glenwood Springs Science Teacher Named 2022 Colorado Teacher of the Year
Autumn Rivera chosen among seven finalists
DENVER – Autumn Rivera, a sixth-grade science teacher at Glenwood Springs Middle School in the Roaring Fork School District was named 2022 Colorado Teacher of the year today. The surprise announcement came at a limited capacity ceremony in Glenwood Springs.
“I am honored to announce that Autumn Rivera is our state’s next Teacher of the Year,” said Colorado Education Commissioner Katy Anthes. “In a time where it is more important than ever for students to feel supported in and out of the classroom, Ms. Rivera goes above and beyond to build trusting relationships with her students and their families. We have heard firsthand from her school community how inspired they are by Ms. Rivera’s passion for science, her dedication to the teaching profession and her commitment to equity. I am ecstatic to work with her during her journey as our Colorado Teacher of the Year!”
The Colorado Education Association (CEA) is a longtime sponsor of the Colorado Teacher of the Year Award, and will provide Rivera with a stipend to travel in her new role and to engage in networking opportunities with past Colorado Teachers of the Year. Amie Baca-Oehlert, high school counselor and president of the Colorado Education Association, attended Friday’s ceremony to congratulate Rivera, who is a member of the Roaring Fork Community Education Association.
“Autumn Rivera’s selection as the 2022 Colorado Teacher of the Year is a reflection of who she is and what she means to her students and her community,” said Baca-Oehlert. “She is a passionate educator who helps her students realize their self-worth and potential. Autumn wants to ensure that her students, no matter where they come from, realize that change begins with them.”
Rivera was selected over six other finalists. A sixth grade science teacher and adjunct professor at Colorado Mountain College, she is a 2004 graduate of Colorado College with a bachelor’s in biology. She also earned two master’s degrees from Colorado College in Teaching Secondary Science and the one from the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs in Educational Leadership. She is a member of the Colorado Science Conference Planning Committee and the Steering Committee with the Colorado Science Education Network and is the Region 3 Elementary Board representative for the Colorado Association of Science Teachers. She also volunteers with the American Association of Chemistry Teachers.
Rivera will compete for the National Teacher of the Year Award and will be honored with other state Teachers of the Year at a White House ceremony next year. CEA would like to congratulate the other six finalists for the 2022 Colorado Teacher of the Year award for their hard work and commitment: Carrianna DePace (Mountain Vista Community School, Harrison School District 2), Julia Ferre (SkyView Academy, Douglas County School District), Emmylou Harmon (West Grand High School, West Grand School District, West Grand Education Association), Ashley Lowe (Falcon Middle School, School District 49), Cristina Vanzo (Craig Middle School, Moffat County School District RE1, Moffat County Education Association), and Paula Wilderman (Ascent Classical Academy of Douglas County, Colorado Charter School Institute).
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This June, we congratulate one of Pueblo County School District 70’s most treasured teachers, Eileen Lovell, as she retires after 32 years.
Sydney’s favorite part about her job is building a community within my classroom. She relishes in seeing kids’ smiling facing come in the door each day, excited to learn, and creating a safe space for them to be who they are. For Sydney, each and every day is a new adventure, and she’s always looking for ways to spark the excitement/desire for learning within each of her students.
“I am honored to announce that Autumn Rivera is our state’s next Teacher of the Year,” said Colorado Education Commissioner Katy Anthes. “In a time where it is more important than ever for students to feel supported in and out of the classroom, Ms. Rivera goes above and beyond to build trusting relationships with her students and their families. We have heard firsthand from her school community how inspired they are by Ms. Rivera’s passion for science, her dedication to the teaching profession and her commitment to equity. I am ecstatic to work with her during her journey as our Colorado Teacher of the Year!”