WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 7, 2023
VOLUME 35 | ISSUE 36
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Adams County, Anythink libraries name Poet Laureate Kerrie Joy hopes to inspire community for next two years, and beyond
BY LUCAS BRADY WOODS KUNC
Colorado elementary, middle and high school students’ academic performance improved over the last year, but it’s still lagging behind pre-pandemic levels. On top of that, there are alarming disparities between students, according to the latest student assessment data released this week by the Colorado Department of Education. “We certainly are seeing those persistent and troubling gaps,” Colorado’s Education Commissioner Susana Córdova said. “We need to double down on addressing the historic gaps between different groups of students. This has been a priority for a long time, but we really need to focus our support and resources on students who need it the most. We certainly are seeing those persistent and troubling gaps.” The data tracked students at fifteen schools across Colorado over the 2022-2023 academic year. It was the first year schools saw more typical schedules since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. “This is probably our new normal,” Chief Assessment Officer Joyce Zurkowski said. “So we’re hoping to find some consistency. Districts and schools are still making instructional adjustments to address the missed learning opportunities that occurred during those pandemic days.” The largest performance gaps over the 2022-2023 academic
BY BELEN WARD BWARD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
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Expect Adams County to be a little more lyrical for the next two years. In joint effort with Anything Libraries, Adams County Parks, Open Space & Cultural Arts named its first poet laureate, Kerry Joy. Joy will serve that role during the library’s two-year-long program “Sincerely.” “One of the greatest impacts that I hope to have is that individuals fall further in love with themselves through these words and through these communal events,” says Joy. “That’s always the greatest hope.” With the joint initiative, Joy will perform several events at Anything and Adams County locations, engaging with the community through performance and writing sessions promoting her art through literature as an ambassador for Adams County. Joy is based in Denver and is a poet, singer-songwriter, storyteller, educator, and revolutionary. She creates poetry through hip-hop, song, graphic design, and fashion. Stacie Ledden, director of strategic partnerships for Anythink, said Joy’s role as Adams County Poet Laureate is designed to find engaging ways to interact SEE POET, P2
State student performance lags amid disparities
Poet Kerry Joy
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