WEEK OF MAY 29, 2025
VOLUME 36| ISSUE 21
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Central Elementary gets state board approval to continue innovation status BY TIMES MEDIA GROUP STAFF ERIC@COTLN.ORG
Brighton High graduates toss their hats to celebrate their graduation May 20 atthe CU Event Center.
PHOTOS BY BELEN WARD
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BUSINESS LOCAL
Brighton graduates 378 at CU Event Center BY BELEN WARD BELEN@COTLN.ORG
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LOCAL OBITUARIES LEGALS CLASSIFIED
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The Brighton High School 376 Bulldogs graduated to begin their rite of passage on May 20 at the CU Event Center. In his speech to the Brighton High School class of 2025, Principal Dr. Kerry Chisnall urged the graduates forward but reminded them to remember their roots. “Our school and community have such a rich and proud tradition, and I hope you continue to embrace that and carry it forward,” Chisnall said. “I want to back up and remind you of your journey. Your high school years are very unique and can be very challenging, and you have
Brighton High School class of 2025 graduates and their graduation caps, some decorated and others not.
OBITUARIES: PAGE 6 | CLASSIFIEDS: PAGE 8 | LEGALS: PAGE 10
had to travel through difficult or different terrain.” He recognized each had their own path. “Some of you kept your focus and cruised to the gate. Some of you went in circles, but you found your way,” Chisnall said. “Some went uphill, went through the bushes, but here you all are. So now you’re walking through the gate in the next few minutes, and you should use what you learned, good and bad, to challenge yourself to be the best version of yourself.” Chisnall is an educator from New Zealand and used a Maori phrase, “Kia Kaha,” which means “Stay strong” or “Be strong.” Thank you, “Go Bulldogs.”
The Colorado State Board of Education recently approved Adams County School District 14’s request to keep Central Elementary School’s “innovation status,” meaning the school will be able to continue to operate so long as it maintains a certain standard of performance. On May 15, the board voted, 8-1, in favor of keeping the innovation status after citing significant improvements from prior years. Central was already on “performance watch” status by the state. If the board finds a school has not improved, the school could be partially or completely managed by a private or public entity other than the school district, the school could be converted to a charter school, it could “innovation school” or it could be ordered to be closed. In 2022, the Colorado Board of Education granted Central Elementary School the opportunity to implement the community schools model through the adoption of “innovation status,” which gives a school the opportunity to have more control educational programming, personnel selection and evaluation, calendars and scheduling, and budgeting. Following the 2022 hearing, Central adopted its three-year improvement plan. According to the school district, Central Elementary has 421 students in kindergarten through sixth grade; of those students, 96% are considered minorities, 60% are multi-language learners and 16% are students with individualized education programs. “As a community school, Central Elementary School serves as a hub for the community by offering parent programs such as the school’s Parent ProblemSolving Team, English classes and Diabetes Prevention with Metropolitan State University of Denver and Colorado State University,” the school district wrote in a press release. The district continued by saying that since adopting the community schools model, Central Elementary has seen increased community engagement and early signs of success in areas of student engagement, attendance and a strong reduction in behavior incidents. SEE ELEMENTARY, P5
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