WEEK OF OCTOBER 10, 2024
VOLUME 20 | ISSUE 15
FREE
28th Annual Arvada scarecrow festival rebrands Why Jeffco schools don’t to ‘Festi-Mill of Scarecrows,’ set for Oct. 12
have a districtwide cell phone policy BY SUZIE GLASSMAN SGLASSMAN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
A build-your-own scarecrow activity is offered as an add-on experience at the Four Mile Historic Park’s Pumpkin Harvest Festival. COURTESY OF FOUR MILE HISTORIC PARK
This year’s Halloween kickoff moves from Olde Town Square to the Arvada Flour Mill BY RYLEE DUNN RDUNN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
This year’s Festival of Scarecrows will have a different look than years past, as the 28th Annual FestiMill of Scarecrows — a festi-
val at the mill, get it? — will be held at the Arvada Flour Mill for the first time. The festival itself will resemble previous incarnations, with a scarecrow contest, costume parade, arts and crafts and games returning to the event. This year’s scarecrow fest will take place on Oct. 12 and kicks off with the scarecrow contest at 10 a.m. Community members are invited to make their own scarecrows, which will be displayed around the mill and allow community members to vote on their favorite
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designs. The kids costume parade will follow at 11:30 a.m., followed by scarecrow story time at noon. The event is free to the public. Folks who do not want to make their own scarecrow but still want to participate can adopt a scarecrow made by members of the Arvada Historical Society for a small fee. Festi-mill organizer Karen Miller said she is glad that the kids-centered event is coming back again as it nears its third decade. “I have always loved this event because it really is for
kids,” Miller said. “We want people to discover the historic flour mill through this fun event.” Miller credits the event’s childlike setup with its longevity. “It’s a family affair, simple and fun,” Miller said. “It’s not about food, booths and beer; it’s about kids.” Previous incarnations of the Festival of Scarecrows were held in Olde Town Square. This year, scarecrows will still be set out in front of businesses, but others will be displayed down at the mill.
After 26 years in the classroom, Pomona High School teacher Dale Munholland has seen it all, from students quietly tapping away on flip phones to today’s constant barrage of smartphone notifications. But what he’s noticed most is the toll cell phones have taken on his students’ focus and engagement. “Since the development of smartphones, attention spans and the quality of work have dramatically fallen,” Munholland said. “It’s an addiction.” While he tries to enforce his own no-phone policy, he admits it’s a losing battle without district-wide support. “It’s really hard to teach when you’re competing with a cat video,” he said. For Munholland, the constant battle over cell phone use is more than just a classroom disruption — it’s a growing concern for student focus and academic performance. Lisa Garry, who teaches Geometry and Statistics at Arvada Senior High School, agrees. “I’ll have kids on their phones while I’m teaching a lesson, and then they’ll look up at me and ask, ‘What are we doing?’” Garry said. SEE POLICY, P4
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