Our Government/Nuestro Gobierno

White House

On Tuesday, April 24, President Obama visited the University of Colorado Boulder to deliver remarks as part of a concerted effort to get Congress to prevent interest rates on student loans from doubling in July.

Casa Blanca

El martes, 24 de abril, el presidente Obama visitó la Universidad de Colorado en Boulder para ofrecer comentarios como parte de un esfuerzo concertado para lograr que el Congreso evite que las tasas de interés de los préstamos estudiantiles se dupliquen en julio.

Colorado’s Governor

Metro State College of Denver’s transformation to Metro State University of Denver became official when SB12-148 was signed into law by Gov. John Hickenlooper. Rep. Crisanta Duran (D-Denver), sponsored the bill in the House and Sen. Lucia Guzman (D-Denver) was the Senate sponsor. The bill goes into effect July 1.

Gobernador de Colorado

La transformación de Metro State College of Denver a Metro State Universidad of Denver se hizo oficial, cuando SB12-148 fue firmada en ley por el gobernador John Hickenlooper. La representante Crisanta Duran (D-Denver), patrocinó el proyecto de ley en la Cámara y la senadora Lucia Guzmán (D-Denver) fue la patrocinadora en el Senado. El proyecto de ley entra en vigor el 1 de julio.

Denver’s Mayor

The Screening Committee convened to conduct the search for Denver’s next Independent Monitor announced it has narrowed the candidates to three finalists for the position. Next, the Committee will hold two community forums to garner public input on the finalists and the Mayor will review and interview the candidates. The three finalists for Independent Monitor are the following: Eddie J. Aubrey, Julie M. Ruhlin and Stephen J. Connolly.

Alcalde de Denver

El Comité de Selección convocado para llevar a cabo la búsqueda del próximo Monitor Independiente de Denver anunció que ha reducido a los candidatos a tres finalistas para el puesto. A continuación, el Comité llevará a cabo dos foros de la comunidad para reunir la opinión del público sobre los finalistas y el alcalde revisará y entrevistará a los candidatos. Los tres finalistas para el Monitor Independiente son los siguientes: Eddie J. Aubrey, Julie M. Ruhlin y Stephen J. Connolly.

Three Colorado schools earn Green Ribbon rating

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, together with White House Council on Environmental Quality Chair Nancy Sutley and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson, announced that three Colorado school have earned the prestigious national Green Ribbon Award.

Flagstone Elementary School (Douglas County School District) in Castle Rock, Denver Green School (Denver Public Schools) in Denver and Wellington Middle School (Poudre School District) in Wellington are among 78 schools named by the U.S. Department of Education as its inaugural Green Ribbon Schools. Colorado is among 29 states and D.C. with schools receiving the first-ever awards.

“Science and environmental education play a central role in providing children with a well-rounded education that prepares them for the jobs of the future,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. “Green Ribbon Schools demonstrate compelling examples of the ways schools can expand their coursework while also helping children build real world skill sets, cut school costs, and provide healthy learning environments.”

Parole board member

The Office of Boards and Commissions announced the State Board of Parole is accepting applications for a Parole Board member. The State Board of Parole’s duties are to hold hearings and consider applications for parole, and conduct all proceedings involving revocation of parole.

The members are appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Colorado Senate. The members are appointed to three-year terms and may serve consecutive terms. This is a full-time position.
For an application and more information about Boards and Commissions, visit www.colorado.gov/governor or e-mail boards@state.co.us.

Father of the year

The Father’s Show Resource Program is seeking nominations for TFSRP Father of the Year Award. This year’s award theme, Stepping Up to the Plate, recognizes fathers who have gone above and beyond their call of duty as fathers. To nominate a father and for more information, visit www.thefathershowrp.org or call Mike Thompson at 720-280-4793.

Music in Our Schools

“Music in our Schools: a student showcase” is a day of free concerts performed by nearly twenty Poudre School District jazz and chamber orchestra groups.

The concerts on Saturday, May 5 from 10 a.m.-8 p.m. will conclude with a special performance by the Colorado State University Jazz performance group. The event will take place in Old Town Square and Oak Street Plaza. Audiences are encouraged to bring lawn chairs.

A key part of the event is an Instrument Donation Program. People are encouraged to bring their old instruments (in good shape) to donate to a student in need. All donations are tax deductible and donors will receive a letter of appraised value for tax purposes. Donations will be accepted throughout the month of May at the DBA office (19 Old Town Square #230, Fort Collins, CO) and on site at the Music in Our Schools event. On May 5 the donation booth will be open from 12-4 p.m. in Old Town Square.

Donated instruments will be repaired and donated to Poudre School District for redistribution throughout the school system.

“Education Nation”

NBC News held its national “Education Nation-On-The-Road” program—an initiative that brings Colorado educators, business leaders, elected officials, parents and students together to discuss education issues facing the region. All eventstook place from April 12-16 at the History Colorado Center in Denver.

Among the Latino community leaders who took part in this discussion was Linda Alvarado, president chief executive of Alvardo Construction and co-owner of the Colorado Rockies.

Denver school selected for national program

President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities announced that Noel Community Arts School in Denver, Colorado has been selected to participate in a new arts education initiative to help turn around low-performing schools, developed in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Education and the White House Domestic Policy Council. The Turnaround Arts initiative is a new public-private partnership designed to narrow the achievement gap and improve student engagement through the arts. Noel Community Arts School was chosen to be one of eight schools featured in the program through a highly competitive national selection process, and will receive intensive arts education resources, expertise and the involvement of high-profile President’s Committee artists over the course of two years to support their educational reform effort.

2012 Daniels Scholars

Two hundred fifty-eight high school seniors who have demonstrated strong character and a determination to succeed in life have been named Daniels Scholars and will receive funding to attend the college or university of their choice, it was announced by Linda Childears, president and CEO of the Daniels Fund.

“These are promising and motivated students who have demonstrated strong character, leadership, and a commitment to community service,” explained Childears. “They are outstanding young people and the Daniels Fund is proud to partner with them as they fulfill their dreams of attending college,” she said.
The group of new Daniels Scholars includes 181 from Colorado, 38 from New Mexico, 15 from Utah and 24 from Wyoming.

A list of recipients is posted on the Daniels Fund website at www.danielsfund.org/News/details.asp?niID=63.