Education

The word "stem" usually conjures images of a flower or plant, but in Jeffco schools the STEM program — Science, Technology, Engineering and Math — has been blossoming for the past several years.

At Deer Creek Middle School, the eighth-grade STEM class is designed to propel students into the next century. STEM students participate in future-city competitions and solar-car competitions, among others.

Shaffer Elementary students on Friday celebrated the conclusion of a year-long educational program called Rachel's Challenge, which stresses kindness, compassion, doing good deeds and sharing abundance with those who are less fortunate.

Rachel's Challenge is also a nonprofit organization created in memory of Rachel Scott, who was the first to die in the Columbine High School shootings on April 20, 1999.

Gov. John Hickelooper on Nov. 18 appointed a high-level Jeffco Public Schools employee to the University of Colorado Board of Regents.
Office of Diversity and Inclusion director Irene Griego, a former community superintendent, was tapped to fill a vacancy on the CU board created by Monisha Merchant’s departure. Griego will remain in the office until at least next year’s general election in November, when a successor for the final two years of the six-year term will be selected in Congressional District 7.

Leaky roofs, boilers on the fritz and classrooms lacking smart boards amount to more than $900 million in repair and improvement needs throughout Jeffco Public Schools, a recently completed year-and-a-half long assessment shows.

Though the study identified about $575 million in repairs or replacements currently needed in the district’s buildings, a five-year maintenance forecast found an additional $342 million in anticipated needs.