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Merger
Russell Elementary and Arvada Middle School merge into one school and become Arvada K-8. Russell Elementary Schoo wasl placed in the bottom 50% of all schools in Colorado for overall test scores (math and reading proficiency were both in the bottom 50%) for the 2009-10 school year. -
New Leadership
All new leadership enters the building. Scott Simon begins as principal. -
Turnaround status begins
First year on 5 year Turnaround clock -
Low Turnover and high enrollment
Lowest turnover experienced and highest student enrollment since new leadership in 2015. -
Sprucing up the lobby
The leadership enlists help from the community to paint the front lobby to make it feel more warm and welcoming. -
Work begins to spruce up the building
Work begins to add student art to public places and spruce up the buildling. -
Turnaround partnership
Partnership with CDE and the Turnaround Support Network begins due to turnaround clock -
New Furniture
20-30 year old furniture is replaced. “It’s telling kids that they are important and that they get the best of the best in their classrooms,” Simon explained. “We serve a population of students who 85 percent are free and reduced and they were coming to a school that had furniture that was 20, 30 years old and was mismatched and did not look as professional as possible.” -
State Review Panel site visit
State Review Panel does walkthoughs, classroom observations and interviews staff and students. They ultimately recommended innovation status but it cannot be finalized because of COVID-19 and not having CMAS results. -
Waivers for innovation planning continue
Jeffco grants waivers for continued innovation planning and implmentation of Wit & Wisdom, Ready Math, and CKLA phonics.
