Greeley-Evans School District 6 is seeking sponsors for the 10th annual School Kickoff Community Celebration, to be held Saturday, August 5 from 9 a.m. to noon at Island Grove Regional Park. 

This is an annual event District 6 has hosted since 2013, and has grown into a huge celebration of the beginning of the school year. During this event, the school district gives out thousands of backpacks filled with school supplies to District 6 students, provides onsite sports physicals, gives out food to families, provides entertainment including a petting zoo, as well as hosts more than 60 community organizations and vendors who provide services and activities for our families. The School Kickoff can draw up to 6,000 people. 

This event is funded solely through sponsorships and donations. In honor of the event's 10th anniversary, District 6 is hoping to provide 5,000 backpacks filled with school supplies at the 2023 School Kickoff Community Celebration. More sponsors are needed to reach that goal. 

Sponsors can help with this event in many ways:

• $5,000 will buy 300 backpacks filled with school supplies
• $3,000 will buy 200 backpacks and help fund the free food
• $2,000 will buy 100 backpacks filled with school supplies
• $1,000 will buy 100 backpacks
• $500 will help purchase school supplies to go inside the backpacks
• $250 will help purchase food for the event
• $100 will buy pencils for 200 backpacks

Each sponsorship level has marketing and publicity opportunities for businesses and organizations, as well as a free community booth at the event. A donation to District 6 is tax deductible. 

To become a sponsor of the School Kickoff Community Celebration, sign up online here. If you need more information or would like to pay by a different method, please contact District 6 Chief of Communications Theresa Myers at tmyers@greeleyschools.org or at (970) 348 - 6003.

Early College Academy math teacher Sidney Cerise has been named a finalist for the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST), the highest national recognition for K-12 teachers in the areas of science, technology, engineering and math. 

Every year, each state selects one to three awardees to move forward for national consideration. Cerise is one of two candidates from Colorado moving forward this year. Cerise is only the second District 6 teacher to receive this recognition. The last teacher to be named a finalist was in 1997. 

According to the Colorado Department of Education, "To be selected as a Colorado state finalist is the highest honor given annually for the teaching of mathematics in the State of Colorado."

Cerise has worked at Early College Academy since 2017. She was hired in District 6 at Franklin Middle School in 2013, where she served as a math teacher and coach. 

There is no definite timeline on when the national awardees will be announced. More than 100 teachers are recognized annually. 

Historically, awardees receive a certificate signed by the President and a trip to Washington, D.C., to attend a series of recognition events and professional development opportunities. They also receive a $10,000 award from NSF. 

Four Greeley-Evans School District 6 students have been selected as Boettcher Scholars by the Boettcher Foundation, joining 47 other Colorado high school seniors who received the prestigious honor this year.

This year’s District 6 Boettcher Scholars are Aven McCall of Greeley Central High School, Dylan Roseman of Early College Academy and Jilly Huang and Kylee Wolfe of Greeley West High School. More than 1,500 students statewide applied for the Boettcher scholarship.

Boettcher Scholars receive an annual fixed amount of $20,000 per year for four years to use at a Colorado institution of higher education. Boettcher scholars can also qualify for enrichment programs, educational enrichment grants, international education grants and can take part in annual events. Since 1952, the Boettcher Foundation has awarded more than $110 million in scholarships.

All four Boettcher Scholars said the application process was rigorous, and winning is an honor and a surprise.

“It’s one of the best surprises I’ve ever gotten,” McCall said. “I was so relieved it was over with. It’s such a stressful process.”

“I prepped a lot for the interview, doing mock interviews with my teachers,” Huang said. “I saw this as a huge honor, and the thought that I could be a Boettcher Scholar was just incredible.”

Wolfe, who also was recently awarded the Daniels Fund Scholarship, agrees.

“The process is super exciting and super anxiety producing,” Wolfe said. “I felt like I had put a lot into not only my academics, but my school in general. I thought I could maybe be a Boettcher Scholar.”

Roseman didn’t receive his acceptance from the Boettcher Foundation until Thursday afternoon.

“I immediately opened it, and was like, ‘Is this for real?’” Roseman said. “I was just so joyous. This is like a dream come true.”

All four students are very involved in their schools and community, and have goals and plans for their future.

McCall plays basketball, participates in Marching Band and Jazz Band, is a Thespian, serves as president of the Key Club, is on the Council of Student Representatives and volunteers through the teacher cadet program at Fred Tjardes School of Innovation. She is hoping to attend the University of Denver and enter a bachelors and masters program to become an elementary school teacher.

Roseman is an Eagle Scout, a member of the Gaming Club and National Honor Society, Student Body President, serves on the Council of Student Representatives, is a member of the National Society of High School Scholars and the National Society of Leadership and Success, is a member of the Greeley Dream Team, and volunteers at the Guadalupe Center, Weld County Food Bank and Santa Cops. He plans to study Health Sciences with an emphasis on Healthcare Administration at the University of Northern Colorado.

Huang serves as the President of the Council of Student Representatives, is in orchestra, is co-president of Key Club, participates in LINK Crew and National Honor Society, and is in the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program. She wants to enter an Urban Studies program, maybe at the University of Boulder, and eventually become a city planner.

Wolfe has played varsity volleyball, basketball and soccer all four years of high school and served as the team captain for all three sports the last two years. She also is Vice President of Key Club and National Honor Society, in orchestra, serves as the senior representative in Student Council, participates in LINK Crew and is in the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program. Wolfe is planning to study journalism, and is still deciding what college or university to attend.

The students thanked everyone who helped them become Boettcher Scholars, especially teachers and counselors who assisted with the applications and mock interviews.

“It was amazing being able to tell all the people who helped me,” McCall said. “I can’t tell you how many people screamed in my face that day, they were so happy and surprised.”

Please read the following Press Release from the Chan Zuckerberg Institute regarding a visit to Prairie Heights Middle School on March 30, 2023, and a recognition of the school's work to turn around student achievement with excellent instruction and by building strong relationships with students. Greeley-Evans School District 6 is honored to host this visit and we appreciate the recognition of this outstanding school.

Prairie Heights Middle School Recognized for Supporting Educators and Building a Positive School Culture to Accelerate Student Learning

Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, Gradient Learning, and Search Institute Representatives visit Prairie Heights Middle to meet with educators and students

Representatives from the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI), Gradient Learning, and the Search Institute visited Prairie Heights Middle School in Evans, Colorado, to celebrate the school’s progress. Under the leadership of Principal Stephanie Knox, Prairie Heights prioritized one-on-one mentoring with students and expanded professional learning opportunities for teachers. These initiatives fostered a positive school climate and culture and teacher collaboration, helping Prairie Heights achieve the highest rating on the Colorado Department of Education’s school performance framework. 

“Prairie Heights Middle School exemplifies what is possible when schools combine a focus on supporting the whole child with a commitment to continuous improvement,” said Sandra Liu Huang, head of education at the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative. “I want to recognize the teachers and school leadership team for their dedication to continued growth.“ 

During a tour of the school, participants observed a mentoring meeting between a student and a teacher. Every student at Prairie Heights meets weekly with a mentor to discuss their progress at school and reflect on personalized goals for their learning. These sessions help 

educators form deeper connections with their students, contributing to a positive school culture. Mentoring is a core pillar of Summit Learning, a comprehensive approach designed to drive student engagement, meaningful learning, and strong student-teacher relationships. Prairie Heights joined the Summit Learning program — which is supported by Gradient Learning and CZI — in the 2017-18 school year. 

The visit included a roundtable discussion with Principal Knox and her teacher leadership team about their focus on coaching and professional learning opportunities for teachers. Teachers at Prairie Heights participate in ongoing professional learning communities where they regularly review student performance and co-create interventions to meet the specific needs of every student. Teachers also attend a summer training institute hosted by Summit Learning. 

“Relationships are at the center of everything we do as educators,” said Knox. “When our students feel connected to their teachers, they are more motivated and engaged. The same is true for our educators. That’s why we have worked to build a culture of improvement through ongoing coaching and professional learning opportunities for teachers to learn with their peers.” 

Identified as a “turnaround” school a decade ago, Prairie Heights has since made dramatic progress on the Colorado Department of Education’s performance ratings. In 2018, 2019, and 2022, the school received a “performance” rating, the highest category in the state’s performance framework. In 2020, Prairie Heights was one of two schools to receive the inaugural Summit Learning Rise Award, which honors high-quality implementation of the Summit Learning approach and a commitment to continuous improvement. 

“Developmental relationships play an essential role in helping young people learn and grow,” said Benjamin Houltberg, Ph.D., president and CEO of Search Institute, a nonprofit that promotes positive youth development and advances equity through research and practical solutions. “When schools like Prairie Heights take an intentional approach to building connections between students and caring adults, it pays off in increased academic achievement and well-being.” 

"It is an honor to celebrate Stephanie Knox and the Prairie Heights teacher team with today's visit," said Katie Chambers, Director of Innovation at Gradient Learning."Prairie Heights has spent years focusing on teaching the whole student in an effort to ensure they are giving every learner what they need to flourish, both in school and life. The State's recognition of the school's sustained improvement is a testament to this amazing work." 

Standing with a growing community of partners, CZI is working to equip teachers with the research, tools, and partners they need to center students’ well-being in support of academic achievement and success. CZI has recognized schools across the country for their commitment to expanding the definition of student success and embracing the developmental needs of the whole child. For more information about how CZI and our grant partners are supporting student and teacher well-being, visit 

chanzuckerberg.com/education/well-being.

About the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative 

The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative was founded in 2015 to help solve some of society’s toughest challenges — from eradicating disease and improving education to addressing the needs of our local communities. Our mission is to build a more inclusive, just, and healthy future for everyone. For more information, please visit chanzuckerberg.com.

Greeley-Evans School District 6 is seeking parent and community input on Music and P.E. learning materials for grades K-8 that will be purchased for the next school year with proceeds from the 2022 Mill Levy Override.

An Adoption Committee composed of Music and P.E. teachers reviewed and selected the top choices for the new textbooks and digital learning materials. Families and community members are asked to view the materials online and fill out this survey for Music, or this survey for P.E. by May 1 to provide feedback.

Physical copies of textbooks are available for your review in the lobby of the Greeley-Evans District 6 Administration building located at 1025 Ninth Avenue in Greeley.  Here are instructions to view the materials online:

K-5 Music

West Music: The GAMEPLAN Curriculum by Kriske & DeLelles

·         Website link: https://www.westmusic.com/music-books-resources/music-classroom-books-materials/gameplan-curriculum/gameplan-complete-k-5-curriculum-841323?returnurl=%2fmusic-books-resources%2fmusic-classroom-books-materials%2fgameplan-curriculum%2f

Themes & Variations: MusicPlay Online by Denise Gagne

·         Website link: https://musicplayonline.com

K-8 Physical Education

Spark Physical Education

·         Website link: https://sparkpe.org

OPEN Physical Education

·         Website link: https://openphysed.org

McGraw Hill: Children Moving: A Reflective Approach to Teaching Physical Education, 10th ed. by Graham, Holt-Hale, Parker, Hall, & Patton

·         Website link: https://www.mheducation.com/highered/product/children-moving-reflective-approach-teaching-physical-education-graham-holt-hale/M9780078022746.html

Human Kinetics: Dynamic Physical Education for Secondary Students, 9th ed. by Brusseau, Erwin, Darst, & Pangrazi

·         Website link: https://us.humankinetics.com/collections/physical-education/products/dynamic-physical-education-for-secondary-school-students-9th-edition

For more information on the Mill Levy Override and 2022 Ballot Measure 4A, visit the District 6 website.

El Distrito 6 busca la opinión sobre nuevos materiales de aprendizaje 

El Distrito Escolar 6 deGreeley-Evans está buscando la opinión de los padres y la comunidad sobre música y educación física. materiales de aprendizaje para los grados K-8 que se comprarán para el próximo año escolar con las ganancias del Mill Levy Override 2022.

Un Comité de Adopción compuesto de maestros de Música y P.E. revisaron y seleccionaron las mejores opciones para los nuevos libros de texto y materiales de aprendizaje digitales. Se les pide a las familias y a los miembros de la comunidad que vean los materiales en línea y completen esta encuesta para música o esta encuesta para educación física. antes del 1 de mayo para proporcionar comentarios.

Las copias físicas de los libros están disponibles para su revisión en el vestíbulo del edificio de administración del Distrito 6 de Greeley-Evans ubicado en 1025 Ninth Avenue en Greeley.  Aquí hay instrucciones para ver los materiales en línea:

K-5 Music

West Music: The GAMEPLAN Curriculum by Kriske & DeLelles

·         Website link: https://www.westmusic.com/music-books-resources/music-classroom-books-materials/gameplan-curriculum/gameplan-complete-k-5-curriculum-841323?returnurl=%2fmusic-books-resources%2fmusic-classroom-books-materials%2fgameplan-curriculum%2f

Themes & Variations: MusicPlay Online by Denise Gagne

·         Website link: https://musicplayonline.com

K-8 Physical Education

Spark Physical Education

·         Website link: https://sparkpe.org

OPEN Physical Education

·         Website link: https://openphysed.org

McGraw Hill: Children Moving: A Reflective Approach to Teaching Physical Education, 10th ed. by Graham, Holt-Hale, Parker, Hall, & Patton

·         Website link: https://www.mheducation.com/highered/product/children-moving-reflective-approach-teaching-physical-education-graham-holt-hale/M9780078022746.html

Human Kinetics: Dynamic Physical Education for Secondary Students, 9th ed. by Brusseau, Erwin, Darst, & Pangrazi

·         Website link: https://us.humankinetics.com/collections/physical-education/products/dynamic-physical-education-for-secondary-school-students-9th-edition

Para obtener más información sobre la Anulación de Mill Levy y Medida de Boleta 4A, visite el sitio web del Distrito 6.