APS Success Guide Spring 2021 — Sentinel Colorado

APS Success Guide

303-344-8060 • aurorak12.org

Spring 2021

Aurora Public Schools

NOW 2 APS SUCCESS GUIDE | SPRING 2021

PREPARE FOR 2021-22 THE 2021-22 SCHOOL PREPARE FOR THE SCHOOL YEARYEAR AURORA PUBLIC SCHOOLS It is time to prepare for the 2021-22 school year!

It is time to prepare school Evtoefor rhelp ythe Stransition t2021-22 udentyour Shstudents apyear! es a Suthe c cessfschool ul F uyear. ture Below is information Below is information to help transition your students for the nextfor schoolnext year.

YOUR STUDENT ENTERING PRESCHOOL THE FIRST TIME? IS YOUR IS STUDENT ENTERING PRESCHOOL FOR THEFOR FIRST TIME? Families withages children 4 on or before Oct. must 1, 2021 must complete an children 3 orages 4 on 3 oror before Oct. 1, 2021 complete an N with SCRES EC NREEFamilies online screening to be considered forPreschool the APS Preschool online screening to be considered for the APS Program. Program.

ScreeningScreening for Preschool for Preschool

procedures are a four-step procedures are a four-step process: process:

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at ece.aurorak12.org.

1. Screen1.atScreen ece.aurorak12.org. for a placement confirmation ECE as screenings 2. Wait for2.aWait placement confirmation email fromemail ECEfrom as screenings do not do not placement. guaranteeguarantee placement.

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3. Register student at admissions.aurorak12.org.

NOW 4.the Enroll at the child’s school.

4. Enroll at child’s school.

YOUR STUDENT IS YOUR IS STUDENT NEW TO NEW APS?TO APS? Families with who students whotoare newincluding to APS, students including who students Families with students are new APS, havewho beenhave been for more than must 60 days, musttheir register their in students in the district.

RT EE GR ISTwithdrawn ER withdrawn for more than 60 days, register students the district.

REGIS Register yourusing student simple Online Registration Register your student our using simpleour Online Registration Tool at Tool at admissions.aurorak12.org. admissions.aurorak12.org.

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You can complete the registration process online any device with Internet You can complete the registration process online using anyusing device with Internet access.

Forcompleting support completing registration, call Centralized Admissions at support registration, call Centralized Admissions at NOW access. For 303-326-2200.

303-326-2200.

YOUR STUDENT RETURNING IS YOUR IS STUDENT RETURNING TO APS?TO APS?

Parents or guardians must check in their returning students using this online

Parents or guardians must check in their returning students using this online IN before system the of the school TheCheck-in Student Check-in CHECCKHIENCKsystem thebefore start of thestart school year.

The year.

Student System isSystem is now in to your check in yourfor student for the school 2021-22 school year. available available now to check student the 2021-22 year.

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TheOnline Student Online Check-in System you to update your The Student Check-in System allows youallows to review or review update or your address, phone numbers, email addresses, emergency health address, phone numbers, email addresses, emergency contacts, contacts, health information, more information, visit preferred preferred language language and more.and Formore. more For information, visit NOW information, aurorak12.org/check-in. aurorak12.org/check-in.

YOUTHAT KNOW THAT YOU TOFOR APPLY FOR FREE AND REDUCED LUNCHYEAR? EVERY YEAR? DID YOU DID KNOW YOU NEED TONEED APPLY FREE AND REDUCED LUNCH EVERY

APPLA YPPLY families need to complete this application every school year to determine if All familiesAllneed to complete this application every school year to determine if

they forreduced free andmeal reduced meal otherdistrict financial district benefits. they qualify forqualify free and prices andprices otherand financial benefits.

Otherwise, families will be responsible fullthe price for the student Otherwise, families will be responsible for payingfor fullpaying price for student meals. meals.

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Visit payschoolscentral.com.

Visit payschoolscentral.com.

APS SUCCESS GUIDE | SPRING 2021 3

Blueprint APS: Planning for the Future All of us want to ensure that our students have the educational opportunities and school facilities necessary to shape successful futures.

We also recognize that Aurora is changing and growing in a way that will impact our schools and community. Aurora Public Schools' landscape is changing and we must change with it. One way we are proactively planning for the future is through Blueprint APS, which focuses on aligning our facilities and educational programming.

This long-term plan will help us continue to use bond dollars strategically so that we may ensure equitable access to learning opportunities, technologies and environments that support students in reaching their full potential.

Through Blueprint APS, APS will offer district-managed magnet school choice options. These magnet schools will support students to be more engaged in learning and develop unique skill sets. We have established seven regional specializations, which will provide opportunities for students to learn in new ways.

Magnet schools have a specific academic focus or program that attracts students, like a magnet, from all across the district. Students who attend magnet schools are specifically interested in that academic subject area or the way that learning happens at that school.

Current examples of magnet schools include William Smith High School, Aurora Quest K-8 and Tollgate Elementary School.

Students will have the ability to attend a magnet school in a different geographic region than their neighborhood schools. Our regional specializations will provide robust choice options for students and families districtwide. The seven specializations are: • One Health • Business Management and Hospitality • Visual Design and Performing Arts • Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math (STEAM) • Technology, Engineering and Design • Entrepreneurship and Invention • Project-Based Learning In January 2021, the APS Board of Education approved the Blueprint APS framework for Regions 2, 3, and 6. These recommendations include: • Replacing Lyn Knoll Elementary School with a new boundary P-8 school (close Lyn Knoll at the end of the 2020-21 school year) (plan to open new P-8 school for the 2023-24 school year) • Constructing a new P-8 school in the Green Valley Ranch-Gaylord region (tentatively planned to open for the 2023-24 school year) • Constructing a new educational facility (potential magnet) in the new Horizon development (tentatively planned to open for the 2024-25 school year) • Repurposing Sixth Avenue Elementary School for an alternative use (effective for the 2023-24 school year) • Repurposing South Middle School for an alternative use (transition begins in the 2021-22 school year and is complete after current South students transition to high school for the 2023-24 school year) • Repurposing Century Elementary School for an alternative use (close Century at the end of the 2020-21 school year) (repurposing begins in the 2021-22 school year) Two additional construction projects already in progress that are part of the 2016 bond program.

• Partially replacing and remodeling East Middle School (in process) • Remodeling Virginia Court Elementary School (in process) In addition, district leaders are planning to convert two schools into magnet schools as part of Blueprint APS implementation.

• Repurposing Peoria Elementary School, Educational Services Center 4 and Aurora Central High School as a K-12 Magnet Campus in the Visual Design & Performing Arts region (scheduled to open for the 2022-23 school year) • Repurposing Wheeling Elementary School as a magnet school in the Entrepreneurship & Invention region (effective for the 2022-23 school year) To learn more about Blueprint APS, visit aurorak12.org/blueprint.

To learn more about the APS Bond Program, visit bond.aurorak12.org.

4 APS SUCCESS GUIDE | SPRING 2021

Mental Health is a Top Priority in APS In Aurora Public Schools, mental health is a top priority. APS CARES about the mental, physical and emotional health of our students, staff and community. We recognize that many events in our nation coupled with the ongoing global pandemic are unsettling. We strive to support evidence-based responses to what our students and staff may be experiencing. We encourage you to join us as #APSFightsForKids.

The mental health resources listed below are always available to APS students, family, staff and community members.

• If you or a loved one is in imminent danger, please call 9-1-1.

• For urgent counseling, call Colorado Crisis Services at 844-493-TALK (8255), or text “Talk” to 38255. This service is available seven days a week, 24 hours a day.

• One of our main partners, Aurora Mental Health, operates six centers in Aurora. Visit aumhc.org for details.

We also have counseling and mental health supports available at each school for our students and staff. Thanks to Aurora voters who approved our 2018 mill levy override, APS welcomed more than 100 additional professionals to our Mental Health and Counseling Team. This added support in each school allows teachers to focus on instruction and provides students more meaningful connections with mental health experts. Our students experience long-term benefits from increased access to school counselors, school social workers, school psychologists and other personnel who are trained to address their social, emotional and behavioral needs.

Please visit mentalhealth.aurorak12.org to learn more about APS’ mental health resources.

APS SUCCESS GUIDE | SPRING 2021 5

6 APS SUCCESS GUIDE | SPRING 2021

The APS Foundation is Here to Serve!

In Aurora Public Schools, we strive to help every student shape a successful future. Our efforts would not be possible without the support, dedication and advocacy the Aurora Public Schools Foundation (APS Foundation) provides.

The APS Foundation’s work supports programs including STEM learning, college and career readiness, scholarships, school supplies, food provision and more. They established College & Career Centers through the district and steward millions of donor dollars.

College & Career Centers The APS Foundation funds and operates College and Career Centers in five APS high schools: Aurora Central, Gateway, Hinkley, Rangeview and Vista PEAK Preparatory. The centers provide students with critical information and guidance on everything from high school graduation requirements to completing college applications and essays. The centers also teach students how to apply for financial aid, pursue internship opportunities and navigate the boundless variety of potential career options.

These centers have played an essential role in boosting APS’ graduation rates and helping students earn prestigious scholarships. Since the program’s inception, APS seniors in these five high schools have secured almost $100 million in college scholarships with the help of their local center. The APS Foundation’s goal is to launch College and Career Centers at all seven APS high schools.

Philanthropic Support For donors wishing to identify specific schools, classrooms or programs, the APS Foundation ensures contributions are stewarded to fulfill donor intent. Last year, the APS Foundation facilitated more than $1.6 million in donor-directed gifts, including 50 brand new iPads for Paris Elementary School.

Making a contribution to the APS Foundation will help students and teachers across our district! The APS Foundation is a 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization. Donations made to the APS Foundation are tax-deductible to the full extent of the law. This year, the APS Foundation raised more than $1,000,000 to aid in the distribution of meals to the community during the COVID-19 pandemic. The foundation also coordinated resources for immigrant and refugee families.

To learn more about the APS Foundation and sign up to receive updates, visit educateaurora.org.

APS SUCCESS GUIDE | SPRING 2021 7

Anna and Bryson Creighton say a nightly ritual, ringing a meditation bowl, proved a sound coping mechanism for a cooped-up family during the pandemic. Officials are encouraging families to find support systems to combat a quiet child abuse and neglect crisis. Screenshot via CDHS

BY ASSOCIATED PRESS

Resources available for families stressed by a year of pandemic

F

aced with epic stress, confinement and isolation, Anna and Bryson Creighton found a new wellness ritual with their two young girls during the pandemic: a chakra singing bowl.

The Aurora couple sits with their daughters — one 20 months old, the other four years old — on the floor and rings the bowl, which sustains a melodic, soothing tone capable of smoothing out kinks after a chaotic day spent indoors.

“And we ask them what they feel in their bodies, and if it makes them happy, sad or calm. And if they’re not ready to go to bed, we do it again,” Anna said.

The little ritual is one of many tactics the family employed to stay sane as the months spent indoors ticked by.

They’d visit the horses at their relatives’ farm regularly; they’d give each other space and learned when to ask for it.

For their work, the Creightons and several other families from around Colorado earned shout-outs in May from Gov. Jared Polis, Department of Human Services brass and local childcare boosters.

The parents swapped tales of craftiness and resilience but also stress and mounting piles of bills in a virtual meeting to kick off the state’s Child Abuse Prevention Month.

With the event, officials hope to combat grim child abuse and neglect trends with renewed attention and healthy coping mechanisms in households.

Nationally, child abuse and neglect proved to be devastating, albeit more quiet, issues underlying the health crisis COVID-19 brought last year. The Associated Press found last month that child welfare workers received far fewer reports of concerns as families became more and more isolated.

As a result, government welfare departments initiated 200,0000 fewer child abuse and neglect investigations and assessments compared with the same time period of 2019.

Local data mirrors that picture in Colorado: In March 2020, the Colorado Child Abuse and Neglect Hotline, 844-CO-4-KIDS, saw a 13% decline in calls compared to the year before.

That’s largely because, with schools closed and life stalled, teachers and other mandatory reporters who typically report issues didn’t have eyes on kids — not because kids were suddenly growing up in healthy environments.

“That doesn’t mean that there’s less abuse out there,” Polis said of the figures.

Experts have said that “risk factors” for abuse and neglect actually grew during the pandemic, including: loss of income, absence of child care or school, mental health declines and social isolation.

In her Aurora household, Judith Padilla drew from a deep well of energy and the help of local resource providers to keep the wheels on. Padilla has seven children, four of which lived in Mexico with family during the pandemic.

Padilla said her income trickled in the last year because of lost work opportunities and a leg injury. At home, her kids helped her with the rotating list of chores: laundry, cooking, doing dishes, cleaning. She loves to goof around with her kids, she said, which helped her keep a bond with them. On Thursday, she shared a video of playing outdoors with her kids after a deep snowfall. “...(W)hen it comes to mischief, we do that together too,” Padilla said in Spanish.

But she said she was struggling to make ends meet. And faced with the prospect of asking for help, she wondered whether she had failed as a a parent.

Resource providers assured her she had not.

Soon, she was paying some rent with dollars from the Left Behind Worker’s Fund, an Aurora initiative disbursed by the Aurora Community Connection Center, Village Exchange Center and others to reach families largely ineligible for pandemic-era government assistance. Padilla said she doesn’t have legal status to live in the U.S. She turned to RISE Colorado, an Aurora nonprofit, for free food and fresh produce. She received prepaid cards to buy soap, shampoo and toiletries for her kids.

Other parents shared tales Thursday of rough days and how they coped. A key theme: asking other people for help.

“During the pandemic, it is even more important for all of us to reach out to the parents we know and ask how we can help,” Minna Castillo Cohen, director of the state’s Office of Children, Youth and Families, said in a statement. “Coronavirus has brought many unknowns but what we do know is that we need one another. Help a family when you can and know that it’s okay to call 844-CO-4-Kids if you’re concerned about a child or youth’s safety and well-being.”

Learning Opportunities Abound for Students of All Ages

Tesoro’s onsite school programs explore the history of Colorado in the first half of the 19th century. Whether it be handling historical objects, examining primary sources, touring an authentic adobe replica of Bent’s Fort, or participating in hands-on, minds-on learning activities, students will think critically and make connections between the past, present, and future. All of Tesoro’s school programs support Colorado Academic Standards.

• Tesoro now has 3 onsite school programs to choose from (Bent’s Fort: A Crossroads, Colorado’s Early Spanish Settlers, and The American Indian Tribes of Colorado). Reserve a program TODAY! Please contact us for pricing, availability, and more information.

• Tesoro can provide financial assistance with bussing costs for qualified schools.

• Tesoro can also come to your classroom! Inquire about Tesoro’s one-hour Traveling Trunk Show programs.

• Visit Tesoro’s website to access FREE classroom curriculum and oral history videos!

(303) 839-1671 ~ Info@TesoroCulturalCenter.org www.TesoroCulturalCenter.org

Follow the best in prep sports @AuroraSports

8 APS SUCCESS GUIDE | SPRING 2021

Younger adolescents next for COVID-19 vaccine; APS teachers required

BY SENTINEL STAFF

P

arents, schools and vaccine clinics are moving to begin inoculating younger adolescents after U.S. regulators endorsed Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine for children as young as 12, a decision seen as a breakthrough in allowing classroom instruction to resume

safely around the country.

A handful of cities, including those in the Aurora area, started offering shots to children ages 12 to 15 after the Food and Drug Administration gave the vaccine emergency use authorization for that age group.

Aurora Public Schools has become the first Denver metro area school district to require teach-

ers and staff to be vaccinated for COVID-19 for the fall school year.

In a letter that Superintendent Rico Munn sent out on Tuesday, he said that the mandate is conditional upon the U.S. Food and Drug Administration fully approving one or more of the vaccines.

The Moderna, Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson vaccines are current-

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ly approved under an “emergency use authorization,” which allows the FDA to approve medical treatments during public health emergencies on a faster timetable than would be normal.

Under the emergency use authorization, vaccinations cannot be made mandatory.

“This action is in accord with our belief that the science around COVID-19 and the vaccines is clear and compelling, is in alignment with the guidance received from federal, state, and local public health authorities and supports our goal of returning to full in-person working and learning as soon as possible – and to the fullest extent possible,” Munn wrote.

Staff will be able to seek exemptions under state and federal law, the letter said.

A district representative did not immediately respond to a Sentinel inquiry about whether employees who do not qualify for a religious or medical exemption but do not get vaccinated will be able to continue working for the district, but in an interview with 9News Munn said that in that case they will be “choosing not to work for APS.” In a statement, Colorado Education Association President Amie Baca-Oehlert expressed support for APS’ decision.

“We believe that it is prudent for districts like Aurora Public Schools take measures to keep our students and educators safe as we plan for the 2021-22 school year,” she said.

“We believe, and have said since the

beginning, that a COVID-19 vaccination is just one of many components to safely returning full-time, in-person learning. We also want to ensure that educators and students are given the latitude to work with their districts and that special accommodations can be made if the educator or student cannot receive the vaccine due to medical or religious exemptions.”

Most COVID-19 vaccines worldwide have been authorized for adults. Pfizer’s vaccine is being used in multiple countries for teens as young as 16, and Canada recently became the first to expand use to children 12 and up. Parents, school administrators and public health officials elsewhere have eagerly awaited approval for the shot to be made available to more young people.

Polling by the Kaiser Family Foundation found that just 3 in 10 parents of children ages 12 to 15 say they would get their child vaccinated as soon as possible. One-quarter said they would wait a while to see how the vaccine is working.

APS Class of 2021 High School Graduation Dates We are excited to share information about our in-person graduation ceremonies for the Class of 2021! Our goal is to celebrate our students while following safety protocols provided by the Tri-County Health Department and other health officials.

All APS graduation ceremonies will be held at the APS Stadium, which is located next to Hinkley High School at 1250 Chambers Rd., Aurora, CO 80011. Please see the dates and times below.

SCHOOL Aurora Central High School Vista PEAK Preparatory Gateway High School Hinkley High School Rangeview High School Pickens Technical College William Smith High School Aurora West College Preparatory Academy

DATE

TIME

Tuesday, June 29 Tuesday, June 29 Wednesday, June 30 Wednesday, June 30 Thursday, July 1 Thursday, July 1 Friday, July 2 Friday, July 2

9 a.m.

7 p.m.

9 a.m.

7 p.m.

9 a.m.

7 p.m.

9 a.m.

7 p.m.

Please watch for more information from your child’s school regarding safety guidelines and ceremony details.

We look forward to celebrating with you!

APS SUCCESS GUIDE | SPRING 2021 9

APS Salutes Our 2021 Daniels Scholars and Boettcher Scholar!

Congratulations to the APS students listed below who were named 2021 Daniels Scholars!

• Shannon Fliegel, APS Options Program • Roxette De Jesus Primero, Aurora Central High School • Jimena Sanchez, Aurora Central High School • Blessed Boahemaa Asare, Rangeview High School • Jayah Lea Caley, Rangeview High School This recognition highlights each student’s outstanding leadership skills, exceptional character and service to the community.

The Daniels Fund provides students the opportunity to obtain a four-year college education at any accredited non-profit college or university in the United States with full financial and personal support throughout the process. The prestigious scholarship covers all required tuition and fees, room and board, books and supplies and other miscellaneous college expenses.

We also want to recognize Gateway High School senior Jorja Whyte for earning the 2021 Boettcher Foundation Scholarship! The scholarship honors academic excellence, leadership skills and credentials, community service and noble character. Whyte endured an intense application and interview process and came out as a prized recipient.

Whyte, Gateway’s Class of 2021 salutatorian and the first Gateway Olympian to earn a Boettcher Scholarship since 2014, has enjoyed a busy and challenging high school career.

“When you work hard and persevere and achieve your goals, it’s a very fulfilling feeling,” said Whyte.

The Boettcher Scholarship is one of Colorado’s most prestigious, merit-based scholarships, providing students with a full ride to any in-state, four-year institution.

Congratulations, Jorja!

10 APS SUCCESS GUIDE | SPRING 2021

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APS SUCCESS GUIDE | SPRING 2021 11

The neighs have it during premier read-to-horses program

BY PHILIP B. POSTON Staff Writer

F

irst graders at Red Hawk Ridge Elementary School were off to the races, putting their reading skills to the test by reading aloud to horses from the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Mounted Horse Unit, Thursday, May 6.

Six horses arrived to the elementary school to give a listen to the new children’s book, The Happy Police Horse, which was written by Lt. Rich Anselmi and illustrated by Deputy Mateo Montoya-Collis, both with the sheriff’s department. The event is part of a new reading to horses program being put on by the Mounted Horse Unit, which kicked off this week. The deputies and their horses plan to visit other schools within Arapahoe County during the next few months.

Students from Red Hawk Ridge Elementary read to Love Bug, a deputized minihorse from the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Department Mounted Patrol Unit, to kick off a new reading program for elementary school children. Photo by PHILIP B. POSTON/Sentinel Colorado

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12 APS SUCCESS GUIDE | SPRING 2021

Aurora Public Schools School-Based Health Centers Are OPEN THIS SUMMER

4 LOCATIONS CRAWFORD

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1600 Florence Street (corner of 17th and Fulton) Aurora, CO 80010

1420 Laredo Street (corner of Laredo and Colfax) Aurora, CO 80011

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Aurora, CO 80012

303-326-1570

303-326-2088

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APS SUCCESS GUIDE | SPRING 2021 13

Colorado speedway program aims to curb illegal street racing was racing everything and anyone and all the time.”

He has since traded in those days for the track, in part because the conditions are more predictable and “you don’t get the tickets that you get on the street.”

“The prepped track. The trac-

BY THOMAS PEIPERT AP Writer

F

rustrated by an increase in dangerous street racing amid the pandemic, Denver area police have deployed the department’s helicopter to track races, closed lanes in areas often used by racers and sent officers to places where the groups meet.

The problem,often involving high-school students, has been especially concerning to Aurora police.

But law enforcement also has shifted gears to tackle the problem by using a racetrack in the foothills west of the city to provide a safe venue for those who feel the need for speed.

The Colorado State Patrol has teamed with Bandimere Speedway to lure racers from public areas to a more controlled environment, even allowing participants to race a trooper driving a patrol car.

On a recent day, dozens of drivers lined up to race at the speedway, revving their engines and squealing their tires before hurtling down the quarter-mile track. Most drove highly tuned vehicles, but there was the occasional stock SUV or pickup.

“This is a great alternative to street racing. You can bring out whatever you have, be it a supercar or mom’s minivan, grandpa’s Buick.

We want to see them all out here. ... And you can race a cop, and do so legally,” said State Trooper Josh Lewis, who beat a Toyota SUV in his first race last week by topping out at nearly 89 mph (143 kph).

The Colorado State Patrol has been involved in the “Take it to the Track” event for more than a decade, but its goals have gained new importance and urgency after two recent high-profile street racing incidents in the area.

On April 3, police say a mother of two who was delivering food was killed when a street racer broadsided her car with his SUV in the heart of downtown Denver.

About a month earlier, hundreds of street racers clogged a stretch of interstate in suburban Aurora, some allegedly blocking the shoulders to keep officers away. Police warned other motorists to avoid the gridlock after reports of guns being waved and fireworks being set off.

Lewis said the “Take it to the Track” program’s impact on illegal racing is hard to quantify, but it provides important community outreach nevertheless.

“We don’t necessarily know about data to be able to back it up, but every time we’re out here, we always get folks who come up to us and tell us how much they enjoy the program, how great it is, how much fun it is,” he said.

The event takes place every Wednesday throughout the summer.

Ray Propes, 58, of Windsor, said he started street racing as a teen and found himself doing it “every time I got in a car, it seemed like.”

“I turned 16, it wasn’t six months before I lost my license,” he said. “I

tion is there. Straight line. You don’t have to worry about accidents, animals, kids, birds, anything,” he said.

Tyler Truini, 28, of Colorado Springs, left work early one day last week to “just play around on the track” at Bandimere Speedway. He said he steers clear of illegal racing

because his 2019 Dodge Charger Hellcat is too fast for the street.

“A lot of my friends that I hang out with, we always talk about just coming to the track because it’s a lot easier, and it’s better for the car and better for everyone else’s safety,” he said.

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Colorado State Patrol Trooper Josh Lewis fist bumps 3-year-old Lincoln Delagarza, of Northglenn, Colorado, before racing begins at Bandimere Speedway west of Denver on May 5, 2021. The State Patrol runs a program called “Take it to the Track” in hopes of luring racers away from public areas to a safer and more controlled environment, even allowing participants to race a trooper driving a patrol car. The program’s goals have gained new importance and urgency this year as illegal street racing has increased amid the coronavirus pandemic. (AP Photo/Thomas Peipert)

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14 APS SUCCESS GUIDE | SPRING 2021

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APS SUCCESS GUIDE | SPRING 2021 15

Children’s Opportunity Foundation Donates $10 Million to Build New Sports Complex In APS, one of our core beliefs is that community partners are vital to providing resources and opportunities for students and families. We are excited to announce that our newest partner, The Children’s Opportunity Foundation (COF), a Denver non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of children all over the world, is awarding a $10 million gift to Aurora Public Schools (APS) and the Aurora Public Schools Foundation. The funds will be used to construct an enhanced baseball and softball sports complex at Aurora Central High School.

The state-of-the-art facility will include both indoor and outdoor practice fields, a training facility for student athletes, a learning center and administrative offices. Funding will also be used to add lighting to the existing softball field, turf field and track.

The $10 million investment in the Aurora community will support students by providing a new opportunity for them to explore their passion for athletics, and aid in their continued growth and achievement in academics.

We are so grateful for this generous donation and the many new opportunities that the state-of-the-art complex will provide for APS students. We plan to share more details about the project and its impact to the Aurora community in the coming months.

Thank you to the Children’s Opportunity Foundation for this generous gift.

To learn more, visit aurorak12.org/10-million-sports-complex.

Schomp Subaru Donates $30K+ to Boost APS Student Financial Literacy With the Covid-19 pandemic upending the local, state and national economy, current students could face a more uncertain financial future when they graduate.

As part of its annual Share the Love Event, Schomp Subaru partnered with the Aurora Public Schools (APS) Foundation to make a unique contribution to Aurora students to ensure their financial future stays bright. The dealership donated more than $30,000 from its auto sales to expand finance education in APS. One school which will benefit from the donation is Mrachek Middle School. Currently, Mrachek students can take personal financial literacy (PFL) as an elective, but the donation will allow the school to expand its program. Mrachek PFL teacher Tawnya Smith said giving more students the opportunity to learn how to budget, how to save and how to plan for financial success is invaluable.

In addition to supporting the PFL program at Mrachek, the donation will help expand or create similar programs at other APS schools and provide funding for teacher training. Schomp Subaru says it’s grateful to know the donation will help alleviate any anxiety students may have about their financial futures and help prepare them to be a successful part of the workforce.

16 APS SUCCESS GUIDE | SPRING 2021