Be The change

VISION PLAN 2022

WELCOME

Rooted in identity.

by community.

CREDIT PHOTO BY ALLISON SHELLEY FOR EDUIMAGES

BE THE CHANGE COMMUNITY SCHOOL

CONTENT

OVERVIEW

INSTRUCTIONAL MODEL

WHAT MAKES US UNIQUE

WE’RE A HIGH SCHOOL THAT IS ABOUT

WHY ADAMS 14

MEET OUR LEADERS

BOARD

COMMUNITY MAPPING

FACILITY PROGRAM PLANNING

FINANCES

OVERVIEW BE THE CHANGE COMMUNITY SCHOOL

The Commerce City community is rich in diversity, rich with pride, and provides a close-knit, small-town feel while remaining accessible to large cities. As the city evolves through changing demographics and increased population, Be The Change Community School (BTCCSCS), a prospective high school serving grades 9-12 in Commerce City, seeks to support the long-term economic stability of Commerce City through the provision of a high school option built upon the dreams of high school students and through the desires of our residents. Our goal is that BTCCSCS will be a community hub that mobilizes students, families, educators, and community members to work together for the common good, where agency and radical change is developed.

Our founders and many of our board members are part of the Commerce City community via residency, are parents of students who attend Adams 14 schools, and include a former Adams 14 teacher. For years we’ve witnessed as our community has been influenced by people who do not live in the city, do not send their children to our schools, and who do not have the lived experiences that only living in Commerce City provides. Unfortunately, these outside influencers have been successful in silencing voices and dividing us against one another, but deep down, we all know that we want the same thing; access to a strong education for our children.

As long-time members of the Commerce City community, it is our desire to strengthen the Adams 14 portfolio of schools by establishing an innovative high school.

At BTCCSCS, we believe that people closest to a problem are the ones with the greatest power in solving the problem, and we believe that the best way to ensure community agency and stability is through direct application for our young people and their families. We believe that together, we can create the revolutionary educational change that we all desire to see.

Anticipated Launch in 2023 in Adams 14 School District

INSTRUCTIONAL MODEL

We believe that students need a way to develop confidence and pride in their unique identities through formal and informal processes, pedagogical structures, and youth cultural practices in order to impact society. We are driven by a single goal: Empower young people to impact the world through civic engagement. We do not view teachers as the all-knowing expert in the room, rather, as Cultivators whose responsibility it is to ask questions of and lead change agents on their journey of exploration while they learn alongside the student. Our change agents are learners, seekers, and doers, all with the goal of developing their skills toward creating change, which is why we refer to students as Change Agents. We cultivate change agents by incorporating our values into our instructional model and providing an academically robust curriculum alongside opportunities for change agents to build agency.

BTCCSCS understands that students need a way to develop the confidence and pride in their unique identities to thrive socially, emotionally, academically, and ultimately impact society. We are driven by a single goal: Empower young people to impact the world through civic engagement. Students learn best when learning is collective and collaborative and they have a genuine interest in the subject matter being presented. At the foundation of our programming, we introduce Change Agents to their ancestral roots, placing the struggles, hopes, and experiences of their heritage in proximity to their current lived experiences. Additionally, Change Agents will unpack difference and intersectionality, understanding how diversity is critical to a well-functioning society. Through this, they will build a deep understanding of humanity. This is foundational to all learning because it is where Change Agents will connect to a worldview that centers their own humanity as interdependent with all of creation. This impacts their stability as human beings and provides a strong foundation on

which civic engagement will be built. 1 The BTCCSCS classroom atmosphere is cultivated to provide self-awareness and confidence, where young people depend on one another’s skills, perspectives, and experiential knowledge and in turn take responsibility, are independent, and self-disciplined. This is actualized through Problem-Based Learning (ProbBL).

Change Agents use technology to engage in scientific, mathematical, literary, historical, and artistic pursuits. Both academic and technical strands are strongly supported at BTCCSCS and we will work to reverse a 100year history of separating technical and academic subjects in American high schools by integrating the two in all Problem and ProjectBased Learning environments. In accordance with the Graduation Guidelines provided by the Colorado Department of Education (CDE), BTCCSCS will meet all Graduation Guidelines.

1 López Francesca A., and Mictlani González. “Decolonizing Chican@ Studies to Rehumanize Xican@ Youth through Indigenous Pedagogies.” Asset Pedagogies in Latino Youth Identity and Achievement Nurturing Confinanza, Routledge, Taylor and Francis Group, London, 2018, pp. 84–91.

WHAT MAKES US UNIQUE

Problem-Based Learning

Students will experience content through problem solving at the local, national, and global levels through hands-on problem based learning and civic engagement pathways in each unit that lead to internships in field of interest in 11th and 12th grades.

Rooted in Identity

We believe that students need a way to develop the confidence and pride in their unique identities through formal and informal processes incorporated into everything we do. Students will develop competence in personal and community history to understand self in relation to others and society and cultivate a strong sense of personal strengths, needs, and abilities

Revolutionary Confidence

We are driven by a single goal: Empower young people to impact the world through civic engagement. Students will develop pride in who they are and where they are from and will possess the skills to confidently navigate all systems that take place in the world in which they live

These tenets are integrated in our welcoming morning ritual of sharing a meal, sharing joy, and understanding our personal and collective community’s greatness.

All staff will engage with one another in the pursuit of Abolitionist SEL.

WE’RE A HIGH SCHOOL THAT IS ABOUT…

CONFIDENCE COMMUNITY IDENTITY

BTCCS students develop pride in who they are, where they are from, and possess the skills to confidently navigate all systems that take place in the world in which they live.

BTCCS students develop competence in personal and community history to understand self in relation to others and society and cultivate a strong sense of personal strengths, needs, and abilities.

Programming at BTCCS is co-designed with the community in order to truly serve community needs as they evolve. BTCCS students have full support of well trained and supportive teachers as they co-create their own projects for learning.

CIVIC ENGAGEMENT

Programming at BTCCS is co-designed with the community in order to truly serve community needs as they evolve. BTCCS students have full support of well trained and supportive teachers as they co-create their own projects for learning.

WHY ADAMS 14 THE PROBLEMS

The district dropout rate was 4.9%, nearly triple the statewide average of 1.8%. The graduation rate was 67%, compared to the statewide rate of 82%.

91% ETHNICALLY DIVERSE

Ninety one percent of learners in Adams 14 identified as racially or ethnically diverse (compared to 48% statewide).

Nearly 34% of the school-aged students who reside in the district attend school in other districts or Charter School Institute schools.

During the ‘19-’20 school year, the district had 734 incidents of behavior, 85% of which involved BIPOC students, with 1,169 out of school suspensions and 41 referrals to law enforcement.

A 2014 report, issued by the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights, found that the district failed to comply with federal civil rights laws by creating a hostile environment for Latinos and failing to communicate effectively with parents whose primary language is not English.

Adams 14 School District has been among the lowest performing school districts in Colorado for as long as reliable data has been collected. The district and Adams City High School are the first to have accreditation removed by the state board of education.

ADAMS 14

DISTRICT

Adams 14 School District in Commerce City, Colorado serves 6,114 K-121 students just north of Denver. Compared to the state as a whole, the district serves a higher number of economically disadvantaged students and multi-language learners.

BE THE CHANGE COMMUNITY SCHOOL SOLUTIONS

Options for Families

Caretakers need an option for their teens to attend a school in their home district where they experience an individualized education while developing revolutionary confidence.

Innovative Instruction

Students in Commerce City need a fresh way to experience a school that intentionally builds agency while ensuring that they are adequately prepared with 21st century skills.

Accontable Biliteracy

Multilingual learners deserve meaningful ELD programming cocreated with, and accountable to, a Community Language Board. This team will be made up of guardians, students, community members, and BTCCSCS staff and administrators

Values based SEL

Students need access to authentic social & emotional learning that is rooted in authenticity, cultural relevance, and is additive to their lived experiences.

Authentic Restorative Practices

BIPOC students need a way to learn in a safe environment while experiencing a caring community approach that avoids the school to prison pipeline.

45% 78% REDUCED LUNCH PROGRAM

78% of students qualified for free or reduced lunch (compared to 40% statewide).

MULTI-LANGUAGE LEARNERS

45% of district students are multilanguage learners (compared to 12% statewide).

TIMELINE 2018-2021

LIBERATORY DESIGN PILOTS

YEAR 1 PLANNING

SCHOOL LAUNCH

Summer Camp

Adams 14 school district charter application

MEET OUR LEADERS

AMANDA GONZALES

Born and raised in Denver, CO, Amanda’s passion for youth advocacy and social change has been her north star over the past 25 years of work with teens in the education and community based non-profit fields. Her drive is rooted in the indigenous Nahuatl word tiahui, which roughly means to move, change, or go forward. With the belief that education can get one out of their situation, her commitment to empowerment and movement has always been focused on young people of color in Denver and Adams counties. She has served in various positions including high school principal and secondary school administrator with both Denver Public Schools and KIPP Colorado, gang outreach and violence response with GRASP, fieldbased mental health with the Mental Health Center of Denver, youth mentoring with the Latino Coalition, teaching and program development with Adams 14 School District, and she has taught all content areas in secondary education. Her true passion is special education law, where she specializes in serving teens with affective needs and significant mental health disabilities. A first-generation college graduate and child of a Displaced Aurarian, Amanda holds a B.A. from MSU Denver in Special Education and Linguistically Diverse Education and an M.A. from the University of Northern Colorado in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies and Special Education Administration. She is currently a high school administrator and Moonshot edVentures school launcher resident at Denver North High School.

AMANDA MARQUEZ

Amanda Marquez is a proud bicultural Latina and firstgeneration college graduate who believes in continually growing and learning best by doing. She has studied business, cosmetology, and earned an M.Ed in Educational Leadership from Harvard. Amanda accidentally fell into the world of education in 2005 when she overheard someone in a coffee shop talking about a program called Teach for America. She introduced herself to the recruiter and though she had enrolled in business school with the intention of opening up her own salon, she left that coffee shop knowing that she would become an educator after graduation. In her first year as a special education teacher serving the community of Brownsville, Texas, she fell in love with the idea of changing the world through education. Over the past 17 years, Amanda has worked to change the world and fight for racial equity as a special education teacher, math teacher, assistant principal, principal, and director of innovation in communities in Texas, Massachusetts, and Colorado. She lives life to the fullest by competing in triathlons, traveling, listening to books, watching K-dramas, hanging out with her 3 dogs, and eating delicious food. She believes in finding what you are passionate about and going all in. She is thrilled to support others in doing the same in order to change the world.

MEET OUR BOARD

Through engagement in real world issues that shape their daily lives such as environmental racism, police brutality, school safety, school closure, tracking, and racial profiling, youth learn to move past victimization and confront unjust social and economic conditions

-Akom, Ginwright, & Cammarota, 2008

MATTHEW DODGE PRESIDENT

Matt has been a CareerConnect Pathway Director for DPS for the last 7 years serving in this role for Denver School of Innovation and Sustainable Design (DSISD) and North High School. As the Pathway Director, he led the building out of and maintaining the work-based and college learning pathways that earned the DSISD first graduating class over $150,000 in college scholarships and earned over $350,000 in wages through internships and apprenticeships. Before moving into this leadership role, he spent two years developing as a leader through the REDDI leadership program and five years as a secondary math teacher.

Matt is excited to bring his years of service to support as a board member of Be the Change Community School, where he has the opportunity to bring his skills to serve students and families of his own community. After supporting multiple start-up schools and learning the complexities of leading within a large comprehensive school, he hopes to bring his wife and two daughters to school design events and any future school events. Matt is looking forward to building more opportunities for students at Be The Change that supports students in exploring the world and developing personal passions so that they can leave with a strong purpose.

MINERVA COBOS SECRETARY

Minerva Cobos is a marketing and communications professional with more than 10 years of experience in advertising, marketing, and communications from agency to the non-profit sector. Born in the state of Chihuahua in Mexico, she moved to Denver at eight years old which helped shape her unique perspective as a first-generation Latina. She is a firm believer that every community deserves unfettered access to quality education, support, and opportunities. Compassion, knowledge sharing, and empathy are the cornerstones that guide her work ethic. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, spending time with her family, including her husband, five-year-old son, and Great Pyrenees canine companion. She holds a B.A. in marketing from Metropolitan State University of Denver.

GEOFF BROVICH TREASURER

Geoff has held various positions in investment banking and management consulting, including the Director of Finance for KIPP Colorado schools. A proud alumnus of K-12 public schools, Geoff aspires to be part of a team working to make education better for all kids. Geoff is also a Board Member with Downtown Denver Expeditionary School and a graduate of Villanova University.

MEET OUR BOARD

MICHELLE BROWN-JUEL BOARD MEMBER

Michelle specializes in communication and language interaction. She has a master’s degree in linguistics from CU Boulder with a concentration in sociolinguistics and is currently a Ph.D. student studying Language and Social Interaction (LSI) at the same university, focusing on critical scholarship. Michelle understands the importance of language and communication and how they influence the reality around us. She believes that being mindful in the language we use to describe cultures, interactions, groups, and other topics is a necessary step in achieving equality. A self-proclaimed life-long student, she recognizes the magnitude of cultivating a passion for education both inside and outside the classroom. Growing up in a military family, she’s had the pleasure of calling many places home, but has put down roots here in Colorado. She enjoys doing crafts and pottery in her free time, and spending quality time with her husband, eight-year-old daughter and two senior dogs.

HONG NGUYEN BOARD MEMBER

Hong is the Senior Associate for Organizational Equity at Facing History and Ourselves where she leads the internal strategy for diversity, equity, and inclusion. Before this, she was an educator for 9 years in a range of roles including being a teacher, college advisor, and counselor. As someone who received a 97% positive rating from learners and was rated as “exemplary” on the teacher effectiveness framework, Hong knows how to create memorable and transformative learning experiences and deliver results. Helping people be and operate at their best is what fills her bucket. In her spare time, Hong enjoys a great french press, exploring through running, and eating food that fills the soul.

COURTNEY RONNER BOARD MEMBER

Courtney is a lifelong nonprofit warrior with areas of expertise in communications, marketing, advocacy, and public policy. Her areas of passion are health care equity and affordability, women’s health, education, and mental health access. She is a lifelong learner, mentor, advocate, communicator, ally, hiker, music lover, beginner skier, world traveler, art junkie, and urban explorer. She holds B.A.s in Political Science and Women’s Studies from Siena College in Albany, New York.

CECILIA QUINTANILLA BOARD MEMBER

Cecilia was born and raised in Cochabamba, Bolivia. In December of 2017, she moved to the United States to work for Denver Public Schools at Bryant Webster Dual Language to teach in a Spanish Immersion Early Childhood Classroom. Cecilia enjoys music and playing the piano, she is currently a board member of the Denver Children’s Choir. In the summer of 2020 she founded the nonprofit organization “Yachayniyuq” in her home country of Bolivia where she provides resources and consulting services to students and families. As a member of GTLCAGifted and Talented Leaders of Color and Allies, she is a fierce advocate for gifted, underrepresented students.

COMMUNITY MAPPING

HISPANIC/LATINO POPOULATION

SITE SCOUTING

Real estate cost and land value is at an all-time high in Colorado, and is a barrier to many mission-driven developments. However, through partnerships with staunch supporters and those with a pulse on the market, several possible locations have been identified. Further feasibility studies will be done to ensure these locations are a good match and to determine whether they are suitable for full-capacity or interim occupancy.

7001 E 57TH PL

This 22,000 SF building is listed for lease and for sale. The property is zoned as Industrial-1 which permits school uses. The property is listed by Colliers International at $3,700,000 ($168.18/SF).

The 6th floor of the office complex South Platte Crossing has 11,419 Square Feet and is managed by the Urban Land Conservancy. The space is listed at $14/SF per year.

80TH AVE

This 2.43 acre parcel of land is centrally located in the Adams 14 school district. The property is adjacent to a residential area and is zoned Commercial C-3, ideal for a school property. The property is listed by JPAR Modern Real Estate at $1,500,000 ($617,283.95/AC).

This 3.75 acre parcel of land is centrally located in the Adams 14 school district and adjacent to a residential area. The property is zoned as Commercial C-3 ideal for a school property. The property is listed by Keller Williams Preferred Realty at $2,600,000 ($728,291.32/AC).

FACILITY PROGRAM PLANNING

Below outlines Be The Change Community School’s facility program for both a temporary facility and a permanent facility.

Temporary Facility

Year 1 - 2 Program

Permanent Facility

Year 3+ Program

Grade 9 (5 classrooms per grade)

Grade 10 (5 classrooms per grade)

Grade 11 (5 classrooms per grade)

Grade 12 (5 classrooms per grade) Core Classroom Total

FACILITY CONCEPT WAREHOUSE RENOVATION

6000 E 58TH AVE

The majority of commercial properties throughout Commerce City are warehouses and industrial buildings. To support and reflect the current architecture of the community, Be the Change Community School is interested in renovating one of these spaces into a school. This concept will come with many permitting and design hurdles, but the unique facility would elevate their non-traditional education model.

With the support of Radian, Be the Change Community School explored the concept of renovating the warehouse property for lease/sale at 6000 E 58th Ave into a school. These plans are still in the conceptual phase.

ELEVATION

FACILITY CONCEPT OFFICE RENOVATION

Radia connected Be the Change Community School with the Urban Land Conservancy who owns the 6th floor of an office property at 7190 Colorado Blvd. Radian developed a plan for renovating the 6th floor of the building into a temporary school space. Be the Change and Radian determined that the school would outgrow the space by year two or three. Be the Change is still very interested in the possibility of occupying more than one floor of the building.

7190 COLORADO BLVD

FACILITY CONCEPT NEW BUILD

Be the Change Community School also explored the concept of a new build in Commerce City. This would be the easiest way for the school to make sure the facility meets all of BTCCS’s needs. The for-sale property located at 6750 Highway 2 is directly adjacent to a neighborhood community in their preferred search area.

6750 HIGHWAY 2

VISUAL PRECEDENTS

The BTCCSCS vision and mission are rooted in four core values: Confidence, Identity, Community and Civic Engagement. They are also tethered to the following foundational philosophy and guiding principles:

We believe in the need for disrupting the educational status quo at the local, national, and global levels in order to innovate for a better future for us all.

We believe that in order to create change in the world, we must illuminate and cultivate the gifts of our children, or community, and our ancestors.

When confidence and pride in our unique identities is developed we are better situated to impact society

Through a design workshop, Be The Change Community School determined that their facility should be culturally responsive, inclusive of all users, interactive, and support a nontraditional education model.

NONTRADITIONAL

CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE INCLUSIVE

INTERACTIVE

FINANCES

330460490

$1,995,883$2,972,346$3,270,220

$36,260$102,800$111,581

$14,675$15,249$14,799

$430,671$715,188$768,647

$91,730$98,196$100,376

$985,117$1,058,917$1,104,248

$108,781$154,200$167,371

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