On Tuesday, July 22, the community heard BVSD’s recommendations to begin the 2020-2021 BVSD school year a week later than originally planned and in Phase 3. What does this mean for families and for schools and educators/staff? That’s a complicated question with an even more complex answer.

Delaying the start date to allow for buildings and staff to meet health and safety protocols and for teachers to receive more professional development around effective online instruction means students will return to school on Wednesday, August 26th. Whether that start will take place at home or in their school building will depend on their group and the choice of parents: According to the BVSD Reintroduction Plan, Phase 3 involves grades divided into two groups to create lesser student-to-student exposure and lower teacher:student classroom ratios, with each group learning in-person two consecutive days a week, followed by two days of home, online learning. Mondays will be dedicated to teacher planning with students working on home assignments. 

Many families are wondering whether this hybrid plan is the only available option. It’s not. Parents may also choose from one of two online options: They may enroll their child in BVSD’s K-18 online school, Boulder Universal, or they may select an entire at-home learning format and still keep their child enrolled in the home school. If this latter option is chosen, parents are asked to make that choice through their IC (Infinite Campus) account by today, Friday, July 24, to help with predicting staffing.

The Reintroduction FAQ’s Page on the BVSD website elaborates on parent options along with addressing other such concerns as childcare–which will be offered M-F for families who need care for their K-5 or K-8 children five days a week–and the health and safety protocols that will be implemented, such as required mask wearing of all students and staff under most conditions. 

We know that no one wants to be in this position of balancing safety with in-person learning and that everyone wants what is best for their children and all students in our community. Phase 3 is a hybrid approach that exceeds the safety standards produced by health officials and state guidance. Yet it may still not make all families feel safe. It may also need to change based on health conditions in our community, but we appreciate that BVSD worked so hard to offer an in-person option as well as options for remote learning.

So the 2020-2021 school year may begin with some uncertainty yet also something positive: As we have since 1983, Impact on Education will continue to respond to evolving needs of students and schools, and we will mobilize our funds and our resources to support the students in our community however and wherever we can.

Dyslexia is a neurobiological learning disability characterized by difficulties with accurate and/or fluent word recognition and by poor spelling and decoding abilities. These difficulties typically result from a deficit in the phonological component of language that is often not in relation to other cognitive abilities; however, many students are mistakenly told they just need to work harder or get more general help (International Dyslexia Association, 2002). 

This scenario mirrors that of Kate Snedeker, a former BVSD student who couldn’t keep up the pace of curriculum in elementary school when reading became more the focus, and teacher conferences and report cards led to demoralization, despite understanding the material. 

One family’s perspective

When she was in sixth grade, her mother, Kristen, learned about dyslexia and saw some similarities in Kate’s experience; the diagnosis of “debilitating dyslexia” should have led to relief but instead emphasized how the lack of early intervention had now created a situation of playing catch up using time-consuming compensating strategies and 504 accommodations. 

Driven to prevent as much as possible the same situation for any other BVSD student, Kristen approached Impact on Education in 2019 with the idea of partnering to support students with dyslexia using early detection and intervention. Together with BVKID (Boulder Valley Kids Identified with Dyslexia) and BVSD, we concluded that the most effective way to address the need to help these students focused on teacher training in the Orton-Gillingham approach, a multisensory, explicit, sequential and diagnostic method of teaching literacy to dyslexic students.  We just needed funding.

So, Impact on Education created the Literacy Fund in late 2019, and with the help of the Boulder Valley community, we raised $50,000 to provide summer Orton-Gillingham training for 41 BVSD teachers and reading interventionists, enough to guarantee that every single school in BVSD can identify and support students with dyslexia, and no child should have to be told to just work harder, as Kate was told.

Taking place this week, the Zoom training mirrors the in-person training in its introduction of a concept via main meeting, demonstration of the concept, breaking of participants into small break-out groups, and interactive chat sessions. And with the distribution of all the materials, interventionists and teachers can use this approach with students as soon as the first week of school! 

Advocating for others

Now an advocate for younger students with dyslexia and college senior exploring a career in social justice, Kate is “happy to know that [my] own challenges helped to inspire a program at BVSD that may make lifelong differences in the lives of other students.” And this all started because Kristen, whose brother Blake Peterson served as a Board member, realized that our mission in working to overcome or eliminate barriers to success for all students might make this a program we would embrace. 

Kristen was right! Impact on Education exists to address critical needs and achievement gaps for all students in Boulder Valley’s public schools. With the Orton-Gillingham training that we are offering this week, we are proudly making big strides towards addressing the specific needs and overcoming the learning gaps for every BVSD student, including those with dyslexia. As the BVSD Director of Reading, Michelle Qazi shares, “Not only will learning the Orton-Gillingham approach help crack the code for those who have gaps in learning to read, but it is great teaching for all students at the universal level.” 

To our committed community, 

A few days ago, our Board of Directors gathered for the first time since May 21. In addition to the routine items on our agenda, we prioritized making space for a frank conversation about the role of equity and race within Impact on Education. We believe strongly that Black Lives Matter and are committed to making change through equity in public education.

The mission of our organization is to support students in Boulder Valley public schools with supplemental funding and resources in order to address critical needs and achievement gaps. But let us be clear: the fact that our mission aligns with goals of diversity, equity, and inclusion does not mean we believe that we’re already doing the best we can. In fact, because we’re committed to leveling the playing field of public education in our community, we hold ourselves to a higher standard and acknowledge that we have not yet done enough to provide equal opportunity for all students. 

Boulder Valley School District has one of the largest and most persistent achievement gaps in the nation. To address this, in 2019 BVSD released their 5-year strategic plan, All Together for All Students, in which they make clear 3 goals: 

• Reduce disparities in achievement, 
• Ensure all students receive a relevant and challenging education, and 
• Prepare every student for success after graduation. 

As the foundation for the district, we’re proud to play an active role in working towards these goals. We’re also here to hold them accountable. 

Our staff and Board members committed to closely examine every aspect of our programs, strategies, and partnerships through the lens of equity and inclusion. We’ll ask ourselves the difficult questions, maintaining an ongoing inquiry as to how we can better support our students of color and educate our white students on the systems they may find invisible. 

We’re committed to giving this work the time it deserves. We’ll provide updates on our progress, and we welcome questions or feedback on how we can do better. We truly value your input and your partnership.

Thank you for your ongoing support. 

With gratitude,
Allison Billings, Executive Director

Our longstanding Crayons to Calculators program, generously supported by Western Disposal, needs your help to ensure that 11,000 Boulder Valley and St. Vrain Valley students pre-K through 12th grade start school in August well-equipped for success! This year, maybe more than any other, students will need our assistance, and Crayons to Calculators is ready for the challenge: 

In order to align with Boulder County Public Health guidelines, we are securing and pre-packaging all of the needed supplies recommended by BVSD and SVVSD, through a wholesale supplier and delivering them directly to the school districts for distribution to students in need. This program adaptation will serve as a safety measure while still fulfilling the need for every single student to return to learning in August feeling prepared and confident. 

What does this mean for community participation? It means we need community members, who share our commitment to education for all students, to make a gift on behalf of this imperative program. Since we are unable to incorporate two typical elements of this program, volunteer assistance and donated supplies, in 2020, we need to raise more funds from individuals and businesses.

This year, we’re excited to share that our friends at Google have pledged to match all donations made by June 30th up to $10,000. Crayons to Calculators has never depended more on community, individual, and corporate donations. Will you help us raise $20,000 for school supplies by then? 

So, as we head into the heat of summer, we know that with your help, Crayons to Calculators and its title sponsor Western Disposal along with partners Impact on Education and Education Foundation for the St. Vrain Valley will be able to meet students’ needs and help them start the school year ready to set new and higher goals! 

Donate here

Sponsorship opportunities are still available. Please reach out to darcy@impactoneducation.org if your business is interested in supporting this essential program or sharing information on our behalf. 

300,000 meals for BVSD families! Yes, you read that right! Because of generous individuals and businesses in our community, Impact on Education’s Critical Needs Fund was able to support BVSD Food Services in providing over 300,000 meals since mid-March when school doors suddenly closed, cutting off access to the 6,500 students who rely on free or reduced cost breakfast and lunch each day.  Food bags were distributed in a safe, drive-through manner at various school sites and reflected the consistently high standards of Chef Ann, Director of Food Services, which means high quality, local, organic when available, fresh produce, protein, and whole grains.

On Tuesday June 9th, our Executive Director Allison Billings presented this $100,000 check to BVSD Food Services Operations Manager & Registered Dietician, Stephen Menyhart, and we couldn’t be more grateful for such dedicated partners in keeping our BVSD students and families ready to learn and feeling connected to one another during this uncertain time. This investment was complemented by the $40,000 in grocery gift cards that Impact on Education provided to families in need between March and May to ensure that their basic needs were met. 

Food distribution details

When: 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Tuesdays and Thursdays, through Aug. 6 (no distribution July 2)

Where: Sanchez Elementary, 655 Sir Galahad Drive, Lafayette; Crest View Elementary, 1897 Sumac Drive, Boulder; Columbine Elementary, 3130 Repplier Drive, Boulder; Emerald Elementary, 275 Emerald St., Broomfield; Louisville Middle, 1341 Main St., Louisville; Nederland Middle/Senior, 597 County Road 130, Nederland; and University Hill Elementary (site may change in mid-July due to construction), 956 16th St., Boulder.

For more info on food distribution, check out the School Food Project.

Impact on Education is proud to announce changes to our Summer Shuffle Early Childhood Summer Learning Program.  Following public health guidelines, we are evolving from gathering and teaching groups of preschool-aged children at the Boulder Housing Partners (BHP) Community Centers to delivering instructional materials to the doorstep of every 3, 4 and 5 year-old’s home at every BHP site. While we will miss having these young learners join teachers in person, the modified Summer Shuffle allows us to reach twice as many students and families than we typically do! We anticipate delivering over 500 instructional kits this summer!

How we’re adapting

We’re excited to implement such an individualized model during this challenging, instructional time! Each week from June 22-July 23, a bilingual BVSD paraeducator will hand deliver, following established health protocols, an assembled package of theme-driven materials that follow a curriculum developed by our lead teacher, an experienced, bilingual BVSD Early Childhood Education teacher. The bilingual materials will include several books, arts & crafts materials, and printed instructional lessons to guide parents in using those materials. In addition, each week, our Lead Teacher, Ms. Kathy, will offer virtual storytime–in both Spanish and in English–with the books included in the weekly packages. She is also planning on virtual playgroups for parents to check in and visit with her and one another. They’ll have opportunities to ask questions about the instruction or childhood development or education and network with other parents. The program will not only support our youngest BVSD learners but also their parents, guardians, and families.

In past years, the goals of Summer Shuffle have been both academic and social-emotional, and this year’s changes will align with those goals: With full-day kindergarten in Colorado now going into its second year, school readiness has never been more important.  Executive functioning skills such as attentiveness during instruction or storytime and sharing of ideas verbally are vital for kindergarten growth, and understanding basic math and language concepts is similarly important to starting off on the right foot.

Experiences that make a difference

Enrolling in a formal preschool program plays a crucial role in introducing those skills early, when children can start associating learning with fun, so one of our goals each year is to offer a friendly summertime introduction to school that will result in preschool enrollment. As with all of our programs, we’ll measure the impact of our program by collecting surveys, observing progress and collecting input from parents and caregivers.  Additionally, Impact on Education will gather data on preschool enrollment of BHP children at the conclusion of our program.

Even in these uncertain instructional times, all children need to learn and be prepared for school. And we have a responsibility to do all that we can to ensure that the gap in in-person learning doesn’t add to the already wide gap in resources and opportunities that Impact on Education works so hard to address. We’re excited that Summer Shuffle will continue to mean fun in learning, and children in public housing will continue to grow and expand their horizons this summer!

Our long-running Crayons to Calculators program, sponsored by Western Disposal, is a heavy lift each summer. Before school starts each August, we provide school supplies to 11,000 students in need across the Boulder Valley School District and St. Vrain Valley School District with the help of hundreds of volunteers logging thousands of hours and dozens of supply drives across the county collecting donated materials on our behalf. This year, being mindful of public health guidelines and with the safety of our students top of mind, we are revamping the program while still ensuring that all students receive the supplies they need, but this is going to require a LOT of help from our community.

Our Crayons to Calculators program must adapt significantly because we are simply unable to gather hundreds of volunteers in a school building or to safely assemble and distribute backpacks filled with school supplies recommended for students Pre-K through high school.  

Some needed changes

While we annually call on the community to donate supplies to be collected for backpack assembly, and while we are the beneficiary of over $250,000 in donated supplies each year, we simply can’t expect this summer to be business as usual.

In the interest of public health, using only community financial contributions, we plan to purchase school supply kits scaled to grade level from a wholesale provider.  These kits will take into account the unique needs of each school district as well as a possible need for at-home learning during the 2020-21 school year. Kits will be distributed by BVSD and SVVSD in a safe and socially distant manner. Students and families will still be able to begin the school year ready for success whether they are attending school at-home, within the school building, or a combination of both. But, this approach requires far more funding than we’ve raised in the past.

That’s why we are particularly grateful for Western Disposal’s longstanding sponsorship of Crayons to Calculators: For over a decade, this local company, which values and strives to take care of its local communities, has supported our Crayons to Calculators program, knowing that if students start school feeling ready for success, equipped with the tools needed for success, the year begins positively, and achievement and growth can more effectively develop. We count on Western Disposal as a partner, and they continue to strengthen this collaboration.

We also rely on our partners at the Education Foundation for the St Vrain Valley to coordinate this program within SVVSD.

With these two key partners firmly committed, we are turning our attention to bringing on other partners – businesses, individuals, foundations and others who also recognize the importance of local students being equipped with the tools they need to learn effectively. We realize that, due to economic conditions, we are likely to see more students and families unable to shoulder the cost of purchasing school supplies this year, and we need to prepare accordingly. 

How to help

Without volunteer opportunities or supply drives this year, there are two ways you can help:

• Make a financial contribution that we will use to purchase supplies at wholesale prices
• Host a monetary donation drive for your friends, colleagues, family, & community members

Click here for more information about how to get started in supporting this critical program for our community and join us in our mission to prepare every student to return to learning this fall. 

Donate now to support Crayons to Calculators. 

Thank you. Thank you.

Thanks to you, we are closing in on our Critical Needs Fund goal of $500,000. So far, Impact on Education and our entire community have raised nearly $470,000 from almost 750 donors. And both of those totals are growing because our impact continues to grow.

We’re continuing to partner with BVSD Food Services to distribute bags of fresh, local food to families at seven different school sites across the district twice a week, and that food distribution will continue into July.

We’re also providing grocery gift cards to families in need to supplement the meal bags from BVSD Food Services, and to date, school community liaisons have distributed over $40,000 in gift cards.

We’re so proud that BVSD has ensured internet access and devices to all BVSD families, and we’re now looking into how we can support the district in their professional development offered, so that all teachers are prepared and have the tools they need to support learning in the fall, whether that happens in person, remotely or in a blended format.

Finally, we know that our Critical Needs Fund will also address BVSD students’ significant academic gap as we move into the fall to ensure this temporary gap in in-person learning doesn’t translate to a longer-term overall knowledge and skill gap.

This “new normal”

More students will likely need interventions in some form and more continual food assistance; this situation is ever evolving and much is uncertain. Some needs can be foreseen and many cannot. Our Critical Needs Fund was established as support for both now and the future. And as the needs and our efforts grow, our community has stood with us, and we cannot thank you enough.

So, whether you’re someone in need of help or someone who can provide help, Impact on Education is here for you. We are committed to meeting the needs of the students and families in Boulder Valley’s public schools now and well after the COVID-19 crisis has ended.

Make a gift to the Critical Needs Fund.

Amidst the many challenges facing our community right now, we are excited to share good news about a virtual celebration we held on May 7 during Teacher Appreciation Week. We had the joy of honoring seven BVSD early career teachers and recognizing one first-year teacher as our inaugural Imogene Maxon Early Career Teacher award (IMA) winner! We originally intended to recognize and award these educators in person during our annual Impact Awards event in March, but we rescheduled the event for September, when we will honor them all in person with our Impact Award winners.

Earlier this year, we received a bequest from the family of Imogene Maxon, a lifelong educator who taught in BVSD, in the form of 5% of her estate. Imogene believed strongly in the impact of teachers who spend a lifetime honing instruction and learning practices and positively impacting countless students within the classroom.

Our seven nominees were chosen for their commitment to the teaching profession, and for embodying a passion and stamina that reflects one of a veteran educator. The nominees represent Boulder High, Emerald Elementary, University Hill Elementary, Eldorado K-8, Transitions Center, Manhattan Middle, and Nederland Middle/Senior.

Congratulations to Emily Trujillo

Our first-ever IMA winner, Emily Trujillo, is a kindergarten teacher at Emerald Elementary and a BVSD graduate. Announced by BVSD Board of Education President Tina Marquis, Emily stood out with her wise-beyond-her-years demeanor, natural leadership, and dedication to individual students. She is dedicated to showing students how they can be represented in their teachers.

The virtual celebration included all of the award nominees, their principals, BVSD Board of Education members, and BVSD administrative leaders, and was broadcast on BV22 simultaneously. We encourage the community to watch the video and celebrate our BVSD educators! 

Thanks to the Maxon bequest, each nominee and the winner was given a monetary award.

Home-based learning will continue – your support is needed now more than ever

Boulder Valley School District announced on Monday that schools will remain closed for all in-school learning for the rest of this academic year and that Summer School will also be taught remotely.  Education and teaching will still occur, but both teachers and students will be logging on from home.  With this announcement that building doors will be closed for at least the next few months, we know that the needs in our community will continue to grow.

Our strong partnership with BVSD allowed us to mobilize immediately and ensure that all students have the necessary tools to continue their education from home. So far, we have:

Here’s a quick break down of the impact:

This work is only possible thanks to the hundreds of individual donors who contributed to our Critical Needs Fund.

In case you missed it, our Executive Director Allison Billings went live on Facebook to share an update on the swift and encompassing efforts by BVSD staff, supported by Impact on Education. 

Please help us get the word out, please share on social – click here for easy facebook share.

While we are extremely proud that we’ve been able to provide so much support so quickly, we also know how much more work we have to do. The costs to continue providing food to support families in need this summer are significant, and the enrichment programs we know will be needed to help students catch up will be significant. We are so grateful for all who are joining us to make sure that these temporary school closures do not lead to permanent learning deficits.

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