Superintendent Weekly Update
District Newsletter - August 15, 2025
Happy Friday, D51!
It was a shorter week for our students, but there was still plenty happening across District 51! While students enjoyed a couple of days away from the classroom, our staff were busy with professional learning, planning, and elementary parent-teacher conferences. These days provide valuable time for our educators to connect with families, collaborate with colleagues, and focus on the work that supports our students throughout the school year.
Last weekend I was able to watch some of our D51 athletes in action. On Friday I was able to catch two D51 football games with FMHS playing at 4 p.m. and GJHS playing their homecoming game at 8 p.m. I love attending these events because it gives me the opportunity to see our student athletes and our bands perform on the field, and it’s always fun to see the excitement in the stands. In between the two games I was able to watch the varsity cross country girls and boys compete at Lincoln Park for the SWL Championship Cross Country meet! Our runners tore up the course and took home some individual podium spots and team victories. I was also able to catch the GJHS boys soccer team in action last Saturday. It’s a great reminder that our student athletes are competing 6 days a week, and I encourage y’all to get out and support them!
I was also able to continue getting out and spreading the word about the facts related to the 4A Mill Levy Override on our ballots this year. This funding would support school safety, CTE & workforce readiness programs, and more competitive pay for our hard working teachers and staff. From sharing the facts at staff meetings to the GJ Chamber State of the Valley event to presenting to the GJ Newcomers Club, I have really enjoyed getting out and talking to folks about the facts behind our funding, where these dollars would be spent, and how our community can support our public schools. You can read more below from our Director of Safety & Security about how the MLO dollars would make our schools safer.
I also had the opportunity to speak at the dedication ceremony for the STEAM @ Tope Elementary outdoor classroom and garden. These new spaces are dedicated to Mr. Bailey and Mrs. Armbruster for their years of dedication to the Tope community. It was great to hear the powerful words shared about these individuals and to see the students excited about having an outdoor space to learn in. Shoutout to Principal Kennedy and everyone who was involved in making this a reality for our kids.
This week, I also had the opportunity to see some of our talented student musicians in action at the Colorado Bandmasters Association Western Slope State Qualifying Marching Band Festival! Our marching bands have been working hard this season, and it's always fun to see that dedication pay off on the field. Behind every performance are countless hours of practice, teamwork, and support from our band directors, staff, and families. I'm proud of our students and wish them the best as they continue through competition season!
As we head into the weekend, I hope you'll take a few minutes to catch up on some of the great things happening across our schools and community. And if you get a chance, remember to get out and support our students in athletics and performing arts!
Have a wonderful weekend, D51!
4A Is an Investment in Our Children’s Safety
As Director of Safety & Security for District 51, I think about one question every day. Are our students safe? It is the first thing on my mind when the buses roll in each morning and the last thing I check on when the buildings empty out at night.
Before joining the district, I spent my career in law enforcement, where I was taught the value of proactive, intelligence-led work. The best outcome is the crisis that never happens because someone noticed the warning signs early. I have brought that same philosophy to District 51.
Every weekday, thousands of children and young people across the Grand Valley walk into a District 51 school. Parents trust that those buildings are safe. Teachers trust that help is close by if they need it. Students trust that the adults around them are looking out for them. Honoring that trust is the heart of my job.
Today, District 51 relies on about 10 School Resource Officers from local law enforcement agencies and about 10 district school safety officers to help cover 42 campuses. They are skilled, dedicated people, and I am proud to work alongside them. But our resources are spread extremely thin. In our elementary schools, each safety officer is responsible for about four elementary schools. Each school is essentially its own small city, with its own students, its own challenges, and its own needs. No one, however capable, can be in four of those places at once.
A school safety officer is far more than a uniform in the hallway. They are mentors, problem solvers, and trusted adults. Students get to know them by name. A student who trusts an officer is more likely to speak up when a friend is struggling, when a rumor is circulating, or when something simply doesn’t feel right. Many of the most serious situations in schools are prevented not by a dramatic response, but by a quiet conversation that happens early.
When an emergency does occur, seconds matter. An officer already on scene can dramatically shorten the response, or eliminate it entirely, because someone trained to act is already there.
For years, people in my profession have said it is not a matter of if, but when. I am not willing to simply hope it never happens here. A colleague who leads security for another Colorado school district once told me that no one cared about security until they had a shooting. That conversation has stayed with me. I never want our community to find itself saying the same thing.
Ballot measure 4A, the mill levy override on this November’s ballot, includes funding for nine additional school safety officers and a coordinator. That would allow us to permanently assign a safety officer to each high school alongside an SRO, ensure SRO coverage at our middle schools, and take our elementary schools from one safety officer for every four schools to one for every two. Our youngest students, who are among the most vulnerable in our community, would see some of the biggest gains.
These officers would not replace SROs or the partnerships we have with local law enforcement. They would strengthen them, putting more trained people in our schools who share the same mission. Consistent coverage means officers who can spend real time in each building, getting to know students, families, and staff, and recognizing when something isn’t right before it becomes a tragedy.
School safety is not a partisan issue. It is about whether every child in this valley can walk into school each morning and feel secure enough to learn, play, and grow. That is something all of us, whatever our differences, can agree matters.
At the end of the day, we all want to protect our students and staff and do everything reasonably within our power to keep them safe. I am grateful for the educators, staff, and law enforcement partners who care for our kids every day, and proud of the officers on my team who show up for them.
I believe our children’s safety is worth it.
Andy Means
Director of Safety & Security
Today, STEAM @ Tope Elementary celebrated the dedication of its new Outdoor Classroom and Legacy Garden. This new space will give students opportunities to take learning beyond the classroom walls, connect with nature, and explore through hands-on experiences. The celebration will also honor individuals whose legacies will be remembered through the garden and outdoor classroom, with special guests joining us to share their stories and the impact they've had on the Tope community. Thank you to everyone who helped bring this meaningful project to life and create a space that will inspire students for years to come!
Who says you need a school gym to celebrate homecoming? When a race weekend out of town meant members of our Grand Valley Youth Cycling GJHS team would miss their school's homecoming dance, students and families found a way to bring the celebration to them! This past weekend, GJHS students and families organized a “campground homecoming,” complete with music, dancing, a photo booth, corsages, and plenty of food to fuel up for the next day's races. They even invited riders from other high schools across the valley to join in the fun! I love seeing our students and families come together to make memories like these. Thank you to everyone who helped turn a scheduling conflict into a memorable experience for our student-athletes!
REMINDER: One of our favorite annual traditions is back! Mesa County Elections is inviting students in grades 1–12 to submit their designs for the 2027 "I Voted" Sticker Contest. We've had D51 students selected as winners in recent years, and it's always fun to see their artwork turned into stickers worn by voters throughout our community! Students can submit an original design for a chance to have their artwork featured during the 2027 election season.
Submissions will be voted on in December, with winners selected from elementary, middle, and high school grade levels. For more information, you can check out Mesa County’s website. Good luck to all our D51 students!
District 51 is excited to partner with Special Olympics Colorado (SOCO) to give D51 students the opportunity to participate in winter sports! Through this partnership, students can stay active, build friendships, develop new skills, and experience the fun of being part of a team. We're grateful for our partnership with SOCO and the opportunities it provides for our students to get involved, try something new, and have fun along the way! Families interested in participating are encouraged to learn more about available winter sports and registration opportunities.
