Good News Bulletin

Elizabeth School District staff are refreshed and ready to go after a well deserved break. Monday was filled with staff meetings and planning for the new semester.

Tuesday was our favorite day of the week because we welcomed back the students! We hope that everyone in our community had a restful holiday break full of joy and celebration.

Despite the snow closure on Thursday, all of our schools had a nice return to the daily routine.

We look forward to what the new year will bring and welcoming back our fantastic students!

Elizabeth School District Facilities Director Andrew Rodriguez finds himself knee deep in.....snow.

The snowfall from this week proved to be a good test for Rodriguez and his team. This is the first week that Rodriguez is on his own in his new position after replacing Mark Oeser who retired at the end of December.

Rodriguez is now stranger to this sort of thing. For the past 16 years he worked in the apartment industry. He started as a groundskeeper, moved up to maintenance tech, and then because a supervisor for the past decade working for apartment complexes and high rises in downtown Denver, Highlands Ranch and Parker.

When the snow began hitting early Thursday morning, Rodriguez had already been in position at Singing Hills Elementary starting at 3:30 a.m. He was anticipating a normal start to the school day, but the wind really started hitting and snow began picking up as the morning hours continued on. It ended up being a 14 hour day for Rodriguez and his team.

Rodriguez says his team spent that time doing a lot of plowing and clearing at all of the schools.

"We would have one of our guys on a plow truck and another on a tractor," he says. "That way, we could tackle the sidewalks and parking lots at the same time while another worked on salting too."

One of the first initiatives for Rodriguez was to make use of school custodial staff with snow removal. He purchased equipment for them and now, many of the custodians are assisting Rodriguez and his team with the snow removal. Because of this delegation, the schools and parking lots are getting cleared faster and more efficiently.

The effort did not come without a fight. A tractor broke a tire, and a plow busted a hydraulic line. It's not easy work and the team has to work together to overcome obstacles.

"Overall it went a lot better than I thought it did," says Rodriguez. "I was really impressed with our teamwork. It got us through it. Without everyone pitching in the way that they did, it would not have happened so effectively."

As a thank you to his team and the custodians, Rodriguez treated them to a McDonald's breakfast Friday morning.

In describing his work experience so far, Rodriguez says Elizabeth School District feels like one big family and says he sees happiness all around.

Welcome to the team Andrew and thank you to you, your team and the school custodians for all of your hard work in getting the schools ready to go!

The Elizabeth School District (ESD) Safety and Security Department is proud to announce the successful completion of its second training event with Faster Colorado, held on Monday, January 6th, at the Flatrock Regional Training Center in Commerce City. This intensive session underscored the department's commitment to maintaining the highest standards of safety and readiness within our schools.

During this four-hour training, team members underwent and passed a rigorous semi-annual firearms qualification course. This qualification mirrors the requirements for Peace Officers in the State of Colorado and involves a challenging 25-round, scenario-based assessment. Participants demonstrated their ability to place accurate shots from various distances, handle weapon malfunctions, and integrate tasks such as manipulating simulated handcuffs or a flashlight with their weak hand. They were also tested on firing rounds with their strong hand only, further honing their situational proficiency.

Beyond the qualification course, the team engaged in skill-building drills, including holster draws, weapon retention techniques, and refining trigger control through both fast and slow press exercises. The day culminated in complex scenario-based movement drills within a simulated school setting.

These advanced drills required participants to move strategically between barricades while maintaining pinpoint accuracy in a "no-miss" environment. Adding to the challenge, team members alternated magazine setups to introduce limited ammunition, dummy rounds, and forced tactical reloads. Shooters practiced engaging threats while closing distances, withdrawing safely, and adapting under pressure.

This training reflects the unwavering dedication of the ESD Safety and Security Department to protecting our students, staff, and community. Through ongoing education and preparation, we are ensuring that our schools remain safe, secure environments for learning.

Stay tuned for more updates as the department continues its mission of excellence in safety and security.

Article written by: Tyler Rabideau, ESD Safety and Security Director

Congratulations to Rebekah Brooks, ESD Chief Financial Officer, who has earned the Certified Administrator of School Finance and Operations (SFO). School business professionals who earn the SFO certification have proven they have the knowledge, expertise, and fiscal credibility to lead their school district and effectively manage its finances.

"ASBO International's SFO certification is an internationally recognized standardized assessment for school business officials. Increasingly, we are seeing that certification is a driver that helps to raise the bar for sound fiscal management across all school districts." says ASBO International Executive Director James Rowan, CAE, SFO. "SFOs are keenly sought after due to their experience and expertise in appropriately allocation resources to meet their constituents' current and future needs."

The SFO designation is granted to highly qualified school business professionals who fulfill multiple requirements, including demonstrating certification eligibility (through work experience and education); passing a comprehensive exam that tests competency in account and school business management topics; and adhering to the ASBO International Certification Code of Conduct. School business officials who have earned the SFO certification commit to ongoing professional development and undergo recertification every three years.

We all know that navigating the ins and outs of financial aid can be overwhelming. You don't have to try and do that alone! Come join us for FAFSA Night at EHS. Details are listed above.

Just make sure you bring a laptop or computer for completing the FAFSA online, student and parent IDs, social security numbers (for the FAFSA application), and your 2023 tax information (experts will help you link them online).

Don't miss this opportunity to get personalized support and set yourself up for success. Every step counts in making college dreams a reality! We can't wait to see you there and let's make FAFSA Night a big success.

Mark your calendars for EHS Girls Basketball games next week and some special themes that you can take part in!

Wednesday 1/15 (Everyday Heroes Night)

- Lady Cardinals basketball is hosting Discovery Canyon. We would like to celebrate all of our FIRST RESPONDERS and MILITARY this evening, so please invite everyone you know that is serving our community and country to this event! We will honor our "everyday heroes" during halftime of the Varsity game. The C-Team plays at 4:00, JV at 5:30 and Varsity at 7:00.

Friday 1/17 (Youth Night)

- Lady Cardinals basketball is hosting Wheat Ridge High School. This will be our Elbert County YOUTH day event. any youth athletes that wear their jersey or uniform top to the games gets in for FREE! They will also be recognized during halftime of the Varsity game. Game times: C-Team 4:00, JV at 5:30 and Varsity at 7:00.

Time to get your tickets for the 119th National Western Stock Show going on January 11th - 26th, 2025.

Attached is the flyer for the Elizabeth School District Stock Show Fundraising Program. It contains an active link where anyone can go in, enter the promo code, and purchase tickets at discount rates during the Stock Show.

These purchases also support the Elizabeth Education Foundation as they will receive $2 per every ticket sold through this link.

Check out the stock show while supporting Elizabeth School District at the same time!

Jan 13th - ESD Board Meeting - Business Session 6:00-8:00 p.m.

Jan 14th - EHS Girls Basketball JV vs. Mitchell 5:30-6:30 p.m.

EHS Girls Basketball Varsity vs. Mitchell 7:00-8:00 p.m.

Jan 15th - District Spelling Bee - starts at 4:00 p.m. @ EMS Auditorium

EHS Girls Basketball C Team vs. Discovery Canyon 4:00-5:00 p.m.

EHS Girls Basketball JV vs. Discovery Canyon 5:30-6:30 p.m.

EHS Girls Basketball Varsity vs. Discovery Canyon 7:00-8:00 p.m.

Jan 16th - Late Start - Teacher Collaboration

8th grade Girls Basketball HOME vs. Classical Academy (EMS Athletics) 4:00-5:30 p.m.

FAFSA Night at EHS 6:30-8:30 p.m. @ EHS Cafetorium

Jan 17th - EHS Girls Basketball C Team vs. Wheat Ridge 4:00-5:00 p.m.

EHS Girls Basketball JV vs. Wheat Ridge 5:30-6:30 p.m.

EHS Girls Basketball Varsity vs. Wheat Ridge 7:00-8:00 p.m.

(JANUARY IS NATIONAL SCHOOL BOARD APPRECIATION MONTH. BE SURE TO SAY THANK YOU TO OUR HARD WORKING BOARD MEMBERS!)

EMS sports calendar

EHS sports calendar

**Reminder to all parents: Be sure to check the websites of your individual schools for more information about upcoming events.

Elizabeth High School: https://www.elizabethschooldistrict.org/EHS

Elizabeth Middle School: https://www.elizabethschooldistrict.org/EMS

Singing Hills Elementary School: https://www.elizabethschooldistrict.org/SHE

Running Creek Elementary School: https://www.elizabethschooldistrict.org/RCE

The Elizabeth Education Foundation partners with Elizabeth School District in numerous ways throughout the year to support students and teachers. This volunteer-led, independent fundraising foundation provides scholarships for graduating seniors, classroom grants for teachers, and the STARS Awards for outstanding citizenship among students.

Learn more about the EEF at its website.