Thanks to Aurora voters who approved our 2018 mill levy override, we can ensure our learning environments remain safe and secure by utilizing an innovative technology tool called Gaggle, which we launched on Monday, Nov. 4.

This system will help in the prevention of violent acts, suicide, the viewing and sharing of explicit images and more in our schools by identifying and reporting troublesome keywords and phrases students send and receive while logged into their APS Google accounts. This includes the use of  Google-based applications such as Gmail, Google Docs, Google Hangouts, Google / Chrome web browsing and more.

To learn more about this proactive approach to student safety, please read our flyer. You may also visit gaggle.net for details.

El Distrito de las Escuelas Públicas de Aurora (APS) lanzará el servicio de Gaggle el 4 de noviembre.

Gracias a los votantes de Aurora que aprobaron la modificación al impuesto de la propiedad en el 2018, podemos garantizar que nuestros entornos de aprendizaje permanezcan seguros y protegidos por medio de una nueva herramienta tecnológica que se llama Gaggle, la cual se lanzará el día lunes, 4 de noviembre.

Este sistema ayudará con la prevención de los actos de violencia, el suicidio, la vista y distribución de imágenes explícitas y otras cosas más en nuestras escuelas. Esto se hará por medio de identificar y reportar palabras claves y frases que se consideran preocupantes y que los estudiantes envían y reciben mientras están en sesión con sus cuentas de APS Google, incluyendo aplicaciones basadas en Google como Gmail, Google Docs, Google Hangouts, navegación por internet con Google, entre otras.

Si desea enterarse más sobre esta estrategia proactiva para mantener seguros a los estudiantes, por favor lea nuestro volante. También puede visitar el sitio web: gaggle.net para obtener más detalles.

One of the goals of the Aurora Public Schools’ strategic plan, APS 2020, is that all students develop plans for their futures. The planning process begins with our preschool students as they start to discover their interests and strengths. Students in grades 1-12 create Individual Career and Academic Plans (known as I-CAPs) that help prepare them for success after high school. These plans also help teachers know what their students’ strengths, interests and goals are for the future.

It is important for staff to collaborate with families and community members to help every student shape a successful future. As such, we have developed College and Career Success Backpack Checklists that provide an overview of what students should be learning in school at each grade level. The online checklists also include many hyperlinks that will take students and parents to helpful websites. These websites may be especially useful for high school students who are preparing for the PSAT/SAT, applying for scholarships and exploring career interests.

These checklists are useful tools to help facilitate important conversations with students about what they need to work on to achieve their short and long-term goals.

To access and download checklists for every grade level in our top 11 languages, visit aurorak12.org/checklists.

APS is studying the possibility of expanding bus transportation to more students by reducing student walk distances from home to school.

Currently, the APS Transportation Department provides school bus transportation to more than 10,000 eligible students throughout the district. Student eligibility for transportation is based on several factors, including the APS Board of Education policy on walking distance to schools, safety, and circumstances related to a student’s Individualized Education Plan (IEP). 

As part of the study, we are collecting parent/guardian feedback through an online survey about potential changes to this policy. This feedback will be shared with the APS Board of Education to review.

To learn more, view frequently asked questions and take the survey, visit transportation.aurorak12.org/bus-stop-information/walk-distance-info.

In 2020, we will enjoy 29 days in February thanks to Leap Year. During the month, we will observe Valentine’s Day, National School Counseling Week, Groundhog Day and more. One observance we are particularly excited to celebrate is Black History Month!

Black History Month is a time to commemorate and celebrate the contributions, achievements and impact African Americans have made in our nation. From science, literature, entertainment, sports, technology, and more, there is much to pay homage to.

Across the district, our students are engaging in learning activities that highlight the African-American journey. We hope every student, despite their ethnicity, is inspired by their findings and encouraged to share their knowledge with their family and friends.

We encourage adults in our APS community to take time to seek more understanding about African-American history. What an excellent way to show students the joys of being lifelong learners!

Diversity is a Strength in our Community!
Walk into any APS classroom and you will be immersed in a colorful world of learning with students from different backgrounds, races and cultures.

We are proud to be one of the most diverse school districts in Colorado. Our students come from more than 135 countries and speak more than 170 languages. Our APS family includes students and families born in the U.S., those who emigrated to the country and others who relocated here as refugees. With a district population representing nations from across the globe, we feel honored that our families chose to call APS home.

With such colorful classrooms, we believe it is vital to provide equitable instruction for all students. We work hard to empower our teachers, service providers and other staff with culturally- and linguistically-responsive educational tools. Through the APS Welcome Center, we also support families to ensure they navigate our education system properly.

Our schools also celebrate diversity by creating spaces and opportunities for students and families to share their ethnic foods, music, traditional clothing and more with the community. These cultural celebrations foster a sense of school, community and cultural pride.

In APS, we believe diversity is a strength, and we will continue to take pride in upholding equity in education.

The City of Aurora recently held a ceremony to recognize hundreds of Aurora Public Schools students as "Aurora Scholars” for the positive contributions they have made in their communities and schools. The annual event, now in its tenth year, was created to bring city officials, school district staff and families together to honor the achievements of Aurora’s future leaders.

One teacher-nominated student from each grade level (first through 12th) at every school in Aurora was recognized. Students received certificates and gifts donated by the community.

Congratulations to the 2019 APS Aurora Scholars listed below for being spectacular students!

In April 2020, the community will have the opportunity to shape the future of Aurora by participating in the U.S. Census. Aurora Public Schools is working with the city, county, state, federal and community partnerships to ensure a complete, fair and accurate count of all Coloradans.The census is conducted every 10 years and is mandated by the U.S. Constitution.

The purpose of the census is to count every person living in the United States. The results of the census determine your congressional representation as well as federal funding for states and communities.

Your Data Helps Your School

The census helps our country provide fair education to all of our students. It is used to:

• determine where Title 1 grants go, which helps schools in serving students from low-income families
• assign special education grants to states
• fund the National School Lunch programs
• provide grants to improve teacher quality and preschool programs
• determine how to best meet the needs of students in a community

A complete and accurate census count is essential for Aurora and the well-being of our community.

Participating in the Census

You can submit your responses to the census in several ways, such as:

1. through a secure internet response form
2. through a phone call
3. by mail
4. or by an in-person interview, which will be conducted by a numerator who visits your home

Learn more about the 2020 Census, visit aurorak12.org/census-2020. 

Although we are in challenging times, APS is working diligently to ensure every student continues to shape a successful future. To maintain safety, we will engage students in remote learning through the first quarter. This includes our youngest learners! APS preschool students will begin learning from home on Aug. 24.

We know toddler age is a unique developmental period that requires a specialized teaching approach, especially during the safer-at-home order. Our robust, high-quality remote learning preschool program will remain aligned with the Colorado preschool standards, preparing students to enter kindergarten with better pre-reading skills, larger vocabularies and stronger basic math skills than those who do not enroll in preschool. This approach maintains elements of play to provide small children with a fun and engaging way to learn.

Our early learning educators are eager to partner with families and caregivers to support at-home learning. They will ensure our youngest learners’ success by:

• Providing developmentally-appropriate online experiences. Our teachers will follow appropriate screentime guidance for 3-5 year olds, utilize a variety of online tools to facilitate interactive online lessons, and provide recorded videos for students to access outside of class hours.
• Providing meaningful content across all academic, social and developmental areas. Our teachers will use a variety of methods for students to demonstrate their knowledge, support all students with language development, establish effective classroom cultures, and host small group sessions and conferences.
• Building and establishing relationships with families and caregivers. Our teachers will remain accessible through virtual office hours, provide multiple language support through various technology tools and offer opportunities for feedback that will guide student progress and resource suggestions.

Please share this information with your family and friends who have preschool-aged children. To learn more about the APS Preschool Program and what remote learning will look like for preschool students, visit ece.aurorak12.org or contact the APS Early Childhood Education Department at ecedepartment@aurorak12.org.

We look forward to welcoming preschool students to the 2020-21 school year!

Preschool Seats Still Available! Complete an Online Screening Today!

The APS Preschool Program is accepting online screenings for the 2020-21 school year. Screenings are a set of questions parents and guardians must answer to help the district determine if their children are eligible for placement in the program and for state-funded coverage of costs.

We offer preschool classes at 33 elementary schools, four child development centers and eight community childcare sites. Most APS schools offer half-day preschool.

In order for a child to be considered for the APS Preschool Program, children must be 3 or 4 years of age on or before Oct. 1, 2020 and their parents or guardians must complete the following online screening process:

1. Complete the online preschool screening at ece.aurorak12.org.
2. Wait for a placement confirmation email as participation in a screening does not guarantee placement.
3. Register your child online at admissions.aurorak12.org. Current preschool students returning as grade P4 or advancing to kindergarten in August 2020 do not need to be re-registered.
4. Virtually enroll at the child’s school of placement.

The first day of school looked different this year in Aurora Public Schools, but one thing remained unchanged - there were no shortage of smiles as students in grades 1-12 met with their teachers and fellow peers remotely for a rigorous day of learning.

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, APS spent a great deal of time preparing our students and staff for success. This included:

• Creating and rolling out an online learning platform;
• Distributing more than 18,000 technology devices to students;
• Establishing and staffing a mental health support hotline;
• Enhancing student access to eBooks and tripling their usage;
• Partnering with providers to increase internet access and delivering hotspots to students; and,
• Providing free meals to students, families and others in the community. Since mid-March, APS has served over 1.8 million meals.

While this year will certainly look different, our dedication to serving and supporting our families and community will never change. We remain committed to helping our students shape successful futures.

Welcome to the 2020-21 school year!

We recognize that our youngest learners have specialized learning needs and have likely struggled the most with fully remote learning. As such, we will begin providing in-person learning opportunities for preschool and kindergarten students on Sept. 28. Preschool students will attend school in-person four days per week (Monday-Thursday). Kindergarten students will be attending two days per week. Schools will be dividing kindergarten students into two groups: an “A” and “B” group. Kindergarten students in the “A” group will attend school on Monday and Tuesday and “B” group kindergarten students will attend on Wednesday and Thursday. ​​​​​​​

Preschool Students
Families with children ages 3 or 4 on or before Oct. 1, 2020 must complete an online screening  to be considered for the APS Preschool Program. Please follow the four-step process below.

1. Screen at ece.aurorak12.org/screenings.
2. Wait for a placement confirmation email from ECE. Screening does not guarantee placement.
3. Register your student online at admissions.aurorak12.org.
4. Enroll at the child’s school.

If your student has already been placed in a preschool program, you do not need to complete another screening.

Kindergarten Students
If your student completed preschool in APS and you have not checked them in for kindergarten for the 2020-21 school year, please do so as soon as possible using the APS Student Check in System. If your student is new to APS, you must register them in the district using our Online Registration Tool.

Contact your preschool or kindergarten student’s school for more specific information about schedules and if you have additional questions about in-person learning.

Aurora Public Schools is proud to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month from Sept.15 through Oct.15. 

Hispanic Heritage Month is a celebration of the culture and traditions of students, teachers, staff and community members who trace their roots to Spain, Mexico and the Spanish-speaking nations of Central America, South America and the Caribbean.

Hispanic Heritage Month has been celebrated since 1988 when it was enacted into law by then-President Ronald Reagan. Sept. 15 was chosen as the starting point for the celebration because it is the anniversary of independence of five Latin American countries: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. All declared independence in 1821.

During the 2019-20 school year, more than 55 percent of our 40,000 student population was Hispanic; the largest demographic in the district. These students represent a wide range of Spanish-speaking countries.

¡Feliz mes de la Herencia Hispana!

Thanks to bond-funded construction over the summer months, many schools across the district received new learning spaces and enhanced safety and security technology.

APS also completed construction on the Aurora Science and Tech 6-12 (AST) and Harmony Ridge P-8 school buildings. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, both of these buildings will welcome students for in-person learning after the first quarter of the school year. 

Harmony Ridge P-8 is constructed in the Harmony subdivision in eastern Aurora and will serve families along the E-470 corridor. The school will provide unique learning opportunities for students in preschool through eighth grade that focus in the areas of science, technology, mathematics and engineering (STEM). 

AST is built in the Fitzsimons Innovation Community next to the University of Colorado’s Anschutz Medical Campus and will provide STEM learning opportunities for students in northwest Aurora. This year, the building will serve students in grades six and seven and will add a grade each year until the school reaches a 6-12 student body. In addition to bond funds, the school is being funded in part through generous donations. 

Take a look at AST in the video below:

Additional bond-funded construction was completed at dozens of schools throughout the district as well. Below is just some of the projects that were completed:

Safety & Security Projects

Public Address Repairs/Replacements:

• Side Creek Elementary School
• Dartmouth Elementary School
• Vaughn Elementary School
• Columbia Middle School
• North Middle School

Fire Alarm Replacements:

• Iowa Elementary School
• Jewell Elementary School
• Side Creek Elementary School
• Gateway High School

Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) System Replacements or Upgrades

• Arkansas Elementary
• Vassar Elementary
• Aurora Central High School

Roof Replacements

• Sable Elementary School
• Laredo Elementary School
• Clyde Miller P-8 School

Aurora Hills Middle School - Media Center Updates

Hinkley High School - New Athletic Storage Building

We are thankful for the generosity of Aurora voters who approved our $300 million bond program in 2018. Bond funds are making improvements at every school and benefiting each student in the district. To learn more about bond-funded projects in APS, visit bond.aurorak12.org.

APS has partnered with Salud Family Health Centers to offer a mobile clinic providing FREE immunizations, dental screenings and dental fluoride services for APS students! All students must be immunized before returning to in-person learning.

The mobile clinic is open on Fridays, starting Sept. 25, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 1085 Peoria Street, Aurora, CO 80011 (in the parking lot). 

Please note that there are limited slots available. Families must schedule an appointment ASAP by calling 303-697-2583 ext. 4235 or ext. 2243.

We invite you to join us for virtual informal discussions called Chalk Talks. During the Chalk Talks, you will have the opportunity to build connections with district leaders while also sharing valuable feedback about your student’s learning experience so far this school year. The discussions will be held virtually using Zoom. Visit the Chalk Talk calendar on the Parent Playbook for more details! We will update each calendar entry with its own YouTube view-only access link.

To access all the Chalk Talks, click on the link below:

https://zoom.us/j/92014629564

Meeting ID - 920 1462 9564

For view-only access to the Oct. 1 Chalk Talk, click on the link below:

https://youtu.be/1wwg0UGiSzc  

Our first Chalk Talk will be for all parents and will be held on Thursday, Oct. 1 at 2:30 p.m. We will also be hosting a Chalk Talk that specifically targets schools in your area. Please see the following schedule:

In Aurora Public Schools, we believe it is essential that students have the support needed to transition into life after high school. As we celebrate College and Career Success Month, we want to highlight the importance of student plans. One of the goals of the APS strategic plan, APS 2020, is that all students develop plans for their futures. These plans lead many students to attend technical schools or four-year universities. For others, they immediately enter the workforce and start a promising career.

The planning process begins with our preschool students as they start to discover their interests and strengths. Students in grades 1-12 create Individual Career and Academic Plans (known as ICAPs) that help prepare them for success after high school. These plans also help teachers know what their students’ strengths, interests and goals are for the future.

To learn more about APS 2020, visit aps2020.aurorak12.org.

AuroraTV's Lane Lyon spoke with several teachers from Vassar Elementary to learn how parents are responding to remote learning. The teachers said parents and guardians have been incredibly supportive of their students and are an essential component of success in this virtual environment.

• Watch the AuroraTV story

In celebration of Veterans Day, Aurora Public Schools is honored to salute all veterans and active military personnel for their sacrifice, bravery and commitment to serve our country. APS is proud to have many veterans working in our district to help students shape successful futures.

Leona Schmitt
Health Para, Dalton Elementary School

United States Air Force - 25 years

“I joined the Colorado Air National Guard in 1982 and trained as an operating room technician. I’ve lived in Germany, Italy and France working in numerous community hospitals. I was also trained as a field medic, and later cross trained as an EMT. I retired with the rank of a Senior Master Sergeant. I’ve really enjoyed working in APS because of the warm working environment and being valued as a valuable team member.”

Vincent Baum
P.E. Teacher and Coach, Aurora Central High School

United States Marine Corps - Four years

"My time in the military taught me to be thankful for the things you have and the people in your life that support you. Things are never guaranteed so every day is a blessing. My favorite thing about working in APS so far is the community. Everyone I have encountered is kind and willing to help as they can."

Ella Hart
Support Staff, Pickens Technical College

United States Air Force - 20 years

“My time spent in the United States Air Force was undoubtedly the best years of my life. Throughout the 25 years working in APS, I've worked in all school levels; elementary, middle, and high school. Currently, I'm at Pickens Technical College in a supporting role. I provide staff and students the tools needed to be successful in the classroom, whether it's books, electronic devices or even advice from this retired Air Force Master Sergeant.”

Ralph Prieto
Campus Monitor, Hinkley High School

United States Navy - Eight years

“During my time in the service, I was able to visit places such as Scotland, the Aleutians, Germany, Singapore and Hong Kong. I’ve really enjoyed my time in APS. Students look to me for guidance, advice and an occasional laugh. I've been known as Mr. Whiskers since 2014. This name was given to me by students, and it has stuck ever since.”

Steven Janko
Cadet Elective Teacher, North Middle School

United States Army - 21 years

“I joined the US Army to see if there was anything I could do to help out. I served in some pretty interesting jobs in Afghanistan, Iraq, Kosovo and other non-tourist destinations. My favorite mission was performing hurricane relief duty in Florida. I’ve really enjoyed working with a dynamic team at North Middle School as we tackle every mission with enormous focus and energy.”

Mark Mcconnell
Technology Teacher, Wheeling Elementary School

United States Navy - Seven years

“During my time in the service, my work included keeping aircraft radios, computers and navigational systems operational while stationed in Europe. I loved the opportunities the military gave me. My favorite thing about working in APS is the opportunities to share my knowledge, life experiences and work with colleagues that push my knowledge to new levels.”

Mark Schiermeyer
Social Studies Teacher, Vista PEAK Preparatory

United States Army - Three years

“I served 3 years active duty in the U.S. Army from 2010-13, and was deployed to Afghanistan in 2012. Currently, I serve in the Colorado Army National Guard. My favorite thing about working in APS has to be "my kids". Seeing the students everyday and building lasting relationships is very worthwhile.”

In this unsettling time of a global pandemic and social unrest impacting our communities and reverberating across the world, school psychologists are needed more than ever to support students and families.

In Aurora Public Schools, mental health is a top priority. Thanks to our dedicated school psychologists, students across the district feel good, safe and supported. Our school psychologists are highly-qualified and trained to address social, emotional and behavioral needs. They also collaborate with stakeholders, manage crises, provide psychoeducation and much more to ensure our students and families’ mental and emotional well being.

That’s why we are excited to celebrate National School Psychology Awareness Week Nov. 9-13. We ask that you join us in honoring these unsung heroes for working so diligently to remove barriers our students and families may face in reaching their goals.

In 2018, Aurora voters approved a $35 million mill levy, which allowed APS to expand and train high-quality mental health staff. Together, we will continue to support and advocate for mental health professionals in schools. Throughout these challenging times, our Mental Health and Counseling team will continue to provide students and families more meaningful connections with mental health experts. To access APS mental health supports, please visit mentalhealth.aurorak12.org.

Thanks to several bond-funded projects aimed at lowering school energy consumption, APS has realized an overall 7 percent decrease in energy costs over the last four years. This has saved the district more than $600,000 throughout the 2016 bond program. Below are the annual utility costs over the last four years:

2017 - $8.7 million

2018 - $8.4 million

2019 - $8.2 million

2020 - $7.6 million (includes $400,000 from COVID-19 related energy reductions)

There are several types of projects that help schools lower energy consumption, such as updating building heating, ventilation and cooling (HVAC) systems and replacing school boilers. Below is a list of schools and their energy improvement projects: 

• New HVAC Systems:
  
  • Arkansas Elementary
  • Montview Elementary
  • Vassar Elementary
  • Aurora Central High School
• Steam to Hot Water Conversions:
  
  • Montview Elementary
  • Aurora Central High School
• Boiler Replacements:
  • Iowa Elementary
  • Park Lane Elementary
  • Sable Elementary
  • Pickens Technical College

In addition to these bond-funded construction projects, the district has also purchased energy analytics and fault detection software to ensure that buildings are working at their optimal level. 

Thank you to our generous Aurora community for voting in favor of our 2016 bond program. Bond-funded projects have improved every APS school and are benefiting each student. 

To learn more about bond-funded projects in APS, visit bond.aurorak12.org.

In the midst of the global pandemic, it has become increasingly important for families to collaborate with staff and community members to help every student shape a successful future, starting as early as preschool. To encourage more of these conversations, we developed a College and Career Success Backpack Checklist for families.

Students at every grade level can talk with their parents and guardians about what they are learning in school and the short and long-term goals they have set for themselves. Each checklist provides an overview of what students should have completed by the end of each school year depending on their grade level.

We recognize that every student is unique with different learning styles and paces in both the in-person and remote learning environments, so we encourage families to speak with school staff members about their students’ unique interests and strengths. School staff also ensure students who are English language learners, gifted and talented or on individualized educational programs are learning and growing with the appropriate supports in place.

APS parents and guardians, help your students pack their bags for college and career success by downloading an APS Backpack Checklist today at aps2020.aurorak12.org/checklists! The documents are available in ten languages.

Aurora Public Schools is excited to welcome students back for in-person learning through a hybrid model. “A” group and preschool students began in-person learning on Jan. 19. “B” group students will begin on Jan. 25. Please see this calendar that indicates the “A” and “B” weeks.

Here are some of our favorite candid shots of students arriving to school and engaging in learning with their teachers and fellow classmates.