Colorado Department of Education

This year marks the twelve year anniversary of the West Salt Creek Landside, the largest landslide in the state. It occurred in Mesa County and resulted in a slide 2.8 miles long. Learn more about this monumental geological event from the Colorado Virtual Library: https://www.coloradovirtuallibrary.org/resource-sharing/state-pubs-blog/west-salt-creek-landslide/

Join us each week as we share facts about Colorado for the Sesquisemiquincentennial!

Yesterday was our second annual Camp CDE All Staff Meeting and Celebration! More than 300 of our team members came together to hear updates from Commissioner Susana Cordova, learn about the outcomes of the 2026 Legislative Session, and celebrate our team members with milestone years of service! Congratulations to our team members celebrate 5,10, 15, 20, and 25 years of working to support Colorado school districts, BOCES, educators, and schools!

5 YEARS
Shannon Allen
Alena Barczak
Charissa Brammer
Kristin Crumley
Lauren Hesse
Krista Klabo
Theresa Loiselle
Christine Maynard
Sharon Murray
Michelle Nay
Christina North
Rebecca O'Malley
Emily Owen
Megan Winicki
Frances Woolery-Jones

10 YEARS
Carla Aguilar
Colleen Anthony
Melissa Bloom
Doris Brock-Nguyen
Michelle Crawford
Lynne Desousa
Stephen Fagan
Sarah Fischman
Mark Hillen
Leigh Jeremias
Raymond Johnson
Dan Jorgensen
Jeremy Meyer
Lauri Radin
Megan Richardson
Valerie Rolph
Marie Sanchez
Elizabeth Schroeder
Antigone Tsikoudakis
Lucas Wade

15 YEARS
Darrin Bacca
Kieran Hixon
David Hodgins
John Hoskinson
Rebecca McRee
Heidi White
Christina Wirth-Hawkins

20 YEARS
DeLilah Collins
Wendy Dunaway
Jean Heilig
David Lyon
Dana Scott
Emma Serna
Judith Stirman

25 YEARS
Gina Herrera
Brenda Meyer

This week, students across Colorado finished their end-of-year projects:

🌟 Students at Westgate Community School reflected on the success of the buddy program between 1st and 2nd graders with 5th and 6th graders;

🧮 7th graders at Bromley East Charter School completed their probability unit but hosting a probability carnival to show off their projects and games;

🚗 Park County School District Re-2 - Fairplay hosted their annual Pit Crew Challenge to test the skills of their automotive classes; and

📜 North Park School District students went on a tour of Boston to experience living history at the Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum.

Summer is the perfect time to start a new hobby! Try out new projects through your local library's makerspace. Makerspaces often include technology and equipment free to use for residents. The Colorado State Library has a great resource to find a makerspace near you. Check it out and see what you can make this summer:

Colorado Libraries with Makerspaces There are around 70 in libraries across the state!

Reach for the stars! Eighth graders from the Manning School of Academic and Arts in Jeffco Public Schools - Colorado presented their innovative project to NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration including a chess set made from recycled materials to entertain astronauts while in space and special packaging to transport medicine into space. What a stellar opportunity! Learn more in this story from 9NEWS (KUSA):

Colorado middle school students get a chance to pitch their ideas to NASA Eighth graders at the Manning School of Academics and Arts in Golden just presented their projects at the Johnson Space Center.

Congratulations to the third and final group of seven 2027 Colorado Teacher of the Year semifinalists! These 21 educators were selected from a pool of nearly 300 applicants and will now move on to the second part of our application process.

⭐ Kedibona Ochs from Northfield High School in Denver Public Schools
⭐ Samantha Radtke from Summit Elementary School in Woodland Park School District RE-2
⭐ Jessie Russett from Trinidad Middle School in Trinidad School District 1
⭐ Arjun Sahdev from Minnequa Elementary School in Pueblo School District 60
⭐ Brian Sleevi from Bayfield High School in Bayfield School District
⭐ Zebulen Vargas from Carmel Community School in Harrison School District 2
⭐ Melanie Walker from North Routt Community Charter School

Congratulations to the second group of seven 2027 Colorado Teacher of the Year semifinalists! These 21 educators were selected from a pool of nearly 300 applicants and will now move on to the second part of our application process.

⭐Emma DeHerrera from Monte Vista High School in Monte Vista School District
⭐Devin DuPree from Eagle Valley High School in Eagle County School District
⭐McLayne Hager from Briggsdale School in Briggsdale School District RE-10
⭐Robin Leonard from Fletcher Miller School in Jeffco Public Schools - Colorado
⭐Lissa Lycan from Montezuma-Cortez Middle School in Montezuma-Cortez School District RE-1
⭐Viviana Martinez from Vista PEAK in Aurora Public Schools
⭐Sarah Murtaugh from Gunnison Elementary School in Gunnison Watershed School District

Congratulations to the first seven 2027 Colorado Teacher of the Year semifinalists! These 21 educators were selected from a pool of nearly 300 applicants and will now move on to the second part of our application process.

⭐ Alexander Adkisson from Green Mountain High School in Jeffco Public Schools - Colorado
⭐ Christina Merci Ames from Strasburg High School in Strasburg School District 31J
⭐ Ilka Andino from Wilson Elementary School in The Colorado Springs School District 11
⭐ Shandra Botello from Merrill Middle School in Denver Public Schools
⭐ Jason Cochrane from Mountain Vista High School in Douglas County School District
⭐ Melissa Corwin from Summit High School in Summit School District
⭐ Nicole Cox from Heiman Elementary in Greeley-Evans School District 6