Welcome to School District 27J! Our School District educates more than 15,000 students from Brighton, Commerce City, Thornton, Aurora and encompasses portions of Broomfield and Weld counties. Our mission is to equip our students with the tools and knowledge
to succeed now and in the future.
We invite you to learn more about us:
  School District 27J
18551 E. 160th Ave.
Brighton, CO 80601
Phone: 303.655.2900
Fax: 303.655.2870

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     Commerce City, May 15, 2012 - Turnberry Elementary first-grade teacher Sarah Holliday has been nominated for the 97.3 KBCO Teacher of the Year award.
      As a nominee, Holliday wins a free iPad and will compete with three other finalists to win free tuition for a master's degree. Holliday was nominated by student, Patrick Sears (pictured with Holliday) and his mom, Michelle Sheets. She was interviewed on KBCOMay 14. Listen to the interview here.
      Holliday knows the impact a teacher can make on a young child’s life. She credits one of her first teachers, Ms. Quarrels, as inspiring her to become a teacher. Holliday grew up in Oak Ridge, Tenn., and she remembers that Ms. Quarrels went out of her way to make all her students feel special and included, even one classmate in a wheelchair. She brings that same philosophy to her own classroom.
      “Kids are the same even though they are different,” she explained. “And, even though they are different, they are the same.”
      Though she was born in Michigan and grew up in Tennessee, Holliday and her family moved to Littleton when she was a teen. Holliday graduated from Dakota Ridge High School and earned her teaching degree from the University of Northern Colorado. Her first teaching job was as a preschool teacher in the Weld RE3J School District in Keenesburg. She came to Turnberry four years ago.
      Holliday is "super excited" about the free iPad, especially with Turnberry starting online DIBELS Testing next year.
      As for the chance at free tuition for a master’s degree?   
      Holliday recently finished up her first master’s degree but, as a lifelong learner, she said she’ll gladly get a second degree.
      It has been a whirlwind couple of months for Holliday. The former Ms. Fornwall married in April and she was also recognized as the Brighton Chamber of Commerce’s April Teacher of the Month.
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      BRIGHTON, May 14, 2012 - School District 27J high school seniors will take flight in many different directions following graduation next week.
      A group of Prairie View High School teachers wanted to make sure they recognized a group of Prairie View seniors who have planned a specific path.
      Prairie View High School teachers Kate Hamilton and Kelly Gonzales (Social Studies) and Eric Bierbauer (Math) sponsored a May 9th dinner at Pinocchio’s Italian Restaurant in Brighton for 15 Prairie View seniors who have decided to join the military.
      “We have many different and wonderful ways to honor the achievements of our senior students,” said Prairie View Social Studies teacher Kate Hamilton. “We felt this was an important opportunity to honor these students and the important decision they’ve made to serve our country.”
      The Prairie View High School social studies department has made honoring military members, both active and retired, a proud school tradition. In 2011, the school organized a large, all-school assembly to honor Vietnam veterans. More than 300 veterans were honored during the event.
     Prairie View High School students who plan to join the military after graduation are: Brailee Schlottman (graduated in January); Lillian Meeker; Glenn Ellis; Elana Macias; Isaiah Pettway; William Booker; Chase Yarian; Philip Steirman; Michael Simmons; Jacob Boyer; Joshua Viruet; Marcos Cisneros; Joshua Lepus; Calvin Neal and Greg Solano. 
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     Brighton - May 11, 2012 - Vikan Middle School principal Ana Mendoza and assistant principal Trina Norris-Buck took their love of education to new heights May 11th.
     Prior to this year's spring Transitional Colorado Assessment Program testing, school staff encouraged students to hit a 98-percent attendance rate for testing. The principals promised in return that, if the students met the goal, they would take part in a wacky, student-chosen stunt.
     Students surpassed the goal with a 98.5 percent attendance rate and they chose for Mendoza and Norris-Buck to spend a day on the roof of the school. So, at 11 a.m., May 11th, the principals climbed aboard a lift and took their spots beneath a canopy on the roof near the school’s front entrance. They stayed on the roof until 11 a.m., May 12.
      Mendoza is leaving Vikan after this school year to become the new principal at Prairie View High School. Norris-Buck was named as Vikan’s new principal. The two joked that the time together on the roof would be a good chance to talk about the transition and goals for the school. 
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     Brighton, May 7, 2012 - The School District 27J Hispanic Advisory Council awarded scholarships to 10 deserving district high school seniors during its annual dinner and auction May 4 at the Brighton Armory.      Scholarship recipients, pictured left, were Amanda Allen (Brighton High School); Kami Christiansen (Brighton High School); Courtney Gallegos (Prairie View High School); Brendan Leyba (Prairie View High School); Dillon Loaiza (Brighton High School), Carly Kay Nowak (Prairie View High School); Manuel Ornelas (Brighton High School); Dylan Phibbs (Brighton High School), Arturo Sanchez (Brighton High School) and Marlene Valenzuela (Eagle Ridge Academy). Each student received a $1,000 scholarship. 
     A $5,000 continuing education scholarship was awarded to Chelsea Atencio, a 2010 Prairie View High School graduate and previous HAC scholarship winner. Atencio is studying nursing at Front Range Community College.
      The purpose of the Hispanic Advisory Council is to assure excellence in education for all students with a focus on Hispanic students, their parents, and the community, by assisting the 27J Superintendent in understanding and addressing the issues of Hispanic students to the Board of Education. The Council has awarded scholarships to district high school students since 2000.
      Prairie View Middle School Principal Tom Delgado was honored with the Hispanic Advisory Council Lifetime Achievement Award. Delgado began his career as a teacher in the Weldon Valley School District in Weldona, Colo. He was then a teacher and assistant principal in the Greeley-Evans School District. He joined School District 27J in 1999 as an assistant principal at Brighton High School. He was appointed as principal of the district’s newest school, Thimmig K-8, in 2002. He returned to Brighton High School as principal in 2006 and was named principal of the new Prairie View Middle School in 2008.
    Sixteen 27J classified employees and 16 certified employees were also recognized for making a difference in the lives of students. They were nominated by their respective school administrator.
     The annual scholarships are made possible through the support of several generous community sponsors. They include: Valley Bank & Trust, City of Brighton, Platte Valley Medical Center, United Power, and KC Ettes – Ladies Auxiliary. 
     The scholarships are also supported through personal donations as well as a silent and live auction that took place during the event. This year’s auction raised about $3,000 toward scholarships.
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     Brighton, May 4, 2012 — School District 27J will implement weekly early release days as part of its 2012-2013 school calendar.
       All 27J schools, beginning in the 2012-2013 school year, will release students 75 minutes early each Wednesday. The early release days will take the place of planned staff development days. Unlike the previous schedule, with staff development days intermittently scheduled throughout the year, early release days will provide teachers with continuous professional development days. It will also provide adequate time for collaboration with fellow teachers and effective lesson planning.                
     “This early release time is essential to improve student learning,” said 27J Chief Academic Officer Kelly Corbett. “With regular and ongoing professional development, collaboration, and planning, our educators will be better equipped to meet specific school goals and student learning targets.”
        The addition of early release days does not affect dates already finalized in the 2012-2013 calendar including the first and last day of school as well as Thanksgiving, winter and spring breaks. Under the new schedule, 27J students will attend three more days of school than in the 2011-2012 school year and total instructional minutes will continue to exceed minimum state requirements.
       “Our commitment in 27J is, first and foremost, to providing a quality education for our students,” said incoming 27J Superintendent Dr. Chris Fiedler. “We believe the implementation of weekly, early release days will have a dramatic impact on staff development and the end result will be improved instruction in the classroom."
       As part of the schedule change, 27J has modified its transportation schedule to pick up and deliver students from school to home. The district will also expand after-school care opportunities for families of elementary school children. Questions and answers on changes to the school district schedule.
       “While we believe the creation of early release days is a beneficial change for students and teachers, we realize the impact it will have on a family’s weekly schedule,” Fiedler said. “It’s our hope that, by letting parents know about this change now, we can work together to address any potential impacts.”
       The district will continue to provide additional information regarding the schedule change as it becomes available. View an improved, user-friendly version of the 2012-2013 27J Calendar here.
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School to open in August, on pace for June construction finish

       Thornton, May 2, 2012 - School District 27J Board of Education members got their first look Wednesday inside the district's newest elementary school.
      Principal Michele Saller led the tour of Brantner Elementary, the district’s 11th elementary school, under construction in the Villages at Riverdale subdivision near 133rd Avenue and Tamarac Street in Thornton. The school is named for its historic ties to the area.
      Brantner is being built with surplus bond money from a 2006 district bond election that allowed the district to build four new facilities (two elementary and two middle schools). The school is designed to be built in multiple phases. Phase 1 will accommodate about 300 kindergarten through fifth-grade students. Two additional phases could eventually allow the school to hold between 700 and 900 students.
      Construction managers reported the school is on schedule for a substantial completion date of early June. Saller and her staff aren’t waiting until the first day of school, Aug. 20, to introduce themselves to the community. A number of community events are already planned including a community barbecue July 12 and an open gym/movie night July 24. Saller is eager for the community to embrace the school as its own.
     For more details about Brantner, including enrollment information, visit the Brantner Elementary website.
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     Brighton - School District 27J has adopted the following policy to be used, as needed and appropriate, in times of inclement weather.  Please review at your earliest convenience. Delayed Start Schedule. Click here to view entire policy. En Español.
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