The Daily Sentinel from Grand Junction, Colorado • 8

to fire Grand Junction High School math teacher Jane White after 15 years on the job. Administrative Law Judge Matthew E. written decision on the case, which recommended the district retain her after nearly a year on leave, said teachers testified that the administration at GJHS put pressure on them to avoid giving and to particularly avoid giving was not an was the message these teachers according to the decision. administration sought to minimize complaints from parents and wanted to make sure that students remained eligible for athletic competition, marching band and other activities. Such eligibility was very important for some parents.

Some parents would themselves complete a Larsen said Grand Junction High administrators have been discouraged from talking about the specific allegation or anything related to the case pending a decision from the school board on the fate of job. In the meantime, he said administrators at all District 51 high schools routinely teachers it is unacceptable to have numerous students with and Each high school tracks which students are getting or Students cannot graduate without a average, or 2.0 grade-point average, so Larsen said it is part of school expec- tations that a teacher offer interventions for students in danger of not graduating. Larsen said the district does not a have a specific threshold for the number of failing students before an administrator has to talk to a teacher. If a few students are failing, a teacher may be asked to offer small group teaching, additional instruction through a computer program, or tutoring before or after school. Re-teaching one or more concepts may be required if multiple students are failing and students who have failed can be sent to a computer lab for credit recovery.

The goal is to allow students extra time to grasp a concept and give them a chance to improve their grades through newfound proficiency. could read that as raising grades until everyone gets a 2.0, but not true. a tremendous amount of Larsen said. Larsen said any credible evidence that an administrator was encouraging teachers to inflate grades based on anything other than student effort be grounds for a large number of and students in a class we say, do we need to do to improve those Larsen said. be any ambiguity in how that is said with decision states White was placed on an plan for the second time since 2010 soon after she complained about a lack of administrative support in February 2012 for a student tutoring program.

The Grand Junction High math department introduced a tutoring program in February 2012 at students who had been receiving and in math according to the decision. On Feb. 20, Grand Junction Assistant Principal Jami Moore sent an email to math teachers telling them the program, which took place after school hours, would have to end because it would cost the school district extra money. am truly speechless, as well as flabbergasted at the lack of support for the very intervention the GJHS Administrative Team asked us to plan and White wrote back, according to the decision. Teachers are expected to offer support to students, Larsen said, but he understands they are not solely responsible for grades.

know students have to have motivation and be responsible as well, but the teacher has to provide he said. Tancredo does. Many delegates feared that five people vying in the assembly would lead to no one earning more than the needed 30 percent to automatically qualify, forcing a second vote. That happen when Gessler and Kopp emerged on top. Though Tancredo had delegates in the assembly, he released them to vote as they wanted.

Though Gessler had long been seen as a frontrunner, Kopp earned more delegates, winning 33.6 percent to 33.11 percent. The remaining candidates fair that well. State Sen. Greg Brophy earned 18.89 percent, Brighton businessman Steve House won 12.81 percent and La Salle rancher Roni Sylvester got 1.59 percent. Kopp credited his tenacity at spreading his message, saying his victory was because people were finally hearing that message.

want to know how to defeat a Kopp said during his nomination speech at the Coors Events Center on the University of Colorado at Boulder campus. ever ever ever ever ever Like Gessler and the other candidates, Kopp said it was time to retake the state from Democratic hands. see a new day breaking in Kopp told the nearly 4,000 delegates at the assembly. face obstacles, big ones. But you know what? There will always be giants when you want to go to a better Calling himself the Gessler focused much of his nominating speech attacking the incumbent Democratic governor, John Hickenlooper, saying he assaulted Second Amendment rights and increased energy costs by approving measures that increased renewable energy mandates.

But Gessler also criticized Republicans for not doing enough to stop him and other Democrats who control the Colorado Legislature. values are not enough. We need candidates, leaders who can communicate our values in positive, pragmatic he said. tired of watching Republicans get in office and do nothing. Our elected Republicans, they must act.

They must do something with those principles, and as secretary of state, I have led the The winner of the June 24 primary will go on to run against Hickenlooper, who won his nomination Saturday at the Democratic Party state assembly in Denver. GRADES: Numerous unacceptable, teachers told Continued from Page One BOULDER U.S. Rep. Cory Gardner had little difficulty winning top line in his bid for the U.S. Senate, but that his biggest accomplishment at the Colorado Republican Party Assembly on Saturday.

As the only clear winner at the assembly, the Yuma Republican was seen as the single candidate who not only could bring unity to the party, but also serve to galvanize Republican voters and bring them to the polls in November. relative late entry into the race cleared out most of the GOP candidates and the right to run against the Democratic incumbent, U.S. Sen. Mark Udall, who similarly won his own nomination at Colorado Democratic Party Assembly held in Denver. That entry turned the race into one that is being watching nationally because it could help the national Republican Party win a majority in the U.S.

Senate. not been in Congress very long, but I can tell you it is every bit as messed up as you Gardner told nearly 4,000 delegates at the Coors Events Center on the Boulder campus of the University of Colorado. a question of people who wish to put appearance over accomplishment. And Mark Udall? Mark Udall was just along for the Two contenders remained after initial entry into the race, state Sen. Randy Baumgardner, R-Hot Sulphur Springs, and Tom Janich, an Adams County resident who has lost numerous bids for the Colorado Legislature and the U.S.

House. 73.62 percent showing was enough to clear out those two as well. Baumgardner only received 23.8 percent, while Janich got 2.58 percent. Candidates need 30 percent to auto- matically make the ballot, but at least 10 percent to petition on. Gardner served five years in the Colorado House before being elected to Congress in 2010 to represent the 4th Congressional District on the Eastern Plains.

His entry immediately chased out Weld County District Attorney Ken Buck, who ran a failed attempt to unseat U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet, and state Sen. Amy Stephens, R-Colorado Springs. Later state Sen.

Owen Hill, R- Colorado Springs, also left, but not after accusing Gardner and the GOP of using and backroom to get onto the ballot. Assembly backs Senate hopeful Gardner BY CHARLES ASHBY Charles.Ashby@gjsentinel.com BOULDER It came as no surprise Saturday when Colorado Attorney General John Suthers decided finally to take sides on his successor. Suthers, who at 10 years is the second-longest serving attorney general in the history, gave the nomination speech for Cynthia Coffman. Coffman, the wife of U.S. Rep.

Mike Coffman, has served as chief lieutenant his entire time in that office. State Rep. Mark Waller, R-Colorado Springs, came in second, though he still made the June primary ballot with barely enough votes 30.74 percent to force a primary race. am ready to join Republican attorneys general to sue the federal government as often as it takes to stop their power Coffman said in her nomination speech at the Coors Events Center on the University of Colorado at Boulder campus. am ready to sue over private property rights, I am ready to sue over roads on federal lands, I am ready to sue on the 10th Amendment and the Second Amendment and every little part of the Constitution if what it The winner of that race will face Democrat Don Quick, who won his nomination at the Democratic Party Assembly in Denver.

Coffman focused on the job of attorney general, Waller attacked her, saying she would be a attorney general who stood by and doing nothing when Obam- acare was implemented and when Democratic senators were being recalled. As chief deputy attorney general under Suthers, she had no power or authority to act on either. need an attorney general who has a proven record of standing up to the liberal Waller said. in this race, my opponent refused to and because of that, a narrow majority of Colorado lawmakers passed the implementation of Obamacare in this The former House minor- ity leader later said he was when some county party chairs handed out ballots before they were supposed to, and that delegates started voting before he even gave his nomination speech. He said he lodged a complaint with GOP Party Chairman Ryan Call, who allowed a motion from the assembly to destroy those ballots and start again.

The motion was rejected. Also nominated were Colorado Treasurer Walker Stapleton for reelection, and El Paso County Clerk Wayne Williams as secretary of state. Both ran unopposed. They will face former congresswoman Betsy Markey and University of Colorado Regent Joe Neguse, respectively. GOP attorney general primary to pit Coffman, Waller BY CHARLES ASHBY Charles.Ashby@gjsentinel.com GOP: Retaking control Continued from Page One could read that as raising grades until everyone gets a 2.0, but not true.

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