NONPROFIT ORG          NEWS           A Monthly News Publication from Eagle County Schools - November/December 2006
                                                 U.S. POSTAGE PAID        F RO M                                          Page 1
                                                 PERMIT NO. N-2
             Eagle County Schools                                                                                Excellent teachers make the
                                                                             Thank you Eagle County Voters!
                                                 EAGLE, CO 81631
             PO Box 740                                                                                     difference!
                                                                                 Eagle County Schools would like to
                                                                                                            After changing her major several times in
                                                                             thank all of the Voters in Eagle County who
             Eagle, CO 81631                                                                                   college, Eagle Valley Elementary School teacher
                                                                             supported the 3B Bond that recently passed.
                                                                                                       Debbie Vernell decided Elementary Education
                                                                             This bond will ensure ‘Great Schools, East
                                                                                                       was the focus she was destined to pursue…and
                                                                             to West.’ The passage of this initiative will
                                                                                                       lucky for Eagle County Schools she did just
                                                                             address necessary technology upgrades and
                                                                                                       that. After 20 years of working at the same cozy
                                                                             renovations to existing buildings, and will also
                                                                                                       location in Eagle, Debbie attributes her eternal
                                                                             go towards the purchase of additional land on
                                                                                                       love of teaching to ensuring children succeed,
                                                                             the west end of our valley for future schools.
                                                                                                       ECS’ integrated curriculum and the phenomenal
                                                                             The bond also includes the construction of




                                                                 Eagle County Schools
                                                                                                       teaching staff at EVES.
                                                                             new buildings in order to accommodate the
                                                                                                            Upon graduating from University of
                                                                             anticipated, steady growth up and down the
                                                                                                       Massachusetts Amherst in 1971, Debbie and her
                                                                             valley. The $128 million Bond will be used on
                                                                                                       new husband moved to Colorado in pursuit of
                                                                             the following projects:
                                                                                                       new personal and professional adventures. Before embarking on her teaching career,
                                                                             • Replace Battle Mountain High School
                                                                                                       Debbie worked in and out of the hotel industry and as a stay at home mom with her
                                                                             (design process to begin January 2007;
                                                                                                       three girls. Although she was originally hired to teach a class of 6 kindergartners in
                                                                             construction to begin June 2007 and conclude
                                                                                                       McCoy, Eagle Valley Elementary School Principal John Reimers at the time persuaded
                                                                             September 2009)
                                                                                                       her to pursue an alternative teaching opportunity right here in Eagle. Fortunately, it
                                                                             • Remodel Eagle Valley High School
                                                                                                       was an offer she couldn’t refuse and in 1986, Debbie made her ECS debut.
                                                                             (construction to begin June 2007 and
                                                                                                            After going back to school to receive her Master ’s Degree in Reading, working
                                                                             conclude February 2008)
                                                                                                       as a Literacy Coach, teaching solely Kindergarten for one year and instructing only first
                                                                             • Facility repair projects (construction to begin
                                                                                                       grade for 5 years, Debbie is beginning her 15th year of what she refers to as “looping”
                                                                             May 2007 and conclude December 2007)
                                                                                                       with her first and second graders at EVES. Basically, Debbie teaches first graders
                                                                             • New Elementary School (construction to
                                                                                                       one year, educates the same class in second grade the following year, and returns to
                                                                             begin May 2007 and conclude August 2008)
                                                                                                       teaching a brand new first grade class upon completion of her two-year cycle. “This
                                                                             • Technology infrastructure projects
                                                                                                       two-year cycle is all about developing relationships with the children and their parents,”
                                                                             • Purchase of land on the west end
                                                                                                       states Debbie. “Students at an elementary level make great strides when they can
                                                                             • Existing Battle Mountain renovation
                                                                                                       count on a familiar face at the front of the classroom. The first two years of a child’s
                                                                             (construction to begin May 2009 and conclude
                                                                                                       education entail a unique combination of management and hands-on teaching.”
                                                                             January 2010)
                                                                                                            Debbie believes an essential ingredient in her successful teaching style is
                                                                             ECS receives a $6.7 million             helping children realize the relevance of school subjects in their own lives. Not only
                                                                             federal Teacher Incentive Fund            does this make learning more fun and exciting for the students, discovering this
                                                                             grant to increase compensation            ‘significance’ factor in turn motivates them to learn. Debbie’s theory is that consistently
                 Celebrating Athletic Success                                              for outstanding educators              encouraging children to make these connections will help them become more well-
                                                                                 The U.S. Department of Education       rounded individuals, as well as spark their curiosity about different topics in and out of
                                                                             recently announced that Eagle County         the classroom.
                                                                             Schools was awarded a $6.7 million Teacher           As the only teacher involved in the “looping” process at Eagle Valley Elementary
                                                                             Incentive Fund (TIF) grant to provide financial   School at the present time, Debbie is very excited about the outstanding leadership
                                                                             incentives to teachers who improve student      team this year. Mentor Teacher Theresa Carullo has recently been hired to “loop”
                                                                             achievement in high-poverty schools. The       with Debbie and will be moving to first grade next year, allowing Debbie to jump to
                                                                             grant is expected to be funded over a 5-year     second with her current students. The concerted efforts of Principal Monica Lammers,
                                                                             period.                        Mentor Teacher Theresa Carullo and Master Teacher Liz Karr are evident and clearly
                                                                                 The Teacher Incentive Fund grant       influencing teachers like Mrs. Vernell to remain passionate about teaching at EVES.
                                                                             was announced by Margaret Spellings, U.S.       “They all work really hard to make everything meaningful and relevant to each and
                                                                             Secretary of Education and presented to the      every educator,” states Debbie. “There is no longer a disjointed feeling in the air.”
                                                                             Eagle County Schools Board of Education            EVES Principal Monica Lammers, who has known Debbie for eight years,
                                                                             by Pat Chlouber, the U.S. Department         states, “We go way back to our Literacy Coaching days when we blazed the trail for
                                                                             of Education Secretary’s Regional           teacher leaders in this building. Debbie has always been a great colleague because
                                                                             Representative, at the Eagle County Schools      she is wise with experience as well as innovative and progressive with ideas. I have
                                                                             district offices in Eagle. “Nothing helps a     always learned a great deal from Debbie about primary literacy, which is most definitely
                                    Photo courtesy of Shane Macomber, Vail Daily                   child learn as much as a great teacher – and     her forte. Students, teachers, and parents all have a high level of respect for her. She
                                                                             research shows that rewarding teachers for      embraces a true workshop philosophy in reading and writing instruction, allowing her
                                         BMHS Girls Volleyball
       BMHS Boys Cross Country                                                           results can improve student performance,”       time to really reach out to each individual in her room.”
                                          First Place, 4A State Title
          First Place, 4A State Title                                                      Spellings said.                        In addition to teaching at EVES, Debbie worked as a Facilitator for the
                                                                                 Funded for the first time in 2006, the   Accelerated Reading Program for eight years, which is a curriculum that reaches
                                   12th Graders: Britney Brown (Captain), Crystin Rodrick
 Runners include: Jonny Stevens (BMHS), Tony Crisofulli (BMHS),                                             TIF program is President Bush’s initiative to     at-risk students in first grade who are not quite where they need to be in reading and
                                   (Captain), Nicole Penwill, Sofia Lindroth, Sydney Nichols,
  Jamie Farhmeyer (EVHS), Colt Nelson (EVHS), Mario Gonzalez                                              develop and implement performance-based        writing. She also assisted the highly regarded ‘Love and Logic’ program for several
                                  Kimberley Corwin (Manager), Allie O’Connor, Kendra Havlik,
(BMHS), Ryan Walker (BMHS), John O’Neill (BMHS), Lorenzo Macias                                             teacher and principal compensation systems      years. Even with all of the success under her belt, this over-achiever doesn’t see an
                                             Sarah Simmonds
   (BMHS), Griffin Turnipseed (EVHS), Michael Hand (BMHS)                                               in high-need, disadvantaged schools, where      ending to her teaching career in the very near future. In fact, while many of her friends
                                      11th Graders: Devon Abbott, Kori Landauer,                  at least 30 percent of students are eligible for   are discussing retiring soon, Debbie’s idea of a permanent leave of absence couldn’t
       Coaches: Rob Parish and Kelli Witter             Jennifer Thul, Annie Marcum, Alexa Corcoran                  free or reduced-price lunch. The goals of the     be further from the ordinary…she hopes to continue teaching part-time. Looks like
                                                                             program are to improve student achievement
                                            Coach: Brian Doyon                                                   Debbie is in for the long run and ECS couldn’t be happier!
BMHS Girls Cross Country                                                                 by increasing the effectiveness of principals

                                                                                                                   INSIDE THIS ISSUE
                                                                             and teachers, and, at the same time, increase
                                  BMHS and EVHS Boys Soccer
    Seventh Place in State
                                                                             the number of effective teachers for minority
                                    4A State Quarterfinalists (BMHS)                                                        Excellent Teachers - a focus on Debbie Vernell, Eagle Valley Elementary
                                                                             and disadvantaged students. The award in
                                     Western Slope Title (BMHS)
    EVHS Boys Golf                                                                                                  Teacher Advancement Program (TAP) - part 4 of a 4-part series
                                                                             Eagle County is 1 of 16, and the total of all
                                     First Round Playoffs (EVHS)                                                                Celebrating Academic and Athletic Success
  Jamison Bair, State Qualifier                                                            awards was $42.1 million nation-wide.

   A Monthly News Publication from Eagle County Schools - November/December 2006                                               A Monthly News Publication from Eagle County Schools - November/December 2006
                                       Page 2                                                                             Page 3



                                                             Q&A
Pay for Performance Awards for Teachers                                                                   Teachers with above average performance and student achievement make more than they
                                                                                      would in other similar districts.
      This is the fourth in a 4-part series of articles about Eagle County Schools’ on-going
efforts to have a highly qualified and well-trained teacher in every classroom, everyday. This
                                                                                                   3 Examples                        
fall marks the fifth year of implementation of the Teacher Advancement Program (TAP), a                                                                                      One of the reasons Eagle County Schools moved
                                                          W hat is a lock-step salary
school reform effort which is designed to increase student performance through effective                                                                                     to a performance-based compensation program is to

                                                                                    1
                                                          schedule?                                                                  ensure that our top teachers can maximize their earning
classroom instruction.
                                                                                                                                potential. The high cost of living in our community
                                                          The lock-step salary schedule provides
     TAP is comprised of four key elements, and each of these elements has been
                                                                                                                                coupled with the low level of education funding in
                                                          each teacher with an annual increase in
highlighted from August through November.
                                                                                                                                Colorado makes it difficult to retain teachers.
                                                          salary based on their years of experience
1. Multiple Career Paths (August)
                                                                                                                                 Under the last lock-step salary schedule in Eagle
                                                          and the level of education they have
  2. Ongoing, Applied Professional Growth (September)
                                                                                                                                County (2004-05), each teacher, regardless of their
                                                          attained. Under this system, all teachers,
  3. Instructionally-Focused Accountability (October)
                                                                                                                                performance, received an increase in pay that ranged
                                                          regardless of performance levels, receive
  4. Performance-Based Compensation (November/December)
                                                                                                                                from $683 to $881. Placement on the schedule was
                                                          the same level of compensation.
                                                                                                                                based on years of experience and levels of education.
Financially Rewarding Top Teachers                                         Do some teachers make less
                                                                                                                                Now, teachers can receive up to $2,600 each year
    Teacher compensation in Eagle County Schools is based on both performance            money now than they would
                                                                                                                                based on performance, in addition to a potential
                                                          under the old system?
in the classroom and financially rewarding top teachers. Teachers who qualify for a
                                                                                                                                bonus.
performance award are paid a lump sum bonus on their final check of the contract year               Under the last lock-step salary schedule,
                                                                                                                                 The examples to the left are based on actual
based on the previous year’s performance. Depending on Colorado state funding for                 teachers in Eagle County received annual
                                                                                                                                teachers. They all demonstrated above average

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K-12 education, that bonus (or a portion of it) is then added to the teacher ’s salary for the   increases that ranged from $683 to $881.                                                   performance based on their evaluation scores and the
following school year. The current maximum award available to each teacher is $2,600.               It is possible for a teacher to make less                                               achievement growth attained by their students.
Performance awards are determined by:                                       than this if their evaluation scores are                                                 This compensation comparison is made to Roaring
                    • 50 percent earned through teacher skills & knowledge           low and their students have not achieved                                                   Fork School District (Glenwood Springs) because,
                       demonstrated by the teacher ’s earned evaluation         their individual growth targets. In 2005-                                                of all districts in the state, they are most similar to
                       score, with a maximum possible award of $1,300.            06, the average performance award, and                                                    Eagle County in terms of their student enrollment,
                    • 25 percent earned through individual student            subsequent salary increase was $1,271.                                                    percentage of students living in poverty, percentage of
                       achievement demonstrated by Northwest Evaluation            The range of awards was from $651 to                                                  students who are English language learners and high
                       Assessment (NWEA) value-added growth, with a                                                                                  cost of living. As you can see, our top performers earn
                                                          $2,166.
                                                          How much more are
                       maximum possible award of $650.                                                                                          more than the same teacher would in our neighboring
                                                          teachers making?                                                               community.
                    • 25 percent earned through school-wide achievement
                                                                                                                                 Outstanding teachers in Eagle County can increase
                                                          In a study of the first five of our TAP
                       demonstrated by CSAP value-added growth, with a
                                                                                                                                their compensation at a more rapid rate than if the total
                                                          schools, career teachers who were
                       maximum possible award of $650.

                                                                                    3                                            salary pool was divided equally among all. Teachers
                                                          meeting student growth and evaluation
                  How do teachers receive pay for their                                                                                            also have an opportunity to earn other one-time
                                                          expectations were making on average
                  evaluation scores?                                                                                                     bonuses or salary increases:
                                                          9 percent more than under the lock
                  Every teacher is evaluated four times during the year                                                                                • $2,500 will be added to the teacher ’s salary if they
                                                          step schedule when bonus and
                  using a performance appraisal with a scale of 1 to 5.