Jeffco Schools in Challenging Times

Jeffco Schools in Challenging TimesSouthern Gables Neighborhood Association


By Bruce Loftis

This will indeed be a challenging year for schools in Southern Gables, Lakewood, Jefferson County, Colorado, USA, Planet Earth. Southern Gables neighbors with kids in school are aware of plans for school. Other neighbors without kids may also be interested.

The main Jeffco Schools website is jeffcopublicschools.org. The plan for this sensitive topic is identified as “Restart Jeffco.” The direct link is jeffcopublicschools.org/restart_jeffco,

Classes for the first two weeks are remote. After September 4, 2020, Remote learning will continue to be available to all students who choose it.

Green Gables Elementary School

The Heart of the Neighborhood

Green Gables and other elementary schools will provide in-person learning. Cohorts of students will be kept together during the day and will not interact with others.

Middle and high schools will have hybrid schedules with alternating in-person and remote learning.

Substantial and spectacular planning has been done by the district and school staff members. Things are now falling into place. There are many many details. A set of Frequently Asked Questions on the website provides answers and important information. Click here: Restart Jeffco FAQ. There are related sections for student-oriented questions and Special Education.

back to school stay safe

Photo from unicef.cn

The Green Gables school administration has been in contact with families about navigating this difficult time, and two-way communication is always valuable. Information about Green Gables Elementary School is at greengables.jeffcopublicschools.org

Some of the planning considerations and techniques that are available to families for negotiating their children’s feelings are described in resources such as this one, published by UNICEF: Supporting your child’s mental health as they return to school during COVID-19. Parents and teachers all over the country — and indeed the world — are working to conquer this challenge.

We can do this. We have to and we will. The Restart Jeffco plan provides quality in-person and remote/online learning options while taking important steps to protect the health of students, staff, and the entire community.


Bruce Loftis has engineering degrees from University of Texas and Colorado State University. His career has been supporting scientific computing at universities. Parents moved to Southern Gables in 1968. Bruce and Spouse-Linda and Canine-Cody recently retired and moved back to Colorado and into the family house. Retirement has not been successful. Many volunteer opportunities seem to find Bruce.

Volunteer Opportunities

Volunteer Opportunities

Several Southern Gables Association members have asked about important activities for which they could volunteer their time, contribute money, or maybe just be aware. We have compiled a list of places where your contributions of time and talent can be applied. If you have some ideas to add to the list from your own experience, please provide descriptions and links about your recommended volunteer activities through our “Contact Us” page.


Updated October 2022.


Organizations in the Southern Gables Neighborhood

  • Green Gables Elementary School can use volunteers to serve as crossing guards and sometimes to help students with homework, reading, and other tutoring. Call the school office 303-982-8314 or contact Principal Jenn WitheeHawley directly at Jennifer.Witheeffco.k12.co.us if you would like to help.
  • Joy’s Kitchen. Provides food to anyone who wants it. Volunteer work is generally in 3-hour shifts, morning or afternoon, any day or days you choose Monday through Saturday. Jobs include driving for pickup at donating locations; sorting and classifying food items; and helping people who come to shop for free food three afternoons a week. More information:

joyskitchen.org

Organizations in Lakewood and Jefferson County

  • CASA of Jefferson and Gilpin County supports volunteers who advocate for abused and neglected children. Volunteers, who are assigned a case by the court, are always needed.  These cases require a lot of effort.  But there are many other ways to support CASA.  More information:

casajeffcogilpin.com
casajeffcogilpin.com/casa-volunteer

  • The Action Center provides a wide range of services to the homeless and others who are struggling. More information:

theactioncenterco.org

  • Carmody Middle School. Call the school at 303-982-8930  and ask for Mr. Campbell to find out if there are safe volunteer activities available.
  • The Severe Weather Shelter Network has a Lakewood presence. They provide refuge on life-threatening winter nights for those living on the streets, and they help find permanent housing.

swshelternetwork.com

  • The Oasis Institute has a partnership with Jefferson County Schools, including Green Gables Elementary, to pair volunteer tutors with children in grades K-3 who teachers feel would benefit from a caring, one-on-one mentoring relationship. One child, one tutor, one school year.

oasisnet.org/About-Us
oasisnet.org/National-Programs/Intergenerational-Tutoring
oasisnet.org/National-Programs/Intergenerational-Tutoring/How-it-works

Organizations in the Denver Metro Area

  • Habitat for Humanity has many volunteer opportunities with some projects near our neighborhood.

habitatmetrodenver.org
habitatmetrodenver.org/get-involved/volunteer

  • The Denver Museum of Nature and Science has more volunteers than any museum in the country. There are many different interesting volunteer opportunities available.

dmns.org
dmns.org/join/volunteering

  • The African Community Center helps refugees rebuild safe, sustainable lives in the Denver Metro area.

acc-den.org
acc-den.org/volunteer

  • Lutheran Family Services Rocky Mountains is a faith-based, non-profit human service agency providing adoption, foster care, older adult caregiving, prevention, and refugee services.

lfsrm.org
lfsrm.org/get-involved

  • Big Brothers Big Sisters Colorado is always looking for adult volunteers to be matched up with at-risk kids. In addition, a new school-based program has been set up to match entire classrooms of students with one-on-one mentors interacting through monthly group meetings supplemented with electronic communications, with a structured curriculum. They pioneered “Mentor2.0” at our nearby Sheridan High School, and summertime is when they are looking for new volunteers for the coming school year.

BigLittleColorado.org (All Programs)
BigLittleColorado.org (Mentor2.0)