Aurora – Jarred Hill already knows the CSAP readiness drill. Eat a good breakfast, get a good night’s rest, and try your best.
So at an afternoon rally designed to get students excited about the Colorado Student Assessment Program – a series of math, reading, writing and science tests that students across the state begin taking this month – it was Superintendent John Barry’s personal story that got the Mrachek Middle School students’ attention.
Barry told them how his New York childhood was shattered when his parents split and his father, a police officer, was later arrested for holding up a liquor store.
The story made headlines and was humiliating. “I was angry,” Barry told an audience of seventh- graders. However, he said, a strong relationship with teachers helped him focus on achievement.
Barry said he later entered the military and retired as a two-star general in the Air Force before taking over leadership of Aurora Public Schools last year.
Jarred said he was impressed by Barry’s story.
The message the 13-year-old took away was: “Don’t give up. Don’t worry about what other people say. Try your best.”
It’s a message Barry and other public school educators across the state are pushing as students begin taking CSAPs, which measure how well students in third through 10th grade meet state standards.
Barry urged them to work hard but told them CSAP is “not the end all and be all.”
Many Colorado schools and districts hold rallies or other events to encourage strong CSAP performance. Schools that repeatedly perform poorly can face sanctions, such as a cut in federal funding.
The Aurora district last year showed gains in math, but reading stayed flat and writing showed a decline, district officials said.
Staff writer Karen Rouse can be reached at 303-954-1684 or krouse@denverpost.com.
