CDE COVID-19 Resources
Most Colorado schools have been using distance learning for about a month now due to the pandemic. Teachers and leaders scrambled to assemble resources for distance learning, and they've done an amazing job, especially given the difficult and sudden circumstances. The Colorado Department of Education also assembled lists of resources, and you should consider checking them out in case there's something great you're missing in your online teaching repertoire. CDE's main COVID-19 page is a portal including guidance for parents, guidance for schools, news from the U.S. Department of Education, and CDE policy guidance, which links to more information about assessments, accountability, licensure, special education, and more. If you're looking for teaching and learning resources, CDE's Office of Standards and Instructional Support curated a set of "learning at home" materials, which include best practices for educators and families, help for people getting connected online, and remote learning resources for all content areas covered by the Colorado Academic Standards.
Office Hours
A number of CDE offices and units are holding office hours online and welcome anyone to join who has questions or just wants to share or listen to others who may join at the same time. The Office of Standards and Instructional Support has office hours on Thursdays from 3:00 to 4:00. Any content area is welcome during that time. I am also holding math-specific office hours from 10:00 to 11:00 on Wednesdays and Fridays. Wednesdays have been a popular time for math leaders to join and I hope Friday office hours open opportunities to join for teachers who teach Monday through Thursday. Please check the latest office hours schedule for links to join office hours.
Colorado Math Awards
This isn't CDE-focused, but it's wonderful to share good news. Each May for the past 25 years, a group of math teachers and professors, led by David Carlson and Dick Gibbs, have held the Colorado Math Awards at the Grant-Humphries Mansion in Denver. The CMA exists to recognize students for their performance in mathematics competitions such as MATHCOUNTS, Math Olympiad, the American Mathematics Contest 10 and 12, the MathWorks Math Modeling Challenge, and the Putnam Competition. Although we are saddened that the pandemic resulted in the closing of the Grant-Humphreys Mansion and the cancellation of the event, I am happy and proud to say that former CMA steering committee member and continuing financial supporter David Larue, and his employer, S&P Global, generously donated the funds that would have been spent on the event to the caterers and venue staff who lost work because of the cancellation of the event. It's support like this that make the CMA a great event, even in a year where there won't be a CMA.