Norm L. Jennings
Norm L. Jennings was the District 1 representative on the Adams 12 Board of Education.
Biography
Jennings graduated from Ranum High School in Adams District 50 in 1981. He went on to earn a degree in architecture from the University of Oklahoma in 1989 and an M.B.A. at the University of Colorado – Denver in 2013. When he served on the school board, Jennings had worked in the architecture, engineering and construction fields. As of 2015, he was the division manager for SEMA Precast.[1]
Jennings listed the following on his campaign website for his professional experience:
- Served as your Vice-President on the Board for almost 4 years
- Performed school improvement reviews in over 20 schools
- Over 15 years of volunteer service to the district in school accountability, accreditation processes, budget reviews, and serving on the Board
- Completed an MBA while on the Board which provided additional training for, and insight about, issues before the school board
Jennings listed the following campaign website for his leadership experience:
- Vice President of the Adams 12 Board for nearly 4 years now
- Vice-President of the parent accountability group (DSIT) for 2 years
- President of DSIT for 2 years
- Chairman of the budget review committee (DBRAC) for 4 years
- Member of a Blue Ribbon Accreditation Committee
- Big Brothers Mentor for 8 years
- Over 15 years of volunteer service to the district in school accountability, accreditation processes, budget reviews, and serving on the Board
- Alpha Course Leader at Family In Christ Community Church
Elections
2015
Four of the five seats on the Adams 12 Board of Education were up for election on November 3, 2015. Seats in Districts 1, 2, 4, and 5 were on the general election ballot.
Incumbent Norm L. Jennings faced challenger Seth "Isaiah" Thomas in District 1. The District 2 race included candidates Daniel Garcia and Jamey Lockley. District 2 incumbent Robert M. Willsey did not file for re-election. Jeff Jasica, Stephanie James, Laura P. Mitchell, and Teresa Thomson Walsh sought the District 5 seat held by Mark Clark, who did not file for re-election.[2]
A special election for the District 4 seat previously held by Rico Figueroa included incumbent Brian Batz, Amira Amal Assad-Lucas and Jessy Briton Hamilton. Figueroa served on the board from December 2013 to March 2015 after 2013 winner Amy Speers was found ineligible to serve because she lived outside of District 4. On March 2, 2015, the Colorado Supreme Court concurred with a decision by Broomfield District Court Judge Chris Melonakis declaring the seat vacant.[3] Brian Batz was appointed to fill the vacancy in District 4 on April 29, 2015, and ran to serve the remaining two years on Speers' term.[4]
Jennings was successful in securing the District 1 seat. In District 2, Lockley won the seat. Batz was successful in being re-elected to the District 4 seat, and Mitchell won the seat in District 5.
Results
| Adams 12 Five Star Schools, District 1, General Election, 2015 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
 Norm L. Jennings Incumbent |
50.3% | 15,464 |
| Seth "Isaiah" Thomas | 49.7% | 15,250 |
| Total Votes | 30,714 | |
| Source: Adams County Clerk & Recorder, "Official County Results," and City and County of Broomfield, "Official Certified Results", accessed December 17, 2015 | ||
Funding
Jennings reported $2,279.96 in contributions and $117.63 in expenditures to the Colorado Secretary of State, which left his campaign with $2,162.33 on hand as of October 29, 2015.[5]
Campaign themes
Statement on Jennings' website
Jennings articulated the following under the "Vision" section of his campaign website:
| “ | Vision
My primary goal for Adams 12 is that we will become so good that private schools will worry about losing students to us. When this becomes reality we will be among the best school districts in Colorado but also one of the best in the nation. To accomplish this, focus is needed in the following areas: Academic Achievement We have the opportunity, and more importantly the ability, to improve the academic achievement of every student in our district. We need to continue to foster an environment that creates life long learners who relentlessly pursue truth, knowledge, and who will be critical and careful thinkers as they step beyond our doors and into the world. Fiscal Transparency and Accountability The Colorado funding model is complicated, unique, and flawed. School funding needs to focus on equity, not equality that ensures every student has a path for success. We need to continue to use our limited resources wisely and be accountable and transparent to the public. Exceptional Teachers Teachers and parental engagement are the foundation of a student’s academic success. Every teacher finds deep meaning and satisfaction as they work tirelessly to make our students more successful scholars and citizens. We need to ensure all of our teachers have the tools they need to be successful. We also need to do a better job at recognizing and rewarding exceptional teachers. Choice Options I envision a broad range of education choices for parents and students; I want to work with the Board to continue to expand our programs to meet the demand from our community. [6] |
” |
Candidate survey on charter schools
The Colorado League of Charter Schools issued a candidate survey in which Jennings participated. The following were his answers:[7]
Q1 - Do you support a parent’s right to choose the public school they feel is the best fit for their child? Why or why not?
Norman Jennings: My wife and I enrolled our kids in district choice/magnet schools because they were the best fit for our family. Charter schools serve a similar function and the competition from charter schools makes our district magnet and neighborhood schools better as well.
Q2 - Which of the following describes your familiarity with charter schools? (Select all that apply).
Norman Jennings: I can name one or more charter schools in Colorado. I know someone who works at a charter school in Colorado. I know a student who attends a charter school in Colorado. I have heard the term “charter school.” I have visited several of our district charter schools in the four years I've been on the board and gotten to know many of their leaders and board members.
Q3 - Which of the following best describes your level of support or opposition toward charter schools in Colorado?
Norman Jennings: Strongly support.
Q4 - In your view, what role should charter schools play in providing parents and students choice in their public school options?
Norman Jennings: Charters provide unique and/or challenging academic programming to families. The charter schools in Adams 12 provide Core Knowledge, language immersion, Gifted and Talented, and twice exceptional programming. Some have a unique niche and others compete directly with neighborhood schools and district magnet programs. As a result our district has responded with unique and niche offerings including STEM, Gifted and Talented, fine arts, and academically rigorous programs at each of our comprehensive high schools.
Q5 - In your view, do charter schools help improve educational opportunities for all public school students or do they negatively impact the educational opportunities for students in traditional public schools?
Norman Jennings: In our district, the competition from charter schools has led to the district improving its program options. All students win when schools have to improve and compete for the hearts of parents and kids.
Q6 - Do you support the creation of more charter schools?
Norman Jennings: Maybe – if there is a strategic growth plan in place I'm assuming the question means the charter school has to have a strategic growth plan in place so that they can have a successful launch and gain stability within the first few years of existence.
Q7 - What do you believe is the proper role for a school district and a district board of education to play in relation to the charter schools in their district?
Norman Jennings: The district boards' job is to authorize, monitor the performance of charter schools, monitor adherence to the contract between district and charter, and evaluate the charter for reauthorization. The district's job is to monitor performance and contract adherence, offer support and assistance when needed and to avoid undue influence or involvement in the charter's affairs. Occasionally the district has to tell charter parents that it is not the district's job to rush in and try to fix a perceived problem.
Q8 - Do you believe districts have a responsibility to equitably include their charter schools in the distribution of local funds related to facilities (bonds) and operational expenses (mill levy overrides)? Why or why not?
Norman Jennings: Adams 12 included money for our charter schools in our last bond and mill levy ballot measure. Unfortunately we were not successful. If re-elected to the board I will ensure that practice is continued in future ballot measures.
Q9 - Please feel free to provide any additional comments or viewpoints regarding school choice and charter schools in the state of Colorado that you were not able to cover in your responses above.
Norman Jennings: I have many friends with kids in charter schools and I frequently ask them how their kids are doing. They almost always say they are very happy with their choice and their student is doing very well. What's not to like about that?
- To read other candidate responses, visit What's at Stake for Adams 12 Five Star Schools?
See also
- Adams 12 Five Star Schools, Colorado
- Adams 12 Five Star Schools elections (2015)
- Incumbency no guarantee of success in Nov. 3 school board elections (November 6, 2015)
- What happened in Nov.'s top board elections? (November 4, 2015)
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Norm Jennings for Adams 12, "About", accessed October 26, 2015
- ↑ Adams 12 Five Star Schools, "2015 election," accessed August 30, 2015
- ↑ Adams 12 Five Star Schools, "Director District 4 Election Update," March 6, 2015
- ↑ The Denver Post, "Adams 12 school board votes to appoint Brian Batz to board vacancy," April 29, 2015
- ↑ Tracer, "Filing Detail", accessed October 29, 2015
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Colorado League of Charter Schools, "Adams 12 Five Star Schools Board Candidate Survey", accessed October 26, 2015
