AURORA | Along with thousands of students this month, the superintendents in Aurora’s two school districts are headed back for a new school year, too.
Both Rico Munn at Aurora Public Schools and Harry Bull at Cherry Creek School District took over as superintendent in summer 2013. This fall marks the second full school year in charge for the two men.
Aurora Public Schools Superintendent Rico Munn looks over floor plans Jan. 15 at Vista PEAK. Both Rico Munn at Aurora Public Schools and Harry Bull at Cherry Creek Schools District took over as superintendent in summer 2013. This fall marks the second full school year in charge for the two men. (Marla R. Keown/Aurora Sentinel)
Cherry Creek Superintendent Harry Bull discusses the School Finance Act and Student Success Act during an interview, Feb. 27 at his office in Greenwood Village. Along with thousands of students, the two superintendents in Aurora’s school districts are headed back to school this month, too. Both Rico Munn at Aurora Public Schools and Harry Bull at Cherry Creek Schools District took over as superintendent in summer 2013. This fall marks the second full school year in charge for the two men. (Marla R. Keown/Aurora Sentinel)
Sixth graders line up with their backpacks and lunch boxes filled on first day of school Aug. 5 at East Middle School. Along with thousands of students, the two superintendents in Aurora’s school districts are headed back to school this month, too. Both Rico Munn at Aurora Public Schools and Harry Bull at Cherry Creek Schools District took over as superintendent in summer 2013. This fall marks the second full school year in charge for the two men. (Marla R. Keown/Aurora Sentinel)
Abigail Giner (right) and Jorge Garcia (second from right) make their way to math class on their first day back to school Aug. 5 at East Middle School. Along with thousands of students, the two superintendents in Aurora’s school districts are headed back to school this month, too. Both Rico Munn at Aurora Public Schools and Harry Bull at Cherry Creek Schools District took over as superintendent in summer 2013. This fall marks the second full school year in charge for the two men. (Marla R. Keown/Aurora Sentinel)
Sixth graders fill up the bleachers for a first day orientation Aug. 5 at East Middle School. Along with thousands of students, the two superintendents in Aurora’s school districts are headed back to school this month, too. Both Rico Munn at Aurora Public Schools and Harry Bull at Cherry Creek Schools District took over as superintendent in summer 2013. This fall marks the second full school year in charge for the two men. (Marla R. Keown/Aurora Sentinel)
Math teacher Mr. Henry goes over his classroom expectations on the first day back to school Aug. 5 at East Middle School. Along with thousands of students, the two superintendents in Aurora’s school districts are headed back to school this month, too. Both Rico Munn at Aurora Public Schools and Harry Bull at Cherry Creek Schools District took over as superintendent in summer 2013. This fall marks the second full school year in charge for the two men. (Marla R. Keown/Aurora Sentinel)
A line of students file their way to the office during the first day back to school Aug. 5 at East Middle School. Along with thousands of students, the two superintendents in Aurora’s school districts are headed back to school this month, too. Both Rico Munn at Aurora Public Schools and Harry Bull at Cherry Creek Schools District took over as superintendent in summer 2013. This fall marks the second full school year in charge for the two men. (Marla R. Keown/Aurora Sentinel)
A new student gets help at the front desk during the first day back to school Aug. 5 at East Middle School. Along with thousands of students, the two superintendents in Aurora’s school districts are headed back to school this month, too. Both Rico Munn at Aurora Public Schools and Harry Bull at Cherry Creek Schools District took over as superintendent in summer 2013. This fall marks the second full school year in charge for the two men. (Marla R. Keown/Aurora Sentinel)
Student leaders with WEB (Where Everybody Belongs) welcome incoming sixth graders to their first day of school Aug. 5 at East Middle School. Along with thousands of students, the two superintendents in Aurora’s school districts are headed back to school this month, too. Both Rico Munn at Aurora Public Schools and Harry Bull at Cherry Creek Schools District took over as superintendent in summer 2013. This fall marks the second full school year in charge for the two men. (Marla R. Keown/Aurora Sentinel)
Student leaders with WEB (Where Everybody Belongs) welcome incoming sixth graders to their first day of school Aug. 5 at East Middle School. Along with thousands of students, the two superintendents in Aurora’s school districts are headed back to school this month, too. Both Rico Munn at Aurora Public Schools and Harry Bull at Cherry Creek Schools District took over as superintendent in summer 2013. This fall marks the second full school year in charge for the two men. (Marla R. Keown/Aurora Sentinel)
Assistant Principal Tonya Thompson welcomes sixth graders to their first day of school Aug. 5 at East Middle School. Along with thousands of students, the two superintendents in Aurora’s school districts are headed back to school this month, too. Both Rico Munn at Aurora Public Schools and Harry Bull at Cherry Creek Schools District took over as superintendent in summer 2013. This fall marks the second full school year in charge for the two men. (Marla R. Keown/Aurora Sentinel)
Justis Lackey listens excitedly listens to a sixth grade orientation on her first day of school Aug. 5 at East Middle School. Along with thousands of students, the two superintendents in Aurora’s school districts are headed back to school this month, too. Both Rico Munn at Aurora Public Schools and Harry Bull at Cherry Creek Schools District took over as superintendent in summer 2013. This fall marks the second full school year in charge for the two men. (Marla R. Keown/Aurora Sentinel)
For Munn, who came to APS after working for the state — including a stint as the head of the Colorado Department of Higher Education — the beginning of the school year last year was all about introducing himself to Aurora teachers, parents, students and administrators.
“Now it’s more about getting excited about the particular plans we have in place this year,” Munn said.
Chief among those plans is the district’s P-20 Learning Community arrangement, which breaks the district into five learning communities largely centered around its five high schools.
Under the program, district officials say they hope teachers from various schools can work more closely throughout a student’s education from kindergarten through high school. That means teachers who dealt with a student at Aurora Hills Middle School will work closely with that student’s future high school teachers at Gateway High School.
This year, Munn said he’d also like to see the schools do more to bring parents and other community members into the schools.
“I think that’s a tangible difference people will see and feel this year,” he said.
After he came into the job last year, Munn said he knew he couldn’t predict what the job would entail.
“When you come into an organization this size, you expect a certain level of the unexpected,” he said.
But a few weeks into the school year last year, record flooding slammed Aurora and the rest of the Front Range. The deluge forced the district to close schools early on a Thursday and keep them closed the following day.
Munn said that while he was ready for surprises, this wasn’t one he could have anticipated.
“That was not how we expected to spend that day or that couple of days,” he said.
Patti Moon, a spokeswoman for the district, said the flooding caused about $530,000 in damage to district facilities, the bulk of which was covered by insurance. The district has asked the Federal Emergency Management Authority to cover the remaining total of about $210,000, she said.
Munn said the flooding stands out as the biggest surprise from his first year as superintendent.
At Cherry Creek, Bull said he, too, was surprised by the flooding, which caused school closures for two days last September.
“I knew I was going to have to make snow day calls, I had no idea I would have to make flood day calls,” he said.
Bull said that because this is his second year at the helm, he expects the start of this school year to be more comfortable than last year.
“There’s gonna be a sense of comfort in knowing that you have lived it once,” he said.
The bulk of Cherry Creek’s students start classes Aug. 18, but some schools on non-traditional calendars are already in
session.
Last year, Bull said he was particularly surprised at how closely superintendents from around the state worked together at the state Legislature. Beyond just getting bills passed, Bull said the superintendents worked together in a way they haven’t in the past, and that’s something he said will continue when lawmakers reconvene.
As for new efforts this year, Bull said Cherry Creek tries to avoid looking for the “next new shiny coin” and instead focuses on doing what has historically worked well in the district.
“You have to stay with what you believe,” he said.
For Bull, that includes a constant focus on neighborhood schools, where he said it is always easier to get the community involved where people feel pride in what the schools are doing.
“Good neighborhood schools are something that the constituents in our community value,” he said.
For the first few days of the school year, the two superintendents said they hope to spend as much time as they can in area schools, meeting teachers, students and parents when they return for the new year.
“I’ll be out there shaking hands,” Munn said with a laugh. “I don’t think I’ll kiss babies, but I’ll be out there shaking hands.”
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