How long, and where have you lived in Boulder County?

My wife Christine and I moved with our three kids to Erie, Colorado in 2018. Our kids have been enrolled in Escuela Bilingue Pioneer Elementary School and Manhattan Middle School.

What schools have you attended throughout life?

I went to public schools in New York and Nevada growing up, graduating from Wooster High School in Reno, NV. I earned a BA in Psychology and a BA in Criminal Justice at the University Nevada and an MA and PhD in Criminal Justice in the University at Albany, State University of New York.

What additional training or education have you received relevant to the Boulder County School Board?

I am a professor in the School of Education and Human Development in 2018 and was previously an associate professor in the Department of Sociology at Bowling Green State University. My research has focused on understanding problem behaviors, crime & violence, and mental health problems with a focus on the intersection of race/ethnicity and social structural disadvantage. My recently published research has focused on (1) racial/ethnic inequalities in the transition to adulthood; 2) the etiology of problem behaviors and social and mental health problems; and 3) the effect of educational and local policy on immigrants and immigrant families.

Invited Professional Presentations:

• 2022 Chavez, J. M. “Colorado’s Immigrant Families & School Context: Trends, Local Immigration Policy, Disruption, & Trauma.” Keynote: Colorado Bilingual School Mental Health Network and Colorado Department of Education, April 22, 2022.

• 2020 Chavez, J. M. “Understanding Local Level Immigration Policy and the Effect on Immigrant Latino Families” Doctoral Students of Color Association, School of Education and Human Development, University of Colorado Denver, March 11, 2020.

• 2019 Chavez, J. M. “Immigration Policy & Local Context: Situating Colorado” Educator and Policy Speaker Series, School of Education and Human Development and School of Public Affairs, University of Colorado Denver, December, 2, 2019.

• 2018 Chavez, J. M. & Mowen, T. “Immigration Status, School Suspension, and Offending: A Longitudinal Analysis” School of Education and Human Development Faculty Research Center, University of Colorado Denver, October 22, 2018.

• 2017 Chavez, J. M., Moderator. “Sanctuary: Local Priorities and Federal Immigration Enforcement of Immigration Policy.” Contemporary Issues in Criminal Justice Speaker Series, School of Public Affairs, University of Colorado Denver, April 25, 2017.

• 2017 Chavez, J. M., Keynote Panel. Advocacy for Emerging Bilinguals: Empowering Voices, Colorado Association for Bilingual Education, Winter Institute, Commerce City, Colorado, February 25, 2017.

List the Boulder County boards, civic or volunteer activities in which you have been involved and the dates of service.

Since moving to BVSD I have also gotten to know our district well by serving as a parent volunteer.

• 2019-present District Accountability Committee, Boulder Valley School District, Executive Committee 2020-Present, Chair 2021-23, Vice-Chair 2023-Present

• 2019-present Latino Parents Advisory Council, Boulder Valley School District

• 2021-present Family and Educators Together (FET) Manhattan Middle School

• 2018-present School Accountability Committee, Escuela Bilingue Pioneer, Chair 2020-Present

• 2018-present Family and Educators Together (FET) Escuela Bilingue Pioneer

• 2018-present Escuela Bilingue Pioneer Running Club – free access running club – lead coach with Christine Englebrecht

Why do you want to hold the office for which you are running?

I am a parent to 3 BVSD students. For the past 5 years I have been a parent volunteer with BVSD in different capacities. Through my work as a parent volunteer in BVSD I have met with families, teachers, and administrators to learn about the unique needs, challenges, and opportunities in BVSD. I am also an Associate Professor in the School of Education and Human Development at the University of Colorado Denver. Because of my volunteer roles and education, I have been able to leverage my research background and time connecting with families and educators learning about issues to make recommendations to the Equity Council, the Superintendent and upper administration, and the Board of Education across a range of issues including budget, policy, data transparency, unified improvement plans, diversity, equity, and inclusion, mental health resources, school safety and climate, school discipline, and longterm planning. I recognize the challenges facing BVSD and also its potential.

I’m running for the school board because I want to ensure that BVSD teachers and schools have the systems, supports, and resources to educate and meet the needs of all our students so they can be successful. I will work to:

• Grow an inclusive school community so that all our kids feel welcome and safe

• Increase supports and resources for mental health and well-being for our students and teachers

• Expand access to engaging curriculum and programming so all students can achieve their own pathways to academic excellence

• Center equity, transparency, and accountability in decision-making

Will you be able to meet the time commitments of the office? Absolutely. It is critical that our school board members be connected to and engaged with our students, families, and educators. And since joining BVSD, I have served on numerous family groups and school and district committees. I have spent countless hours talking with families and educators about their experiences in BVSD and developed relationships that have allowed me to learn so much and continue to learn about our schools, district and community. This is the work of a school board member. I will work to maintain these relationships and look forward to the new relationships to come. This work requires building a community. And that means that you have to care and that you have to put the work in. If elected to the school board, I will continue to care and continue to put the work in.

Do you support following Public Health guidelines for child safety like vaccinations? If you don’t then what are your reasons and alternatives?

Absolutely. I believe it is important that we follow the existing evidence-based guidelines for child vaccinations.

How would you promote diversity among staff in BVSD, and what is the best way to bring more inclusion and responsible diversity into the schools?

Recruiting and retaining excellent teachers and staff, in particular those who reflect the student population, is an important step toward ensuring that students have a successful academic experience in BVSD. The district would benefit from actively recruiting teachers and staff from diverse backgrounds and with experience working with diverse student populations, as well as by creating systems and structures that are welcoming to teachers and staff from diverse backgrounds. This would include increased support for teachers and staff which address mental health and well-being as well as opportunities for professional development and growth. In addition, representation and diversity of identity and experience needs to be at the core of our educational curriculum. We also need to focus on building an inclusive school climate where our practices reflect our values. Our kids need to see themselves in our curriculum and understand the diversity in our broader social world. This means working with both our students and educators to make sure that all feel welcome, safe, and supported. I support expansion of training on bias, cultural competence, and equity for all school staff. In addition, district wide expansion of training on de-escalation and conflict resolution, social emotional learning, and coordination with school counselors and other student support professionals would facilitate building an inclusive and welcoming environment where all students may feel safe and welcome.

Briefly, how does your belief system align with BVSD’s Strategic Plan?

We need to ensure equitable educational opportunities for all BVSD students – regardless of socioeconomic status, race & ethnicity, language, gender identity, learning needs, or what school they go to in BVSD. I support the new emphasis in the strategic plan to address inequalities in educational outcomes, which include continuing expanded investment in differentiated funding for schools serving the students with the most need, expanding promising pilot programs at schools that have shown academic improvement, and continued investment in restorative justice practices to reduce disparities across the district. This work has begun to show results but will require continued investment and expansion to move the needle. In addition, I support new investment in experiential learning and career and technical education. The district would benefit from increased focus on partnerships with local businesses to allow students to engage in hands on learning which prepares students for life after graduation. These programs can increase student engagement and help connect the dots between school learning and real-world application.

The mountain schools in BVSD are different from the other schools within the district. How will you become familiar with them, and how will you best support them so they can thrive in their own environments?

It is critical that our school board members be connected to and engaged with our students, families, and educators. If elected to the school board, I will work to connect with schools and communities across the district to build relationships and to continue to learn about BVSD. I support increased use of the BVSD Connect forums which allow parents to engage with and provide direct feedback to Superintendent Anderson and members of the BVSD Board of Education. This is a relatively new initiative that should be more widely advertised, and which needs to reach all of our schools and communities across BVSD. This forum provides an avenue for direct communication between parents and district leadership. In addition, the District Accountability Committee advises the Board of Education on policy, budget, and unified improvement plans, and is supposed to have representatives from every school. As chair of this committee, we have worked to support principals and schools in filling this important role. It is critical that the district work to facilitate parent participation in district committees and create open lines for bidirectional communication. If elected to the school board, I will continue to work to build relationships and community and facilitate parent engagement.

If you could ask all of the candidates one question, what would it be?

If you are not elected to serve on the school board, what will your involvement with BVSD look like?

For additional information, email Jorge at jorgeforbvsd@gmail.com