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

I have lived in Gilpin County for 8 years at the same residence that is noted above.

What schools have you attended throughout life?

I attended school in Adams County School District K-12, graduating from Skyview HS in Thornton, CO.

Graduated from 4-year construction apprentice program (plumbing) at Red Rock Community College though the Construction Industry Training Council, 2nd in

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

20+ years of practical experience that includes National PK-12 and Higher Education sales providing technical information, guidance on products and related approvals to schools nationally, construction background that includes creating process, policy and evaluation of projects and internal management, as well as creating and managing multimillion dollar budgets with high level of success, employing problem solving skills for short-term and long-term issues.

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

I am the current President of the Gilpin County School Booster Club voted into service June 2022.

Chaperone - International school trip to Portugal Spain March 2022.

Volunteered MS Track coach spring 2024.

MS Dance Chaperone 2022 & 2023

Gilpin County Prom volunteer chaperone

Design Team participant with Colorado Education initiative through Gilpin County School August – Nov 2023

What is your position on teacher salaries and what will you do to help them be competitive so that it attracts quality talent to educate our children intellectually, physically, and socially to be resilient citizens in the 21st century?

Teachers’ salaries in CO are among the lowest in the nation. I believe wages and benefits are key in attracting and retaining educators. There is work to be done here to improve our teachers’ salaries through budget and planning. This will take work, creativity and networking with other small districts that have shown improvement and how our district can implement related items.

How would you improve the way that emergencies like the swatting event are handled by the school and the administration?

I would improve the way emergencies are handled at our school by evaluating the current response protocol, gather input from our school administrators, teachers, parents and local responding authorities to determining what improvements are needed and the best process to implement any improvements. Another key aspect is communicating this information back to parents and community so that they know how to respond and what those steps look like. This can be done in a simple marketing plan using current resources and communication lines.

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

I do support Public Health guidelines, as just that, a guideline. I think that there is value in vaccinations and immunizations, and they are a benefit to the health, wellbeing and longevity to our society and school. I also support choice for families to determine what is best for their family.

Do you support banning books in the school library and if so which books?

I do not support banning of books in the school library. I realize that there are books that some find to be offensive or should have age limits and may not be for all. In those cases, a section of books for check out with permission can be created to address those concerns. Information should be available to our students, and families should have participation in that decision on sensitive subjects.

Did you support or oppose the RE-1 mill levy increase ballot initiative in 20xx and give reasons for your position?

I support a mill levy increase that does not jeopardize the funding that is received from the county via casino taxation or replaces the amount that is current received. Our schools need additional funding to operate due to the low state funds we receive.

Gilpin County government pays half of the School Resource Officers (SRO) salary from the general fund account. Do you think this is a fair arrangement? How do taxpayers in RE-2 who pay into the general fund benefit from this expenditure?

I have never thought of where the funds for an SRO salary was budgeted from as fair, or not. I think that this is a good use of general fund money by providing needed safety and security to our school community and establishes a healthy relationship with law enforcement and first responders for our students. The school budget may not be able to support that salary entirely and would take away from other programs in an already tightly managed budget. RE-2 taxpayers benefit by supporting the safety and security of our local school, some of which have students that attend RE-1 or are employees of the district.

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

I strongly believe that we are educating future leaders, business owners and community members. Education is the preparation for the “real world” our youth is about to enter. Our school district is best served when we deliver the tools and education students need, to not only succeed, but to soar like an Eagle. I want to serve on the school board to use my professional experience and passion for our school to preserve and improve our school district. I believe that the school board needs well-rounded, empathetic, dedicated, hardworking individuals to address topics such as declining enrollment, changing demographics, resources and offerings for our students and competitive pay and benefits to attract and retain teachers, and I am dedicating my time and energy to serve a four-year term (or more) addressing issues and obligations of a school board member.

Will you be able to meet the time requirements of the office?

Yes. I am 10-year employee and senior member at Eldorado Climbing and have a flexible schedule and the support of our CEO to pursue this obligation.

How would you promote diversity in the school?

I would promote diversity by first getting to know our students, staff and community, then provide opportunities to educate with experiences. This can include world study, groups and clubs, field trips, speakers, et.

Are you committed to a secular approach to education, supporting education based on science, not religion, and on a progressive reading of history, i.e. that the story of our past is both glorious and horrible with neither left out?

I am committed to a Science based approach to education, that is age appropriate. Science is a singular stream of information based upon gathered facts whereas religion is varied and subjective. That should not limit education and educators to include information as to how religion plays a role in history. I think both the glorious and horrible parts of our history should be addressed, again as age appropriate. You can’t take the good without the bad and have a well-rounded view of the world.

To your knowledge, what is the role of the Board and school administration in terms of setting curriculum standards for our students?

The role of the Board and school administration in setting curriculum standards is to enhance student learning and facilitate instruction which provides a roadmap of what our students are expected to learn and how educators’ deliver that information.

For additional information email Tami at TamiVelasquez06@gmail.com or call 720-323-6496.