The Colorado Department of Education and the Colorado Legacy Foundation today jointly announce the inaugural Commissioner’s Cup luncheon will be held on Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2008.
The event will be held at 11:30 a.m. at the Donald R. Seawell Grand Ballroom at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, 14th and Curtis, in downtown Denver.
The Commissioner’s Cup serves a three-fold goal. The first, to celebrate and recognize the success of the 39 schools featured in “Profiles of Success” (a report co-sponsored by the Piton and Donnell-Kay foundations and first released in February) that recognizes schools that are closing the achievement gap. The 39 schools are invited to the event and each will be awarded the 2008 Commissioner’s Cup.
The event will also formally launch the Colorado Legacy Foundation, a non-profit organization founded by CDE to join business leaders and philanthropists on entrepreneurial public education endeavors. The Commissioner’s Cup will be the annual fundraising event for the Colorado Legacy Foundation.
The third purpose of the event is to release the first edition of a “Best Practices Guide,” a publication and companion DVD that offers a primer on strategies common to the 39 schools (above) proven to improve student achievement.
A year ago the Colorado Department of Education released “Forward Thinking” a detailed plan to shift the department’s work toward greater support and service to school districts across the state. “Forward Thinking” specifically called for CDE to “launch a 21st century strategic partnership that establishes a network of activities designed to promote and enhance statewide capacity in a way that accelerates the most promising teaching and learning efforts.” This strategic partnership includes a Colorado Legacy Foundation, a CDE Best Practices Guide and the Commissioner’s Cup.
Distinguished speakers include Colorado governor Bill Ritter; Chairman of Strong American Schools and former governor of Colorado Roy Romer; President of the Colorado Education Association (CEA) Beverly Ingle; Commissioner of Education Dwight D. Jones and Chairman of the Colorado Legacy Foundation Dr. Stephen Shogan. Anne Trujillo, news anchor of KMGH Channel 7 will act as master of ceremonies for the event.
For more information about the Commissioner’s Cup or the Colorado Legacy Foundation, contact Kelly Leid, Executive Director of the Colorado Legacy Foundation at 303-866-6193 or kleid@colegacy.org.
