New Social Studies Program at JHS
The Julesburg School District mixed things up this year by adding a new social studies program. This new program was taking a new look at our education. Up until this year, students have taken classes through K-12 but never a core class as a blended classroom. . They meet with their teachers three times a week through a video screen . The students are settling in well as they are able to interact with a teacher in a way they have never done before. The teachers that the school hired through K-12 are some of the best. Mrs. Vasquez, who teaches US History was voted number one teacher in the country last year. Mr. Gonzales is the Government/Politics teacher. This has made the students believe that they are going to learn more than they ever have before. Students get a chance to not only learn differently but with this being a pilot program they are the frontrunners in bringing more classes like this to the state of Colorado. We asked Kimberly Ehnes, the school’s Dean of Students, what was one of the major factors in making this decision and she answered, “With the extreme teacher storage across the nation, hiring qualified teachers that are willing to move to a small rural town like Julesburg has become increasingly difficult for us and all schools throughout the nation.” We also asked student, Hee Lin Lee, if she liked the new program and here is what she responded with, “Yes, I like the social studies program because there is a strict schedule for a school year and we don't have to cram a lot of chapters near the end when preparing for finals.”
“All of the teachers are well qualified and excited to be part of this innovative teaching opportunity for the benefit of our students in their academic success. I feel the new social studies program is going to be more beneficial to our students. My expectations for the program are really no different than that of a traditional brick and mortar class. We do plan to keep it for years to come when it proves to be successful.”- Mrs. Ehnes, Dean of Students.