DISTRICT EDUCATORS HONORED BY CSU PUEBLO PRESIDENT TIM MOTTET

For their outstanding effort throughout the pandemic and continuing today, Colorado State University President Dr. Tim Mottet honored the educators of District 60 with a Distinguished Service to Education Award during Saturday’s President’s Blue and Red Gala.

 

The District was represented by Franklin educator Daniel Giron, who spoke on behalf of his colleagues before accepting the award.

 

Mr. Giron, a graduate of CSU Pueblo, spoke of the impact the institution had on his life and eventual career.

 

“Today, as I mark my 16th year as an educator –- 15 at Franklin School of Innovation -- I am very honored to speak on behalf of Superintendent Charlotte Macaluso and the entire School District 60 team as we receive this prestigious Award from my collegiate alma mater, whose educators helped form the foundation that has allowed me to flourish,” Mr. Giron told the Gala attendees.

 

“Because of my professors, I wanted to do the best for students and represent CSU Pueblo in the best possible way. And I know a lot of educators here in Pueblo came from this fine university and feel the same way.

 

“This award I’m accepting tonight is tribute to the entire District 60 team, who day in and day out work to fulfill the District’s mission of empowering young people toward lives of purpose and impact. Although it’s a mission that is not without challenges, the rewards we reap far outweigh those challenges and inspire us to forge ahead in a spirt of cooperation and passion.

 

“And to be the face of that effort tonight is a huge honor I won’t soon forget.”

 

In his address, Mr. Giron touched on the many challenges posed by the pandemic that District educators bravely faced.

 

“It’s my belief that the commitment, passion and determination of District 60 educators, parapros, and all support staff was best and most nobly revealed during the unforeseen pandemic that overnight, forced us to change the way we educate our children.

 

“Once the initial shock of district-wide school closures wore off, we as a team and District buckled down to figure out just how we were going to keep that vital educational pipeline open with our students now at home. Everyone was thrown into a world of technology few were familiar with, but everyone learned as best, and quickly, as they could.

 

“And we turned a bad situation into an incredible educational opportunity for all our students, because everyone put in 150 percent. We were pulling from every resource and every program, doing everything we could, to make sure our students were learning and getting that meaningful education: whether they were in front of us in the classroom or on the screen.”

 

As Franklin boasts a partnership with CSU Pueblo in the form of the Teacher Pipeline Project, Mr. Giron praised that collaborative effort, which is helping the next generation of teachers get a solid foot in the educational door.

 

“I’m proud to say that my school is part of the university’s Teacher Pipeline Project that’s helping to prepare the next generation of educators to lead our children. And I’m proud to say that I’ve had two of these Pipeline students with me.

 

“It was like having a co-teacher with me in the room. They came in so well prepared and very well educated, and knew exactly what they were doing. And in those two years, my students excelled.

 

“The future educators we get from CSU Pueblo come in and work hard for the whole year, which enables them to get a much wider view of what it means to be a teacher, from the beginning to the end.”