STATE CAPITOL CELEBRATES
B.E.S.T. ANNOUNCEMENT
B.E.S.T. ANNOUNCEMENT
DENVER – Today, Senator Gail Schwartz ( Senate District 5 ) joined Governor
Bill Ritter, State Treasurer Cary Kennedy, and former Speaker of the House
Andrew Romanoff to officially announce the schools receiving new schools
buildings and improvements under the B.E.S.T. (Building Excellent Schools
Today) program.
Of the eleven school districts selected to receive grants, five are from
Southern Colorado. The five Southern Colorado school districts and projects are:
Alamosa School District RE-11J;Bill Ritter, State Treasurer Cary Kennedy, and former Speaker of the House
Andrew Romanoff to officially announce the schools receiving new schools
buildings and improvements under the B.E.S.T. (Building Excellent Schools
Today) program.
Of the eleven school districts selected to receive grants, five are from
Southern Colorado. The five Southern Colorado school districts and projects are:
two new elementary schools will replace three elementary schools
Sangre De Cristo School District RE-22J;
new PK-12 school
Centennial School District R-1;
new PK-12 school
Sargent School District RE-33J;
new junior/senior high school and elementary school renovation
Mountain Valley School District RE-1;
roofing and repair under designed structure
Officials and students from the Sangre de Cristo School District traveled
to the State Capitol to take part in the announcement. Superintendent Lynn
Howard and Lyle Nissen, Chairman of the Capital Construction Committee,
thanked Senator Schwartz and state officials for their support of rural
school districts.
“In Colorado’s current economic climate, securing the funding for these badly needed projects is critical to help provide safe schools for our children,” said Senator Gail Schwartz. “New schools also mean hundreds of new constructions jobs in these communities that will help stimulate the local economy. I am thankful for the support of State Board of Education for Southern Colorado’s public school systems and the families that rely on them.”
The total cost of the first round of B.E.S.T. grants totalled over $98,000,000.
Senator Schwartz was a key sponsor of the 2008 legislation that created the
B.E.S.T, or Building Excellent Schools Today, program. B.E.S.T. increases
the financial assistance provided to school districts by the State of
Colorado for desperately- needed capital construction projects,
particularly in rural school districts.
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