Alta Vista Receives Irwin Academic Award

Colsman Presenting Award to Talara Coen

Alta Vista Charter School Principal, Talara Coen, announced last year the school was selected for the John Irwin Award for Academic Achievement under guidelines from the Colorado Department of Education. “We’re really excited to have been selected,” she said, adding that the school was also chosen for the annual award in 2007. “You need to be in the 80th percentile or higher in an aggregate level of academic grading,” she explained.

Alta Vista Students

The official presentation was made to the school this past Thursday, January 23^rd by Melissa Colsman, Ph.D., an Associate Commissioner of Student Learning for the Colorado Department of Education. Colsman recognized Alta Vista Principal, Talara Coen her 20 years of strong leadership at the charter school. “Principal Coen noted three important factors for the success of Alta Vista: family involvement at the school, a staff that offers a ‘family feeling’ which creates a strong school climate and culture and the dedicated teaching staff who offer innovative approaches to teaching.”

Melissa Colsman

Coen thanked Colsman for the award and her comments, noting, “I am like a proud parent every year at the Lamar Middle School and Lamar High School awards where I see a high percentage of Alta Vista students succeeding at the next level.” She said these students are tops academically, and as leaders in their schools, in organizations such as DECA, FFA, FBLA and sports and as future leaders in our community.  There presentation ceremony was attended by Board of Directors Chairman Brian Kane and his wife, Audrey Kane.

The Excellence Awards are named for a visionary of education, former Colorado State Representative, John J. Irwin, and is given to schools that demonstrate exceptional academic achievement over time. Alta Vista was presented with the award in 2011.

By Russ Baldwin