VITA James S. Christensen, Ed.D EDUCATION Doctorate of Education, Education Leadership NOVA Southeastern University, FL September, 2006 Superintendent Certification Montana State University, MT 1998 Masters of Arts Degree, Education Administration University of Wyoming, WY 1988 Bachelors of Science, Math Education University of Wyoming, WY 1985 Professional K-12 LICENSES Colorado Professional Superintendent License Texas Professional Superintendent License Colorado School Administration License PROFESSIONAL PROFILE Thirty-one years of experience in education as superintendent of schools in three districts, middle school and high school building level principal, administrator and secondary math teacher Engaged participant within community Goal-oriented and high expectations for collaboration and positive culture Instructional strengths in pedagogy and data Strong conceptual and vision development skills complimented with detail application Strong relational capacity Compassionate, nurturing and positive leader Accountable to constituents in public domains PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCES Author, Charter School Applications for University and Private Early Childhood Centers, Leadership Education Foundation and Prestige Academy Foundation 2014-15 and 2015-16 Authored a State approved 500-page application for Sam Houston State University and Private Early Childhood Center partnerships for an enrollment of 2600 students opening in August 2016. Authored two similar applications that have been submitted for two 501(C)3 organizations in Texas and Nevada. Operations Lead Consultant, Arrow Academy Charter School Houston, Texas 2011-present State Board of Texas approved Charter School for inner-city Houston students that has enrolled 1000 atrisk students a transformational learning system
Gains in reading of 20%; writing 26%; math 38%; and science 33% over four years with five schools ranging from 70% to 100% percent poverty and 94% minority on the Texas Accountability Framework. Superior Financial rating for four consecutive years in FIRST Texas school rating system 96% average attendance rate over four year period from 2013-2016 Raised 1.6 million dollars to support school needs from private donors Granted a $450,000 competitive early childhood grant as the fiscal agent to partner with private early childhood centers in alignment of curriculum and best practices Senior Instructor/Program Coordinator University of Colorado Denver Denver, 2014-present Adjunct Professor University of Colorado Denver, 2013-14 Superintendent, Douglas County School District Re.1 Castle Rock, CO 2003 2010 Supervised 58,700 students with 6,800 employees and a 450 million dollar budget Highest performing district in metro area on State of Colorado assessments with 94 percent of schools high or excellent Reduced dropout rates from 1.8 percent to.7 percent 94 percent high school completion rate within four years of high school Lowest funded District in metro area on a per pupil basis Open 2-5 schools per year with average student growth of 2,500 students per year Created a comprehensive Learning Center for all staff development and human capital needs for 6700 employees Received permission from the State Board of Education to issue licensure authority for staff hired in DCSD. The first such act issued in the history of Colorado. Community partnership program with16,000 community volunteers per year participating Nationally Recognized Pay-for-Performance Plan Nationally Recognized Partnership model with the American Federation of Teachers targeting collaboration and relationships. Paper submitted by request to President Obama s transition team Recognized by State of Colorado for Data Warehousing and scorecard products Recognized by State of Colorado for distinguished Accreditation results and process Reduced $58 Million over three years from general budget Unanimous BOE support for each year s contract renewal Program implementation: o World Language in elementary schools o Critical thinking, leadership, ethics, wellness and student ownership in all schools o Reading Recovery for lowest Performing readers o Digital Educator Program o Expansion of IB programming to second high school and candidate for 2 middle and 4 elementary schools.
o o o o Developed Career Technical Center curricula with concurrent enrollment doubling in one year Opened first technology-driven high school with no textbooks in the school Developed edcsd online learning for students across Colorado Chartered a center-based learning school for 3,700 student Superintendent, Adams 12 Five Star Schools Northglenn, CO 2000 2003 Supervised 31,000 students with 4,000 employees with a two hundred million dollar budget Strong student performance gains in Denver area for two consecutive years following new programs implemented during my tenure (2004 and 2005) Passed a one hundred million dollar Bond and ten million dollar instructional override during first year as superintendent after prior year failure Reorganized district delivery system for instruction and communication Targeted student learning by defining an eight trait strategic plan Implemented Six Sigma quality management tools and evaluation methods for each program in Administration leadership Implemented Policy Governance and management strategies in Administration leadership Added literacy resource teacher and art teacher to every elementary school Started the Reading Recovery Program for highest need students in district Started a balanced literacy learning environment for all elementary classrooms Targeted class size reduction with the hiring of eighty additional classroom teachers beyond normal growth funding Organized the Head Start grant for learning alignment in literacy for early childhood students Added 1.5 million dollars to technology-enhanced learning communities Developed a Smart Mart program for itemized analysis of each student s longitudinal progress on standards Added thirty dollars per student to site staff development for Best Practices research and targeted population academic improvements in six recipient groups of learners Initiated a Strategic Listening for community feedback for real-time monitoring of need Established customer service priorities and methods of evaluation to ensure needs of the customers is met and improved upon by the District Created first State online school in Colorado, Colorado Virtual Academy Started a Math framework for all elementary students and staff in pursuit of sound math principles and practices in all District Twelve classrooms Superintendent, Sheridan County School District No. 2 Sheridan, Wyoming 1997 2000 Supervised 3,500 students and 550 employees with a twenty-one million dollar budget Recognized by Parent Magazine as becoming one of the top one hundred academic performing school districts in the nation over the three-year period of 1997 2000 Recognized by the State of Wyoming as the exemplary district for foreign language in elementary. Supported by becoming the recipient of a $300,000 grant to model for other school districts in the State of Wyoming Recognized by Wyoming Public Television in a documentary of model programs that support brain research and shows results in student achievement through literacy and performing arts
Improved Terra Nova Standardized test scores in reading by 12%; math by 20%; and language by 25% from 1999 2000 Became the first District in Wyoming to achieve full implementation status as a Reading Recovery site with the hiring of ten Reading Recovery teachers Reached an eighty-six percent success rate with first grade level students reading at grade level by the end of first grade Maintained grade level reading students for three years following intervention of Reading Recovery Selected by California State University to become a demonstration site for Literacy Coordinator Training for the Rocky Mountain Region Selected as a demonstration site for State of Wyoming with over 500 teachers visiting literacy instruction Utilized three literacy coordinators in the district for instructional improvement Chosen by the State Superintendent of Instruction as one of two superintendents to attend the National Leadership Conference at Ohio state University, 1998 Reduced dropout rates of students in grades 10 12 by twenty-five percent Recognized by the State Department of Education as developing the role model At- Risk Intervention program in Wyoming Developed a Comprehensive Plan for five years for all District programs Implemented a Data Management System monitoring student results Created standards and assessments for all content areas and grade levels Organized the first Alternative School in the county and added a second Alternative School in joint partnership with Veteran Affairs Hospital Initiated the first Police/School Task Force for communication in Wyoming Developed Foreign Language, Orchestra and Musical Keyboarding program for all K-5 students Reduced class size from 22:1 to 16:1 in primary education Initiated a new district developed math framework program for all elementary teachers utilizing math coordinators in the learning environment Initiated a Math Recovery program for all students in the bottom twenty-five percentile according to standardized math scores in elementary school District Math program is being considered by the State of New York for math program adoption Started the first Special Education/Title I comprehensive literacy program for teachers through California State University Scheduled meetings every week with a school faculty for maximum communication effectiveness Held monthly public meetings at school sites for direction in reorganizing our space to reduce class size in upper elementary and secondary classrooms Initiated the Partners-in-Print program for parent literacy engagement at all elementary schools Implemented a three-year VISTA Americorps grant for elementary literacy in all schools Principal, Sheridan High School Sheridan, Wyoming 1996 1997 Promoted reduction strategies in dropout rates which resulted in a nineteen percent decrease in students leaving school Directed a vocational education articulation which promoted open enrollment for all courses throughout the day and resulted in an increase of student enrollment by
twenty percent Implemented the Advanced Placement program in eleven courses Collected comprehensive data for development of school-wide goals Principal, Sheridan Junior High School Sheridan, Wyoming 1995 1996 Developed a comprehensive peer mediation program Reduced discipline referrals by thirty percent Promoted student academic successes through community relations and media recognition Principal, Irving Middle School Norman, Oklahoma 1994 1995 Asked to revive discipline and academic failures in a 1,000 student middle school Hired sixteen new teachers Implemented middle school philosophy Assistant Principal, Longfellow Middle School Norman, Oklahoma 1992 1994 TEACHING EXPERIENCE Math Teacher Norman, Oklahoma: Longfellow Middle School and West Mid High School, 1998 1992 Gifted and Talented Coordinator/West Mid High School, 1992 Cheyenne, Wyoming: Carey Junior High School, 1986 1988 Gila Bend, Arizona: Gila Bend High School, 1985 1986 PROFESSIONAL RECOGNITION Speaker/presenter at Shankers Institute of Good School seminar 2008 National Reading Recovery Leader of the Year Recipient, 2007 Leader of business/education coalition trip to China to review education system 2006 KUSA Colorado Leader of the Year Finalist, 2005 American Rights at Work Labor Day List of top nine employers in America: Partnerships that Work, 2005 Recipient of Distinguished Alumni Award for Professional Achievement Award Northwest College 2003 Graduate of Policy Governance Academy, 2001 Trainer in Board Governance and financial management of schools Trained in Brain research and Neuroscience Education, 1999 2000 Expert Witness for State of Wyoming Funding Analysis, Cheyenne, Wyoming 1998 Continuing Education Instructor, 1996-1998 HIGHER EDUCATION TEACHING EXPERIEINCE EDUC-DSEP/7500 Strategic Human Capital EDUC-DSEP/7510 Strategic Organizational Management EDUC-DSEP/7520 Strategic System Improvement EDUC/5751 Educational Leadership
EDUC/5752 EDUC/5753 EDUC/5754 School Improvement Instructional Leadership and Evaluation Equity & School Law SERVICE BOARDS Wish For Haiti, 2008-2010 National Advisory Board Member for Scholastic 2009 Board member of Douglas County Juvenile Assessment Council 2009 National Math Recovery Board vice-chair 2007-2009 Member Arapahoe Community College Advisory Board 2006-2009 Honorary Member Denver Chinese School, 2005-2008 Member of Castle Rock Economic Development Council, 2006-2009 Chair for Douglas County Children Chorale 2005-2009 The Wildlife Experience Museum Community Board member, 2005 2009 Member of District Management Council at Cambridge, MA, 2004 2008 Public Education and Business Coalition Board, 2003 2009 Member of Douglas County Foundation 2003-2009 Rotary Member Castle Rock, 2003-2009 Adams County Economic Development Board, 2001 2003 North Metro Chamber Business and Governmental Affairs Board, 2001 2003 Westminster Education Foundation, 2001 2003 Member of Adams Twelve District Foundation Board, 2000 2003 Member of Adams Twelve Hispanic Advisory Council 2000 2003 Member of Colorado Association of School Executives, 2000 2009 Member of Denver Area School Superintendent Council, 2000 2009 Mid Continental Research and Educational Learning Board Member, Denver, Colorado 1999 2000 Northglenn/Thornton Rotary, 2000 2003 Rural/Urban Development Committee, Sheridan, Wyoming, 1996 1999 Advisory Board Member, Salvation Army, Sheridan, Wyoming, 1996 1999 Board Member, Economic Development Chamber of Commerce, Sheridan, Wyoming, 1997 1999 Member, Work Development Task Force, Sheridan, Wyoming, 1997 1999 Organizer and Member, Police/School Task Force, Sheridan, Wyoming, 1997 1999 Member, Rotary Civic Organization, Sheridan, Wyoming, 1996 1999 Board Member, Cleveland County 4-H Club, Norman, Oklahoma, 1994 1995 Board Member, Oklahoma Middle School Association, 1994 Director, First Statewide Middle School Conference, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, 1994 Director, Southwest Regional Middle School Conference, Dallas, Texas, 1994 Member, Oklahoma Academy for State Goals, Ok City, Oklahoma, 1992 1995 Member, Staff Development Council of Oklahoma, Ok City, Oklahoma 1992 1995