Blog Posts
October 12th, 2025
It’s been a very busy 2 weeks! On September 29th, there was a candidate forum put on by the League of Women Voters, PTA, and Engage Jeffco.
On October 1st, the Jefferson Student Leadership Board held a candidate forum. It was wonderful to hear questions from the students about the things that matter most to them!
On October 9th, the Greater Arvada Chamber of Commerce held a forum and that evening the American Association of University Women (AAUW) hosted the candidates.
The final candidate forum hosted by Rocky Mountain Equality will be held on October 15th at the Ed Center.
https://www.rmequality.org/all-events-1/jefferson-county-school-board-candidate-forum
Ballots were mailed out on October 10th… only 23 days left until the election!
September 22nd, 2025
Evergreen HS students will return to class on Thursday (9/25). There will be informational meetings for parents on Monday and Tuesday. On Wednesday evening, families will have a chance to visit the school. It will be a long time before things get back to normal…. but it will be a new normal, because somethiing has changed forever.
September 17th, 2025
Today I stopped to talk to a group of Chatfield HS students who participated in a school walk out demanding that we do more to protect them. It was hard to know what to say to them other than to acknowledge that we have failed them. I believe it is a national disgrace that our students do not feel safe in school. I promised them I will do everything in my power to protect them.
Since 2013 I have been advocating for sensible gun safety laws like Safe Storage and Extreme Risk Protection Orders to keep guns out of the hands of minors and people who are a risk of harming themselves or others.
I am proud to have the endorsement of Everytown for Gun Safety.
September 12th, 2025
Conifer HS students paint the rock in front of their school to show solidarity with Evergreen HS after the tragic shooting on September 10th.
September 10th, 2025
This is the statement from the School Board that I read today at the Jeffco School District Press Conference:
Today, our community was shaken by violence involving students from Evergreen High School. As your elected Board of Education, our first responsibility is to the students and families we serve. We are devastated by this incident.
We want to be clear: student safety is our highest priority. It is not just a school district responsibility. It is a community responsibility. When violence touches our young people, it requires all of us—families, neighbors, faith leaders, policymakers, and elected officials—to face hard truths and act with courage.
We are grateful to both Principal Skyler Artes and Superintendent Dorland for their strong leadership in this difficult moment. We are grateful to the many leaders across Colorado and beyond who have reached out to stand with Jeffco.
To the students and families directly impacted, we hold you close tonight. To the Jeffco community, we call on you to join us in building a safer tomorrow. The children of Jeffco deserve nothing less than our united will to protect them.
September 7th, 2025
Last week the School Board candidates met for the drawing to determine the order of names on the ballot. There are 2 candidates for District 1; 2 candidates for District 2; and 3 candidates for District 5 (my district). You can find information about these candidates on the Jeffco Schools website : https://www.jeffcopublicschools.org/about/board-of-education/board-elections
Soon the candidate forums will start where we will introduce ourselves and answer questions. I’ll be posting these events on my calendar. Only 58 more days until the election!
August 18th, 2025
Tomorrow is the first day of school for Jeffco students. This is a great milestone for our preschoolers (and their parents). Their backpacks, stuffed with school supplies, are almost as big as they are! Other students are transitioning to middle school, excited to use their new lockers and eager to meet their new teachers. For our 9th graders, this is the time they start to accumulate credits towards graduation and discover what lights their fire. And, for our seniors, this is the year they plan for their future and build lasting memories with their friends. I hope this is a great year for our students, our staff, and our parents!
August 4th, 2025
Beginning on Wednesday (August 6th), candidates can pick up their petition packets. We will have until August 29th to turn in 50 signatures of registered voters in Jeffco and the parts of Broomfield that are included in the Jeffco School District.
In addition to voter signatures, candidates will need to file an affidavit with the Colorado Secretary of State. You can check to see who has filed an affidavit in Tracer: TRACER – Candidate Search
Election Day is November 4th. 92 days to go!
Mary Parker for Jeffco Schools 