Tim Ariza: My interest in becoming a committee member is simply to lend my knowledge of learning science, data analysis, behavioral science, and human motivation to a dynamic team for the betterment of our school.

Becca Borden: I have enjoyed working with the School Accountability Committee for the past four years, primarily taking responsibility for the UIP and survey. The first year or so was spent gaining familiarity with the work of SAC after which I felt like I could make a stronger contribution. I would like to apply my four years of experience and my continuous improvement perspective to SAC for one more year, while my last child completes her senior year.

Kristin Catbagan: I would be honored to join a dedicated team of parents and staff that are committed to the mission of Stargate; providing an example of leadership and community to our kids. I want to show my daughter that positive change starts with an individual choice to take an active part in progress. I am prepared to give my all to be a voice for the children and staff of Stargate.

Dara Knox: I am passionate about Stargate, data analysis and education and this position seemed like a great way to encompass all of those. I also would like to utilize my 15+ years in education supporting special populations (specifically g/t and special education students and teachers) to positively impact our Stargate community.

Vrusha Malhotra: I have my own businesses where we analyze KPI’s every month to keep them profitable. I can bring that same expertise to the school.

Therese Morin: I want Stargate to be the best school it can possibly be for our kids. While perception is important, being able to provide concrete data to support that perception is essential. We all know how exceptional Stargate is, but there is always room to improve. I feel I can contribute to this committee in particular with my analytic skills and my love of data analysis. Since I attend most of the board meetings, I am already familiar with the activities of this committee as reported in the board meetings. I have watched the progress against the KPI's as well as the Unified Improvement Plan over the years. I'm prepared to put the work in to ensure the mission and vision are being implemented to make Stargate the best place it can be for our children.

Tien Tong: I want to become more actively involved in the Stargate community and school, and I feel that this opportunity aligns well with my skills and experiences. I am interesting in collaborating with the Stargate community to ensure operations are aligned with performance indicators, metrics and best-practices.

Tim Ariza: She is on her second year. I have attended meet and greets as well as field day.

Becca Borden: since 2009, classroom volunteer and SAC parent member 2018-present

Kristin Catbagan: 2 years- member of CRC

Dara Knox: Our oldest started in 2019 and our middle kiddo just joined her this year. I worked at Stargate from 2019-2020. I volunteered as homeroom mom in 2019/2020, I have supported class gatherings and parties over the last 3 years and most recently I volunteered at Eaglefest 2022.

Vrusha Malhotra: Since 8/18/2022

Therese Morin: My daughter started in first grade at the old campus in 2013. I attend most board meetings and have also volunteered over the years in the classroom, on field trips, at various CRC events, the Gala, field days, on the After Prom committee, and other times as needed.

Tien Tong: I have one child in his second year at Stargate. I have volunteered for opportunities offered by my son's teacher last year and most recently, at the Eagle Fest.

Tim Ariza: Master's in clinical psychology, board certified behavior analyst, 4.5 years working in schools, 7+ years of school consultation, 10 years of interdisciplinary team work, father of 3.

Becca Borden: Goal development, measurement and monitoring, alignment to organization strategy or improvement plans; Understanding and application of research methods, including survey development and analysis; Organization effectiveness analysis; Presentation of results and recommendations for improvement; Development of both individual and organization improvement plans; Leadership assessment & development

Kristin Catbagan: My professional strengths include dedication, organizational skills, follow through and communication. I work very well with teams and networks to accomplish common goals. I use evidence-based data to guide my decisions and am flexible when that evidence evolves or changes.

Dara Knox: Data analysis (especially around behavior and education), a deep understanding of special education, behavior analysis and support as well as teacher/educator insight.

Vrusha Malhotra: I am an entrepreneur and operate several different franchises which gives me an advantage to look at growth possibilities.

Therese Morin: I have a wide base of industry experience in project management and finance. I also owned a small business for 16 years, which means you get to work every management position. I managed all my own data, goals, and tracked all the financial performance of the company.

Tien Tong: My current position involves lots of data analysis, both within a database system and exporting to Excel to convert data into a usable format. I am also responsible for communicating the data to senior management, clients, and peers. In short, data tracking, analysis, and reporting is what I do. From 2011 to present, I have worked in the public sector in various capacities, initially with the City and County of Denver including: Department of Safety (Program Analyst, 2011-2015); the Sheriff Department (Program Administrator of Inmate Services, 2015-2018); the Department of Public Health and Environment (Environmental Public Health Specialist, 2018-2022); and presently with the Department of Safety (Program Administrator, 2022-present). My roles include collaboration with key partners to implement different initiatives, grant oversight, grant writing, operational planning, supervision and management, strategic planning, data collection, analysis and reporting. Prior to work in Criminal Justice, I was a student Financial Aid Advisor at UCD and DU. In those roles, I worked with different departments, including Admissions and Academics, toward the shared goal of supporting student success. My role included compliance/verification, budgeting and counseling students and families. Additionally, I have volunteered with a few non-profits in community development and serving on a board in an advisory capacity, treasurer and on working committees.

Tim Ariza: Rising above a dip in tests scores and social emotional development due to COVID response. Tracking and hold accountability to goals and outcomes.

Becca Borden: Rebuilding the Stargate community post-Covid, including reengagement of both staff and parents. This year, I hope to use feedback and insights from previous survey results to continue guiding Stargate's actions while revisiting how we collect this feedback from the full spectrum of stakeholders.

Kristin Catbagan: The most pressing issues that I see a current need in are parent volunteerism, administrative accountability, recruitment and retention of qualified and energetic teaching staff. In order to obtain the best, we need to offer the best. I would want to focus on training, pay/benefits, and support of our teaching staff above and beyond the district as a whole. I want our teachers to feel confident that they are not only heard and appreciated but that they have a say in decision making. They need to know their responsibility lies in the classroom and should not be burdened with the things that administration should be taking on. COVID hit our teachers hard. They need a culture of positive change and to know beyond a shadow of a doubt that they are supported.

Dara Knox: Supporting a smooth transition for our incoming leadership with minimal impact on student experience; supporting our 2E learners.

Vrusha Malhotra: This is my children’s first year so I am not aware of any previous issues. I want to come with an open mind gather information and give my suggestions.

Therese Morin: Bringing our community back together after the pandemic. Teacher and staff retention. Addressing lingering social and mental health issues from kids that lost almost two years of critical socialization. I hope to find potential solutions to these issues as well as ways to track our progress toward those solutions. The road forward is going to be difficult, but our kids are depending on us to navigate it successfully.

Tien Tong: Based on the latest KPI's available on the school website, and historical trends, it appears community engagement, staff recruitment and retention, and fundraising are key indicators that, if addressed, would improve the outcomes for the Stargate strategic plan, mission and vision. I would love to work with the Stargate community to further data collection and analysis efforts and facilitate progressive conversations in these areas to better understand these issues. Anticipated actionables include working collaboratively with multi-disciplinary champions--including students, families, staff, administration, SME's and the larger community--to identify solutions that optimize community and family engagement, staff support and financial strength.

Tim Ariza: Student centered individualized learning to students to promote a life long love of learning. I believe the committee holds accountability to that mission and vision, while raising the standard educational practice bar and being a leader amongst other schools.

Becca Borden: I think the Stargate Mission & Vision are pretty straightforward. It's about supporting development of the whole person. We want to see our children be successful in life, not just in school, and that requires support for all aspects of their development. As a charter school, Stargate's Board and its Committees have a greater opportunity - and responsibility - to make decisions and take actions that directly contribute to the mission and vision.

Kristin Catbagan: It is our role, as members of any board or committee, to create a culture where educators can focus solely on the development, education, and individual needs of each student. They should not be burdened with the rest. A student can not thrive if they don’t feel like they are focused on. Teacher burn out is real… our mission is student focused, so admin should be focused on teachers so that THEY can fulfill our mission successfully.

Dara Knox: To model upholding mission and vision for our community, staff and students in all applicable ways.

Vrusha Malhotra: My understanding of Stargate’s mission and vision is to promote the individuality in each student while balancing their academics and mental growth. As a committee member the role is to help our educators with issues they are facing and help overcome them so they have more time to educate our children.

Therese Morin: The Mission and Vision should guide every decision we make. The Board, the Committees, the teachers, the staff, and even the parents should remember why we are here. Our children are different - not better or worse, but definitely different. They need the specialized education Stargate offers. It is our responsibility to ensure we are meeting their needs on every front, not just academically.

Tien Tong: The mission is to provide a differentiated program designed specifically to meet the needs of intellectually gifted learners, to challenge each student's academic abilities and support their unique needs and promote individual development and encourage a life-long love of learning. I see this framework as doing our best to provide a unique educational space that optimizes the opportunities, environment, zeal, and support for the unique needs of children and families whose values align with this mission. The vision is to be a leader in this work, which I understand as exploring different possibilities, actively engaging the entire community, and empowering the students to be the best they can be. The role of the Board and its Committees is to be informed through research and data (including gathering qualitative data from students, families and the community), share and actively engage students and families in discussions about this information, and collaboratively identify opportunities and practical ways to be the best.