Superintendent highlights competency-based summit, reviews safety exercises after Evergreen shooting

Superintendent Dr. Gatto told the board on Oct. 14 that Westminster Public Schools hosted a competency-based education summit attended by participants from “almost a dozen states,” featured classroom visits, and included presentations by Jeff Rose and education researcher Robert Marzano.

Dr. Gatto said the summit’s classroom visits were the highlight for many attendees because they allowed visitors to see personalized learning in action and interact with students and teachers. The district also published a book this summer titled Pioneers of Personalized Education documenting WPS’s work on competency-based approaches.

On safety, Dr. Gatto said the district has held a tabletop exercise with law enforcement and school leaders since the Evergreen High School shooting and that the district crisis team recently reviewed notification systems. “Safety is always our highest priority and it is really a team effort,” he said, urging parents to ensure schools have current contact information.

Other items in Dr. Gatto’s report included National Hispanic Heritage Month celebrations, a profile on Metropolitan Arts Academy teacher Anthony Salazar, and the district’s upcoming showcase event on Oct. 20 at Westminster High School.

Why it matters: The superintendent’s report connects district instructional initiatives and external recognition to ongoing safety work and community engagement. Officials noted the summit showcases district practices and that safety reviews follow local incidents and exercises with law enforcement.