October/November 2024
Important Dates for Voting
Friday, October 11, 2024 - Ballots mailed to residents (allow 7 days to receive)
Monday, October 21, 2024 - Voter Service and Polling Center opens, residents may vote in person 10/21/24 through 11/5/24.
Monday, October 28, 2024 - Last recommended day to mail your voted ballot.
Tuesday, November 5, 2024 - Election Day
Visit the Secretary of State website for more election information or to register to vote.
Colorado Teacher of Year
I had the wonderful experience of being on the selection committee for the Colorado Teacher of Year. The decision was challenging because we have so many amazing teachers. I was so lucky to be able to be there yesterday in person at the announcement of the winner. We surprised her and got to celebrate with her, her students, her colleagues and family (her dad even got teary). I also got to reunite with the last winner from CD8 - Jessica May! And of course a selfie with Nicole Brady from Channel 7 news. Thank you teachers!
September 2024
Fiesta in the Plaza
Had a wonderful time at Fiesta in the Plaza. And I got a wonderful surprise as a photo of me being sworn in to the Colorado State Board of Education CD8 was part of the large display at the event.
Who is ready to fight for public education? I am!
August 2024
Parents in Education Gala 2024
Colorado Parent Coalition does wonderful work at engaging parents and community. I was honored to be at their awards gala although I wished I could have hung out for the dancing! And congratulations for HD50 Rep. Mary Young for winning an award!
August 20th: HAPPY NATIONAL LATINA DAY!
Pictured with me: Labor leader and civil rights activist Delores Huerta; retired Greeley teacher Juanita Martinez Rocha; former Colorado Sen. Polly Baca; and University of Northern Colorado Professor (Emerita) Priscilla Falcon.They demonstrate the courage to promote culture, art, education and government, and to foster understanding.
I’m grateful to have these women in my life as guides, advisers and cheerleaders. Each in their own way works to ensure each child has equal opportunities to succeed.
Greeley-Evans School District 6
School Kickoff Community Celebration
Bravo community!! 5000 backpacks, haircuts, food, vaccines and so much more. We all win when we come together for kids.
July 2024
Boys and Girls club of Weld County Ribbon Cutting
I went to the ribbon cutting on Saturday.
This use to be the old skating rink I went to as a child and it is located on the North side of Greeley. It is now a new home for teens, the Boys and Girls club of Weld County. This is what it looks like when people come together for kids and I truly believe that community is the answer when it comes to education and kids.
I use to be a brown girl on the north side going skating in this building, but on Saturday I was a brown woman elected to the State Board of Education.
I had to sit in that for a moment and take it in. #browngirlscan
Johnstown/Milliken Pride
I had a great time at the Johnstown/Milliken Pride. I know we all maybe at different levels of understanding and we may have questions. It is ok to ask, it is ok to wonder - the LGBTQ+ community is welcoming. And please know it can be frustrating and sometimes traumatic for then to tell their story over and over so it is important that we all have grace with one another.
In the end love is love and we all need more of that right now.
June 2024
June State Board of Education Meeting
Thank you Glenwood Springs for hosting our June State Board of Education meeting. I enjoyed learning about your schools, teacher housing and community. And the views were spectacular. Keep up the great work. And a BIG thank you to CDE staff for always working so hard to make sure our meetings run smooth.
May 2024
Blue Flower Event
Got to hang out with some great women at the Blue Flower event.
Longmont Latinx Voices Annual Dinner Dance & Scholarship Fundraiser
Had a great time at the Longmont Latinx Voices scholarship dinner/dance. The scholarships are named after community members, and the students receiving them are amazing. I love seeing community celebrate education. I even got some dancing in.
Commerce City Memorial Day Parade
I proudly walked with the Colorado Youth Mariachi Program and fellow elected leaders in CD who, like me, are dedicated to fighting for our kids’ future.
April 2024
PODCAST: Education's Big Picture: with Rhonda Solis, Colorado State Board of Education
Rhonda Solis, Colorado State Board of Education Representative for the 8th Congressional District, joins us to talk about the different challenges and opportunities ahead of our students and educators. Listen to hear more about education in Colorado from a state-wide perspective.
Greeley Dream Team Annual Scholarship Dinner
Hearing from our community’s young scholars I was reminded of the power of education and community support, and filled with hope for the future.
I spent a day at the University of Denver discussing testing, after-school programs, equity and numerous other challenges facing our students. Finally, I closed this month out with a leadership panel hosted by some of the amazing students at CU Boulder’s School of Education & the Multicultural Leadership Scholars Program.
55th Birthday Bash Fundraiser
March 2024
18th Latino Advocacy Day
One of the highlights of March was the incredible opportunity to speak at the 18th Latino Advocacy Day for the "Latinas Lead by Example" event. Advocating for the empowerment of our community and educating on navigating the political landscape has always been close to my heart. Having attended this event for over a decade, it remains one of my favorites, providing a platform for voices that need to be heard and fostering leadership among Latinas.
Junior Achievement-Rocky Mountain, Inc
I had the pleasure of joining my fellow state board members for a tour of the Junior Achievement facility in Greenwood Village. Witnessing firsthand the impact of Junior Achievement-Rocky Mountain, Inc., as part of the world's largest nonprofit dedicated to preparing young people for success, was truly inspiring. The commitment of volunteers to mentor and guide students towards career readiness, financial literacy, and entrepreneurship is a testament to the power of community involvement.
February 2024
2024 CASE Winter Leadership Conference
So proud to be in a room of full of people that truly care about public education! Let's celebrate education and EVERYONE that helps our students to be amazing little humans!
January 2024
State Board of Education retreat. We have important work to do and it is helpful that we work well together. That doesn't mean always agreeing, it means respecting one another and knowing we have different perspectives and experiences.
We had the great opportunity to hear from Temple Grandin at our board meeting. Society has created these boxes of how people have to be and she continues to teach us boxes shouldn't exist.
IN MEMORIAM
2023 was a difficult year as we lost two educational icons in Northern Colorado. They both worked hard for students, families and community and have been my mentors for several years. Dr. Richard Bond passed away 10/6/23 and Dr. Genie Canales 12/22/23. I was able to pay tribute to both of them at our last State Board of Education meeting 1/10/24. They will both be missed dearly.
December 2023
Adams 12 Board Meeting with Legislators
Great picture of Adams12 school board and staff, Legislators and Sate Board of Education. We all care about public education and we are committed to work together for students.
Greeley West High School
I may never be rich enough to buy my name on or in a building, but I can work hard representing community and get there!
Caleb Flores Is CO's 2023-24 Milken Educator, GREELEY, CO—There's an all-school assembly at Greeley West High School, with Colorado Commissioner of Education Susana Córdova making a special visit to commend Greeley West's International Baccalaureate (IB) program. It seems like an ordinary day until Commissioner Córdova introduces Dr. Jane Foley, senior vice president of the Milken Educator Awards. Dr. Foley names English language arts (ELA), reading and Culturally Linguistically Diverse (CLD) teacher Caleb Flores as Colorado's sole 2023-24 Milken Educator Award recipient and presents him with a huge $25,000 check. It's the surprise of a lifetime for Flores—and a day he'll remember forever.
Colorado Association of School Boards (CASB) Conference
I was excited to attend at the CASB (Colorado association of School Boards) conference to meet people in education from across the state. It was an amazing experience and I had so much fun connecting with people. I just want to take a moment to thank the constituents of CD8 for letting me represent you. I am truly honored to be here bragging about all the great things happening around education in our district.
Governor's Christmas Party
Visit Greeley-Evans Family Center
I had a great experience learning about Voice Visits in Greeley-Evans School District 6. They call them Voice Visits instead of Home Visits because they are used to help parents use their voice, empower them to advocate for their child, and to feel welcomed and involved. This work matters!
We even got homemade Mexican hot chocolate, and it was delicious.
November 2023
October 2023
Weld County Campaign Kickoff!
State Board Meeting at Alamosa School District
I was able to visit Alamosa High School. Assistant Superintendent Dr. Luis Murillo showed us around and we got to sit in on a discussion with some of the students. They discussed what they like and don't like about high school and their concern with social media and bullying. I loved that most of them want more AP courses and concurrent enrollment. Then, we got to visit the Alamosa Family Center.
Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15 - October 15)
I had the honor of attending Governor Jared Polis' Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration at the Governor's Mansion.
Did you know? The Colorado Constitution was written in three languages: English, Spanish, and German. This was due to the efforts of Casimiro Barela, a territorial legislator who was born in then-Mexico.
2024 Colorado Teacher of the Year winner announced
Jessica May, a middle school teacher at Turner Middle School in the Thompson School District, was named the 2024 Colorado Teacher of the Year today in a surprise ceremony at her school.
May teaches family and consumer science at Turner Middle School in Berthoud and taught at Conrad Ball Middle School in Loveland last school year when she was nominated. She has taught for decades in the Thompson School District, covering all manner of subjects including math, social studies, science and language arts.
September 2023
I had the best time at McElwain Elementary in Adams 12 talking to student council and parents about being a Colorado State Board Member.
State Board of Education visitor speaks to McElwain
Rhonda Solis from the Colorado State Board of Education came to speak to McElwain students and families about what she does and being a female women of color serving on the Colorado State Board of Education. MCE Student Council members came prepared with questions to ask Ms. Solis.
This story exemplifies our ELEVATE Focus Area: 21st Century Learners. Sharing stories of students who collaborate, think critically, problem-solve and are digitally literate to thrive in today’s ever-changing world.
August 2023
A traditional relay coach may tell you that the 3rd leg of a relay is reserved for the most inexperienced athlete. Well, we are not a traditional relay coach and this is certainly not the case for the relay for equitable education! This next award, Leadership of Service, Sponsored by Upstream, recognizes an individual who exemplifies servant leadership. This means that they embody the saying “nothing about us, with out us.” Rhonda Solis, served the Greeley Evans school district community powerfully for 8 years before being asked to run for the new Congressional district 8 state board of education seat. After having served her local school district families, by listening to the students and family’s needs, Rhonda decided to take her model of leadership to the state level. Without hesitation, Rhonda has continued to serve boldly by following her constituent’s leadership. Thank you Rhonda for being a powerful leader of service.
Congratulations Rhonda and thank you for all you do for Colorado’s students.
Adams County Campaign Kickoff!
July 2023
I am thrilled to announce my re-election campaign for CD8 School Board! Since making history last November, I have had the privilege of serving as CD8’s representative, working tirelessly to ensure that our students receive the quality education they deserve. It has been an incredible journey, witnessing the transformative power of education and experiencing the positive impact of having Latina representation in our district.
In July, I participated in various events around Greeley, starting off with the Democratic Horizon Press Conference. The Horizon Project will re-establish our relationship with voters across CD8 by listening, learning, and tailoring our campaigns and messages to their needs and hopes for their futures.
I partnered with District 6 and the Greeley Chamber of Commerce to host a meet and greet with our new Education Commissioner, Susana Cordova. Serving our community and our kids comes first, and as a member of the State Board of Education, it’s important that we bring together important players to meet, make connections and support one another. If a school or district is struggling, the CDE has resources in place to support steps toward improvement. I was so glad that our community had an opportunity to meet with our new commissioner and make lasting connections that will support our district moving forward. This meeting was hugely successful thanks to the partnership of District 6 and many members of our community!
I used my platform as a State Board of Education Member, former D6 School Board Member, and former CASA to help raise money for Life Stories Child & Family Advocacy, an incredible organization that supports and advocates for children impacted by abuse and neglect. I would say modeling is out of my comfort zone, but when Life Stories asks you to help, I couldn’t say no. So here I am in a balloon dress, yes, that is correct - me in a balloon dress! We raised crucial funds and had a blast supporting an amazing community organization!
May 2023
I am extremely honored to receive the Citizen of year award from our local Elks club. They do great work in our community and to be recognized by them is humbling.