Good Morning, Colorado, you’re listening to the Daily Sun-Up. It’s Thursday November 5th, and we’re feeling lucky to start the day with you. Join us every weekday for a closer look at one of our top stories, and a quick summary of other important things happening in our state. 

 

We’ve also released another bonus episode, featuring insight from one of our readers on what they’ve learned while living through a global pandemic in Colorado. 

 

Today, our focus is on Colorado’s older teachers who now face a crossroads: risk potentially getting the coronavirus or retire? 

 

But before we begin, let’s go back in time with some Colorado history adapted from historian Derek R Everett’s book “Colorado Day by Day”:

 

Today, we’re going back to November 5th, 1911 when the Denver Post published a sketch of an elaborate castle in the mountains in their Sunday Magazine. The headline - “A Summer Palace for Our Presidents: How Colorado Proposes to Build on a High Mountain Top a Great Granite Castle to Be the Nation’s Capital When the Hot Month’s Come”. The story was published as Entrepreneur John B Walker concocted a scheme for a permanent summer residence on his estate in Jefferson County for presidents to vacation while trying to escape humid D.C. summers. Needless to say, it was never built.

 

Now, our feature story. 

 

A wave of Colorado teachers nearing retirement eligibility are facing the excruciating decision of ending their careers sooner than they planned after months of pandemic-induced challenges. And it’s much more than a professional decision for teachers whose ages throw them into the high-risk category for the coronavirus. 

 

It’s likely that Colorado’s longtime teacher shortage will worsen because of the pandemic, but for now, the exact effect is unknown.

 

Colorado Sun reporter Erica Breunlin is joining us today to talk about how teachers are dealing with the pandemic. 

 

Erica, to start, do we have a sense of how many Colorado teachers have retired during the pandemic so far?

So, although there’s no statewide data where we can see exactly how many teachers are retiring, from your research, does it seem like there are a significant number of teachers that are retiring because of the coronavirus? And how are the teachers you spoke with feeling overall?

And I imagine this added stress on individual teachers is having larger impacts across the school districts, can you talk about that, and also how retirements will affect the school districts?

Thank you so much for joining us, Erica. 

As Erica explained, it’s likely that Colorado’s longtime teacher shortage will worsen because of the pandemic, but for now, the exact effect is unknown.

 

This means districts need teachers to stick around and may be unlikely to offer early retirement incentives.

 

Finally, here are a few stories you should know about today:

 

The measure that would task Colorado Parks and Wildlife with creating a wolf reintroduction plan by the end of 2023 was slightly ahead the day after the election. A gap of 7,600 votes early Wednesday grew to more than 10,000 votes by midday but then fell to 8,800 votes by afternoon. By late Wednesday, the gap reached almost 13,000 as more Front Range county votes were tallied.

-

For the first time in four decades, the governing board for Colorado’s flagship university will be under Democratic control. On Election Day, Democrat Ilana Spiegel beat Republican Richard Murray, to flip the 6th Congressional District seat. 

-

On the same ballot that cemented statewide Democratic power not seen since 1936, Colorado’s voters once again sent its elected leaders mixed messages on taxes and spending. They voted to raise taxes in one measure, and cut them in another.

-

There were 847 people hospitalized in Colorado with coronavirus on Wednesday. State officials believe the state will surpass its coronavirus hospitalizations record this week.

 

For more information on all of these stories, visit our website, www.coloradosun.com. 

 

The Colorado Sun is non-partisan and completely independent. We're always dedicated to telling the in-depth stories we need today more than ever. And The Sun is supported by readers and listeners like you.

 

Right now, you can head to ColoradoSun.com and become a member. Starting at $5 per month for a basic membership and if you bump it up to $20 per month, you’ll get access to our exclusive politics and outdoors newsletters. Thanks for starting your morning with us and don’t forget to tune in again tomorrow.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Good Morning, Colorado, you&rsquo;re listening to the Daily Sun-Up. It&rsquo;s Thursday November 5th, and we&rsquo;re feeling lucky to start the day with you. Join us every weekday for a closer look at one of our top stories, and a quick summary of other important things happening in our state.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
We&rsquo;ve also released another bonus episode, featuring insight from one of our readers on what they&rsquo;ve learned while living through a global pandemic in Colorado.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Today, our focus is on Colorado&rsquo;s older teachers who now face a crossroads: risk potentially getting the coronavirus or retire?&nbsp;
&nbsp;
But before we begin, let&rsquo;s go back in time with some Colorado history adapted from historian Derek R Everett&rsquo;s book &ldquo;Colorado Day by Day&rdquo;:
&nbsp;
Today, we&rsquo;re going back to November 5th, 1911 when the Denver Post published a sketch of an elaborate castle in the mountains in their Sunday Magazine. The headline - &ldquo;A Summer Palace for Our Presidents: How Colorado Proposes to Build on a High Mountain Top a Great Granite Castle to Be the Nation&rsquo;s Capital When the Hot Month&rsquo;s Come&rdquo;. The story was published as Entrepreneur John B Walker concocted a scheme for a permanent summer residence on his estate in Jefferson County for presidents to vacation while trying to escape humid D.C. summers. Needless to say, it was never built.
&nbsp;
Now, our feature story.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
A wave of Colorado teachers nearing retirement eligibility are facing the excruciating decision of ending their careers sooner than they planned after months of pandemic-induced challenges. And it&rsquo;s much more than a professional decision for teachers whose ages throw them into the high-risk category for the coronavirus.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
It&rsquo;s likely that Colorado&rsquo;s longtime teacher shortage will worsen because of the pandemic, but for now, the exact effect is unknown.
&nbsp;
Colorado Sun reporter Erica Breunlin is joining us today to talk about how teachers are dealing with the pandemic.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Erica, to start, do we have a sense of how many Colorado teachers have retired during the pandemic so far?
So, although there&rsquo;s no statewide data where we can see exactly how many teachers are retiring, from your research, does it seem like there are a significant number of teachers that are retiring because of the coronavirus? And how are the teachers you spoke with feeling overall?
And I imagine this added stress on individual teachers is having larger impacts across the school districts, can you talk about that, and also how retirements will affect the school districts?
Thank you so much for joining us, Erica.&nbsp;
As Erica explained, it&rsquo;s likely that Colorado&rsquo;s longtime teacher shortage will worsen because of the pandemic, but for now, the exact effect is unknown.
&nbsp;
This means districts need teachers to stick around and may be unlikely to offer early retirement incentives.
&nbsp;
Finally, here are a few stories you should know about today:
&nbsp;
The measure that would task Colorado Parks and Wildlife with creating a wolf reintroduction plan by the end of 2023 was slightly ahead the day after the election. A gap of 7,600 votes early Wednesday grew to more than 10,000 votes by midday but then fell to 8,800 votes by afternoon. By late Wednesday, the gap reached almost 13,000 as more Front Range county votes were tallied.
-
For the first time in four decades, the governing board for Colorado&rsquo;s flagship university will be under Democratic control. On Election Day, Democrat Ilana Spiegel beat Republican Richard Murray, to flip the 6th Congressional District seat.&nbsp;
-
On the same ballot that cemented statewide Democratic power not seen since 1936, Colorado&rsquo;s voters once again sent its elected leaders mixed messages on taxes and spending. They voted to raise taxes in one measure, and cut them in another.
-
There were 847 people hospitalized in Colorado with coronavirus on Wednesday. State officials believe the state will surpass its coronavirus hospitalizations record this week.
&nbsp;
For more information on all of these stories, visit our website,<a href="http://www.coloradosun.com/"> www.coloradosun.com</a>.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
The Colorado Sun is non-partisan and completely independent. We're always dedicated to telling the in-depth stories we need today more than ever. And The Sun is supported by readers and listeners like you.
&nbsp;
Right now, you can head to ColoradoSun.com and become a member. Starting at $5 per month for a basic membership and if you bump it up to $20 per month, you&rsquo;ll get access to our exclusive politics and outdoors newsletters. Thanks for starting your morning with us and don&rsquo;t forget to tune in again tomorrow.See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.

Welcome to The Colorado Sun's daily podcast, The Daily Sun-Up. Every day we’re sharing an in-depth look at one of our top stories, followed by a quick summary of important things happening in our state. For more visit us at https://coloradosun.com/.

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