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Pat Sandos
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Pat Sandos
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Patrick "Pat" Joseph Sandos is a Colorado native. He graduated from Mullen High School. He received is Bachelor's Degree in Education from Metropolitan State College. He received his Master's Degree in Educational Adminstration from the University of Colorado.
Pat
started teaching as a recreation instructor in health and physical
education. Then he became an instructional resource teacher. He
was an assistant principal at Thomas Jefferson High School for
a couple years and then became the principal at Cowell Elementary
for four years. Pat was the principal at Skinner Middle School
in Denver from 2000 to 2006. In Jefferson County he was the principal
at Colorow Elemetary for a year and then was the principal at
Ken Caryl Middle School from 2007 to 2016. Pat has served as the
President of the Colorado Association of Secondary School Principals.
He is also a member of the Colorado Association of Latino Administrators
and Superintendents.
Pat has been with the Sheridan School District since 2016. Prior to becoming Superintendent he was the district's Executive Director of School Services and Student Behavioral and Emotional Supports. In August of 2016 Pat introduced "The Sheridan Way." This is a proactive approach to improving the learning climate in schools. This included increased social work time and access to social work interns (including college-level social work majors from nearby schools such as the University of Denver and Metro State). He also detailed the social-emotional curricula being adopted by individual schools, such as "Second Step" at Alice Terry Elementary School and "Strong Kids" at Fort Logan Northgate School. At Fort Logan, a more purposeful "Check In" procedure was put in place with certain students to see how they are doing.
During the Superintendent interview process Pat said that diversity and transparency is important for the district, along with greater support for teachers within the district. He also supports the building of a new high school, along with an effort to obtain a mill levy improvement from the district from the voters. He said "I truly want this district to be a family…" Pat "has already established relationships with the police department, city officials, library, and recreation center." He reaffirmed the importance of an open door policy and being available to engage parents and community members.
Pat leads the "Sam Sandos Christmas Basket Program." This program has provided full Christmas dinners to over 300,000 people since it's inception in the Denver area.
Webmaster Notes: Pat's paternal grandfather Anthany Leffars immigrated from Greece to Mexico. There he met Mary Sisneros. They were married and immigrated to the United States. This was during the first heavy immigration period in the early 1900s. It was not uncommon that immigrants would change their surnames (for various reasons) after coming to the United States. At first they lived in Wyoming where Anthany was a coal miner. They moved to Denver where their son Manual "Sam" Sandos was born. Anthany died at a young age from a stroke and associated shock. Mary was a widow with four children just prior to World War II, as recorded in the 1940 census. Sam Sandos (under age) enlisted in the Army during World War II. He was a paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne Division and was in the Battle of the Bulge. Sam received several decoratons including a Purple Heart. Sam was severely injured from battlefield frostbite and finished his service at Fort Carson.
Despite being a decorated veteran, Sam and his wife "were rejected as purchasers of a home in the Barnum neighborhood of Denver due to a covenant that prohibited Hispanics." It was blatant discrimination which existed in many areas of Denver against minorities at the time. They found a home a few blocks away where they raised nine children including Pat. Not to mention the 14 foster children over the years. In an instance of poetic justice, Sam would later become the first Hispanic Councilman for the 3rd district in Denver, which included the Barnum neighborhood.
The resilient Sandos Hispanic family legacy continues as Pat becomes the first Hispanic to serve as Superintendent of the Sheridan School District.
Copyright © 2018 by the Sheridan Historical Society, Inc.
All rights reserved.