In Memory of Edward Krug
In Memory of Jo Ann Fujioka
Dr. Fujioka was a valued member of the A4EPP Board. She will be greatly missed.
The Fujioka family asks you to consider contributing to the North Side (Denver) High School Alumni Scholarship Foundation or other educational causes.
North High School has formed a scholarship in her name. You can contribute by check to
North Side High School Alumni Scholarship Foundation
2960 N Speer Blvd.
Denver, CO 80212
or make an electronic donation to A4PEP and we will forward it to the North Side High School Alumni Scholarship Foundation.
Jo Ann Fujioka was born April 30, 1939 to Richard and Lillian Ota in Bellflower, California. Dr. Jo Ann Fujioka passed away on July 6, 2021. She is preceded in death by her husband Arthur Fujioka. Jo Ann is survived by her daughter Dana, her sisters Gloria McCarthy (Pat), Daryl Oletski (Jim), brother Rick Ota (Cidney), niece Kisha Bartholomew (Curtis), grandnephew Zachary Bartholomew, and nephew Chauncey Okamura.
During World War II under Executive Order 9066, Jo Ann and her family were interned along with more than 100k other Japanese Americans in the Poston, AZ internment camp. Following her family’s internment, Jo Ann moved to Colorado, initially finding shelter in migrant quarters. This experience affected her greatly and inspired her to become a champion for diversity, equity and inclusion.
Jo Ann attended Denver Public Schools and went on to graduate from North High School in Denver. As a Nursing Student at University of Colorado, she met her future husband Arthur Fujioka and eventually gave birth to Dana.
Jo Ann’s father Dick believed in the value of education and that America is the best country. He planted this value in Jo Ann and her siblings. She remained dedicated to public service, advocacy for the education of children, serving her country, her state, as well as national and local educational organizations.
Jo Ann was passionate about education and educators. Dr. Fujioka truly had an impressive career. For over 20 years, Jo Ann worked at Jefferson County School District as Central Area Manager for Special Education and Related Services. She served as President Phi Delta Kappa, an International organization for educators, Director of the National PTA, and President of Denver PTA.
Jo Ann’s passions included Education/Child Advocacy (Phi Delta Kappa International an academic fraternity, PTA National, Denver Council PTSA, PTA Colorado, A4PEP, ELEVAT(ED) to name a few) and Social Justice (Denver Dems, House District #6 and various local and national campaigns).
Jo Ann was inspired to become active in the local Democratic Party during Obama’s 2009 Yes We Can Presidential Campaign. Jo Ann remained active in the Party, rising to chair the Bernie Sanders delegation at the 2016 Democratic National Convention. She also served the Colorado State Democratic Party as Secretary and Precinct Committee Person.
Ed Krug was a valued member of the Board of Directors of Advocates for Public Education Policy. A scholarship is being created in honor of Ed Krug’s love of learning. Contributions may be sent to:
North HS Alumni Scholarship Foundation (NSHSASF)
c/o North High School
2960 N. Speer, Denver, CO. 80211
Venmo available upon request. Specify Ed Krug.
Contact Joe DeRose, chair, at 303-477-8808.
Edward C. Krug, Ph.D., was a retired research scientist, counselor, Denver Public Schools (DPS) middle school teacher, and creator of an after-school program that achieved a 96 percent high school graduation rate for full program participants. He served on many youth and education related non-profit organization boards in NW Denver.
Dr. Krug chaired all levels of school and district-wide school improvement and accountability committees in the Cherry Creek School District and most recently chaired the DPS District Accountability Committee for three years. His abiding interest was youth development and education with a research level focus on dyslexia and its counterpart – gifted and talented.
Dr. Krug’s involvement in A4PEP was based on concern over destructive societal changes in education, such as the rise of an "invasive species" into the field of public education, specifically corporate-created charter schools that are not accountable to the neighborhoods they break up as they feed on the public tax dollars. Another concern was the promotion of punitive high-stakes testing, which does not measure the things that make a young person successful in life.