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Across the Board



January 23, 2024


Regular Meeting

The Regular Meeting of the DCSD Board of Education was called to order at 5:00 p.m. The meeting was broadcast live through the DCSDK12 YouTube Channel and on Comcast Channel 54 (also recorded and archived here).


The following are some highlights from the meeting.


DCSD Spotlight


  • Cimarron Middle School received $1,000 for being one of the fastest relay teams in the Government and School District division in the 2023 Colfax Marathon. 


  • Summit View Elementary named Colorado Elementary School of the Year for Best Buddies. Summit View educators Brittany Kinder and Amber Reynolds nominated for Best Buddies Champions of the Year. 

  • School Board Recognition Month - Superintendent Kane expressed appreciation for the DCSD Board Directors in honor of School Board Recognition Month. 




Superintendent Updates

  • DCSD employees recently received pay increases that were made possible thanks to our community who said yes to 5A. Per the Board Resolution from August, the pay raises were made retroactive back to the start of the school year. We were so happy to see this come to fruition and for our staff to receive the compensation increases they so greatly deserve! 

  • DCSD staff now have access to the DCSD Perks program where they can receive discounts on a variety of goods and services across our community. Thank you to our Staff Wellness Department for making this possible. 

  • All across the school district our feeder areas are amping up to support our Wish Week kids. Assemblies, movie nights, dances, sporting events, and a full array of incredibly unique and fun events have been purposefully planned to bring entire feeder areas together for a common cause to make wishes come true for some incredibly special children. 

  • DCSD saw a 90.8% graduation rate in the 2022-2023 school year – one of the highest rates in the Front Range.

  • Cimarron Middle School recently won the 8th grade girls district basketball championship and Mountain Ridge Middle School won the 7th grade girls tournament. 

  • Kindergarten registration is open for the 2023-2024 school year. Learn more and enroll at www.dcsdk12.org/Kindergarten

  • The Foundation for Douglas County Schools hostedis hosting its annual mid-year Lend A Hand School supply drive for our teachers. This time of year our classroom teachers need a refresh of commonly used supplies such as Kleenex, markers, glue sticks and more. Donate to the drive at any Douglas County Library or Douglas County Office Depot through Friday, January 26. 

  • Superintendent Kane had the privilege of attending the Continental League Musical Festival on January 16 at Boettcher Hall in Denver. As usual it was incredible. Our students are so talented!

  • On January 24, Chaparral High School hosted a parent event called “The Dangerous Truth About Today’s Marijuana” featuring author Laura Stack.

  • DCSD’s next Parent University takes place on Wednesday, January 31 at 5:30 pm. The topic will be how students can best leverage their school counselor. The session takes place online and will be led by our very own Dr. Kelli Smith, Director of Health, Wellness and Prevention and DCSD Lead Counselors Renee Cawley and Kambi Crabb. 

  • The Douglas County Youth Initiative is accepting nominations for Outstanding Youth Award. This recognizes teenagers between the ages of 13 and 19 who have overcome personal adversity and created positive change in their lives. The Youth Awards focus on teenagers who have triumphed over great odds and serve as inspirations and role models. If you know young people who would be good candidates for the Youth Awards, please help identify them by completing the nomination form.

  • Our very own Diane Shuck-Grey, the Assistant Principal and Activities and Athletics Director at Douglas County High School was recently spotlighted in an article on the CHSAA website.  


Public Comment

Student Advisory Group (SAG) Co-President Jake Oliver from ThunderRidge High School provided an update from the SAG. The SAG discussed the issue of whether DCSD should join litigation against social media companies. SAG suggested that the Board consider developing tools for students on how to interact with social media platforms in a healthy manner. Mark Blair, Chief Technology Officer joined the SAG as the liaison/advisor from the Superintendent’s Cabinet. SAG is working towards its mid-year update to the Board of Education.

 

Public commenters spoke on topics including: the DCSD Educational Equity policy, the Board Director vacancy, Sterling Ranch charter school RFP, and potential social media litigation.

 


Approval of MOU between Leman and DCSD regarding SPED services at Leman Bayou Gulch Campus

This item was pulled off the consent agenda for further discussion. Board directors asked a variety of questions about the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Leman School of Excellence and DCSD regarding special education services to be provided at the Leman Bayou Gulch Campus (this campus is currently under construction). A motion to approve the MOU between Leman and DCSD regarding special education services at the Leman Bayou Gulch Campus passed 6-0. 

 


Selection of Director to Fill Board of Education Director District B Vacancy

The Board discussed the three finalists for the Board of Education Director District B vacancy. Finalists were interviewed during a special meeting prior to the regular meeting. The Board thanked the many community members who provided feedback about the finalists. The Board voted on each candidate and ended up with a tie vote between Tim Moore and Sandra Brownrigg. 

 

Because the Board remained in a tie vote, a special meeting will be scheduled where the Board President will make an appointment. 

 


Newly Selected School Board Director - Oath of Office

This agenda item did not take place due to the tie vote (see above). 

 

 

 

Charter RFP Proposal

Superintendent Kane discussed the challenges associated with not passing the Bond (5B) in November 2023. Click here to view the presentation slides

 

Next steps include continuing to educate the community about the need; using reserves and available resources for emergency capital needs; and being unable to address overcrowding with new neighborhood schools. 

 

There will be a need to go back to voters again to ask for a Bond at some point. Capital needs and significant capital maintenance needs must be paid via a Bond. These needs continue to increase and will only become more costly to make over time. 

 

Superintendent Kane explained that the Board has a few strategic options for building new schools in quickly growing neighborhoods (specifically the Sterling Ranch/Solstice developments). One option would be to issue a Request for Proposal (RFP) to build a charter school. Issuing an RFP would be non-binding, meaning it could be withdrawn by the school district at any time. Issuing an RFP versus waiting for charter school applications to come in would allow DCSD to dictate school location and require the school to show demand specifically from the Sterling Ranch and Solstice neighborhoods versus surrounding areas. The other option for building new schools would be to place a Bond on the ballot for an upcoming election. 

 

A motion to approve the issuance of an RFP to call for qualified charter schools to submit a proposal to build a new school to serve the Sterling Ranch/Solstice area was defeated on a 3-3 vote.

 


Revised FY 2023-2024 Financial Plan and Budget and Budget Resolutions 

Chief Financial Officer Jana Schleusner provided an overview of the school district’s revised fiscal year 2023-2024 Financial Plan and Budget and Budget Resolutions. Click here to view the presentation slides

 

A motion to approve an Appropriation Resolution and the Resolution Authorizing the Use of a Portion of Beginning Fund Balance as Authorized by Colorado Statutes passed 6-0. 

 


Social Media Litigation Discussion 

Lawsuits have been brought by over 700 school districts across the country against social media companies. This is in response to the negative impact social media has on the mental health of students. District staff recommended that DCSD  join in this national effort.  

 

Assistant Superintendent Danny Winsor and Cimarron Middle School Principal Chris Zimmerman provided perspectives from school leaders regarding challenges they face regarding student use of social media. Click here to view the presentation slides. The Board also heard from attorneys from Wagstaff & Cartmell who would represent DCSD on a contingency basis should DCSD decide to move forward with litigation. 

 

A motion to authorize the Superintendent and her designees to take the action necessary for DCSD to join the lawsuit against social media companies was passed on a 6-0 vote. 

 


Adjournment

At 11:44 p.m. a motion to adjourn the regular meeting passed 6-0.



Upcoming Meeting

The next study session of the DCSD Board of Education is scheduled for Tuesday, February 13 at 5:00 p.m. The meeting will take place at the DCSD administration building, 620 Wilcox Street in Castle Rock, and will be available to view on the DCSDK12 YouTube Channel and will be broadcast on Comcast Channel 54.



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In compliance with Titles VI & VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008, and Colorado law, the Douglas County School District RE-1 does not unlawfully discriminate against otherwise qualified students, employees, applicants for employment, or members of the public on the basis of disability, race, creed, color, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, religion, ancestry, or need for special education services. Discrimination against employees and applicants for employment based on age, genetic information, and conditions related to pregnancy or childbirth is also prohibited in accordance with state and/or federal law. Complaint procedures have been established for students, parents, employees, and members of the public. The School District's Compliance Officer and Title IX Coordinator to address complaints alleging sexual harassment under Title IX is Aaron Henderson, 620 Wilcox Street, Castle Rock, Colorado, [email protected], 303-387-0127.

Outside Agencies

Complaints regarding violations of Title VI, (race, national origin), Title IX (sex, gender), Section 504/ADA (handicap or disability), may be filed directly with the Office for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Education, 1244 North Speer Blvd., Suite 310, Denver, CO 80204. Complaints regarding violations of Title VII (employment) and the ADEA (prohibiting age discrimination in employment) may be filed directly with the Federal Office of Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, 303 E. 17th Ave., Suite 510, Denver, CO 80202, or the Colorado Civil Rights Commission, 1560 Broadway, Suite 1050, Denver, CO 80202.

NOTICE OF DESTRUCTION OF SPECIAL EDUCATION RECORDS

Special Education records which have been collected by Douglas County School District related to the identification, evaluation, educational placement, or the provision of special education in the district, must be maintained under state and federal laws for the period of five (5) years after special education services have ended for the student. Special education services end when the student is no longer eligible for services, graduates, or completes his/her educational program at age 21, or moves from the district. This notification is to inform parents/guardians and former students of Douglas County School District's intent to destroy the special education records of students who exited special education services as of June 30, 2016. These records will be destroyed in accordance with state law unless the parent/guardian or eligible (adult) student notifies the school district otherwise. After five years, the records are no longer useful to the district, but may be useful to the parent/guardian or former student in applying for social security benefits, rehabilitation services, college entrance, etc. The parent/guardian or eligible (adult) student may request a copy of the records by requesting the records at this link ( Douglas County School District Transcripts and Records Requests ).