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Articles from Vol. 24 No. 5 - May 4, 2024

Lewis-Palmer D38 Board of Education, April 15 – Board selects new superintendent, recognizes staff achievements, approves classified and licensed pay scales

By Harriet Halbig

Above: At the April 15 Lewis-Palmer School District 38 Board of Education meeting, the board announced its new
superintendent, Dr. Stacie Datteri. Datteri comes from Greeley-Weld County School District 6, where she served as assistant superintendent of Academic Achievement and Elementary, K-8 Leadership. She has 21 years of administrative experience and 29 years of experience in the field of education. Pictured are D38 Board President Tiffiney Upchurch, left, and Datteri. Photo by Jackie Burhans.

On April 15, the Lewis-Palmer D38 Board of Education approved the selection of a new superintendent, approved classified and licensed pay schedules, and recognized two employees for their achievements.

New superintendent approved

Following a nationwide search and including major input from community members, the Board of Education approved the selection of Dr. Stacie Datteri as the next superintendent for the district.

Datteri comes to District 38 from Greeley, where she currently serves as assistant superintendent of Academic Achievement and Elementary K-8 Leadership for Greeley-Evans School District in Weld County School District 6. She has 21 years of administrative experience and 29 years of experience in education.

Board President Tiffiney Upchurch commented that the selection process was rigorous and that she was impressed at the level of community participation throughout. She stressed that all voices were heard equally and the input from the community helped the board to determine who would be the best fit for the community.

Upchurch also congratulated the two district employees who were finalists for the position.

Datteri commented that she was grateful for the opportunity to serve and is thinking about what she can bring to the table to continue the district’s legacy of high achievement. She said she will work through the district’s strategic plan.

The board approved the appointment unanimously, subject to contract approval.

Datteri will begin her tenure on July 1.

Staff recognition

The board recognized Chief Business Officer Brett Ridgway for his efforts in drafting and seeing to the governor’s signature Senate Bill 24-017.

In the past, funding for the district arrived at an uneven rate, coming primarily during the months of March, May, and June when taxes came into the state. During that time, the district had to withhold $8 million to cover payroll and other expenses in January and February.

Funding will now arrive throughout the school year, making it possible to spend the $8 million previously withheld as early as July.

Board Treasurer Ron Schwarz commented that this bill’s passage was an unusual case of putting community needs above partisan politics.

Upchurch recognized district lobbyist Amy Atwood for her contributions to the bill’s success.

Upchurch then recognized Director of Communications Mark Belcher. Acting Superintendent Amber Whetstine thanked him for his guidance and professionalism and said that he was proactive, positive, and always prepared.

Upchurch said that he worked tirelessly on weekends and snow days to keep the community informed. She praised his ability to craft messages for all audiences.

School representatives

Schwarz introduced Rhett and Kenna from Palmer Ridge High School. Each month two high school representatives attend board meetings and report on school activities.

They are welcome to ask questions and participate in discussion but do not have a vote as they are not elected members of the board.

Board member comments

Schwarz thanked members of the district staff for their efforts during the superintendent search, and he thanked Walt Cooper for his assistance in the process. He said that the district has selected the right candidate for the job.

Board Secretary Dr. Patti Shank said she was very impressed by the selection process. She said that one hears of contentious boards and politicization of board activities, and she is grateful that the D38 board works so well together. They listen to each other and do what is best for the community, she said.

Upchurch commented that Monument Academy has a new CEO. She thanked Deputy Wheat, School Resource Officer of Lewis-Palmer High School, and wished him well as he is promoted to sergeant.

She said that Monument Academy will have its first graduating class this year.

In addition to Senate bill 24-017, Upchurch said there are bills still under discussion at the capitol and encouraged individuals to participate in the legislative process. Some involve local control.

Student academic fees

Ridgway presented a list of proposed academic fees for the 2024-25 school year. These fees include consumable items such as art supplies and workbooks, equipment maintenance, and other expenses. Sports fees were not explained because they involve a more restricted number of students.

In answer to a question, Ridgway said that students who qualify for free or reduced lunch can apply for aid in paying fees. He also said that individuals could donate funds to cover some fees.

Ridgway said the revenue from fees, including those for athletic participation, is around $2 million per year.

In response to a question from Upchurch, Ridgway agreed that this could be an opportunity to seek sponsorships for these fees.

The board approved the list of academic fees for the 2024-25 school year. To see a complete list of fees, please to go lewispalmer.org, board of education, boarddocs and select the meeting date.

Classified and licensed pay scales

Ridgway explained his continuing efforts to revamp pay scales for classified and licensed staff.

This is an ongoing effort, and Ridgway said he includes increases of a lower percentage for those earning more and a higher percentage for those earning less.

Classified employees include all “regular” employees who are paid by the hour and not salaried. This includes clerical staff, transportation, food service, and grounds and maintenance staff. The new minimum wage for classified employees is $17.50 per hour. The state changes this figure in January and this increase is proactive so that the district does not need to change the budget mid-year.

He said that since last month, it appears that the School Finance Act will include an additional $25 in per pupil operating revenue (PPOR) than was expected. This could potentially make it possible to offer a 6% average increase in compensation instead of the previously estimated 5.85%

The board approved the pay scales for classified and licensed staff.

In other financial areas, Ridgway said the Parent and Community Advisory Committee is being asked for their spending priorities and the Financial Transparency Committee continues to meet and discuss such matters. Both will report at the May meeting of the board.

When asked whether the district is considering self-insuring to avoid rising costs in insurance, Ridgway said that is under consideration.

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The Lewis-Palmer D38 Board of Education usually meets at 6 p.m. on the third Monday of the month at its learning center, 146 Jefferson St., Monument. The next meeting will be on May 20. For information, contact vwood@lewispalmer.org.

Harriet Halbig may be reached at harriethalbig@ocn.me.

Above: D38 Board of Education member Ron Schwarz acknowledged the hard work and success of Chief Business Officer Brett Ridgway and contract lobbyist Amy Attwood at the April 15 board meeting. Ridgway wrote the legislation that became Senate Bill 24-17, which was passed by the Colorado Legislature unanimously. The bipartisan legislation changes the timing of state disbursements to school districts of total program funding to account for the timing of property taxes. This lessens the amount of money districts are required to maintain in reserves to manage cash flow. In D38, this will free up $8 million in funds on a one-time basis. Statewide, this is projected to free up $660 million which districts can use to fund one-time expenditures such as capital projects. With the help of district lobbyist Amy Attwood, the bill passed on a bipartisan vote. From left are Schwarz, Attwood, and Ridgway. Photo by Jackie Burhans.
Above: The D38 Board of Education and members of the Executive Leadership Team bid farewell to Director of Communication Mark Belcher. Interim Superintendent Amber Whetstine said she was honored to share gratitude to Belcher for serving for the past three years. He raised the bar by being proactive, positive, and prepared, she said, and his commitment to excellence permeates every aspect of his work. The board wished him success in his new role as chief communication officer at Academy D20. From left are Director of Human Resources Alicia Welch, Whetstine, Chief Business Officer Brett Ridgway, Belcher, Executive Director of Student Services Rick Frampton, and Coordinator of Special Education Danielle Holmes. Photo by Jackie Burhans.

Other D38 articles

Monument Fire District Town Hall, April 18 – Proposed training center plans revealed

By Natalie Barszcz

Above: A computer-generated depiction of the proposed Station 1 training tower. Graphic courtesy of MFD.

At the Monument Fire District Station 1 proposed training center informational meeting on April 18, about 15 residents attended in person with a few attending via Zoom.

Fire Chief Andy Kovacs welcomed the residents and said he and his staff would give a short PowerPoint presentation on the proposed training center and answer questions.

Division Chief of Administration Jamey Bumgarner presented the district background and said:

  • The original Station 1 was built in the early 1980s, and the current station was built in the early 2000s. The district began with an all-volunteer firefighting force with administration offices at the same location.
  • In 2019, a remodel design process began to turn Station 1 into a modern facility, however architects realized the existing site would not be big enough for the design, because the setbacks were insufficient.
  • The district asked the adjacent landowner if additional footage could be purchased; the owner agreed and offered the district the entire property of about 15 acres. The district purchased the land for about $390,000 in 2020. The remodel began May 29, 2021, and was completed in fall 2021.
  • Before obtaining the additional acreage, the district hired Emergency Services Consulting International (ESCI) to develop a master plan for the district. Upon its completion in spring 2019, the plan recommended the district increase the training facilities, because the entire district only had one training room.
  • Since 2021, the district has considered two other options for a training center: a small share of a parcel off Synthes Avenue, where the Town of Monument (TOM) had earmarked 7 acres for the Public Works Department, and 2 acres of land at Terrazzo Drive and Baptist Road. Both options were insufficient for a training tower and ruled out.

Note: The 2019 Master Plan can be found under “Transparency” at www.monumentfire.org.

Kovacs said when he arrived in January 2021 he identified the need for a five-year strategic plan, (available at www.monumentfire.org) developed with an internal stakeholder assessment, with all of the employees completing a multi-question survey to identify the organization’s weaknesses and strengths—called a swat analysis. Community workshops were held and participants answered the same questions, and the feedback was coupled with the master plan to develop a strategic plan. The strategic plan has translated into the pursuit of agency accreditation, whereby the district continually looks internally to identify the agency’s strengths and weaknesses.

The data collection has been a heavy lift for the past year and a half for staff, and an external peer assessment team is expected to assess the district in fall 2024 or spring 2025. The district’s strategic plan, standards of cover, and community risk assessment will be scrutinized by the team as it evaluates the district’s processes, programs, and call response times before making recommendations to improve the district. The district will then find ways to implement those recommendations. Only 300 fire districts within the U.S. have achieved agency accreditation, and the district thought it was important to be a progressive, world-class fire department, said Kovacs.

Kovacs said the district typically utilizes public and private property to complete training, such as Monument Marketplace, but asphalt has been damaged in the past due to heavy apparatus, and the district used insurance to make those repairs. Staff train during duty hours 95% of the time with about 5% of staff attending educational opportunities out of the district. Staff also use neighboring facilities for training such as:

  • Colorado Springs Fire Department (CSFD), a 28-minute drive, traffic permitting, but CSFD has 500 firefighters to train and needs a second training center. Access is at the mercy of CSFD, and the facility is closed for renovation.
  • Black Forest Fire/Rescue Protection District (BFFRPD), a 22-minute drive, class-A facility that burns combustible materials in Conex containers. The proposed district training site would include theatrical smoke and LED light boards, no odor from smoke and only organic and environmentally friendly materials used during a simulated fire.
  • The Air Force Academy (AFA), a 20-minute drive, also a class-A facility inside a concrete structure, but does not have the nuanced training facility the district is proposing and with military bases, access is limited.

Leaving the district to complete training has its drawbacks, with limited slots available and reserved slots subject to cancellations, long travel times taking apparatus and firefighters out of the district make a logistical effort to respond back to district calls. He said he would not be comfortable in the future explaining to the public why a response took too long due to personnel attending training out of district, said Kovacs.

On the proposed training center site, the district is also considering a workshop to avoid travelling to its apparatus vendor Front Range Fire Apparatus (FRFA), located in Frederick-Firestone. Having an onsite FRFA workshop would reduce overtime and fuel costs (a typical engine gets 3-4 miles per gallon), and avoid building a workshop and hiring mechanics, and district crews would no longer have to travel through the Denver Metro area for maintenance, said Kovacs.

Kovacs said the district’s current Insurance Services Office (ISO) score (used by insurance companies to assess fire risk) is 15.40 out of a 35 score. By creating a training center, storage facilities and a maintenance workshop, the district could achieve a lower accreditation score and reduce homeowners’ and commercial insurance rates. Training center site development would include: a warehouse, a training building, auto extrication area, confined space training, wildland fire training, drafting/pump testing, and classrooms/offices for additional administrative staff. A ventilation roof prop structure will be included in the proposed training tower, and although CSFD recently added a ventilation roof prop structure into the CSFD training center, no other training facility within the region has ventilation props.

Noise requirements have been met by the town and El Paso County and would be less than what is experienced from Highway 105 and from the Burlington Northern Sante Fe trains passing through. Operations would not be held overnight. Water run/off contamination will be addressed, and an engineered retention pond will be incorporated for cleaning, before being released into the ground. No PFAS firefighting foam will be used for training. There will be no light pollution and visual aesthetics such as berms, trees, and natural landscaping will be incorporated, with considerable setbacks and easement. There will be no bond or raising of taxes to develop the site, and that includes other projects throughout the district. Instead, the district will use existing funds in a phased approach over the next few years, depending on available revenue. The district has minimized debt and operates in a fiscally responsible manner, Kovacs said, but there is a need to prepare highly trained firefighters disciplined in all-risk types of training within the district. There will be consideration to the neighbors in a phased in development, said Kovacs.

The executive staff received questions and concerns from several residents; they were answered as follows:

Battalion Chief of Training and EMS Shannon Balvanz said to achieve accreditation, the district needs at least a three-story facility, to pull hoses, smoke up rooms, and complete all the core training. The tower will not just be about live fire training, but the district cannot keep travelling to Colorado Springs, and even the CSFD staff do not get enough access to their own training facility.

Kovacs said the district employs 70 firefighters, and like-size districts offer the same level of training to their firefighters in similar training towers. The ESCI study determined that northern El Paso County needed to do a better job regionalizing training, and the center would give opportunities to partner agencies, such as Palmer Lake Fire Department, Larkspur Fire Department, BFFRPD, and others. Regional partner agencies would train together, as they respond with each other to the same incidents, and everyone becomes proficient at working together. Although offering the facility to other districts would be fee based, it is not a money maker and will keep costs neutral and help maintain the facility. There is an opportunity to offer a state-of-the-art facility, and Monument Police Department Chief Patrick Regan sees the value and is interested in using the facility for police training, he said.

Kovacs said the district is in the early phase of planning, and it budgeted $2.4 million this year. Funds will be used for the noise study, a soil study, and a planned unit development amendment, and the district will undergo a design phase with architects. Any unspent funds will be used for the next phase.

Bumgarner said the planning process with the TOM is expected to take about 18 months, and the district will begin the project when the process is completed.

Balvanz said the tower structure is estimated to cost $1 million.

Kovacs said the district would be committed to a lifelong process of being introspective to find ways to benefit the community, evaluating processes annually, and finding deficiencies and ways to provide better service. The district is doing the best it can training firefighters with what is available within the region, but the accreditation process also evaluates infrastructure deficiencies.

Bumgarner said as the district can constantly lower the ISO rating, everyone will see some reduction in their rates at some point as the Fire Department becomes more efficient. Although some agencies will state it has no bearing, the department is held to ISO standards whether some insurance companies honor the rating or not, but some companies are canceling homeowners’ insurance in the wildland urban interface areas.

Division Chief of Community Risk Reduction Jonathan Bradley said the response time for an initial unit is about six 1/2 minutes for the first unit, depending on urban or rural locations. The entire effective responsive team will ideally be there within 10 to 12 minutes, and depending on the call type, dispatch will determine the number of units and people needed, which relates to first alarm, second alarm, third alarm, and so on. If units are missing, the computer-aided dispatch will send additional units from other districts, but not only are those farther away, they are on a different dispatch system. Districts can shift around and cover each other, but the more that happens, coverage is lost in other districts, and out of district units cannot meet the standard response time, he said.

Bradley also said primary education at the firefighter and paramedic academies is designed for constant repetitions, but without regular repetitive training how can we measure skills, and when residents call will staff be up to task. Training exists in the former Chili’s parking lot until it is no longer available, however the vast majority of call volume is medical, and the only facility is the training room. The district receives fantastic primary medical training from paramedic partners, but the district is not set up for that training. The tower would also be used for medic training, another reason to not use combustible materials.

Bumgarner said the district received its second three-story apartment complex and more are coming, but the district needs to practice retrieving patients from third-floor structures. Lowering ISO ratings may not affect homeowners’ insurance, but it will affect commercial properties and help across the board.

Donald Wescott Fire Protection District board President Mark Gunderman said the return on the investment makes sense with the district growth. As an insurance agent for a major company, Gunderman said insurance companies do look at ISO ratings, but the risk is increasing and homeowners’ insurance will continue to go up due to risk and material costs. The ISO rate will increase for the district, but what would have been a few hundred dollars’ decrease appears to be wiped out due to the risk assessment and costs increases, said Gunderman.

Former law enforcement officer/resident Steven Phillips asked if staffing needs are being met for the growth of the district and how many firefighters are close to retirement, and said the number one need for emergency services is training. As a Monument resident for 24 years, he said the dynamics have changed in the last few years, with large warehouses presenting a totally different type of fire. Adding a training center is commendable without a tax increase, said Phillips.

Bradley said the district has not yet met staffing needs and minimum daily staffing per suppression unit is three, but the district is evaluating moving to four. Many of the firefighters are young, but a significant number of staff are five years away from retirement. Denver West Metro has grown so much it cannot train the district firefighters, and CSFD is not accepting outside recruits in 2024, so the district partnered with Pikes Peak State College and BFFRPD to create a combined fire academy last fall.

A few residents raised concern about the voter-approved mill levy increase, noting the district had not included a proposed training facility in the ballot wording, and would the mill levy decrease.

Kovacs said the district relies heavily on property tax revenue and would not be able to operate without it. This November a number of ballot issues will have a direct impact on district funding, but the voter-approved 2017 November ballot measure increasing the district’s mill levy for 2018 was to provide competitive salaries to retain staff and provide enough capital improvement funding to upgrade outdated equipment, replace and maintain ageing apparatus, and upgrade the stations. See http://www.ocn.me/v17n4.htm#tlmfpd and http://www.ocn.me/v17n8.htm#tlmfpd.

At about an hour and 19 minutes into the meeting, an unidentified Zoom member repeatedly interrupted, yelling comments in opposition to the development of the training center and suggested funding be spent on firefighters.

Bradley responded, stating the cost of the training center may sound like a big number on the surface, but the district will not be building every year, and the facility is unlikely to need upgrading for about 40 years. It takes a lot of time for staff to rotate through training, said Bradley.

Note: The district has nine firefighter recruits graduating on May 3 and two firefighters in paramedic school. The district completed a remodel of Station 5, expanding its accommodations, is undergoing a similar remodel at Station 4, and upon completion, plans to remodel Sation 2. The Station 3 rebuild is progressing for a planned 2027 completion. See MFD article on page 15.

The meeting adjourned at 8 p.m.

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Meetings are usually held on the fourth Wednesday of the month. The next regular meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, May 22 at 6:30 p.m. at Station 1, 18650 Highway 105. For Zoom meeting instructions, agendas, minutes, and updates, visit www.monumentfire.org or contact Director of Administration Jennifer Martin at 719-484-9011.

Natalie Barszcz can be reached at nataliebarszcz@ocn.me.

Above: Battalion Chief of Training and EMS Shannon Balvanz answers questions about the proposed three-storied training tower for the undeveloped acreage adjacent to Monument Fire District Station 1, at 18650 Highway 105. Photo by Natalie Barszcz.
 

Other Monument Fire District articles

Lewis-Palmer D38 Parent and Community Advisory Committee, April 9 – Reports on human resources, fiscal stewardship, superintendent search, and possible new charter school

By Harriet Halbig

The Lewis-Palmer D38 Parent and Community Advisory Committee (PCAC) discussed human resources issues, fiscal responsibility, and the superintendent search at its April 9 meeting at Palmer Ridge High School.

Palmer Ridge High School Principal Dr. Adam Frank spoke of his background as a middle school and high school teacher, coach, dean of students, athletic director, and assistant principal. He came to the area in 2021 and praised both high schools for their academic excellence and the character of the students, saying these factors made it a pleasure to be here.

He spoke of two factors that made Palmer Ridge unique. The first is that it was built to include neighborhoods of teachers with individual cubicles. Unlike many schools, these neighborhoods included teachers of various subjects together.

The second is the inclusion of Bear Time in the students’ day. During this 26-minute break, students are free to speak with their teachers. Students are grouped with the same teacher for the entire four years of their tenure at Palmer Ridge.

Frank said that, when asked, students say they value Bear Time and only wish it were longer.

Frank also mentioned great teaching and innovative grading at his school and the emphasis on giving students voice and choice in how they wished to engage at the school.

Dr. Dan Berliner, chairman of the Palmer Ridge Building Accountability Advisory Committee (BAAC) spoke briefly about the committee’s activities.

He said the committee had emphasized teacher engagement this year, specifically inviting teachers to come to meetings and explain such aspects of the school’s curriculum as outdoor learning, Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA), and other programs.

Board of Education update

Board liaison Dr. Patti Shank, reporting for the first time in this role, said there is a great deal to learn when coming onto the board, and said that the most important activity for the last few months was the search for a new superintendent.

She showed a timeline of the search and said that the board had reached a consensus at its April 6 meeting and that contract negotiations were underway.

Shank stressed that all four of the finalists for the position were qualified.

The board was impressed with the amount of input from the community regarding priorities. Over 1,000 individuals responded to the original survey and more that 200 responded following the public forum featuring the candidates.

The announcement of the successful candidate would be made at the April 15 board meeting.

Strategic Plan Priority 2: Academic excellence

Acting Superintendent Amber Whetstine spoke of a new initiative being emphasized by district administration. This involves expanding Career and Technical Education (CTE) in the district.

There is a program called D38 Enterprise, which is housed in the Palmer Lake Early Childhood Center building on the grounds of Grace Best Education Center. As an example of innovative opportunities for learning, students can spend half of their school day in this building and the other half at their regular school location.

The funding for the center was provided by a grant, and activities on site will include learning such skills as manufacturing, printing, engraving, making trophies, and other skills which can generate revenue to continue the program.

District administration is currently looking for a permanent facility for high-tech career programming.

Members of the board toured classrooms in the middle and high schools offering such classes, and surveys of students and families will be conducted to monitor interest.

Whetstine also said new curriculum is being reviewed in the areas of high school world languages and art for grades K-8.

Strategic Plan Priority 3: Valuing our people

Director of Human Resources Alicia Welch reported on the status of employment in the district.

As of the date of the meeting, she said there had been 25 new hires, including 17 teachers, two principals, one assistant principal, one psychologist, and others. All of these vacancies had been the result of attrition.

In addition to those positions, there are three new special education teachers, one early childhood specialist, and some high school deans had been elevated to assistant principals.

Among the 35 remaining vacancies, there are 10 high school teachers, one principal, the director of communications, and vacancies in the Transportation Department.

A new position is a teacher on special assignment to specialize in the use of technology in education.

Welch also reported that there have been 39 separations, of which nine were retirements and 30 were resignations. Of these, only three said that they were leaving to seek better compensation and benefits.

One committee member commented that paraprofessionals are understaffed and that there remains a shortage of substitutes.

Welch concluded by saying she is trying to improve communication between staff and administration by having an open-door policy to hear any concerns, having exit interviews, and supplying a quick response to any concerns. She said that the number of applicants for each position has grown significantly in the last year or so.

To view Welch’s presentation, please see the lewispalmer.org website, family resources, District Accountability Advisory Committee, meeting content.

Strategic Plan Priority 5: Fiscal stewardship

Chief Business Officer Brett Ridgway reported that it appears that the state will provide more funding in the School Finance Act than previously thought. This may allow him to alter the budget to provide an average 6% increase rather than the previously estimated 5.85%. Funding has not yet been finalized.

Ridgway reported that Senate Bill 24-017, which alters the timing at which school funding is provided, has passed and been signed by the governor. This legislation will enable the district to use $8 million previously held in reserve. He said this funding will be directed to enrich the CTE programs in the district.

Ridgway showed a form which had been sent to all schools asking about their spending priorities for the upcoming year. He said that very few schools had responded and that he had hoped that the Financial Transparency and Staff Collaboration committees could use this information to aid in their planning.

One PCAC member commented that very few staff and teachers had been attending Building Accountability Advisory meetings and parent members did not feel well enough informed to give their opinions.

Ridgway said that the results of this form would be reported to the board in May and encouraged all to complete and submit the information.

There was a brief discussion about lack of attendance at BAAC meetings. Part of the problem is that the time of the meetings conflicts with staff schedules. Another member commented that families moving into the area are familiar with PTAs and PTOs and are not aware that BAACs are required by state statute. It was suggested that an information sheet be prepared to distribute at back-to-school nights.

New charter school proposed

Whetstine announced there is a pending application for creation of a new charter school in the district to serve grades K-8. She said PCAC will be actively involved in evaluating the application, which could arrive as soon as late April.

In response to a question, Whetstine said this charter school is not a part of Monument Academy but an entirely new entity.

Committee reports

Ridgway said the Staff Collaboration Committee would meet the following day to discuss increases in the cost of benefits, which are estimated to be 7% of which 5% would be paid by the district and 2% by the employee. The committee will also discuss fees for the upcoming year.

Financial Transparency Committee to meet the following week

Calendar Task Force is working to change the structure of the committee and to create guidelines for creating a new calendar to include recommended start and end dates and winter and spring break guidelines.

The Wellness Committee recently completed a Healthy Heart Wellness Challenge in which schools competed on the basis of participation. Prairie Winds Elementary School won a challenge and a lunch for staff.

The Special Education Advisory Committee is reviewing nominations for the Aliorum De award. There will be three awards, and all nominees will be recognized.

The Gifted Education Leadership Team (GELT) has applied for a $15,000 Universal Screening and Qualified Personnel grant and has requested $68,001 from the Colorado Department of Education (CDE). CDE estimates that it will fulfill 80% of requested funding.

GELT plans to administer the Cognitive Aptitude Test (CogAT) to second-graders this coming year so that teachers can better plan lessons for third-graders. The committee’s annual plan is due in September and will be discussed at its May meeting.

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The Parent and Community Advisory Committee meets six times per year. This is the final meeting of the 2023-24 school year.

Harriet Halbig may be reached at harriethalbig@ocn.me.

Other D38 articles

Monument Academy School Board, April 4, 11, and 25 – Vinchattle named executive director

By Jackie Burhans

Monument Academy (MA) held two special and one regular board meetings in April. The special meeting on April 4 was a public interview of executive director finalists. At its regular meeting on April 11, the board questioned board candidates, discussed the employee handbook, and presented committee reports. At its April 25 special meeting, the board announced its executive director decision, reviewed financials, and heard a proposed budget for FY24-25. The board also considered updating its organization chart and moving employees into different positions.

Executive director

MA had planned to interview all the finalists for its executive director position at its April 4 meeting. Board President Ryan Graham noted that 278 applications came in and that the hiring committee had narrowed it down to fewer than 10, and the board narrowed it down to three: Joshua Yancy, Colin Vinchattle, and David Stanfield. He said that Yancy and Stanfield had withdrawn their applications. Graham said the community voice matters, so the board should proceed with the interview.

Vinchattle thanked the board for the opportunity to be part of the process and team, saying that MA was important to his family, with two children attending and his wife working as an elementary teacher. He spoke of his 17 years in education, including his time as MA’s middle school principal for the last two years. He has a teacher, coach, principal, school board member, and superintendent background. He has worked in charters and traditional public schools in small communities and large school districts. He looks forward to working with the board to care for staff, students, and families.

In response to board questions, Vinchattle said his leadership style was that of a shepherd, prioritizing resources to benefit students and providing the tools teachers need. He said meeting academic growth goals boils down to quality instruction and that he would hire teachers based on their love for children and, if necessary, teach them to teach. He felt it essential to get principals in the classroom and allow them to coach the teachers. Vinchattle said the MA community already wants to invest and that he would build relationships with the district and get out in the community to make connections.

He said his strengths are passion, loyalty, and hard work, adding that his weaknesses are an inability to say no, learning to make tough decisions and have tough conversations, and pausing to celebrate the wins. MA’s biggest challenge, Vinchattle noted, is ensuring it is fiscally sound and invests in its strategic growth. He closed by saying that public speaking is not his greatest strength but that he is a man of action.

The board went into executive session to receive legal advice on specific legal matters related to an employment investigation and for personnel matters regarding school administrators. When it returned, the board did not take action on the executive director position. It announced that Vinchattle would be the interim building principal for both the middle and high school until the end of June in light of the unexpected recent resignation of the high school Principal David Kennington.

At its April 11 meeting, the board unanimously approved having the HR subcommittee and legal counsel enter contract negotiations with Vinchattle.

At the April 25 special meeting, the board went into executive session for legal advice regarding administrator contract matters and advice to negotiators regarding executive director contract and consultant contract matters, and related discussion of personnel performance and evaluation. The board returned after an hour and unanimously approved the employment agreement, a proposal by Lis Richard of Helping Schools Thrive for mentorship services, and decided to have Vinchattle start as executive director on June 1.

Note: Lis Richard served as principal at Monument Academy until 2017, when she left to become superintendent at Creede, Colo.

Graham noted that Interim Executive Director Kim McClelland had been brought on initially for six months but had served for 18 months. Graham said it was a blessing to have her and that MA has been a family to her.

Board election

At the regular meeting, board member Matt Ross announced that there had been six candidates for the two open board seats, but one had pulled out. The remaining candidates are Lindsay Clinton (current board vice president), Jelinda Dygert, Jeffrey Henry, Christina McLuckie, and Wendi Pacheco.

The candidates introduced themselves in opening statements and answered questions from the board, with each candidate getting a chance to answer first. Candidates fielded questions about how long they had been at MA and why they wanted to run; MA’s greatest challenges and strengths; how they would support current school policies and board resolutions with regards to parental rights and student privacy; what strengths they would bring to the board; ideas for additional funding to support MA; how to balance board decisions with teacher and parent input; their view of classical/core knowledge programs; and how to find unity when facing a difficult board decision.

Candidates also answered what their top three goals were; the primary role of school administrators and to what degree they should be free to make decisions based on MA’s philosophy and policies; whether they believed parents have a fundamental right to direct the upbringing of their children; what was their moral standard; a time when they were attacked for an unpopular decision; the role of schools in providing for the mental health of their students; and whether they were prepared for the pressure of public life.

The questions and answers are available on YouTube at https://bit.ly/ma-special-04Apr2.

At the end of the questioning, Ross thanked the candidates. He said he would solicit additional community questions for the candidates to answer in writing. The MA board election opened on April 22 and closed on April 30, listing the candidates randomly. The board clarified that each stakeholder in a household would be able to vote for up to two candidates, and the top two vote-getters would fill the open seats.

Financials and budget

At the April 11 meeting, financial consultant Glenn Gustafson had Laura Polen, secondary campus registrar, present the February financials. He noted that MA had collected $15,000 of $47,000 in delinquent student fees.

Gustafson said he had met with three bond firms that could refinance MA’s bonds and cross-collateralize both campuses if needed. The bad news, he said, is that interest rates are high at 6.9%, but MA has until 2026, and he feels interest rates will come down. He noted that MA could refinance its 2019 debt structure for the East Campus, free up some money to acquire a parking lot for the West Campus, and add an academic wing on the East Campus and possibly some athletic facilities.

Gustafson noted that he is working with Operations Director Jake Dicus to get requests for proposals (RFPs) for copiers, IT support, snow plowing, and more. He noted that it cost MA $28,000 for snow removal at the East Campus after the big storm in March.

Polen reported on the General Fund, Preschool Fund, Facilities Corporation for the West Campus Bonds, Foundation Corporation for the East Campus Bonds, and the Student Activity Fund. She noted that MA is awaiting five revenue streams: Gala fundraising; Federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) funds of $12,000; an IRS Refund from FY21-22 of $120,000; the shared Mill Levy Override (MLO) funds from D38; and the Employee Retention Tax Credit (ERTC) funds of $1 million. Gustafson noted that the ERTC funds were in limbo, citing a Gazette article about the IRS dealing with fraudulent applications.

At the April 25 meeting, Polen presented the March financials as well as the Q3 financials. Gustafson noted that MA paid some big bills in April. He thanked Polen for her work, saying she continues to grow and do more of the process as he does less.

For the draft proposed FY24-25 budget, Gustafson said most districts and charters use incremental-based budgeting, showing the difference from the past year. He noted that the School Finance Act is still pending, but he is projecting per-pupil revenue (PPR) at $10,791, nearly $700 more per student. His best guess on enrollment shows a big drop of 40 students due to the bubble at fifth grade, which is moving to sixth grade and, hopefully, to the East Campus. He noted that $10,000 per student represented about $400,000 in lost revenue. He expects MA to stabilize and gently grow. Middle school is very steady, and MA is looking at an increase of 22 students in high school. He expects an overall decline of 12 students, but MA must account for each school separately according to bond agreements.

For expenses, Gustafson noted that previous pay raises were big, but MA would have to dial back to hit its bond targets. He said MA is looking at an average 3% salary increase, which will cost $181,000 plus another $211,000 in benefits. MA will have to deficit spend about $10,000 on its new home school enrichment program for the first year, but he expects it to break even in the long run and become a pipeline to bring kids into the school. MA will reallocate expenses for administrators, information technology (IT), and human resources (HR) between the West and East Campus as enrollments shift.

Next, he added requests from administrators and principals on the West Campus and other necessary items. He added another one-half school resource officer (SRO) and expects the cost from the Town of Monument to increase significantly. MA expects to lose two teachers at West Campus from attrition due to the drop in enrollment. Gustafson added funds for professional development and to acquire land for a parking lot on West Campus, which is critical.

The “big gorilla” in the budget for West Campus is the failing heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) units. There are nine units, and each will cost $100,000 to replace. He is requesting to add funds to replace two of them in next year’s budget, asking for a thumbs up so he can get started with a formal vote at the May meeting. The West Campus budget has a surplus of $118,000 without the HVAC units. Gustafson, noting that the Preschool Fund has $100,000, proposed moving a significant portion to the General Fund to cover the HVAC units.

The budget increases snow plowing and maintenance, adds a school psychologist, increases marketing, and adds money to improve board technology. The new budget hopes to spend less on legal and to account for software subscriptions and supplies used by HR. MA is also considering adding classes such as physics and teacher assistants to take the load off Middle School teachers who teach during their planning period, which is not a best practice, he said.

Other expenses include half of a custodial assistant, additional instructional supplies, restoring professional development to East Campus, and a budget for Title 9 investigations. The total costs at West Campus are $1.1 million, and there is only $900,000 in new revenue, so the difference would have to come from reserves, Gustafson said.

For East Campus, Gustafson said he wanted to make it a priority to start building MA’s bond compliance reserve. MA should budget 10% as its debt service coverage ratio is 1.1. With $7 million in revenue, the reserve should be $700,000. MA has never made that ratio and hasn’t had any pushback yet, but it needs to start being a good steward and meeting its bond covenant agreement. Gustafson proposes to budget $200,000 as a start that the bond company would applaud.

Clinton asked why the budget prioritizes a social worker/psychologist over a teacher. Vinchattle noted that the responsibility fell on him and Assistant Principal Angela Duca in some areas where they lacked the skills and time. He said that a mental health professional is needed to help with a threat assessment or a suicide assessment.

Finally, Gustafson said he hopes to lower the school’s contribution to insurance by leveraging Peak Benefits. He said the total premium could drop for employees and save up to $1,000 monthly. The transition will be gentle, so people won’t be required to change their primary care physician, but if they go to the Pinnacol Group, there will be several benefits. It is hard to break away from the current broker, but this seems a win-win as staff would get better health care at a lower cost. It moves from being fully insured to having employees more invested in their health care. It is not self-funding but is heading that way to cut out the middleman. He hopes to bring a contract to the May meeting to be approved.

Gustafson said MA needed to get its budget to D38 a month ahead of D38’s June deadline and will ask the board to approve the budget at its May meeting.

Reorganization

McClelland said that the most significant change to the organizational chart was not having two principals at the secondary campus but having one principal, one assistant principal, and one dean to save money. Graham said a parent asked at a recent coffee chat if that was a good idea. Vinchattle said it would result in one vision, one line of communication, and one resource for teachers and students. He also said it avoided competing interests and noted it made sense from a fiscal standpoint, but that might change as MA gets to full capacity. McClelland said MA should post the secondary principal position as soon as possible and could decide the structure at the May board meeting.

Gustafson asked if the board needed to approve other organizational changes involving current employees, such as moving Polen into the finance director position. Vinchattle said hiring a principal might require filling other positions if internal staff applied, saying the new principal would decide who to hire for assistant principal and dean. After some discussion, Graham and Clinton emphasized their concern that the process be legally compliant. Director of People Operations Krista Pelley said she would review the posting requirements with legal counsel.

Highlights

Board meeting highlights include:

  • The board approved updates to the Employee Handbook, which designates the executive director as the approver and sets a schedule for paying out unused leave.
  • Graham said the road in front of the school would be completed in the fall and would create a second loop in front of the building. MA will remove the temporary fence, and the gates to the back part of the school will be closed during the school day.
  • Ross reported for the School Accountability and Advisory Committee (SAAC) on the West Campus that Colorado Measures of Academic Success (CMAS) participation had increased from 60% to 80%. The PTO has been busy and has many volunteer opportunities, and the end-of-year survey was closed on April 29.
  • Clinton reported that the SAAC East surveys would be out shortly.

**********

The MA School Board meets at 6:30 p.m. on the second Thursday of each month. The next regular board meeting will be on Thursday, May. 9, at 6:30 p.m. at the East Campus. See more information at https://bit.ly/ma-boe.

Jackie Burhans can be reached at jackieburhans@ocn.me.

Above: After a lengthy search, the Monument Academy (MA) school board selected Colin Vinchattle from a pool of 278 applicants to be its next executive director. Vinchattle (left), who has served as MA’s Middle School principal for the last two years, will step into his new role on June 1. The board interviewed Vinchattle on April 4, followed by a meet-and-greet event with parents. Photo by Jackie Burhans.

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Black Forest Fire/Rescue Protection District, April 13 and April 17 – Board considers policy solutions; discusses long-range planning; approves by-law changes

By Natalie Barszcz

The Black Forest Fire Rescue Protection District (BFFRPD) board held a workshop on April 13 to discuss the policy-making authority, financial policies, long-range planning, and asset management planning. At the regular meeting on April 17, the board approved changes to its by-laws and considered a proposal from Lexipol to develop the district policy manual. The board discussed the long-range planning and asset management/maintenance plan policies and a proposal to engage a consultant to develop a district master plan. The board also discussed the sale of the reserve tender.

Fire Chief PJ Langmaid was unavailable during the April 17 meeting.

Board of Directors by-law revisions

Chair Nate Dowden thanked the directors, Langmaid, Logistics and Planning Officer Rachel Dunn, and this reporter for attending the workshop on April 13, and as discussed during the workshop recommended adopting multiple revisions to the board by-laws:

  • The vice chair shall preside in the absence of the chair.
  • The board may appoint an additional director to the Budget Committee. In the past the committee consisted of the executive staff and the board treasurer.
  • The Budget Committee shall be responsible for drafting the annual budget.
  • The board shall adopt the overall budget and make a resolution to do so.
  • Another director may be appointed to the permanent Annual Audit Committee.
  • The recording secretary shall keep the district seal.

The board unanimously approved the changes to the board by-laws as presented.

Dowden said the district’s attorney, Linda Glesne, confirmed that no restrictions are imposed when moving line items within the overall total approved annual budget.

Lexipol proposal

Dowden said the board directors had received the Lexipol proposal for consideration in the 2025 budget, should the board believe there is a need to develop a district policy manual. Lexipol provides a standard service to craft policies in accordance with applicable industry and regulatory standards. A considerable amount of time would be involved for staff to develop district policies, said Dowden.

Treasurer Jack Hinton said that after reading the Lexipol proposal three times, it presents as “boiler plate,” and he voiced concern about not receiving a tailored set of policies and would prefer incorporating the district’s existing policies. He wondered if the extensive Lexipol policies would then need approving by Glesne, further increasing the cost. The Lexipol cost for start-up is $17,802 with $10,856 for the annual subscription and additional attorney fees for 2025. He asked if something else presents during the year and the district needs another policy, would an additional fee be incurred. For example, the operation of the training trailer and the development of a policy for best practices regarding service animals, he said.

Vice Chair Kiersten Tarvainen said it would be beneficial to have the representative present via Zoom at the May meeting to answer the board’s specific questions.

Dowden said it makes no sense to continue writing the policy manual if the district decides to contract with Lexipol, and it would be useful to know if Glesne would need to provide additional review.

A Lexipol policy representative joined the meeting via Zoom at 8:03 p.m. and confirmed Lexipol employs retired firefighters that are knowledgeable about the Colorado Revised Statutes, state legislation, and any applicable federal laws, and said:

  • Lexipol can help develop content for additional policies and incorporate nuanced district policies, but ideally the district would adopt the standard polices in compliance with industry standards.
  • The district could receive guidance on how to write and draft additional procedures, but Lexipol would not advise as a lawyer.
  • The average district typically does not change more than 15%-20% of the content provided by Lexipol, but the district is more than welcome to restructure the language provided.
  • Revisions and updates are made quarterly.
  • New procedures can be made during the initial development of the district policy manual.
  • Lexipol can help build and organize procedures into the system but cannot review, verify, or validate whether it is constitutionally sound.
  • The district could pro-rate the subscription from July through December for about $5,428 and pay the start-up costs and the annual renewal when the budget resets in January.
  • Daily two-minute training bulletins and rapid interventions are included in the Lexipol subscription and are available to the district firefighters online and through the mobile app.

Hinton requested the executive staff find funding in the current budget to reallocate for a pro-rated subscription through 2024 and allow Lexipol to begin developing the district policy manual.

Long-range planning

During the board workshop, Langmaid said the district cannot hire additional line staff without additional revenue due to a lack of accommodation at both stations, and he recommended hiring a consultant to develop a master plan. Once the maximum exclusion of properties is reached at the southern portion of the district, a property tax revenue loss of about $500,000 will occur for 2025. See www.ocn.me/v24n1.htm#bffrpd. The district needs to know what the future will look like in the next five to 10 years and may need to look at partnerships beyond mutual aid and explore a fire authority, said Langmaid.

At the regular meeting, Dowden said the board and the executive staff had a difference of opinion on where the district needs to be on long-range planning, and he asked about the genesis of the consultant proposals from Emergency Services Consulting International (ESCI) and AP Triton presented to the board at the workshop.

Dunn said the executive staff began discussing engaging consultants last October and solicited the consulting options. Both companies are experienced in assessing the size and scope for large to small districts and can help project the revenue needed. The consultant firms can pull all the data, a task that would take district staff much longer. ESCI conducted master plans for Palmer Lake Fire Department and Monument Fire District (MFD), and AP Triton performs similar work, said Dunn.

Director Jim Abendschan said he experienced three master plans during his fire service career and the process is only valuable if the district has the means to act on the recommendations, otherwise it is a waste of money. The only three issues that could affect the district in the future are:

  • The development at Flying Horse North.
  • How much of the district the City of Colorado Springs might annex.
  • The possible creation of a Fire Authority with another department.

Other than those changes, a master plan would not have a big effect on the district’s long-range plan, said Abendschan.

Hinton said he seems to have opened a quagmire requesting a long-range planning tool. He wanted to keep it simple so the district can predict facility upgrades and apparatus and equipment needs in the future. He did not anticipate spending $20,000 hiring consultants to generate a master plan, just a simple document, a tool to provide solutions on when to make large purchases and renovations, said Hinton.

Dunn said she had begun a massive spreadsheet for equipment replacement, tasking the lieutenants to assess the station needs. A spreadsheet was created for each item, such as radios and the cost of extractors for decontaminating bunker gear, to include the depreciation value. If the district wants to hire additional staff, the existing 11 bedrooms between both stations will need to increase. After working through the procedure with Langmaid, they thought hiring a consultant to predict the districts future needs could be beneficial, said Dunn.

Hinton said the board does not know the time periods for when equipment is likely to expire, and it is often an educated guess but necessary for the budget development, but he did not mean the tool to become a full-blown master plan and a complicated mess, he said.

Dowden said the directors are looking heavily at proposed policies 400.11—Asset management/maintenance plan and 600.01—Long-range planning, and as discussed at the workshop the consensus of the board was to focus there. There was no appetite to engage in a 10-to-20-year strategic plan to know where Black Forest could be heading with proposed developments in the north and south of the district.

The board does not need that level of information today, and he recommended the staff focus on developing the spreadsheets for asset and equipment needs and depreciation. The board needs additional time to review the two consultant proposals, but there is no burning timeline to hire a consultant to develop a master plan, said Dowden.

The board tabled adopting policies 400.11 and 600.1 until the May meeting, allowing it additional time to review the consultant proposals and compare the policies.

Banking signatures

Hinton said the authorized bank signatures needed to be cleared up, and the process should be an action item after every board director election and when there is staff turnover. The bank needs to be informed of the staff and directors who leave the district, and district Administrative Officer Lisa Emry needs to be added as a point of contact with the bank, but not a signee. He requested Directors Abendschan, Tarvainen, and Chad Behnken complete a signature card with the bank.

Note: During the workshop, Hinton said the signature cards were out of date and two former board directors and the retired deputy chief were still recorded as signees at the bank.

The board unanimously approved the reaffirming of authorized signatures for the current directors to authorize and sign checks, and authorized Emry to initiate wire transfers with First National Bank of Las Animas.

Abendschan suggested a road trip to complete the signature cards.

Financial update

Hinton said the expenditures as of March 31 were at 24.8% and the district was under budget and should be about 25% of the annual budgeted amount. The district has about $3.941 million in assets (of which about $1.912 million is in the Operational Checking account for daily operations) and had received about $442,046 in revenue. The district received the final payment of $108,272 in wildland deployment revenue for the financial year 2023. He asked Dunn to discuss extra funds to invest before the next meeting.

Dunn confirmed the district had no outstanding revenue expected for wildland deployment from 2023 and the district received $30,725 in ambulance revenue.

The board unanimously accepted the financial report as presented.

Chief’s report

Dunn presented the chief’s report for March and said the following:

  • The district acquired a 1999 Type 6 (brush truck) from MFD for $2,500. The apparatus will be used by the district Mechanic Gavin Smith as a fleet maintenance truck.
  • A state grant of about $8,000 was awarded for paramedic school, and the district submitted a grant request with Pikes Peak State College for Career Advanced Colorado Grants for the recruits.
  • An Assistance to Firefighters Grant for increasing the district’s Self Contained Breathing Apparatus units was denied.
  • The total monthly training hours was 1,569, including EMS and fire training with MFD, and night training on fireground operations.
  • The district had an average volume of 71 calls for service.
  • The tender was expected to be in service April 23 or 24.

Note: At the Feb. 21 meeting, the board approved the payment of a new tender truck to include a $3,000 change fee for painting for a total of $349,849.50. The board objected to an interest charge of $1,600 added by Front Range Apparatus, which was not included in the original contract, and subsequently the board did not approve the interest charge. The funds are being drawn from the capital improvement fund.

Reserve tender sale proposal

Dowden said the board received a request to sell the reserve tender 2883, a Type 24 freightliner, in service since 1999, purchased for $150,000, with an odometer reading 14,351miles.

Dunn said Smith had received an appraisal from Brindlee Mountain Fire Apparatus, Huntsville, Ala., for $30,000 to $40,000 in January 2023, but this February the quote was only $20,000. Rock Bottom Propane has offered $30,000 to purchase the freightliner without the pump, tank, and body that could be consigned for an additional $3,000-$5,000.

Fire/Medic Heather Heath said, “The tank leaks like a sieve.”

Dunn said the reserve tender is taking up space and has sat in the barn since 2021; the apparatus is depreciating in value.

The board was not prepared to sell the apparatus until further information can be found on the drive train, a tank replacement, or possible repurposing.

Mutual aid correspondence

Dowden conveyed notes of thanks for providing mutual aid on March 24 to the Armdale Heights duplex fire near Dublin Boulevard, and for assisting with the Boggsville Fire March 2-4 in the City of Las Animas, Bent County. The fires received mutual aid from multiple districts.

The regular meeting adjourned at 8:50 p.m.

**********

Meetings are usually held on the third Wednesday of the month at Station 1, 11445 Teachout Road, Colorado Springs. Meetings are open to the public in person or via Zoom. The next regular meeting is scheduled for May l5 at 7 p.m. For joining instructions, updates, agendas, minutes, and reports, visit https://bffire.org or contact the Administrative Office at Admin@bffire.org or call 719-495-4300.

Natalie Barszcz can be reached at nataliebarszcz@ocn.me.

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