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D38 Parent and Community Advisory Committee, Jan. 9 – Discussion of Priority 1, D38 Foundation report

By Harriet Halbig

The Lewis-Palmer D38 Parent and Community Advisory Committee (PCAC), formerly known as the District Accountability Advisory Committee, had a lengthy discussion of Priority 1 of the district’s strategic plan regarding the provision of safe and healthy schools, a report on grants from the D38 Foundation, and a presentation on Lewis-Palmer High School at its Jan. 9 meeting.

Priority 1: Cultivate safe, healthy, and welcoming schools

Executive Director of Student Services Rick Frampton reported on the district’s efforts to implement Priority 1.

The district executed a number of actions to ensure safety in schools. These included the construction of security vestibules at several schools, crisis response and preparedness training, and improvement of communications between the schools and first responders in the event of an emergency.

The district worked to ensure mental and social wellness among its students by offering support in partnership with parents. The goal is to make students feel welcome in the school environment and feel to be members of the school community.

In a recent student survey, 85% of elementary students and 74% of secondary students said they feel safe at school, while over 70% at each level reported feeling to be a member of the school community.

Frampton reported on discipline issues in the district where there were 135 suspensions at the elementary and secondary levels in the 2022-23 school year and 18 expulsions.

He said that suspensions and expulsions are effective when combined with efforts to bring students back into the school environment.

In response to a question from a committee member, Frampton said that a major problem is vaping on school grounds. The district is fortunate not to have experience with fentanyl exposure, he said, but all schools have a supply of Narcan on hand and staff has been trained to use it in case of overdoses. He said that fights and weapons have not been a problem.

A committee member commented that student mental health became a problem following the 9/11 attacks, and the problem has increased following the COVID pandemic. She said the district does not have enough counselors and that students need to learn to treat each other with respect. She said the advantage of being in a relatively small district is that we know each other and should be able to look for those students who don’t have a stable family life.

Frampton described the district’s seven-member security team, some of whom are district employees and two of whom are school resource officers associated with the Sheriff’s Office. He said all members of the team have extensive law enforcement experience.

Staff training was provided in such areas as crisis response, risk assessment, threat assessment, discipline, attendance, and mandatory reporting.

D38 Foundation report

Executive Director Stephanie Palzkill of the D38 Foundation reported on the first set of Inspire Grants.

The foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization which was founded in 1994 and active through 2009. It then was dormant until 2022, when it was reactivated. The district had maintained the nonprofit paperwork during the inactive period.

The foundation’s Board of Trustees and officers are all volunteers from the community, with a liaison from the Board of Education and the superintendent serving as a non-voting member.

The goal of the foundation is to foster creativity and innovation in the classroom beyond district funding capabilities.

Representatives of the foundation visited all district schools including Monument Academy during the fall to encourage applications for the first set of grants for student projects.

This year the foundation had $17,000 available for grants and received $70,000 in requests.

The foundation committee funded six projects:

  • Lego Spike Robotics program at Lewis-Palmer Elementary.
  • Ceramics kiln at Monument Academy.
  • Outdoor learning lab at Palmer Ridge High School.
  • Sensory room at Prairie Winds Elementary School.
  • Sensory room at Bear Creek Elementary School.
  • Drama program at Lewis-Palmer High School.

Recipients of grants must submit midterm and final reports on the projects, acknowledge the funding source, return unused funds, submit photos or videos illustrating the project, and complete the project by the end of the school year.

For further information on the foundation, please go to d38foundation.org.

Lewis-Palmer High School presentation

Principal Bridget O’Connor and four student assistants offered a presentation on Lewis-Palmer High School. Included were examples of student projects, goals of the school, multiple pathways past graduation including advanced placement classes and concurrent and dual enrollment enabling students to earn college credit while in high school, career and technical education offering the possibility of earning an associate degree in biomedical science or engineering while in high school, and career education offering internships and training in such areas as business and marketing, computer science, construction, technology, graphic arts, newspaper, and video production.

To view the presentation, please go to lewispalmer.org, family resources, committees, and meeting content.

Ascent Church report

Jonathan Martin from Ascent Church reported on its partnership with the district to support student mental health.

The church sponsors a 5k race in September called the Run 4 Hope. This year’s race raised $25,000, which will be distributed to School Districts 20 and 38 to support anti-suicide and other mental health initiatives.

Adult training in mental health was also offered last summer.

Committee Co-chair Holly Rollins commented that there seems to be an increase in perpetual anxiety among students and advised that parents learn to listen to their students and not assume that they know the source. Be willing to chat to uncover information without judging or advising solutions.

Board of Education Liaison Tiffiney Upchurch commented that the board stresses this priority and said that the partnership between district staff and parents is critical.

Rollins said it is critical to destigmatize mental health problems.

Committee updates

The Financial Transparency Committee has met once in December. The group is discussing its priorities and learning about educational finance.

The Staff Collaboration Committee is learning about new Human Resources law.

The Wellness Committee met in the fall to make a plan for the year and will meet again in the spring to share wellness practices.

The Gifted Education Leadership Team is determining how best to communicate with parents regarding eligibility for services.

The Calendar Committee, after first creating a calendar to accommodate a four-day week, is now beginning again on the calendar for 2024-25. They want to explore creating board policy regarding the calendar, such as designating certain school holidays and the start and end dates of each year.

The Special Education Advisory Committee, which allows parents to provide input regarding practices and procedures for students with disabilities and advocates for students, sponsors an annual parent questionnaire and the Aliorum Dei award to honor those who make a difference in the lives of students with disabilities. Nomination applications are available from Feb. 14 through March 13 with the ceremony to take place on April 24.

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The Parent and Community Advisory Committee meets six times a year. Locations vary. The next meeting will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Feb. 13 at Prairie Winds Elementary School, 790 Kings Deer Point E. For information, please contact tmckee@lewispalmer.org.

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

Other Lewis-Palmer D38 Parent and Community Advisory Committee (PCAC) articles

Lewis-Palmer District 38 Board of Education, Dec. 5 and 11 – Board installs members, discusses four-day week and fall surveys, and announces departure of superintendent

By Harriet Halbig

Following certification of November election results, the Lewis-Palmer D38 Board of Education held a special meeting to administer oaths of office and elect officers as required by state statute.

Newly elected members of the board are Dr. Patti Shank and Todd Brown. Continuing members are Kris Norris, Ron Schwarz, and Tiffiney Upchurch.

Following the oaths of office, Upchurch was nominated to serve as president and Norris as vice president. There were no other nominations for the two offices, and they were elected on a voice vote. Shank was elected secretary and Schwarz was elected treasurer.

Upchurch then said that Chief Business Officer Brett Ridgway would serve as assistant treasurer and Vicki Wood would serve as assistant secretary.

Upchurch then appointed Brown as director at large.

Members of the board then signed affidavits of confidentiality.

Following the special meeting, a work session was held to receive a report from Schneider Electric following the end of the construction phase of its program to reduce energy and utility costs for the district and to improve security measures. To view the PowerPoint of this report, please see boarddocs under the Board of Education tab on the lewispalmer.org website.

Superintendent KC Somers then introduced new members to the district’s strategic plan, policies, committee structure, and members of the administration.

Departure of superintendent announced

As part of his board member comment, Schwarz said that Somers had sent an email to staff on Nov. 30 announcing that he has accepted a position in Peoria, Ariz. That district has 36,000 students compared to D38’s 6,500 and 4,000 staff in comparison it D38’s 800.

Schwarz said that statistics show that a superintendent will generally stay in a position for three to six years. He said D38 was fortunate to have Somers for five years and he wished him the best. Somers will finish the school year at D38.

Four-day week discussion

During the Dec. 11 regular meeting, the board had a lengthy discussion about changing to a four-day week schedule beginning in the 2024-25 school year.

Somers reminded the board that the primary reason for considering the change was to determine whether it would help with staff retention since efforts to significantly increase compensation have been stymied. A task force was created last summer to consider the issue.

Assistant Superintendent Amber Whetstine and Human Resources Director Alice Welch presented results of surveys and private conversations with staff on the subject. To view this presentation, please see boarddocs under the Board of Education tab on the lewispalmer.org website.

When asked whether families had been consulted, Somers responded that unless results of the surveys showed overwhelming support from staff, families would not be consulted.

Whetstine said that advantages of a four-day week could include:

  • Time for staff to attend personal appointments.
  • Improved morale.
  • Potential financial benefits if staff desired a second job.
  • More consistency in calendar since we already have several four-day weeks.

Negative impacts could include:

  • Interference with athletic programs due to later dismissal times. Athletes potentially would miss class time.
  • Child care costs.
  • Families may extend three-day weekends into four days for travel.
  • Concerns for students who receive free or reduced meals.
  • Concerns for students receiving special needs services.

Unknown impacts include:

  • Ease of transition for students.
  • Impact on learning.
  • Impact on support for future mill levy overrides (MLOs).
  • Impact on staff retention.

Somers was asking the board whether they would advise continuing to research the option or take other action. He said that he would feel most confident if the staff showed a 66% or better inclination to stay if the change were made. Some staff said they would leave if the change were implemented.

Somers said the district is coming up on the open enrollment period when parents need to decide whether to keep their children in District 38 and parents in adjoining districts wish to have their children in District 38. For this reason, it would be wise to make a statement one way or another.

Regarding retention, Somers said that he would like to cut the turnover rate in half, but this is not the only way to influence it.

One member remarked that with the rate of new construction in the district and the potential of lower-cost housing, new families may be more affected by additional child-care costs.

Shank commented that it would be unwise to do something so disruptive unless we were convinced it would solve the problem.

Upchurch said she has researched the 120 districts in the state which currently have four-day weeks and there is no solid evidence of impact on student performance. She also commented that, if the district were to gain many new students through this change, it may not have anywhere to put them. No districts have returned to five-day weeks after the change.

Upchurch, Shank, and Brown suggested charging Somers and staff with finding other solutions to the problems of compensation and retention.

Somers said that the board will need to approve the 2024-25 calendar in January.

Schwarz commented that the 20% increase in salary achieved by the staff in the last few years has not impacted the district’s standing compared to adjoining districts. We are still about 8% behind. We need to let the staff know if we are no longer pursuing the four-day week.

Shank agreed that the staff needs to know they are being heard.

Upchurch said she had hoped for a more definitive result from discussions and surveys. She honored the work of the task force and calendar committee but concluded that the board wishes the staff to explore other solutions to the compensation problem.

Fall survey discussion

Welch and Whetstine reported on results of surveys of students, parents, and staff during the fall.

To view the details of the surveys, please see boarddocs.

This was the second time the students had been surveyed and it was shown that they felt safe in their school environment, they knew an adult they could go to for help, and they felt a part of the school community.

The parent and staff surveys were administered by outside vendor Huron Studer Education. Because this was the first year for both surveys, it will be used as a benchmark. Participants included 540 families and 469 staff (out of about 800).

The families responded that they felt the schools were clean and safe, that education of students was a priority, and students and families were treated with respect. They also responded that they would like to receive more frequent messages or feedback on student performance.

Staff respondents said that they felt that their work positively impacts the community and they have a clear understanding of the goals of the organization and a sense of pride in where they work. As for opportunities, staff said they would like more feedback on their performance and better allocation of resources to maximize effectiveness across the district and in each location.

Recognitions

Please see boarddocs for the superintendent update on district achievements.

The board recognized the Palmer Ridge High School state champion girls gymnastics and volleyball teams.

Gymnastics coach Kathy Clowes was named state gymnastics coach of the year and volleyball coach Erica Bradley was named volleyball coach of the year. Corey Anderson was named volleyball player of the year.

Greg Saunders (pictured below) was confirmed as the new principal of Ray Kilmer Elementary. He had served in an interim capacity since last July and had previously been vice principal at Lewis-Palmer High School.

Above: At the regular Board of Education meeting, D38 board President Tiffiney Upchurch recognizes newly elected and re-elected board members. From left are Treasurer Ron Schwarz, Vice President Kris Norris, Secretary Dr. Patti Shank, Upchurch, and Director Todd Brown. Photo by Jackie Burhans.

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The Lewis-Palmer D38 Board of Education generally meets at 6 p.m. on the third Monday of the month at the district’s learning center, 146 Jefferson St., Monument. The next meeting will be on Jan. 22.

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

Other D38 Board of Education articles

Monument Academy School Board, Dec. 14 – Board hears about midyear budget, enrollment/retention, fundraising plans

By Jackie Burhans

The Monument Academy (MA) School Board met on Dec. 14 and went directly into executive session to discuss the purchase of real property and for legal advice on matters regarding the parental rights policy. No action was taken afterward. Treasurer Joe Buczkowski noted that the governance committee had received many community comments on the parental rights policy, has been researching the topic, and hopes to address this more in the January meeting.

The board also heard about its amended 2023-24 budget, plans for fundraising, and updates on a variety of policies.

Midyear budget

Financial consultant Glenn Gustafson reminded the board that the state allows for a midyear process where schools can amend their budget based on new information such as fund balances, final staffing numbers, and final per pupil revenue (PPR) amounts. For FY2023-24, the bad news is that MA’s enrollment was flat from last year and down from the enrollment projection. This represents a loss of $1.1 million in PPR, as well as $71,000 in mill levy override money and some student fees.

MA has had to make significant adjustments to its budget but has tried to keep cuts away from the classroom, Gustafson said. MA restructured its teacher compensation to be more competitive and has fully funded its debt service bond payments. Gustafson said that the team went through every single line item looking for opportunities. He noted that tax revenues come in between February and July. Increased interest income has helped, along with new special education (SPED) grants. A $400,000 emergency connectivity grant was received, which had been applied for by MA’s former CFO Marc Brocklehurst. He noted that thanks to Operations Manager Jake Dicus, there were facility rental revenues from both campuses and that MA had used gifts and donations to help balance the budget but was still a little short at East Campus.

Under expenditures, Gustafson added a line item for MA to purchase land for a parking lot at West Campus and looked at revising its HVAC, copier, shredding, custodial, and custodial supplies contracts. He thanked principals for enforcing color copy rules since each color copy costs 10 times what a black-and-white copy costs.

In summary, he thinks MA is well-positioned for the 2024-25 fiscal year when he is expecting a 5% increase in PPR or about $700 per pupil. He said that MA will not have the big costs for the modular buildings this coming year nor the big Internal Revenue Service (IRS) penalty it had two years ago. MA will be more conservative with its budget and try to make sure it will be in compliance with bond covenants. Finally, he noted he was working on restructuring the Finance Department with his transition.

The board unanimously approved the resolutions to appropriate funds for the midyear amended budget, to use a portion of its beginning fund balance as required by state statute, and to approve an interfund borrowing resolution. The interfund borrowing resolution allows MA to borrow $250,000 from its general fund and $100,000 from the preschool fund. The resolution does not specify the use of the borrowed amounts but states that the loans must be repaid when those funds are required to meet obligations or no later than three months after the beginning of the following budget year. In last month’s article on MA, Buczkowski noted that the Finance Committee had discussed borrowing from the West Campus to lend to the East Campus (see www.ocn.me/v23n12.htm#ma).

Enrollment/retention marketing plan

Interim Chief Operating Officer Kim McClelland introduced Kendra Kuhlmann from Marketing, Elementary School Registrar Lena Gross, and Secondary Campus Registrar Laura Polen to present their strategic plan for enrollment and retention.

Gross said the team had made changes they hoped would make a true difference. They had gotten a 96% response rate from the West Campus and an 89% response rate from the East Campus. They added “undecided” as an option and asked what the most important factor would be in parents’ decision. The team expected to begin calculating the enrollment numbers and sharing them with the administration team.

Polen said the previous year’s enrollment process has been revised and streamlined. One change was to have a separate form for preschool since they ask about potty training. The data is automatically transferred from a Google form to a spreadsheet, eliminating manual data entry. The data is displayed by grade, and they can see waitlist numbers and priorities by applying a filter in addition to showing who has an MA sibling and tracking MA’s responses by email or phone.

The team also created email template responses that they can customize and have coordinated on tour information. Polen said that the team does a pre-enrollment record request, and Kuhlmann added that they might meet with parents to discuss attendance issues and create an attendance contract. Polen said that the ParentSquare system has been very helpful in getting out information and ensuring they are not duplicating efforts. The team has exit interviews if a student leaves midyear, if they accept but don’t show up, or if they don’t send in their “intent to return” survey. They can generate reports on who intends to report, wait lists, and seat offers for daily review, Polen said.

Gross said the team focused on celebrating community and connectedness after reviewing data and performing a market analysis. Kuhlmann said they surveyed students and families on what they were looking for in a high school. The top words and phrases were community, safe, academics, and quality teachers. Gross said the team used SchoolMint to determine micro factors for choosing alternative education and found that top responses included student achievement, innovation and programs, customer service, and school safety. The team has made an effort to increase its availability. Other families’ opinions outweigh data. They noted that 26% of MA’s students come from out of district, which is more than other charter schools.

Finally, Kuhlmann said that MA has taken ownership of its Google sites for both campuses, which will allow it to ask for Google reviews and to leverage Google Analytics to understand how its website is being used. Gross emphasized that communication is key, and that MA should keep in touch with families who have been offered seats between February and August. The team suggests hosting a summer festival and facilitating a quarterly information night for prospective families. Gross also said they would initiate an incentive program for current families to bring in new families offering free dress passes for K-8 students or a preferred parking pass for high school students.

Fundraising plan

Dicus gave a presentation about the current state of fundraising as well as ideas for the future. He explained that there is a difference between fundraising and donations, with the former raising funds for specific programs or projects and the latter giving without expecting something in return. The annual gala is MA’s biggest fundraising event; Grandparents Day is a fundraiser and there is an opportunity to sponsor library book dedications. School sponsorships are another way to support MA at various levels; MA has a brochure that includes MA’s mission and vision. Finally, grants are another form of fundraising that includes the $400,000 connectivity grant already awarded, as well as a Building Excellent Schools Today (BEST) grant, the Employee Retention Tax Credit (ERTC) program, and a school security grant that is in process.

For donations, the Lynx Fund has been a success, said Dicus. People can donate monthly or on a one-time basis or $1,996 (the year MA was founded) as Lynx Legacy donors or repeat donors. MA received a school furniture donation worth $99,000 for the cost of $5,000. A family donated track uniforms. Greater Grounds Landscaping redid the West Campus playground and is adding turf for a total value of $20,000.

Toward the end of the year, MA started offering facility rentals and has developed a pipeline.

For next year, Dicus expects to see some modifications to the gala, adding mobile bidding and early bird pricing. The gala already has some committed sponsors with more in the pipeline.

MA has an end-of-the-year matching campaign it is presenting on its Facebook and parent pages. It is trying to streamline using ParentSquare so that it can track communications and will use GiveSmart for all campaigns. He hopes to prepare new families with a packet that outlines the next year’s expectations and allows them to donate when paying school fees. Dicus said he should have focused more on the Giving Tuesday campaign but prefers to focus on progress over perfection.

New and updated policies

The MA board unanimously approved seven policies related to finances. Buczkowski said these were the easiest to approve since they don’t conflict with any existing policy. The policies are DK Annual Budget, DC Borrowing, DD Grants, DID General Fixed Assets & Inventories, DIE Audits/Financial Monitoring, DK Payroll Procedures, and DKD Travel. Gustafson noted that DK is the one non-standard policy that covers rules on who can authorize permanent employees, stipends, and extra duty pay. It lays out how to manage any payroll mistakes. He modeled this policy after a D11 policy he wrote when he worked there. Only the board can approve compensation, he noted, and this puts structure around that process.

The board also discussed at length modifications to policy JG MA Enrollment and Placement, which replaces 1511 Admissions Policy. The policy has been updated with the current version of the MA vision statement and adds a section on enrollment restrictions for kindergarten and first grade. The new section requires students to turn 5 years old on or before Aug. 25 to start kindergarten. Students who have been added to MA’s waitlist via a Letter of Interest before Jan. 1, 2024 or who have successfully completed pre-k at MA for the 2023-24 school year will be grandfathered. Similarly, students must turn 6 before Aug. 25 to enroll in first grade.

The policy also clarifies the wait list procedures required by parents and suggests that the Placement Test section could be covered in the Student/Parent Handbook. McClelland said the changes should be messaged to families since it’s enrollment season with the caveat that is pending approval of the board. Graham said it would be wise to have legal review the policy. Vice President Lindsay Clinton said that 11 families would be impacted by the modified policy and that this might affect some incoming siblings. McClelland said that the age requirement changes had been discussed at the curriculum meeting, where they said they have very young kids. She said that since the state had approved fully funding kindergarten, it is becoming more of a daycare, and MA is a school of excellence. Gross noted that choice enrollment starts on Jan. 2, and board President Ryan Graham said it should be reviewed by legal and brought to a special meeting on Jan. 5 for approval, so it would only be a few days.

Highlights

Board meeting highlights include:

  • Board member Craig Carle spotlighted Athletic Director Mike Svendsen and parent Kristy Davis. He said Svendsen had done a great job with the athletic program and got MA’s high school membership in the Colorado High School Activities Association (CHSAA). Davis was recognized for her help with the West Campus shade structure, which will be completed next year.
  • Kim McClelland said she would bring a possible homeschool proposal to the board at the January or February meeting.
  • The board unanimously approved the 2024-25 elementary and secondary school calendars.
  • Gustafson reported that the audit for the 2022-23 schoolyear was finalized, which is about 2 1/2 months earlier than the previous year. MA has submitted all the information on the ERTC to the lawyer for due diligence, but he noted that the IRS has suspended accepting applications due to the level of fraudulent claims.
  • Graham reported that the Knollwood roundabout might be ready by the time MA returns from break. The road on the south side by the retaining wall would not be ready until summer.
  • Board member Emily Belisle thanked the teachers who served on the Curriculum Committee and noted that it looked like the favorite might be Reveal Math, but it would be presented to the board for approval and to the community for review and would not be in place for the next academic year.
  • Board member Matt Ross reported on midyear survey results for the Student Accountability and Advisory Committee (SAAC) of West Campus. He said that 95% of respondents were likely to recommend MA but that high-level learners needed more challenges and that the math curriculum needed to be updated. Most respondents feel that ParentSquare is working for improved communication and want the board to incentivize teachers to attend community events.
  • Clinton said SAAC East had not met in December but would meet in January to review survey results.
  • Buczkowski said the governance committee met multiple times and would be prioritizing policies a charter school should have in batches of six or so for reading and approval following a framework for how and when to update policies in the Colorado Association of School Boards format.
  • Graham noted that the upcoming election would fill two vacancies and is normally conducted by the vice president. Since Clinton is running for re-election, she has a conflict, so the board voted to appoint Ross to conduct the election.
Above: At its Dec. 14 meeting, board member Craig Carle spotlighted Athletic Director Mike Svendsen for his success with the athletic program at Monument Academy including his achievement of getting MA’s high school membership in the Colorado High School Activities Association. He also highlighted parent Kristy Davis who heads the West Campus PTO for her help with the new shade structure which will be completed by next year. From left are board President Ryan Graham, parent Kristy Davis, board member Carle, and Athletic Director Mike Svendsen. Photo by Jackie Burhans.

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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, Jan. 11, at 6:30 p.m. at the East Campus. See more information at bit.ly/ma-boe.

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

Other Monument Academy (MA) articles

Monument Academy School Board, Nov. 9 – Board hears first read of gender transition policy, plans to address East Campus budget issues

By Jackie Burhans

The Monument Academy (MA) School Board met on Nov. 9 to hear a first reading of a new gender transition policy, to discuss how to address East Campus budget issues, and to hear committee reports.

Gender transition policies

The MA board heard a first read from the governance committee on a JRT Gender Transition and Parental Rights Policy to codify its June 27 resolution on gender issues and student protection. See www.ocn.me/v23n8.htm/ma0627. The resolution:

  • Declared that anti-discrimination state laws SB08-200 and HB21-1108 exposed students to gender dysphoria.
  • Encouraged students to set boundaries and report boundary violations to staff.
  • Said MA would violate state and federal anti-discrimination laws.
  • Mandated that minor students who wish to express a different gender be affirmed by their parents or guardians, update all related school records, and follow their expressed gender dress code.
  • Directed administration to notify the community that a student whose expressed gender differed from their biological gender might be in bathrooms or locker rooms.
  • Advised parents to consult with their attorney about bringing legal action against the parents of children they felt violated their child’s Fourth Amendment right to privacy.
  • Affirmed that political leaders have a moral obligation to challenge laws.
  • Appealed to the MA community to contact their representatives.

The policy, developed by board Treasurer Joe Buczkowski and board Director Karen Hoida and approved by legal counsel, is called JRT Gender Transition and Parental Rights Policy. Its purpose is to provide a procedure by which a student can transition to a different gender with respect to school records, policies, and facilities. The draft states that MA supports the rights of students to transition and the rights of parents to oversee the care, custody, and control of their minor children. The policy defines various terms and provides a background focusing on the fourth and fifth bullet points above.

The procedures include the staff’s initial contact with a student who wishes to transition, referral and follow-up by the school principal with the students and their parents, required record changes, and community notification.

Buczkowski said that the committee received input from the administration and the principals and wanted to address the concerns of all involved, so it took a few months to develop. Board President Ryan Graham asked for advice on soliciting community input. MA’s lawyer, Brad Miller, advised that there is an exception to the Open Records Act that would let them keep this as a private draft. Hoida noted that it was public now since they read it aloud and asked about the process for feedback. Miller said it could be published in the board packet, the minutes, or on the website. Miller advised against using Google Docs for all board members to add comments as that would constitute a board meeting. Miller advised the board not to vote on this at the next meeting, saying if substantive changes exist, the final version should be discussed in an open meeting before voting at a subsequent meeting.

In discussion, Graham and board Vice President Lindsay Clinton objected to the statement that MA supports a student’s right to transition. Hoida suggested a better word would be acknowledge rather than support. Board Secretary Emily Belisle suggested simply saying that supports all students. Miller said the statement could be eliminated without changing the substance. Belisle wants the policy to better reflect the resolution, especially the part that supports “natural law and moral truth,” to address how this affects the community, to change some of the definitions and word usage, and to change some procedures. Graham noted that some of the language came straight from the Colorado Revised Statute and asked Miller, who said it would be legal advice that would require an executive session.

Belisle suggested that the principal should inform the parents and schedule a meeting. Buczkowski said that was left out to protect students for whom a forced conversation might not be in their best interest. Board Director Matt Ross suggested that this gave unwarranted trust to students. Hoida said that if the school said they would contact the parents, the student might not want to proceed with the transition. Clinton said she would want to know as a parent, and the policy should protect parental rights and not give authority to students.

There was a discussion about how to handle discipline, and interim Chief Operating Officer Kim McClelland said it was on a case-by-case basis depending on whether it was a student or staff violating policy. Belisle pointed out that this policy assumes a binary choice of genders, which is not always the case; Buczkowski said it’s not a problem unless they choose an opposite gender.

Buczkowski thanked the board for its input and said a lot of the changes were minor wording changes, but the biggest question was when staff needed to tell the principal and when the principal had to contact the parents, even against the will of the student. The policy was drafted to try to be realistic about the relationships students may have with coaches and teachers with whom they may be closer than their parents. It would be easy to just say minor students and their parents must come to see the principal, he said, but asked if that was realistic.

Graham said that community feedback is encouraged. Belisle said that all staff and teachers are mandatory reporters, and it’s incumbent on them to report concerns about home life. Miller said there is another set of laws that hasn’t been addressed about a student’s rights around mental health and counseling that interposes in this discussion; he said he would prefer to talk to the board privately in more detail.

A second reading will be conducted at its Dec. 14 meeting. The board solicits community feedback on this draft policy, which is available at: https://bit.ly/ma-draft-gender-policy. Feedback should be submitted directly to McClelland at kmcclelland@monumentacademy.net no later than Dec. 1.

Plans to address East Campus budget issues

Buczkowski reported that the Finance Committee reviewed the audit results and the substandard state of the debt service coverage ratio and cash reserves as of June 30, 2023, at the East Campus. The committee discussed plans for the West Campus to lend $300,000 to the East Campus and the importance of establishing a balanced budget for the remainder of the 2023-24 school year. It also talked about cost-cutting measures to bring the East Campus budget back in balance. A lot of the 2024 budget depends on the results of the Employee Retention Tax Credit (ERTC) application MA submitted to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), which might not be known by the time the board is required to set a budget, he said.

Highlights

Board meeting highlights include:

  • Clinton spotlighted Deborah Hulting, who has been a kindergarten teacher and is now an art teacher. She exudes warmth, fun, and patience with artists of all ages, Clinton said.
  • Graham reported that a road is being constructed on the south side of the school to connect to the top of the “s” curve. The roundabout at Knollwood and Highway 105 may be completed in December or January.
  • Board member Emily Belisle reported that the Curriculum Committee learned that MA could continue to use the current Saxon Math for another year, and the committee decided, in consideration of the budget, to table moving to a new curriculum. This will provide extra time to review the proposed final candidates: Reveal Math and Everyday Math.
  • Ross reported for the Student Accountability and Advisory Committee (SAAC) of West Campus that MA had collected the most food in a recent food drive, and he highlighted recent and upcoming PTO events. SAAC reviewed questions for the mid-year survey, which was available on Nov. 15 and will be open until Dec. 1.
  • Clinton reported for SAAC East that it began reviewing questions for the mid-year survey and noted that MA hosted the district Parent and Community Advisory Committee (PCAC) at its west campus on Nov. 14. She also gave a roundup of activities for the East Campus PTO.
  • The board discussed the quarterly dashboard and how to interpret the data and plans to improve achievement and behavioral outcomes.
  • The board unanimously approved the Emergency Operating Procedures with changes discussed at a previous meeting.
  • The meeting ended with an executive session to discuss property transactions; to address D38 charter contract updates and related financial and bond covenant issues, and school security protocols and proposals; to discuss personnel performance and contract matters regarding school principals, Human Resources, and executive director; and to address related hiring processes and conflict of interest questions regarding a substitute hiring possibility.
Above: At Monument Academy’s Nov. 9 board meeting, board Vice President Lindsay Clinton, right, spotlighted arts teacher Deborah Hulting for her warmth and patience with artists of all ages. Photo by Natalie Barszcz. Caption by Jackie Burhans.

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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, Dec. 14, 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.

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D38 Parent and Community Advisory Committee, Nov. 14 – Committee hears reports on staff and family surveys, Key Communicator program

By Harriet Halbig

The D38 Parent and Community Advisory Committee (formerly District Accountability Advisory Committee) received reports on recent surveys of staff and families and an explanation of a new initiative to inform community members about district activities and priorities.

The meeting was held at the West Campus of Monument Academy (MA) and opened with a presentation by Principal Kurt Walker.

MA was chartered in 1996 and located in modular buildings on Woodmoor Drive until its current building was completed in 2008. It was originally called Lewis-Palmer Charter Academy, but the name was changed to avoid confusion with other schools in the district.

Upon the opening of the East Campus, in 2021, the West Campus became a school serving grades K through 5.

MA offers a classical-based education with emphasis on developing student character and educating future exemplary citizens. Its Board of Directors consists of parents and now features a program called Watchdogs, which is a group of fathers of grade-school students making their presence known during arrival and departure of students and recess.

Fall surveys of staff and families

D38 Director of Human Resources Alicia Welch presented a report on the results of surveys of staff and families conducted this fall.

The surveys were administered by an outside source. Welch stated that while results are shared in a number of different ways, all responses are anonymous.

The survey consisted of 20 questions and three open-response questions. All staff members were invited to participate. A total of 469 staff members participated out of a possible 810. The surveys were sent out via email.

Welch said that experience indicated that often fewer people participate at the first opportunity, so such surveys will be conducted annually.

Staff members were asked whether their work positively impacts those who they serve, whether they have a clear understanding of the mission and goals of the organization, and whether they have a sense of pride in where they work. Responses to these questions were largely positive.

In terms of opportunities, staff responded that resources were not always allocated to maximize effectiveness, feedback on improving performance was lacking, and support in embracing work responsibilities could be improved.

Family responses were positive in that they feel the schools are clean and well maintained, parents are treated with respect, and the children’s learning is treated as a high priority.

In terms of opportunities, families said that they wished to receive more direct communication regarding their student’s progress and that school rules were sometimes not enforced equally.

There were 540 responses from families.

The committee then broke into groups to discuss the results of the family survey. A dominating opinion was that parents didn’t receive more direct communication from teachers due to time constraints, but teachers on the committee said that if parents contact them directly they are always open to discussion.

Another criticism from the parents’ standpoint regarding enforcement of rules is that district policies are very complex and the district should develop a way in which parents can view them more directly.

The general result of the surveys was that both staff and families were at least satisfied with the district’s performance.

Key Communicators program introduced

Director of Communications Mark Belcher offered a presentation on a new program, Key Communicators, designed to strengthen the district’s brand by developing a group of brand ambassadors who would receive information on a regular basis and use it to advocate for support of the district.

Belcher explained that there are already entities which support this mission, including the Parent and Community Advisory Committee (PCAC), the D38 Foundation, and others. The Staff Collaboration Committee and Financial Transparency Committee also support the goal of informing the public.

Belcher said that, once the group of key communicators is in place, information will be sent out on a weekly basis through Microsoft Teams. Information will include such items as upcoming events, policy updates, and curriculum reviews. Dissemination of this information will provide a reliable source of facts and hopefully will discourage rumors.

When asked whether the goal is to encourage individuals to vote for mill levy overrides, Belcher said that the goal is to show individuals that the district is worth their support, that the schools are safe, and that district graduates go on to successful futures.

Still to come is development of criteria for members of the group.

Belcher said parents and staff already have access to most of the information involved. This would provide a conduit of information for those community members who are not parents of students and those not on social media

One committee member said that he does not favor the “evangelistic” approach to offering information, but instead suggested presentations to small groups such as homeowners associations. Another suggested going to local spots such as Wesley Owens Coffee and Café where older citizens are likely to gather.

Board of Education update

Board of Education liaison Tiffiney Upchurch offered a brief update following the recent election.

The board will welcome two new members, Patti Shank and Todd Brown. Upchurch and Ron Schwarz will continue to serve along with Kris Norris, who was appointed in April and elected in November.

Law requires that the oath of office be administered within 10 days of certification of the election. Upchurch estimated that the board will meet on Dec. 5 to administer the oath of office and reorganize its officers, and the regular meeting of the board will be held on Dec. 11.

Upchurch also reported that the staff has been surveyed regarding support for instituting four-day weeks. Results of the survey will determine whether the calendar committee will continue its deliberations.

If the staff does not indicate they will be more likely to stay in the district with four-day weeks, the issue will not be presented to families.

Upchurch also reported that she and Schwarz have been going to innovation centers to learn how the district can improve its competitiveness by offering programs resulting in certification in such areas as nursing and other fields.

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The Parent and Community Advisory Committee meets six times a year. Locations vary. The next meeting will be at 6 p.m. Jan. 9 at Lewis-Palmer High School, 1300 Higby Road. For information, contact tmckee@lewispalmer.org.

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

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