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OCN > 2311 > D38 Parent and Community Advisory Committee, Oct. 10 – Committee hears updates on Consent Task Force, D38 Education Foundation

D38 Parent and Community Advisory Committee, Oct. 10 – Committee hears updates on Consent Task Force, D38 Education Foundation

By Harriet Halbig

The D38 Parent and Community Advisory Committee (formerly District Accountability Advisory Committee) received updates from various initiatives and subcommittees at its Oct. 10 meeting at Palmer Lake Elementary School.

School presentation

Following a tour of the Palmer Lake Elementary School, Principal Peggy Griebenow gave a brief presentation on the history and demographics of the school.

Griebenow is the third principal since 1986, leading a school with a student count of 385.

Each student has an address to receive any communication within the school. Three postmasters distribute the mail.

The school’s literacy program is based on the study of science and most of the English language learners at present are Hispanic.

The school was built in three sections over time.

Board of Education President Tiffiney Upchurch presented a detailed report on the activities of the Consent Task Force formed in December 2021 and consisting of students and recent alumni, parents, community members, counselors, high school principals, district administration, and members of the Board of Education.

Results of their collaborations have been presented to students during the 2022-23 schoolyear during freshman and sophomore study halls at Lewis-Palmer High School and PE classes at Lewis-Palmer Middle School.

The task force agreed that parents should be offered the opportunity for students to opt out of attending these sessions. If they choose not to opt out, parents will have access to the materials being taught.

The task force has developed a detailed program ranging from pre-K to high school, offering age-appropriate information regarding the definition of consent to younger children, peer pressure and boundaries for middle schoolers, and legal definitions of sexual harassment and reporting capability for older students.

At each level, titles of applicable books will also be offered.

Classes will be taught by trained teachers, counselors, and school resource officers.

The task force listed district policies which have relevance to consent and delineated ways in which district policies could be presented on the website to make it easy to find them by subject. The task force encouraged the district to word the policies in easy-to-understand ways and provide any reporting documents with the appropriate policies.

Applicable policies will be read and clarified at board meetings early in 2024.

The task force also encouraged the district to offer training to teachers twice each year on the subject.

D38 Education Foundation report

Executive Director Stephanie Palzkill reported on the reactivation of the D38 Education Foundation, originally founded in 1994.

The foundation was active until 2009 and has since been dormant, although the district has been maintaining all necessary tax and other paperwork with the state to remain official as a nonprofit organization.

Palzkill showed a list of the members of the Board of Trustees of the group, which includes representatives of the Tri-Lakes Chamber of Commerce and the Monument Hill Kiwanis Club in addition to members with backgrounds in cybersecurity and digital strategy. Upchurch serves as a representative of the board, and Superintendent KC Somers is an ex-officio non-voting member.

All of the Board of Trustees and administrative officers serve as volunteers.

Palzkill is the executive director and Crystal Lopez serves as bookkeeper.

Palzkill explained that the foundation strives to elevate education through community connection and champion educators to strengthen district performance to remain in the top tier of schools in the state.

The foundation does not compete with other entities seeking funding for the district such as the Tri-Lakes Women’s Club and Mountain Hill Kiwanis but will seek financial support from individuals and corporations.

The foundation will administer grant funding to educators. The Inspire grant program fosters creativity among individual educators while the Advance grant program supports professional education.

With the funds remaining in the foundation budget from 2009, the Inspire grant will be awarded in early 2024. A “road show” familiarized staff with the grant, and applications are due Nov.30.

Plans will include fundraisers in 2024.

There will be a newsletter for contributors in the coming months.

For further information, please the see October Parent and Community Advisory Committee article at https://www.ocn.me/v23n10.htm#d38-pcac.

Portrait of a Graduate/Educator report

Secondary Program Coordinator Jessica McAllister presented the final graphic presentations of the Portrait of a D38 Graduate and Portrait of a D38 Educator.

This initiative, begun in summer 2022, seeks to specify the cognitive, personal, and interpersonal competencies needed for success after high school graduation. Students were asked what success would look like, and industry representatives were asked what skill sets were sought in potential employees.

The Portrait of a Graduate/Educator Committee was then asked to discuss what advice they would offer to themselves as high school students.

One response was to be made aware of the variety of careers available. It was suggested that the district have a career fair including a variety of professions in the community and to more widely promote the assistance of guidance counselors.

For more detailed information on this initiative, please see the website lewispalmer.org and the October issue under family resources, meeting content, District Accountability Advisory Committee, Sept. 18 meeting.

Board of Education update

Board liaison Upchurch reminded members of the upcoming election for board members, only one of which includes more than one candidate. Individuals may see the district website for information on the candidates. ((www.lewispalmer.org/page/november-2023-election-information).

Upchurch also reported that three of the initiatives proposed by the district for inclusion in the 2024 legislative session were approved by the Colorado Association of School Boards (CASB). These include confirmation of local control of curriculum, state buying down of the budget stabilization factor (details proportional reduction of total funding of each district beginning in 2009), which deprived funding to the schools for several years, and not bringing back the budget stabilization factor.

Committee reports

Assistant Superintendent Amber Whetstine reported that the membership of the Financial Transparency Committee will be approved by the Board of Education at its Oct. 23 meeting.

Stacey Barr, director of Nutrition Services, has application forms for those wishing to serve on the Wellness Committee. The focus of the committee is to investigate state regulations as apply to the district.

Assessment and Accountability Coordinator Dr. Michael Brom reported on the activities of the Staff Collaboration Committee, saying that hiring went well during the summer and that substitute requests were filled 85% of the time. The Calendar Committee submitted a potential school calendar for four-day weeks and asked that this information be provided to all staff at each building before asking for approval. If approved overwhelmingly and staff indicates the intention to remain with the district, the committee will move forward with board approval of the calendar.

The Special Education Advisory Committee and Gifted Education Leadership Team have not yet met.

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The Parent and Community Advisory Committee meets six times a year, usually on the second Tuesday of the month at 6 p.m. Locations vary. Due to the Nov. 7 election, the November meeting will be held on Nov. 14 at the Monument Academy west campus, 1150 Village Ridge Pt. For information, please contact tmckee@lewispalmer.org.

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

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