Lewis-Palmer D38 Board of Education, Sept.16 – District performance framework, bullying policy revision

District performance framework
Revised bullying policy
Student and alumni recognition

By Harriet Halbig

The Lewis-Palmer D38 Board of Education discussed its district performance framework and a revised bullying policy at its Sept. 16 meeting.

District performance framework

The Colorado Department of Education (CDE) accredits school districts which in turn accredit individual schools based on the results of testing in the spring. District 38 was accredited with distinction for its 2023-24 school year, one of 17 or 9% of districts to receive this rating. The district rated 74.5 of 100 points based on consideration of academic achievement, student growth, post-secondary readiness, and workforce readiness. This final category includes dropout and graduation rates and matriculation rates, meaning registration in a two- or four-year institute of learning or the military immediately after graduation.

Assistant Superintendent Amber Whetstine explained the results in a presentation which may be viewed on boarddocs under the lewispalmer.org website board of education, boarddocs by meeting date.

Some highlights of the presentation included the fact that the district generally did well in terms of academic performance, had some weak spots in terms of growth, and did well in post-secondary and workforce readiness. To determine growth, students are assessed on the basis of all of their peers in the state to determine whether they grow a year in progress for each school year. This is important because each category of students (free/reduced lunch, minority, and students with disabilities) is also rated among their peers throughout the state.

Whetstine pointed out that the post-secondary and workforce readiness did not account for the fact that some students attended college classes while in high school. She also commented that some students take a gap year before starting college or do missionary work during the year following graduation.

When asked whether military dependents who enter the district during the school year have a disadvantage, Whetstine replied that the district accepts all students. Board President Tiffiney Upchurch said that the Colorado Association of School Boards is considering counting those who receive a GED (graduate equivalency degree) to be counted as graduates if they achieve it within the four years allowed for high school.

Whetstine reported that the district and all schools within it qualified for performance plans this year. Last year, some schools received improvement plans due to lack of participation in testing and insufficient academic achievement.

Whetstine also commented that the overall score for the district has been declining slightly over the past three years and that school officials are addressing that fact. Board Treasurer Ron Schwarz asked whether this decline is an anomaly or a trend. Whetstine replied that there was no data reported during the two years of the pandemic and this is the first year when science test scores have been included in the scores. She assured Schwarz that district officials are aware of the decline and plan to address it. She said that the district is concentrating on finding the root causes of the problem.

For example, there is weak performance in math at the middle school level. It needs to be determined whether the issue is the curriculum, the amount of time spent per week on the subject, or the need for additional professional development.

Schwarz commented that the performance of operating schools in the district is good or excellent, but in some areas Monument Academy is falling behind. He asked whether there is interchange to improve Monument Academy’s results.

Whetstine responded that there is sharing of best practices and other information with Monument Academy.

Board Secretary Dr. Patti Shank commented that the Parent and Community Advisory Committee discussed this subject at a recent meeting focusing on improvement and how to achieve it.

To view the discussion of this subject by the Parent and Community Advisory Committee, please see page < 14 > of this issue.

The board passed a motion to accredit all schools in District 38.

Revised bullying policy

The board approved the proposed changes to board policy JICDE, bullying prevention and education.

The changes had their first reading at the board’s Aug. 19 meeting. To view a redlined edition of the policy, please see boarddocs. The policy addresses bullying, retaliation against those reporting bullying, and making knowingly false accusations of bullying

The policy includes definitions, prevention, intervention, and reporting.

Student and alumni recognition

**Above:** At the Sept. 16 D38 board meeting, the board recognized Shaeya Johnson. As a sophomore at Lewis-Palmer High School during the 2023-24 school year, Johnson won many state and regional trampoline and tumbling competitions, culminating in winning the Double Mini Level 10 national championship in July 2024. Johnson’s coach Terri Devries from Stars Gymnastics in North Colorado Springs discussed Johnson’s mental strength, noting that her parents, Davonne and Mark Johnson, had additional children coming up in the sport. Davonne Johnson is the principal at Lewis-Palmer Elementary School. From left, in front, are board President Tiffiney Upchurch, board member Dr. Patti Shank, Johnson, and Devries. From left, in rear, are board members Ron Schwarz, Todd Brown, Kris Norris, Superintendent Stacey Datteri, and parents Davonne and Mark Johnson. Photo by Jackie Burhans.

The board recognized Lewis-Palmer junior Shaeya Johnson for winning the national championship in double mini level 10 trampoline and tumbling in July.

Johnson had previously won various state and regional competitions and also competes in synchronized trampoline.

Johnson’s coach Terri DeVries from Star Gymnastics presented a brief video of Shaeya during her competition and said that her sport is administered under USA Gymnastics.

In her superintendent’s update, Superintendent Dr. Stacie Datteri recognized four district students who were honored as National Merit Semifinalists. They are Jaithan McEchron and Kai Jones of Lewis-Palmer High School, Charlotte Weitzel of Monument Academy, and Connick Goodwin of Palmer Ridge High School. Semifinalists represent less than 1% of those juniors taking the exam. They can now go on to apply for scholarships.

Datteri also recognized two Lewis-Palmer High School graduates who have gone on to achieve in athletics. Billy Cook is now playing baseball for the Pittsburgh Pirates and Matthew Ragsdale is playing professional basketball in Germany.

Datteri also announced that the World Compass Academy charter school has withdrawn its application due to lack of enrollment.

**********

The Lewis-Palmer D38 Board of Education usually meets at 6 p.m. on the third Monday of the month in the district’s learning center, 146 Jefferson St., Monument. The next meeting will be on Oct. 21. For information, contact vwood@lewispalmer.org.

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

District performance framework

Revised bullying policy

Student and alumni recognition

Other Lewis-Palmer D38 Board or Education articles