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OCN > 2402 > D38 Parent and Community Advisory Committee, Jan. 9 – Discussion of Priority 1, D38 Foundation report

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.

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