Lewis-Palmer D38 Board of Education, Feb. 18 – Board recognizes achievements, hears about Arts Education and Career and Innovation Center

Student representatives
Student and staff recognitions
Arts Education Task Force report
Career and Innovation Center update
Home School Enrichment Academy/Transition Services update
Fiscal stewardship presentation

By Harriet Halbig

The Lewis-Palmer D 38 Board of Education recognized a number of students and staff members at its Feb. 18 meeting. Reports on the Career and Innovation Center and from the Arts Education Task Force were also received.

Student representatives

Palmer Ridge High School students Aiden Miller and Paige Ehresman attended the meeting in a non-voting capacity. They reported on activities at their school and participated in the discussions.

Student and staff recognitions

The board recognized 11 students from Palmer Ridge High School for receiving Scholastic Art Awards for 2025. For a list of names, please see boarddocs under the date of the meeting. This is a state-level competition. Of the 5,000 entries submitted, Palmer Ridge had 11 students and 13 artworks recognized. Of these, five were Gold Key entries which will next be judged at the national level.

To view the artworks, please see boarddocs under the Board of Education tab on the district website. These works will be displayed at the Denver Art Museum and other participating venues until March 5.

The board also recognized 10 students from Lewis-Palmer High School and four from Palmer Ridge High School for their selection to participate in the National Speech and Debate Association competition to be held in Des Moines, Iowa in June.

Lewis-Palmer High School Forensics/Speech coach Brian Hoff was selected as District Coach of the Year, and Lewis-Palmer High School student Anna Hacker was selected as District Student of the Year.

Categories of competition include drama interpretation, original oratory, informative speaking, and world schools debate.

To qualify for the national competition, students must be in the top two in their category.

To see a list of participants, please see boarddocs.

Palmer Lake Elementary School physical education teacher Bret Mischlich was recognized for his participation in the Taekwondo Masters Cup in Houston, an international competition to qualify for the U.S. Masters Taekwondo Team.

Mischlich qualified for the team and received a gold medal for the second time.

The Masters World Games will be held In Taipei, Taiwan. This is Mischlich’s second international competition.

Mischlich commented that his goal in teaching is to introduce students to activities which they can engage in for a lifetime. In addition to Taekwondo, he teaches western line dancing and choreography.

Arts Education Task Force report

Former Board of Education member Theresa Phillips reported on the activities of the Arts Education Task Force.

The task force was funded in January 2024 and involved up to 59 participants, among them representatives from all five elementary schools, the middle school, and both high schools. Also included are 10 students representing both high schools and community members from the Tri-Lakes Center for the Arts, the Palmer Lake Arts Council, parents, private studio teachers, and musicians and arts enthusiasts in the community

The theme of the task force is to recognize that arts education develops creativity, leadership, collaboration, and teamwork. Arts education also leads to a well-rounded outlook and promotes academic and social emotional learning.

Phillips said the task force strives to make D38 the premier district for arts education by celebrating successes and investing in programming to offer maximum opportunities. Some activities toward this goal would be partnering with community and private organizations, creating magnet programs, applying for grants, and utilizing local media to promote arts education.

The task force seeks to improve the value of the arts, create requirements for students, and specify teacher responsibilities in the area.

Actions recommended by the task force include holding signing events for students receiving scholarships in the arts, holding an elementary arts fair, becoming recognized by the National Arts Honor Society, holding a district art show, and creating honor cords for graduates.

In the long term, a fine arts graduation requirement could be created and an Arts Council of arts teachers and staff could be formed. Signing events for arts graduates would be held in May.

The task force is requesting that it be changed from a task force to an ad hoc advisory committee that would meet quarterly to advise on art education, prioritize community partnerships, engage in professional development, and include guest speakers.

Career and Innovation Center update

Director of Innovative Programs Jessica McAllister reported on continuing activity involving the Career and Innovation Center.

Showing a timeline of activities, McAllister said that the current stage involves marketing and preparing for the registration process for the coming year.

Efforts are in place to seek additional partnerships and apply for grants. The center has received a number of letters of support from educational and trade organizations.

A promotional video which appears on the district website and in social media features views of the building and brief statements from students about the value of having the center whether to prepare them for immediate entry into the workplace or to prepare them for college.

In addition to programs during the school year, McAllister said the center could host camps and potential adult classes to upscale skills.

Home School Enrichment Academy/Transition Services update

Director of Planning, Facilities & Grounds Melissa Andrews spoke of the effort to locate new facilities for the Home School Enrichment Academy and the Transitions program, both of which are presently housed in Grace Best Elementary School.

The possibility of housing the Transitions program in the Career and Innovation Center on a temporary basis is being explored.

District representatives will meet with town staff to discuss variance processing and potential sites. Sites used for educational purposes must meet specific criteria.

Visits to short-term and long-term sites are being scheduled. A visit to a steel building is also being scheduled to determine its potential.

Fiscal stewardship presentation

Director of Finance Ron Sprinz spoke of results from the Employee Experience Survey regarding whether staff feel that organization-level resources are allocated to maximum effectiveness.

Current action plans include engagement with the Financial Transparency Committee, the Staff Collaboration Committee, and the District Leadership Team to improve accuracy in payroll and processing. A new payroll specialist has been hired and plans are being made to cross-train staff in Finance and Human Resources to perform roles where staff are absent due to illness or vacation.

The goal of the entire process is to operate within a window of spending 98-100% of budget allotments. To that end, school and department leaders will be educated to understand and manage their budgets and monthly reporting will be required.

**Above:** At its Feb. 18 board meeting, the D38 board recognized art students from Palmer Ridge High School for their selection as Scholastic Art Award winners for 2025. The Scholastic Art Awards competition is a state-level art contest in which students from all over Colorado submit artwork. Out of the 5,000 artworks submitted this year statewide, PRHS had 11 students and 13 artworks recognized, five of which are Gold Key entries that will move on to be judged nationally. Their artwork will be displayed at the Denver Art Museum and cooperating galleries through March 5. The following students were recognized: Ellaray Anthony, 11th grade; Isabella Kappel, 12th grade; Landon Kizlyk, 12th grade; Everleigh Larsen, 11th grade; Lilli Marjon, 11th grade; Kullen McKenzie, 12th grade; Liam McKenzie, 10th grade; Joel Nakka, ninth grade; Tiegen Rohrer, ninth grade; Lizzy Sapp, 11th grade; Aleese Williams, 12th grade. Students who were able to attend were presented with certificates at the meeting. From left are Interim Superintendent Amber Whetstine, Rohrer, McKenzie, Sapp, Kellen McKenzie, Williams, and board President Tiffiney Upchurch. Photo by Jackie Burhans.

**Above:** At its Feb. 18 board meeting, the D38 board recognized national qualifiers from both high schools for their selection to participate in the June National Speech and Debate Association competition in Des Moines, Iowa. Qualifying students from Lewis-Palmer High School include Rylee Call, Drama Interpretation; Quinn Frazier, Drama Interpretation; Call/Julianna Wainright, Duo Interpretation; Jada Robertson, Oral Interpretation; Wainright, Original Oratory; Anna Hacker, Informative Speaking; Grayson Hester, World Schools Debate; Savannah Hollen, World Schools Debate; and Hacker and Robertson, Congressional Debate. Hacker was named District Student of the Year, while debate coach Brian Hoff was named District Coach of the Year. Principal Bridget O’Connor spoke about the students and their accomplishments. Palmer Ridge High School qualifiers are Cole Clary, Lincoln-Douglas Debate; Alexander Hoff, Informative Speaking; Ari Viney and Ella Blakeley, Duo Interpretation; Rhian Wiltz, Big Questions Debate. From left in the front row are board President Tiffiney Upchurch, Hacker, Frazier, Wainwright, Robertson, and Wiltz. From left in the back row are O’Connor, Blakely, Viney, Hester, Hoff, Call, Hollen, Clary, and interim Superintendent Amber Whetstine. Photo by Jackie Burhans.

**Above:** The D38 board recognized Palmer Lake Elementary School (PLES) staff member Bret Mischlich. Principal Kim Briding presented Mischlich with a certificate recognizing his accomplishments both in and outside the school. Mischlich won a gold medal in Taekwondo at the U.S. Masters Cup, qualifying him for the U.S. Masters Team, which will compete in Taipei, Taiwan, at the end of May in the Masters World Games. As a teacher, Mischlich shares his passion for Taekwondo with students, running a very popular after-school program at PLES. He coordinates the annual Field Day and teaches students the “Thriller Dance,” which is a traditional performance each year during the school’s Halloween parade. He also teaches students country music line dances, which they show off during the annual PLES Barn Dance fundraiser. From left are board members Todd Brown, Dr. Patti Shank, board President Tiffiney Upchurch, Mischlich, board member Kris Noris, Mischlich’s wife Cherie, Briding, and interim Superintendent Amber Whetstine. Photo by Jackie Burhans.

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The Lewis-Palmer D 38 Board of Education usually meets at 6 p.m. on the third Monday of the month at the learning center, 146 Jefferson St., Monument. The next meeting is on March 17. For further information, contact vwood@lewispalmer.org

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