OCN

Volunteers reporting on community issues in Monument, Palmer Lake, and the surrounding Tri-Lakes area

OCN > 2504 > Lewis-Palmer D38 Board of Education, March 17 – Board posts superintendent position internally, receives updates on Home School Enrichment Academy and Transitions Services

Lewis-Palmer D38 Board of Education, March 17 – Board posts superintendent position internally, receives updates on Home School Enrichment Academy and Transitions Services

By Harriet Halbig

The Lewis-Palmer D 38 Board of Education determined the method for selecting a new superintendent and discussed rehousing the Home School Enrichment Academy and the Transitions Services program at its March 17 meeting.

In her board comments, board Secretary Dr. Patti Shank said she had attended a number of district meetings and meetings of groups such as the Parent and Community Advisory Committee and the Staff Collaboration Committee and received emails from stakeholders in favor of posting the position of superintendent internally, thereby limiting the pool of candidates to those currently employed by the district.

Shank said that she was gratified that most of the responses to the question were so largely in favor of one approach. Board President Tiffiney Upchurch also commented that she found this to be the case, as many of those who contacted her felt that by using this method the district would be considering only those who know the community well.

Board approves internal superintendent search process.

Treasurer Ron Schwarz cast the only dissenting vote, saying that he felt that although there are qualified candidates in the district, limiting the pool of candidates doesn’t reflect due diligence and transparency.

Following the vote, Upchurch said that she had also received input requesting that the process of selection should begin soon. At present, Assistant Superintendent Amber Whetstine has been designated interim superintendent until June 30.

Upchurch said the board will discuss the wording of the posting and the timeline for selection at its April work session. At that time, opportunities for community participation will also be discussed.

Home School Enrichment Academy and Transitions Services update

Chief Business Officer Brett Ridgway and Director of Planning, Facilities, and Grounds Melissa Andrews reported on the search for space to relocate the Home School Enrichment Academy and the Transitions Services program, both of which are currently housed in Grace Best Elementary School, which is slated for demolition.

The Transitions Services program could be temporarily housed in the new Career and Innovation Center building. The space designated for medical services on the upper level of that building is deemed sufficient. This would save the district from renting or leasing space elsewhere while determining a permanent solution. One option being considered is the construction of a new facility in the form of a steel or pod structure.

The Home School Enrichment Academy requires considerably more space. Options include the rent or purchase of an existing facility which could be remodeled. The district is seeking architectural and contractor perspectives on the project. One facility being considered is not looking promising.

A second option is a new build such as a steel or pod structure. Considering potential locations is part of the process.

The district has consulted with the fire marshal about the possibility of remaining in a portion of Grace Best until next year when a permanent location is found. If this solution is chosen, the fire marshal will cordon off areas which may not be used safely during this time. The fire marshal is concerned about water leaks in the building.

Operations and Facility Planning update, Priority 4 in Strategic Plan

Ridgway and Andrews reported on their goals for 2027 with regard to facilities.

Their primary focus was on the Capital Assessment Process, which offers a list of projects in priority order. The annual budget for capital projects has been $3 million for the past two years, an amount determined to help the district to catch up on maintenance of facilities.

Ridgway said that, due to uncertainty about funding next year in the School Finance Act, the budget for capital projects will be $2.5 million.

To determine needs, there is a walkthrough at each facility annually. Principals, building managers, and others are asked to help determine replacement cycles for facilities in an attempt to avoid emergency replacement of facilities such as boilers and roofs.

A second goal is to develop a document identifying needs by school and determining building capacity. Space utilization will be compared with needs projected for the coming five years in terms of the impact of new developments.

Career and Innovation Center update

Director of Innovative Programs Jessica McAllister presented an update on the Career and Innovation Center.

She said that it is now possible to forecast enrollment levels. There are currently 171 student requests. Eighty-six of these are for participation in manufacturing, primarily in welding. Seventy-five are in the area of engineering, including aerospace, architectural, design and electrical, and 10 are in the area of skilled trades, primarily homebuilding.

McAllister also reported on progress in seeking active partnerships from introduction to implementation. In answer to a question from Schwarz, she said that the timeline from introduction to implementation is generally 18 months. Schwarz expressed concern that it takes so long.

McAllister showed a list of grant applications and letters of support from various sources including industry, educational institutions, and others. Grant money will be used for the purchase of equipment.

Finally, McAllister welcomed all to attend the Well-Breaking Ceremony on March 31. Since the center is not new construction, there will not be a groundbreaking but instead the removal of some non-loadbearing walls.

Two students from Lewis-Palmer Middle School, Kayley Klosky and Cathy Stephenson, attended the meeting and were encouraged to participate in the discussions but were not able to vote on resolutions.

Stephenson asked about arrangements for transportation to and from the Career and Innovation Center.

McAllister responded that students would be at the center either all morning or all afternoon. Buses would take them in the morning and return them to school during the lunch period and take the afternoon students to the center after lunch.

Review of J policies

Director of Student Services Rick Frampton presented J policies regarding students in such areas as truancy, continuing enrollment, student absence, and equal education opportunities.

Frampton said there are a large number of policies in this category and requested the board consider a new process of reviewing them.

Currently, policies receive a first reading when no vote is taken. After a second reading, the board votes to approve the policies as presented.

Frampton said that many of these policies have not been altered in many years and requested that these be approved as part of the board’s consent agenda. In the case of significant alteration, he suggested that more than two readings may be required.

Whetstine commented that the current process for consideration is a policy in itself which would need to be changed.

Financial planning and analysis

Ridgway and Andrews returned to the discussion of capital improvement recommendations, displaying the list of 40 projects completed in the current year. If a project did not use the allotted budget, the leftover amount would be applied to the next project on the list.

Capital is defined as any acquisition of land, improvements, construction of structures or additions to existing structures. Acquisition of school vehicles and lease agreements are included, and a project must have a total cost of at least $5,000.

Ridgway explained the various funds which are the source of capital investment and explained the two committees involved in deciding which projects to fund. These are the Capital Site Audit Team, which includes individuals from each facility, and the Capital Prioritization Committee, which includes individuals from the administration.

To view this update in detail, please see boarddocs under the Board of Education tab on the district website, lewispalmer.org. The list of funded projects is included in this PowerPoint.

Ridgway also spoke of district enrollment trends and the proposed change in state rules involving the averaging of student counts. Currently the district can average the student count over the past five years. This may change to four or even three in the near future. D38 is seeing a slight decline in enrollment from year to year, but each individual full-time student equals over $7,000 in revenue for the district. He said that some districts are suffering a much faster decline.

When asked about funding special education, Ridgway said that the district receives $2.3 million for this purpose and invests an additional $6.3 million.

Estimated per pupil funding for the 2025-26 schoolyear is $7,628 per pupil.

Above: At D38’s March 17 board meeting, Director of Communications Amy Matisek honored Chess Tournament organizers Steve and Cindy Waldmann with a certificate of appreciation. The tournament, now in its 18th year, took place on March 8 at Bear Creek Elementary School. Steve Waldmann highlighted its status as Colorado’s second- or third-largest chess tournament, thanking his wife, district staff, and volunteers, including principals, custodians, teachers, and Key Club members. The event featured 108 students, awarding trophies to the top three in each grade level from kindergarten through high school.The following students attended the meeting: Maverick Mandril, St. Peters Elementary, kindergarten – first place; Charlie Epps, Palmer Lake Elementary School, kindergarten – third place; Simon Ostrowski, Monument Academy, second grade – second place; Luke Heiberger, Prairie Winds Elementary, third grade – first place; Preston Petty, Palmer Lake Elementary, sixth grade – third place; and Robbie Collier, Lewis-Palmer High School – first place. Waldmann noted that this was Collier’s third time winning the tournament. From left, Epps, Mandril, Ostrowski, and Heiberger are in front. From left, in the back are Interim Superintendent Amber Whetstine, Petty, Waldmann, Collier, and board President Tiffiney Upchurch. Photo by Jackie Burhans. See also the photo on page < 1 >.
Above: At its March 17 board meeting, the D38 board honored Laurie Caves of CarePortal for her extensive service to the Tri-Lakes and Lewis-Palmer communities, including her past role as D38 Colorado Preschool Program coordinator and her current contributions through CarePortal. Director of Communications Amy Matisek highlighted CarePortal’s role in fostering shared responsibility for supporting those in need, allowing community members to respond to posted needs. Executive Director of Student Services Rick Frampton praised the compassion of those he works with, recalling his collaboration with Caves on the preschool project. He shared that he had signed up on CarePortal to explore ways he could volunteer and urged others to join at www.careportal.org. From left in front are board member Dr. Patti Shank, board President Tiffiney Upchurch, Caves, and Interim Superintendent Amber Whetstine. From left in the back are board members Todd Brown, Ron Schwarz, Kris Norris, and Frampton. Photo by Jackie Burhans.

**********

The Lewis-Palmer D 38 Board of Education usually meets at 6 p.m. on the third Monday of the month in its learning center, 146 Jefferson St. in Monument. Due to a change of date approved last November, the April meeting will be on Tuesday, April 22. For information, please contact vwood@lewispalmer.org.

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

Other Lewis-Palmer D38 Board of Education articles