Hello. Good evening. Thank you for joining us. It is 700 p.m. and I would like to call this meeting to order. If you are able, please stand and join us for the pledge of allegiance. Tonight, our land acknowledgement will
be read by director Futrell. On behalf of this board and the Cherry Creek School District, I would like to acknowledge that this meeting is being held on the ancestral and unseated lands of the Cheyenne, Arapjo, Ute, and Oak
Shakoway people who stewarded it for generations. The Oak Shakoway includes seven bands. So, I would also like to recognize that over 40 additional tribal nations likely use this area for trade, ceremonies, and social gatherings.
Thank you. At this time, I call for a motion to approve the agenda for the June 8th, 2026 regular board of education meeting. >> So moved. >> Thank you. Is there a second? >> Second. >> Thank you. Roll call, please. Directors Egan,
>> I. >> Vro, >> I. >> Garland, >> I. >> Hamri, >> I. >> Thank you. That motion carries. I would now call for a motion to approve the minutes listed on the June 8th, 2026 agenda.
>> So moved. >> Thank you. Is there a second? >> Second. >> Thank you. Roll call, please. Director >> I. >> Gutro. >> I. >> Garland. >> I. >> Hammer. >> I. >> Thank you. That motion carries. At this
time, we will have board of education communications beginning with Director Futrell. Thank you. Um, as we close out this school year, um, I've been thinking a lot about, um, the kind of year that it's been, uh, for, uh, Cherry Creek and, uh, raise
your hand if you're a little tired. Anybody a little tired? Yeah. Of whatever you're tired of. Um, I I feel you and we we feel you. Um, if I had to sum everything up in a few words, um, I'd call it a year of, um, challenge and
growth. Um, like many families across our community, our students and staff have been navigating through a lot. Uh, the rising costs, uh, the economic uncertainty, conflict around the world, um, and just trying to make ends meet. Uh, have been heavily on the minds of
our families, um, especially my own. At the same time, our district has worked through its very own public challenges and controversies. But what stands out to me um isn't the headlines. It's the more than 4,000 graduates my colleagues and I had the absolute privilege of
shaking hands with and the millions of dollars in scholarships that will support them on their academic journey and those serving our country in the armed forces. Can we get a round of applause for all of our graduates this year, please? [applause]
I think our students at the very least deserve that. Um, this is about the people and so I want to recognize our mental health teams, our counselors, our psychologists, our social workers, our crisis responders. This district has
experienced real loss this year and these professionals have quietly carried an enormous responsibility and burden. They have shown up for students, families, and staff during some incredibly difficult moments, and our community is stronger because of their
work. I also want to thank our security teams and our school resource personnel. They help keep our school safe while supporting students right to learn, gather, and express themselves. They have remained steady during moments that could could have easily created fear,
division, or harm. Can I please have a round of applause for our security team as well? One of the things that I'm the most proud of um in this work is when we ask our students about their well-being, they continue to report strong connections and trusted adults in our
schools. Those relationships matter. Long after our students forget a lesson or assignment, they remember the adults who believed in them, listened to them, and helped them make through this life and and most difficult moments. And despite all the challenges, Cherry Creek
continues to deliver extraordinary outcomes. We are celebrating our students, our staff, and our community. We'd like to thank every volunteer, every educator, every staff member.
We have a deeper understanding of how much work happens between the scenes and how important it is to share both our accomplishments and our struggles openly with our community. Trust isn't built by pretending that everything is perfect.
Trust is built by being honest about challenges and showing people how you're working with them, not around them, not through them. I also want to recognize interim superintendent Dr. Jennifer Perry.
During um what has often felt like one challenge after another, you have remained focused in the work on the students and keeping this district moving forward. So, I want to applaud you. You guys don't have to applaud. I want to applaud Dr. Perry. Thank you.
Thank you. At the end of the day, our responsibility is not to the headlines, the politics, or our responsibility is to the students who walk through our doors every morning. If we keep them at the center of our work, we will continue to move
this district forward. Thank you, President Egan. >> Thank you, Director Futrell. Director Garland. Thank you. Good evening and thank you to the Liberty School family for hosting us tonight.
To tonight I want to honor and celebrate 75 years of excellence, service, learning, leadership, and community. 75 years of changing lives. 75 years of preparing young people not only for
success but for significance. a 75th anniversary, the diamond anniversary. And when we think about diamonds, our minds naturally go to their brilliance. The sparkle, the cut, the facets, and the
beauty. But before a diamond shines, before it dazzles, before it reflects light in extraordinary ways, something remarkable truly happens. A diamond begins simply as carbon. Deep beneath the Earth's surface, it is
subjected to unimaginable forces, pressure, and extreme temperatures, often exceeding 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit. For billions of years, geological forces compress, transform, and strengthen it. Then through powerful
volcanic eruptions known as kimberlite eruptions, these diamonds are carried far deep within the earth to the surface where the world can finally see what they have become. This year we experienced pressure, heat,
time, transformation. This all sounds familiar because if there is one thing that this year has taught us, it is that greatness is not forged in comfort. Let's be honest, this year was rough. We
experienced every feeling and every emotion imaginable. There were challenges, adversity, victories, setbacks, uncertainty, and moments that truly tested our resolve. But just like every Sunday school lesson I learned decades
ago and every hero's journey I read in class, they all teach the same truth. Adversity is not the end of the story. Every epic tale includes battles. Every hero experiences setbacks. Every
meaningful journey includes path forward is unclear. As the poet Langston Hughes reminds us, life for me ain't been no crystal ain't been no crystal stair. And Robert Frost spoke wrote about taking
the road less traveled. This year, Cherry Creek walked that road. And while it wasn't always easy, we kept moving forward together. There have been voices echoing refrains of make Cherry Creek great again. I get it. When I go home and visit the resting
places of my grandparents and other family members, I remember the good old days, the recipes shared, the laughters, the smiles, the hugs, and even their sense. I remember familiar traditions, cherished memories and moments that shaped who I am. There is comfort in
looking backward. There's familiarity in looking backwards. Sometimes there's even wisdom in looking backward. But there can also be stagnation in looking backward. Sometimes there is danger and become an antiquated when when we when we become too attached
to what was. And every time I find myself delling on dwelling on yesterday, I remember the words of the Steve Miller band. Time keeps on slipping, slipping, slipping into the future. The truth is I do not believe our mission is to go
back. Unless of course someone has Marty McFly, Doc Brown, and a flux capacitor hidden somewhere in this district. Because if we could travel back in time, perhaps we would tweak a few things, avoid a few mistakes, and we would make different choices. But the truth is, we
cannot go back and we shouldn't. Our responsibility is greater than nostalgia. Our responsibility is to honor the past, celebrate today, and prepare for the future of brilliance. Cherish the past. Celebrate today. Focus on the future. That is what Cherry Creek
has done for 75 years. And nowhere is that future more visible than in our graduates. This year, my colleagues and I celebrated 4,196 beautiful souls. four 4,196
dreams, 4,196 stories, 4,196 futures waiting to unfold. To our graduates, we celebrate you. You're headed in every direction un imaginable
to colleges, universities, military service, career apprenticeships, gap years, and yes, even to trails and quiet spaces where you will where you will hike your way toward towards discovering what comes next. Wherever you go, you carry wonderful gifts, knowledge,
[snorts] skills, college credits already earned, industry certifications, athletic excellence, entrepreneurial spirit, artistic brilliance, multiple languages, creative talents, and gifts that can't be measured by transcripts or test
scores. The gifts of compassion, courage, resilience, and character. You are all strengthened by your families, wrapped by an entire village. You are ready to take your place in the world. And we are cheering for you every step of the way because every diploma
represents something sacred to that family. Every diploma is a whispered prayer, a fulfilled promise, and a bridge to the future. And for our many families, it's the re it's the realization of our ancestors wildest dreams. To our educators and staff
members and support teams, thank you. And that even feels insufficient. Every day you take on big tasks, meeting the needs of every student, every pathway, every circumstance, and every dream. Yet every morning you get up, you
return, you encourage, you challenge, you inspire, you believe. And I believe that there is truly a miracle and mission in public education. I'm a witness. I I see what happens when educators don't give up on our students.
I've seen hope restored, confidence built, futures transformed, and your work changes lives. You believe in students and you create their futures. Because of you, our graduates stand taller, dream bigger, and know that they belong in every room. And after you and
after the year we have had on behalf of this board, I want to offer special gratitude to every single employee across this district. During moments of turmoil, you kept your eye on our north
star, our students. You stayed focused. You kept the main thing the main thing. You remained committed to students. You demonstrated grace under pressure. You embodied resilience. Like diamonds form neath formed deep
beneath the surface. You endure the pressure and we all emerge stronger. And that is perhaps the greatest lesson of this 75 years, this diamond anniversary. Diamonds are not created despite pressure. Diamonds are created because
of it. The brilliance we celebrate did not appear overnight. It was built classroom by classroom, teacher by teacher, student by student, family by family, and for 75 years, generation by generation. And now we walk into a new
chapter. A chapter that will require innovation, courage, and other things. A chapter that will require us to embrace challenge while remaining grounded in our values. a chapter that will will require us to continue to prepare students for a future that is arriving
faster than any generation before them has experienced. The best days of Cherry Creek are not behind us. They are ahead of us because our our our story has never been about buildings. It's never been about programs. It's never been about preserving a moment in time. Our
story has always been about people. People who believe in possibility. people who believe in our children, all of our children. People who believe that education remains the most powerful force for opportunity and transformation
and mobility in our society. So today, I am unapologetically celebrating 75 years. And in the spirit of my colleague, let's say yay us. Let's give ourselves a hand. [applause] Let us honor those who came before us.
Let us celebrate those who stand among us today and let us boldly embrace the future waiting before us. The pressure of this year has shaped us. The challenges have strengthened us. The journey has refined us. Diamonds are our best friends. They are also the tur the
toughest surface on the planet. And the brilliance is still emerging. Happy 75th anniversary, Cherry Creek. Our future is bright. Get your library cards. Read lots of books. Visit national parks. Public education is our nation's best
idea. National parks and publics lands the second. Public libraries are third. Cherish, protect, and hyperuse all three of them. To our precious to our precious and rare students and your brilliant families. You're beautiful like diamonds
in the sky. Shine bright like a diamond. Thank you. Thank you, Director Garland. Director Hamrik, >> can I just say ditto to my other two uh board members? Uh first of all, I want to thank uh
Kevin and the Libert Liberty Middle School staff and of course to our Cherry Creek uh school staff for setting this meeting up and thank you to all the staff members here, the parents, the students uh that are in attendance tonight. Thank you for taking time out of your evening to be here. Uh tonight
we're going to be approving the budget uh for the uh 2627 school year. Approving the budget is one of the most important responsibilities of a school board and must be done every year by June 30th. This oversight means we
approve the budget in totalitarian to I can't talk tonight, not by line item. Total general fund expenditures is about $850 million this year. uh our total which includes the bonds grant food
nutrition etc is $1.6 billion. The general fund is the main operating fund of the district and we have presented a balanced budget so our revenues coming in match our revenues uh going out. In fact, we
started our started on our working to strategically build our reserves and this budget includes includes modestly increasing our reserves by $300,000. While we are in declining enrollment, there are no changes to the teacher staffing ratio in our classrooms.
We are also able to invest 11.5 million in compensation increases for our staff, which I might add is I wish it was more, but uh given the budget, that's what we had to work with it. We have seen numerous presentations from our CFO and
uh over the past few months uh working up to this. And you know what's really hard is the state legislature doesn't pass the school funding until what May 13th, 12th, 13th. And this team has to modify all those numbers to make them
fit for our next school year. Uh so I want to thank uh CFO Scott Smith and uh the team that worked on those tonight. Uh Yoli Contras, Kate Kataski, Tim Rego, Chris Guiger, Dean Schaefer, Jennifer
Seltz, uh Christina Terrell, and Mitch Wilson. If you're all here, thank you. I know it's such a dynamic, moving uh puzzle. uh trying to get it all prepared for the next school year. And I bet they're already thinking about 2728 right now. So, it's it's time to get
back to your Excel spreadsheets. Uh uh some of the fun things I got to stop by the uh Cherry Creek Schools Foundation golf tournament last week. What a great event. uh the foundation raised over $45,000
for our students and thanks to the their support so many of our uh thanks to the support of our partners. Um unfortunately I wasn't able to play and win the championship this year because my arm was still in a swing. Uh but I did get my first putt of the year in
which didn't work very well. But uh thanks to them. Also some other events we just recently did uh we had a the military day at CCIC where our young men and women our graduates had signed up to
join our armed forces and uh it's a great ceremony and at the conclusion of it one of our veterans was wrapped in the kulka of valor and it really was a a touching ceremony for for him and uh his
family. Uh it was it's a great honor. So anyway, o our community as our previous directors have said has experienced six months of numerous stories on personnel and financial topics. The board has received numerous
communications that do not accurately reflect the information or all the information. narratives on social media have been inaccurate and do not truly reflect the entire narrative of what's going on. We on the board have listened to these
things that have gone on for my first six months on the board and we've implemented poly policy changes to try to make sure some of these items that we have just discovered uh have been addressed. We will continue
to make policy changes on many issues in the future. Moving forward, focus on serving the students, educators, and families of the Cherry Creek School District. That is our northstar, our students. We We are one of the premier
school districts in the state of Colorado. In my opinion, the premier school district. And we're one of the premier school districts in our nation. I am looking forward to working on my duties as a school member and working on these duties with my fellow board
members. And thank you very much. That concludes my comments. >> Thank you. Thank you, Director Hamick, and thank you, Director Futrell and Director Garland for your wise words as well. Good evening. Thank you to Liberty Middle School and Principal Doherty for
this meeting here this evening. And thanks as always to our safety, security, technology, and setup teams for making these meetings possible in our district schools. This year, the board of education in conjunction with Dr. Perry has taken action to ensure
transparency, accountability, and communication for our community. With Dr. Perry travel guidelines have been clarified to prioritize student educational experiences, student outcomes, and alignment with district goals. We have increased the oversight
and thresholds for board approved contracts and mandated that all contracts are reviewed and approved by our legal department. These policies and others to be reviewed as part of an internal controls audit. Last week, this
board voted to approve Plant Moran to conduct the audit, and this work is now underway. On Friday, the board voted to approve McFersonson and Jacobson to conduct the search process for a permanent superintendent. The process will
formally begin in fall 2026. And in partnership with Dr. Perry and the district leadership team, we made difficult decisions in order to produce a balanced budget for next year. and ensure the long-term health of this district. As it's been reported, there
have been a few people in this district who've made some very bad choices. In working with Dr. Perry, we have investig investigated this poor behavior and are holding these individuals accountable while also abiding by due process and
employment law requirements. In addition to expanding the time allowed for speakers, we have also worked with Dr. prepared to develop the accountability website and increase communication from the superintendent about happenings in this district. In an efficient manner,
we solicited applications and held public interviews to fill an unexpected board vacancy so that we will now have five dire board community. Thank you to the applicants who applied and interviewed for the District Director
vacancy. And welcome again to our newest board member, Mr. Keith Frasier, who will be sworn in at the end of this meeting. As the 2025 2026 school year comes to a close, I want to take a moment to reflect on what has been a challenging
time for our district. This year has been a period of transition, difficult decisions, and drama. Throughout this transition, however, our teachers, staff, administrators, students, and families have continued the important
work of education, our core mission. For that, I want to say thank you. We cannot and we will not forget that serving 53,000 students and their families is why we began doing this important work and why we continue honoring the work as
our top priority. We are not interested in pers in a persistent pattern of harassment directed at the volunteer board of education and district staff that is wasting taxpayer dollars and undermining the district's core message
of education. While disagreement and accountability are essential parts of a health healthy public institution, there is a meaningful difference between constructive engagement and perpetual conflict. Our students and families are
best served when conversations are grounded in facts, mutual respect, and a shared commitment to finding solutions and moving forward constructively. Moving forward, we will be focusing solely on serving our 53,000 students
and their families. As board president, I remain committed to listening to and hearing from our community. Our external audit will support that work and provide additional ways for staff, families, and members of this community to share their
feedback. Ultimately, our responsibility as a board is to make decisions that are in the best interest of all students, steward public resources responsibly, and ensure that we remain dedicated to excellence. Despite the challenges of
this year, there is so much to be proud of. Our students excelled in classrooms, on stages, in athletic competitions, and through service to others. Our educators remain dedicated and committed to the students they serve. And our families
continue to support their children and our schools. These accomplishments are no small thing and they remind us that our district is not defined by controversy but by people who show up every day to make a positive impact on
students. The time has come to move forward. Leadership transitions have occurred. New opportunities are emerging and our focus must return to what matters most, providing every student with a high quality excellent education.
I encourage our community to continue to engage and ask for accountability while keeping students at the center of every conversation. I am confident our best days are ahead and I look forward to continuing this important work together
on behalf of our students and community for this board, Dr. Perry, our district leadership team, our educators and staff and students and their families. We wish you a safe, peaceful, and happy
summer break. Please take the time to soak up the sun with your loved ones. Dr. Perry, I'll turn this over to you now. Thank you. Uh thank you uh to the board uh for your comments. Um my comments tonight are
going to remind us all about the incredible things that are happening in classrooms and schools across this district all year. Here are just a few of the positive headlinew worthy things that I would send out if uh and I do send out often on social media, but I
really want to highlight that we've gone through this uh year. In terms of academic achievement, uh Spring Star early literacy uh data shows that we've grown to 58.9% from 44 um in the fall, a 14% increase. Spring Star reading data
is at 59.8, up 5%. Springstar math data up 6% from our spring data up from the fall data. Our graduation rate is the highest ever at 91.6, far surpassing the state average of 85.6.
We had 21 schools receive the John Irwin Award and excellence um andor Governor's Distinguished Improvement Award. I believe that's the most ever. We had 11 Betcher finalists, two of whom were named as Betcher scholars, and we've gotten the opportunity to celebrate them recently. And CAMASS data though
embargoed until August early that we are trending up in both literacy and math. I'm in terms of student voice. I'm also proud of the efforts to elevate student voice. In particular, I want to recognize the contributions of the
superintendent advisory and our source students. These students thoughtfully engaged in conversations and provided recommendations to help advance the goals of the strategic plan. We have student voice specifically talking about our strategic goals and how they can help us move forward. Their perspectives
continue to strengthen our work and ensure that student experiences remain at the center of decision-making. Just one idea that was produced from a group of high school students this year was they formed a group called page turners and their goal is to go into elementaryaries and read to little kids
and be that model, be that mentor and show that joy of reading. Uh they crammed their first um kind of maiden voyage in in May, but the littles were so excited to see them and we uh appreciate these students for bringing the idea forward. I appreciate the
adults that made it happen and we'll continue to see this effort grow um next fall. This year we also launched a student spotlight series which highlights the inspiring stories of exceptional high school students and the diverse pathways that they are pursuing.
And I want to thank our comm's team for bringing those amazing stories forward. In terms of uh communication and transparency and budget, I want to thank the district leadership team, the team that I have the privilege of working with every day. Uh recognizing that this
has been a real interesting semester, but you continue to deliver for students, schools, and taxpayers every day that you show up to work. And I want to thank you publicly. This includes a tough budgeting season, which was very difficult. We made ultimately we came together and were able to make strategic
cuts and build a balanced budget for next year. I want to thank Scott Smith and his team for their work um as they're looking forward and you'll see that presentation tonight. I've also increased uh communication since February. Some of you may have noticed I get lots of comments about it and will
continue to provide regular updates in this next school year. All actions taken by me andor the board can be seen on the accountability web page that we've set up. And as you've heard tonight, the board has selected Plant Moran. One of the things that was a requirement of
that RFP is that there would be an anonymous phone number and email that the community can use to specifically um ask questions about concerns that they have. Plantaran is quickly trying to set that up and as soon as I have both pieces of information that will be
communicated to the community and also posted on the accountability website. I also want you to hear uh from me that as this work is beginning, the direction of all staff is to absolutely open the doors and fully cooperate with any
question asked by plant Moran as they engage in this audit. And in terms of 2024, we want to thank the voters again, but we are moving full steam ahead with many bond projects. I've had the opportunity to walk through many of our buildings with hard hats, and I'm excited to bring them to you um
this fall and in the coming years. We broke ground on phase one of the Cherry Creek High School rebuild. If you have not seen the flythrough of that project, it is unbelievable. We opened the newly renovated pathways at Overland, formerly known as IST.
The experience, the kitchen in this building alone and what we're going to be able to do for kids is amazing. The medical pathways, all of the stuff that's popping up at Pathways is going to be a great opportunity for not only Overland kids, but kids across this district. Dozens and dozens of schools
will see maintenance improvements happening over the summer. As you may have seen outside tonight, security window film installation and other security and technology upgrades are underway. We are on track to open the Overland Pool, the new Holly Hill, the
expanded CCIC next year. Plus, at CCIC, we have some new partnerships. one I was just sharing with a former board member tonight with Discount Tire and Carrier um HVAC systems. Uh Discount is going to put a specific vestibule in our auto bay
that they are going to train kids on their equipment specifically and offering our students who go through that pathway jobs at all of the local uh discount tires. I wouldn't be surprised soon if you get your cars worked on that it's not by a Cherry Creek student. Um but I all we're looking for is to give
kids unbelievable opportunities as they expel explore all pathways. And all of this is being tracked publicly on our bond dashboard uh page that you can follow. The action steps, what we've historically done, what we're doing now, and what we've delivered on is all tracked publicly for you on our
dashboard. So, closing, I want to say thank you as these uh members have tonight to student, staff, and families of the district for your continued engagement. You embody our dedication to excellence and we cannot lose sight of our purpose
and our core mission. Being excellent means always striving to be better every day and every year. Recognizing that we're just celebrating the 75th year. This district has stood the test of time. We've done difficult things
before. And as we teach in elementary, I see some former elementary principles and some other friends in the room. When things get tough, you can't go over it. You can't go under it. You've got to go through it. That's a lesson I've learned in my 25 years of experience here. And I
want to thank the board for their partnership and going through it in service to our community with me. I hope everyone has a great summer. I plan to go to Greece real soon. Um but I I welcome look forward to welcoming our students and staff back in just a few
short weeks. Thank you. >> Thank you, Dr. Perry, would you like to introduce our special presentation? >> Yep. As I think we've said a couple different times, we have Scott Smith with us tonight. Um our CFO who is going to present um the budget for the 2627 school year.
>> Thank you, Dr. Perry, President Egan, members of the board. Thank you for having me here tonight to go through the budget. Um I know we've gone through this a number of times, but um it's always a privilege to be here. You'll notice throughout the presentation I've used the word adopted budget. I mentioned this at the study session as
well. Of course, the budget is not adopted until you all vote on it. It's to help us track the different versions as we go forward. So, um this is our final budget and our recommendation for the 2627 school year. So, we'll start at the big picture uh at the statewide level. Our state has a
structural imbalance and while work has been done over the past couple years, the expenditures at the state level are still more than the revenues that are coming in. And in a state with a revenue limit, that creates a real challenge. Um, and our legislators have done a lot
of work to try to close this budget gap. Um, but the reality is is that we have started new programs and new investments that our state doesn't have the revenue for. This quote from the joint budget committee, I think, is really telling that um if the state had used all the
one-time COVID relief money on one-time sources, the budget would already be back in balance and would have been in balance for a couple years. but instead that money was used to stand up new ongoing programs and that has led us to the imbalance that we have now. So, while this is definitely a challenging
budget year, um we've been very transparent with our teachers, our administrators, our leadership, and the board that this is probably the first of a number of difficult budget years because the state of Colorado simply can't invest in K12. Um not to say that really invested in K12 over the last
number of years either. At the same time, the state commissioned two adequacy studies. So, we know that Colorado usually ranks around 40th in the nation when it comes to funding K12, but these studies attempted to put a number to it. And that number is about
$4 billion a year of where we are underfunding our school districts. most frustr I can't say it either. What makes me frustrated is that um when you look at where the state is investing their money, they've made a decision to
depprioritize K12. So we used to be just under half of the budget, about 42%. We're now at about 29%. And the reason I bring that up is while we're $4 billion behind, if the state had done nothing other than leave K12 as 42%, as the pie
grew over the last decade, which we know it has, state government has increased in size, that would have solved $2 billion of the funding gap. But instead, um, we've seen that the state is prioritizing other programs and shifting a lot of the burden to local taxpayers and property taxpayers to make up that
difference. As we look at the long-term budget considerations, there are definite headwinds in front of us. Um, the state is attempting to find every way possible that it can to reduce it the K12. So that might include changing the rules on funding sources that have been in place
for decades. One of those is called specific ownership tax. It's part of the tax that you pay when you register your vehicle. The state wants to change how they account for that money. Um they're also talking about defunding programs like our options program and our elevation program that provides online
education. They have eliminated the TREP program. Um but fortunately they did sustain funding so kids who are in it now can finish. Um but really you can see that the state is trying to find every dollar that they can. Additionally they're trying to find every way they can to count fewer and fewer kids. So,
while declining enrollment is a reality for the vast majority of districts in this state, we are getting funded for fewer kids. As we used to be funded on a 5-year declining enrollment average, we're now at a three-year declining enrollment average, subsequently by a even smaller funded pupil count.
The state is also looking at grants to balance the budget. I will talk about a couple grants that were ended that we've decided to backfill and keep here in Cherry Creek. Um but more and more grant funding is getting cut and so the state really is coming at it from all angles in order to reduce their obligation. Um
there are talks about funding measures that are on the ballot this year. We've been a part of those conversations trying to make sure that they are as positive to K12 and Cherry Creek as they possibly can be. Um those are not things that are run by the districts or organized by the districts. These are outside of us. Um but of course we know
that there hasn't been a strong history of passing statewide revenue initiatives when it comes to K12. So while there are some options on the horizon, we have to be prepared for the realistic chance that we're going to be left with the revenue that we have in the state and how do we adjust to the structural
imbalance that they have. On the federal side, um we were flatfunded going into next year, which is actually really good news because the president had proposed a 20% reduction um to most federal programs. Of course, while revenue is flat, our costs are not flat. the cost of serving special ed
students with special education needs, the cost associated with educating students who are at risk, English language learners continues to grow, but it is better um than what we were planning on. But we have seen in the last couple days um the budget proposal that's coming for next year looks to cut title again. So we have to keep our eye
on this and know that these are this is not supplementary funding to the school district. Federal funding is core funding and these have real impacts on real programs and students in our district when uh they get reduced. So, how does that translate down to us?
Um, the district has to maintain a set of funds to track our money. Mo the biggest fund is the general fund. It accounts for about 90% of our day-to-day operations. And that's where I'm going to spend the majority of the time today. In our study sessions, we did spend time on all the capital funds and some of the smaller funds. And all that detail is in
the appendex of this as well as the budget books that you all received um a few weeks ago as the team finalized the proposed budget. So, you've probably seen there have been a nu numerous articles that have said K12 spared this year, K12 not being cut,
things along that nature. And that's absolutely true. The second half of that sentence that all that didn't always get said was and we're not investing in K12 either. So, we are projected to receive about 6.5 million in additional funding next year through the school finance
act. So, yes, we are going forward, but a 1% raise in this district costs about $7.5 million. So you can see that while yes, we are receiving additional funding, it doesn't keep up with what our costs are and it doesn't keep up with the raises that we
need to be able to invest into our staff. But fortunately for us, um, we have passed levy overrides, local elections that allow us to supplement that budget. And those overrides continue to grow, both the ones that are pegged to total program or tied to inflation, as well as the phase in of
our 2024 mill levby. So, this gives us more flexibility than most other districts in order to accomplish um investments in our programs, our people, and how much we're able to pay them. There are ancillary revenue changes, whether those in things like categorical
programs that the state funds, um decreases in funding related to universal preschool, but they're all fairly negligible changes. Really the answer here, the takeaway is that we are going forward but just barely and it's incumbent upon us to make the changes
and investments that we need in the district in order to provide that excellent education um that we promise. So as a reminder, we got about 6.6 million in new funding from the school finance act. As we go into expenditure adjustments
next year, I think the first thing to mention is what's not changing. And director Hammer got at this during his speech, but we are not changing the teacher staffing ratio. We are not changing our practice around declining enrollment averaging or weighted student funding or the additional funding we
give small schools to make sure that all kids have equitable opportunities regardless of the size of school that they go to. Those are not changing. We are declining in enrollment. So as those formulas play out, there may be reductions, but we are maintaining those investments. As Dr. Perry mentioned uh we went
through an exhaustive public process to look at how we could reduce our budget. Um starting first with the central office both in terms of personnel and outside contracts. Um we went through those with a fine tooth comb to find as much savings as we possibly could and
then looking at some targeted reductions in our school support areas. As we mentioned, you know, we have had some challenges where we've had to make some changes this year. But the good news is out of those positions that we did eliminate, over 60 of them have already found um continued employment in
Cherry Creek in other positions. Many of them in severe need para positions which are tied to students IEPs. Those are also higher level positions that come with a higher wage um than the positions that they were in in the past. As you look at our expenditure
adjustments, the biggest is the 11.59 million that we're putting into people. And I bring that up because that's almost double of what we're getting from the state. We are able to do that. I mentioned as through strategic budget reductions as well as the mill levy overrides that are provided in our community. Um we are going to open the
expanded CCIC and pathways at Overland. We are backfilling the EERS grant as well as the student health professional grant. So um students who are at risk of not finishing high school or students who are struggling with addiction, we wanted to maintain those investments. Importantly, we're also budgeting
contingencies in our operating budget so that as needs come up year to year or I should say daytoday throughout the year, we're able to respond to those without having to dip into our fund balance. We have a dedicated reserve to respond to issues quickly and appropriately and make sure that staffing is in place.
It's important to note that this entire budget adds about $300,000 back to our reserves um out of a $900 million budget. So we want to make sure that we are always investing as much as we can in our schools and our employees. We are not chasing a credit rating. We are
chasing smart investments in our organization. When we look at compensation, the 11.5 million is less than what we've been able to do in the past, but funding from the state has been much more robust in these prior years. We have put over 26%
in payraises over the last five years in this district, including the largest pay raise um that people have tell me that they can remember in this organization when we gave 8% a couple years ago. We have the highest starting teacher salary of our peer group, the second highest average teacher salary in the state of
Colorado, and one of the lowest studenttoteer ratios among our peer group. Keep in mind that's not class size, that's total licensed personnel as compared to total students. But we are investing in our teachers and investing in programming as much as we possibly can.
Going into next year, most employees will see a 1.25% increase. Um that's 11.5 million. We strive to provide equitable payraises across all of our employee groups because it truly takes all 10,000 employees um to deliver on our mission.
You'll see that a couple groups have a little bit more than 1.25%. That's because they are part of the three-year annual market study rotation where we go out for every job every three years to ensure that we are paying competitively compared to the market. You'll also see that teachers the top
line have an effective raise of about 1.58% which is slightly higher. This is because the teachers have a unique compensation structure that they have. We are able to ensure that all teachers advance a step on the salary schedule, that teachers who are maxed out receive a one-time payment, and teachers who uh
attain a degree are able to move horizontally on the salary schedule. Um, it's important to note also that CCEA has agreed to give up about $1.8 million in additional compensation over the next couple years to help pay for this raise because their raise does cost more than
the rest. And we understand that we all have to be doing this together. And so we found a very creative solution to be able to accomplish that. Um and really appreciate the support of all four of our associations that we work with as well as all of the staff that is not part um of an employee association.
So tonight um we are recommending the following appropriations and a couple places of you using some fund balance. So this is the culmination of about seven months of work. Um we have talked um numerous times the board has received for I think the third or fourth year in
a row the budget book um in May as opposed to September or October which was the practice historically. Um more detailed budget information um has been provided to the board um since my tenure here and the ability to have really robust conversations. The budget was
officially proposed to the board in May which is required by statute and then the board has to adopt the budget by June 30th. If the board doesn't adopt a budget, you take 90% of the current year budget and that becomes next year's budget. So, we would have to cut everything by 10%. Um, so um we are at
the point where staff is recommending the following appropriations and use of fund balance. As director Ham said, the board approves the budget at the fund level. And of course, we provide all of the detail um that the board would want to request and answer any questions we have, but really the vote is at the fund
level. Couple things I do want to point out here. The first is the appropriated reserve of $50 million. This money is not going to be spent. This is our 3% Taber reserve as well as our 3% board reserve. We call it out specifically
because we are required by state law and board policy to have those. Um you will see there are a couple places where we are um recommending a use of fund balance. That is not in the general fund. We have delivered a balanced budget in the general fund. Like I said, that modestly increases our reserves by
about $300,000. But we know services, which is before and after care, and in our pupil activities fund, um there's a bit of a mismatch between the revenue and the expenditures. In terms of ECS, it's finding the right revenue line where we're still providing a value to the
community, but we're operating at a break even state. We've built up reserve for a number of years and so working we're working through how to provide a runway to where we don't need to use fund balance but we're charging enough um that covers our costs but this has been the practice for the last number of years as you can imagine during co um
there wasn't a lot of before and after care going on and we had built up some reserves same thing in the pupil activities fund this is money largely at our high schools and also some at our middle schools um that had built up reserves and they're strategically spending those down on students um on a day-to-day basis
Then some of our capital funds, um, we get one-time money in when we sell bonds. That's onetime money. So, anytime we spend money in the building fund that's not in the year we sell the bonds will be a use of fund balance because there's no revenue to support that. The revenue was in the prior year. We also
have a unique situation where all of our construction happens in June and July with a fiscal year change right in the middle of that. And so sometimes projects carry over from year to on a fiscal year basis. And so that's why we're using that fund balance. The last is on the bond redemption fund. That is
the fund that we use to pay our interest and principal payments on our voter approved debt. As much as we possibly can, we try to hold the tax rate flat in that fund um to provide some consistency and continuity to our taxpayers. This means in some years we're generating fund balance and other years we're using
fund balance because unlike your mortgage, it's not a consistent payment every single um year that we have. And so this year we are using a little bit of fund balance. This is all within the multi-year bond plan that we have built, worked with our financial adviserss and our bond council on and has been part of
the plan from the beginning. Sure. Um so Dr. Perry mentioned I think the one thing that is confusing on here is the building fund is the bond, right? The building fund is where um when the voters approve it, we sell the bonds, we get the revenue in and we do all of the
work. The bond redemption fund has nothing to do with the buildings that we're working on. it has to do with servicing the debt um that the voters have approved. And so that's the distinction between those two. Sometimes that nomenclature is a little bit difficult and counterintuitive. So it is our recommendation um that the
board approve the appropriations that are listed here as well as the applicable use of fund balance and those particular funds um for the 2627 school year. Um and I am happy to take any questions that the board may have. President Negan, >> thank you Mr. Smith. We appreciate this
presentation and as always your work and your team's work. Uh thank you also for delivering us a balanced budget. A lot of work went into this as as we all know. I will start with director Futrell. Do you have questions?
Uh thank you Scott and your entire team for really working uh as hard as you have uh during the past few months to make sure that this was a a very understandable process, especially for those of us that are new and understanding how our funds work.
Can you in in um just layman's terms please kind of talk a little bit about what we are doing to prioritize teachers and what kind of protections have we set up for our special populations with this proposed budget? >> Absolutely. So I'd say in terms of
special populations is we are going to make sure that we meet all of the requirements in the IEP and that we meet um what we are required to do and what is in that program. Um, we've budgeted a $ 1.5 million reserve for special populations this year so that we know that students change throughout the
year, needs change throughout the year, so we have the ability to react to those appropriately and adequately, and have the money on hand to be able to do it. Um, in terms of our teachers, you know, one of the things I'm very proud of is the collaborative relationship that we have with the Cherry Creek Education Association. Um, we don't always see eye
to eye on everything, but we're able to have very direct and honest conversations. And I'll be the first one to say um I I wish we could do bigger raises. I wish we could provide more. We know the cost of living, the cost of healthare is going up. Um but we've agreed on looking at market studies with
our different employee groups. We've agreed on uh forming a benefits committee to have representation from each of our groups to look at what should benefit offerings look like into the future. Um it's an ongoing process, an ongoing dialogue. Uh but we always want to make sure that we are investing as much in our people and in our
programs as we possibly can. >> Thank you. >> Good garland. >> Thank you. >> Um can you describe the um possible ballot initiatives that are was that was recommended by the legislature and the
one that may be um done by citizens groups um per signature referendum. >> Absolutely. Thank you for the question. Um so the referred measure is a measure um that is effectively to debruuce the state by about $5 billion. So what that
would mean is that the Taber revenue limit um in lie of Taber refunds that money could be used to invest into K12. The first version of that bill um quite frankly didn't invest all that much into K12. And so we've worked really hard um
to help improve that legislation because we do this on all legislation whether we support it or opposed to it or neutral. We want to make the legislation as good as it possibly can be because we don't control if it passes. And so the school finance community did a lot of work with our legislators and lobbyists over the
last few months to move the needle by billions of dollars for K12. We went from the lesser of 200 million or some other calculation to the greater of 200 million or 50% of all the revenue raised. Um that is a multiple billion
dollar improvement for K12. Um of course the voters will have to decide on whether they want to approve that. The you know I think it's a an idea that is worth debating and figuring out um how it works for K12 because this isn't an ongoing new revenue source. This is in
lie of Taber refunds. that money would be invested in state government. Um, and so we're going to have to work through if it were to pass what in terms of hiring staff, of giving permanent compensation increases. Um, and at the same time, um, if it were to pass, it's absolutely money that could help the
Cherry Creek School District and help um, K12 in Colorado overall. The second measure is gathering signatures on a graduated income tax proposal um which would lower taxes for the vast majority of Colorado taxpayers and increase taxes
for the highest earners um and could generate about $2 billion a year. That still has a fairly uphill battle to get on the ballot. Um it's kind of a unique situation where they have to meet the constitutional requirements for signatures. Um but it's a legis a
statutory change. And so the reason that is is that they would strike the language in the constitution that requires a single tax rate in the state of Colorado and then pass enabling legislation which would put differentiated income taxes into state statute. Um it appears to me that the
first initiative is much more organized, much more wellunded. Um but you know it's one of those things where if it were to pass it would be beneficial for K12 um to have additional funding as we talked about the adequacy studies um of how far behind we are. Um but I think the signature gathering process and some
of those other things are an uphill battle, but we'll see if um the campaign is able to overcome those. Um but it is definitely something that would raise significant revenue whereas the first measure there's only revenue if we are in Taber refunds.
>> Right. I just want to make sure that um our community is clear that with the first one which is which was referred by the legislature it only kicks in if there are tab refunds and so it's not a guaranteed annual revenue stream for schools or any of the other um aspects
of state government that it may fund >> the that is correct. The forecast of the state indicate there should be prolonged Taber refunds. Um but uh anyone who can forecast the economy years and years in advance needs to be investing in Wall Street. Um because that's an incredible
talent. So um again helpful if it would pass. I think we just have to work through the logistics of how does the ongoing revenue match the ongoing expenditures that we have. >> Thank you. And also just wanted to give a shout out to you and your team and again we've seen this multiple times and then particularly all the work that you
all do to get that book ready because we didn't get that book until the fall and so I know it's a heavy lift to get all those get all those numbers filled in and to work down at the capital and to see what what our final numbers will be and to get those books to us in a timely manner. So thank you and your team for
that. Thank you. >> That that's all the questions I have. >> Thank you Director Garland. Dr. Hamri, >> first of all, I want to thank your team and Kate, and I want to thank Chris printing out the all the budgets for me
in advance because it was quite large. It's it's traveled with me since uh you guys produced that uh projected budget. So, thank you. It really allowed time to go through each and every line item uh
and also the individual schools uh budgets. So, uh, and I stayed awake. I didn't read it and fall asleep. So, it was really good information. Uh, couple things. I I love that we're not reducing the teacher staff teacher
student ratio. I mean, that's perfect to stay at 16 to1. The special population reserve because as we all know, sometimes Creek tends to be a special population destination district. So, costs could change.
uh and of course making sure that we fund requirements and our board resolution um reserves. I wonder if you could speak a little bit about one of the neatest things I thought you all did was the health insurance program because
I think premiums were going to rise what about 45% and you were able to come up with solution to what get it to 19 if I recall correctly. >> Thank you for the question. Um, you know, the benefits team did a lot of great work to help lower the cost and at
the same time, um, benefits are really expensive and, um, it's a challenge not just here, not just in public schools, it's across industry as health care becomes more and more expensive. Um, we were the last district, large district to be on a fully insured plan. And
really what that means is you give all of your money to the health insurance company and they manage everything for you. within that they take about 10% to their bottom line. So that's just loss um that comes in. So we looked at moving to a self-insured plan. We've been self-insured for workers comp and dental
and vision for a long time. And by removing kind of that 10% profit margin um from the health insurance companies, we were able to cut that increase in half. It's still a sizable increase. It's still very real. It's still going to have real impacts on our employees. Um, that's why I mentioned we're pulling
together this benefits committee to really step back and look at what should our philosophy be. Um, what should we look at when it comes to subsidizing care? Should it be the same for all employees or should family plans have more? Should we what kind of options do we want to offer? Do we want a Kaiser option? Should the district fund 50% or
a different percentage? All of those conversations are going to happen collaboratively. Um, because the cost is only one piece of it. It's also the care and the plans that we're able to offer. Um, but a huge thank you to the benefit staff. I was able to work with them for the last few months and really gain an insight into what they do. And um you know, we still hire a third party
administrator. It's not like we become the health insurance company. Um it was actually our healthcare provider who said, "You should really switch to self-funded and that's going to cost me money because you're sending money to us that you could be keeping for your employees." Um so I've operated in a self-funded plan before. Uh but this is
the first time where we've stood a new one up and just really thank those benefits employees um for the plan year that'll start July 1st. >> Great. Thank you. And because of all the presentations, I don't have any further questions. >> Thank you, Director Ham. I'm in the same
boat. We've, you know, we get this in May. We vote on it and approve it in June, but we have seen it for many months beforehand. So, we appreciate that and we know that you're tweaking it with your team as you go along. Thanks again for all of your efforts and for
being here tonight. >> Thank you. And thank you budget team as well. It is at this point in our meeting that we make time for members of the audience who have completed the online public comment form prior to 12 noon today to address the board of education. In order
for everyone to be heard, please limit your comments to a maximum of three minutes. A buzzer will sound at the end of three minutes and the microphone and will be automatically muted. Each speaker may only speak once during public comment. Speaking time may not be
shared between speakers. This is your opportunity to make comments to the board of education in accordance with board policy. It is not a question and answer session. Please confine your comments to matters that are germanine to the business of the district. Further, please recognize that students
attend most of our meetings. Any speaker whose statements or behavior are unrelated to the business of the district, appear threatening or unsafe or inappropriate for K12 students may be interrupted or warned and their opportunity for comment terminated.
Audience members who speak are asked to do so in a respectful manner and the audience is encouraged to listen respectfully. Any speaker or audience member who disrupts the good order of the board meeting, including the speaking time of others, may be asked to
leave. We are very interested in your feedback and will listen carefully. On behalf of the board, I want to thank you in advance for your comments and taking the time to come to tonight's meeting. Mr. Koig, will you call the first speakers, please?
>> As I call your name, please line up behind the podium and remember to state your name at the beginning. Molly Lamar, Anne Moore, Bridg Nelson, Rita Brada Roy, Carly Holiday, and Jessica Price.
Oh, no. Is it on? Okay, sorry. Um, okay. My name is Molly Lamar. I'm here to wrap into white one tight bundle the ongoing collapse of administrative accountability in Cherry Creek schools. Just this month, the district's personnel action report confirmed
controversial leader Rebecca Lopez is leaving. While parents and frontline staff are breathing a sigh of relief, this is just the latest domino to fall. We are now facing investigation after investigation from local financial audits to a federal investigation for
discrimination. How many investigations do we have to go through as a community before this board admits that something fundamentally has to change at the top? True healing cannot begin while the gatekeepers who allowed this toxic environment to exist
are still at the helm. First, let's talk about transparency. Colorado open meetings and sunshine laws are mandatory, not optional. Yet, this district routinely operates in the dark. When will General Counsel Sonia McKenzie be held accountable for overseeing a
culture that fails to record executive sessions? Turning off recorders to mask administrative instability is a direct violation of the law and a betrayal of the public's right to know. Second, let's talk about the money. Our district
is staring down a massive multi-million dollar structural deficit while our classrooms are stretched thin. Yet CFO Scott Smith continues to authorize massive six-f figureure payout agreements to exiting administrators, writing blank checks to buy the silence
of departing leaders is treating p public taxpayer funds like a corporate hush fund. Worse yet, he has used his position to threaten to withhold vital taxpayer dollars from the very principles, staff, and students who keep our schools running. Weaponizing school
funding to enforce compliance while bleeding the budget for administrative payouts is a complete betrayal of his duty, and we want to know when he will be held accountable. This board showed with Brenda Smith that you know exactly how to enforce a four cause firing to
protect public money. Why isn't that same standard applied to all? We are tired of the double standards and the protection of highlevel bureaucrats at the expense of our classrooms. Sonia McKenzie and Scott Smith have proven their priorities lie
in protecting the establishment, not the taxpayers, teachers, or students. True excellence cannot begin until the gatekeepers of this toxic culture are held to the exact same standard of accountability as the administrators who have already packed their bags. Thank
you. >> My name is Anne Moore. I have 34 years of experience in this district as a parent, par educator, teacher, dean, coach, and grandparent. I am here because the district's literacy results are abysmal. The comprehensive literacy
plan set a clear goal in 2023. Every student reading proficiently by the end of third grade, three years in, we are failing. Third grade reading proficiency has declined from 46.1% to in 2023 to
43.9% in 2025. More than half of our third graders cannot read proficiently. During this time period, the district hired 65 instructional coaches, a minimum 26 million investment. The central office literacy team includes 11
people with an additional 9 million totaling 35 million. Yet outcomes continue to decline. We can't keep doing more of what isn't working. Hiring coaches, producing plans, and holding trainings are not outcomes. The only
outcome that matters is whether students can read. Right now, too many cannot. Cherry Creek now ranks fourth among eight metro area districts. and the only and we are the only district showing decline. Our peers are improving, we are
not. There is also a data problem that must be addressed directly. At last week's board study session, STAR data was presented as evidence of improvement. Semass trends show the opposite. Both cannot be true and the district is cutting 800,000 from the re
R renaissance star contract while simultaneously using star data to tell the public that things are getting better. This contradiction cannot stand. Students, parents, and taxpayers need honesty and transparency about why significant investment is producing
declining results. We need immediate correction, not continued reassurance. Literacy is not just another academic metric. It is the gateway to everything. When children cannot read, they are denied access to the full promise of
their education. I am asking this board to take three specific actions. First, require that CAMASS and STAR data be reconciled and explained publicly before either is used to report progress to this board or to families. Second,
conduct a classroom level audit of whether actually aligned with the science of reading. This district claims highquality instruction, but the data says otherwise. An audit will tell the truth and more importantly it will tell us where teachers tools and support to
succeed. Third, the district direct the district to notify every family in plain language of third graders who are not proficient in reading with a specific plan for their child. Parents cannot advocate for their children if they are
not told the truth. Our students cannot get this time back. Good evening, President Egan and members of the board. My name is Rita Broto Royoy. My wife and I are the parents of a twice exceptional student in the Cherry Creek School District. We
appreciate the opportunity to address you tonight. Across two years and two different schools in this district, we have experienced ongoing issues with transparency, consistency, and accountability in the advanced learning
program or ALP. The ALP services our son received differed significantly from what had been communicated, resulting in weeks without consistent access to expected services. When we sought clarification, we
received conflicting explanations from multiple NSS representatives that did not align with one another, nor with prior documented discussions. We asked the school, the department, and even legal staff for any written policy
governing ALP services, a statemandated program. The records team confirmed in writing that no such policy exists. As a result, families and staff are left navigating inconsistent interpretations
of the program. When we sought superintendent level review, the matter was redirected back to NSS and after more than three months of goodfaith efforts, we were not granted a firsthand discussion with
district leadership. The district's motto is dedicated to excellence. Excellence requires transparency, accountability, and a meaningful independent review when concerns cannot
be resolved within a department. We are not asking the board to revisit personnel matters. We are respectfully asking the board to examine three questions. One, does ALP in this district have a
clear written framework that defines service expectations? Two, are staff members across schools operating from a shared understanding of that framework? And number three, do families have
access to a meaningful avenue of review that exists outside the department itself? Our son deserves those safeguards. So do all students and families who rely on this program.
Thank you and thank you for your service to our children. Good evening. My name is Karly Holiday, president of CCA. Uh the school year may be over, but our work never ends, does it? Um, I'm listening to all of these people and all
of your comments tonight and um, for the last few weeks I've been preparing students to attend the National Speech and Debate Tournament next week in Richmond, Virginia. And I think that it just speaks to um, our continued commitment, all of us in this room and everyone else across this district to
continue to voice our concerns and for you to hear us out. So, I appreciate the time and the opportunity to be able to do that. Um, when I came to you at the last board meeting, I spoke out of responsibility to our members. I asked that CCA, as the sole representative of teachers and SSPs in this district, be
given meaningful involvement in the superintendent search. In response, I have received nothing official. I do appreciate the board members who reached out directly to ask what we were seeking. That's exactly the dialogue we're hoping for. I'll add that our
membership has clearly indicated in a recent survey that they don't trust there will be a transparent community involved process for selecting our next superintendent. I offer that information not as criticism but as an opportunity for this board to prove them wrong. Now
that a firm has been selected, our members wanted to know what this process will look like and how they can be engaged. Bringing educators and SSPs to the table when candidates are interviewed would be one way to show what we know that we've learned to make these decisions with the people closest
to the work, not around them. Right now, I just don't have answers to give them. News stories continue to drop about our district. More accusations are being made and I can't help but wonder why this keeps happening. are looking to CCA to push for
accountability, for further proof that the district is willing to admit past mistakes, learn from them, and move toward a future where our teachers and SSPs are proud again to work for Cherry Creek Schools. The successful organization's reputation relies on its own employees being able to sing its
praises. So, I hope this summer break gives us a chance to work together and win back the support of our community and of our staff, too. Our members also want to know they've been heard. It's one thing to have a voice. It's another to feel that someone in your position
has actually listened. As you approve the budget tonight, I want to remind you of the real impact it has on our educators, especially when it comes to insurance. Uh we know it can't be changed, but it helps to know that you're aware and that you care. Given
the comments of many of you tonight, I am hopeful that you are listening and you do care. Tonight, as you welcome Mr. Frasier to the board, I hope it can mark the start of something new, a real chance for us to do this work together. Thank you.
Good e Good evening. I'm following up on the formal challenge regarding the part-time Indian book. This issue is ongoing and has been pending a board decision since November of 2025. Uh because three minutes is brief, uh
please visit change.org and search CCSDbooks for full details of my concerns. Um I'd appreciate any concerned parents uh to also check it out. Uh change.org CCSDbooks. Uh to be clear, I'm not asking for this
book to be banned. My position is that it's inappropriate and there's simply better books out there. Um had a single member of um administrator at uh CT, someone at the district level review, someone at the superintendent review
paused and thought about my concerns. Um I feel like this issue could have been handled at a lower level. Um and I really wish it had. Um, when you consider that this book has a child uh main character that brags about looking
at porn and this book is read by minors, um, this is not okay. Um, instead, a lack of morals at CT and the district leadership has unnecessarily escalated this matter to the board's desk. Uh,
taking up your valuable time on an issue that should have been managed at a lower level. timing is urgent um as incoming CT freshmen begin reading this book again in August. In addition to replacing this book, I respectfully request that the
district strengthen its policy to require advanced parent notification regarding any sensitive or controversial themes in assigned material. Parents have a right to know what content their children are exposed to and not to be blindsided like I was. Thank you for
your leadership and for your time in handling the complex issues of the district. Please make this a priority. Um I really don't know what else to do. It's um been pushed aside for seven months. Um I respectfully ask that you add it to the August agenda. Um I'm
really happy to hear tonight of the re recommmitment to doing what's best for students and it's best for students that porn isn't normalized in school. Thank you. Good evening, Dr. Perry and members of the board. My name is Bridgette Nelson
and I am vice president of the pack and a para educator at Mountain Vista Elementary. I'd like to take a moment to welcome Mr. Frasier, a previous mountain Vista uh parent. I see you over there, Samara. Tonight, I want to begin with gratitude.
We are genuinely pleased with the ratification and adoption of our first negotiated agreement. This is a milestone for our PAR educators and for the district and we appreciate the collaboration that made it possible. With this contract, our union and our
membership is stronger than ever. At the same time, we must be honest about the work still ahead. Our members are dedicated professionals who support students across the district. In general education classrooms, in severe needs programs, and everywhere in between,
including monitoring lunches and recesses to keep students safe. Paras are the workh horses in each building, keeping things running smoothly and ensuring success is possible for Cherry Creek students. But the reality is that the compensation in this agreement does
not reflect the value of that work. This year's raise for paras amounts to less than $300 for the entire year. With wages that were already unsustainable, this increase does not in any meaningful way address that
recruitment or the stability of paras employed which is what our students deserve. We are committed to continuing negotiations and we hope that the district is equally committed to addressing compensation in a serious
solutionsoriented way. PAR educators are essential. Our students, teachers, and administrators rely on us, and the district's ability to keep experienced, skilled paras depends on ensuring that our pay reflects the responsibility we
carry every day. We look forward to building on the progress we've made and to working together toward an agreement that truly supports the people who support students. Thank you for your continued advocacy as we work together to move negotiations forward.
>> President Egan, that's all for tonight. >> Thank you. At this time, I would call for a motion to approve resolution 26.6.2, approval of Heritage Heights Academy
Charter School replication applications. >> President Agen, I'll make a motion to approve that resolution. >> Thank you. Is there a second? >> Second. >> Thank you. Discussion, Director Futrell.
>> Uh, yes. Regarding um Heritage Heights Academy, uh I will be voting yes this evening, but not without reservations. Um throughout this process, I was not fully convinced that the application demonstrated a clear and compelling
compelling community need for expansion at the proposed location. This evidence um presented regarding family interest and local demand was limited and I remain concerned about the potential impact on existing schools and the resources that may be diverted from
students currently being served in this area. We have all wrestled with uh questions of community impact, enrollment realities, um resource allocation, and long-term sustainability. those concerns are legitimate and deserve continued attention regardless of tonight's um
outcome. Thank you. >> Thank you, Director Garland. >> Yes. Thank you, President Egan. >> The whole people must take upon themselves the education of the whole people and be willing to bear the expense of it. There should not be one
district of one of one mile square without a school in it, not founded by a charitable individual, but maintained at the expense of the people. This was a quote made by John Adams, one
of the founding fathers of this nation, and it captures the fundamental purpose of public education in America, to ensure that every child has access to a quality education regardless of circumstance, ability, or background.
Public schools are far more than educational institutions. They are comp systems that serve as hubs for entire communities. In addition to educating children, public schools provide evening classes for adults, practice facilities
for our local sports teams, meeting spaces for community organizations, and gathering places for houses of faith. Public schools are woven into the fabric of the communities they serve. Most importantly, public schools welcome
every student who arrives at their doors. Our community serves a a significant number of military families, corporate relocations who often move into the district after the August start date and even after October count day.
Families arrive because of new jobs, military transfers, marriages, divorces, death, illness, housing changes, or even housing insecurity. This year, one of our McKenna Vento
students was named a Beter Scholar. Whatever the circumstance, public schools accept and accommodate every child and every family. There is no application process, no lottery, no selective enrollment. Public education
is built on the promise that every single child belongs. This commitment stands in contrast to many of the challenges associated with charter schools. While charter schools are often promoted as innovative alternatives within public education
landscape, their implementation raises questions about accountability, community engagement, financial stability, and equitable services to all students. One significant concern is whether new charter schools are established in a
response to genuine community need. In some cases, charter applications rely on minimal evidence of local family interest. The Heritage Heights board presentation offered 1,400 as the numbers of families as the number of families wanting to
attend. This is the size of middle schools across our district. However, less than 10 participated in that forum. For examples, applications may contain only a handful of letter of support with some coming from families residing in
the community and the schools the school proposes to serve. They there may be little or no involvement from local stakeholders in developing the school and governing boards may lack representation from every communities they they attract. Additionally, some chartered proposals move forward without
securing a legitimate location despite the avail the the availabil availability of vacant or underutilized school buildings in Jeffco and and Aurora public schools and Denver public schools. In other districts, charter
schools are allowed to locate in strip malls, commercial and commercial developments, raising questions about whether students are receiving the same educational exp the the same educational environment expected of traditional public schools.
Financial stability is another concern. Charter schools are often often operate independently and are responsible for managing their own budgets. However, history has shown that some schools struggle to maintain financial solveny. When Heritage Heights Heights opened its
first campus in 2016, financial management challenges were so significant that the school required a cash bailout from this district. Likewise, Colorado Sky Academy experienced serious financial difficulties from the beginning of its operation. At one point, the school
depended on a large outofstate donors to simply meet the payroll obligations. Due to ongoing budget concerns, the district moved toward revoking the school's charters before a transit before before negotiating a transition to another authorizer. Despite warnings
regarding the school's financial stability, Colorado skies ultimate ultimately closed abruptly just one month before the school year began, leaving families scrambling to find alternative educations for their children.
These situations highlight a crit a critical distinction distinction between traditional public schools and charter schools. When a public school faces challenges, the district remains responsible for ensur ensuring students continue receiving services. When a
charter school closes, families often bear the burden of finding new placements, adjusting arrangements, and helping students navigate unexpected transition. The issue of serving students with disabilities also serves careful examination.
Public schools are legally and ethically obligated to educate all students regardless of the severity or complexity of their needs. This includes students with severe disabilities, nonverbal students, the autism spectrum, students
with multiple exceptionalities, and students requiring extensive specialized services including medical care. By contrast, many charter schools primarily serve students with mild to moderate needs while referring students with more intensive needs back to the
district managed schools. This creates an uneven distribution of responsibilities and resources within the public education system. Staffing stability can further impact the quality of service services provided. Heritage Heights, for example, has experienced significant turnover in
its special education department over the past several years. Staffing changes anticipated. Such instability can disrupt continuity of services and relationships that are particularly important for students receiving specialized supports. Academic performance is often is often
cited as justification for charter school expansion. Yet the data frequently presents a more nuanced picture. Some charter schools outperform district averages in certain areas while underperforming in others. Performance
differences are often far less dramatic than proponents suggest. Academic outcomes alone do not necessarily demonstrate that a charter model provides a superior educational experience. As a mother with children in the public schools and a proud graduate of public
schools myself, I deeply appreciate the mission and responsibility of public education. My grandmother used to say, "They take lot and everybody. That's what we do. That phrase perfectly captures the heart of public education.
Public schools take every student regardless of ability, background, language, income, housing status, transportation, or circumstances. We've ser we serve students who arrive on the first day of school and those who arrive months later. We've ser we serve
students who excel academically and those who require extensive interventions and supports. We child every day in every way. The question of charter schools is not simply about school choice. It's about
the public commitment to all children. Public schools represent a promise to our communities that every child matters and every child belongs. While charters may offer options for some families, they do not consistently carry the same obligation to every student who comes
through their doors. As policymakers consider the future of education, they must carefully weigh not only not only the the benefits of choice, but also the enduring responsibility to maintain a strong, inclusive, and accountable public education system that truly
serves all of our children. That concludes my comments. >> Thank you, Director Garland. Director Hamrik. >> Well, first of all, I'll start off. I'm going to thank the HHA campus for the
tour of the facility in February. U couple things really stood out when I did the tour of that facility. One, an area for the kids to recreate on recess. I wasn't real impressed with having a pavement for kids to be that
was their playground. Uh the other part that really kind of bothered me was the size of the library. I have more books at home than I think HHA had in their entire library. And I I found that disturbing because books are the way students can travel and explore
and learn new options for the future. Uh those were my initial gut feelings and nothing against the staff. I mean they were wonderful. part of the application uh indicated and I don't know if the final location's been determined or not
yet, but this this is going to be on the north side of Cherry Creek School District. But when presented the waiting list list for Heritage Heights Academy, it was pre pretty much everywhere but the north
side of the school district. And I I know we had a community meeting to talk about it, but everybody either went to HHA or taught there. I didn't see applicants that were
from that north side feeder trying to say, "Hey, we need a charter school in our area." And I I found that extremely concerning. Also, most of the emails of support I received for this uh second
location was from existing HHA parents or staff. Very few people said, "Hey, I'm on the wait list." I bet you I maybe had five to six of those. Uh which to me demonstrates, do we in fact have a
community need for that area. So with this, if this moves forward, I would I would highly recommend to HHA that you have community meetings on the narrow side. Let them know what are you
doing doing different than our public schools. Let them know that you have to transport your kids there. Let them know if you have a severe needs child that he won't go there or she. let them know the
limitations of a charter school uh environment. One of the other things I heard on the tour was the executive director when we talked about test scores agreed the test scores were not different than what was in our
surrounding schools. And I think giving those advantages of of not having our special needs kids attend, those kids that maybe were admitted and then left to go to one of our traditional
public schools. Given those advantages, those scores should be higher. And I I think I was told they agreed they should be higher and they're still reviewing the data. U those were Oh, I have one more comment.
Sorry. The other thing is the HHA second location is proposing to use the same board for the current location. Personally, I think that board if there is a second location approved have a different board of director
directors that represents the community that that school is operating in. So, I have a lot of questions and concerns going forward. I know we're going to have a vote here in a moment, but uh
those are concerns I had. Uh HHA, I saw them tilting up the first wall of the gym today. That was kind of exciting to watch as I drove by. Um which is being helped by some of the bond funds from our district to construct. So, uh those
conclude my comments. >> Thank you, Director Ham. Public schools truly are the backbones of our communities. As such, encourage you to engage with the community where your second campus will ultimately be located and offer them opportunities to
be involved. Our general counsel, Sonia McKenzie, will work with you to negotiate the contract, but please understand we extend a stringent contract with stipulations given you already have one charter currently located in the district.
Roll call, please. Directors Egan, >> I. >> Futurro, >> I. >> Garland, >> Hammer, >> I.
>> Thank you. That motion carries. At this time, I would call for a motion to approve resolution 26.6.3, 6.3 approval of purchase McFersonson and Jacobson Superintendent Search Services.
>> I have a motion. >> So moved. >> Thank you. Is there a second? >> Second. >> Thank you. Any discussion? >> Uh yes, President Egan. Uh I am proud to support our decision to hire McFersonson and Jacobson as our partner in the
search for Cherry Creek's new superintendent. Um this is one of the most important decisions that um this board can make and I believe um they distinguish themselves at every stage of this process. Um we ask firms to demonstrate their ability to conduct a
truly national search, recruit an exceptional and diverse pool of candidates, engage our community authentically among a vast group of stakeholders. uh to Miss Holiday who spoke um earlier, we are listening and understand the unique strengths and
challenges of our district. McFersonson and Jacobson exceeded those expectations. Thank you, President Egan. >> Thank you, Director Futrell. Director Garland, >> same. I just um again I this has been a rough year and a yes to accountability
and moving forward and um deciding on who will lead our district. >> Thank you, Director Ham. >> Yeah, it was totally apparent when we did the RFP interviews. Uh what really excited me was the community
involvement, community surveys, and where they're going to look for superintendents in the pool of applicants nationwide. And one of the questions I had for the uh folks we were interviewing was, are
we just looking at folks in the K12 community or are we going to look outside the box and look at folks from government, business, different areas? Uh because I think we need an all-inclusive search to make sure we
move this district forward for the next 75 years. Thank you. >> Thank you. We look forward to the work ahead in partnership with McFersonson and Jacobson this fall. Roll call, please.
>> Directors Egan >> I. >> Lutro >> I. >> Garland >> I. >> Hammeri >> I. >> Thank you. That motion carries. At this t time I would entertain a motion to approve the consent agenda resolutions
26.6.4 4 through 26.6.51. >> So moved. >> Thank you. Is there a second? >> Second. >> Thank you. Roll call, please. >> Directors Egan >> I. >> Petro
>> I. >> Garland. >> I. >> Hammer. >> I. >> Thank you. That motion carries. At this time, it is my honor to swear in and install our new director District D member. Mr. Mr. Fer, would you like to
come Congratulations again, Director Frasier. >> Would you like to say a few words or? >> Ah, thank you. Yes. Uh first of all, I'll just say in my very short time uh spending time with these individuals, I've been very impressed by the quality,
the integrity, and the dedication of the individuals here. I'm very excited to get to work here. Thank you. >> Thank you. Our next regular meeting will be held Monday, August 10th, 2026 at 7 PM Sky
Vista Middle School, 4500 South Himalaya Street, Aurora, Colorado 80015. May I have a motion to adjourn the June 8, 2026 meeting? >> So moved. >> Thank you. Is there a second? >> Second. >> Happy summer.
>> Happy summer. Yes. [laughter] Uh, roll call please. >> Directors Egan >> I. >> Frasier >> I. >> Utril >> I. >> Garland >> I. >> Am >> I. >> Thank you. That motion carries. We are
adjourned at 8:42 p.m. Thank you.