Those who are able, please stand for the pledge of allegiance. We will now have our land acknowledgement read by director. On behalf of the 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 Chyenne Arapjo and Oetti Shakawi people who stewarded it for generations. The Oshetti Shakawi includes seven bands. So
I would also like to recognize that over 40 additional nations, excuse me, tribal nations likely use this area for trade ceremonies and social gatherings. Thank you. I'd like to call for a motion to approve the agenda for the May 12th,
2025 regular board of education meeting. So moved. Is there a second? Second. Roll call, please. I I I I
I'd like to call for a motion or the approval of the minutes as listed on the May 12th, 2025 agenda. So moved. Is there a second? Second. Roll call, please.
I I I I I motion carries. We will now have our reports from our board starting with Director Allen. Good evening and thank you to Principal
Stewart and the Laredo community for hosting tonight's meeting. And as always, thank you to our security and setup teams who work tirelessly uh in support of our meetings. As we near the end of this school year, I want to begin by
congratulating all of our graduating seniors across the Cherry Creek. You've reached an incredible milestone and we're proud of each of you. I also want to thank the dedicated educators, teachers, support staff, administrators, and coaches who have helped guide our
students along their pathway of purpose. Finally, I thank our superintendent, Mr. Christopher Smith, who reminds us that every student matters every day. And congratulations to the Eaglecrest High School boys varsity
volleyball team for their state championship win this past Saturday. What an outstanding achievement to those student athletes and their coaches. I have decided to use my time tonight to speak on an issue that is deeply personal to me, but more
importantly directly tied to our district's values and strategic goals of uh 2030 universal literacy and that is the early dyslexia screener. Far too many families in our district watch their children struggle with reading
year after year, unsure of why nothing is working. Some families eventually are able to pursue private evaluations and intensive tutoring, but must do so by spending thousands of dollars and only after enduring years of stress, frustration, self-doubt, and so many
tears. The emotional toll on our children and families is enormous. And the reality is many families simply don't have the means to access those supports. Right now, dyslexia identification is a point of privilege obtainable only for those with the right
combination of time, money, knowledge, and access. But what about all the other kids? Recently, uh, Senate Bill 25200 removes those barriers. It ensures that every child, regardless of their zip code or background, receives early
and complete screening to detect signs of dyslexia before they fall behind. It moves us away from a waitto fail model and towards a model of early equitable intervention. Colorado is just one of seven states that does not currently require a universal dyslexia screening,
highlighting the urgency of proactive measures. We have an opportunity to be on the leading edge of real change. This aligns directly with Cherry Creek's strategic plan which calls for universal literacy by 2030. We cannot meet that goal if we continue to miss or delay
identifying the very students most at risk. The window for intervention is short. According to the Colorado Department of Education, students who haven't mastered grade rarely catch up, and those who aren't reading proficiently by third grade are four times more likely not to graduate from
high school. We can't afford to wait until 2027 to act. That delay would mean another full class of children, potentially thousands, will go without critical support they need. Other large districts, including Jeffco, Douglas County, and Boulder Valley are already
implementing universal screeners ahead of the state requirements. We should join them. I believe in public education. It's the foundation of our democracy. Early literacy is the first stepping stone in helping every child find their pathway of purpose. When we
teach a child to read, we unlock their ability to think, to speak, to understand the world, and to change it. I ask that we consider implementing universal screening ahead of 2027. Not because we have to, but because it's the right thing to do. Thank you. That concludes my comments.
Thank you, Director Allen. Director Bates. Thank you. and good evening and welcome to all of you attending in person and online. Um, and thank you to Mr. Stewart and Laredo Middle School for hosting us this evening. I especially appreciate those that helped to ensure that our
meeting runs as it should. Last week was educator appreciation week as well as nurse appreciation week. I would like to give my own personal thanks to thank you to all of you that give so much of yourselves to ensure that all
53,000 students are served to the best of your ability. I was it was so much fun seeing the many ways that our schools celebrated their staff. May is also full of celebrations. My colleagues and I have been celebrating with many schools that have
earned banners reflecting their successful commitment to our core values in CCSD. Last week, we were able to celebrate the retirement of our many educators. Always a bittersweet night seeing many great educators heading off to their next
adventure, but so thankful that many will be back after retirement to sub in our district. Also, um thankful for their service as well for the many years. It also really hits home when your own child's first grade
teacher is retiring and you realize that had her 18 years ago and is now a teacher himself. We also have celebrity wall of fame. Overland High School hosted a reception where Miss McDonald was honored and the plaque that
will hang at Legacy Stadium was unveiled. Thank you to Miss McDonald for her many years as a CCSD staff member, years, eight years of d board of education director, and countless hours
as a CCSD parent and grandparent. And it won't be long before her great grandchildren will be attending CCSD as well. Miss McDonald always reminds us of the importance of our positions by asking the question, how are the
children? Shortly we will be honoring our graduates and I am so looking forward to those long rewarding days. Stay tuned for their next adventures. I could go on about celebrations all evening but at this time I will allow others to have their
say for the evening. So thank you. Thank you Director Bates. Director Egan. Good evening. Thanks to Laredo Middle School for hosting us here this evening. We appreciate our technology setup and safety and security teams for everything
they do in preparing for these meetings. Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers and mother figures in our lives. And congratulations to the 55 district retirees with 1,337 years of collective service that
we celebrated at last week's retirement dinner. As Director Bates mentioned, it is no small thing honoring the educators who have devoted their careers to the students of the Cherry Creek School District. They truly do make a difference. I'm reminded of one of my
favorite quotes from Margaret me. Never underestimate the power of a small group of committed people to change the world. In fact, it's the only thing that ever has. Graduation season is here. The class of 2025 graduations will take
place in person and will also be livereamed. The dates are May 16th and 17th for IT teams Manor and Ranch, May 17th for military service, May 21st for Cherry Creek High School, Elevation and
Endeavor, May 22nd at the Richie Center for Smoky Hill, Eagle Crust, and Grand View. and May 23rd celebrating Cherokee Trail in Overland, also at DU's Richie Center. Among our distinguished district
graduates are four Betcher Scholars and 776 industry certifications. Congratulations graduates. Over the past few weeks, it's been my honor to also visit many of the 14 high schools, middle schools, and elementary schools
that received the John Irwin Award from the Colorado Department of Education, recognizing academic achievement and growth during the 2023 24 school year. Three elementary schools, Trails West, Willow Creek, and Walnut Hills, also
received CDE's Governor's Distinguished Improvement Award, which is given to schools demonstrating exceptional student growth over time. The Holly's Elementary School and Overland High School groundbreaking ceremonies are taking place this week. Please join
tomorrow and Wednesday if your schedule allows. Thanks again for your tremendous support of the 2024 bond which is making these projects possible. Thanks as well to all of our students, staff, parents, and community members who took the time
to contact our lawmakers and visit the state capital during this past legislative session. Your advocacy makes a big difference in the lives of our 53,000 Cherry Creek School students and all public education students across
Colorado's 178 school districts. You can continue to support our local sports teams and the Cherry Creek Schools Foundation with our upcoming community nights where a portion of your discounted ticket goes back to support CCSD students. Cheer on the Colorado
Rapids on July 4th or root for the Rockies on May 23rd and 25th. Also mark your calendars for the foundation's golf tournament on Monday, June 2nd at Saddle Rock Golf Course. I'll be there our
student. You can be too. It's a hole in one with this special event. The final 20242 25 school year voices of color meeting was held at the Cherry Creek Innovation Campus in April as well as the district's indigenous graduation
celebration this past weekend. We're fortunate in this school district to have so many yearin celebrations across academics, activities, and athletics which you'll hear about in tonight. Of note, the West Area Art
Show, a unique collaborative project between Dry Creek Elementary and Cherry Creek High School. The district's summer food program provides free breakfast and lunch from June 2nd through July 24th, Monday through Friday, for anyone aged
18 and under with no registration required. Details are available on the district website under food and nutrition services. In May, we also recognized Jewish American Heritage Month and Asian-American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage
Month to honor the contributions these individuals have made to the wider American community. All my best during this busy and joyful time of the school year with graduations and year-end celebrations. This concludes my
comments. Thank you, Director Egan. Director Nolles Thank you. And thank you to my fellow directors for your comments. I really appreciate it. Good evening and thank you to Laredo and everyone who makes our
mobile boardroom possible. I like to say May is short for mayhem, especially when finishing up a school year. So much is going on. And as we wrap up the school year, I want to thank everyone for your part in the
Cherry Creek School District. Thank you for showing up every day for kids. Thank you for your dedication to our core values and our strategic plan of improving current literacy practices, focusing on the whole well-being of students and staff, and in tackling
disproportionality, ensuring all students thrive regardless of where they are in their learning journey. And to our board's sole employee, Superintendent Smith, I'm going to move this this way. Thank you for all that you've done and
how you poured yourself into this school year. As I've told you before, I believe you are uniquely qualified to be our superintendent in this space and time and helping us to continue to se successfully navigate state and federal challenges. You consistently and bravely
uphold the core values of the school district. You surround yourself with experts in their content and know how to successfully mobilize them in service to our students and staff. You are highly effective in engaging with our community and mobilizing them when needed. No
other school district in the state did what you and your team did in getting thousands of parents and community members to contact state legislators about school funding. Your work was not only on behalf of our kids, but kids across Colorado. Your ability to connect
and be vulnerable with people is unmatched. I know you have a job that's 247 365, but I do hope you get some RNR this summer and I look forward to continuing the work with you. Thank you. That concludes my comments tonight.
Thank you, Director Nolles. Many of my comments have been uh already spoken by my colleagues, so I will turn it over to Superintendent Smith. Thank you, President Garland. So, a couple of things I just want to say. You know, as director Nol said, this is a
busy time of year. Um, two things are true. One, it's exciting. It's fun. We get to see our students graduate. Assistant Superintendent Molner will talk about all the celebrations that our students have accomplished this year.
But it's also a time when our students realize their structure and their support is about to change significantly. And as we talk through many of our conversations around discipline, behavior is a message.
Behavior is a story. And the story is they love you and they want to be with you. And when they know they can't, they struggle. So as we think about these times and we think about our students and them realizing that's going
to be very, very different over the summer, please be patient. Please show grace. because they care about you and that's what they're telling you. To our graduates, I'm so excited. Think we have over 4,000 off to their new pathway of
purpose. Amazing, amazing students. Our students are brilliant. Our students are diverse and our students are powerful. As we went down to the Capitol and had conversations, I truly appreciate the board of education going down and
working and making sure that we saved the funding for public education in the state of Colorado. But or and our students changed the tide. Our students were the ones who asked the hardest
questions. One question that was asked is, "How can you look me in the face and then take my future away?" That question was never answered until they put money back in the school finance
act. And I thank Cherry Creek because as our lobbyist shared, Cherry Creek was the advocate for the state of Colorado. And I'll tell you why. Because public education matters. Public education is the foundation of this country. And we will continue to fight
for it. And we will continue to battle because it's important. And I want to say thank you to the board of education unpaid volunteers who give countless hours of their time and they all have one similar
focus. Kids matter and kids deserve the best and I appreciate that. Miss Bates, Director Bates, thank you for your heart. Thank you for your volunteer time. Thank you for bringing food to our school pantries. Thank you for bringing
clothes to those who don't have it. I appreciate you so much. Those little things make massive differences in the lives of kids. Director Allen, as you spoke tonight so eloquently, thank you for your advocacy for literacy, ensuring that we have what we need to get to
2030. President Garland, thank you for your focus on athletics and activities, ensuring that our students are well-rounded and they get what they need. and a strong focus on me of getting orchestra back at the elementary level. I'm trying. I know it's been two years. I'm working on it. Director Egan
for LGBTQIA communities and and a focus and a strong resolve around mental health and pushing me to ensure that our students have what they need because they can't learn if they're not healthy or not present. Director Nolles, thank you for being the voice of some that don't have
one or think they don't have one. Thank you for constantly putting yourself first. Thank you for pushing our team to ensure that equity matters in this district. I thank you and I thank this board. Think about what has been accomplished these past four
years. We passed a billion dollar bond. Mr. Stewart, you're getting a new school. And thank you for hosting us tonight. We built Traverse Academy, the first of its kind in this country. We created Leadership Academy, the first of
its kind in this country. We created aspiring educators, the first of its kind in this country, and had an opportunity last Friday to share with the commissioner, Susanna Cordova, and growing our own teachers inside of Cherry
Creek. She told us she was inspired, one of the most aspiring things she had seen in a long, long time. And if we can do those things, I have no doubt that our students will be reading at grade level by
2030 because this is Cherry Creek and that's what we do. And I'm proud and humble to be the superintendent of it. But I can't do what I do if it's not for the board of education. So please continue to focus on what that means.
this summer. We're up for an election next year and is incredibly important that we have the right people in the right seats to continue to push this district in the right direction. And lastly, to our staff, those here tonight, and those working
tirelessly through May, thank you for making it a brilliant school year. Our kids have been changed forever. I share all the time. When you show up, you make a difference in the life of a child and a colleague every single day. Whether
that's a good impact or a negative impact, there is one. And so, we will continue to see the brilliance in our students. And my focus is that every single employee sees the brilliance in every single one of our students and each other. So, I want to say thank you
for a great school year. I'm looking forward to graduations. That concludes my comments and I'd like to invite Assistant Superintendent Derek Mouldner up to share our celebrations this year. Good evening, Board of Education. Thank you for allowing us time to um just
celebrate tonight of the class of 2025. Uh we're going to highlight the schools in alphabetical order. We're going to talk about some academic achievements, some social impact that they've and we're going to highlight nine students which will really kind of bring to light
our our purpose of purpose of a pathway of purpose for every single kid. So, we'll highlight some kids tonight along the way, but again, just appreciate your value in this presentation every year and just um ensuring that we end the end the year on a positive note and cuesses
of our uh students. So, we'll start with Cherokee Trail High School in terms of uh the highlights of Better Scholarships, uh Daniels Fund scholarships, their um uh seniors demonstrating excellent academic
excellence. Um with 343 taking 773 AP exams, um they are a school focused around the theme of be kind. They've really uh embraced that theme and 20 hours 20,000 hours of community service,
variety of school events, and the be kind campaign. Um it's an amazing environment. Kids are thriving there. Um one student who I was able to speak to, Chuki um Chukiti, he um uh grew up in
the theater, went to um Coyote Hills um elementary, and when I was able to speak to him a little bit, he elevated his experience. I talked about um like if there was one adult in his you know prek through senior year anyone that stands
out to him. So there's uh one individual in the room here, Miss Latoya Tolbert was the principal at the time and he uh he said the the assemblies in elementary school were amazing and I think it's a testament to Mrs. Tolbert and just her ability to lead that building at that time and then he really elevated Mrs.
Bowens and it was a story about Mrs. Bowens, who now is the principal at Timberline, that really took me back in terms of he is going to be uh in law school. He's going to be a lawyer. And it was her passion around law that really inspired him to kind of find that
pathway uh moving forward. So, we were able to celebrate Mary in front of Adco this morning, too. And she didn't really know that she had that impact. So, kudos to her for understanding kind of like her role with all of that. Um so really really special um young man there. Um
Cherry Creek Elevation two Betcher Foundation recipients in a class of 61 students which is amazing. Um they are very proud of their panorama and their seal data. 84% of students reported having a trusted adult um which is higher than a district average and they
really were celebrating their brick days in terms of increasing their attendance. Those are the days that they have inperson um opportunity for work and just inperson tutoring and additional just connections with with their uh teachers. One young man I was able to
connect with Bryce Hunter, incredibly smart, athletic. Um he's going to um change this world and we are in safe hands with all these kids after hearing these stories for sure. Um he wanted to highlight Mr. um uh Paulie his English
teacher. You know he said you know Mr. Paulie was always there for me. he had him as a teacher for three years. Um he was always there to offer just incredible advice or even just play a game of chess, you know, during these brick days. And on the previous slide, you'd know that that was a one of their
point of celebrations. A really cool quote that he gave me was he was like, you know, Mr. that this is where the magic happens at elevation is inside of the brick days. You know, in terms of like the flexibility of being an online learner, being able to engage at a pace
and still, you know, lots of people have different stories around why Elevation is a great fit for them. But those brick days is really where it all came in to him. He is a Beter Scholarship winner. Um, and he just won state swimming just last weekend. So, um he's on a great way
to start um his post um K12 career. Cherry Creek High School points of pride. They are a John Irwin School of Excellence Award winner, 25 National Merit finalists, and um an astounding 356 seniors with more than a 3.75 GPA.
They um are very passionate about their unified program. So, they had a very um a very successful unified prom night and basketball game. And um as a as a parent as well, I was a part of the future Bruins night a couple times. And you
know, one of the things I was able to tell the staff as we were celebrating the John Irwin Mo award with them is their ability at Cherry Creek High School as a parent to make this school feel small. And it really is around the relationships that they have with with
students and families. Um, and uh I I feel the same way. This young man, Jackson, has a really cool story. His dad is a history teacher down in Colorado Springs. And um he had, like you less than 300 students in his whole
school as a as a private school. He wanted something different. He um um and his parents were really nervous about him coming to obviously a school that almost has 4,000 students. This young man in a couple years became student body president um of Cherry Creek High
School and um won a state championship in soccer with with the with the team. He pre he previously broke his leg too the previous year which meant the state um you know even more impactful for him. So this young man, I was just like
completely just, you know, um taken back about his he's so polite, he's so calm, he is um just a fierce person for humanity and doing good in the world. And just the ability to come into a large comprehensive high school like
that and be president was really pretty cool story for me. He wanted to shout out Mrs. Provost tonight, his student center adviser. she was always he was always able to look up to her and um always pointing him in the right direction. So again that large school feeling small he definitely felt the the
love and um was able to experience a high degree of success. big innovation campus. Um obviously I think we know we've talked about they are one of the top 100 schools in the world which is just an amazing accomplishment and you see some of the highlights that they have around um just
the brilliant teaching staff that they have there right and we know in Cherry Creek that it is the adults that teach students and it's not the curriculum that teaches students right so they have um a a staff that is passionate about
their area of expertise and and the service that they provide our kids who really want to find that pathway regarding uh their next steps whether it be college or workforce is really incredible. Maddie was one of those kids
um that I was able to speak to and um her passion for CCIC came through her teacher, Mr. Manley. He's a automotive teacher and she just said he really envelops the the core value of what it means to have a growth mindset. He
encourages you to make mistakes because that's the only way you are going to learn. And he she says he makes funny jokes all the time in class too. So, so they have a lot of fun. And the thing about CCIC that she told me that she really loves is just the this ability like I can apply the science and the
physics that I'm learning in class directly to the the on um the hands-on activities um and the job embedded learning that they have at the CCIC. So, Maddie was a really special kid. Eagle Crest High School. Again, a ton of
celebrations from the academic standpoint. 129 AP scholars. Um the class of 2025 has veteran national merit finalists and one Crestbridge scholar. Um their homecoming parade, I don't know if anybody has able been able to be there, but it is pretty remarkable,
right? It is it's uh it's a very very special. They take a lot of pride in it. Over 40 parade entries um and hundreds of spectators lining. and a shout out to the um the security staff who I know I always hear them on the radio kind of like helping to to navigate through the neighborhoods and everything. So, Mr.
Vanlu, thank you. You can't say I never mentioned you in a board of education speech now. So, um and and you know the just the the pride that Eaglerest has when it comes down to just celebrating the beautiful culture that they have, right? and I was able to speak to to
Jada Ward. Found out that there was a reason why her voice sounded familiar on the phone is she was the MC for the um Cherry Creek Schools Foundation gala that night and she was also the MC the previous year at the transformational equity experience. Uh Mr. Garcia Eerts
shared that with me this morning. And talk about a bright light of just passion and just um someone who I know is going to change the world. she's going to the University of Oregon to be a duck. She wanted to highlight Miss Lafereer and Mrs. Kim and just encourage
encouraging her to take risks and um and really showing up as her true authentic self. So um again having that highlight of being able to be an MC in front of hundreds of people and she comes across as an introvert. she does not come across as an extrovert, but right when
she gets that mic, man, she is right at home and she is an amazing kid. And and again, um I would like to shout out her. Um you know, being able to connect with these young adults and their families was just really special to be able to take a moment of time and just telling
them thank you for what they've given back to us as a district because we learn so much from our kids, right? So really really special kiddo um that Jada is and with endeavor um they have 80% demonstr place 40% are consistently
making honor role their outdoor educational experience second to none when it comes to the uh the high school experience and their leadership and entrepreneurship ventures. We highlighted a teacher there um um he basically is starting their own kind of
shark tank. they're creating um you know projects and and and looking to be what does it mean to be an entrepreneur. So a lot of celebrations there and I was able to connect with Sage and this quote actually comes from a song and I think
it's pretty brilliant when you think of it because this song um talks there's a ton of sarcasm in this quote and this song speaks to mis being misunderstood and being misidentified by friends and those closest to you. So, I think that there's a lot of brilliance and and one
thing that I really learned when I was calling these families is when you can see their faces and you can see their quotes, sometimes you think you might know who they are. This young lady is is amazing. And I asked I asked the kids two questions. One, what's one of your
favorite memories? And and would you like me to shout out a specific educator while I share with the board of education, you know, your wonderful journey? So, she was the only one. They all said I it's this is so hard Mr. Mullen for you to make me pick like one teacher like everybody was able to do it
and but she said something really profound to me and I think it speaks to the culture of what Endeavor offers. She's like if I shout out one I can't shout out all so I'm not going to tell you any of them and it's not because I don't have them but at Endeavor we are a family and Endeavor we are a community.
So, I just thought that that really shows who she is and just that collectivism that they have in Endeavor. Really special. And her um her favorite experience was the three-day camping trip that they have. And I was I didn't know that they went for three days. Like that's a long time to be in the mountains with with students and with
kids. But she said, you know, when you can put your cell phones down and you're out in the woods and you just can really authentically connect with folks, the relationships that she um had with her with her peers and her um classmates, she's like she will take that with her forever. So, it was awesome connecting
with Sage with Graham View High School. Um three Daniel Scholar recipients, one military appointment, nine merit finalists. Um they have a student journalist of the uh year for the state of Colorado which was a huge celebration
and obviously we know that their uh girls basketball program is amazing and they won state. Um I was able to connect with Mia um Schlicking. She's an awesome kiddo. She shouted out a teacher Mr. Southern who is deaf and heart of hearing and she took sign language for
three years and she had never signed before that. Um and now she's a full-time um ASA signer. she's taking that into her college with her. And um what she wanted to tell me about Mr. Southern is that just the the way he um
really um brought about deaf culture for her was just so inspiring for her. So you can just you hear it in her voice and she had a hard time, you know, talking specifically about any one event, but she's like, "My senior year has just been amazing." whether it's girls flag football or just getting on
the spirit bus and go and visiting our elementary uh kids um at with the elementary feeder schools and everything. So she is just an amazing kiddo who has a a really incredibly bright future. It teams manner points of pride. I think this slide if there was one
slide that really embodies the pathway of purpose this is it. You have students that are moving on to military service. You have students moving on to fouryear universities. You have students moving on to the workforce and you have students engaging in community college.
Again, how they support kids at the Manor really just matters. You know, they have amazing amazing educators there and providing an experience that allows kids to really full up uh show up in their true selves. They have a boat
race. I believe one of one um board member spoke to the board race in in one of their comments I believe this year. But it's an amazing opportunity to embed some of the learning around math and science um and it's very highly competitive um as well and um just the
CTE tours that they take around the state and around the front range and just encouraging people to find their pathway of purpose is very inspiring for Overland High School. Um that's your scholarship winner. They have Daniel's fund scholarship winner. Um they're new student academy in the
hub. Um I was there the other day and um you just see kids in there working incredibly hard getting the support that they need and um that is a really really special place that they have over there. So um piloting a new math capstone
graduation option option in probability and statistics. So expectations are high there and the kids are meeting them. um the social impact of just 18 languages represented in 19 um uh attendance is decreasing. So so
many uh they're um using panorama data to really hone in on the individual experiences of kids. Um, I was able to speak to Hannah and I was I really was excited to speak to her because I think this quote's really amazing and um just speaks to her drive
high expectations that she has for herself. Um, she went to Eastridge Elementary as a student and when I tal when I asked her about uh uh anyone specifically that stands out to her in terms of her prek12 career, she was like
Mrs. Douglas at Eastridge. She stayed after school with me and my family in the library and taught my siblings and my mom English um on her own time in the library after school. And that sense of gratitude that she had for Mrs. Douglas,
you could hear it in her voice and and again speaking um talking with her mom, you know, just a just a just our families are just amazing and they have so many gifts and so many strengths that they offer the educators and
administration in their buildings and Hannah and her um family is is um no no exception to that. One of the experiences that she loved is playing the tuba. So that kind of took me by surprise too. She's like, "It's a little heavy and sometimes it's, you know, hard
to kind of continue to hold it up." But learning piano, being learning piano and learning tuba was um one of her highlights um in high school. It teams ranch um similar to the manner in terms of just really focusing on meeting kids
where they're at, right? Having high expectations of college and knowing that if you have a goal to go into the workforce, they're going to make that happen for you. Their AC ACE and their CTE tours and their greenhouse project are huge celebrations and spotlights for
them. For Smoky Hill High School, um exceptional compliments, accomplishments and literacy. They were the first school um to meet the district goal of decreasing their students on read plans. Um and they wanted to specifically talk about their nth grade literacy growth um
for 70 uh medium growth percentile, which is huge. Um and panorama data in the spring of 2025 is 78% of Smoky Hill students have identified a trusting adult in that building. They work hard to build relationships. They are a leader in restorative um practices um
and we um really appreciate about them and uh over 142 staff members have been trained and restored. Shoj um is a student that me and some of our EDOP team and district leadership met. She took us up on the
invite to get some practice interviews for the Betcher Scholar. She is. And then she was able to um receive the Beter Scholarship. So that's huge. And she looked familiar also because we um go to Smoky Hill High School to celebrate their AP and their IB um
program at the end of the year. So she um one of her favorite memories that she has is being uh involved in the P the Palmer family singers. So the API kiddos, they um dress up and they lip-sync, you know, and they just dance
and they just have so much fun. So she um she said that was a highlight for her. And her English teacher, Mrs. Lewis, really talked about the importance of just writing and sharing her voice and and what is that what it and just the impact of of of having that
um just that that adult speaking truth into you and having that adult really giving you the courage to find who you are and your voice. So, in total, the class of 2025, you see the academic achievements really amazing when you
think of more than $38,000 and counting and scholarship uh money that are earned, 12 military appointments. So much to celebrate when you think of the the the students here in our incredible school district. This slide is always cool because when I I know you can't see
it right now, but you guys will you guys have a copy of it, but each time I look at this slide, something different pops for me in terms all the different athletics and activities that we offer our students. Our our students are highly engaged in our in our in our
schools. We have some pictures here to really bring that slide to life in terms of what does that engagement look like when it comes to athletics and activities? And I would like to specifically highlight uh Larry Bull and his commitment to really the high expectations and the service that we
provide for kids to make sure that they have that outlet um of engagement with our with our programs. Um theatrical performances um in all of our schools when you look at the talent that we have and I know
that Miss Garland you've spoken to this too. We even have a play at Dakota Valley Elementary that you attended this year. So, the arts are valued um in in in Cherry Creek schools and these kids shine on the stage and um it's a really
amazing experience. You can pick up and go to any one of our high schools and and take um buy a ticket for any theatrical performance and you'll be blown away. Um, community service projects, again, growth mindset, our commitment to relationships, our commitment, our
commitment to engagement and equity. We have numerous community service projects that our uh, kids were able to gauge into. And here are some of the pictures to to help elevate just what those experiences look like when it when you look at the smiles and when you look at
just the the celebration of um, of community, right? So, we have a class that includes 4,175 graduates. 1,745 have attended since um have attended since
kindergarten. And we are just so proud of the kids. I would really like to celebrate just the teachers and the and the passion that our teachers pour into our students every single day. And what I shared this morning at ADCO was these slides and these students, while we were
able to name the experiences of nine of our students, I would offer that so many people in this room are champions for kids who made a difference. So, thank you to the educators that are in this room and your leadership matters. And um
it was just a it was just like yeah, it was just I'm just very I was very humbled to be able to do this project, be able to talk to their families and be able to talk to these kids to get a sense of like what was your experience and we also know that there's a lot of things that we can do better in this
district as well and that's why the catalyst of our core values is growth mindset. So um thank you for the opportunity to share a little bit about our celebrations and then the class of 2025. Thank you. Yeah. Director Allen, do you have any questions?
I don't have any questions. I'm just so excited we take time to celebrate our incredible students like this. Thank you so much. Yeah, thank you for doing that. Thank you. Director Bates, any questions? Thank you. I I I don't have any questions for you, but um something
that I I just noticed runs through all of our schools and everything is kindness, diversity, equity, all of those things are so important in all of our schools. Yeah. As well as the academics. And when we see the academics and we see the awards that these kids are
receiving, so much is tied to all of those things together. And I'm I'm just so proud of all of these kids and where they are going and what they've done. So, and I too would like to applaud all of our educators because without all of our educators, this wouldn't be happening.
So, thank you. Thank you, Miss P. Thank you, Director Egan. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Mo. I always look forward to this. I don't have any questions, but just a couple comments. I mean, we truly do know that CCI is a special place
and just the difference it's making in the lives of our students has been really, really great to see the growth and progress around that. Uh, in terms of my high school, Cherry Creek High School, and the school that my students,
my kiddos went to, I agree with the student who said I'ming right now, but Jackson, yes. Who said that it's able Cherry Creek is such a huge school, but it's able to be made smaller. Yeah. Just
by the type of programming and the things that happen there. So, you know, I I can't agree more with that comment. And then I I guess I'm so inspired by the story of Bryce Hunter at Elevation
to think that he's one of the veter scholars and to hear that experience because I know that during co I us trying to lean into the district and thank you Superintendent Smith too
for all of that those efforts. that was just such a challenging time and to see that that kind of education works for so many of our students important as well and you know if I could just you know highlight just Mrs. heart, you know, and
she's joined the EDOT team and just all the amazing things that she did for elevation during that challenging time of having to adjust for the the numbers. I mean, you know, Christie, your leadership is amazing and huge, I think.
Yep. Right there. Yes. Thank you. Uh, and then just one last comment. It is. I was thinking about this today when I was board meeting tonight. It's so important that we keep focus on the arts
in our school. And I was really glad to see that you included this. I I knew that you would include this, but that makes such a difference to our students education. And I concerned about certain narratives around that, not in our
district, but because we are soidly So, thank you. Thank you, Director Egan. Director Nolles, thank you so much. It's always so fun to hear about the celebrations. And um I agree it is
really good to um celebrate our arts as well. And I know sometimes that can be quantified in different ways that there are competitions, but it can also, you know, just in general the qualitative arts that we have. Um and then I think quite humble, but I think we've had quite a few athletic championships, like
a lot. Yeah. In some of our schools. So, um I've lost track, honestly. I don't know if there's a list, but um I've lost track of how many there are. Yeah. It's just neat to see. You can tell we're getting further from CO. I know we don't talk about CO as much, but just life and coming back on all ways. Um trips
returning to schools that hadn't happened in four years, other things like that. So, it is really nice to see that. And I will say I'm wondering with Overland's um 18 countries, 19 languages. I wonder if that's for uh the hub because I know they have oh I feel
like they have a lot more countries and languages represented than that. But maybe they meant in that subgroup of that could be a reflection of the newcomers that they have. Yeah, the newcomers strength that they have as a school because of the students that Right. Right. I think they have more than that. Absolutely. All right. Thank
you. Yeah. Thank you. Thank you. I don't really have any questions either, but I just want to just again commend um Superintendent Smith and the entire leadership team. I believe when I started here, I feel like we only had six high schools, but now to
see that we have nine because um we asked the question um to Mr. Smith's question like which kids, right? And so it all means all. Yeah. we have to expand um and also um just have a growth mindset on what high school and graduation and their pathway of purpose
looks like for all of our students. So yes, I will be excited when we get orchestra back in elementary. So, but um but again just seeing the kids and their stories just it's always just so heartwarming and I just again I'm just I'm thankful for this community
um for what it's done for my family and then obviously what it's doing for for all of our um upcoming graduates and our up andcoming students. So just thank you for all your efforts everybody. Thank you. Are there any follow-up questions or comments?
Okay, 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 12:00 noon today to address the board of education. In order for everyone to be heard, please limit your comments to a maximum of two minutes. A buzzer will sound at
the end of the two minutes and microphone and audio 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 gerain 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 K through2 students may be interrupted or warned in 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 for taking time to come to
tonight's meeting. Mr. Ken, could you please read our guest speakers for today? Sure. As I call your name, please line up behind the podium. Excuse me. Remember to state your name at the beginning. Leo
Salceto, Mike Mike Mini Albert, um, and Carly Holiday. Are you? Nope. Good evening everyone. My name is Lao Salceo, but everybody calls me Chucky. I came here tonight to address the
resignation of Overland High School's band director, Ryan Monarch. You may or may not situation. The district failed Mr. Monarch and his students. He was giving a very unfelt trial. Months after he was sent to HR, the district sent
agents to interrogate us without our parents' permission. These agents asked us illogical questions, clearly trying to dig up any dirt on Mr. Monarch. It felt like they weren't even investigating what he did, but rather attacking his
character. Mr. Monarch was a vital part of our community. He started this job in 2014. only 20 students in the band. Now there are around 150. He saved my life when I had no one. And I'm not the only one. He did the same for many others,
both current and former students. Tricked left the O band unprotected and placed us under the supervision of a very corrupt performing arts department. Since he's been gone, the other teachers have been treating us like puppets for their own benefit. I
may be graduating next year or next week, but I refuse to stay silent while the students who remain and the ones who are yet to come are left in this environment. I could go on for hours, but unfortunately I do not have that
kind of time and neither do you. Please hear our call. Thank you. Have a good rest of your evening. Good evening. My name is Mike Albert and I am here with my wife tonight to be perfectly blunt surrounding a serious safety incident that involved our child
at Trailssworth Elementary last October. Due to undeniable staff negligence, our child was left lost and left and locked outside of the school building unsupervised and vulnerable. We promptly notified principal Whitaker of the incident and the initial uh response we
received felt dismissive as if the incident was insignificant. After an in-person meeting with the principal, we still felt that the corrective actions did not demonstrate the level of accountability the situation demanded. On March 30th, we contacted Mr. Toby
Aratollah requesting a meeting about what actions the district takes when a staff member is responsible for endangering a student. Six weeks have passed without any response. For an issue of this magnitude, that silence is not only unprofessional, it is
unacceptable. This incident has left a lasting emotional impact on our child and his deep sense of betrayal in the staff. There is no justification for allowing an employee who placed a child in danger to remain employed and in a position of trust with the district.
When the district fails to act decisively in these cases, it sends a clear message that student safety is negotiable and the staff can endanger children without meaningful consequences. Child endangerment should be a zero tolerance infraction and we want to be provided transparency on the
policy that governs that governs this egregious action. If policy if policy and um and if policy if corrective actions across all levels simultaneously fail to comply with policy and fail to demonstrate
commitment to student safety as the highest priority, then proper action needs to be taken immediately against all those involved to rectifi to rectify this injustice. Thank you. Have a good evening. Good evening, Carly Holiday. Um, I
realized that since I became the president of the Cherry Creek Education Association in January, I have yet to address the board. So, I thought the end of the year would be an appropriate time to finally introduce myself and to share a couple of the things that we have been
working on this year. Uh this is actually my 12th year at Cherry Creek High School, my 28th year of teaching in Colorado. And from day on the job, I have been a member of my union. And um I
have been over the years at times um incredibly proud of my association membership and other times I have been disappointed. But in the end, um I think what has always made it work is um when a district and a union have a
collaborative relationship like the one we have currently um that works together in the best interests of students um and everyone who is impacted in our community by what it is that our schools do. So um just to highlight a few of the
things that have happened this year. Um we were proud to send dozens of people to walk and knock on doors for 4 4B. There are people who are very excited about the bond projects that you guys have put forward that are going to happen in all of our schools um close to home at Cherry Creek. I know there are a
lot of teachers in the West building that are very excited about the future to come. Um we've spent time lobbying legislators. We um have also worked with our local local legislators trying to make sure that they continue to support um things like school the school finance
act. Um, we have developed PD courses in conjunction with the district. We have done all kinds of things. So, I'm excited. I hope that we'll be able to talk about them in the coming year um so that you guys are more aware of how it is that we're involved in the district. Thank you,
President Garland. That's all for tonight. Thank you. I'd like to call for a motion to approve the consent agenda resolutions 25.5.3 through 25.515.
So moved. Is there a second? Second. Roll call, please. Directors Allen I. Bates. I. Egan. I. Garland. I. Nolles. I. Motion
carries. Our next regular board meeting is Monday, June 9th, 2025 at 7 PM at Falcon Creek Middle School located at 6100 South Genoa Street in Aurora, Colorado. I'd like to call for a motion
to adjourn the May 12th, 2025 board of education meeting. Move to adjourn. Is there a second? Second. Roll call, please. Director Salin, I. Bates, I.
I Garland I NS I Our meeting is adjourned.