I think we'll go ahead and get started here. Um, thank you all for being here. My name is Ashley Verville. I'm the director of communications for the district. Thank you all for attending this very important event and taking the time to make an informed decision
regarding the future leadership of the Cherry Creek School District. A big thank you to Cherokee Trail High School for hosting tonight's forum and to all the staff who have helped with this event. Tonight is a community forum where candidates for the board of education
from director districts D and E will have an opportunity to introduce themselves to you and answer questions that are of interest to our community. This year we have two contested races in district D and E. We will offer all candidates an opportunity to address the
audience to introduce themselves and why they and answer why they want to be a member of the board of education. We will then move into two rounds of questions. a quick round or a hand raise and questions from our community. Community questions may be directed at
all candidates or specific candidates. Candidates will have one minute to answer the question. These questions are collected from various district parent groups such as parents council or local PTCOs. Audience members here tonight are also able to submit qu questions at the
QR code above. Every forum is being recorded and will be posted on the district website in its entirety. We ask that as candidates respond, the audience react appropriately and that we show respect to these individuals who have stepped forward as willing
volunteers for this important leadership role. With that, we'll move into opening statements. Prior to this evening, each candidate was provided the opportunity to respond to fiveformational questions posted on the posted on the district
website under the 2025 board of education election page. I encourage you to learn more about each person after tonight's forum. Our candidates from district D&E will have two minutes each to introduce themselves and share why they are interested in being on the board of education. We will begin
tonight with Terry Bates from director director district B. Candidate Bates. >> Hi, I'm Terry Bates. The Cherry Creek School District has played a vital role in helping my five children grow into
well-rounded, compassionate adults. They all graduated from a Cherry Creek High School. My family and I have spent over 21 years volunteering in the district, supporting schools financially, and assisting
families in need in our community. I see this as a great opportunity to give back, bringing my time and financial expertise at a moment when state and federal funding is in jeopardy, along with declining student
enrollment. I grew up in a family of educators. My mom was a teacher, my dad was a teacher, my grandfather was a teacher. Furthermore, my dad was a special education teacher. Later, he became a
principal of a school dedicated exclusively to special education students. Public education has always been part of my life and that of my children's, too.
I paid for 100% of my college education, and I'm very grateful for the life lessons I learned along the way. I graduated in the top 10% of my undergraduate and masters programs from the Ross School of Business at the
University of Michigan. Upon graduation, I earned my CPA license and worked for eight years at one of the most prestigious public public accounting firms in the world, Price Waterhouse Coopers. I'm passionate about financial
stewardship and transparency, making sure every dollar is used effectively and with integrity. I'm an expert in financial matters, having worked as a chief financial officer for more than 22 years.
Thank you. Next, we'll move to Amanda Theer, the uh other candidate in director. >> Hi, good evening. My name is Amanda Theer and I am running for the Cherry Creek School Board District D seat. Um, I've always believed that great
education is the foundation for future success. Uh that belief was instilled in me by my own mother, a special education teacher for over 30 years. And it's what led me to pursue my own degree in education. It's also the reason why my husband and
I moved to uh Cherry Creek and chose to raise our two children here 25 years ago. I've long admired the district's commitment to excellence, even from afar. Um as a high school student, we're in high school here now at high school.
Uh, I was a student in DECA and I remember competing against Cherry Creek teams and they consistently took home the first place national championships. And so when we moved to Colorado, I knew this was the district that we wanted to buy our home in and raise our kids in.
Over the years, I have invested countless hours into our schools, volunteering. I was a substitute teacher serving as the PTCO treasurer and president and coordinating events like teacher appreciation and all the fundraising fundraising.
Currently I serve on the district accountability committee's executive board as the community representative and I also chair the family and community committee subcommittee. This experience combined with my professional background in the defense industry where I collaborate on business strategies. I
review budgets and drive process improvement has prepared me to serve our community as a schoolboard member. My top priorities are clear. Focusing on student achievement, putting money back into the classrooms, fostering strong parent community engagement, and ensuring fiscal responsibility. My
mother always taught me the importance of a strong partnership between parents and educators, and I'm committed to making sure every family has the tools and the support they need to help their children thrive. Thank you for having me this evening. Thank you.
>> Thank you. >> Thank you. Sorry. All right. Next, we'll move to uh Director District E, Candidate Mike Ham. Good evening and welcome. Uh I want to thank Cherry Creek staff for setting
this all up and uh also to the other candidates running. It takes a lot to put yourself on the line and get out there. Anyway, my name is Mike Hamch. I've been involved in Cherry Creek schools for a lot of decades, uh, over four. I I was
married to a lifetime educator that retired, uh, from Cherry Creek schools. I'm the father of two students that are uh, awesome kids, one from Overland, one from uh, Grand View High School, and my daughter is a current Cherry Creek uh,
school district educator. I'm so proud of her and I'm proud of the work skills she got at received in high school. I'm also a grandparent to the cutest darn kindergartener in Cherry Creek schools and that's one of the things that
motivates me to run. As far as service to the district, I've worked on every bond and mill election that I can remember for the last 30ome years. I currently serve on the long long range
facility planning committee uh which is great where we're looking at the vision for what's going to take place in the future in Cherry Creek. I also serve on the boundary subcommittee. Uh I've also served on the Arapo County Citizens Budget Committee, Metro
District President, HOA president, and those are important because of working on budgets, executing budgets, and maintaining fiscal transparency and responsibility. I'm also a veteran. I was retired, early retired out at Lowry Air Force Base
where I taught avionics systems and then I was training manager for the F-111 avionics program. And uh I'm really excited to run. Uh I can't wait hopefully to serve Cherry Creek schools and represent everybody here. Thank you for your time.
>> Great. Thank you. Next we'll move to Tatiana Sturm also in director District E. Good evening. My name is Tatiana Sturm and I'm a proud Colorado native who has called Cherry Creek home for over 20 years. My husband and I moved here to
raise both of our boys because like many of you, we wanted to give them the very best education. Both of our sons grown up here in Cherry Creek schools and I know firsthand how important it is to keep our district strong. Over the last
two decades, my husband and I have spent countless hours volunteering in our schools and community. You've probably seen us at fun runs, trunk or treats, teacher appreciation breakfasts, where I think we've delivered enough breakfast burritos to feed an entire football
team. Fueled for the season, but our giving our giving didn't stop at the classroom doors. We've brought students into local memory care centers to share music and holiday cheer, hosted recycling drives and HOA events. Service and community have always been the heart
of who we are. Professionally, I've been a working mom in real estate for over two decades, helping hundreds of families buy homes right here in Cherry Creek. Families who moved here for the same reason we did, the schools. I understand the direct correlation
between strong schools, strong neighborhoods, and strong property values. I grew up in a bright racial household, and I have a deaf sister. Those experiences give me deep understanding of how important communication access, parent
partnerships, and strong special education support really are. They guide the way I listen, lead, and advocate so that every child has a chance to succeed. At the end of the day, my priorities are simple. Keep Cherry Creek
a district of excellence. Give parents a stronger voice and ensure every tax dollar goes where it matters most, into the classrooms, supporting students and staff. Great. Thank you. [Music]
All right. Next, we will move into the quick round of questions. I will read a series of statements. If you agree with the statement or if the statement applies to you, please raise your hand. If you disagree or it does not apply to you, please leave your hand down. And
I'm happy to repeat them at any point if you'd like. The first one, I support the core values of the district and will work to uphold them if elected as a member of the board. If elected, I promise to do my due diligence to understand and make
informed decisions as a board member. If elected, I believe the interests of students should come before personal and political affiliations. I support public education. I believe that the Cherry Creek School District is responsible for teaching all
children regardless of need. I believe that Cherry that the Cherry Creek School District provides an excellent academic environment for our children. I believe the Cherry Creek School District should support transgender youth. I believe Cherry Creek School District
should support kids from all backgrounds and abilities. Knowing the district consistently receives high ratings from Moody's and SNP, I believe the Cherry Creek School District is fiscally transparent and responsible with its funds.
I support the use of taxpayer dollars for school vouchers that can be used at private or religious schools. Raise your hand if your child or children have ever attended a private or charter school while being a resident of the Cherry Creek School District.
Raise your hand if you understand that 91% of the district's budget goes to people and programs and only 4% of the total operating budget is spent on administrative costs. In total, the district receives about 50 million each year in title funding from
the federal government. Do you agree with potential funding cuts that could come from the federal government around title funding? Okay. Next, we will move into our community questions. These questions were collected from various Cherry Creek
parent groups such as parent councils, individual PTCOs. Audience members here tonight were also able to submit questions uh via the QR code or a note card. These questions have been grouped by common theme for tonight's purposes and we will try to
get through as many of them as possible. Please remember that the response is each to each question is limited to one minute and should be completed when the buzzer sounds. Some questions will be directed to all candidates whereas others will be
directed to director districts. So we will start with um a question for all candidates. Um starting with Tatiana uh Sturm um why why do you want the position of board member in the Cher Creek School District?
[Music] As a parent of two sons and as a volunteer in this community for over 20 years, I my husband and I have uh relocate have moved uh several hundred
families here into this district. Uh they moved here because they wanted to be in the Cherry Creek School District. Uh at this time the district's at a crossroads.
Less than half of our students are proficient in reading at their grade level. And we have uh six schools right now in the district that 20% of the students or less are proficient in reading. And we have seven schools in
the district right now that are uh 20% or less proficient in math. And we need to get these schools uh proficiencies back up. >> Same question to you, Mike.
>> Reason I want to serve as a board uh the school board is I want to look to the next 75 years. We've had 75 years of excellence, but times have changed. We need to look at where the future is going. We need to
continue those pathways to purpose, things like CCIC and the innovative programs that offers our youth besides just being collegebound. These are the kind of programs that I
see us doing in the future to give all these kids opportunities once they leave Cherry Creek schools. I'm a proud parent to see all these different programs that are coming through and uh
yeah, I'd be very excited to be there to look at the future vision and see where we're going. Uh because school district has looked at the future for a long time and they've done a great job. Thank you. >> Great. Thank you. Same question. Why do you want the position of board member in
this district? Um Amanda, we'll start with you. >> Great. Well, as a former teacher and a mother, um and serving on the district accountability committee, uh my focus being on the board and why I want to serve on the board is we've got to work
on improving student achievement. That's my top priority. Our schools must stay focused on teaching the subjects and skills that prepare our students for success. That means making real investments in academics and ensuring opportunities for every single child. Uh
right now, like Tatiana said, we have less than 50% of our Cherry Creek students are reading at grade level. That means that half of this room, if it were a a typical classroom, it less than half of would be proficient in reading. Um, research shows that students who
struggle with reading often lose confidence. They face higher risks of anxiety and depression and may stop trying for fear of failure. When that happens, they're less likely to engage and participate. Strong literacy skills and starting early for the foundation of
learning is why I'm here. >> Great. and Terry. >> I'm running for Cherry Creek School Board because the district has played a vital role in helping our five children become well-rounded, educated, and
compassionate adults. I see this as an opportunity to give back. Both my parents, as I mentioned earlier, were educators and so is my grandfather. I believe that strong schools are the foundation of a thriving community and
I'm eager to to contribute my experience and perspective to help guide the district's future. I'm committed to working with parents, teachers, and administrators to to maintain our 75 years of tradition to
excellence. I'm also committed to exploring innovative improvements to continue the commitment to excellence for the next 75 years. Okay, thank you. The next question, which will be directed to all
candidates, based on state law and district policy, what do you understand the role of a school district board member to be and what strengths do you bring to that role? We'll start with you, Amanda. Yeah, as a board member, I think one of
the um important pieces of being on the board is communication, collaboration. Um as a business leader and as a parent, uh as a parent in the school system, you you need to collaborate, you need to discuss, you need to have healthy
conversations. Um one of those prioritize priorities that I have is to um create strong parent partnerships. being on the district accountability committee. That is one of our focus points right now is to um figure out how we can better engage parents in the
school district. Um we know parents bring valuable perspectives um along with teachers and students and by working to together we can create a more collaborative and transparent approach to education. So one of uh our biggest
shared goals must be literacy. Our low literacy rates don't just impact the individual child, they affect the entire classroom and ultimately the whole community. >> Great. Thank you, Terry. >> Okay. I think the question was, what's
the role of a school board member? So, one, it's dealing with the superintendent. The board of education has three primary responsibilities. one is which to hire and fire and regularly evaluate the superintendent
as it pertains to principles, teachers, school support personnel, the superintendent and the and the district leadership team are responsible for the day-to-day oversight. The third item is engagement with
parents and students. I believe one of the key responsibilities of a board member is to regularly engage with the the community primarily parents and students. I believe board members have a
role to engage with parents and students so that they can be representative of the community in which we we serve. >> Thank you. Uh same question. Based on state law and district policy, what do you understand the role of a school district board member to be and what
strengths do you bring to the role? Tatiana, we'll start with you. >> As a small business owner, I know how to stretch every dollar and deliver results for my clients. It's very important that when I'm working uh with my clients that
are selling their homes that they get the highest return on investment. Uh one of the things that I will bring to the board is fiscal responsibility. We need to prioritize and put more money
into the classrooms uh for the students and the teachers. right now, uh, based off my conversations that I've been having with teachers, they need support in the classroom more than ever to educate our
children. Again, our proficiency levels are down as a district and Cherry Creek Schools is one of the reasons why we moved here was for the school district and I would want to continue excellence.
>> Great. Thank you, Mike. >> Uh, first of all, the basic things of a school board. First one's the budget. I think with my experience doing budgets that I'll be able to help review those, approve and suggest modifications. Let's
also work with the superintendent and the staff. Uh, you know, we need to work collaborative with all the players, uh, Cherry Creek staff, uh, superintendent and all that. We also a role is to
create overall policy for the district and I think to do that successfully we need to work work with our educators with our parents and even with our students. We need to bring them all to the room and work together and I look
forward to that challenge. Thank you. >> Great. Thank you. Next question uh is please name two core values of the Cherry Creek School District and how you will support them. Mike, we're going back to you. >> Oh, back to back. >> Back to back. Sorry.
>> Well, one of the first core value that I really look for is the whole well-being of the student. Uh we have to have healthy kids. We have to have well-fed kids so that they're prepared to learn. One of the other core values is the growth mindset. You know, we have to
have that expectation that not every child is the same. But what we need to do is make sure they have the opportunity to grow during their time with Cherry Creek Schools. And you said you two >> two. >> Okay. Well, I guess I'll stop there then. Thank you.
[Music] >> All right. Tatiana, same question to you. Please name two core values and how you will support them. uh as a small business owner and a working mom, the one uh the core value that resonates with me right now is
growth mindset. Uh right now in Cherry Creek uh we are faced with a decline in enrollment and we have seen in the last uh five
years our enrollment go down by 5.3% and we've seen uh administration rise over 16%. Which means that less money is going into the classrooms. Uh this has also been an issue for our budget uh
with about 4,500 less students since 2020. Uh at each student bringing in about $10,000 in funding every year right now, Cherry Creek is losing $45 million in funding. So we need to get our
enrollment up. >> Okay. Amanda, uh, please name two core values of the district and how you will support them. >> Yeah. So, um, my my first one is well-being and the second would be growth. Uh, as a parent and a teacher, I know that improving early literacy rates
are in and ensuring students have experienced skilled educators are key factors in supporting not just academic success, but overall mental health and well-being and growth. When students are able to read at grade level, they g they gain confidence, a sense of
accomplishment, and the ability to engage fully with classroom learning. Um, I don't know if you've ever had the opportunity to teach a little kid to read and watch their whole world open up. Um, but that is well-being and that is growth. Um, so struggling with
literacy can really create a lot of stress and anxiety and frustration that can affect a student's emotional health over time. with our declining literacy rates, it's really important for us to um work on that growth mindset and that well-being mindset.
>> Great. Terry, same question. >> All right. The school districts develop five core values. First one, growth mindset. Second one, equity for all students. Third, whole well-being. Fourth, engagement. Fifth,
relationships. I believe the district has developed excellent core values and I will support the teachers and the administrators to achieve these core values. >> Okay, next question. We'll start back
over here with Tatiana. Cherry Creek School District is about helping 53,000 students find their pathway of purpose. As a board member, your job is to represent every student regardless of whether your values and beliefs align. Please share what you have done to
prepare yourself to learn about and support all students regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or socioeconomic status. I have lived here in this district for
21 years. I am a mother of two boys uh that have gone through this district. I have helped hundreds of families move into this district for the schools. We,
my husband and I, have poured our hearts and souls into this community uh through our volunteer work, not just in the school, but uh in our community and surrounding communities as as well. Uh
I'm a homeowner here in this district. I'm also a taxpayer in this district. and everything that we've done to bring people together, young people, families,
uh older people in uh memory care. Uh we have always included everyone in uh all of our events and community things. >> Thank you. Uh we'll jump back over here. We'll mix it up a little bit. Amanda, same question to you. Let me know if you
need me to reread it. >> Uh would you repeat it? >> Sure. Cherry Creek School District is about helping 53,000 students find their pathway of purpose. As a board member, your job is to represent every student, regardless of whether your values and beliefs align. Please share what you
have done to prepare yourself to learn about and support all students regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or socioeconomic status. >> Great. Uh so as a district accountability committee member uh I
know that equitable opportunities means recognizing that every single child deserves full access to every opportunity that they need for their success. Uh we need to look closely at the data within the district and and the data that they're collecting to understand where disparities may exist
and then we need to partner with parents, teachers and community leaders to address those. That means ensuring consistent expectations for discipline, providing early interventions and support before challenges escalate, and making sure students are identified for
special special education based on need. It also means expanding pathways for success so that all students, regardless of race or socioeconomic status, have access to rigorous academics, career and technical programs, and enrichment opportunities. When we invest in early
literacy, strong relationships, and the right resources, we close those gaps and we give every student the chance to thrive and become productive citizens of society. >> Great. Thank you, Terry. >> I recognize that based on factors
including but not limit to race, disability, gender, geography, and social economic status. Some students might not receive equitable educational opportunities.
It's our role to break down these barriers to provide fair access to all students to have a high quality education and a pathway for purpose. It's something I believe deep in my
heart that every child deserves an equal opportunity for a highquality education. Great. And Mike, >> well, I mentioned this earlier with the pathways to purpose CCIC.
That is that avenue that's really opened up doors for so many other kids that aren't destined to college or the military. Uh the workforce development that goes along with that. How have I prepared myself? I've went out and I've toured the facility and seeing what goes
on there, which really excited me. Also, just being in the schools. I've been in 90% of every building in the district on the north side when my son was at Overland and Prairie. We were involved in the community functions that went on
and met with kids, kids of all different backgrounds, cultures, ethnicity, everything like that. you have to be there and be part of the community to to see what the best
direction is going forward. Thank you. Thank you. Uh, next question will go again to all candidates. We'll start with Terry. Can you please name some of the people who have endorsed your campaign and why that's important to you?
Okay, it's a great question. I'm not sure I have time to go through all the endorsements. I'll start with the board of education. Okay, one, Angela Garland, president, Cherry Creek School Board of Education.
Two, Karen Fiser, past president of the Cherry Creek School Board of Education. Anne Eager. Anne Egan, current director for the Cherry Creek School Board of Education. Janice McDonald,
past director for the Cherry Creek School District. Eric Parish, past director for the Cherry Creek School District. All of these parents have or had children in Cherry Creek schools. Further, these parents have spent many
years volunteering within the district. They know what it takes to be a board member and they believe my experience is needed at this time given the financial headwinds we are facing. >> Great. Mike, same question to you.
>> Well, it's really I'm really excited to be endorsed by I think most past board uh presidents. Uh, of course, Angela Garland Green, uh, Karen Fischer, Randy Pearles, uh, Ann Eaggan, I don't know if she was president, though. Uh, and past
superintendent, uh, Harry Bull, CU Regent, Alana Spiegel, uh, State Board of Education President Rebecca Mlullen. These are folks that have dedicated their life to education.
Uh, which I admire them all. I think the only endorsement I really still need is my wife. Uh, but I'll be working on that. So, so thank you. >> Great. Amanda, same question. >> Great. Uh, so our campaign is proudly
supported by former Cherry Creek School District board members, uh, Jennifer Churchfield, who's here this evening, and thank you for that. and Azie Barber. They both bring valuable insight and experience in guiding our schools. Uh in addition, we have built a strong
grassroots fundraising effort, engaging parents, community members, and local supporters who also believe in putting parents first or putting students first. Uh I see many of them in the crowd tonight. So, I really appreciate you attending um and supporting us. Uh this
campaign remains fully nonpartisan, focusing solely on the needs of our students in schools rather than political agendas. And it ensures that every decision is driven by the best interests of the community, the students, the parents, and the Cherry Creek School District.
>> Great. Tatiana, same question. Uh, as Amanda said, uh, we are endorsed by two former school board members, Jennifer Churchfield and Auggie Barber. One thing that I would like to note is
that uh, we are not financially backed by the teachers union. Our campaign is 100% grassroots uh talking to people into the community, parents, teachers, taxpayers, our
supporters. Thank you. Okay, next question will be directed toward uh director district. Uh we'll start with you, Amanda. Who should decide how local school districts operate? Do you support more local
control in schools or less? >> So local meaning just can you repeat the question? >> Sure. Who should decide how local school districts operate? Do you support more local control in schools or less? So I think there's a um as a as a
district accountability committee member I know that there is a um kind of balance that goes between uh taking state uh direction and um flowing those requirements those things those policies down to the uh the local uh the local
districts and uh it is the job of the district accountability committee to help um make that communication happen and make that partnership happen. Um, I know that, uh, expanding that that information into the schools to make sure that we're we're answering the
right policies, that we're we've got the right curriculum in place, that we've we're our testing is is good. So, um, I believe there's a good balance between uh, local and I guess you could say state um, state direction. Uh, right now there's there could definitely be some
better understanding of some things, some better implementation. Uh, in my in my opinion, just being on the district accountability committee, I I do believe Terry, same question. I I believe that the local community,
local school district should set the policy of what we do. I think that's why we need the engagement, continuing getting the engagement from parents and students. But I believe I I believe wholeheartedly
with the local responsibility for managing our schools. Okay. Next question is for uh director district E. Um we'll start with you Tatiana. Do you believe that Cherry Creek School District should support and educate kids from all backgrounds
including transgender youth? Why or why not? I believe that the Cherry Creek School District should support all students so that they get a proper education in
the district. All children should feel safe and all children should be respected regardless of their backgrounds. Now, in regards to the safety,
I have been in a situation in a women's locker room where I was completely naked and I turned around and there was a man standing right in front of me and it was extremely violating to me as a grown
woman. uh I would not want any young lady or girl to ever experience that uh what I had went through. So that is where I draw the line. >> Mike, same question.
>> Of course, that's the role of public schools. We need to educate all kids, no matter if they're straight, transgendered, whatever social, economical background they have. Public schools is the great
equalizer in society. And that's why we need to support all our kids, no matter where they're from, because after all, kids matter. So that mean yes, support all. Thank you. >> Great. Next question is for all
candidates. Um we will start with Terry maybe. Um Cherry Creek School District has received national recognition of its Cherry Creek Innovation Campus. How would you continue to grow CCSD's career pathways and hands-on learning opportunities in
order to prepare students for workforce for future workforce needs? [Music] I've had the opportunity to tour the
CCIC campus. It's amazing. Hopefully, if you haven't toured the campus, I'd strongly encourage you that you do. Thank you to the community for approving almost a billion dollar bond a year ago.
Part of those proceeds about a hundred million is going to ex for an expansion to CCIC. They're going to be able to now serve 70% more students. They've right currently they have nine pathways.
With the addition with the additional capacity, they're going to add nine more pathways for our children. Not every child should go to college. Okay. CCIC is an excellent opportunity for
kids to explore other career opportunities. >> Amanda, same question to you. Sure. Cherry Creek School District has received national recognition of its Cherry Creek Innovation Campus, CCIC. How would you continue to grow these career pathways and hands-on learning
opportunities in order to prepare students for future workforce needs? Great. So, as a a member of the district accountability committee, as a parent uh that had children run go through Cherry Creek Schools, um I know that expanding
community engagement is the key to a strong learning experience. I will work to build stronger partnerships with local organizations, expand internships, and increase career and technical pathways. uh while continuing to support Cherry Creek's uh traditions of
excellence. I've seen firsthand the impact this can have. Now, unfortunately, my son went through high school during COVID and so CCIC wasn't quite available to him. Um but he discovered uh his career path through high school um in an apprenticeship
program after an injury kept him from playing football his senior year. the opportunity led to a job before college and ultimately a graduate level program which he is in today. Um so we're really grateful and really proud of that. When students are given chances to explore their interests and passions, they
become more engaged, motivated, and prepared for the future. >> Great. Mike, same question to you. Well, the question said nationally recognized, but I believe CCIC is internationally recognized as the
titanium standard of trade schools in inter in the world and we should be very proud of that at Cherry Creek Schools. What I'd like to see for the future is that we continue to meet with the trades, business,
community members to see what programs we need to expand, have a vision for these kids going forward for the next 25, 30 years. We have this tool. We have great programs and we need to expand it and keep evaluating where we're going.
You know, you look at today, you know, the uh key word is AI. you know, do we need to have programs that are dedicated to how to accurately utilize uh that type of information? So, like I said, I'm really excited. It's uh one of the
best things I in my opinion that came out of the last bond issue. So, look forward to the growth in that. Thank you, >> Tatiana. >> Having a campus like CCIC, I think, is wonderful for the district. Uh I would
love to see more campuses open up uh for the students. Uh not every student is collegebound and we have to make sure as a district uh that we are helping our
kids figure out what they like to do, what they're good at, what their passions are. uh and through um extracurricular uh classes as well. I would even propose
that we should start doing that even in middle school uh so that kids can really think about what they want to do uh even if it's not college beyond high school so that uh we can help these kids get
out in the community and be productive citizens. Great. Thank you. Next question. Cherry Creek School District boards have long celebrated their ability to come together under the party of K. K being for kids. How will you set your personal
and political affiliations aside and work with others to meet the needs of all kids? Mike, we'll start with you. >> Well, I love that party K. I want to join that party at K because that's what we're all I I hope here to do. The way
we do this is through communication that where you can sit down at the table, discuss the policies or the issues going forward and communicate and come together as a group for the right direction so we take care of these kids.
I mean, that's what it's all about. It's not about party affiliation. It It's about taking care of kids. That's why I'm here. That's why I'm running and that's why I assume everyone here is running because the party of K is very important. Thank you.
>> Terry, same question. >> I'm 100% supportive of the party of K. Aside from the party of K, I do not have a political affiliation. I do not have any future political aspirations. I'm doing this to help every child in
our district get an equal opportunity for a highquality education and develop their own pathway of purpose. Seeing the impact of this district on my family has shown me the profound effect
a supportive educational environment has on young minds. And I want to ensure every student has opportunities that spark intellectual curiosity and personal growth. We need to prepare every child for life
after high school. >> Great. Tatiana, same question. As a mom, I want my kids focused on academics and not politics. Less than half of our students in Cherry Creek
are on reading uh proficiently for their grade level. Our district scores are now below the state average in both English and math, which is unacceptable for a district of this size and reputation. We must return to the basics,
reading, writing, math, and science using evidence-based curriculum with a proven track record. We also need to protect instructional time for the teachers, which means fewer meetings, fewer distra distractions for
them, smaller class size, and more aids in the classroom. Budget priorities must follow academics and not political agendas. >> Amanda, same question. >> Thank you. Uh, as a mom, as an a former
teacher, uh, supporting teachers and staff is really essential to the success of our schools every day. Those teachers and that staff, uh, they work hard to keep our kids safe and to provide them the educational opportunities that they deserve. That is what the party of K
means to me. Um, right now Cherry Creek is facing teacher shortages and without proper support, uh, behavior challenges rise, learning suffers, and burnout increases. That's why we need to direct funds to what matters the most, and
that's into the classrooms for our teachers and for our kids. This means investing in teachers, aids, intervention specialists, uh, rather than adding more layers of administration. And as you've probably heard tonight, the administration costs
have gone up 16% while our enrollment is down and our literacy rates are behind. Teachers and staff need to be supportive so students can thrive and classrooms can run smoothly and that's when everyone benefits. >> Great. Thank you. Uh next we'll move to
a question for director District E. We'll start with you, Mike. What is your position on the president's executive order signed in March of 2025 ordering the dismantling of the US Department of Education? Well, in my opinion, dismantling the Department of Education is a huge
mistake. They provide guidance across the country, especially for our title programs. With some of the executive order, there was the threats of withholding funding to the state of Colorado. It was released about 30 days,
40 days later. Uh that affected $50 million of funding for our title programs in Cherry Creek. I find that unacceptable. I find it unacceptable because this was after staffing was done, programs were
implemented, and that could have jeopardized a lot of, you know, educators being laid off, programs not being implemented. But at the end of the day, the people it's jeopardized most were the kids impacted
by the title one funds. Thank you. >> Great. Tatiana, same question. [Music] >> The reality is is that we're going to be facing budget cuts. Uh there's just no way around that. And so as a board
member, we need to figure out ways uh in our district to bring in more money uh because we need to uh get our kids educated. Uh what I had mentioned earlier is increasing our enrollment. If
we get our kids proficient in reading and math and we can get uh families back into our schools to move back into our district, that will help us uh with the budget cuts. Um we also need to be more responsible with
our buildings. Uh we did receive that bond last year which I want to thank you to the taxpayers but we need to be focusing on maintaining our buildings and not kicking the can down the road. Um Cherry Creek was had $300 million in
deferred maintenance on their buildings. Great. Next question is for director district. We'll start with Terry. School finance in Colorado was complex. In recent years, some proposals have threatened to significantly impact the district. How would you work with your
colleagues, the superintendent, and district leadership to determine how potential cuts would be made? >> This question is right up my alley as being a chief financial officer. First thing we need to do is and because
I've done this at every company I've worked for as a chief financial officer for the last 22 years. First, we need to understand the magnitude of the issue. Second, I plan on meeting with the
superintendent, district leadership team, and colleagues to determine if they have any recommendations to cut costs. Third, we we need to prioritize the items we can cut without sacrificing our
dedication to excellence. Folks, these are not easy discussions, but I have done them many times and have accomplished successful outcomes. >> Amanda, same question.
>> Thank you. Uh, as a business leader who deals with budgets daily, working on projects with multiple different groups of people daily, creating fiscal accountability in the school district is one of my top priorities. We need to make sure that every dollar is directed
toward improving student achievement and expanding opportunities, not growing bureaucracy. You can count on me to ensure that your tax dollars and my tax dollars do what you expect them to do. Strengthen education for our kids. That means being fully transparent with bond
and mill levy spending so that the community knows exactly where the money is going. In Colorado, teacher salaries as a share of total education spending have dropped from over 30% in 2013 to just 25% in 2023. While administrative
costs continue to rise, enrollment is down and literacy rates decline. It's time to stop trying to fix education from the top down and instead fund the people that are actually doing the educating, the teachers and the staff.
Thank you. We'll move back to director District D. Uh starting with Tatiana. How do you define educational excellence in 2025 and what does that look like in the classroom? What that would look like in the classroom would be putting more
resources and money into the classroom for the students and the teachers. I have spoke with many teachers over the last month and right now uh they are um they are
are hurting. uh they they need more support in the classroom uh in the form of aids, paras, maybe more substitute hours. Uh they need more instructional time with the kids. Uh they are
bombarded with new curriculum that they have to learn. uh and they we need to engage uh more parents to be in the classrooms so that we can
get these proficiency levels up as a district. >> Great. Mike, same question. >> That's a hard one to define, but I'll give you a few examples. What is academic excellent look like in the classroom? When you look around Cherry
Creek schools, the award winners, the Betcher scholarships, the Daniels, the appointment to the US militarymies, th just name a few. You look at the uh AB uh AP programs,
IB programs, concurrent enrollment, those are things that are the excellence that move and save our taxpayers money, especially concurrent enrollment. Excellence is also not measured by one day of testing in the classroom. You got to
look at the whole picture like the 92% graduation rate that goes that's in Cherry Creek schools, the $50 million that the high school graduates receive in scholarships last year. That's what academic excellence looks like. And we
got to just get away from the one test data point. Thank you. Okay, now we'll move over to director district uh D. We'll start with Amanda. What does educational equity mean to you in practical terms and how would you advance it within Cherry Creek schools
and our community? Uh so as a business leader and an educator I believe that um hiring should always be based on merit and qualifications and teachers ability to help students succeed. Um while this
does matter um we need to recognize that Cherry Creek is one of the most diverse districts in the state with over 150 languages uh represented alone. It would be impossible to fairly represent every student background through hiring alone.
Um, and what we can do is make sure every teacher, no matter their background, is highly qualified, supported, and trained to connect with all students. And by focusing on this excellence, we can ensure that every child feels valued and has the best opportunity to achieve.
>> Terry, same question. >> Sure. What does educational equity mean to you in practical terms and how would you advance it within Cherry Creek schools and our community? [Music]
>> As I mentioned before, I believe every child deserves an equal opportunity for a high quality education and a pathway to success or pathway for purpose. Folks, we've got the best teachers.
Teachers from neighboring school districts are flocking to be teachers in our school district. We should measure progress against our core values. Again, we have five core values
and then the dis district's initiative to improve literacy. There's a plan. There's a strategic plan developed by the superintendent and his leadership team to improve literacy over the coming years. Overall,
please remember we're the best school district in the state. Forbes just listed Cherry Creek School District as one of the best employers for company culture in the whole country. >> Great. Thank you. Next question will go
to uh all the candidates starting with Tatiana. Do you believe our public schools should help students should help keep students safe by a professionally trained school security personnel and school resource officers or b armed
teachers and parents? Please explain your answer. I know from talking to uh parents and teachers that Cherry Creek does an excellent job in keeping our uh schools
safe. Uh I have he had nothing but I have heard nothing but wonderful things about the SRO's in the classroom. uh they do help make uh the teachers and
the students feel safe and they also uh do a really good job in building relationships uh with the staff and the students. The other great feedback that I've had from other teachers is the red bag system.
uh they really like uh the training and how the app works uh if in case there is an emergency. >> Mike, same question. >> Well, I agree. Let's keep safety to the
professionals in safety. That's law enforcement that's trained security staff in Cherry Creek schools. teachers have enough to worry about in the classroom without having to arm themselves or have parents that are armed in the classroom. You know, gun
safety is a big issue. We just saw this with Evergreen High School recently. Uh that's why I totally agree that we need to keep keep it to the professionals. Cherry Creek spends about $10 million a year on school safety. I agree with
Tatiana. the red bag program. That's an innovative program that hopefully doesn't have to be utilized very often, but it's there if we have a lockdown condition. I know personally my wife at her high school had lockdown conditions
go on in their high school when they had shooting events going on and uh it's a shame that we're there in society. Thank you. >> Amanda, same question. Uh, as a parent, uh, the safety of our
students and staff has to be our highest priority. And I do believe that Cherry Creek does an excellent job securing our schools. Um, but I believe that we must never let up on our security practices. I believe a layered approach is really the most effective. Our school resource
officers play an important role in building relationships with students while also providing that first line of protection. Um, I know my my kids have always loved the SRO's in the buildings. I think they do a great job. Building safety measures like secure entrances, controlled accesses, and clear emergency
protocols are also critical. Tools such as the red bags, as they mentioned, ensure classrooms are prepared in an emergency. And ongoing staff training makes sure everyone knows how to respond quickly and effectively. Most importantly, keeping kids safe means creating an environment where they feel
protected, supported, cared for every single day. And when students feel safe, they can focus on learning. And I also think that every school should have an SRO dog. >> Terry, same question.
Was was the question dealing with should teachers and students be armed? >> Yes. The question was, do you believe our public schools should help keep students safe by a professionally trained school security personnel and
school resource officers or b armed teachers and parents? >> We absolutely should not arm teachers or students. I believe we have a great security program. Jason Kck and his team are
doing an awesome job. I I'm not sure how many of you attended the August school board meeting, but at that meeting, Jason presented his strategic plan to improve the safety and security of our kids.
The whole well-being, it's our third core value. Safety and security falls into the whole well-being of our students. Again, thanks to the community for approving the bond because part of the money for the bond is to ensure and
I want to make sure the projects get completed. One, putting new film on the windows for security reasons. Putting in new security cameras, new fire alarms, and
replacing access control system. >> Great. Next question will also go to all candidates. We'll start with Amanda. Do you think it's important that board members have kids currently enrolled in Cherry Creek schools? As a parent, uh well, as a as a board
member, I think uh they don't need to have students currently enrolled in schools. Um you know, maybe that they had the the the children enrolled at some point. Um, but I do understand that, you know, every child from the
same family can have, you know, when when you're having children attend school that can have different needs, kind of the pathway to purpose. Um, so that's why I believe parents should have the ability to choose the school that best supports um, their child and their family. So, um I'm grateful that my kids
had the opportunity to go through Cherry Creek schools and, um that's why my husband and I moved here, um for the exceptional education opportunities it offers. Um and I also am, you know, an empty neester. So, um now I feel like I
have the the time and the opportunity to uh give back to the district that gave so much to my family. And um so I don't necessarily think you need to have kids currently in school to be on the board. Um, but Terry, same question.
>> I think it's important for a school board member to have either current or former or or kids who have graduated through the school district because then you know what the the good and the bad
and the items that are great for our kids. Okay? You need to have that wealth of experience by having your own kids go to public schools. >> Mike, same question. >> Yes, I think it's important uh that
you've had kids that have attended Cherry Creek schools. I'm fortunate that I have my children went kindergarten until graduation. I'm also think it's important that a board member should be a grandparent of a Cherry Creek uh
student, which I'm proudly am, and I'll have a second one there soon. So, I think it you need to have your pulse on the schools. You need to if you have family there, you have kids there, then you get to see the good and the bad. And
quite frankly, in Chry schools, it's mostly good. But, you know, there's times that we have to make adjustments. I know in as a parent I had to make an adjustment once in middle school uh with a child, you know. So if you're not there and you don't see what's going on,
you I don't know how you could actually be an official board director without the involvement. Thank you. >> Tatiana, same question. I do believe that it is extremely um
uh helpful uh and to have your children be in the Cherry Creek School uh school district andor have uh gone through the Cherry Creek School District. I don't think it is uh necessary to currently
have a child in school to be on on the board. Uh I I do believe that uh whoever is on the board that they should be um the best person for for the job and collaborate with other board members so
that uh Cherry Creek can uh be brought to the school district that it's always known to be which is the district of excellence. >> Thank you. Okay, next question uh will be directed at director district D starting with uh Terry. How will you
support LGBTQ plus students in the face of attacks on their rights and existence? We got to protect all kids. Again, it's part of our core value, okay, for safety. So all kids regardless
of their ethnicity, religion, social economic background, sexual preference, it doesn't matter. They're a student in our school district. They deserve
to be protected. Each and every child in our district. >> Amanda, same question. I I believe that every child deserves equitable opportunities and um deserves access to those opportunities. So, we
need to look closely at um making sure that we're um keeping track of of kids and that we're um we've got the right mental health support, we've got the right counseling, we've got the right teachers, we've got the right um group of people surrounding them. Um and that
in that means ensuring um that students are I you know given the support that they need. Um it means that we need to make sure that we're investing in those kids in the classroom that we're investing in their uh their education and their literacy. Um we know
that when kids are falling behind that can that can cause other issues as well. Um they don't feel good about themselves. They're struggling in school. They struggle with their friend groups. Um and so really supporting every child and giving them the equitable opportunities that they need
specifically for their success is the most important. Okay, great. Now we will move over to director district E. Starting with Mike. The safety and security of our students and staff is a top priority of the district. Where do you think we need to focus next?
[Music] you as far could you repeat the question please? >> Sure. The safety and security of our students and staff is a top priority of the district. Where do you think we need to focus next? >> Well, if you're talking about safety and
security specifically staff members working on that. Uh Jason's doing a great job looking at what are the newer technologies coming out. I think uh Mr. Bates said addressed the uh ballistic treatment on the window film.
Technology is changing so fast that you have to actually keep an eye on what's going in the future. I know when I was in sales and Cherry Creek was one of my clients, there was things I was looking 10 years forward on and tried to bring to the
district thin. Now, that was 10 years too early. But, you know, it's funny. they've actually done a lot of these changes and a lot of it has to do because technology changes. So we we got to continue to just keep an eye out, focus on the safety, look at any future
trends and see how we can best protect our staff, our kids, and uh everybody there in the support roles. Thank you. >> Great. Tatiana, same question. Uh, as a mom, nothing matters more uh to
me knowing that our kids are safe. Uh, but what is uh going on in Cherry Creek is concerning. Uh, discipline incidents are climbing. Uh, we see discipline rates at 86 per thousand students, which is one of the highest rates in the
state. We're second in alcohol violations, and that's tied with PBLO and Aurora School District. And for weapons incidents, we're at 1.4 per thousand students. Um, this also uh represents classroom
disruption, teachers are stretched thin and students uh don't feel secure. Safe schools are the foundation of strong schools. So when classrooms are calm and focused, teachers can teach and kids can learn. So we need to have consistent
discipline policies and better communication uh with parents with a stronger emphasis on the academics. Okay, last community question directed at all candidates. We'll start with Mike. Uh is the role of a board member to focus on solving problems on local
issues or should schoolboard members focus and engage in national culture wars? Please explain your answer. We need to stay away from the national cultural wars. A lot of that's what's, you know, creating division and
problems in our communities. We need to be their support role for all of our children across all boundaries, backgrounds, everything else. Uh the rhetoric we hear on these culture wars,
it's really on the 24-hour talk boxes. They don't bring anything really to the table. You know what we need to do is focus on safe, well-educated schools for our students and stay away
from the toxic 24-hour talk boxes on the news. Thank you, >> Tatiana. same question. >> Um, can you repeat that question, please? >> Sure. Is the role of a board member to focus on solving problems on local issues or should school board members
focus and engage in national culture wars? Please explain your answer. Uh, as a school board member, we should uh focus on what's happening locally in
our community. Um we need to encourage uh strong academics and good habits uh for our kids. That's one of the best tools that we can give them uh in a day and age where they are
bombarded with um information and their cell phones. Uh, also things that we can help our kids with out is um, in addition to academics is providing them extracurricular things like sports and music and Cherry Creek does a good job
with afterchool clubs. Um, I feel like there's a club for everything for all the kids and if there's not one then uh, the teacher or the students can start one with a with a sponsor of a teacher. So, um, keeping our kids engaged and helping them find our their passions is
what we need to try to focus on as a school district. >> Great. Amanda, same question. >> Yeah, as the as a a teacher and the daughter of a teacher, I know that teachers uh collaborate with the Colorado Education Association or the
CA, also teacher union, um, as their professional organization and as a bargaining unit. Um, this partnership can give teachers a collective voice to advocate for fair pay, manage class sizes, and the races resources that they need to support students. There's
definitely a great relationship there. However, there are challenges. Uh the CEA has become increasingly political and in recent elections it's been it has backed schoolboard candidates with thousands and thousands of dollars and I believe that creates a real conflict of interest when the same organization
representing uh teachers is also trying to influence who governs them. While teachers deserve strong representation, I wholeheartedly believe that we must ensure that collaboration with the CA stays focused on improving education and supporting students, not politics. My
priority will always be putting kids first. >> Terry, same question. >> We The school district has developed five excellent core values. The school district has developed a strategic plan
for the next se for the next three to five years. We need to work with the administration and our teachers to fulfill the strategic initiatives that have set forward and also reinforce our core
values. There's enough to be done at the local level where we don't need to be involved in national politics. Okay, thank you. That concludes our community questions. We will now provide each candidate one minute to provide
your closing thoughts. For those final comments, we'll start with Amanda. I uh appreciate the evening and thank you for being here tonight. Uh I have spent countless hours volunteering in Cherry Creek schools, substitute teaching, and serving on the district
accountability committee. Those give me firsthand insight into the challenges that our students and teachers and staff face. If you ever need a look into it, go be a substitute teacher for a day. Uh this experience has provided me with valuable on the ground perspective to bring to the board. Along with my school
involvement, I have a strong business background of 25 years working with people and large corporations where I focus on strategy development, process improvement, and fiscal responsibility. Collaboration has always been at the heart of every role I've taken on and I intend to bring that same spirit to the
school board. I understand the responsibilities of a board member and the importance of effective governance. My priorities are clear. improve student achievement, partner with parents, support teachers and staff, expand community engagement, and ensure fiscal responsibility. I'm Amanda theer, and
I'm running for Cherry Creek School Board District D. >> Thank you, Terry. >> In summary, there's four key things I'd ask you to remember about me. First, I'm a financial expert and we are facing
some very challenging, uncharted financial headwinds. reduce funding by the federal government, reduce funding at the state level and declining enrollments. Second, I believe that every child should have equal access to a high
quality education and to develop a pathway of purpose. Third, in order to accomplish the second point, we need to continue investing in our teachers, support staff, administration, and our facilities. We
need to continue engaging with our parents as critical thought partners. We need to continue improving the safety for our children and then finding innovative improvements in the field of education.
Fourth, experience matters and I have the experience relevant for the task at hand. Tatiana, >> like so many of you, my family and hundreds of families I've helped move here chose Cherry Creek for our kids. We
came here for excellent schools. And as we celebrate Cherry Creek's 75th birthday, our charge is clear. We need to return Cherry Creek to excellence that drew us all here in the first place. That means rolling up our sleeves on the board and doing the hard work and
keeping the money in the classrooms, supporting teachers with proven instruction and real results for our students. It means enlighting our budget with outcomes and not bureaucracy because when we do that, we protect on
what families count on, which is strong schools. Uh, in the 25 years when Cherry Creek turns 100, I want us to celebrate a district that is once again a gold standard where every child is prepared to thrive and every neighborhood is
stronger because of Cherry Creek schools. Thank >> Well, I'm looking forward to the next 75 years as well. I'm looking forward to where we can go, what our future is.
Cherry Creek is dedicated to excellence. They prove it time in and time out. 91% of all the dollars that come in go into the classroom. And that's important that we're putting the money there. We need to be there to
support our teachers, our students, our staff. We need to look at innovative ideas like public private partnerships going forward. One of the things I'm going to leave you with, I'm so excited. I've said this a couple times. I'm a grandparent. What I'm excited about is Cherry Creek
Schools will give my son the opportunity to either work on an airplane, fly an airplane, or darn it, he might just design that new generation of airplanes. Cherry Creek Schools will give them the basis of education to allow allow him to
do these pathways moving forward. Thank you for your time. [Music] >> Great. Thank you. That concludes our program this evening. Thank you to all the candidates for taking the time to be here and to the audience for your attention and desire to make an informed decision. Again, thank you to the staff
of Cherokee Trail High School for hosting us tonight. As a reminder, tonight's forum has been recorded and will be available on the Cherry Creek School District website. Have a great night and remember to vote.