Hello, everyone. Welcome. It is 7PM, and I would like to call this meeting to order. If you are able, if you could stand and join us for the pledge of allegiance, please. On behalf of this board and the Cherry Creek School District, I would like to acknowledge that this meeting is being held on the ancestral and unceded lands of the Cheyenne, Arapaho, Ute and Oceti Sakowee people who stewarded it for generations.
The Oceti Sakowi includes seven bands, so I would also like to recognize that over 40 additional tribal nations likely use this area for trade, ceremony and social gatherings. May I have a motion to approve the agenda for the 05/11/2026 regular board of education meeting? So moved. Thank you. Is there a second? Second. Thank you. Roll call, please. Director Sam, Egan. Aye. Bitterill. Aye. Garland. Aye. Amrick. Aye. Thank you. That motion carries.
May I have a motion to approve the minutes listed on the 05/11/2026 agenda? So moved. Thank you. Is there a second? Second. Thank you. Roll call, please. Directors Egan. Aye. Boutreaux. Aye. Garland. Aye. Hammack. Aye. Thank you. That motion carries. Is it this time that we will have communications from our Board of Education, beginning with director Futrell. Thank you. First of all, I just wanna say, thank you to all the staff, the teachers, the parents, students, and community members who reached out, to celebrate my fiftieth birthday.
Thank you for all the calls and the messages and the hugs in the hallways, the stories and the kindness. It really meant, a lot to me. Getting to know Cherry Creek on such a personal level, is one of the greatest gifts of this experience, and I'm thankful, for our community. At this time, I also want to acknowledge that these have been difficult months for our district. It feels like every week there's another fire to put out, another hard conversation, another complicated issue to unpack. But I want our community to know that this board is committed to doing the work, not the easy work, the real work, the uncomfortable work, the work that makes
our students, educators, staff, and families feel actually seen and heard. And we will continue to ask difficult questions and listen to you, the community. Since our last meeting, I volunteered as an art adjudicator at Laredo Middle School. And once again, I walked away blown away by the work that our young people are creating. The level of talent and vulnerability and imagination in our middle school students is producing, incredible young artists and young thinkers. I also had a chance to support students preparing evidence for speech and debate, event
involving governor Polis. And also I volunteered for field days and spent time reading with our first and second graders. I know I haven't made it to every school, yet since being appointed, and I want people to know this. I will continue to show up where I'm needed. I'll be putting in the work so that our students know that this board supports them. I also wanna highlight something, exciting that's happening this week with the ribbon cutting, for the new pathways at Overland Building, our first completed 2024 bond project. This is a huge moment for our district and me as a proud blazer.
I couldn't be more excited. This is an opportunity for students who are looking for real world pathways into careers and college opportunities. The rev the, renovation at the IST Building into a stand alone career preparedness facility is going to open doors for students across Cherry Creek in criminal justice, health sciences, hospitality and tourism, technology, and more with access to industry certifications while students still remain connected to their home high schools. This is exactly the kind of investment voters asked this board to make, and I'm
excited to see students walk through those doors in the next school year. I also wanna celebrate the incredible recognition of our performing arts students, another thing that's near and dear to me, and educators who continue to receive all kinds of awards and recognition, especially with the Bobby g Awards, our high school, theater awards. Cherry Creek once again led the state nominations, which says a lot about the depth this district. Congratulations to all the students, directors, the crews, sound guys, sound girls, the musicians, the
families involved, including Overland's, Tavio, who we, heard from just a couple of, board sessions ago, and Grandview's cast of, Cinderella who will perform at the ceremony at the Ellie Hawkins Opera House. Congratulations as well to Cherry Creek High School, Eagle Crest, Grandview, and Overland for all of their nominations. The arts matter. Students' voices matter. Creative spaces matter. And lastly, I want to encourage our community to stay engaged. Information about the vacant board seat on the district website, and I strongly encourage interested
community members to step forward and apply. We need thoughtful people who will who will serve. As we head towards the end of the school year, I wanna encourage our community to finish stronger than ever. Show up to concerts, the award ceremonies, the art shows, the graduations, the field days, the final games, the celebrations that these students and staff have worked all year for. Reach out and thank a teacher. Encourage a staff member. Check-in on a student that may be struggling quietly as the year wraps up. Sometimes, the smallest moments of support are the ones our young people remember forever.
Thank you, Cherry Creek, for remaining strong, remaining accountable, and creating systems that will lead us into the future. Thank you. Thank you, director Futrell. Director Garland? Thank you, president Egan. Last month, Smokey Hill made history as the first program in Colorado to to win consecutive unified esports in the state championships. This outstanding accomplishment reflects not only the talent and dedication of the students, but also the strength of Smoky Hill's highly recognized unified athletics program, which was which was recently
named the 2025 Shaka Seton Unified School of the Year for Colorado. Unified sports continues to provide students with meaningful opportunities to build relationships, strengthen communication skills, and develop teamwork through inclusive competition. It is inspiring to see students creating a supportive and welcoming community through through gaming while encouraging one another both in and outside of competition. At the April Voices of Color meeting, I shared a district update and invited questions from everyone present. But the only people that had questions were the students.
The students engaged in an impressive and thoughtful discussion asking probing questions about civic engagement, how to effectively advocate for important issues, and ways to create meaningful change within their communities. Their curiosity, insight, and commitment to making a positive difference were truly encouraging. Conversations like these serve as an important reminder of the bright future ahead and the incredible potential of all of our students. In April, we celebrated two new inductees into the legacy the Legacy Stadium wall of fame. Longtime former facilities manager, Michael Langlett, and former board of education president and dedicated volunteer,
Karen Fisher. Both individuals have made lasting contributions to Cherry Creek Schools throughout the throughout their years of service, leadership, and commitment to students and staff. Their impact on our district and community is deeply appreciated, and it was a wonderful to recognize their legacy. As we celebrated Mother's Day this weekend, I would like to recognize the many women across our district who dedicate their lives to education and service. Approximately 80% of teachers are women, and their impact expands far beyond the classroom each day. Teaching is a profession that helps ignite the next generation.
Our educators inspire curiosity, encourage growth, and help students discover their potential and purpose. Their commitment to students and families continue to strengthen our schools and our community. In the coming weeks, my colleagues and I will have the privilege of shaking hundreds of hands and lots of hand sanitizer as we share with the graduating students as they take their next next steps towards college, careers, military, and service, and other opportunities. I look forward to celebrating their accomplishments, and I'm excited about the bright futures ahead of them.
Thank you. Thank you, director Garland. Director Hamrick? Thank you, president Egan. First of all, I wanna say thank you to the Horizon staff for hosting us this evening and to the Cherry Creek staff for setting up this meeting, And for you, parents, educators that are here tonight, your voices are important to us. I gotta go a little off script because I'm having a hard time writing right now. So I don't really have a prepared script so much. But, you the end of the day, thank you to all our education educators across
Cherry Creek. Those are the the found the the brick and mortar of our school system. They're the ones that educate our kids. They make the difference at the end of the day. And hats off to all our great educators we have across Cherry Creek Schools. I have to congratulate Grandview High School boys volleyball team who won the state tournament this weekend. Unfortunately, it came to beating one of our other, high schools within the district. But, hats off to Grandview. And if I remember right, Eagle Crest was undefeated going into that group. It was, kind of an impressive win for Grandview High School.
Couple updates. As as many of you know, external audit committee. The submissions closed April 23. We had eight bids come in for the audit committee. We met last week to review the bids, and we're moving forward with three firms. Some of the criteria we utilized on that was, one, the time, how long it would take them to do the review, and, of course, the cost impact. But two, one of the things is not to hire an audit committee that had worked within Cherry Creek Schools in the past. We truly wanted it want this to be an outside independent audit of the finances
and the operational procedures we use in Cherry Creek Schools. So we will, the committee will meet tomorrow to one on one with the three groups we selected and, try to come up with a decision pretty quick after that so we can get moving. I welcome, director Pertral to the, audit committee as well. And, I think he'll, be a great asset to the committee. Friday study session, we had the preliminary review of the, 2627 budget.
Of course, it's not finalized. We're waiting for the folks down at the state to pass the school finance bill, which always seems to come the last day that they're there. But they think they have a pretty good idea on everything. The thanks to Scott Smith, the budget team. They all met with us Friday. The most impressive impressive thing I found on that is this budget coming forward does not use any of the reserve funds, for next school year. It's time to rebuild some of that reserve balance. So the budget is we have to be right on track with the budget and
not utilize the reserve fund. I look forward to next month. We'll get the, we'll have the final, school finance act and have the final numbers, and I believe that'll be presented at our next board meeting. And then coming up on May 16, something that's dear to my heart, military service celebration. This is where a lot of our students that are joining the military, we get to honor them. My time in the military was amazing, and I look forward to, hopefully, what'll be a great career for these kids entering the military.
I know for myself, it gave me the opportunity for technical training. It paid for my college, my undergrad, my grad school. It's it's a great opportunity. It's it's kind of almost like CCIC, except you get a haircut and you gotta wear a uniform. That which is why I love CCIC so much because it gives our kids another option besides the military. I and the military is a great, service you know, a community service effort for these kids to make. And I'll be proud to be there May 16 at CCIC, celebrating these kids that
are committed to going on to a service academy, marines, coast guard, navy, air force, army. God bless them for what they wanna do and serve our country. President Hagan, that concludes my remarks because I, unfortunately, I can't write left handed and I didn't get to write much. Oh, that's great. Thank you, director Hamrick. Good evening. Thank you to Horizon Community Middle School for hosting our meeting here this evening, and to you, principal Weinhold. See you back there. To our safety, security, technology, and setup teams for making these meetings possible in our
district schools. Our teachers are one of the things that make Cherry Creek Schools great. My colleagues have talked about their dedication. I would also like to say that every day, they embody a dedication to excellence through their expertise, compassion, and commitment to every student's success. We are grateful for the extraordinary impact our teachers make in the lives of our students and our families. Thank you for all that you do. My AP English teacher, mister Durney, had a profound impact on my life and encouraged
the trajectory of my education and career. As do so many of our teachers, he continues to show up for my family and even attended my mother's funeral in September. Speaking of our teachers and staff and the commitment they make to the Cherry Creek School District, last Thursday, we celebrated the retirements of 64 employees representing one thousand six hundred and six combined years of service. We celebrated one educator who was retiring after fifty two years of service.
I was also able to congratulate my 30 year old daughter's kindergarten teacher on his retirement. Her kindergarten class was his first, and two of my boys went on to have mister Mays as their teacher too. It was a great evening celebrating these individuals and we wish them as they move into their next chapter. On April 24, Terry Bates resigned as a CCSD board member. At our study session on Friday, the board formally accepted this resignation and declared director
district B vacant. State statute requires the board make an appointment to this seat within sixty days. We invite interested and eligible members of the district to submit an application for this position. As director Futrell also is encouraging, please visit www.cherrycreekschools.org for more information. On Friday, the board also voted to extend Doctor. Perry's interim superintendent contract until 12/31/2026.
And the board continues to work with Doctor. Perry to review board and district policies. While the majority of board policies mirror state statute, the Colorado constitution, and or the Colorado Association of School Boards policy language, we continue to review policies to ensure that they are in line with our district values. This coming week, we will celebrate our culminating seventy fifth anniversary for the district, while also kicking off phase one construction of Cherry Creek High School.
The rebuilding of Cherry Creek High School, the oldest high school in this district, was always planned to be a two bond project. This first phase is starting with the demolition of two district administration buildings to make space for the new West Building. In April, Director Hamrick and I were fortunate to tour several of the district's twenty twenty four capital construction bond projects, including the Cherry Creek Innovation Campus, the Food and Nutrition Warehouse, and the new pool and pathways at Overland High School and Prairie Middle
School, as part of the long range planning committee. I'm pleased that so many of these bond projects are moving along on time and on budget. And I thank you, our voters, for your support of the 2024 bond and budget package. We had 11 Boettcher finalists this year and two students named twenty twenty six Boettcher Scholars for 2026. The Boettcher Foundation Scholarship is one of the most prestigious merit based scholarships in Colorado,
recognizing students for outstanding academic achievement, leadership, character, and service to their communities. Along with our Boettcher Scholars, I want to recognize all of our graduating seniors this year. It is our hope that every student leaves the Cherry Creek School District well prepared to take on their next chapter and pursue a fulfilling pathway in life, whether that is through higher education, military service, or entry into the workforce. We look forward to learning about your achievements tonight and at graduation next week.
Here's to the class of 2026. Doctor. Perry, I'll turn this over to you now. Thank you so much. Thank you everyone who is apparently not watching the Avs game or has your, AirPod in your ear so that you're not giving away or that you're following the score. But May is, my favorite presentation of the entire, Board presentations that we do all year because we're really celebrating the graduates, the senior class. And I used to have the opportunity to put this Board presentation together. I've passed those duties on. But it is one of my very favorite, presentations that we give.
I do, however, want to start my remarks on a little bit more serious note. This spring, and as several Board members have alluded, this spring Cherry Creek has faced unprecedented times. With the loss of several executives and significant public scrutiny, both in media news, social media, as well as board meetings. Some deserved, some not. I want to acknowledge that there have been concerns raised over the last few years, whether from board members, community, current, or ex employees. And I acknowledge and want to thank those who came forward to stand up for
what they believe is right. Over the last three and a half months, I am on day 68, I believe, I have worked diligently to listen, assess, and respond. I've hosted multiple feedback sessions with K-twelve principals and department leaders to better understand the experiences and concerns across the system. I have attended many parent meetings to introduce myself, answer ramped up communication with the
community at large and we've set up a public accountability webpage where we post updates about what's happening in the school district. Along with the board, I've called for an independent audit of our internal controls. That committee, as Mike mentioned, is meeting this month to review the proposals, select finalists, and interview forums before making a final recommendation that will come to the board in June. The selected request for proposal will be added to the accountability webpage, along with a phone number and an email where community can submit their own concerns that was part
of the bid of every RFP we asked for and that will be made public when we are selected the committee. And in accordance with open record laws, the final report will also be made publicly available. We have tightened policies and are evaluating our processes and improved accountability and oversight. I hope the community sees my commitment through the visibility, transparency, and engagement I have prioritized during my time as the interim superintendent. My goal as we finish up this school year and prepare for the next is set a renew to reset a renewed focus on our core mission of academic excellence
for every student. We continue to center our work on values because relationships, equity, growth mindset, engagement, and whole well-being are incredibly important in the service of learning. It's frustrating that the good work happening in schools and across this district has been overshadowed by the poor choices of some. I want to continue to uplift the amazing people in the Cherry Creek School District team who show up every day to do the right things for kids, many of whom are here tonight. Which is why I continue to talk about things like grad rate, AP, IB, and
STAR assessments. Industry certificates and the such. This spring, our students and staff have worked incredibly hard, whether that's through STAR assessment, SAT, PSAT, WIDA, CMASS, all of those things. And I'm excited that we're seeing significant gains in some of our spring testing data, all of which will be publicly shared on our strategic planning team dashboard. As an aside, and we will talk more, later, I'm increasingly concerned about the number of students who have begun to opt out of our tests like CMASS that does
not align with our internal assessment and does not bring the right foot forward of what we are doing in the Cherry Creek School District. I have schools that in some cases have, across the district, 15% to 16% of kids opting out. I have some schools as high as 3040% of kids that are opting out. It is something we are going to have to address. I know that it is critical that we focus on student achievement and student outcomes. At the celebration before tonight's meeting, we honored the John Erwin and the Governor's Distinguished Improvement Awards for 21 schools.
I recognize that these awards are just a small indication that we are moving in a positive direction and we will continue to strive every day to achieve our vision of being dedicated to excellence. While there is much to celebrate, there is much to improve and I understand that is my charge. I appreciate the board's support as I continue to serve as the interim superintendent into the fall. And while I cannot address every challenge brought forward, I can and will continue to work to restore trust, strengthen accountability, and remain focused on the mission of inspiring every
student to think, to learn, to achieve, and to care. With that, and as I said before, this is my favorite presentation of the night and I've had to give these duties off to our Assistant Superintendent, Mr. Derek Volner, but he is here tonight to highlight the achievements of the class of 2026 that I look so forward to shaking the hands of in just about ten days. And with that, Derek, I will hand it to you. Thank you.
I would like to start by thanking the Board of Education for your leadership during this time of transition. Doctor. Perry is leading us in the right direction as we focus on our promise of being dedicated to excellence and inspiring every child to think, to learn, to achieve, and to care. She reminds us that our success is inseparable to the success of our schools. We are a school district, not a district of schools. Thank you, Doctor. Perry, for your leadership and I know that I'm not speaking out of turn and I know that the district leadership team would echo my appreciation and gratitude for you. With this PowerPoint, what this PowerPoint highlights is not just the clear brilliance of our
students, but I would add it is the dedication of our hardworking staff, educators, and building administrators who continue to shine bright each and every day. If you are in the audience or listening online and are a staff member in the Cherry Creek School District, thank you for your leadership as you listen. And as you listen to the celebrations of our senior class of 2026, please know that these celebrations are a nod to you. So with that, let's jump right into what is right in Cherry Creek Schools. In addition to our six comprehensive high schools, we will also be highlighting the great
things happening at Cherry Creek Elevation, Cherry Creek Innovation Campus, as well as Endeavour Academy and our Adaptive Programs. Cherokee Trail, under the principal, leadership of Jean and Chidi, they are proud to celebrate 91% of the senior class that is currently enrolled in at least one advanced placement class, IB class, concurrent enrollment or dual enrollment course. 200 seniors will be formally honored, honored for outstanding, department and school wide achievement at
this year's senior awards night. Special celebration and milestone of raising over $500,000 and 72 wishes granted during their fifteen year partnership with Make A Wish. Beyond metrics, this graduating class has been instrumental in fostering school wide culture inclusion, actively working to ensure every student feels represented through their eye care camp, Be Kind campaign. Throughout the slides, you will see students and their quote highlighted for each of our schools. I was able to have hot conversations with these students and I asked them three
questions. What would you like the board of education and district leadership team to know about your Cherry Creek journey? Who has been especially impactful for you during this time? And what are your next steps? Sabira wants the board to know that she is deeply passionate and creative person who cares about the issues facing our world and wants to do something about them. In her high school journey, her friends and teachers have been very helpful in encouraging her to stay motivated and confident. Teachers have all been kind and have taken an interest into who she is inside and outside of school. Mrs. Emk, Mrs.
Scheffel, and Mrs. Slusher have helped her to feel more like a number in class in such in such a large school, more than a number in class due to being in such a large school. Kind faculty have made a huge difference during times of stress and she would not have been able to achieve what she has without having such kind teachers in her life. And Sabira's next steps are attending Wellesley College in the fall, majoring in political science and peace and justice studies. She currently plans on being a human rights lawyer. So no doubt, indeed, she will change the world.
For Cherry Creek Elevation, points of pride are 94% pass right of their part time students. They've been working hard on building relationships with all of their part time students, seeing increase in math star scores as well as star reading scores. The social impact that they are proud of is they are in the top percentile ranks for social awareness and sense of belonging, Above district average and trusted adult at an 87%, which speaks to really the culture that they have at Elevation, and 5%
growth in the growth mindset category. This is part of our their school goal and, at Elevation. Mackenzie would like the Board to know that her experience in Cherry Creek has been incredible. She has learned so much from her classmates and teachers alike and this has made a big impact on her life. Mackenzie chose to highlight Mrs. Kroger. She became her mentor, listened to her and supported her. Mrs. Kroger reminded her of her worth and she also gave Mackenzie guidance as a student and as a person. After Mackenzie graduates, she will be attending CU Integrated Physiology Pre Med Cardiothoracic Surgeon, and
I had to ask her what that meant. So basically, that's all things heart, lungs, and esophagus. And she also plan and she also plans on working as a CNA and pharmacy technician. Cherry Creek High School would like to celebrate their graduation moving up from 92.8% to 94.4%. They are going to administer 3,915 advanced placement exams in May. This is a record for Cherry Creek High School. They had an all school assembly with Project Reboot that presented to the students a
helpful plan to just address all things cell phone use and being aware of when it is helpful and most importantly being well being aware when it's not so helpful. Cherry Creek has placed an emphasis on connecting with our feeder schools to really make sure that their K-twelve really highlights the benefits of what it means to be a Bruin. Channing, Walter wants the board to know how much these teachers have supported him and how grateful he is to be around so many amazing people every day, both students
and staff alike. He mentioned to me that iron sharpens iron and that students and teachers have helped him to be a better person. He has a personal connection with each teacher and he told me that that just shows the commitment that they have to students in such a large school as well. Channing wanted to highlight two teachers. The first was Mrs. Ramsey, educator of the year this year at Cherry Creek High School. He had her for English and AP history. She helped Channing numerous times and has always been there for him. He learned so much for her, he even flexed from being a strong math student
to taking English and even taking an art history from her. Mr. Gallagher, who is a retired Marine Beret, is someone that Channing considers a mentor and a trusted adult at Cherry Creek High School, even though he never had him as a teacher. Channing will be attending Amherst College where he'll study Economics and Spanish while playing Lacrosse, and he looks forward to studying abroad in Spain. Cherry Creek Innovation Campus would like to highlight just the construction and programming development that we've already talked about as well in terms of being ready for '6. 3300 plus student applications for CCIC and pathways for the following year, additions to pharmacy,
tech and evening and adult programming, CTE career and a hiring fair for over 700 students and 70 industry partners. Completion for the first Habitat Home built project, students built a three bedroom home for a birth at Habitat for Humanity. You have, Kenny Bialis, the automotive instructor, blaster instructor of the year award. And the social impact is fall and winter open house attended by over 2,000 students and families, so they are constantly just hosting, showing off the building, and really encouraging,
students to find their area of strength, like you mentioned, Representative Hamrick. And, you know, a lot of their social impact has been seen in NBC, Avid Lifestyle Magazine and Centennial Lifestyle Magazine as well. I was able to speak with Haley Fairchild and within her experience in Cherry Creek, she has always felt like she has been, supported by her teachers. Math and science was not a strength of hers, but with the support she needed, these now have been areas of growth for her and areas of pride. A couple of teachers that Haley mentioned were Terry Peterson and Gabrielle Sher, who were
extremely supportive of her, especially as she was learning to operate such huge machines. Their humor and relationship with kids were great ways to make them feel less terrified, she said. Haley's favorite teacher is Paul Clinton. She told me that, his end non ending support and care, he showed her supported her having a growth mindset and greatly prepared her for the future. Haley is going to be going to the Colorado School of Mines to study Mechanical Engineering. For Eagle Crest High School, their academic highlights that they would like us to be aware of is they have eight Daniels Fund Scholars, two QuestBridge Scholars, two Walter Scott
Junior Scholars, and three fifty AP Scholars. They have a national champion in the Spirit program for Dance and Cheer and She Kills Monsters was the Escon main stage production. I had the pleasure of speaking to Luke Forbes. Luke wants the board to know he has always felt a connection to the district. When he was in kindergarten, his mom was a teacher at Holly Ridge. They moved to Douglas County in first grade and then in his own words came back home again in second grade. Luke mentioned that there has always been someone there for him, in his, k 12
journey, and he has had access to so many resources that he has always found what he has needed. Luke said it was hard to just pick one person that he had a special impact on him, so he gave me two names. The first is mister Hirokawa, a seventh grade teacher during COVID. Luke was always the kid in the back, and one day, mister Hirokawa, I gave him a note asking if he would consider joining student council. And with that nudge to do something unexpected, little did he know that pushing him out of his comfort zone, Luke would one day be student body president of Eagle
Crest High School. It is, Mr. Hirokawa that he credits this achievement to. The second teacher is Mrs. Kim, this is his advisor in freshman year. She was a guiding light and I've continued to support him through his senior year. When I asked Luke what he'll be doing after graduating, he shared with me how he always loves a good plan And that started with the Air Force Academy and he was all in. Then in September, he was talking with Mrs. Kim and she was kind of just asking him, what do you like? What are you passionate about? What are your goals? And what do you hope to accomplish in your life?
From that conversation, a whole new plan came about. Luke will be joining an international dual degree program with Trinity College in Dublin focusing on European studies and attending Columbia University with political science, and he will graduate with two degrees. Luke is actually here tonight. So Luke, will you please let us know who you brought with you as guest tonight? Thank you, Luke. It's hard for me to take these conversations that we have and then kind of, like, mold it into, like, such a short segment. What did I miss? And would you I don't wanna put you on the spot, but would you like
to offer anything else to the board of education? Awesome. Thank you, Luke. It was a joy of talking with you. Endeavour Academy, had the largest winter graduation class to date, and over 90% of the students demonstrated growth on the ACCUPLACER assessment. They had the first annual Black History Month luncheon organized by our young Panthers of color, and our work based learning environment class successfully launched and continues to run a very popular coffee shop. Had the pleasure of speaking to Mia Franklin Tolliver.
She would like the Board of Education to know, at first, her experience was rough and then it was really incredible as more opportunities opened up for her. She spoke so highly of Endeavor and exposing her to college opportunities. Mia also said that McKinney Vento resources that were afforded to her were invaluable and were the pieces of the puzzle to her success. Mia mentioned that missus Beth is a mental health therapist and not just mental health. She said she listens to stories and really puts herself in the shoes of kids, that she serves. Mrs. Bercow was another trusted adult for Mia.
Mia said that Mrs. Bercow is dedicated to making her students successful no matter what pathway that they choose. Mia will be attending college in the fall and in fact has been accepted to more than one at the current moment. She will either join an early education, early childhood education program or be a pediatric nurse. Nia will be first starting with her associate's degree. For Grandview High School, they have the highest grad rate in, their history. Senior Freya Frank, Finley won the, Linda Snelgrove Scholarship from SEAC and Linda was a
former Grandview High School ILC teacher. Obviously, we know the stories of Lauren and Sienna Betts, and what I found out was Micaiah Anewer, is a Grandview High School Hall of Famer. She coached on the same UCLA team this year, so that was something that I learned that I didn't know about. They were second in straight, state wrestling. Senior pitcher Ethan Watchman threw a no hitter, and they have, Bobby G nominations in Cinderella like the board mentioned earlier, and as well as the, state championship for boys volleyball.
Avery Walsh wants the board to know that her experience has been great from elementary through high school and connecting with all of her teachers. They care about her even more than just about getting good grades. Avery mentioned that there are so many teachers she would like to highlight, however, Ms. Schlay was one of the teachers that she mentioned by name and has definitely supported her through all the years at Grandview, especially, with the leadership classes. Avery will be attending the University of Alabama to study biology and finance and she will be a pre med and, she will be pre med and attend medical school.
Highlighting our I Teams, we'll start first with the manner. Ninety percent graduation rate for the current senior class, sixty five percent of students academic honor roll and seventy percent students make growth in literacy on Star Reading. Social impact, they've had positive attendance increases, significant decrease in overall referrals and an art show at Manor, honouring their student work. For the Ranch, ninety eight percent of Ranch students grew over one year in star reading. Two Ranch, students earned their certificates from CCI programs.
Eighty nine percent of our senior class are graduating. Discipline incidents are, decreasing by 80%. Positive attendance is going in the right direction. And student leadership members ran weekly, community circles to support, community building. You'll see this friendly face, Naliah. She actually was one of the board speakers that we were honored to hear from earlier this year. She wants the board to know just how important it is that schools take bullying seriously, especially now. She has been a victim of bullying and the I Team's ranch. And at the I Team's ranch, it was even it was better and the environment
was extremely supportive. Neliah would like to highlight her math teacher, Mrs. Liu, and CTE gen ed teacher, Mr. Cash Hogsett. Mrs. Lou is very patient with people and was very helpful for her in math, she said. She took time to sit down with Naliah and show her how to love and thrive in mathematical thinking. Mr. Hogshead has given her so many career opportunities as he took her and other students on industry tours and helps with, helped her with resume building and applying for jobs. Nalaya will be applying to be an apprentice at Emily Griffith College and she is
undecided currently, but she knows that she wants is looking forward to exploring all of the opportunities that Emily Griffith have to offer. For Overland High School, they have a Betcher Scholar, Bailey Gray, Daniel Fund Scholars, Dassan, McCret, Duretti, and, Jack Kent was an Amazon CTE scholarship. The remodel of IST, we've talked about this, the Cherry Creek pathways, and they, go on to list all the optional pathways that they will be, offering come fall. Students from each high school are represented in the new pathway courses with registration exceeding
all of the expectations and athletic director Evan Henderson was named Colorado Athletic Director of the Year. Sydney Booker shared with me that she had recently, that she was a little concerned that the sore budget might be cut being cut for next year. And, she's advocating to all the folks that will listen to her, including me, to make sure that that continues to stay in place. And it was really just genuine and these kids are just so amazing. And she basically just wants the underclassmen to have the same experience that she did
because of what Soar has done for her in terms of allowing her to really just bloom as a student. Sydney told me that, that all of the performing arts teachers, Mr. Drozdzda, Ms. Kate and Mr. Ray, they create safe places for performers. Sydney wasn't very vulnerable with me and she shared that she wasn't the most confident person previously, but having the ability to find her light and her voice has been so important for her growth, both personally and scholastically.
Sydney will be going to CSU Fort Collins and is excited to be a Ram. She'll be engaging with exploratory studies, and she's also leaning toward a biochem interest to consider. And If she does that, Drake University will be her next step. For Smoky Hill High School, they, wanted to uplift their school performance framework. They met the state performance standards in the following areas, which are listed there. They have an increased sense of belonging as, indicated, by our Panorama survey and a
4% increase, from the previous fall. I had the opportunity to speak with Ariel and she wants you all to know that she went from Indian Ridge to Laredo to Smoky Hill High School and loved her journey education in Cherry Creek and she calls Smoky Hill her home. There are so many people to name in terms of adults that have impacted her, but she, did mention Scott Cohen being one of the most impactful people in her life and throughout his student government class she has grown in our leadership and public
speaking and just overall confidence. Ariel was just accepted to John Hopkins University, where she'll study public health and right now wants to be a radiologist. After college, she wants to come back to Denver and either work at the Anschutz campus or downtown at Denver Health to give back to the areas that she grew up in. So as you can see, the the class of 2026 has excelled. Numerous numerous academic highlights and awards, some of the pictures bringing that slide to life,
as well as numerous athletics and activities achievements. Some of the fun pictures to highlight. Theatrical performances in Cherry Creek continue to be a point of pride inside and out of school, inside and out of school and, as we references numerous, honours with the Bobby G recognition as well. And when you look at just these sets and these kids and we've spoken about the importance of just attending these and just how it's a great date night as well if you wanted to just go see a real Broadway performance.
I know I mentioned it earlier in the presentation, our our mission inspiring every, child to think, to learn, to achieve, and to care. And clearly, when you look at this slide, the class of 2026 cares. And these influences in community service projects, they've made us better in our own personal remote communities. They've met us they've made our country better, and they've also had an international impact as well as a huge point of pride. And obviously taking a moment here to thank our seniors this year who shared their
voices, their expertise, and their thoughts at board meetings throughout the year. It's always fun putting this together because when you see each name and each face, it brings you back right to the speeches that they gave us and the impact that they have made on each of us individually. And I know that, they have made an impact on each of you as well. So this year, we will be graduating 4,169 seniors. Fifteen thirty nine of them have, attended kindergarten to twelfth grade with us and along the way, our CCSD family grew and grew, which we are grateful for.
Thank you again to the Board of Education for allowing me to highlight the wonderful achievement of our seniors, elevate the voices of our individual students across the district and allow me to humbly thank our school staff for providing an incredible environment for every child this year. A special thank you to Melissa Lubenko for helping to gather this information from the schools and to support the creation of the PowerPoint. So thank you for your time. Thank you. As usual, this is so impressive. It's just a good reminder of why we do this work. Absolutely.
And it's important to remember, at the end of the day, this is about our students. And it's just a wonderful reminder in leading into graduation, which is an amazing process. Yep. Well, thank you for this presentation. Director Futrell, do you have questions, comments? Yeah. Derek, wow. How how lucky are you that you got to spend this time with these amazing future change makers and Yeah. Surgeons and engineers? Can you my only my only question or comment is can you connect the dots
for us? Tell us what's what's the story that isn't being told? What did you hear that, you know, you were like, oh, man, if I if I had an extra slide to put up there, what are we missing? I think, you know, for me, the takeaway was just the adults that have made a positive impact on these kids and I heard we heard it in the PowerPoint tonight from the kids' voices themselves, but these teachers care about these kids as kids first and then as students second. Right? And the love that they have felt along their educational journey, and while I acknowledge
that that might not be the present reality of every single kid all the time, I absolutely was inspired. I love following up in June and calling these teachers and saying, Hey, I hope you know that you were mentioned in this Board of Education because they deserve that. Right? And these kids, make me feel a little insecure about what I was doing when I was a senior in high school because I was not, I did not like a plan like Luke does. I don't think I had a plan till I was 25, Luke, so you're you're you're doing great. But yeah, I mean, just inspiring.
You know, these kids are amazing and they're just filled with joy. I always apologize to them too too because I add one more thing on their plate and they are they're packed. Like, we had to schedule these phone calls and a lot of them. There was one with Avery. I was like, sorry, Avery, on the snow day. I was like, I'm not gonna call you on your snow day. I'm she was like, well, I was sleeping anyway. So yeah. Yeah. But she so so, yeah, it's just it was selfishly, it was perfect timing for me, because I needed this, as much as they needed it. So yeah. Yeah. Thank you.
Director Garland? Thank you. I don't have, any questions. All I can say is I'm a witness. So, one of the young ladies on the screen, this is a true story, I was at the mall and I just buy this one certain kind of perfume. It's just everything else kind of makes me sneeze. It's one kind. So, she was helping me out, ringing me up. And she says, Well, what about this one? And what about this one? And so, she was such a good salesperson, I bought several more. And so, so needless so my mom and her sisters got perfume in the mail
way before Mother's Day. But Because I I had no clue that she was one of our students. Oh, that's awesome. Another fun fact, a couple years ago, I had a major surgery, you know, when you have to get all the testing. And so my veins are very small. Went, had been several blood draws, and I was like, look. This is it. No more no more no more sticking me. And so a young lady came in, but then I saw older nurse out in the hall. And I really wanted to ask the older nurse because I'm like, I know she'll get it the first time. But I said, okay.
I'm gonna let this young person have a chance. And she got me on the first on the first time, and she was an Eagle Crest student. No clue. And so, I'm a witness that, what we do matters and that we make a difference in our students' lives and, just in our community in general. So, thank you and thank you to all the teachers out in the audience who are who are doing all the things every day. And so, the unsung heroes at this district definitely. So Absolutely. I appreciate you all. Thank you. Thank you.
Thank you, Director Garland. Director Hammock? Can I just say wow? We have some amazing students in Cherry Creek Schools. You know, this type of presentation is much more pertinent than, say, looking at CMAST scores. We see time and time again, and I've seen it for decades, of where our graduates perform, where they go into society, our community, and they work. And there's no secret that most of these Cherry Creek grads will end up back
here living in Cherry Creek because they wanna raise their kids in this district because of the opportunities our district provides. A big shout out, once again to our educators, our administrators, our Cherry Creek staff because they've all been the ones to help create the lanes for these kids to move forward. And, I'm sitting here six months in. I'm watching this and I'm just going, wow. I know that's not a highly technical thing, but these kids are amazing.
That's amazing. Because they need to be celebrated. And, thank you for the presentation. Yep. It was excellent. Thank you. Yes. Thanks again and please pass our thanks on to Melissa as well. Yep. And good luck to you, next week. One of us will be shaking your hands so it will be our honor. Thanks again. Okay. Thank you. 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 twelve noon today to address the Board of Education.
In order for everyone to be heard, please limit your comments to a maximum of three minutes. A buzzer will sound at the end of the three minutes and the 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 germane 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 12 students may be interrupted or warned and their opportunity for comment terminated. Audience members who speak are asked to do so in a respectful manner and the audience is encouraged to listen respectively. Any speaker or audience member who disrupts the good order of the board meeting, including
the speaking time of others, may be asked to leave. We are very interested in your feedback and will listen carefully. On behalf of the board, I want to thank you in advance for your comments and taking the time to come to tonight's meeting. Mister Coney, would you please call the first group of speakers? As I call your name, I'll call five at a time. Please just line up down the aisle here behind the podium and remember to state your name at the beginning. Anne Moore, Jody Abrams, Irina Shatalov, Chelsea Olathe, Molly Lamar.
My name is Anne Moore. I'm a former dean, teacher, para educator, a past parents council, and PTCO president, and I currently serve as a coach and sub in this district. Tonight it was good to see Rob here at Horizon as the principal of this middle school. It's encouraging to see Horizon's growth and test scores. This progress is a true accomplishment and I know you want even more for your students because they deserve better. But more than $23,000,000 in cuts are looming and these cuts will hit classrooms hard.
They will impact paraeducators, gifted and talented programming, and language support staff, the very people who help your students succeed. We have been told these reductions were made while prioritizing minimal impact to classrooms. Yet, 55% of these cuts directly affect classrooms. This is not minimal. And while I understand the difference between bond funds and operating budgets, this distinction does not remove accountability. This board has made spending decisions that raise serious questions about priorities.
One shocking example is the payments of $15,000,000 in bond funds to Denver's professional women's soccer facility. In return, the district receives tickets, internships, and a donation. Just imagine what $15,000,000 invested in student state safety would have looked like instead. Every school bus in this district could have been retrofitted with seat belts. Physical security systems in schools could have been rapidly upgraded and strengthened. Your budget tells a story.
And right now, it says that there is money for professional soccer stadiums, but not enough money for struggling students and not enough money for student achievements. This is not a funding crisis, this is a crisis of priorities and our students are paying the price. Thank you. Hi, everyone. Thank you so much for allowing us to come tonight. My name is Jody Abrams. I'm the vice president of school engagement for the American Heart Association. And Cherry Creek School District had three top fundraisers in the state of Colorado this
year during Kids Heart Challenge, and Harley Wells is here with us tonight. So, Harley, on behalf of the American Heart Association, we wanna congratulate you on being a top student fundraiser in Colorado for the American Heart Association through Kids Heart Challenge at Altitude Elementary for the 2526 school year. The American Heart Association is incredibly grateful for your dedication and generosity. Harley raised $1,125. By raising this amount, you are helping fund life saving research, advance medical care, and
provide education that improves the lives of those affected by heart disease and stroke. Your efforts are also inspiring others to build healthier habits, creating a lasting impact in your community. Kids Heart Challenge is more than just fundraising. It's about learning how to take care of your heart while making a difference for others. You embraced that challenge and truly stood out, showing leadership, compassion, and commitment to helping people live longer, healthier lives. Your actions also inspired others around you to join in and be a part of
the fight against heart disease. Reaching this milestone means that, you, Harley, were thirty sixth, the thirty sixth highest fundraising student out of 13,739 across Colorado. A heartfelt thank you to Principal Schleich and Matt Mundy for bringing this program to life for the altitude community and inspiring the next generation of lifesavers. So Harley, thank you for putting your heart into this mission. We are so proud of you and all that you have accomplished. If we could join together in recognizing you.
And Carly, we have a certificate of appreciation for you for all your hard work. So thank you so much. Good evening, everyone. My name is Irina Shatalov, and I'm here tonight not only as a parent, but as a proud mom. And this is my story. Nine years ago, when I was looking for a school for my son, a friend told me about Heritage Heights Academy. She said her daughter was happy there. The school has a strong curriculum and safe. That was exactly what I wanted to my child too.
So we joined HHA when my son started kindergarten. At that time, he did not speak English or understand. We were new to the American system school system, and I did not know how to help my son if he struggled. But opened its door, not only for my son, but to me as a parent as well. The teachers at believed in him before he believed in himself. They supported him, encouraged him, and never gave up on him. Today, he's in eighth grade and reading at a tenth grade level.
But the greatest proof of his growth is not only a test score. My son loves to read. That success is not only my son's success. It's only the success of the teachers, the staff, the administration, and the community that works together for children. As a parent, I began volunteering at HHA. Through that experience, I learned how to communicate with teachers, work with school leaders, and advocate for students. I had the honor of serving for seven years on the HHE school board.
Today, more than 1,400 kids are on the waiting list. HHE became more than a school for us. It became family. That's why is opportunity to choose a school matters. Every family deserves the chance to choose a place where the child is seen, supported, and challenged to succeed. Charter schools give, give, families that opportunity. My son's story is a proof that one opportunity can change a life. Please support opening a second age Heritage Heights Academy location so more children and families
can have the same chance we had. Thank you. Good evening. My name is Molly Lamar. I'd like to start by thanking the board and Doctor. Perry for acknowledging these unprecedented times. I'd also like to thank our wonderful teachers and paraprofessionals. We are two weeks away from the end of the school year and for four months this community has watched a master class in how to dismantle a premier school district. What started with the Denver seven investigation into toxic culture has revealed a rot that goes far deeper than just bad morale.
We know we have amazing students, teachers, and staff. It's why we're here. Let's talk about the substance and process. In four months, we have seen a revolving door of leaves of absence, resignation resignations, and what can only be described as paid vacations for insubordinate administrators. We've seen nepotism thrive while academics fail. While you were behind closed doors, we did the work to find out why Terry Bates really resigned. It wasn't inappropriate comments. It was racist and sexist rhetoric against women and the Mexican community.
And yet, his only apology was a private letter to you, this board, rather than the families he insulted. The culture is toxic, but the math is worse. You claim a $23,000,000 deficit. Your solution, fire a 159 people including 51 special education staff, the very heartbeat of our classrooms, yet the administrative bloat remains untouched. We see the golden parachutes, 6 figure salaries, and $190,000 sick leave payouts that spike
pensions by $60,000 a year for life. You are literally cashing out the future of our students to fund the retirements of the cabal in this district. Scores are declining. Enrollment is dropping. You have allowed political strategists into our boardroom while you hide in secrecy in executive sessions. You even tried to silence me this week telling me education was not on your agenda. If education isn't on your agenda, what are you doing here? You have a fiduciary duty to the students, not the cabinet.
We are done with the negotiated separations and the redacted truths. We are done with the silence. It is time for a new approach and we expect to be invited to the table. Thank you. Good evening. My name is Chelsea Ollie. I'm speaking as a teacher and a parent within the district. I wanted to speak about what is happening in our preschool classrooms because the current workload on teachers is not sustainable. I also want to acknowledge my site, my principal, and the staff I work with. People here care deeply and that is exactly why this conversation matters.
We are operating without clear coordination or timely support when concerns are raised. Staffing shortages and ratio concerns were communicated ahead of time, but staff were left with no response and later told to figure it out at site level. Site level teams are also still not fully familiar with preschool laws and standards, which creates confusion, miscommunication, and even more strain on already limited staff. We began the year understaffed. This year, preschool staff are also being pulled to cover enrichment lunch and recess duty
in between our sessions, time that normally served as our break. And at the same time, enrichment enrollment continue to grow even though the department was already aware of the strained staff we're facing. Expectations continue to grow. We manage we are managing large groups of four year olds while balancing documentation, preparation, cleanup, behaviors, family communication, safety responsibilities, and constant student testing that requires one on one time with each child, all with little to no time to pause or decompress during
the day. There is no real break. And preschool teachers are held to a teacher level expectation while still being and compensated differently. That does not reflect the reality of the work being done every day. We're doing everything we can for our students because they deserve our best, But the current situation is making that harder, and staff are exhausted. I care deeply about this work. I show up, work hard, and I wanna be a part of the solution. But my question is this, at this rate, what is this district going to do
to make teachers like me wanna stay? Thank you. Amanda Thayer, Ayesha Patel, Bridget Nelson, Jessica Price, Bihan Gakwad. Good evening. My name is Amanda Thayer, and, congratulations to the seniors. I'm really jealous of your trip abroad, so enjoy every minute of it. That's a great opportunity, and I love to hear it. So I'd like to begin by thanking the board for including public comment at Friday's special meeting. It was a move that fostered the kind of open dialogue we all value.
And I appreciate the opportunity to contribute to that conversation. In my role with the DAC and as a Cherry Creek community member, I spend a lot of time listening to our families and staff. Right now, there is a shared desire for stability and a clear sense of direction as we navigate of transition. We have a real opportunity here to work together to strengthen the bond between the district and the community. As we look toward the future of our leadership, I believe we can find a path forward by focusing on a few shared goals. Open communication, continuing to hold these discussions in a way that keeps the public informed
and engaged in the process. A student centered focus, ensuring our resources are consistently directed toward the classroom that supports our teachers and students, just as this preschool teacher just shared. A collaborative vision, selecting leadership that values diverse perspectives of our frontline staff and the families we serve. We all want the same thing, a thriving district where every student can succeed. And by prioritizing transparency and partnership in the coming months, we can build a culture
of mutual trust. I'm committed to supporting that work, continuing in the DAC, and working with my community, and alongside you. And I look forward to seeing what we can achieve for our kids. Thank you. Good evening, and thank you for the opportunity. My name is Ayesha Patel, and I'm a parent at Heritage Heights Academy. For my family, the school has been life changing. We waited years for the opportunity to be part of HHEJ. And when that opportunity finally came, it truly made a difference. My children have built a strong academic foundation, especially in math, that continues to carry
them forward. My daughter, now in high school, she's excelling in advanced courses because of what she gained at Heritage Heights. But it's not just my family. I've seen students come in as average learners and grow into confident, high achieving honor students. That kind of transformation is powerful, and it's exactly what every child deserves. What makes Heritage High special is not just academics. It's the environment. It's the relationships. It's the way students feel supported, known, and capable. It's a place where families feel and connected and involved.
And yet so many families are still waiting for this opportunity. At the same Cherry Creek School District has grown significantly over the past fifteen years from around the mid 40,000 student range to now over 52 or 55,000 students. Serving a community of more than 300,000 residents, growth has been especially strong in the Southeast areas of the district where more and more families are moving in each year. But despite this growth, charter school options have not kept pace. In a district this large and growing, there are still only a very limited number
of charter schools available. So families wait, sometimes for years, just for a chance. 1,400 students are still waiting. We waited for three years to get a chance. As our district continues to grow and diversify, access to high quality school options should grow as well. I'm standing here today because heritage heights changed my children's future, and I ask you, please don't let other families keep waiting for that same chance. Thank you. Good evening, members of the board, staff, parents, and students. My name is Vian Gaikwad, and I am a sixth grader at Hairston.
I have been a student here for the past six years. And during that time, this school has become more than just a place to learn. It has become my second home. My brother has also attended for five years, and our family has personally seen how much this school positively impacts students. I understand that important decisions are not easy, and I respect the responsibility each of you has as members of the board. But tonight, I would like to sincerely ask you to reconsider your decision and continue supporting Heritage Heights Academy and everything it stands for. Is special because it truly helps students grow academically and personally.
The curriculum challenges us to think deeply, work hard, and become confident learners. I know this from my own experience. Over the years, I've become a stronger reader, a better student, and a more confident person because of the opportunities this school has given me. But what makes the diff biggest difference is the people here. Our teachers and staff generally care about students. They don't just teach lessons. They support us every single day. When the students struggle, teachers take extra time to help them improve and succeed. That kind of dedication changes lives.
I personally experienced teachers staying after class, encouraging me, and helping me believe in myself when things felt difficult. Heritage Heights Academy is not just a school building. It is a community where students feel safe, supported, and inspired to do their best. For many students, this school is the reason they enjoy learning and feel confident about their future. So tonight, on behalf of students like me, I respectfully ask the board to reconsider this decision. Please continue giving students the opportunity to learn, grow, and succeed at Heritage Academy.
I have some, hand I have some letters from students from Heritage Academy. Thank you for your time, and have a wonderful evening. Thanks for the comments that were shared tonight, and go Jessica Price again. I have made public comment at the November board meeting and the March board meeting. I come to you with the same concern because nothing has been done, since then. So it's been a year since I, officially filed a public concern with c with CT about an inappropriate book that's read at CT.
I've gone through all the steps to challenge this book and it still hasn't been resolved. It's been November 2025, so six months ago that I communicated with Joe Glover and Derek Molner, that I would like this decision to go to the board. I'm not sure if Molner has even communicated with the board. It's been six months. I'm not sure if he's even communicated with you guys about this matter. But it's clear from his emails to me that he just keeps pushing me off and it's not a priority. So I feel like I'm not being taken seriously.
Yeah, I'm a little frustrated because it's been six months, with, no resolution about this book. I understand that the board has a lot going on and I do have compassion for all the time you guys are putting into stuff. But you guys are obviously capable of handling a lot of things at once, so, I hope this can also be resolved soon. Yeah, I wish this would've been resolved by the schools. It could be resolved if they would just pick appropriate books. I think that they should not waste the board's time on, this. The timing is urgent because I don't want another group of students to be exposed
to this book. And concern with this book is a main character who unapologetically drags about spending hours looking at pornography. This book normalizes pornography of doing pornography of a minor to minors. It also has many sexual references, objectifies women, has the use of the n word in the most disgusting way I've ever heard. Three minutes is not enough time to go into all the details, but if you go to change.org and search search CCSD books, you'll find the full extent of my concerns.
And if any like minded parents in the audience could also, go there and get more information. And, it was awesome to see all the students celebrated tonight. And for all these students that are celebrated for doing amazing, statistically, there are some kids in our district that are struggling with mental health, struggling with absences, and struggling with pornography. They get bombarded by this in technology. They do not also need it normalized by a book read in school. It shouldn't be that way.
So I respectfully ask that the board remove this book. I'm not asking it to be banned, I just think there's better books out there, take it off the required, and also inform parents in advance of any controversial topics of books. Thank you, your time is up. Good evening President Egan, members of the board, and Doctor. Perry. My name is Bridget Nelson and I'm the vice president of the Paraeducator Association of Cherry Creek, and a proud paraeducator at Mountain Vista Elementary. I'm here to speak about something reasonable, feasible, and long overdue, fair compensation and a
livable wage for paraeducators. I'm in my fourth year with the district earning under $20 an hour, $19.38 to be exact. My W2 last year was just $22,000 working eight hours a day. Employee only healthcare premiums are skyrocketing with $0 additional contribution from our employer. And now we're told the district can only afford a 1.25% increase for all employee groups. Here's why that is inequitable. An early career instructional para would see a raise of just 22¢ an hour, about
$280 a year. A mid career district director would see an increase of $1,630 Both of those employees face the same inflation and the same health care hikes. Yet, administrators receive five times the dollar increase. That is not fairness especially for a group that has been chronically underpaid. Paraeducators stand beside teachers everyday, supporting instruction, managing behaviors, keeping students safe, and helping children
grow. Yet, we sit at just 50% of metro area PERA pay. To simply match the average step increase, PERA's would need a $2.10 an hour raise. To reach even 75% of the metro rate, we would need $2.66 an hour, about $3,295 a year. For families earning around $25,000, that amount is life changing. And the cost to the district, dollars 3,300,000. In an $840,000,000 budget, that's less than 0.4%,
dollars 0.39 to be exact. A drop in the bucket, but a lifeline for the people who support our most vulnerable students. Doctor. Perry mentioned uplifting the people who are constantly working to support students. Tonight, I urge you to invest in the people who invest in our students every single day. A fair and livable wage isn't just reasonable, it's necessary to keep Cherry Creek strong, stable, and worthy of its name. Encourage your leadership team to value and uplift the Paras by increasing their wages.
Thank you for your time and for your commitment to the paraeducators who make the Cherry Creek Schools exceptional. Carly Holliday, Tatiana Sturm, Deborah Baughton. Good evening, I'm Carly Holiday, president of CCEA. Tonight, on behalf of our association representative council, the governing body of CCEA, I am presenting the board with a formal letter regarding the superintendent search. I wanna speak to what's in that letter. 3,000 members deserve to hear it said out loud. We are asking for a process that is transparent, collaborative, and inclusive of educator voice
at every stage. From the vetting of the search firm, to the criteria used to identify candidates, to the final decision. Teachers and SSPs are the largest employee group in this district. They are in classrooms with students every single day. Their input is not a formality, it is foundational to restoring trust in our system. We are asking for a leader with a proven record of building collaborative relationships with labor and employee groups, someone who is committed to open communication and shared problem solving, not top down decision making, someone who is equity minded for all students across the
district and who will strengthen our neighborhood schools other than divert resources toward charter expansion. We are asking for an extensive search inside and outside the district. Whether the next superintendent comes from within Cherry Creek or beyond, they must have come up through public education and spent meaningful time working with students. I also want to acknowledge Director Bates' resignation and the vacancy it creates. CCA will be watching that process closely. We ask that the board approach the appointment with with transparency and a genuine commitment to community voice.
The independence of this board matters to our members and to our district. Finally, I wanna speak briefly about bargaining. We have reached a tentative agreement, and I want to be honest with you about what that means. We got something for everyone, and it is not enough for anyone. Particularly for our most experienced teachers and SSPs who have given so much to this district and are now facing steep insurance costs for family plans. I understand our teachers and SSPs are some of the highest paid in the state, but that doesn't mean the rising costs of food, gas, college tuition, and insurance don't impact them.
We negotiated in good faith and we will continue to do so, but I want this board to understand that CCA will keep making the case in every room at every table that our educators deserve compensation that reflects the excellence they bring every day. This district's reputation was built in classrooms and in our schools by educators who show up every day for students. The next superintendent, the next board director need to know that and honor it. Thank you. Good evening. My name is Tatiana Sturm, and I'm here to speak to you tonight because a budget is more than just a spreadsheet.
It is a moral document that shows exactly who and what this district values. Right now, the community is looking at our schools and seeing a troubling disconnect. We are we are told the well has run dry, yet we see money being prioritized for administrative protection while frontline services are gutted. I have four specific questions regarding these priorities. First, why are highly paid administrators still on a definite paid leave? Why are four months into reports of toxic culture and nepotism, yet tax dollars are
still funding salaries for individuals like Brenda Smith and Rebecca Lopez who are not currently serving our students? Second, why hasn't the board changed the policy regarding administrative payouts? Currently, we're we are paying outgoing administrators at their highest pay rate rather than a standard earned vacation rate. In a time of fiscal crisis, these are luxuries our students cannot afford. Third, what is being done to address the culture of nepotism? We still have individuals in this district whose spouses work directly within their organization or
reporting line. This creates an inherent conflict of interest and erodes the trust of the staff who are doing the actual work in our buildings. Finally, and most importantly, why is the board prioritizing the savings account while firing special education and frontline staff? We are watching our most vulnerable students lose the very people who help them succeed, all while interest from voter approved bonds is being moved to patch holes and build reserves. A healthy savings account means nothing if the classrooms a healthy savings account means nothing
if the classrooms it's meant to support are failing because the staff is gone. I urge a sport to stop protecting the administration and start protecting the classroom. Our teachers are tired, our staff is afraid, and our students are the ones that are paying the price for these choices. Thank you. Good evening. Hi, my name's Deb Otten. I have a letter here from someone who, as you'll hear, really represents Cherry Creek. They want their voice to be heard, but didn't feel comfortable to look at it. So, I'm sharing this with you for that. So good evening members of the board.
I am a graduate of this district, a dedicated educator, parent, and taxpayer. I am Cherry Creek. What we are witnessing regarding the reimbursement of pension contributions and the intentional padding of executive salaries through auto allowances and benefits is just not fiscal negligence, it is a betrayal. While teachers and staff work tirelessly on the ground, district leadership from the district lawyer, superintendent and CFO to the assistant superintendents, have chosen to treat our public funds like a private reserve.
This is shameful. By manipulating reimbursements to artificially inflate your salaries, you are draining the very pension system that all of us contribute to and rely on. That pension is an appreciation of our service to public education and a promise for our future. To see it jeopardized by the greed of those at the top is unethical at a minimum. You haven't just lost our trust, you have lost our respect. Our schools deserve leadership that prioritizes student and staff over their own bottom line. It is time for us to return to the integrity this district once stood for.
So that was their message. And as an aside, sitting here tonight, I heard every single one of you talk about how much you appreciate our teachers and want to rebuild trust. And I think that's and hopefully the teachers will get up here and deliver the messages in person instead through someone else. So thank you, have a good night and go out. Out. President Yoon, that's all for tonight. Thank you. May I have a motion to approve the Thank you. Thank you. Roll call, please.
Directors Egan. Aye. Futrell. Aye. Garland. Aye. Hamrick. Aye. Thank you. That motion carries. Our last remaining business is to announce our next regular meeting and the last of this school year, which will be Monday, 06/08/2026 at 7PM. Liberty Middle School, 2100 Or 21500 East Dry Creek Road, Aurora, Colorado 80016. May I have a motion to adjourn the 05/11/2026 meeting?
So moved. Thank you. Is there a second? Second. Thank you. Roll call, please. Directors Egan. Aye. Futrell. Aye. Garland. Aye. Hamrick. Aye. Thank you. That motion carries. We are adjourned at 08:28PM.