For anyone who is or for for the pledge of allegiance. Tonight, we will have our land acknowledgment read by director Futrell. I'm really stumbling over trying to get director out tonight for You got it. 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 Sakowin people, who stewarded it for generations.
The Oceti Sakowin people includes seven bands. So I would also like to recognize that over 40 additional tribal nations likely use this area for trade, ceremonies, and social gatherings. Thank you. May I have a motion to approve the agenda for the 01/12/2026 regular board of education meeting? Thank you. Is there a second? Second. Thank you. Roll call, please. Director Spates. Aye. Yes. Egan. Aye. Boutro. Aye. Garland. Hammrick. Aye.
May I have a motion to approve the minutes listed on the 01/12/2026 agenda? Motion to approve. Thank you. Is there a second? Second. Thank you. Roll call, please. Director Spades. Aye. Egan. Aye. Futrell. Aye. Garland. Aye. Amrick. Aye. Thank you. That motion also carries. Now we will have communications from our board of education starting with director Futrell. Good evening, board members, superintendents, team, staff, families, and community members. Thank you so much to Thunder Ridge Middle School for graciously hosting us tonight and
for all that you do every day to support young learners. Last time I was here was in September for my son's track meet. Recently, over 2,000 people participated in the Steam a Palooza event hosted here celebrating science, technology, engineering, my favorite, art and math, in a fun hands on way that unified families and students alike. It's a powerful example of what our schools can bring to life when we come together. As we bring in this new year, we carry heavy hearts for some of our families who have suffered recent losses.
To those in our community who are grieving or struggling, we see you. We support you and we stand with you. The strength of this district is not just in our achievements, but how we care for one another. I wanna take a moment to highlight some incredible student success and community engagement that I have seen firsthand. A huge congratulations to Highline Community Elementary School for achieving the largest increase in star reading performance, a remarkable 76.5% jump. This dramatic growth reflects the leadership of principal Bendeda and a school culture that truly
champions literacy. I was there this past Saturday for Super Saturday, and I saw the library filled with families, students reading with parents, parents reading with students, a testament to how deeply learning happens when families and school community work in harmony. This commitment not only boosts student literacy, but also supports adult literacy, which we know strengthens outcomes at home. I had the privilege of introducing myself to many families, speaking about my role and our shared vision for more open communication between parents, decision makers, and this board.
We have heard your comments and welcome your suggestions. We are committed to strengthening that partnership because every child in our district deserves the opportunity to reach their full potential academically, socially, and emotionally. Parents, please keep reading with your children. If you need support, there are great resources available in the district. Please don't hesitate to reach out to us if we can help guide you to them. And I also want to give a big shout out to the Huskies and to Highline for inspiring me and my family personally.
Recently, I also had the pleasure of sitting down with Principal Booker at Overland High School, and the excitement about the near completion of the new aquatic center is incredible. Overland's community is in is eager to expand student opportunities, including building out the speech and debate program there as well. That's a program that's close to my own heart as a former speech and debater in the nineteen nineties for Overland and a state champion in cross examination debate. I'll proudly tell you that it's the only thing that I ever got a Letterman jacket in.
So I tell folks what kind of jock I am, I say that I competed in the real NFL, the National Forensics League. And I'll take those wins any way they come. I also want to remind families that it is scholarship season. The Denver Foundation's Community Scholarships are now open. These scholarships support first generation and economically disadvantaged students pursuing post secondary education with awards averaging up to $5,000 per recipient. In addition, the Excelsior scholarship fund also helps bridge the financial gap for academically excelling
students heading to college or vocational or technical programs from an economically disadvantaged background as well. If you or someone is interested, I encourage you to visit the Denver Foundation's website to learn more and apply. We also deeply miss the presence of our superintendent, Chris Smith, as he continues his recovery from a serious injury. Chris and his family have given so much to this district, and we keep them in our thoughts and prayers, wishing them strength, healing, and a smooth return. To our doubters and disbelievers, I offer this invitation.
Come visit our schools. Talk to our students. Sit with our educators and staff. Take the time to truly feel the pulse of what is happening at Cherry Creek. I am thankful for the work that doctor Poole and others have done. Although we may not be perfect, we are committed to learning, to growing, to listening, and doing better, something reflected in the dedicated to our children.
Thank you. Thank you. Director Garland? Thank you. Thank you to the Thunder Ridge community for hosting us tonight. December 2025 went out with a bang. In our district, we celebrated the largest graduating class in the history of Endeavour High School. These students didn't just walk across the stage. They carry stories of resilience, stories of overcoming the loss of a parent, of learning from bad choices, and finding a better a better path forward, of how teachers, staff, and classmates rally together to uplift one another. This is the power of community, and this is why I do this work.
Because of years of relationships and the trust built across our community, I was able to help coordinate with Curls on the Block and sponsor a STEM event focused on the science of hair care and aesthetics, introducing middle school girls to careers ranging from salon ownership to trichology. At the end of that event, the young ladies made homemade facial masks and hair conditioners and hands on learning that sparked confidence, creativity, possibility, and a pathway to purpose. My family and I also participated in a powerful Kwanzaa celebration led by doctor Jasper
Armstrong and several Eagle Crest students and other youth from across the community. It was truly an inter an intergenerational experience, rich with history, song, and dance. Participants range from five year olds to an 83 year old elder who blessed the gathering and led us in ceremonial dance. That moment reminded me that when we honor our elders and invest in our youth, we strengthen the entire community. And December concluded with the opening of a new mental health facility, the Potomac Pavilion, an important step in meeting people where they are and recognizing that that well that
wellness is both physical and mental and the foundational to future opportunities. And this year's already off to a strict to a strong start. Tomorrow, January 13, marks the anniversary, the hundred and thirteenth anniversary of my sorority, the best sorority, Delta Sigma Theta Incorporated. At the height of racial injustice, before women even had the right to vote, 22 visionary women at Howard University came together in 1913 to form an organization rooted in scholarship, service, and social action.
Those women didn't wait for for for permission to lead. Just weeks after after being founded, we participated in the historic women's suffrage march in Washington DC and have been active throughout several touch points in American history, including World War two and the Advocating for for the Tuskegee Airmen and the Rights of Women and Black Soldiers to serve in in an integrated armed services, the Civil Rights Movement, and more recently, issues involving voter voter rights and access. The pin that I'm wearing tonight is the Delta symbol and inside is a statue
of that we have in DC called Fortitude. It's a woman with strong posture, a for a forward gaze that symbolizes confidence, vigilance, and readiness to confront challenges and to forge the path ahead. One hand is extended behind to serve and help others. The upward hand is a reminder to keep striving for higher heights. Delta Sigma Theta is guided by five programmatic thrust, economic development, educational development, international awareness and involvement, physical and mental health, and political awareness and involvement. These principles are not abstract to me.
They are lived values. Our sorority's legacy includes trail trailblazers like doctor Dorothy Height, a giant in the civil rights movement, Shirley Chisholm, the first black woman elected to congress and to seek a majority nomination party for president, and Barbara Jordan, a moral voice during the Watergate hearings, and countless educators, scientists, judges, artists judges, artists, and public servants who reshaped this nation, our nation, The United States Of America. Service is also my family's legacy. I was raised by parents who serve their community while running a small business, teaching
me the dignity of work, the priority of a good education, and the importance of giving back, and the responsibility to solve real life problems. Service is more than lip service. My life is a verb. I've spent decades in the nonprofit space doing exactly that, building partnerships, proposing innovation when it and when ex when existing systems weren't serving everyone and advocating for voices too often unheard. These values, my family's legacy, and my sorority's principles have guided my service within the Cherry Creek School District community.
I am proud of the work I've done, and I'm proud of the work we've done together because I am not an island. I am supported by a village of family, friends, colleagues, and neighbors who have cheered, challenged, and worked along alongside me every step of the way. It is in those collective efforts that lead me to my next steps of service. I am running for Arapahoe County Commissioner in District 2. I am Arapahoe County. I am the 20 trying to figure out life. I'm the newly married homeowner who chose this community to raise a young family. I'm the settled homeowner whose children are stepping into independence but still need strong families
ties, safe public spaces, reliable transportation, and a community that works. I am also the child of aging parents having to navigate their waning independence, health care, and issues of mobility. My husband and I call ourselves half nesters. We're proud parents of Smoky Hill graduates and we're still cheering our twins on as they matriculate. Like so many families, we see the next phase on the horizon. We celebrate our children's dreams and know that their pathway of purpose may take them to the far corners of our nation or maybe even the world.
But if they choose, we worry about whether they'll be able to afford to come back and build lives here. Our first home cost $137,000 It planted the seeds of our family's dreams, let and led to a beautiful ordinary life that we live today. We're grateful for strong property values, but we also believe Arapahoe County must remain accessible to teachers, nurses, first responders, young families, and seniors. We must plan smarter. That means thoughtful transportation design, reducing gridlock not just by adding lanes, but improving traffic
flow, synchronizing signals, expanding multimodal options, protecting neighborhoods, and planning growth so that we spend less time in traffic and more time with our families. Just as I have worked to serve Cherry Creek, I want to serve all of Arapahoe County with collaboration, innovation, and heart. I'm asking for your support. I'm asking for your vote on June 30. Together, we can build a county that honors its legacy, serves its people, and plans boldly for the future. Learn more at garlandforcolorado.com, and thank you. Thank you, director Garland. Director Hamrick?
Well, first of all, I'm gonna say happy happy New Year to everyone. I hope you had a safe, happy holidays with your family, with your friends, with your neighbors. I wanna thank Thunder Ridge Middle School for hosting us this evening and to the district staff for doing all the setup, getting us prepared for this. Been a still drinking from the fire hose, as a new member. Had the privilege of attending the CASB conference in Colorado Springs in December. Some just great information from things from school finance to, how to be an effective
board. I think one of the most effective things was those relationships. The five of us were able to, discuss at both lunchtime and dinner. And I think those are experiences will make us a better board to help help us through to our future endeavors on the board. I also wanna mention, had the honor of attending the CCIC plane rising ceremony. It's kinda neat to walk in the new construction area, in the expansion there. They couldn't dry the building in because you can't get an airplane in once the
walls and the roof are up. So it's really neat to watch them raise this small airplane that was restored by the aviation students there at CCIC, and they were all on hand, to join in the celebration. And, it was during that snowy day we had, which has been so rare this year. But, that was really a great ceremony to attend and watch them lift this airplane into the school. The last thing I did was this past weekend, the Cherry Creek, honors orchestra, symphony
orchestra performed at Smoky Hill High School. They had guest conductors from around the state. These kids, these middle school kids and the high school kids had twenty four hours of preparation to prepare for this concert. If you had the privilege to attend, you probably enjoyed it as much as I did, because it was amazing to watch the skills of these middle school kids and then to be topped even by the high school kids in their performances. The arts are alive and well in Cherry Creek Schools.
Some of the things I'm looking forward to this year, It's a big year for us in America, two hundred and fifty years. In Colorado, we're gonna be celebrating a 150. So I'm looking forward to hopefully some celebrations in some of the schools and across the state of Colorado. And thank you and thank you, families, educators, staff for being here this evening. Hamrick. Director Bates? Good evening. Now in my third month as a member of the board, I continue to be impressed and amazed as I learn about this organization. Every board member serves as a liaison to several district wide parent groups.
I happen to be the liaison for the audit committee and SEAC. SEAC stands for the Special Education Advisory Committee, which focuses on the educational needs of students with special needs and is comprised of parents, educational professionals, and community members. I attended the last SEAC meeting and was very impressed with the level of detailed information provided and the resources shared to help guide families throughout this their students' educational
journey. Students with special education needs are important part of our organization. We wanna ensure that they have the support and resources needed to thrive. These are also important student populations as we consider the budget and future funding needs. Similar to most every school district in Colorado, Cherry Creek Schools is experiencing declining enrollment. While our total student population has gradually declined in recent years, enrollment of at risk
and special population students continues to increase. These student groups include English language learners, students on individual education programs or referred to as IEPs, immigrant students, students eligible for free and reduced lunch, and students experiencing homelessness. For example, we've experienced a large growth in students with IEPs over the last three
years. Today, students with IEPs make up nearly 15% of our total student population. We expect declining enrollment to continue and understand it will not be felt evenly across all feeders and grade levels. We also expect that our at risk and special populations will continue to grow. For example, over the last ten years, we've seen a 132% increase in special education needs, yet state funding for k to 12 is still operating at nineteen eighty nine
funding levels, and it doesn't cover the increasing cost of these needs. This is in addition to the erratic and unpredictable nature of federal funding. We appreciate that our student population will continue to reflect the great diversity of our community, and we will continue to navigate and adjust to these changing enrollment needs. A big thank you to the parents and the group of CEAC and all the staff members that work support to support our students.
Thank you. Thank you, director Bates. Good evening. Thank you to Thunder Ridge Middle School for hosting our meeting here this evening. And as always, thank you to our safety, security, technology, and set up teams for making these meetings happen in our neighborhood schools. Happy New Year. It's always nice to acknowledge the promise of a new year with goal setting, resolutions, reflection, and fresh starts. I hope you and your students have had a smooth transition back to school. January is Mental Wellness Month, and as mentioned by my colleagues, we know that this
time of year can be stressful. So if you or someone you know is struggling with their mental health, the Cherry Creek School District is a resource. Please check the district website for information on Hazel Health online counseling, in addition to additional counseling services and information on mental health and wellness community resources. I was honored to recognize the students and participate in Endeavor Academy's commencement ceremony on December 16, along with Director Garland. The dedication of these graduates in completing their high school educations is quite impressive, and
the road was not easy. We look forward to seeing all the places these graduates will go. The Cherry Creek School District recognizes Martin Luther King Junior Day on Monday, January 19. This day celebrates the life and legacy of doctor King and his important and lasting mark on the American civil rights movement. Please consider volunteering and giving back to our communities on this National Day of Service in memory of Doctor. King. The District Accountability Committee meets this Wednesday, January 14, from 06:30 to eight at ISF,
the instructional instructional support facility. Also this Wednesday, an update will be given on the Cherry Creek High School design and construction project. The design team will discuss the new building and construction updates from five to 6PM in Shilling Law Auditorium on the Cherry Creek High School campus. In advance of this forum, I'd like to provide a few of the latest updates on phase one of this project. This multi year effort will replace aging and deteriorating buildings starting with the West Building, which was originally constructed in 1955 and has faced significant infrastructure challenges.
Phase one will begin this spring with the demolition of two district admin buildings. The new West Building will be split into two buildings, but match a one for one replacement featuring a modern academic wing and athletic facility. The estimated timeline for completion of the new West Building is 2028. Phase two of the project will be part of a potential 2028 bond package and complete the rebuilding of the rest of the Cherry Creek campus. Rebuilding campus middle school and Bellevue Elementary School would be contemplated in a possible 2032
bond package. The latest in a series of community meetings was held in November in which approximately a 100 people attended, and a community letter was sent to surrounding neighborhoods regarding this project. The Holly Hills rebuild is also underway along with other minor maintenance projects across all district schools. Please visit the interactive bond map on district and school websites, which shows all projects happening in real time. Congratulations are in order to Kim Kilgore, Director of Food and Nutrition Services, on receiving
the 2026 famed silver director award. Kim's leadership, commitment to scratch cooking, and dedication to supporting students and staff continues to elevate nutrition services across Cherry Creek schools. And we're thrilled that the new food and nutrition warehouse designed to support a growing number of students participating in school meals is underway to help serve our students more efficiently. In honor of the Cherry Creek School District, and if you weren't able to enjoy a chocolate covered cherry on January 3, National Chocolate Covered Cherry Day, it's not too
late. So as mentioned, superintendent Chris Smith is not able to join us tonight. He was in a recent accident, and he fractured several of his ribs. And so on his doctor's orders, he has been advised to be easing back into work, so he is not here tonight. But as a board, we do wish him well and his recovery and hope that it is speedy as can be expected. So to that end, Doctor. Jennifer Perry will be presenting his remarks and maybe some of your own.
Thank you. My own remarks are happy new year to all of you. I don't know how many of you are in my age, I swear, after 50, every year just runs. It gets to Christmas or it gets to winter and then all the or, gosh, summer, and then all of a sudden it's New Year's and we're kind of starting it all anew. But happy New Year to you all. I hope you had an amazing break with your families. I know I got to spend time with both of my college age daughters, so to have them home just makes me feel like everybody's in the right space. But yes, I do have comments, from, superintendent Smith tonight, and I will read those.
Good evening. The work we do in the district connecting students to their pathway of purpose would not be possible without the hard work and dedication of the five exceptional leaders seated here before you tonight. January is Board of Education Appreciation Month, so I wanna take a moment to recognize and thank our board of directors. President Anne Egan, Angela Garland, JC Futrell, Terry Bates, and Mike Hamrick. Thank you for your leadership and your commitment to our students, staff, and families. These are volunteer positions, and they are and they require a lot of night meetings
and time visiting schools. We are so fortunate to have dedicated and school focused board leaders, so thank you for all that you do. Thank you to our wonderful student speakers tonight, Donald and Sophia, Adam and to hear these brilliant children speak. As a former principal in the Antelope Ridge this is me speaking, not Chris, he was not a principal at Antelope Ridge. I was a former principal at the Antelope Ridge community. It just gives me such faith in all that Eagle Crest continues to be as a feeder and all that you do for students, and I'm so excited for Adam
that he's been able to be in the Cherry Creek School District since, his earlier times. But your, their voices and stories remind us why we do the work that we do. We are excited to follow and continue, looking at their success in the future. Back to Chris. I also welcome everyone back from winter break. I hope you found time to relax and recharge and be with your family and friends. Second semester is already in full swing and students diving back into their learning. Registration is open for CCIC and Pathways at Overland for next year.
Construction is happening at CCIC and across the district on important bond projects. We have some incredible celebrations to kick off the new year. Our STAR interim assessment results are showing meaningful progress towards literacy and math goals. This is a testament to the hard work of principals and teachers and students collaborating in the alignment to the strategic plan. And tomorrow, the state is releasing graduation data for the class of '25 2025. And in Cherry Creek Schools, we will be announcing, the highest graduation rate we have ever seen in district history.
The numbers are embargoed until tomorrow morning when the major state press release comes out, but we are excited to share them with you when those become public in the morning. And with that, I thank you and I'll conclude Chris's, and a little bit of my interjections, comments. Thank you, Doctor. Perry. Would you like to introduce the next segment of the presentation? Yes. I, as one of my roles as deputy superintendent, have the ability to work with our strategic planning team, all of which has a sub team, involved with our district goals. And so, with us tonight, we have the brilliant Latoya Tolbert, who is gonna share
our report on discipline and where we are at, in making progress towards our goals in that vein. Good evening. Thank you, Doctor. Perry. Good evening, President, Egan, and members of the board. During January Board Appreciation Month, I do wanna extend just gratitude for all that you all do in service to our students and staff. So thank you very much. This evening, I have the great honor to share some important information that we in the discipline, priority team are up to and, would be, remiss if I didn't acknowledge
both Michelle Rhine Rob and Derek Molner as co facilitators in this priority team. And there's also some members of the priority team in the audience as well. So just wanna acknowledge all the brilliant leaders that are a part. So with that, being said, this evening we will delve into what does disproportionality through the lens of discipline, what does that work look like, and what what are we up to. Our outcomes for this evening are to provide a lens of, some historical information, so that you know what are the, the long term patterns and root causes that we're
considering as we're moving forward in this work. We're also, gonna offer up some discipline data identifying the trends and areas requiring some targeted and strategic action, looking at the key strategies and findings that we have uncovered and our recommendations to strengthen our, systems, and then to present our current short action cycle as we move forward with deliberate intentional action. So as a educator, as a parent of Cherry Creek, as an alumni of Cherry
Creek Schools, and a community member, I appreciate so much our core values and how they speak to who we are and who we espouse to be. What was named earlier, this idea of growth mindset continuously being learners and knowing that we are all about learning and growing continuously. Equity, making sure that each and every student gets what they need and that we champion it and we support the needs of all of our children, which our young, leaders told us this evening in their comments earlier. Whole well-being, making sure that each and every, student staff member is whole and well,
and that is physical and psychological wellness as well. Looking at engagement, that full body engagement, how am I cognitively engaged? How am I effectively engaged in learning and making sure that we are all engaged in that process together? And then finally, relationships, ensuring that we're connected to one another as a cohesive system. We are an ecosystem in ensuring that we have, thriving relationships so that we all can be successful together. You've seen this slide, before as it speaks to our work within the strategic plan
team under the incredible leadership of Doctor. That's from looking at, random acts of improvement from wonderful work happening, but maybe not necessarily all aligned and moving in the same exact direction. And so we're moving towards that alignment and looking at, comprehensive cohesion across the system. And so that is one of the things that has grounded our work as a strategic plan team as well. Our line of sight, again, it's, an image that you have seen before that really
looks at, moving our work as a district and a department focus with preparation, looking at what's the system needing, and moving it all the way down into our classrooms. I have the great fortune of working with some of the student leaders that were actually in this room earlier, but in our student leadership groups, including soar and superintendent advisory. And we've actually taken the components of our strategic plan, armed our students with research, with tools, so that they too can know what is in our strategic plan, what we aim to do.
And they're offering us their perspective and their lens on the work that we as a system need to do for continuous improvement in our in our organization. We include our, Cherry Creek's working definition of educational equity in these slides because it's important to understand when we say educational equity, what are we talking about? There's a lot of narrative that swirls around the word equity in particular. And so making sure we are understanding what is it that we're talking about. When we say educational equity in Cherry Creek Schools, what we mean is ensuring that each and every student so each and every heartbeat, each of us have those young
people that we're connected to. We mean those students. Each and every student thriving academically, emotionally, socially, physically while in our care. We want our students to be whole when they're with us. We want them to experience hope and joy when they're with us throughout their learning experiences within the Cherry Creek system. So we hold that definition of educational equity, and we couple it with this discipline belief statement that was not created in isolation. This definition was created by brilliant leaders who are part of our expulsion task force,
which was made up of principals, assistant principals, deans, just a gamut of, a wide variety of perspectives that led us to this belief statement. In it, you will find a focus on wholeness for students. You will find us as an an organization looking at behavior as a way of communicating. Side note, as I was, running into my home just to come back here, my my my littlest, one of the twins, was like, I'm I'm puzzled mom and he's seven. I'm puzzled. What are you puzzled about?
It doesn't make any sense. You've already gone to work. What do you mean you're going back to work? I don't understand it. It doesn't make sense to me Where the other, you know, he's just like, it's just it's what we do. So we all communicate differently. For him, it's always through questioning. It's always through analysis every single time wherever we go. Behavior is a way of communicating, and in that moment, he needed to communicate. He didn't understand how this system of going to work and then coming back to work, how it makes sense. But nonetheless, that's what we engage in is understanding behavior as a way of communicating and really working to listen to what students are saying to us through their behavior
is is part of this belief statement that is really resonating. Understanding that relationships are the foundation of this work. If we're not in relationship, it's very difficult to restore or repair harm that may have been caused, and so relationships are key. Understanding that it takes a village, I appreciate, director Garland, you mentioning the power of the elder and knowing that it's all of us. We are a collective community, and that's what it takes for us to do right and know what our students need. The role of each person, that each person plays a role in our organization is
another belief that we hold, that it's part of greater community work, partnership, and understanding community, and that student learning is centered in what students need. So with that, our priority team, took a look at it. Okay. So again, why are we delving into this work called considering discipline and what is it that we do in Cherry Creek around discipline? We determine that we both individually and collectively are dedicated to an aligned approach of addressing student discipline. So if behavior is a way of communicating, how are we aligning our approach to
addressing that behavior? Committing to using culturally responsive practices, building relationships with students, and serving as protective factors in their lives. These efforts help students feel seen and valued. As one of our young people spoke of earlier this evening, We ground ourselves in our core values in order to eliminate disproportionate discipline outcomes for students. So that's the why of our work as we move forward. The goals that surround this work are connected to our 2030 goals of the the larger strategic plan. Within discipline by 2030, we would data to be proportionate to our Cherry Creek demographic
population. So that we're not seeing disproportionate realities on but on the basis of gender or race or ethnicity. We're looking to see a proportionate, demographic connection to our discipline data. So by the end of this year, we're looking to just to reduce, male students with multiple incidents to reduce that number as measured in our instant management workbooks in Tableau from twenty one point six percent to seventeen point three percent. What we recognize in looking at that, reduction is we wanna make sure that we're
not inadvertently creating a, an an an opposite end of disproportionality by increasing one, males, would decrease females or increasing females to decrease. But we we don't wanna do that. So rather than looking at it directly through this lens, we're looking more at number of students and what student incidents are. So really looking at how many male students have one incident right now, and how does that compare to multiple incidents. So with that, we are looking specifically at discipline data, and we as a strategic
priority team have looked at lots of different data points to determine what's the most, important data to help us make informed decisions in our work. Prior to jumping into our data set, we did wanna make sure that we were grounded in some of historical research so that we know what is the challenge that we're solving for, what does the research say. This research out of Western Washington University offers that, in 2014, the findings offered that, students who are experiencing discipline were often defined by deficit labels, including being deemed as
broken, dangerous, deviant, or disordered. That research also found that students who, received multiple discipline incidents were treated as disposable, often considered as unworthy, defective, somehow like a problem to be solved as opposed to a learner support. These students receiving discipline incidents were seen through a liability lens, framed as problems to manage a set of learners to support, excluded from the learning environment, through suspensions, expulsions, and other exclusionary practices, and push towards harmful pathways, including the school to prison pipeline.
So that was in 2014 that that research, was rebuilt. Ten years later, a decade later in 2024, our own Colorado Department of Department of Education through our discipline disproportionality task force found similar findings. Persistent inequities of students of color, students with disabilities, and other historically marginalized groups continued to experience disproportionate exclusion from learning. The normalization of exclusion resulted in suspension and removal from the learning environment for students,
and, it became default as opposed to a last resort. Escalation of harm was also found in the 2024 findings. Early discipline actions compounded into academic disengagement, chronic absenteeism, and even dropout. The findings also found, that students who were being disciplined in a disproportionate way were often entrenched in deficit narratives, and, again, were seen as problems to manage as opposed to learners to support. And then the, last bullet offers that the findings also showed a link to the
school to prison pipeline that was seen in 2014. So with that, we, we wanna make sure that we are serving our students, each and every student getting exactly what they need. What you see on the screen is on our public facing, strategic plan dashboard. What it shows is, disaggregation by, race and ethnicity. In the center, you see discipline. This captures disproportionality on the other parts of our strategic plan as well, but I'll draw your eye to the middle which is discipline. What you'll notice in the vertical bar for each of those groups is the, population
of that particular race or ethnic group in our district. So where you see the blue bar, either extending beyond the vertical bar, that shows that there is a over representation by that racial, or ethnic group. And if the blue bar is below or behind the vertical line, then that's showing that there is an underrepresentation. Where the bar and the line meet is showing that it is proportional. So as you can tell from the screen, we have disproportionality with, seen with our
students who identify as Hispanic, black, and multiracial. So in order to combat what you just saw on that screen, we have come up with five shifts that we deem necessary as an organization to be aligned around to shift our efforts forward in moving towards proportionality. So, the the first shift looks at a mindset shift of moving from viewing students through a deficit based perspective, moving towards using asset based mindsets and approaches as necessary,
and seeing the beauty and brilliance and value of each and every student. I do wanna make mention that it's not to say that we do not have incredibly informed, powerful educators already who are already engaged in the what you're we're shifting to, but we wanna just make sure that we're aligned in a comprehensive way that says this is who we are in Cherry Creek. We see students for, the brilliance that they offer. And when or if and when there is a behavior that communicates something differently than we are expecting, we as the adults work to meet that need in the ways
that students see that they need. So also shifting from, reasoning that students are responsible for their own behavior and looking at students as a bad behavior equals a bad student, moving from that lens to, compelling adults to know and understand the underlying functions of student behavior. So rather than, just again ignoring what may be communicated, it's really listening differently to see to say what is it that a student needs based on how they're demonstrating that need through their behavior.
It's also shifting from believing misbehavior warrants a negative punitive consequence and shifting to responding with knowledge that behavior is a way of communicating. Again, that idea, I I offered this the last time we were able to share this presentation. I'm blessed to have four beautiful children, and they all live their lives in four different ways. And so it requires me to respond to their needs differently. So my son, my oldest, he is a rule follower. He has his checklist. We probably cord color coordinate in the same way and check things off and with
glee and I have my beautiful brilliant daughter who if you put a checklist in front of her she would probably revolt. It doesn't make sense to her. Why do I have to write it down? I know what I need to do. Where for me it's like no, that behavior of you not writing it down is telling me that maybe you're gonna miss a key idea. I need you to write it down. For me to respond to her in the exact same way that I respond to my oldest would not serve her. In fact, it would result in me perhaps making an erroneous, assumption about what she
plans to do, what she aspires to do, as opposed to pausing and seeing what is it that she needs, and how can I meet her where she's at? This is asking us also to shift from a one size fits all, so back to that everyone in the Towbert household will have a checklist moving from that to a mindset of using culturally responsive practices that honor students' identities and experiences, knowing that each and every has something that they need. Moving from, exercising punitive exclusionary practices as the default to and moving towards responding with
restorative practices that maintain student connection to the learning environment and connected to restoring the harm that was caused in the community. At the end of the day, we are an ecosystem. So again, if we have folks in our system that are not well, we wanna make sure that we, as doctor Armstrong already says, apply the medicine in ways that heal the community. So we wanna make sure that that's how we're responding. So as we look at the big picture, I do wanna acknowledge that we have ninety one point one percent of Cherry Creek students who have not experienced a single
behavioral incident this year. So for the grand majority of our students, what we are doing is working for their needs. So this is about looking at our students to say, yes. We are an amazing organization that is doing amazing things, and we have some students that we need to respond to in ways that meet their needs as well. So it's the bothand. So looking at, where we were at this time last year compared to this time this year, we do wanna offer up some of the successes. 263 fewer incidents by male students with one incident is something we've seen from August
to November, and that's a 4.5% reduction year over year. If we're looking at the, the enrollment piece of well, what does that mean? Do are we just down that many students? And looking at the numbers, we for male students, we're about 3% less male students, than this time last have or we're seeing a 4.5% reduction year over year. So what are the practices we're avoiding? It's important moving forward that we're taking mindful action and we're aware of how and
what we're doing is making a difference for our students. So we're gonna move forward making sure again that that we're avoiding at all costs fits all discipline approaches. We wanna make sure that we are informed on the needs of our students, and we're being responsive to those needs. So that means avoiding prepackaged off the shelf solutions because while a prepackaged solution might work for one student, it might not work for others, and so being mindful of avoiding that. We're also gonna make sure that we are candid with our disproportionality data and disaggregate
it in ways that we need to see. So we're not gonna shy away from looking at, do we have disproportionate outcomes for through the lens of gender? We're not gonna avoid looking at disproportionality through the lens of race and ethnicity. We're gonna make sure that we're looking at students and seeing are there students we're serving and are there students we're missing. We're gonna also ensure that we're framing our work in asset based ways and avoiding that, deficit based narrative that can plague students in incredibly harmful ways.
And then we are gonna avoid, taking a, arrogant approach that says we don't need community. We absolutely need to partner with our community, our, faith based community, our parents, our, leaders out in the community to see what are what's the wisdom, the strength, and the lived experiences that can help shape our system to be even better. So our commitment is to eliminate disproportionality through responsive student centered discipline, evidence informed practices, transparent use of disaggregated data, strength based language and practices, and authentic family and community
partnerships. So what does that look like in our short action two cycle? So this cycle takes place from started back in December ish November, and it'll take us through March. And so in those few months, what we aim to do is to clarify and align, refine our collective capacity, really start to operationalize restorative practices, standardize the referral process, and look at systemic or the system wide implementation needs throughout the system. So our first strategy to clarify and align expectations looks at refining our language, making sure we're crystal clear about what does it mean to have a disciplined mindset shift
across the system and having precise expectations throughout? Creating a common understanding, ensuring that we are clear about those shifts, at all, parts of the organization, and aligning our dis aligning our district priorities to demonstrate how it connects to our larger, plans within the strategic, direction. Our key strategy two, refining our collective capacity looks at providing targeted professional development that examines those discipline mindset shifts in, in lots of different ways.
You leveraging our existing structures like our levels meetings, ad code, dean's meetings, classify connect meetings to really ensure that folks across the system have an understanding of what it is that we are doing. We're looking at operationalizing restorative practices through system wide restorative practice work. We've expanded and deepened our, restorative practices approach through our trainer of trainer model. We have a team that actually just trained last week, a bunch of our leaders
to be able to take that work back to their schools. I want to acknowledge Christy Hart and Angie Zayner for their work with this team, and really building out what does restorative practices look like in our district. We also endeavor to with that group, create a shared Cherry Creek definition. If you were to Google or AI restorative practices, there's lots of different definitions that will come out of there. They will have the general essence of a similarity. But what is it what are we talking about when we say that in Cherry Creek so that there's alignment and harmony around what that work looks like?
Delivering that targeted, professional learning will allow us to implement, those trainings for specifically, it'll start at our middle school level, and then we'll create that sustainability model over the next three year phase rolling to elementary and high school. Our key strategy four looks at standardizing the referral process. Establishing the behavior advisory team, has allowed us to have space for district leaders, principals, deans, assistant principals to come to greater, cohesion and coherence around what are we what
is our referral process, and it is aligned k 12. So making sure that that alignment exist. And then continuing to clarify and refine our leading data metric to see what is the best data that will best inform how we move forward with this work. Finally, our key strategy five, we're looking at that system wide implementation, monitoring both the fidelity and impact across our schools to support sustainable district wide change, looking at integrating our efforts into our schools' success plans, and that has been a wonderful, leverage point
too as folks across the system and different departments are able to speak with school leaders around what is it that they are aiming their focus on for their school. Each school has different needs, and so we're able to customize our support in ways that meet their needs within their school success plans. And then, just again, making sure that we are continuing to look at the supports and resources that schools need, that students need to best serve. Unique situations. So with that, what we acknowledge is that it does take a village to raise
children, to be in community, to be a healthy productive ecosystem. Thank you, board, for your leadership and your work in allowing us to make this happen. And that is the end of my presentation. Thank you, miss Tolbert. We appreciate this. And, you know, as always, put so much thoughtfulness and time into these presentations, and we are grateful for that. We'll start with director Futrell. Thank you once again for, this presentation and all of the hard work that you and your colleagues have done, in this particular area. We've discussed this a little bit before.
I I would love to hear you talk a little bit more about, what peer to peer and student, supports, also, help prevent or, repair harm, when we're talking about, this particular process? Thank you. I appreciate the question. And and what I would offer is we have lots of different district student leadership groups. And I would, again, like to uplift one in particular, well, maybe all of them, but Leadership Academy in particular, as the exemplar to what does it really look like
to have a community that is not only for the students, but also for the community. And again, Doctor. Armstrong's leadership in that work has provided a, a way for students to be with each other and to see the possibility of what does it look like if I do cause harm. I am responsible for the community. The community is responsible for me. And so what does it look like to be held even if even when I
might somehow cause a disruption in a relationship? And so we just had Leadership Academy last week, and authentically were able to witness students being able to resolve issues real time in powerful ways that allow the community to remain whole. And so I just think for, us as adults to lean into the power of our young leaders to see what it is that they're saying to us is incredibly powerful. And again, I keep referencing the students who spoke earlier because the one young elementary
student even said, my teacher saw me. My teacher believed me. And so to be seen and believed and not be labeled is something that is so incredibly powerful that our students are telling us in all of our student organizations. Doctor. Garland? Thank you. The Marvin Sapp gospel song where he's where he says, he saw the best in me when everyone else around could only see the worst in me. And so I'm thankful that we don't judge all of our children on their worst day, that, we all have bad days and that we're dealing with young people that
lack frontal lobe development and they will test, as my grandmother say, they will test your third nerve. But I was wondering about, just when you talked about restorative justice, what what role does the victim play? Or or is or do or do they can they opt out of that? Or how does that work? Absolutely. So it's very important to acknowledge that when we talk about restorative practices, we're restoring relationships that that are there. So if I, as a victim, are sitting in a space where there's like a power differential or for some reason, it's we're not on a level field, and I
somehow see this person as a bully or somehow having more power than me, we would never ask anyone to sit in this space and have a restorative conversation around that. That would be something that would be handled in a in a way that is appropriate to whatever is happening. And I know that sometimes that is, seen as a fear or worry that a victim would be placed in a unsafe way to resolve something that they're not comfortable with resolving with the person that caused them harm. We would not ever ask a a student who did not feel comfortable to do
that. Thank you. And then also, could you expand a little bit on how I guess I'm just thinking about, I have four kids, two boys, two girls, and that sometimes my boys will break into, just a spontaneous wrestling match. And I guess my mom intuition knows when it's across the line or when just to let them get all of that out. And so when you talk about the disparity in our boys, how are how are our staff taught to address or look at some of those issues that young men may Certainly. And that's really part of that work around, culturally responsive practices and awareness.
Like, when is it that I am trying to have my seven year old twins sit crisscross applesauce, hands in your lap, silent mouth for forty five minutes. That's not necessarily reasonable in the stage that they're in. So how is it that I understand who my students are, what they need, and I'm creating conditions to allow them to be whole? And if that is, like, yep. I know I have students who let's just stand up and take a brain break, then we're gonna do that. Or let's I me personally did not always love working with a partner with in
school settings. And so if my teacher knows that about me, then I might be allowed to work by myself as opposed to always being forced to work with someone else. And then if conflict does arise, well, I kind of was offering that that's that's not my favorite way of learning. And so really being in tune with what students need from a cultural perspective, from and that means being in a relationship with your students, knowing who they are, how they function, and and creating space for them in that way. Thank you. I don't have any more questions, but just wanna give a special shout out to the 91%.
The kids who, never get in trouble and that we highlight and celebrate them. Thank you. Thank you. Director Hamrick? I really like the mindset that, you know, behavior a behavioral incident doesn't reflect the student's ability to learn. A lot of times, that's a call out on behalf of the students where something maybe outside the school is causing their behavior. I know I would have been a statistic in middle school. Of course, I don't think we tracked them then. I unless they put a notch on the, paddle the teacher used back in those
days. But, no, it's, it's a it's a great mindset that we have to find a way to keep these students that have these incidents in our system and let them grow and, move on. I think I spoke to you before and that 91 as a unknown graduate graduation rate will learn tomorrow. But there's kind of a correlation between those that have disciplinary problems and their graduation rates, And we need to bridge that issue so we can increase the graduation and
decrease the, behavioral incidents that go on. And I think it's also fair I think I might have asked this question prior. That Cherry Creek tracks it much differently than many other school districts around the state to where they kind of can bury their statistics on the disciplinary actions they're having. So I commend the district on focusing on all of them and keeping track of them. But let's find out how many of those are just, say, minor incidents as opposed to major incidents. And, you know, we need to kinda keep that in mind moving forward.
Thank you. Thank you, director Hamrick. Director Bates? Thank you for the presentation. It was very well done. I'm a 100% supportive of what you're working on. I think my my colleagues have asked enough questions or comments on it, but thank you very much. Thank you. Yes. Thanks again. I don't have any specific questions, but I am just so grateful that we are moving away from some of these destructive labels that we have. I I would say that similarly to director Garland, my in my house with my
children, did definitely break down on gender lines in terms of some of these disciplinary issues. And I I know it's a delicate balance. And I'm I just like what you say about integration, continuous conversation, and customization. So thanks again for this, and, appreciate you being here tonight. Thank you. So 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 noon today to address the board of education. In order for everyone to be heard, please limit your comments to a maximum of
two minutes. A buzzer will sound at the end of two 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-twelve students may be interrupted or warned and their opportunity for comment terminated. Audience members who speak are asked to do so in a respectful manner and the audience is encouraged to listen respectfully. Any speaker or audience member who disrupts the good order of the board meeting, including the speaking time of others, may be asked to leave. We are very interested in your feedback and will listen carefully. On behalf of the board, I want to thank you in advance for your comments
and taking the time to come to tonight's meeting. Mister Koenig, will you call the first speakers? As I call your name, please, line up behind the podium and remember to state your name at the beginning. Tatiana Sturm. Amanda Thayer. Members of the board, I'm here tonight to address concerns regarding fiscal governance and oversight reflected in the items before you. The district is facing reduced funding and increasing financial constraints. Against that backdrop, the spending actions presented suggested a disconnect between the board's stated fiscal risk and its current decision making.
Under j point one, the board is asking to approve a 471,000 change order for warehouse project already totaling 35,000,000 attributed to coolers and doors. Change orders of this magnitude introduced late in a project raised serious questions regarding cost estimation, project planning, and oversight controls. These concerns are not isolated. On November 10, the board approved nearly 5,000,000 in change orders across three separate district projects, including a 1,300,000.0
schematic architectural change order revised from original estimate of 542,000, representing an increase of 250%. Escalations of the scale warrant heightened scrutiny and public discussion prior to approval. Additionally, items j point seven authorizes the use of 2,500,000.0 from reserves for pupil activities and food services, funds that were not clearly identified or discussed earlier this year. Expenditures of this magnitude should be presented as stand alone items, not embedded within a
consent agenda. At the same time, the board has communicated to the community that budget reductions are forthcoming due to reduced funding, yet there has been limited public engagement regarding how these reductions will affect classroom staffing or academic programming. While significant capital expenditures and unplanned costs continue to be approved, instructional priorities remain insufficiency articulated. This raises a broader issue of fiduciary responsibility. The board has a duty to exercise reasonable care, diligence, and oversight in managing public funds. Whether these outcomes result from Thank you.
Your time is up. Good evening. I'm Amanda Thayer. I'm here to speak on item j six on the consent agenda and a broader pattern of declining transparency in this district. Item j six proposes a significant change transferring the role of official spokesperson from the board president to the district's communication department. Now let's be clear what this does. It places additional layer between the elected officials and the community, the taxpayers, the voters, and the families. You were elected to represent this community and to be accountable to it.
When your public voice is delegated to paid staff, that direct accountability is weakened. This item does not stand alone. Earlier today during the study session, enrollment data and potential policy changes were discussed, yet no supporting documents were attached to the agenda. How is the public supposed to meaningfully engage when this they cannot see the data that you are reviewing? And why are study sessions where the most substantive discussions occur not recorded for families and community members who cannot attend? Trust is built through transparency.
Right now, parents should not have to conduct a scavenger hunt on the website to learn what was discussed on January 7 or any other date on which policies may be changed next. I urge you to vote no on j six. I also urge you to commit to recorded study sessions, posted agendas, schedules with all the pertinent documents posted beforehand. Transparency should not be optional. It should be the standard. Thank you. That's all, President Egan. Thank you. May I have a motion to approve the consent agenda, resolutions 26.1.1
through 26.1.7. Motion to approve the consent agenda as stated. Is there a second? Second. Thank you. Roll call, please. Director Spates. Aye. Hegan. Aye. Boutro. Aye. Garland. Hammert. Aye. Thank you. That motion carries. The only remaining business that we have today is to announce our next regular meeting, which will be held Monday, February 9 at 7PM. This meeting will take place at Sky Vista Middle School, 4500 South Himalaya Street in Aurora. May I have a motion to adjourn? Motion to adjourn.
Is there a second? Second. Thank you. Roll call, please. Director Spades. Aye. Deacon. Aye. Futrell. Aye. Garland. Aye. Hamrick. Aye. Thank you. That motion carries. We are adjourned.