All right, good evening. My name is Ashley Verville. I'm the director of communications for the Cherry Creek School District. Thank you for attending this very important event and taking the time to make an informed decision regarding the future leadership of the Cherry Creek School District. A big
thank you to Cherry Creek High School for hosting tonight's forum and to all the staff who have helped with the event. Tonight is a community forum where candidates for the board of education will have an opportunity to introduce themselves to you and answer questions that are of interest to our
community. This year we have two contested races in district D and E. We will offer all candidates an opportunity to address the audience to introduce themselves and why they want to be a member of the board of education. We will then move into two rounds of
questions. a quick round or a hand raise and then questions from our community. Community questions may be directed at all candidates or specific candidates. Candidates will have one minute to answer the question. These questions were collected from various district
parent groups, local PTCOs, and previous forums. Audience members here tonight are also able to submit questions for review via the QR code or a note card. We will try to get to as many community questions as possible at each forum. If
we don't get to all of the audience questions tonight, we will use them at future forums. Every forum is being recorded and is posted on the district website in its entirety. We ask that as candidates respond, the audience reacts
appropriately and that we show respect to these individuals who have stepped forward as willing volunteers for this important leadership role. Prior to this evening, each candidate was provided the opportunity to respond to fiveformational questions posted on the
district website under the 2025 board of education election page. I encourage you to learn more about each person after tonight's forum. Our candidates from district D and E will now have two minutes each to introduce themselves and share why they are interested in being
on the board of education. Tonight I was going to begin with Tatiana Sturm from director district E uh but she did not appear tonight or has not appeared yet. So we will start with Mike Ham from director district E.
Good evening and thank you all for being here especially on a beautiful day after a couple of those cold days. Uh my name is Mike Ham and I'm running district. You know I want to say it that I think experience matters. my experience on
multiple boards around Arapo County from Arapo County budget committee to being my metro district president to being HOA president prepares me well for the role in the in Cherry Creek schools. I've designed
budgets. I've implemented them. I've developed them and made them fair, transparent. that that's our goals for what we want to try on any board we've ever been on. I also currently serve on the long range
facility planning committee and uh get to look at a 10-year snapshot of what we need to do for the future in Cherry Creek schools. One of the other committees I serve on is associated with that is the boundary subcommittee. You know, changing
demographics happen all around Cherry Creek schools. We've all seen it from overcrowding at one school to you know under undercrowding at others and we work at developing fair solutions for the parents and students in those
communities. So we try to do it to where we don't impact families and that we make sure that they the children have safe effective ways to get to school. Anyway, my name is Mike Hamch. I'm an Air Force
veteran. The Air Force taught me to serve and that's why I'm running. Um, one to serve, but mainly to serve the students and the educators in Cherry Creek Schools. Thank you. >> Great. Thank you. Next, we'll hear from
Amanda Theer in director District D. Hi, good evening. My name is Amanda Theer and I'm running for the Cherry Creek School Board District D seat. Uh I've always believed it that a great education is the foundation for future success. Uh this is a belief that's been
instilled in me by my mother who was a special education teacher for 30 years. It's what led me to pursue my own degree in education and to dedicate much of my career to training and development in both the public education and corporate settings. When my husband and I moved
here 25 years ago, we chose Cherry Creek because of its excellent reputation. Even as a high school skit high school kid back in DECA um competing nationally, I remember competing against Cherry Creek and how they would always win first place. And I knew this was an area that we wanted to raise our family.
In addition to working full-time, I've invested countless hours in our schools, volunteering, substitute teaching, serving as PTCO treasurer and president, and organizing events like teacher appreciation events and fundraising. Today I serve on the district accountability committee's executive
board as the only community representative and I also chair the family and community subcommittee. My professional background is in the defense industry where I work on strategy, budgets, and process improvement. This 20 plus years of experience has also prepared me to lead
with accountability and results. My top priorities are clear. focusing on student achievement, putting more money into classrooms, strengthening parents and and community engagement, and ensuring fiscal responsibility. My mother always taught me that
education works best when both the parents and the teachers are true partners, and that's the spirit I'll bring to the board. It's truly all about the kids. I look forward to our conversation this evening, and I would be honored to earn your support and your vote. Thank you.
>> Great. Thank you. Next, we'll hear from Terry Bates, also director District D. >> Good evening. My name is Terry Bates, and Cherry Creek has been home to my family for more than 21 years. All five of my children graduated from CCSD
schools. And during that time, my wife and I have volunteered in the district, supported families in need, and seen firsthand the incredible impact our schools have had on students lives.
I grew up in a family of educators. My mom was a teacher, my dad was a teacher, and my grandfather was a teacher. My dad was a special education teacher and later became a principal of a school dedicated to students with special
needs. My five kids all have very different skill sets. One of my children is on the autism spectrum. Two graduated at the top of their class.
That experience has shown me that every students journey is unique and our schools must support every learner at every level. I know the value of hard work and opportunity. I paid for 100% of my
college education, graduated from the University of Michigan, earned my CPA license, and built a 22-year career as a chief financial officer and senior executive here in the Denver area. Along the way, I also served on the
board of directors for 10 companies where I focused on financial stewardship, governance, and accountability. I'm running because I believe every student deserves an equal opportunity to learn, to grow, and to find their pathway of purpose. At that at a time
when federal and state funding is uncertain and enrollment is declining, we need steady experienced leadership to protect our classrooms. I'd be honored to earn your vote. Thank you.
>> Great. Thank you. We will now start with a round of quick round or hand raised questions. I will read a series of statements. If you agree with the statement or if the statement applies to you, please raise your hand. If you disagree or it does
not apply to you, leave your hand down. First question. I believe that public schools are currently failing our students. I believe elected politicians should be in charge of student curriculum. I think state and federally mandated
standardized test scores are the best measure of student achievement. I believe our schools are teaching kids to transition genders. I believe public schools utilize instructional materials that address climate change as part of their science
curriculum. I believe public schools should utilize instructional materials that address climate change as part of their science curriculum. I believe that content about racial inequity, racial violence, or talk about America in a derogatory way should be
banned from public schools. I supported the construction of Traverse Academy in the 2020 bond. I believe the Constitution should be posted in every classroom. I believe the Bill of Rights should be
posted in every classroom. I believe the Ten Commandments should be posted in every classroom. I understand that Cherry Creek High School has never had a validictorian. I think the achievements of Cherry Creek School students reflect more than just
test scores. I believe it's important and will commit to only discussing and sharing factual information regarding the district that can be properly sourced. Great. Next, we will proceed to our community questions. As I said, these questions were collected from various
Cherry Creek parent groups such as parents council, individual school PTCOs, and audience members. Audience members here tonight were able to submit questions. These questions have been grouped by a common theme for tonight's purposes. Community questions may be
directed at all candidates or specific candidates. Please remember that the response to each question is limited to one minute and should be completed when the buzzer sounds. The first question is for all the candidates. Do you believe that public education is one of the great pillars of
our society? Please explain your answer. Terry, we'll start with you. >> Yes, I do. I think it's the best opportunity for every child in America to advance social social economically.
So, it's the best opportunity. I I I want to follow up on something from the last forum. I'm really concerned that Amanda and Tatiana are running a slate that reminds me a lot of of what we saw in Douglas County. They were even handpicked by Molly Lamar. And
all their campaign materials feature both of their names. They support extending expanding charter schools which take resources away from public classrooms. and Amanda even chose to send one of her children to a private
school in Douglas County. For 75 years, Cherry Creek has been dedicated to excellence, staying focused on students, teachers, parents, and stability. We need to continue doing that on a nonpartisan basis.
Amanda, same question. I do believe that public schools are excellent and um I do believe that we need to get back to a culture that rewards hard work and achievement. Every student deserves the chance to rise based on merit, not circumstance. And
that means holding high academic standards and celebrating excellence, whether it's in academics, trades, or the arts. Right now, too many students are slipping through the cracks because expectations have been lowered. Instead of giving every child the tools they
need to meet those high standards, we can believe in both fairness and excellence. They go hand in ha go hand in hand. Uh as a district, we should be empowering teachers to teach, rewarding efforts and results, and making sure every classroom is focused on growth and
mastery. My goal for every Cherry Creek student is to graduate truly prepared for college, for a trade, or for military or community service because we focused on outcomes, not politics or rhetoric. That's how we restore pride
and purpose in our schools. >> Mike, same question. >> Well, public education is part of this great experiment we have in the United States of America. It's the thing that gave us the opportunity all our children
an opportunity to grow. Without public education, children from different uh lower social economic areas may not have the same opportunities that kids are in the Cherry Creek School District. Public
education gives us that pathway, that pathway to purpose so that our students can grow and become successful citizens in this great nation here. So public schools, we need them, we want
them, we need to fund them, and we need to do everything we can to support them. >> Great. Next question is also for all candidates. What do you want your major contributions to be as a board member of the district? Mike, we'll start with
you. >> Well, the first thing uh as a contribution, I want to ensure that we fully fund our education in Cherry Creek schools. We need to increase the literacy rate across the district. I
believe the district goals to have 100% by 2030. Well, it's 2025. Maybe we can cut that in half. But we need to we need literate students. We need well- educated students. We also need to have that continue on the pathway to purpose that
we have, you know, from collegebound, highly college prepared graduates to workforce graduates come out of the CCIC. And I really want to focus a lot on what the programs are at CCIC because
it's a great opportunity. One of the worst things we ever did in public education was eliminate the vocational ed programs years ago. It's back. It's better. And we're blessed to have the CCI campus and the soon-to-be campus at
Overland. >> Great. Amanda, same question. >> What do you want your major contributions to be as a board member of the district? As a as a future board member, I am excited to serve on the board uh to help
our district return return our literacy rates back to what they should be. Um I I believe it's also a goal of our superintendence to increase reading by the year 2030. Um as a former teacher, I strongly believe in the importance of
early literacy, especially in the early elementary years. It lays the foundation for our students future success. Currently, less than 50% of Cherry Creek third graders are meeting grade level standards in English language arts. And by 11th grade, the percentage only improves slightly, but still about one
in three students are not meeting grade level reading expectations. That means fewer than half of our students are achieving at grade level. Imagine looking to your right in a Cherry Creek school classroom where one of the two students sitting next to you is likely
not reading at that school level. and they in order to succeed. So that is my goal to be on the board is improve that literacy. Terry, same question. My focus is on fiscal integrity, student opportunity,
teacher support, parent partnership, ensuring every student is reading at grade level by 2030. Cherry Creek's strategic plan sets a bold goal. every student meeting literacy benchmarks by 2030. Right now,
Cherry Creek continues to outperform state averages on assessments with a 91.2% graduation rate, our highest ever top SAT and PSAT results across metro districts. I'll help reach that literacy
goal by supporting evidence-based instruction, early intervention, targeted help for struggling readers. With transparency and collaboration, I'll keep Cherry Creek focused on preparing every child to thrive in
school and in life. >> Next question will be for district director D. Starting with Amanda. Amanda, during a hand raise at a previous forum, you said it was important for a board candidate to disclose all financial and/or legal
issues they've encountered. Why do you believe this is important? >> I don't believe I raised my hand for that. >> Okay. Do you believe that it's important for a board candidate to disclose all financial and or legal issues?
>> No, I do not. >> Okay. Terry, do you want to respond to that question as well? Yes, I do. Okay. I'm concerned about the financial experience and transparency of the slate
of Amanda and Tatiana. Tatiana has had seven foreclosures and one bankruptcy. And since she and Amanda are running together as a slate, that raises serious questions about their shared judgment and financial
responsibility. Even more concerning, Amanda doesn't believe board of education candidates should have to disclose their financial history. With my extensive financial and senior executive experience, I know how
to ask the tough questions, hold the superintendent accountable, and make sure every dollar is spent wisely. You can trust me to manage taxpayer funds with integrity, transparency, and sound judgment.
>> Okay. Next question is for all candidates. The Cherry Creek School District currently spends about 4% of its budget on administration, which includes the superintendent to assistant principles. Some have argued this is too much. Where do you stand and where would you like to
make cuts specifically? Amanda, we'll start with you. >> Uh I believe that I am going to stand up and discontinue uh this uh forum. I don't think that this is uh evident in the way that we should be asking
questions about what we think about the school board and uh how we're moving forward. So um the personal attacks are not okay. Um, if that's how we are going to perform as schoolboard members, then um I'm not going to sit here and uh and
be a part of that because that is not what I believe a school board member should uh how a schoolboard member should respond or how a schoolboard member should act. Um, we are here for the kids. We are here to talk about what the future looks like for our children
in this Cherry Creek School District. Uh we're not here to to throw stones. So thank you. [Applause] Okay, I will go ahead and repeat the question and um Terry and Mike uh
assuming you would like to stay can answer it. Cherry Creek School District currently spends about 4% of its budget on administration, which includes the superintendent to assistant principles. Some have argued this is too much. Where do you stand and where would you like to
make cuts specifically? Terry, >> first of all, to do a thorough job, I'd have to spend more time with the superintendent, the DT, and the CFO to gain a a more deep understanding. I will tell you that if you look at the
administrative cost and this is the non-school staff so it's admin personnel and departments like HR and legal makes up 3% of the labor budget comparison to other districts DPS 8.2%.
Dougco 5.4% 4%. Littleton 5.5%. Jeffco 4.2%. Boulder 6.2. Aurora 10.5. Based on these facts, it's proof that
our district is leaner than any other of the neighboring school districts. >> Mike, same question. Well, I always think it starts with reviewing the budget to see if we have any adjustments that need to be made and
that's across the board. That's just not in administration. You know, our money should be invested in our students and our educators. Hands down. That's where the brunt of it needs to go. I have to tell you, in my business career, I was a
K12 salesperson with for life safety systems, communications, and security. I've worked with all the metro districts. By far the lowest interference or not interference, it's wrong word. Sorry about that. But the
lowest amount of administrative burden has been Cherry Creek schools and actually Douglas County schools as well. I've worked in DPS, Jeffco, Adams 12, and I've seen what they have a a what appears to me a, you know, kind of a
large administrative budget, and we do a great job in Cherry Creek, and I don't know that I'd make any cuts. >> Great. Next question. Uh, the US Department of Education recently announced the launch of America 250
Civics Education Coalition. Do you support this initiative? Why or why not? Mike, we'll start with you. >> I do not. And I'll tell you why. I have a degree in history
and we need to focus on what has happened in the past. We need to study things like the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, the Declaration of Independence. We do not need a revisionist
guide to history uh being put out by the department of education which I thought was going away at times. So I'm glad it's still there. But we need to focus on reality. That's why I studied history so we can look at the past and create a
pathway to not make those mistakes in the future. So let's teach the facts. And that's all all I'll say on that. Thank you, >> Terry. Same question to you. >> I believe in the teaching of all civics.
I also think I also believe one of our core values is a growth mindset. So, every kid should have the opportunity to expand their knowledge on all levels of civics. I think over time that'll make
them more productive students and taxpayers in our community. >> Okay. Cherry Creek School District is proud to employ about 9,000 staff members and has become a destination
district for many teachers. Do you believe all teachers and support staff are highly trained professionals who deserve to be treated and compensated fairly? How would you continue to retain and attract top tier talent? Terry,
we'll start with you. Could you excuse me? I believe in fair compensation, respect, and ongoing professional growth. In order to attract and retain top tier talent, we must maintain competitive
pay, manageable workloads, a culture of trust, and collaboration. Investing in our teachers means investing in student success. >> Mike, same question. Well, we have 9,000 employees supporting
our students across the district. I believe 4,300 of them are educators in the classroom. We need to support the educators and the staff members with one
among the top pay in the state of Colorado. And we need to make sure they have benefits that support what they're doing for their well-being and their life. I mean, they're the glue that holds Cherry Creek Schools together. It's our
educators. We also need to make sure our educators are treated with dignity and respect from all parties they're involved with from administration to parents to
students and I think that's you know teachers will need the fair pay benefits and respect. Thank you. >> Great. School districts are regularly forced to implement new state initiatives passed by voters or the
state legislator legislature, some of which are unfunded or underfunded. What is one recent example of this? And how will you help advocate for common sense proposals that don't present a financial hardship to school districts? Mike, we'll start with you.
>> Just one? Just kidding. You know, of course, we got the healthy meals program. uh that was, you know, voted on and implemented. And of course, that's come in under budget and we'll be back on your ballot under propositions
LL and MM this year to try to uh shore up that funding. but also our preschool program. I don't remember the exact number. I think it was somewhere around $10 million a year that Cherry Creek schools and taxpayers had to fund for
the early preschool program because it wasn't implemented and funded correctly. So sometimes the good intentions that take place down at the uh Golden Dome downtown uh they're good intentions but they need to be thought out better and uh
implemented better. >> Terry, same question. >> One program I I recall it came into place a few years ago is the Colorado's universal preschool preschool program. It's actually a it's a great initiative
that helps families. it just wasn't fully funded, leaving districts to cover gaps in staffing, space, and administration. Again, I think it's a great program. It needs to be appropriately funded.
This kind of underfunded mandate strains local budgets, pulls resources from other needs of other kids in the district. I'll advocate for common sense legislation that funds what the state requires and give districts flexibility
to implement programs responsibly without shifting the burden onto the schools and taxpayers. >> All right. As has been mentioned at previous forums, um Cherry Creek School District is a declining enrollment district, as are many other school
districts in the metro region. What does that mean exactly and what would you propose to address this current reality? Terry, start with you. >> I've done some research on this topic. Okay.
110 out of 179 school districts in the state have declining enrollment. Frankly, the biggest issue we we're facing right now is house prices and mortgage rates.
people cannot afford to move. So you have a lot of parents who whose kids have graduated through the schools. However, the the cost of buying a new home is too much to bear. So you you can look in the
real estate market, there's just not that much turnover in homes. As a result, again, we're then we're left with families that have already graduated through the school and we're not
bringing in new families that have kids. >> Mike, same question. with the declining enrollment. You know, as Terry said, you know, most of the districts across the state have
declining enrollment. A lot of that is population shift. Have more babies, people, although I'm a little too old for that. Uh I live on a culde-sac with about 16 homes. On that, we have three of them that have students
in Cherry Creek schools. And of those three, two of them are seniors. All the other homes in my culde-sac are empty nesters. And why? Well, one, I love my neighborhood. I don't want to move. But it's also
because of the price of housing. You know, a young family can't afford to buy a home in my neighborhood. I can't really afford to buy a home to downsize. I mean, why downsize and spend the same money? So really it's a lot of changing demographics
uh and price points. >> Great. Tell us about the last time you attended a board study session. What were the topics and what was your reaction to the information? Mike, start with you.
The last study session I I attended uh I think it was last month, but it was kind of a report out on the CAMASS scores and looking at all the different variations across the district of how
our students performed on that one test. That was one snapshot in one day of our school year. I'm not a big fan of CMSS, as you could probably tell by my answer, but I attended that. But one of the takeaways I had from that, we had so many years
where we had parents opting out of taking CASS because parents agreed it wasn't the best evaluation for their students or their school. But one of the big things I noticed, the takeaway was how the district has changed that and
they're trying to get the families involved in taking these these tests so that we have a better reflection on where everybody stands across the district. >> Terry, same question. >> Yeah. Yes. I attended the study session
in August also that's reviewing the results of CAMASS. A couple takeaways Mike mentioned. One is what they refer to as participation rate. Participation rate is are the number of students on a
percentage basis who are taking the test. That continues to grow steadily inside the Cherry Creek School District. What that means is it has an adverse impact on overall test scores because
you're bringing in additional students who aren't the best students, but you're still encouraging them to take the test. The other takeaway was why the district is on the right strategic path to improve literacy and
have everybody at literacy levels by the year 2030. Great. What other metrics besides test scores do you consider in evaluating excellence? Uh Terry, we'll start with you. >> Well, I I do look at graduation rate. I
think it's also important for the kids who are going to college. I'd like to understand how they're doing on the ACT, SAT, PSAT. I like to understand the whole the the holistic view of a student. How much participation do we
have students and other extracurricular activities? And again, we should look at extracurricular activities in addition to just sports. I know sports are really popular, but there's so many other extracurricular activities for our kids
in the school district. So, are our students participating in extracurricular events? How are they doing after high school? Are they are are students, which they are, are valuable contributors to
our community? So, it's another metric to look at. >> Mike, same question. >> There's so many different metrics. I think there's a series of around eight different testing things that take place
on in a student's academic year. But I think one of the most important things we have to look at is our graduation rate. You know, Cherry Creek has approximately 92% of our students that graduate, which is one of the highest in the state of
Colorado. You know, we look at things such as the numbers of Bcher scholarships, Daniel scholarships, appointment to the military servicemies. So many of our Cherry Creek graduates
get these awards. I believe last year be off a little bit. Our graduates were able to get $50 million for academic continuence in their academic career.
That's how I measure performance. Great. This question is for Terry. Given your CFO experience and the fact that the district already has a CFO, explain how you would approach this as a board member without overstepping your role. The CFO
of the district reports to the superintendent. The board has a responsibility of oversight of the school district. The the school board has one employee and
that's the superintendent. With my experience, I will be able to ask the tough questions of the superintendent on our fiscal health. I can also then ensure we drive accountability from a fiscal
perspective. But I have the experience to ask the difficult questions that other people cannot. >> Okay, Mike, this question is for you. You said experience matters. Can you please provide more detail on your
experience, especially managing a large budget? >> Well, I'll say this. I haven't managed a $950 million budget. But is that just a bunch of zeros added to what I have done with the metro district?
I managed right around 1.5 million a year. One of the best things I did managing that budget was set aside a reserve fund so we could pay off our construction uh bonds early. And we were able to do
that with some just a small set aside for, you know, five or six years and we were able to pay it off early. You know, that's going to be about a for our metro district bill about a third off that bill they have. And that's the
second largest uh source of uh property tax that our our homeowners do in our neighborhood. So, I was really glad to put that into the budget and make sure that uh was executed. Great. Uh, Cherry Creek High School is
currently underway on phase one to rebuild the high school campus. How do you feel about an additional investment being made into Cherry Creek High School for phase two as part of a potential 2028 bond package? Mike, we'll start
with you. >> Well, first of all, I got to thank all the voters around Cherry Creek High School. Without your pass support on the bonds, all that growth out to the east would have never occurred. We we'd have crowded schools. We wouldn't have
beautiful facilities like Cherokee Trail, uh Grand View High School, uh Woodland Elementary. You know, you guys help support us, and it's time for the rest of the taxpayers
to invest in redeveloping this high school. I've worked in this high school on a maintenance side uh doing the fire protection system. This was a difficult difficult environment to work on because of the age, the environment, and just
the construction materials that existed when this school was built. So, yes, I think it's estimated around hundred million. I fully support uh the next bond and looking forward to improving Cherry Creek High School. Terry, same question.
>> I'm fully supportive of raising additional money at the next bond to continue replacing aging facilities here at Cherry Creek High. This has been the the birthplace of the school district. It's
an amazing campus. We need to continue investing in this facility. I think long term it does two things. because of deferred maintenance costs and just up dayto-day uptake over
time it will be a good return on investment by replacing aging facilities. I also think it will expand the opportunities for our students to learn.
Uh it has been discussed again at previous forums that there was 300 million in deferred maintenance needs in the district leading up to the 2024 bond. Can you speak to a couple of reasons as to why there was deferred maintenance needs following the 2020 bond and the capital construction
challenges of school districts today? Terry, we'll start with you. >> I'm sorry. Say, can you say that again, please? >> Sure. Following the 2020 bond, there was 300 million in deferred maintenance needs. Can you speak to a couple of reasons as
to why you believe there was deferred maintenance needs and what the capital construction challenges are of school districts today? >> Let's go back to 2020 and reset what was happening there. We are in a pandemic.
The economy was in a tail spin. There was a period of time a lot of economists thought we were going to go into a recession. People were losing jobs. People didn't have money. It was very difficult in our
community and other communities across the United States. It was a it was a those were dark days both from a pandemic perspective and an economic perspective. There was no choice but to save costs wherever you
could and then look for opportunities to improve the facilities when you're in a better financial position. >> Mike, same question. >> Well, I concur with some of that said. I think that was one of our lowest bond
issues uh that we had. But what we're talking about is the deferred maintenance. Uh, first of all, the maintenance department in Cherry Creek Schools right across the street at 9301 I believe they do a fabulous job. They're on track and keep all the
systems running across their district. You know, currently their budgets what 30 to$40 million a year annually. And that's great for maintaining systems, but some systems when you talk about that 300 million are things like
chillers, HVAC units, uh high dollar things that cannot be done usually within that 30 to$40 million budget to maintain uh our schools. >> Great.
Do you believe politics have a place in education? What does that mean to you? Please explain your answer. Mike, we'll start with you. >> Well, I absolutely do not believe we need politics in the classroom. Our kids need to be educated on all aspects as as
we talked about ear earlier like the constitution, bill of rights, uh things like that. We don't need to have politics involved in our classroom. But however, we do need politics involved uh with the school board and the school
district. We need to be there working in politics fighting for folks under the the Golden Dome for school funding uh for our students. So, depending on how you look at the question on politics,
uh we do need to have that avenue there. But as far as the uh curriculum, no, we do not. Terry, same question. >> I go back to what I mentioned on civics. I think every student should learn as much as we can on civics. I think that's
a a good learning experience for a growth mindset for kids. When it comes to decision making, when it comes to discussions with parents and teachers and the school board and other folks,
it has to be nonpartisan. There's only one true north. The true north is our kids. We've got to keep politics out of day-to-day discussions on social media
and amongst various part parent groups. All right. What changes would you make if you were elected to the board? Terry, start with you. >> First thing I have to do is spend more time learning about the goals of the
superintendent and the and the DT. So, in order to make an informed decision on what changes I would make, I would have to, you know, I would I'm accustomed to developing a 100 day plan. So within the first 100 days, I would
just dive into the details, learn and study as much as I can about the district before developing a plan to go forward uh with a new initiative. >> Mike, same question.
>> Well, I think square one would be to sit down with the other board members. Let's have that communication on a joint vision of what we need to see Cherry Creek schools doing moving forward. I'd also admittedly sit down with our
superintendent, our chief financial officer, and the district leadership team uh to see what their thoughts on are the vision for the next 75 years in Cherry Creek schools. And let's not forget, we also need to sit down with
parent groups, find out what they're thinking, what they see we're doing well in the district and where we need to go. And most importantly, in my opinion, is sit down with our educators. Those are the folks, as I said before, are the glue that hold our schools
together, that educate our students. So, I think it's kind of a, you know, multi-track thing. And I can see, uh, if I'm elected, then I'm going to be busy. uh November, December going into January and I hope to have your vote so I can do that.
>> Great. Equity is a core value of the district. Do you believe it should be and what does it mean to you? Mike, start with you. >> I'm so pleased that it's a core value for our district. I think I mentioned earlier that in this great democracy,
public schools gives us all that opportunity to grow from no matter where they're from. So to me, equity is about having that equal chance and that opportunity
uh to move forward in their childhood and onto adulthood. You know, we need to be equitable to all. Doesn't matter their religious background, their social background, their economic background, or even their
sexual identity. We need to be equitable to every student in Cherry Creek schools. >> Terry, same question. One of the reasons why I'm running is I want to ensure that every student has an
equal opportunity for academic success, a quality education, and a pathway to purpose. Equity is a core value at in the Cherry Creek School District. what it means and you can read and it's
on it's printed in the core values. Um it means recognizing that students face different barriers, race, disability, economics or geography. It's our job as leaders in the district
to break down those barriers. Equity means creating fair access and support in every classroom and every school so that all students can reach their pathway of purpose. I'll make sure our
policies, resources, and practices reflect that commitment. >> Great. Thank you. K12 funding in the state of Colorado ranks about 44th in the nation. yet we rank about fourth in the nation in Medicaid funding. How do
you believe Colorado should prioritize K12 funding considering its current budget constraints? Terry, start with you. >> The state's got to rep prioritize money.
Educating our students is a long-term investment. Having a welleducated community, okay, over time reduces crime. It increases
mental health stability. There are a number of favorable attributes that come from having a strong and thriving educational community. The state needs, we need to petition the state to revisit how they
allocate funds. >> Mike, same question. >> Oh jeez. You know, some of the news we recently heard was the state eliminated the what they call the BS factor, and it does not stand for
what you think BS stands for. It took us to 1989 funding levels in our schools. We need to fight for better funding with
our student uh match from the state uh so that we can fully, you know, get us up to hopefully fully funding. I know it's it's a pipe dream to get us up to 2025 standards, but hopefully there's some things on the horizon. There was uh
recent legislation that basically set aside about 250 million a year that is dedicated to K12 education. Now, how that'll affect our basic student funding overall, I don't know
yet, but it's a start in the right direction. What policies or programs would you advocate for to address the youth mental health crisis in our schools, Mike? >> Well, that's one of our values as well.
We we have a mental health crisis across this country. Colorado and Cherry Creek are not exempt from this. I think it's been estimated that approximately one in five of our students has some kind of mental health crisis. and that is just
too high. But we have some programs in place. I believe the the uh Hazel group that gives up to six tea uh visits per per year to students. Uh we
have our safe to tell programs where students can call in when there's issues. And of course we have the first in the nation uh Traverse Academy for those that are severely impacted by mental health. they can get the treatment they need there while pursuing
their studies and then return back to the classroom uh when they are successful with their programs. >> Terry, same question. >> As Mike mentioned,
whole well-being is one of our core values. I think we were one of the first in the nation to come out with the traverse the traverse academy. I think we need to coni continue investing in that program.
One specific one program that's near and dear to me. Um we see it in the workforce. We see it across the whole United States is suicide. So there's a program that tries
to educate students about how to recognize the signs of mental health and potential suicide. I don't know how much money it will cost to continue investing in this, but it's
worth every penny to save every life. Cherry Creek Schools regularly publishes data to be transparent and informative around our budget, bond improvements, test scores, and work related to our strategic plan. What else could be done?
Terry, >> can you say that again, please? >> Sure. Cherry Creek Schools regularly publishes data to be transparent and informative around our budget, bond improvements, test scores, and work related to the to the strategic plan.
What else could be done to be transparent and informative? >> As I was preparing to to run as a candidate, I spent a lot of time reviewing the school district's website. There is a ton of information
on the school district's website. I suspect as being a working parent like a lot of people are, it's hard to find time to navigate
through the website. There's so much information. I think what we can try to do better, it's just and it's part of a, you know, a growth mindset and continuous improvement is trying to educate parents on how to where the
information is on the school district's website. You can't overcommunicate how much valuable information is right in front of you on the school's website.
Mike, same question. >> Sure. >> Cherry Creek Schools regularly publishes data to be transparent and informative around our budget, bond improvements, test scores, and work related to the strategic plan. What else could be done?
>> Well, I think they do a great job of it. I mean, you look at the the bond uh website that said what was going to be done and now what is being done. I think that interactive map, if you haven't checked it out, check it out for your
school to see what's going on, whether it's started yet or if it's proposed. Uh the web the website is a great tool, but as Terry said, it takes time for parents that are cooking dinner and helping with homework to review it. Uh
perhaps what we need to do is have a little more engagement along the community to inform them of the budgets and what we're doing. But the information is there. It's state law. We have to disclose that financial
information just like every school and school district in the state. So we need to continue that. And uh I think it's just a matter of trying to inform our uh taxpayers of where everything's at.
Great. There are about 400,000 unfilled teaching positions nationwide, including hundreds in Colorado. Can you speak to why you believe there is a teacher shortage in our state and nation, and what Cherry Creek Schools is doing to solve this problem? Mike.
>> Well, first of all, starting teacher pay for decades was so low that why would somebody want to go into debt for four, five years to study and then not have enough income to buy a
house, feed their families, uh, or move on. Now, what's really great is teacher pay is increasing, benefits are increasing. Um, you know, Cherry Creek's a little different. I think if we we talk about
all those thousands of jobs out there, I believe Cherry Creek website has about 10 openings for educator positions at the moment. The aspiring educator program, that's one way we're going to help, too. I believe we have 50 or 60 students in the
program this year, which is Cherry Creek pair of professionals with the ability to get a BA in education and then return to Cherry Creek schools as a certified teacher. >> Terry, same question.
It's well known information across the country that there's a high rate of burnout with teachers. It's a demanding job. There's pressure both from the parents
and then from the and other and other stakeholders on working with the kids. Uh we're also trying to provide an equal opportunity for every kid. It takes additional
resources and patience. It's a tough It's a tough job. Not to mention pay is an issue. And then finally, getting a college degree is expensive. So, a lot of
teachers, it's common to have a lot of student debt. Student debt also puts stress on teachers. Great. How will you balance innovation and fiscal responsibility as costs rise
and funding stays limited? Terry, we'll start with you. It's a great question. It's what I do for a living. I've been doing this at every company I've worked at as a chief financial officer and a senior executive for the last 22 years.
The first thing you got to do, you have to learn about the size of the issue with the how big of a gap do we have to fill. Second item I'm going to do, I'm going to meet with the superintendent and the DT and try to find out what ideas do
they have to save money without sacrificing an excellent education for every student in the district. Again, this would be part of a 100 day plan that I would work
on with the superintendent and the DT. >> Mike, same question. >> Well, it's a it's definitely a tough question. Uh, but I could tell you where we wouldn't make cuts and that's to our students in the classroom. You know that
is our has to be our focus on every decision we make. You know our budgets are a moral document of how we want to proceed and we'll have to look at all kinds of different resources to make sure that
our funding in our classroom is there. We need to look at innovative ideas like is there some private public partnerships we could look at to help increase funding in our schools and of course we need to you know focus on a
career and innovation campus uh for those kids as well uh for the workforce. So yeah I mean it's a tough question and that's one I uh will be there to help address. How would you prioritize parent
partnerships and community feedback if you were elected to the board of education? Mike? Well, I believe in Cherry Creek schools. We have a hundred different committees, organizations parents can be a part of.
from PTCOS to district accountability to long range planning. Uh just so many different clubs and opportunities. I pri prioritize that by getting that information out to all of our parents to
try to get them engaged because an engaged parent makes for a better engaged student. So we, you know, do we do that through social media, website, handouts from the school, uh, email blasts? I mean, there's a whole bunch of
different ways we can do this. And quite frankly, we need to do that because we need parents involved in our schools with our kids and that's how they be successful students. >> Terry, same question.
>> Mike makes a number of good points. There are a lot of parent organizations throughout the district. Frankly, what I would do, I would do an anonymous survey in the community and find out from the community what the issues are and the
recommendations they have for improvement, but an anonymous survey to all taxpayers in the community. >> Okay. Almost 80% of educators are part of the teachers union. Can you explain
your opinion of the union when they represent so many educators? Terry, >> it's a great question. I was planning on bringing it up. Um, I have my opponent in the slate says my
endorsement from the teachers association is a conflict of interest. Here are the facts. The teachers invited both of us to meet. I showed up. I listened. I shared my
vision. My opposition refused to listen. But the teachers association represents the super majority of all teachers. They endorsed me because of my commitment to every student's
opportunity for a highquality education, a clear pathway of purpose, and my belief that teachers must be true partners in student success. Listening to teachers is not a conflict of interest. It's leadership because
when teachers succeed, our students succeed. >> Mike, same question. Well, 70% of the educators in Cherry Creek schools are members of the Cherry Creek
Education Association. They're there for many reasons. One is for fair pay, health care benefits, but respect. Respect in the classroom. They're the glue, as I said earlier, for
our students. They deserve a professional organization that can work together and impact the growth in Cherry Creek schools. They deserve respect. They're the ones that are there on the
front lines every day. And we all know over the decades we've put more and more on our educators every day. I'm honored to have their endorsement. I probably wouldn't be in this race still if I didn't because I care about
where our educators are and what they're doing in the district. >> Aside from board related reasons, when was the last time you were in a Cherry Creek school and why? Mike. >> Oh jeez. uh Sunday at Campus Middle
School for the Walk for Sudan to support the Nuba water uh project. Saturday, Thunder Ridge Middle School for Steema Palooa. Uh what a great event. My grandson and son-in-law
attended and learned a lot. Let's see. Thursday, I believe it was Thursday, Wednesday or Thursday, I was at Pulton Elementary for a PTC, PTCO fundraiser, uh the Dend Dash, they called it to raise money for
the PTCO. Uh I could go on and on. I've been in every building in Cherry Creek schools over my professional career. I I relish every time I go in. I love walking the halls and seeing especially the elementary schools and seeing these
bright kids uh looking out of the classroom or walking down the hall. So I know that's more than the last time. >> Terry, same question. >> In August I was at Belleview Elementary
for back to school. Wanted to see how that was working out. Also during the month of August, I was at the Cherry Creek Innovation Campus. I wanted to learn more about what's going on at CCIC.
CCIC is a is a world standard program. Many schools across the United States are trying to copy what we're doing at CCIC. I wanted to see firsthand what CCIC is all about. and I was blown
away. It is an amazing school. I'm looking forward to when it's when they complete the expansion and add nine more pathways for purpose. >> Great. Okay. And our last community
question of the evening. Name one innovative thing Cherry Creek Schools has done in the last five years or so that has that you believe has been a gamecher for students, staff, and the community. Terry, >> well, I just I just mentioned it. Okay.
It's Cherry Creek Innovation Campus. For those who haven't been there, or for those who don't know as much about it, it's a part-time high school where students attend career pathway classes while staying enrolled at their home
schools. CCIC offers currently nine pathways such as aerospace, health and wellness, IT, and future educators that we talked about that we need to help supplement as
a school district in the future. It blends academics with real world skills and certifications. If elected, I'll support that expansion. ensure access for all students,
strengthen this bridge between education and workforce success. >> Mike, same question. >> Well, I'm going to have to concur with Terry. Uh, one of the most awesome things we have going for us
uh, in Cherry Creek is the CCIC campus. Number one technical training program in the world. Not just the USA, it's in the world. And with this with thanks to the voters with this bond issue, we're
essentially doubling it. And we're gonna have all these new pro programs for our students. You know, part of that pathways of per purpose so they can learn a skill, a trade, a vocation that they could take
out of high school and into their career. Uh, not all kids are going to college. I mean, I know I was guilty. I was forcing my kids to go to college and they did and they were successful. I'm glad of it. Thank you, Cherry Creek, for
preparing them. But we got to have those pathways of purpose, different things besides just the classroom. >> Thank you. We'll now move into final comments. Each candidate will have one minute to provide closing thoughts. For
final comments tonight, we'll start with Terry Bates. >> In summary, there are three key things to remember about me, please. First, I believe every child deserves equal access to a highquality education
and the opportunity to develop their pathway of purpose. Second, to achieve that, we must invest in our teachers and staff, engage parents as true partners, and keep our schools safe for every child.
Third, experience matters. As a chief financial officer and senior executive, I've led challenges and made tough decisions with transparency and integrity. I'll bring that same steady leadership and
commitment to public education to keep Cherry Creek strong for every student, for every family, and every future. I'd be honored to earn your vote. I'm the I am the first name on your ballot. Thank
you, >> Mike. >> Well, first of all, the reason I'm running because kids matter. That's what we're here for. That's what I I hope all of you are here for, not for any other reason.
I'm running to continue the next 75 years of excellence that Cherry Creek Schools has provided. I want to be on the board working with our leadership teams, our superintendent, our educators, our parents, and our students
to figure out the best direction forward uh for the next 75 years. You may or may not agree with everything I've said here today. That's okay. We're all humans.
But the one thing I will say is I am always available. I will always listen and I will put 120% into everything I do on the Cherry Creek School Board. And I'd love to have your vote and thank you
so much for being here this evening. >> Great. Thank you to both of you. That concludes our program this evening. Thank you for taking the time to be here. to both of our candidates, to the audience for your attention and desire to make an informed decision. Thank you
to the staff again of Cherry Creek High School for hosting us tonight. As a reminder, tonight's forum has been recorded and will be available on the Cherry Creek School District website. Have a great night and remember to vote.