All members were present at the Falcon School District 49 Board of Education regular meeting in April. Carly Harold from Sand Creek High School also attended as a member of the student board of representatives.Before the meeting, Marie LaVere-Wright, president, asked for a moment of silence for Julia Roark, the Falcon Zone Leader who was killed April 8 while riding her bicycle on Woodmen Road.Board updateKevin Butcher, treasurer, said no one has applied for the vacant seat on the board left by David Moore after he moved to South Carolina. He said the board will also need to fill two more seats since he and Tammy Harold, secretary, will complete their terms in November.Chief officer updatePeter Hilts, chief education officer, said the district has been going through tough times with the loss of two transportation employees in February and a teacher from the Banning Lewis Ranch Academy in March. ìWe have needed to support each other this week, and I want to thank everyone who has provided that support,î he said.Student board updateCarly Harold said the student board of representatives met and had good discussions on athletic fees across the district.Action itemsThe board unanimously approved the following:
- New job descriptions: director of 3B mill levy override capital construction; and project manager for 3B priority 2 projects
- May 7-12 as National Teacher Appreciation Week
- Annual applications for alternative education campus designations for Patriot High School and GOAL Academy
- Revisions to the following job descriptions: accounting technician; dean of at-risk/expelled and PEAK programs; education technology specialist ñ- assessment; education technology specialist ñ- instruction; and education technology technician
- New workplace learning manager job description
- Revisions to policies involving chief officersí conduct; media use; liability of school personnel/staff; professional staff; part-time and substitute employment; intra-district choice/transfers; public information and crisis communication; distribution of non-curricular materials
- Reduction in the German language program at Falcon High School for the 2017-2018 school year due to low student interest
- A supplemental budget for Fund 46 for the project funds from ballot measure 3B
The board unanimously passed the district and school unified improvement plans for the POWER zone following a presentation by Mike Pickering, POWER zone leader.The board discussed the proposed revisions to policies regarding graduation requirements. Carly Harold asked how the current senior class could show a mastery of a subject through scores they receive on the advanced placement tests, if the scores are not posted until the summer. Amber Whetstine, education director of learning services, said using AP scores is one option but not the only one. Students can opt to take the AP exams earlier to ensure the scores are posted prior to graduation, she said.ìThe current senior class probably will not be able to use those scores,î Whetstine said. ìThey will need to use some other criteria to show mastery of a subject.îThe board unanimously approved the district graduation policy and regulation revisions.
Discussion itemsSean Dorsey, Sand Creek zone leader, presented the zoneís spring performance update, and said all three elementary schools in his zone have implemented math programs to improve primary math proficiency. Evans International Elementary School implemented the Spatial-Temporal Math program and has the highest level of syllabus completion in the state of Colorado.ìCompleting a grade-level syllabus is no small feat,î Dorsey said.At the middle and high school levels, the Math 180 program has been implemented and Dorsey said he is excited with the progress students have made in the first year.For additional math support, a summer bridge transition program will be available for up to 50 fifth-grade students transitioning to Horizon Middle School and 50 eighth-grade students transitioning to SCHS, he said. The program will have two rotations, July 10-13 and July 17-20.SCHS students can also get math support through the Scorpions Saturday program ó a voluntary half-day tutoring session on Saturdays at the high school. In February, 42 students attended the sessions and currently 68 students are participating, Dorsey said.Lou Fletcher, compliance officer, updated the board about the status of the October 2014 agreement between the district and the United States Department of Justice. The contract came after a conflict ñ- predominantly based on race ñ- that prompted parental involvement and DOJ intervention. ìThe Department of Justice has commended us on our transparency efforts,î he said.Martina Meadows, English language development coordinator, said that 95 percent of the district has effective ELD programs in place.Pattie Vail, gifted education coordinator, said her department is identifying gifted students more appropriately, which has increased the number of gifted students in the district. Because of the increase, Hilts said the administration is contemplating adding employees in the gifted education support department.Kathlynn Jackson, special education director, presented an update on her department, focusing on effective instruction, recruiting and retaining quality educators and support staff and collaborative communication. She also introduced Emily Leschisin, the new assistant special education director.Ron Sprinz, finance group manager, updated the board about the budget focus for the 2017-2018 school year.Brett Ridgway, chief business officer, updated the BOE about the projects from ballot measure 3B, and said the district should be receiving regular progress reports from Wember Inc., the project manager for Priority 3 and 4 projects.The next regular meeting of the BOE is May 11 at 6:30 p.m. in the board room at the D 49 Education Services Center.
