The Falcon School District 49 Board of Education met July 19 for the monthly board meeting. New facesThe board introduced the new transportation director, Richard Hammond.Prior to coming to Falcon, Hammond worked as the director of transportation for Bend Community School Corp. in South Bend, Ind.Prior to South Bend, Hammond, a Colorado native, served the Denver Public School District as terminal manager and safety manager.His career in transportation followed a 24-year career in the U.S. military. Hammond is married and has five children.The board also discussed the new human resources director, Paul Andersen. Director Chris Wright said he was looking forward to Andersen joining the district, and said he felt Andersen would have an impact on everyone in the district.Special Ed and innovation plansChief education officer Becky Carter introduced Gary Heaston of Skyview Middle School. Heaston took a group of students and staff on an Education First trip to Ireland, England, Scotland and France this summer. Heaston said the trip was a great success and he hopes to go to Italy next summer.Board secretary Chuck Irons talked about events taking place within the Special Education Advisory Committee. Irons serves as the board liaison to the committee, and reported that the SEAC committeeís co-chair met with Dr. Christi Kasa, special education department chair at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs.Kasa has committed to a two-hour training session for special education teachers Sept. 28 to discuss the inclusion of special education students into the general education population, Irons said. Following the training, Kasa will also hold training for traditional staff, he said. ìThe future as far as special education is concerned is very bright,î Irons said.The board approved the Innovation plan for Horizon Middle School in a unanimous vote.Board president Tammy Harold said she expects all the withdrawn Innovation plans to be back before the board in September.Lease for central enrollment, expelled student programThe board also approved the lease of a commercial space at 4029 Tutt Blvd., which will be used for the expansion of the Ascent Program, as well as the new central enrollment office.The Ascent Program ensures that D 49 expelled students can continue their education during expulsion. ìWe want these students to be removed from the situations and the temptations,î said Dan Begier, executive officer for education services. ìItís about redirecting them. Iím here advocating for the space, but Iím also here advocating for the kids so they can have a place where they can engage with someone they call a mentor.”Moving the central enrollment office to the space will allow the district to push through enrollment in an ìexpress model,î Begier said.Chief business officer Brett Ridgway said the rental cost for the space is about $20 per square foot, which is lower than the average rate for the area of town. Money the district receives from the state for each expelled child will fund the space, LaVere-Wright said. Currently, the district receives $6,100 per expelled student, she said.ìWe saw a need to double our capacity for expelled students,î Begier said. ìWe would have 12 students in the morning and 12 students in the afternoon, so that there is never more than 12 students per teacher.îThe Ascent Program currently shares a space on Mohawk Road with the homeschool program. iConnect Zone leader Kim McClelland said the homeschool program will be able to expand, with the departure of the Ascent Program. ìWe need to support kids no matter how theyíre being educated,î McClelland said. ìThe district receives part-time funding for the homeschool program.îPolicy, code and modularsThe board unanimously approved moving forward with the teacher dismissal process and revisions to the districtís wellness policy. According to federal law, districts that receive federal funding for child nutrition programs need to adopt a policy on school wellness. The language in the districtís current policy needed to be revised to make the policyís intent clear.Begier presented information regarding the adoption and revision of several items in the Code of Conduct book. District staff had reviewed them and determined revisions were necessary to reflect the needs of the district.Ridgway presented information regarding the assessment of the modular buildings within the district. His findings showed that in total the district is using 64 modulars, equaling 115,000 square feet. Of those 64, 24 need to be replaced, Ridgway said. Thirteen modulars are in poor condition, 36 in feasible condition and 15 are OK.ìSo, what can we do now?î Ridgway said. ìBecause of capacity issues, we want to handle this in another way. We want to make decisions on the modular from a wider strategic view.îThe structure Ridgway suggested includes the following:
- Modular space needs to be used strategically across the district.
- All buildings and modulars are the districtís responsibility.
- Central administration needs to coordinate the use of all modulars, while school administration controls real buildings.
