How to Get to Seven: The Rest of the Replacement Process

On Tuesday night, the Board interviewed thirteen people who have expressed interest in being the replacement for the District D vacancy.  Two people withdrew; the rest came to the Board room in 15-20 minute increments to discuss their backgrounds and vision for the school district as well as to answer questions from the Board.

The candidates consisted of a wide range of citizens from within District D boundaries.  I had a great time listening to them describe their interest in education and their responses to all of our questions. 

The Board convened in executive session following the meeting to learn of the statutory guidelines for the next steps.  No candidates were discussed in this session; statute doesn't permit this, and in any case the Board wants these discussions to be fully public.  The Board settled on having two additional special meetings to accomplish three objectives: 1) ensure all discussions of the candidates occurs in open session, for both transparency’s sake and for the benefit of the public; 2) to nominate finalists to give the Board time to follow up individually with candidates before the appointment process, and 3) to appoint the new Director prior to the statutory deadline of March 16^th.

The first meeting will occur on Monday the 11^th.  There is essentially one item on the agenda: to nominate finalists.  Board members may choose to participate by phone if they can’t attend in person.  The Board will nominate up to five finalists, with each person nominated requiring a second.  Because of this, there may be fewer than five.  Each Board member will have a chance to speak on behalf of any of the candidates after the nominations.

The second meeting will take place on Thursday the 14^th.  The Board will have another chance to interview the finalists.  After that, a vote will take place that will formally fill the vacancy.  After that, the new Board member will be able to vote with the rest of us to elect a new Vice President.

I am looking forward to the final steps in this process.  We have a very high-caliber pool of candidates from which to choose.   I welcome input from any citizen regarding any of the candidates that were interviewed in Tuesday night.  

Searching for a good board member: the latest

Here’s an update on the process to interview candidates for the vacant District D Board of Education seat.

Rather than having Board members try to agree on a few candidates to interview, President Carson has suggested that we interview every candidate to give everyone an opportunity to address the Board.  That way, every applicant can outline what he or she hopes to contribute to the Board.  The rest of the Board liked this idea.  Tomorrow evening, March 5, we will interview all of the candidates for 15 to 20 minutes, beginning at 4:30 pm.

All candidate interviews are open to the public, although each candidate will not be permitted to watch the others’ presentations.  Each will have a chance to distribute written materials.  The interviews will be conducted in the Board room at Wilcox.  After all the interviews are completed, the Board will discuss how we want to narrow the field down to a few finalists.

Here’s the schedule, past, present and future: 

• Online application period closed: February 22^nd
• Application review ending: March 1^st
• First round of interviews 15 minutes each: March 5^th
• Second round of interviews: TBD
• Final selection and appointment: March 14^th

 Note that because of the statutory deadline, the Board needs to complete interviews within 60 days of former Director Gerken’s resignation, which is March 16^th.  The regular meeting scheduled for March 19^th would be too late, so the meeting that day will be moved to the 14^th.

In search of a good board member

With the resignation of Director Dan Gerken of Castle Pines, the Board is looking forward to filling his position in accordance with Colorado state statute, which states that the Board must fill his seat within 60 days of his resignation.  The last time a board member resigned was in 2010 with the resignation of Director Ryan Stuart, in district A.  He was replaced with Director Craig Richardson, who continues to hold this seat today.  The replacement process will be virtually the same for Director Gerken’s former seat.

The maps for the director districts can be found here.  Click on any district to be taken to a detailed map.  This feature has been improved since the redrawing of the Director districts in December!

Applicants who have been county residents for a year, live in District D, and are registered to vote were encouraged to apply. 

At the closing of the application period last Friday, we had received 15 names.  We are now in the process of narrowing the list to determine how many will be interviewed.  Board President John Carson has asked all of us board members to give feedback as to whom we’d like to interview.  I’m hoping to see 5 or 6 interviewees.  Interviews are scheduled to be held during the regular board meeting date and time, March 5, with a vote taken to fill the seat by March 14.  At that time, a vote will also be taken to fill the currently vacant board Vice President position.

Here is the list of applicants:

• Christine Strang
• Joan Brown (former education administrator)
• George Teal
• Michael Glowacki (former education administrator and teacher)
• Aaron Johnson
• Dan Coombe
• Kevin Leung (ran against Dan Gerken in 2009)
• Barb Wendell (worked as a paraprofessional in DCSD and the Colorado League of Charter Schools)
• Herbert Rose
• Dr. Carrie Mendoza (physician at Parker and Castle Rock hospitals)
• Brant Phillips
• Judi Reynolds (DAC recording secretary)
• Steve Dovey
• Randy Reed (former mayor of Castle Rock)
• Charcie Russell (board member of Great Choice Douglas County) 

The Ingredients of Success

Last Friday I had the honor of attending the Douglas County Scouts of the Year breakfast.  Two honorees were presented with awards: Joe, a longtime Scoutmaster who has been involved with Scouting for over 50 years, and Michael, a 17-year-old Scout who has proven himself to be a young man of achievement and character.  It was great to hear of their achievements.

The guest speaker at this event was David Calvert, a wonderfully enthusiastic gentleman with a lot to say in the short time in which he had to say it.  He provided a simple formula for success.

K A S H + P = Success

Being an engineer, I love a good equation.  Mr. Calvert had a scant 20 minutes to speak, but this was plenty of time to fill us in on its meaning, with time left over to throw in a few more words of wisdom.

K is for Knowledge. You will require knowledge to achieve success in all of your endeavors.  Become an expert in your chosen field and it will provide you with the foundation you need.

A is for Attitude.  To my utter delight, Mr. Calvert broke out into song (and not for the first time) when talking about the importance of a positive attitude.  Everything, he said, is a matter of how you look at it.  People with a good attitude can spin a rainy day into something great.

S is for Skill. There is a difference between knowing how to do something, and actually having practiced doing it and becoming good at it.  Sharpen your skills, and you will contribute to your success.

H is for Habit.  Mr. Calvert spoke of discipline and forming good habits in all areas, from exercise to work practices.  The difference between doing something and doing it regularly will show over the long term.

P is for Personality. Once again, we were treated to a song.  In one breath, he advised us to dream big, plan well, work hard and smile a lot! 

Lastly, Mr. Calvert spoke this tantalizing phrase: "What I'm about to tell you will change your life forever."  Everyone in the room waited in suspense.  He relayed a quote from Cicero: "Gratitude is not only the greatest of the virtues but the parent of all others."  Said another way, gratitude is the mother of all virtues.  If you thank people every time they do something nice for you, your life will be transformed; the link between gratitude and one's well-being is shown through scientific studies.

The Boy Scouts of America is an excellent organization; my husband earned his Eagle Scout rank as a teenager and still uses those skills today, speaking fondly of his time in Scouts.  I am proud to support the Scouts, both now and into the future, as they continue to help young men with life skills that will prove to be invaluable and beneficial to them.  

Fighter pilots and the battle for music education

Yesterday evening I was delighted to attend the Continental League Music Festival at the Boettcher Concert Hall.  Students from every DCSD high school, along with students from Heritage, Regis Jesuit, and Littleton High Schools were selected to participate in three honor ensembles: orchestra, choir and band.  All three groups shared the stage and even performed as a combined ensemble to close the program.  The caliber of these musicians was outstanding; they all put in hard work and are truly to be congratulated.

I usually sit in this section when I attend Colorado Symphony concerts--but it wasn't conducive to seeing the entire group of students!

The three ensemble conductors were accomplished musicians and educators.  During the performances, each took the opportunity to advocate for music education in their own ways.  Being an aerospace engineer who is also a civil servant, one speech in particular resonated with me, although I suspect it would have done so even if I were neither of those two things.  Colonel Lowell Graham (USAF, Ret.), conducted the honor band.  As the former commander and conductor of the U.S. Air Force  Band, he proposed five ways that musicians are like fighter pilots.  Or, as I prefer to think of it, ways that fighter pilots are like musicians.

Work independently.  Fighter pilots are generally alone in the cockpit.  They need to know how to operate the aircraft and use it for the purpose at hand.  Music breaks down to individuals who play individual instruments or sing using individual voices.  Each musician is responsible for his or her own part of the music and must work to learn it themselves.

Work as a team.  A pilot is not alone.  He or she has a ground crew, receives direction from others, and works in tandem to accomplish the mission.  Any musician who has ever worked with any other musician needs to know how to collaborate to make an ensemble piece come to life. 

Look ahead.  Pilots are constantly scanning the horizon and the skies ahead as they fly.  Being a step ahead will help prepare them for engagement with an adversary.  Musicians know how to read ahead and be ready for whatever comes next in the music.  They cannot afford to be immersed only in the present, lest a change take them by surprise.

Multitask.  A fighter jet cockpit is a dizzying array of instrument panels, indicators, switches, dials and knobs.  A pilot must know how to stay informed of anything he or she needs to know in all of these readouts, while paying attention to the skies ahead and while thinking about tactics to wage the battle.  Musicians have multiple things to do when playing or singing with a group as well.  While manipulating the instrument or using a voice to bring the music to life, he or she is also listening to fellow musicians and being attentive to the conductor. Multitasking is a necessity.

Complex problem-solving.  Fighter pilots think on their feet.  There is no time to analyze everything slowly.  Pilots think strategically to address all of the tactical issues that arise in the blink of an eye.  They are analytical and trained to overcome and win conflicts.  Musicians must be the same way.  A musician is translating the music on the sheet—essentially “code” printed on paper—into sound for an audience.  In doing so, the vast array of notes, clefs, ledger lines, key signatures, time signatures, dynamic markings, and other written instructions are simultaneously read to become seamless music that is heard and enjoyed by audiences everywhere.

I find this list extremely compelling.  This list is like a wish list for skills we need our kids to have as they move through school and out into the world.  Training in music and the arts provides these things effortlessly.  No one is struggling to emphasize these things to kids in music ensembles.  They have learned them by default.

Education in music and the arts, unfortunately, is threatened by shortages in resources.  I have never talked to a single person who is cavalier about this, or who is happy with the idea of music and art education going by the wayside in favor of more “basic” subjects like math, reading and writing.  Rather, as Col Graham showed, everyone believes that the arts help our kids be better in those areas.  When I was at CU Boulder, the most common double degree was in engineering and music.  We cannot afford to let arts education continue to slide.

I have been involved in the Patrons program at Chaparral High School for some time now, attending and supporting events throughout the last few years for the performing arts there.  I know other high schools have similar booster programs to help their arts programs.  This is a great start—I want to do more.  I have already been working with other board members to examine ways to augment arts education in DCSD.  The Continental League Music Festival was a great event to revitalize my efforts.  Arts education is too important to sit back and hope for the best.

Charter Schools, Explained (Part 2)

Charter schools are public schools.  They are not private schools, or privatized schools, and they do not charge tuition.  Charters are funded by taxpayer dollars.  The funding they receive is, like neighborhood schools, based on an October count of pupils.  Charters receive 100% of per pupil revenue (PPR) for each student enrolled.  The district can charge central administrative costs for services provided to the charter, but the costs cannot exceed 5% of PPR in a district of over 500 students, like DCSD.  Charters might serve students eligible to receive federally funded student aid programs.  Charters are responsible for reporting to the federal government in accordance with any reporting requirements.  The charter will retain any fees charged to students.

A 2010 study found that Colorado charter schools on average receive 15% less funding per student than traditional public schools.  Although charters receive 100% of PPR for their enrollment, they do not receive much money for capital and facility needs.  Unlike neighborhood schools, which are built with district money on a site specified solely by the district, charters are responsible for procuring their own buildings, including the location and the financing.  They may work with the district to do so but they are not required to.

The U.S. Department of Education has awarded the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) a five-year grant from 2010-2015.  The CDE Schools of Choice office administers Start-up and Implementation grants to various charter school applicants approved by CDE.  Many new charters apply successfully for grants for start-up funds in the first year.  In subsequent years, the grants may be used for expenditures on items such as curriculum, technology, and training for teachers and charter boards. 

Charter schools are public entities under state law and as such, they carry all the powers of a public nonprofit entity.  They are protected from capricious decisions by an authorizer who might take an action such as arbitrarily refusing to renew a charter.  By retaining public entity status and therefore having the right to sue an authorizer, charter school financing is more attractive to lenders.

In Colorado, the 2012 legislative session saw the signing of Senate Bill 12-067 into law, which requires all charter school boards to be non-profit entities.  No for-profit charter school operators will be permitted to charter with school districts.  This prevents not only a for-profit entity from holding a charter, but also prevents them from establishing “captive” boards.  Non-profit charter boards can still contract with for-profits to run the schools, but the board retains control.  This legislation helps keep charters in the hands of parents and the community.

Charter school finance can be difficult to understand and navigate.  However, it is worthwhile to understand the funding challenges at hand for all public school options, including charters.  As a community, educating ourselves about these important issues can lead us to ideas and solutions.

Charter Schools, Explained (Part 1)

As I mentioned in my previous post, I hope to provide a short series of posts that provides facts about charters and how they are an additional choice for parents in DCSD.  This post discusses what charters are, how they are created, and how they are accountable to families.

A charter school is a public school that is operated under separate accountability rules than a traditional neighborhood school. Charters are usually begun and operated by parent, teacher and/or community groups who have a particular vision for the education they would like to see their children receive. Colorado law allows these groups to charter, or to enter into a contract, usually with a school district, to realize this vision. The forward-thinking Colorado General Assembly noted that charters could act as a vehicle for public schools to provide more innovation in education. The result has been schools of choice for parents and children, where the community has far more flexibility and control.

Getting a charter approved by a school district is a very thorough process for those who apply. The school district and the applicant should work together to ensure that not only are all statutory requirements met, but also that a good working relationship is established. In DCSD’s case, we want to ensure that any new charter school is a success. Our highly qualified and experienced staff, as well as our strong community of charters, can help new applicants have the best outcomes possible. Note that private schools or non-public homeschool organization cannot apply for a charter. For-profit organizations such as education management organizations are prohibited from entering into any Colorado public school charter contracts. They may, however, contract with charter governing boards to provide educational services. The charter remains in the hands of the not-for-profit board running the school.

Although a family must apply to a charter school, charters are tuition-free and cannot discriminate against anyone who wishes to enroll, nor can they establish “test-in” requirements. Charters can and do serve many different demographics, including students who are disabled or have special needs, students who are low-income, students who are low performers and students of all ethnic and racial backgrounds.

Colorado law does not place a cap on the number of charter schools in the state. Any group can come to its district of choice at any time with a charter application. Districts cannot refuse to hear applicants, or place a moratorium on hearing applications. DCSD is committed to offering choices to meet parent demand; we work with charter applicants to build successful schools. Any charter applicant who believes their application was rejected unfairly can appeal to the state Board of Education, and many groups have prevailed there over local school districts.

Charter schools have a fair amount of autonomy, but remain accountable in numerous ways. The charter made with the school district authorizer is a binding contract, and the school is required to adhere to it. The school, overseen by the governing board, is accountable most importantly to parents and students. Charter schools receive increased scrutiny and must renew their charter every few years. Students take state assessment exams, and the results by school are made public for purposes of additional accountability.

For more resources, see the Colorado League of Charter Schools, the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) charter school website, and Colorado Charters, a blog run by the Charter School Solutions group.

Still to come in my charter school series:

• Charter school funding
• Accreditation and teachers
• Charter information in DCSD and statewide
• Additional resources from the Colorado Department of Education and the Colorado League of Charter Schools