Douglas County

School District

2004 ANNUAL REPORT

. . . and so

much more!

Board of Education

Seven members serve on the Douglas County Board of Education, repre-

senting different parts of the county. Members are elected and serve staggered

terms of four years. Colorado law limits board members to two consecutive

of every month and allow time for public comment. Meeting agendas and

minutes are posted on the district Web site.

John Sheehan

Vice President

District B

Term expires 2005

“I have less than two

years left before term

limits require me to

step down. I hope that

this board can engage

its community and

staff in robust

discussion about what

it means to be

“educated” — beyond

the core skills of

reading, writing and

math as measured by

standardized tests.”

Kristine Sherman

Secretary

District E

Term expires 2005

“It is my goal that our

children graduate with

a solid understanding

of the “ABC’s” as well

as fortitude of

character, social

awareness, and

interpersonal

understanding so that

they are equipped to be

contributors in

society.”

Scott A. Campbell

Treasurer

District F

Term expires 2007

“The primary goal of

public education should

be to teach children how

to think clearly rather

than to clearly teach

them what to think. I am

deeply committed to

developing critical

thinking skills in our

children so that they can

become lifelong learners

who skillfully acquire

both knowledge and

wisdom.”

Contents

Superintendent’s Message ........................ 3

A Review of 2003 ..................................... 4

Student Achievement ................................ 6

Effective Use of Resources ........................ 8

Responsive Governance.......................... 10

Data Points............................................. 12

Core Values ............................................ 13

School Directory .................................... 14

To Contact Us

Douglas County School District .......... 303-387-0100

Superintendent .................................. 303-387-0123

Assistant Superintendents:

Learning Services .......................... 303-387-0088

Human Resources ......................... 303-387-0066

Research & Assessment ................. 303-387-0130

Career & Technical Education ............ 303-734-3867

Charter Schools ................................. 303-387-0127

Chief Finance Officer .......................... 303-387-0011

Communications ................................ 303-387-0033

Curriculum ........................................ 303-387-0121

Construction ...................................... 303-387-0328

Douglas County

Educational Foundation ..................... 303-387-0195

Educational Support Services .............. 303-387-0022

Elementary Education ........................ 303-387-0044

English as a Second Language ............ 303-387-0194

High School Education ....................... 303-387-0055

Home School ..................................... 303-387-0127

Information Technology ..................... 303-387-0140

Instructional Support Services ........... 303-387-0077

Job Hotline ......................................... 303-387-0007

Middle School Education ................... 303-387-0099

Multicultural Alliance ......................... 303-387-0555

Nutrition Services ............................... 303-387-0302

Operations & Maintenance ................. 303-387-0400

Planning ............................................. 303-387-0327

Preschool........................................... 303-387-0540

Purchasing ......................................... 303-387-0300

School/Community Partnerships ........ 303-387-0129

Security .............................................. 303-387-9999

Staff Development .............................. 303-734-3877

Student Assistance .............................. 303-387-0539

Transportation

East Terminal (Parker) ................. 303-387-0570

West Terminal

(Castle Rock, Highlands Ranch) .... 303-387-0407

Key Words

For more information about Douglas County

School District, log on to

www.dcsdk12.org

and click on the key word list in the

DCSD

Info

menu. Key words for specific topics

are indicated throughout this report.

Timothy L. White

President

District D

Term expires 2005

“Public K-12 education

remains difficult to

categorize by one-size-

fits-all accountability

methods. Some of these

measures are

confusing, but I can

assure you that we are

looking at each

individual child’s

progress and the value

that our schools add

each day.”

Jacqueline Killian

Director

District G

Term expires 2005

“Education is so much

more than a simple test

score in math or

reading. As a Board

member, I am quite

interested in how each

child is faring in a

range of subjects,

including art, music,

technology, foreign

language, careers and

more.”

Sandy Panetta

Director

District A

Term expires 2007

“The educational

experience must be

learning centered.

It is the Board’s

responsibility to

ensure that we are

all working

collaboratively to

enable every child

to learn.”

Jill Repella

Director

District C

Term expires 2007

“The Douglas County

School District is

successful when high

school graduates leave

with the understanding

that knowledge is found

within themselves. If a

student has a solid

foundation of education

and the belief that they

can succeed, then future

opportunities will be

abundant.”

dcsdk12.org

Key Word:

Board

Message from the Superintendent

“With a renewed sense of commitment, more

resources and a vote of confidence from Douglas County voters, 2004 looks to

be a good year for the district.”

Castle Rock Daily Star

It has been a fast-paced eight months since I arrived in Douglas County as superintendent.

A good portion of my time has been devoted to talking with as many individuals as possible in

schools, departments and throughout the community. Now I more fully understand how our district

has come to command such respect as a leader in education.

A special culture here has served children very well over the years. I am making some incremental

changes and improving the system by working closely with our Board of Education to implement

the Policy Governance model—this frees up our highly talented, skilled and caring staff to do what

they do best.

To guarantee Douglas County remains focused on its students, we have undergone a restructuring of Learning

Services. We are adopting a more integrated, feeder-area approach. By organizing six groups of pre-kindergarten

through 12th-grade schools under a single director, we will address school improvement in a seamless environment.

To put it mildly, I am thankful to be working in Douglas County, where there is such a positive atmosphere for

learning. We have high standards, excellent facilities, caring staff and

involved parents, which results in a strong web of support for

each individual child.

We appreciate the passage of both the bond

and budget elections this past November.

This infusion of much-needed funds will

allow us to keep up with growth and to

maintain our excellent standing in the

community.

Please let us know how we are doing

as we continue offering all our students

a comprehensive education—

ABC’s and a whole lot more!

Jim Christensen

Superintendent

dcsdk12.org

Key Word:

Superintendent

A Review of 2003

Surprise! Milken award goes

to Cindy Corlett at

Sierra Middle School

Dubbed the “Oscars of Teaching”

eacher Magazine

, the Milken

National Educator Awards were

created in 1985 to reward, retain and

attract the highest caliber professionals

to our nation’s schools. The

$25,000 awards go out to some

100 teachers across the nation

annually and can be used

any way they choose.

Last October, an all-

student assembly was

called at Sierra Middle

School for the sole

purpose of announcing

8th grade Science

Teacher Cindy Corlett

as the latest Milken

Award winner.

Corlett is known in

her profession and her

school for her creative

approaches to learning. Her

students participate in a variety

of interactive projects. Some of the

students’ favorites include preparing a

resume for a volcano, designing a CD

cover for their favorite rock groups (i.e.

igneous, sedimentary and metamor-

phic) and putting on a year-end

Science Expo where 8th graders help

tutor 2nd-grade students from neigh-

boring Pine Lane Primary School.

Two years ago, Mountain Ridge

Middle School Science Teacher John

McKinney won the Milken National

Educator Award. In 1999, Kathy

Granas, a former ThunderRidge High

School math teacher (now at Moun-

tain Ridge Middle School) won the

prestigious honor.

Telephone, web and e-mail services upgraded

Creating quick, reliable and integral connections that keep the district

moving forward has long been an important focus for the Information and

Technology Services (ITS) Division. The past year has seen the department

busy implementing upgrades to three of the main technology tools used by the

district.

elecommunications –

Multiple telephone systems were

consolidated and connected to a central hub switch.

Since the existing system could no longer support

the large number of users, a new phone exchange

was installed to allow for future growth and

more efficient use of resources. The new

system also uses voice recognition to

redirect callers to the appropriate exten-

sion or mailbox. New phone numbers

are now in place for all district sites (see

directory on pages 14 and 15).

Web site –

As a global window into

Douglas County School District, the

new Web portal offers access to infor-

mation about the district to a variety of

users. This information is not just posted

in a static format, but is actually linked

through the portal to real-time informa-

tion. Potential residents can use the new

School Locator to determine what school a

student would attend, based on the home address.

Be sure to bookmark www.dcsdk12.org for round-

the-clock access to everything from test scores and home-

work to job postings and project updates.

E-Mail –

The district brought e-mail servers in-house, which means yearly

fees are no longer paid to a host service. ITS staff maintain the system, and

have been able to customize it to fit the needs of the district. Staff can now

send e-mail, check calendars, schedule meetings, post information on a virtual

bulletin board and hold on-line conversations via group conference folders.

“My social studies teacher brings the classroom to life. She

loves not only her students, but also the material she

teaches. Her enthusiasm, passion and empathy touch the

life of every student that steps through her door.”

Ponderosa High School student

Grant awards delivered

across the county

For the first time in its 13-year

history, the Douglas County Educa-

tional Foundation (DCEF) pre-

sented educational grant awards in

“prize patrol” fashion. In January

2004, DCEF board members and

staff took to the road to deliver

magnum-sized checks and balloon

bouquets to schools across the

county.

Twenty-seven grants totalling

$49,880 were awarded to teachers,

parents, students and community

groups who were successful candidates

in the fall granting process.

Eleven years after its start, the

Foundation is proud to have pre-

sented a total of 844 grants to the

tune of $791,000.

The Douglas County Educational

Foundation is a nonprofit organiza-

tion created to assist

in funding unique

educational pro-

grams and activities in Douglas

County schools.

Youth Tolerance Summits were held in 2003, consisting of full-day

meetings held in partnership with the Douglas County Sheriff ’s Depart-

ment and individual high schools. Student leaders gathered at each high

school to talk about important issues related to getting along with each

other, while promoting tolerance and respect. The program honors the

district’s core value of Human Diversity in a way that creates meaning and

improves behaviors.

Specifically, the summits reinforced the message that students can make

friends across artificial societal boundaries. It encourages them to stand up

and help others in creating a culture of understanding.

“This program made a real

difference for the students

involved,” said organizer Jan

Laning, the district’s student

assistance coordinator. “We

are looking forward to

expanding into the middle

grades, which would further

serve to align our district’s

efforts in supporting our

underlying core values.”

The presenters at the

summits received many

thanks and excellent evalua-

tions, including this heartfelt

note from a student: “Going

to your conference made me

want to stand up when I see

something bad happen or

when someone is bullied. It

is definitely a reality check

and will make me think.”

When the weather has you wondering . . .

Dial 303-387-SNOW to hear up-to-the-minute school closure and delay

information, or log on to district’s home page. Weather related school closures

can take place throughout the entire district or by the following regions: East,

North or West.

On mornings when weather conditions are questionable, the telephone

hotline receives an average of 900 calls between the hours of 6 and 7 a.m.

When conditions deteriorate throughout the day, the hotline and Web site

reflect schedule changes within moments of when a decision is made.

dcsdk12.org

Key Word:

DCEF

High school students discuss tolerance

Student Achievement

“Math is the Path” provides

new avenue for learning

The Douglas County Educational

Foundation has announced plans to

help fund

Math is the Path

, a program

currently underway for kindergarten

through 6th grade. Teachers attend

an intensive training and return to

the classroom armed with new

techniques to incorporate into their

lesson plans.

Math is the Path

uses

objects to demonstrate math con-

cepts and encourages children to talk

about how they approach a problem.

Students develop a deeper under-

standing of how to solve problems

and learn how tackle a question in

more than one way. Teachers are

showing children how to take a more

interactive role as they work.

“The time spent working in a

manipulative manner is very produc-

tive,” said Julie Haskell, teacher at

Pine Grove Elementary School. “This

program builds self-confidence, as

students learn how to look further

into a problem. As they explain how

they solved a problem, their writing

becomes more coherent, and the skills

they have developed will help them as

they advance into more difficult math

subjects.”

The benefits of

Math is the Path

will

also extend to CSAP testing, as stu-

dents increase their ability to explain

their work and tackle problems

involving graphing and geometry.

Douglas County School District

students continue to outpace state

performance in every grade and every

subject tested by the Colorado

Student Assessment Program

(CSAP). Recent scores show stability

or gains across the board in reading

and writing. Math scores were more

variable with a notable increase at

grade 10, slight increases in grades

five and seven and small declines in

grades six, eight and nine.

Reading scores ranged from 77

percent to 86 percent in the profi-

cient and advanced category.

Superintendent Jim Christensen

said he was pleased overall with the

performance of the district. “We are

breaking apart the data to learn more

about what is working well across the

content areas and where we need to

focus our efforts for continued

improvement,” he said. “We were

especially pleased with the perfor-

mance of our 10th graders, who

increased their proficient and advanced

levels in reading, writing and math.”

ACT scores crept up slightly, with

the district average at 20.7 on the

ACT composite. All 11th graders in

Douglas County took the college

entrance test.

Results of the 2003 CSAP 3rd-

grade reading tests were released

earlier this year. Eighty-six percent of

Douglas County students scored

proficient or advanced.

“Clearly, Douglas County’s teachers,

administrators and students are

working hard and it shows,” said

Christensen. “We will always focus on

achievement and improvement, but

we should also take time to celebrate

our successes.”

Meeting conflicting

federal and state mandates

State and federal accountability

systems make it difficult for districts

to speak with one consistent voice

about their performance. “We should

insist on a nonpolitical solution to the

problem,” said Christenen, “and fast.”

Groups such as the Donnell-Kay

Foundation and the Fund for

Colorado’s Future are studying

possible solutions.

“It’s important for school districts to

speak in one voice to policy makers

about the problems inherent in the

system, stressing that schools still need

to be accountable,” said Christensen.

District working to comply with accountability measures

Aa Bb Cc Dd

Advanced Placement • Art • Astronomy • Band • Business • CISCO • DECA • English as a Second

dcsdk12.org

Key Word:

Assessment

English classes for parents

Douglas County School District’s

English as a Second Language program

meets the learning needs of almost 600

students who speak 36 languages. The

district also helps adult members of

district families learn English.

Through

The Parent University

, a

district program to assist parents with

various skills, adults can enroll in an

intensive eight-week English course.

Language of origin is not an issue,

because the classes focus on English.

“By helping parents

acquire English, the

district will help

build important bridges to our

schools,” said ESL Coordinator

Parke Covarrubias.

Teachers, administrators

“buckle down” on early

release days

Douglas County teachers and

administrators are working together

to accomplish school goals during

seven early release days throughout

the school year.

Schools have established Professional

Learning Communities within each

site to address specific curricular and

instructional topics. The designated

half-days allow teachers and adminis-

trators time to engage in collaborative

discussion and planning regarding

teaching and learning, student achieve-

ment and student support. Reports on

progress are submitted to the superin-

tendent throughout the school year.

District and school progress detailed in accreditation report

The Board of Education expects the district and all of its schools to be

accredited according to state law. Currently, all schools are accredited and

remain on a six-year review cycle.

According to accreditation indicators set out by the Colorado Department

of Education (CDE), the district passes with flying colors. “CDE clearly says

we have made a good faith effort at compliance,” said Elliott Asp, assistant

superintendent for Research and Assessment.

“Douglas County School District Re.-1 is meeting the

intent of the requirements as set forth in Colorado State

Board of Education Rules ... and will continue to be fully

accredited,” states a recent CDE report.

“This process fits well with monitoring progress toward meeting Board

goals,” said Nancy Sebring, assistant superintendent of Learning Services.

“We target goals appropriately and then help schools accomplish the goals by

looking deeply into the data.”

The Board also asks that the district and schools meet the academic

requirements of the federal No Child Left Behind legislation. While schools

performed extremely well on CSAP exams, the federal requirements for

Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) were not universally met. Elementary

schools met 43 of 44 targets, middle schools met 40 of 43 targets and high

schools met 34 of 35 targets.

The measurement of AYP requires

that schools and districts meet every

one of the subgroup requirements,

making it difficult for larger districts

to accomplish the goals.

“Douglas County is looking at

every student and every subgroup,”

stressed Sebring. “No child is invis-

ible in Douglas County!”

Despite the challenges, Douglas

County students are significantly

outperforming most districts in the

state. Students score 18.1 percentage

points higher than state averages on

the 23 CSAP tests.

“When we look at 2002-2003

CSAP results, Douglas County

improved in 19 of 23 tests,” said

Christensen. “We are seeing across-

the-board improvement.”

Ee Ff Gg Hh Ii

Language • Foreign Language • Gifted & T

alented • Health • International Baccalaureate

dcsdk12.org

Key Word:

One Report

dcsdk12.org

Key Word:

ESL

Jj Kk Ll Mm

Journalism • Kindergarten • Life Management • Marketing • Math • Networking • Night High

Effective Use of Resources

Voters give “thumbs-up” to

bond and budget measures

In November 2003, Douglas

County voters approved a $100

million bond request for new and

improved schools. Douglas County’s

student population is expected

to swell by 10,000 pupils

over the next five

years. The approved

building plan is

projected to

accommodate

growth until

2008. Voters also

gave a green light

to an additional $17

million in operating funds

to allow the district to keep up

with growth, while maintaining current

levels of service, including existing class

sizes and student-teacher ratios.

“With 2,000 new students expected

each year, it’s reassuring to know we’ll

have the resources to keep pace,” said

Superintendent Jim Christensen.

2003 Bond Election Construction Plans

Project Location Cost Completion

Sand Creek Elementary remodel Highlands Ranch $2.5 million 2004-2005

Eagle Ridge Elementary remodel Lone Tree $2 million 2004-2005

Rock Ridge Elementary remodel Castle Rock $2.1 million 2004-2005

Cherokee Trail Elementary remodel Parker $2 million 2004-2005

Mountain Vista High School addition Highlands Ranch $6 million 2005-2006

Elementary #41 Highlands Ranch $9 million 2005-2006

Middle School #8 Castle Rock $17 million 2005-2006

High School #8 Castle Rock $29.7 million 2006-2007

High School #9 Parker $29.7 million 2007-2008

New schools greet more than 2,800 students in 2003

Since 2001, Mountain Ridge Middle School has shared space with Moun-

tain Vista High School. On August 8, 2003, Mountain Ridge Middle School

students stopped “subletting” space from the high school as students and

teachers entered their own building across the driveway from the high school.

Rocky Heights Middle School also

opened its doors in 2003 to

students in grades 7-9,

with Rock Canyon

High School sched-

uled to open in

time for the 2004-

2005 school year.

Additionally,

almost 1,300

students are getting

settled in at Flagstone,

Legacy Point and Timber

rail elementary schools, which

also opened in 2003.

wo remodeling projects are scheduled for completion in fall 2004. At

Castle Rock Elementary, renovation plans include new carpet and enlarging

the art room. Northridge Elementary will get additional

classrooms and paving expansions to its parking lots and play

area. Upgrades to mechanical and electrical systems are also

included in the remodeling plans.

dcsdk12.org

Key Word:

Construction

Nn Oo Pp Qq

chool • Nutrition • Outdoor Education • Orchestra • Psychology • Preschool • Quarterback Club

Community Services

$50,957

General Administration

$1,647,213

Capital Reserve/Insurance Transfer

$9,882,902

Pupil Transportation

$9,733,809

Other Central Support Services

$13,074,772

School Administration

$17,968,286

Operations & Maintenance

$22,100,640

Instruction

$190,202,776

Contingency

$4,291,000

.02% .61%

3.62%

4.86%

6.68%

8.22%

70.72%

1.60%

3.67%

Local-Other

$10,890,000

Local-Ownership Tax

(in formula)

$9,674,071

Local-Ownership Tax

(out of formula)

$7,125,929

Local-Property Tax

(general)

$84,920,895

Local-Property Tax

(override)

$28,713,000

State-Other

$965,000

State-Pupil Transportation

$3,000,000

State-Special Education

$2,650,000

State-Equalization

$132,843,354

Transfer In

$450,000

3.87%

3.44%

2.53%

30.20%

10.21%

.34%

1.07%

.94%

47.24%

.16%

2003-2004 Revenues

$281,232,249

2003-2004 Expenditures

$268,952,355

School Finance Overview

Colorado’s “Public School Finance

Act” distributes state and local

dollars to the state’s school districts

for K-12 public education. Funding

is based on a per-pupil formula that

calculates total funding (Total

Program). In fiscal year 2003-04,

the Act provides Total Program

Funding to all Colorado school

districts via local property taxes

($1.5 billion), local specific owner-

ship (vehicle registration) taxes

($184 million) and state taxes ($2.6

billion). The state’s share—which is

also known as State Equalization

Aid—is provided to each school

district whose local sources are

insufficient to fully fund a district’s

Total Program.

General Fund Overview

Total operating revenues were

estimated at $281.2 million. Of that

total, the district will receive ap-

proximately $227.7 million (81%),

pursuant to State Program Funding

(for fiscal year 2004, the district

budgeted $5,741 per-pupil upon

39,700 pupils). The balance, ap-

proximately $53.5 million (19%),

will be derived from state and local

sources not covered by the act’s per-

pupil formula.

General Fund budgeted expenses

totaled $269 million. The pie chart

shows how the district has allocated

the $269 million on a program-by-

program basis.

District Financial Position

The district’s budget process has a long tradition of being

prudent and inclusive of community input. The district is

currently held as an AA credit by both Fitch and Moody’s, which are nationally

recognized bond rating agencies. Sound practices, conservative management

and a strong bond rating ensure the district’s long term financial stability.

DOUGLAS COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT GENERAL FUND

dcsdk12.org

Key Word:

Budget

Rr Ss Tt Uu Vv

Reading • Science • STAR Lab • Sports Medicine • Theater • Technology • United States

Responsive Governance

Safer schools a top priority for security director

Last year’s arrival of Security Director Larry Borland has expedited the safety

improvement at all district schools. “We need to improve our level of

security and revise and improve emergency response planning

and preparation,” said Superintendent Jim Christensen.

Borland’s department received a major financial

jump start with a $222,000 federal grant from the

Office of Safe and Drug Free Schools and the

United States Department of Education.

“The grant plan outlines major objectives,

many of which focus on the area of training

and development of personnel,” said

Borland. “A large portion of this funding

will go directly to schools for consistent

training of school staff.”

Along with the grant announcement, the

district has completed two audits of security

efforts, including an outside audit completed

in 2001 and another that Borland himself

finished in August 2003.

The 2003 audit report focuses

on four key improvement areas:

1. general organizational issues for

security services improvement;

2. student, staff and visitor protection services improvement;

3. crisis and emergency operations services improvement; and,

4. crime prevention and physical plant protection services improvement.

District security may be reached by calling 303-387-9999. Students, staff

and community members are encouraged to call this number in the event of

an emergency or any other matter relating to school security.

Four new Board members

elected to serve

A majority turnover of the seven-

member Board of Education

took place on November 18,

2003, when four new

members were sworn

into office. The newly

elected foursome

includes:

Sandy

Panetta

, who

replaced Vicky

Starkey;

Jill

Repella

who takes

over for Bill

Noyce;

Scott

Campbell

, who

assumes Ken

Buckius’ position;

and

Kristine

Sherman

, who filled

the seat vacated last

summer by Jim

McCormick.

Thanks to the retiring Board

members for their many years of

unselfish (and uncompensated)

service to the school district! Infor-

mation about the current Board may

be found on page 2.

“My son’s first-grade teacher has allowed him to come in for reading off-track, which I feel

has benefited him immensely. She has also taken the extra time to give me advice and help

me find strategies to help him as well . . . we would not be where we are today without her.”

Parent of first-grade student

dcsdk12.org

Key Word:

Security

Ww Xx Yy Zz

Government • Vocational Education • WINGS program • Writing • XML • Yearbook • Zoology

Linking schools, community

and the Board of Education

Every school in Douglas County

has a School Advisory Council

(SAC). This council is comprised of

parents, staff and community

members who advise the principal

on several key areas related to

student learning. Examples of these

key areas are: input on school

improvement goals, budget and

grant expenditures and a safe

learning environment.

Each SAC selects a representative

to the District Advisory Committee

(DAC). The DAC consists of a

parent from each school’s SAC, a

teacher, a community member and

a school district administrative

liaison. The DAC is a unique

district committee that, by state

statute, reports directly to the

Board of Education.

“Getting a student perspective is essential for the Board. It

allows us to better represent and clearly understand the

issues.”

Tim White, Board of Education

Student Advisory Group provides direct link to Board

Members of the Student Advisory Group (SAG) are taking their direct

connection with Board members to another level, as they work to offer a

unique perspective on issues and make recommendations to the Board of

Education.

The group is made up of 21 juniors and seniors attending

district high schools. DAC Liaison Debby Novotny coordi-

nates and facilitates this committee.

Board members have asked students for their opinions on topics such as

course selection, graduation requirements and open campus.

SAG members have made several recommendations to the Board related to

School-to-Career opportunities and the Senior Option program.

SAG members suggest that regular conversations take place among student

body representatives and school administrators to discuss ways to create a better

learning environment for all students. The SAG has requested that the Board

utilize the committee as a resource when discussing important issues.

dcsdk12.org

Key Word:

Community

A snapshot of Douglas County School District

elementary schools

7 middle schools

7 high schools

5 charter schools

1 ELOB magnet school

1 alternative high school

1 night high school

1 university center

25 preschool sites

October 1, 2003 enrollment:

42,009

.6% American Indian or Alaska Native

3.5% Asian or Pacific Islander

1.8% Black

6.2% Hispanic

87.7% Caucasian

The district strives to maintain average

class sizes of

students per classroom

teacher. Schools are staffed according to

these ratios:

Grades K-3: 23 Grades 7-8: 19.5

Grades 4-6: 26 Grades 9-12: 20.5

Graduation rate:

94.8

percent

Per-pupil funding revenue

(based on state formula)

$5,742

2,695

Certified staff

2,139 Classified staff

183 Administrators

85 Professional/

Technical employees

Douglas county teachers have

average of

years

of teaching experience.

Average years with

Douglas County: 6

Percentage with

bachelor’s degrees: 44

Percentage with

master’s degrees: 55

Percentage with doctorates: 1

Average new hire salary: $39,461

Average teacher salary: $47,394

360,000

volunteer hours

were donated during the 2002-

2003 school year, valued at

$3,500,000!

The citizen-based Long Range Plan-

ning Committee estimates that

2,000

new students will arrive in

each of the next five years.

An average of

11,900

students

ride the bus each day. By the end of

the 2003-2004 school year, more than

194 drivers will have covered

2,969,890 miles. 229 buses are

maintained by 15 district mechanics.

3,650

students are served at 27

before and after school child care sites.

225

students have submitted

applications for the 2004 International

Baccalaureate program.

568

students are served in the

English as a Second Language pro-

gram, representing 36 languages.

88,340

copies of this Annual

Report, printed at a cost of 22 cents

each, were mailed to homes and

businesses in Douglas County.

Douglas County School District

CORE VALUES

Educational Excellence

High expectations are the focus of everything we do. We

challenge all people to acquire a foundation of knowledge

and academic skills, and to achieve their highest potential.

Human Diversity

Varied beliefs and backgrounds strengthen a public education

system. We respect differences which contribute to a better

society for all human beings.

Individual Potential

Individuals develop within an environment that nurtures

intellectual, social, emotional, physical and aesthetic growth.

Lifelong Learning

Education is a process that begins at birth and continues

throughout life. We foster curiosity, motivation and the

desire to learn that extends beyond school settings.

Productive Effort

The pursuit of greater knowledge and more powerful

thinking demands hard work, perseverance and commitment.

Shared Responsibility

The partnerships among parents, students, staff and

community members are characterized by mutual

commitment and collaborative effort.

Ethical Behavior

Our actions are distinguished by the highest standards of

personal behavior, including trust, honesty, fairness, integrity

and mutual respect.

Continuous Improvement

Our district, its systems and processes will be subject to

continual scrutiny and improvement. We will be recognized

for management by fact, results focus and a long-range

outlook.

Revised by the Board of Education March 21, 2000