to Succe

LIFELONG LEARNING

HUMAN DIVERSITY

SHARED

RESPONSIBILITY

INDIVIDUAL

POTENTIAL

EDUCATIONAL

EXCELLENCE

PRODUCTIVE EFFORT

ETHICAL BEHAVIOR

CONTINUOUS

IMPROVEMENT

vigating

Annual Report

Table of Content

Douglas County School District

Board of Education

Seven members on the Douglas County Board of Educa-

tion represent different parts of the county. Members are

elected and serve staggered four-year terms. Public

meetings are scheduled on the first and third Tuesday

each month and allow time for public comment.

elcome

Meet our new superintendent

Farewell

Parting words from retiring leadership

Student Achievement

View current CSAP data

Innovative Direction

Enrollment and growth trends

Financial Management

Budget Task Force looks toward the future

2001-2002 Budget profile

Community Input

Citizens, students and staff working together

Activitie

and Athletic

Augumenting classroom-based learning

Reaching for Excellence

Outstanding accomplishments and achievements

Number Sen

Facts and figures illustrate day-to-day operations

Directory

Listing of all Douglas County school sites

Bill Noyce, Vice President

Director District C

Term expires November 2003

Victoria Starkey, Secretary

Director District A

Term expires November 2003

Tim White, Director

Director District D

Term expires November 2005

Jacqueline Killian, Director

Director District G

Term expires November 2005

Jim McCormick, Director

Director District E

Term expires November 2005

John Sheehan, President

Director District B

Term expires November 2005

Kenneth B. Buckius, Treasurer

Director District F

Term expires November 2003

Published by the Office of Communications • Douglas County School District

620 Wilcox Street, Castle Rock, CO 80104 • (303) 814-5211 Fax (303) 814-5311

Navigating . . .

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.

In this report, Douglas County School District has pulled together a broad

range of information, that shows how learning happens for the district’s 39,000

students. We are proud of our students and believe in the work our staff is

doing to create an optimal learning environment. To accomplish rigorous goals,

we have adopted a model of continuous improvement with careful monitoring

by the Douglas County School District Board of Education.

You will find the component parts of Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI)

in every aspect of district operations. The district has completed in-depth

training of its top leadership in the CQI principles. This effort helps align

district, school and classroom resources in ways that seek out more efficient

ways for our students to achieve.

Our Board of Education operates on a model of Policy Governance. Their

governance model requires close monitoring of progress on the measurable

goals set out in the district’s

comprehensive Strategic Plan,

as well as careful oversight of the

district’s budget.

The district tracks performance in

critical content areas with a range of

classroom assessments, as well as the

Colorado Student Assessment

Program (CSAP) and college entrance

exams, such as the ACT. We also

teach our students other important

skills in areas such as physical education,

foreign language, art and music.

Douglas County students consistently

perform above state and national

averages on standardized tests.

Christensen brings a

unique set of skills

that will take our

schools to the next

level of excellence.

DCSD Board

of Education

elcome . . .

Varied beliefs and backgrounds strengthen

a public education system. We respect

differences that contribute to a better

society for all human beings.

Jim Christensen will

begin his duties as

superintendent at

Douglas County School

District on July 1, 2003.

He comes to Douglas

County from Adams 12

Five Star School District,

where he served as

superintendent. His career

includes time as a middle-

school teacher, a high-

school teacher, principal

and superintendent.

Christensen will add to

a leadership team that

includes Assistant Super-

intendent for Research

and Assessment Elliott

Asp and Assistant Super-

intendent for Human

Resources Bill Hodges.

The Douglas County School

District is noted around the

state for having a caring and

competent staff who con-

tinually set the bar high in

terms of expectations for

student performance. I’m

committed to keeping our

classrooms focused on the

core mission of improved

student success, with a strong

appreciation for the role that

parents play as our partners.

As responsible stewards of

our taxpayers’ dollars, we

will continue to hold our

district accountable to our

community on financial

issues. We will maintain the

highest standards of fiscal

responsibility through sound

financial practices, and

maintain open and honest

communications with our

community and Board of

Education.

The Douglas County

community should feel

proud about the commit-

ment that this district makes

to high student performance

alongside positive expecta-

tions for behavior. Clearly

many quality milestones

mark this district’s history

and now, as the title of this

annual report indicates, we

are navigating pathways for

future success. I’m looking

forward to working side-by-

side with you as we use the

lessons from our past leaders

to embark on new and

exciting beginnings.

—Jim Christensen

Along with their demon-

strated expertise, Hodges

and Asp will bring a sense

of history and continuity

to Christensen’s leadership

transition.

I am truly honored to

serve the Douglas County

community as your super-

intendent. As a new team

member of one of the state’s

premier school districts, I’m

eager to continue the

tradition of quality so

strongly established in our

schools.

Jim Christensen

t’s always hard to say

goodbye to people you

love, so this won’t be

goodbye. This district has

grown and changed enor-

mously since I was lucky

enough to come here to

work. One thing has not

changed: this district is

blessed with so many fine

people . . . who care so

much for the children we are

here to help; who work very

hard, day in and day out,

giving their very best and

who support each other as

they work together in this

worthy endeavor. This is

what made Douglas County

great to begin with, what

makes it exceptional today

and is what will carry the

district forward through

future challenges.

Ellen Bartlett

Assistant Superintendent

Human Resources

Farewell from retiring leader

hip . . .

ride. This word most

accurately describes how

I feel when thinking about

Douglas County School

District. I am proud of who

we are and how we make a

positive difference in the

lives of children daily.

In my tenure, the changes

have been dramatic. We

have grown from 3,000

students to 39,000 in the

past 22 years. Along the

way, our employees—bus

drivers, aides, principals

and teachers—have been

steadfast in caring for each

and every one of “our kids”

as they grow academically

and socially.

I am leaving this district in

good hands. My pride in

Douglas County schools

will not wane with time.

Thanks for the experience

of a lifetime.

Rick O’Connell

Superintendent

wenty years—where

did the time go? I recall

hearing about growth as a

cause for concern when I

came here in 1983, but I

couldn’t imagine then that

we would see 34,000 more

students in 20 years. I guess

I know where all the gray

hair came from!

It has been such a rewarding

experience for me. I have

worked with and for great

Boards and an empowering

superintendent. I owe them

many thanks. I have enjoyed

our capable and talented

staff over the years, which I

have come to appreciate so

much. I have served a

wonderful community, who

cares about education and

children.

All good things must end

sometime. In June, my time

here will be done, but my

“time” of reflection about

Douglas County will

continue forever.

Bill Reimer

Chief Operating Officer

O’Connell’s wisdom, vision and understanding

have enriched education in all of Colorado, not

only Douglas County. He will be deeply missed.

The Denver Post, July 20, 2002

hat a grand and

wonderful experience

being a part of the Douglas

County School District

team! I have been so

impressed with the quality

of people—administrators,

teachers, staff, parents and

students; the richness of the

work that is being done

here and the willingness of

everyone to “play,” as well as

work hard, while always

doing what is best for kids.

I count myself lucky to have

been a part of this great

district and am confident

that it will continue to be a

top quality district in the

future. Thanks for the great

opportunities and for

supporting school improve-

ment processes.

Patsy Gleason

Assistant Superintendent

Learning Services

Rick O’Connell (seated) with

retiring Assistant Superintendents

Patsy Gleason, Bill Reimer and

Ellen Bartlett (left to right).

Student Achievement

Success for each child

is truly dependent upon

a partnership among

parents, students, staff

and community members.

It is characterized

by mutual

commitment and

collaborative

effort.

This brief overview of

student achievement

shows achievement levels

and helps target improve-

ment for the all of the

district’s elementary,

middle and high school

students. The district is

proud of its students and

believes in the work

schools are doing to

create optimal learning

environments.

Douglas County School

District tracks perfor-

mance in critical content

areas with a variety of

classroom assessments, as

well as the Colorado

Student Assessment

Program (CSAP) and

college entrance exams

such as the ACT. Dou-

glas County students

consistently perform

above state and national

averages, and the district

ranks among the highest

performing in Colorado.

Eighty-six percent of

Douglas County’s schools

received a high or excellent

rating by the state based

on CSAP performance.

In addition, more stu-

dents are taking the ACT

test than ever before and,

even with a much larger

pool of test takers, scores

remain well above state

and national composites.

Each school also tracks

individual student

progress on district

content standards for

reading, writing and

mathematics. In addition,

middle and high schools

report on science and

social studies standards.

In December, the Board

of Education approved a

recommendation to

expand professional

development time for

teachers. The bottom line

for the Board is improved

student learning. The

additional time will be

used for teams of teach-

ers to set specific goals

around student achieve-

ment, and to review and

develop instructional

strategies and interventions

for those students who

are not making sufficient

progress. Teachers will

also work together to

meet the needs of those

students who have

already met the goals.

“Teachers will be analyz-

ing student progress in

reaching these goals and

will have more opportu-

nities to work together

to improve instruction,”

according to Assistant

Superintendent Elliott

Asp.

Assessment

2002 Colorado Student Assessment Program

Percentage of students scoring At or Above Proficient

WRITING

Graduation Requirements

This year’s 10th graders represent the first class faced

with new proficiency requirements approved by the

Board of Education for the class of 2005. Unlike past

years, current 10th graders must be proficient on the

10th-grade CSAP reading test, or an equivalent

measure, in order to be granted a full diploma.

If a student is not proficient on the state exam, extra

instructional assistance will be provided along with a

future chance to pass an equivalent test.

“The continuing shift to a standards-based educa-

tional system requires students to demonstrate

competency before progressing through the system,”

said High Schools Director Ray Smith. “We must

deliver instruction in a variety of ways to assure that

the greatest number of students can be successful.”

“One Report” provides detailed data

Douglas County School District personnel have

merged the Colorado reporting requirements for

accountability, accreditation and

the No Child Left Behind Act

into a comprehensive “One

Report.” This detailed report

provides an overview of student

achievement, as well as targets for improvement for

the district’s students. The One Report may be

viewed in its entirety on the district Web site.

If there is a school district in the state that deserves a few positive

strokes for its CSAP scores, it is the Douglas County School District

. . . to attribute the district’s success simply to the county’s rela-

tive affluence would be unfair to the district’s many talented

teachers and administrators.

Douglas County News-Press editorial

May 29, 2002

Colorado

Douglas County

50 50 50

100

Grade 3 Grade 4 Grade 5 Grade 6 Grade 7 Grade 8 Grade 9 Grade 10

SCIENCE

100

Grade 8

Colorado

Douglas County

One Report

READING

Colorado

Douglas County

100

Grade 3 Grade 4 Grade 5 Grade 6 Grade 7 Grade 8 Grade 9 Grade 10

MATH

39 39

100

Grade 5 Grade 6 Grade 7 Grade 8 Grade 9 Grade 10

Colorado

Douglas County

Individuals develop within an

environment that nurtures

intellectual, social, emotional,

physical and aesthetic growth.

Innovative Direction

Quality Teachers

Not only do we want to

attract the best and

brightest new teachers to

Douglas County, we also

want to retain our many

experienced teachers. The

district is very fortunate

to have built an excellent

national reputation, while

offering a high quality of

life to all employees. Our

hiring efforts are made

easier by these facts, but

the district also carefully

studies what makes this a

great place to work.

Last year, the school

district teamed up with

the Douglas County

Federation of Teachers

(DCFT) to conduct an

anonymous teacher

satisfaction survey (1,438

surveys out of 2,000 were

returned). The data

allowed us to take a more

in-depth look at the issue

of job satisfaction. Here

are a few of the findings

from this survey:

•40 percent of the

teachers (who self-

reported their educa-

tional background) have

a bachelor’s degree; 59

percent have a master’s

degree or higher;

•Less than three percent

felt that any aspect of

the work environment

needed a great deal of

improvement;

•83 percent said personal

safety and security were

very good or excellent;

•70 percent rated school

staff interaction as very

good or excellent;

•83 percent felt that

standards for student

performance are right

on target;

•90 percent usually or

always agreed with the

statement: “My building

administrator or depart-

ment head support me

in my work.”

In addition to what is

occurring internally, the

district is also facing

some new federal re-

quirements for teachers.

The passage of federal

legislation included in

the No Child Left

Behind Act, requires that

by 2006, all public

school teachers will

demonstrate course work

(equivalent to a college

major) in the exact

subject(s) they teach. We

are doing all hiring,

along with an audit of

current employees, with

these requirements in

mind. Finding the

highest skilled and most

caring individual teach-

ers for our classrooms

remains our primary

mission.

Human Resources

Long Range

Planning

Douglas County Educational Foundation enriches educational programs

Since 1990, the Douglas County Educational Foundation (DCEF) has enriched educational programs

within Douglas County schools. It focuses on the fulfillment of lifelong learning experiences for our students,

citizens and community. The Foundation builds community partnerships and seeks private resources to

bring innovative, research-based programs to Douglas County’s students.

Douglas County businesses, parents and community members share their time

and resources; their support has helped the DCEF contribute over $1.7 million

(1990-2002) toward educational programs.

In addition to classroom grants and other professional development, the DCEF

organizes special projects, designated grants and scholarships. Recently the

DCEF kicked off a major program, called

Math is the Path,

to improve students’ math skills.

DCEF

Growth Trends

Douglas County School District

continues its historical increase in

students numbering 2,000 plus

annually. The district has grown

this year to a total district popula-

tion of more than 39,000, making

it the state’s fourth largest.

Castle Rock is becoming the

fastest growing area of the county.

Due to this growth trend, El-

ementary #37, which was initially

planned to be built farther north,

will now be housed in the Castle

Rock area.

The district’s largest class is

second grade, with 3,316 stu-

dents. Douglas County’s smallest

class remains the 12th grade, with

2,097 students. Because of this young demographic,

the district will grow next year by 1,000 to 1,200

children, even if no new homes are built. Even so, the

district will certainly pass the 40,000 mark when the

new school year starts in July 2003, when year-round

calendars resume.

Long Range Planning Committee

To meet these and future demands, the

district counts on the work of the citizen-

based Long Range Planning Committee.

This committee studies

growth trends and makes

recommendations to the

Board of Education on the

district’s five-year plan. As in

the past, the district remains

committed to staying in front

of the growth curve in order

to ensure that quality facili-

ties are in place to serve

students and our community.

The district will likely need to

ask voters in the coming year

for funds to keep up with

growth.

New schools

The district will open five

brand new schools for the

2003-2004 school year. In

addition, Mountain Ridge Middle School will

transfer its student body from the adjacent high

school into a new building. These new schools all

have official names, now that the boundaries have

been drawn: Flagstone Elementary in Castle Rock,

Legacy Point Elementary in Parker and

Timber Trail Elementary in Castle Pines

North; Rocky Heights Middle School

and Rock Canyon High School will

open their doors in Highlands Ranch.

Current Enrollment and

Five-year Growth Projections

30,000

40,000

50,000

60,000

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008

10,000

20,000

30,000

40,000

1990

2000

Student Enrollment by Decade

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.

Accurately planning for

growth and building

schools efficiently are

hallmarks of the district.

By using prototypical

school building designs,

the district has saved

millions in design fees.

The four-track, year-round

calendar, which started

with Sand Creek Elemen-

tary School in 1986, has

saved taxpayers more than

$125 million in principal

and interest costs.

Over the past two decades,

Douglas County School

District has passed eight

bond and budget elec-

tions. Though finances

continue to be stretched

tight, the district has

stayed ahead of growth,

while maintaining AA

bond ratings by Fitch and

Financial Management

“You have the best

[school district]

finance staff in the

State of Colorado,”

said Terry Casey

of Dain Rauscher

in response to the

district’s upgraded

bond rating.

Moody’s (and thus lower

interest rates for taxpay-

ers), along with the Board

of Education’s goal of a

five percent cash reserve.

That said, to maintain

this reserve and existing

programming, the district

is faced with the need for

a budget election in the

next year.

As Colorado wrestles with

an $850 million deficit,

school districts across the

state are awaiting to hear

the fate of their funding

for the current year, as

well as future years.

Douglas County School

District is expecting a

possible reduction in

current year dollars of $2

million from the state.

Even though the recom-

mendation from Governor

Owens’ office was to stay

away from K-12 educa-

tion funding, school

districts will not likely go

unscathed. The district

already has seen textbook

funding eliminated.

The district has formed a

Budget Task Force, a 15-

member group of citizens

and staff established to

prioritize possible cuts for

the 2003-2004 budget

year. This ad-hoc commit-

tee will be working to

review current programs

and services for possible

reductions, as well as

considering increased

funding sources to identify

spending priorities. The

slowing economy and the

uncertainty of school

financing at the state level

has the district facing a

possible $8 million in

reductions, which is

approximately three

percent of the 2003-2004

General Fund.

The task force will share

its thoughts with key

district staff, who will then

make final recommenda-

tions to the Board of

Education. Updated

information will be posted

on the district Web site,

including an opportunity

for community and staff

to submit their thoughts.

The final budget will be

adopted by the Board by

June 30, 2003.

Local-Other

Local-Ownership tax

Local-Property Tax

State-Other

State-Pupil Transportation

State-Special Education

State-Equalization

9,881,155

15,457,524

84,761,522

1,247,267

2,048,879

2,168,057

107,213,017

2001-2002 Revenue

Community Services

General Administration

Insurance

Business Support Services

ransfer of Funds

Pupil Transportation

Central Support Services

School Administration

Operations & Maintenance

Instruction

320,675

1,325,769

1,872,165

2,852,155

6,536,591

8,323,103

10,660,197

15,813,327

18,355,789

159,433,540

2001-2002 Expenses

Budget challenges are in store for all of Colorado’s public schools. Douglas County School District’s Budget Task

Force is looking at potential budget reductions and exploring revenue increases to help resolve next year’s anticipated

$8 million shortfall.

While Amendment 23 has helped to offset a decade of significant declines in state funding, the shortfall is severe. The

district has steadfastly maintained a five percent fund balance to help with the state funding uncertainties and to main-

tain AA bond ratings (thus greatly reducing interest expense).

The Board of Education is actively involved in budget oversight and closely monitors current

year financial projections, as well as the projected 2003-2004 budget. The Board is considering

a mill levy election in November 2003.

Finance

REVENUE:

$222,777,421

EXPENDITURES:

$225,493,401

The pursuit of

greater knowledge

and more powerful

thinking demands

hard work,

perseverance and

commitment.

School Advisory Councils

(SAC), include the

school principal, teach-

ers, parents and a com-

munity member. SACs

meet throughout the

school year to provide

input in the planning and

evaluation of the school’s

instructional programs,

budget matters, expendi-

ture of grants, school

environment and safety

issues.

One parent representative

from each School Advi-

sory Council joins a

school administrator, a

teacher and a representa-

tive from the business

community to form the

District Advisory Com-

mittee (DAC). This

committee reports di-

rectly to the Board of

Education on matters

such as effective-

ness of educa-

tional programs

offered by the

district and

progress toward meeting

goals outlined in the

district’s Strategic Plan.

The Student Advisory

Group consists of junior

and senior representa-

tives from each of

Douglas County’s high

schools. Students work

together to address issues

related to the educational

Community Input

experience and atmo-

sphere in each of the

district’s high schools,

culminating in a report to

the Board of Education at

the end of the

school year.

Citizens and

staff members

spend many hours

working on continued

improvement on the

standards of education in

Douglas County. The

following committees

serve Douglas County

School District:

Curriculum Councils:

Language Arts, Math,

Science, Social Studies,

Art, Music, Physical

Education, Health,

Foreign Language

Karen Durica

303-814-5258

District Advisory

Committee

Debby Novotny

303-814-5272

Health Advisory

Committee

Paulette Joswick

303-814-5363

Long Range Planning

Committee

Barbara Homrighausen

303-814-5224

Multicultural Alliance

Jack Kronser

303-471-3393

Community

The Douglas County School District Strategic Plan

was adopted in March 2000. When the plan was

approved by the Board of Education, the mindset

included periodic revisions. We have just about

completed the first revision of our plan.

A 15-member committee has been working for the

past six months to review, change and update the

plan. A new vision statement builds on the district’s

mission and core values. This revision forms a

foundation for organizational commitment to the

success of each child.

Input on the plan has already started with several

presentations to key groups and the Board of Educa-

tion. Feedback will be solicited throughout the

district and in May 2003 a refined draft of the plan

will be posted on the district Web site for further

review and comment.

Meeting student needs requires a clear focus on the

concept of “best practices” in our classrooms, schools

and departments. These research-based actions

characterize high-performing organizations through-

out the nation and world.

The strategic directions will remain the same in this

revised plan, as they have been in the past: 1) Re-

sponsive Governance 2) Student Achievement and 3)

Effective Use of Resources.

School district Strategic Plan sets path for future

Engaging all stakeholders in the

system (Responsive Governance)

aligns programs to better prepare

students (Student Achievement), while being certain

that finite resources are efficiently delivered (Effec-

tive Use of Resources).

This “balanced scorecard” approach to management

enables the district to offer a comprehensive plan for

organizational success, including being prepared for:

•

Competition:

We must accept the challenge and

deliver results that exceed customer expectations.

•

Meeting customer needs:

By understanding our

customers and their priorities, we can gain their

trust, respect and loyalty.

•

Funding adequacy:

Stable financial support from

state and local sources will enable us to fund the

educational goals and objectives outlined in the

Strategic Plan.

•

High performing programs:

The district, its staff

and students will only utilize programs and

processes with proven performance results.

By supporting our mission, aligning our work with

our strategic directions and by meeting challenges

head on, Douglas County schools will successfully

navigate its pathways to success.

Homeland Security

As always, the district’s first priority is the safety and well being of all children and staff members. The

district has a long-standing and strong working relationship with the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office

and other law enforcement agencies. Douglas County School District has done extensive work formu-

lating its comprehensive emergency and crisis response plans. Additionally, the district has been

working collaboratively with the county’s Office of Emergency Management to ensure school safety

plans are in place.

The district is pleased to announce the recent hiring of Larry Borland as the district’s first director of secu-

rity. He has been working in a similar capacity for Colorado Springs School District 11 since 1995. Prior to

that, Borland worked for the Colorado Springs Police Department. He has served on special task forces and

study groups, including the National Association of School Safety and Law Enforcement Officers. With his

extensive background in security and law enforcement, Borland is a great asset to the school district.

Strategic Plan

Our actions are distinguished by the highest standards of

personal behavior, including trust, honesty, fairness,

integrity and mutual respect.

Activitie

s and Athletics

4,445 athletes

participated in

board-approved

Colorado High

School Activities

Association

(CHSAA) sports

during the 2001-

2002 school year.

Ponderosa High School’s

wrestling team won the

2002-2003 Class 5A state

championship. Senior

Andy Etzen

won an

individual state champion-

ship in his weight class,

making him a three-time

state champion.

Douglas County High

School

Future Farmers of

America (FFA) students

qualified to represent the

North Central FFA

District at the state

convention in June 2002.

Senior

Samantha

Browneller

Extemporane-

ous Speaking

; junior

Chelsea

Good

Prepared

Speaking

; and freshman

Derek

Anderson

Creed

Speaking

, earned Gold

Level (first place overall)

individual awards.

In 2002, the

ThunderRidge

Grizzlies girls’ soccer team

won its third state title in

four years. While the team

has two previous Class 4A

titles, the third was its

first Class 5A state cham-

pionship. Senior

Kristen

Kemp

received the MVP

award for the 2002 state

tournament.

Senior

Zachary Valdez

earned

Chaparral High

School

its first state

wrestling title at the 2002

state wrestling tournament.

Buffalo Ridge Elementary’s

Destination Imagination

team took first place in

the 2002 state competi-

tion and represented

Douglas County at the

Global Finals in Knox-

ville, TN.

The

ThunderRidge High

School boys’ golf team

won

back-to-back Class 5A state

titles in 2001-2002 and

2002-2003. ThunderRidge

junior

Derek Tolan

joined

some of the best golfers in

the world to compete in the

2002 U.S. Open.

Ian Biggs

, a senior at

Douglas County High

School

, won his first Class

5A state title in his weight

class at the 2003 state

wrestling championships.

The

Highlands Ranch

High School

poms team

took first place in the Co-

ed Jazz Division at the

2002 Class 5A state

championships.

High-

lands Ranch

cheerleaders

also captured first place

in the Co-ed

Cheerleading Division.

The Denver Post’s

“Best of

the Best” in 2002-2003

high school sports included

three students from

ThunderRidgeHigh

School

Junior

Derek

Tolan

(

Golfer of the Year)

Senior

Jesse

Nading

(

Defensive Football Player

of the Year

Senior

Emily Waner

(Ms. Colorado Basketball)

Fourteen other district

athletes were also recognized.

Daniel C. Oakes High

School students

collected

nearly 13,000 pounds of

nonperishable food items

and paper products in their

2002 food drive to benefit

the Women’s Crisis Center.

ThunderRidge High

School

is the only 5A

school in Colorado to have

both boys and girls basket-

ball teams take state titles in

the same year. Each team

captured the Class 5A

championship at the 2003

state basketball tournament.

Douglas County High

School’s (DCHS) marching

band

took first place in Class

5A and earned

Grand

Champion

and

Best General

Effect

awards

at the annual

Pomona Marching Festival.

The band also took first

place at the Winter Guard

International Friendship

Cup in October 2002.

Ponderosa High School’s

yearbook,

Eques

, received

eight top awards at the

2002 Colorado High

School Press Association’s

state yearbook competition.

Chaparral High School

junior

Travis Little

and

sophomore

Taylor Gensch

qualified for the national

competition at the state

thespian conference.

This year, 58 students from

Douglas County high

schools participated in All-

State Symphonic Band,

All-State Concert Band,

All-State Choir, All-State

Jazz Band and All-State

Orchestra.

Chaparral High School’s

2002-2003 yearbook

staff competed with 30

schools from around the

country at the Rocky

Mountain Spirit Journal-

ism Camp and won the

Outstanding Theme

Packet

award.

Ranch View Middle

School’s

8th-grade girls

choir,

Pine Lane

Intermediate’s

5th

- and

6th-grade choirs and the

United We Jazz

group from

Summit View

and

Heri-

tage

elementary

schools

were invited to perform at

the 2002 Colorado Music

Educators’ Conference,

held in Colorado Springs.

ThunderRidge High

School

senior

Jesse Nading

was among the state’s top

high school athletes

honored by the Colorado

Chapter of the National

Football Foundation of the

College Hall of Fame with

Colorado Prep Football

Scholar-Athlete

award.

The Board of Education

recognized

Chaparral High

School’s Peer Counselors

for providing grief counsel-

ing for fellow students

following the tragic death

of a classmate.

Students in the

Family,

Career and Community

Leaders of America

(FCCLA) club at

High-

lands Ranch High School

organized and hosted a

“students only” 9News

Health Fair. Organizations

such as the Hall of Life,

Rape Assistance &

Awareness Program and

Tri County Health

provided students with

information and interac-

tive activities.

Douglas County High

School

junior

Daryn Petry

and sophomores

Scott

Varley

and

Domonique

Moore

captured a Gold

Level award in the

Chapter

of the Year

competition at

the state DECA leadership

conference in February

2003. Also earning a

Chapter of the Year

Gold

Level award for

Chaparral

High School

—the school’s

fourth consecutive

award—were senior

Robert

Reynolds

and juniors

Blake Fergus

and

Brooke

Nelson

Sagewood Middle School’s

2002-2003 yearbook,

Express Yourself,

received

Lifetouch Publishing

Company’s

Best of the Best

award as one of the top 10

yearbooks in the country,

chosen from about 55,000

entries from schools across

the nation. This is the

second consecutive year

Sagewood’s school yearbook

has been selected for this

award.

Chaparral High School

senior

Brittney Thall

received the Colorado

High School Activities

Associations

Interscholastic

Star

award for 2002-2003.

Ponderosa High School

poms team

won the

Colorado High School

Activities Association’s 2002

Class 5A Spirit Academic

Team Championship with

an average grade point

average of 3.94.

Chaparral High School

juniors

Megan Orcutt

and

Amy Robben

finished in

first place in the Hospitality

Marketing Management

Team event at the state

DECA conference to

qualify for the interna-

tional competition.

Nichole Torpey

, a senior at

Ponderosa High School

received a perfect score of

1600—800 on both verbal

and math sections—of her

SAT college entrance exam.

Andy Caldwell

, a science

teacher at

Douglas County

High School

, took part in

the National Science

Foundation’s Teachers

Experiencing Antarctica

and the Arctic program.

Caldwell traveled to

Antarctica to assist in the

search for and collection of

meteorites. “I think this

experience has made research

science tangible for my

students,” said Caldwell.

“They can see that science is

not just something that takes

place on a National Geo-

graphic special, but rather is

conducted by real people.”

Each of Douglas County’s

five high schools with

graduating seniors is

represented in the 2002-

2003 National Merit

Scholarship program.

Semifinalists are

Megan

Brown

Chaparral; Andrew

Chesla, Douglas County;

Michael Silver, Highlands

Ranch; Nichole Torpey,

Ponderosa; and Megan

Arenson, ThunderRidge

Reaching for Excellence

Douglas County High

School

senior

Laura

Johnson

received a

prestigious Boettcher

Scholarship, which

provides tuition, room and

board for eight semesters

at a university in Colo-

rado. Laura was one of

forty students selected

from almost 900 appli-

cants statewide.

Finding students and staff who go above and beyond is not difficult in Douglas

County. Notable accomplishments are published weekly in

District Newsline

, the

district’s weekly newsletter. A sample of these achievements includes:

Our district, its

systems and

processes will

be subject to

continual

scrutiny and

improvement.

We will be

recognized

for managment

by fact, results,

focus and a

long-range

outlook.

Douglas County’s

rans-

portation Departmen

t has

three driver instructors

certified by the National

Association for Pupil

ransportation (NAPT):

Michelle Brower-

Pupil Transportation

Specialist,

Pupil Transportation

Driver Instructor;

Kathy Catlin-

Pupil Transportation

Driver Instructor

Sharron Croteau-

Pupil Transportation

Specialist

Pupil Transportation

Driver Instructor

Colorado State Certified

Driver Trainer

Candidates must demon-

strate the ability to carry

out responsibilities at the

middle management level,

including implementation

of policy and program

directives and the aptitude

to develop programs and

materials within depart-

ment guidelines.

Tina Humphrey

, a lan-

guage arts teacher at

Cresthill Middle School

and a 2001 Denver

Writing Project Fellow,

represented the Denver

Project at the 2002 Na-

tional Writing Project

Urban Schools Conference

in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

1999

1998

2002

2001

Franktown Elementary

Principal

Linda Gutsch

was a guest speaker and

presenter at the 2002

International Education

Conference in Wellington,

New Zealand. “Many

countries are interested in

addressing accountability

relative to student achieve-

ment, so there was a lot of

interest in the Colorado

Student Assessment

Program,” said Gutsch.

“There is a lot more testing

and ongoing assessment of

student learning going on

in the United States than

in other countries.”

Ellen Muscato

, a third-grade

teacher at

Larkspur Elemen-

tary

, was one of four finalists

in the Colorado Department

of Education’s annual

statewide Teacher of the Year

program.

Pat Nicholson

Social Studies teacher at

Cresthill Middle School

was selected as a semi-

finalist. Colorado Teacher of

the Year is the state's most

prestigious honors program.

Douglas County High

School football players

hosted the Lehman Lions,

from Lehman High School

in New York City, for a

The Douglas County

Administrators’ Scholarship

program honors graduating

students based on perfor-

mance in academics,

community service and

extracurricular activities.

Since its inception in 1988,

$51,000 in scholarships

have been awarded to 51

students. Awards are

funded by private dona-

tions from administrators.

Here’s a snapshot of where

some recipients are now:

2000

Lindsey Towle

, a 2002 graduate from Highlands Ranch High School, is

currently in a pre-med course of study at Denver University. In addition to

maintaining a 4.0 GPA, she works in the admissions office and has been

selected to be a Resident Assistant next year at one of the campus dormitories,

a position usually reserved for upperclassmen.

Suzanne Myers

attended South Street Elementary School and Castle Rock

Middle School before graduating in 2001 from Douglas County High

School. She left Douglas County to pursue a major in Accounting at the

College of St. Benedict in St. Joseph, Minnesota. Suzanne works part-time

in the political science, sociology and peace studies departments.

Matthew Alderton

graduated from ThunderRidge High School in 2000.

Since then, he has been focusing on a career in journalism at Northwest-

ern University in Chicago, Illinois. He writes for the school newspaper

and recently completed an internship at

Chicago Parent

magazine. Mat-

thew is scheduled to graduate early in December 2003, due in part to the

courses he took for college credit while attending ThunderRidge.

Dennis J. Caldwell II,

a 1999 Douglas County High School alumni, will

graduate this spring from the Air Force Academy after consistently appear-

ing on the Dean’s list. After attending pilot training in Oklahoma, Dennis

plans to make a lifelong commitment to the Air Force.

Cherish Flieder

, who graduated in 1998 from Ponderosa High School,

attended two schools simultaneously—Rocky Mountain College of Art and

Design and Colorado Christian University. Cherish works in Denver as a

freelance graphic designer and illustrator and has an upcoming exhibit at

the Denver Public Library. She enjoys many facets of volunteer work, such

as teaching art to a group of Latino home schoolers in Denver.

scrimmage called Operation

Enduring Friendship.

Douglas County students

were able to meet and get to

know peers who were

impacted by the events of

September 11, 2001.

Highlands Ranch High

School

senior

Rebecca Hill

received the

Gloria Barron

Prize for Young Heroes