Douglas County School

Turns out that spending time around kids is great preparation for leading a building of more than 2,200 teenagers. Legend High School Principal Jason Jacob said working at different sports camps during his youth and teenage years got him interested in working with kids. And as a former college athlete, he also fell in love with coaching kids. He attended the University of Northern Colorado which also drew him towards education due to the university’s teaching college.

Hispanic Heritage Month is an annual celebration from September 15 to October 15 which provides an opportunity to honor the rich history, traditions, and contributions of Hispanic and Latino Americans. Castle Rock Middle School (CRMS) recognized Hispanic Heritage Month in a big way this year.

Mountain Vista High School Teacher Natalie Bernard has worked for Douglas County School District for more than ten years. She is an english teacher who has had an incredible impact on the students and staff she interacts with.

A dirt field that served the needs of students for more than 40 years is now a new athletic field with brand-new artificial turf and goalposts. Douglas County High School (DCHS) in Castle Rock officially debuted the Jan Shawcroft Field on August 31, before the freshman football game.

Meet Alison Shanor, Mountain Ridge Middle School Principal It’s probably no surprise that Alison Shanor chose education as a career path since she comes from a family of educators. Her dad was a principal, her mom was a school counselor, and her aunts and uncles are all educators. Alison says she always wanted a job working with and supporting kids.

Ponderosa High School recently celebrated its 40th anniversary and Legacy Point Elementary celebrated its 20th anniversary!

Congratulations to STEM School Highlands Ranch 6th grader Anirudh Rao who won the Paradigm World Challenge! The ceremony was held in Los Angeles and Anirudh earned the recognition for inventing an early warning system for tornadoes. He is the youngest to ever receive this particular award, which includes legal consultation to move forward with the patent process.

Growing up in rural Louisiana in a town of 1,200 people and graduating high school in a class of 23 people, Tom Graves never imagined he would someday land a job at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). After working on top missions and helping land a man on the moon, Tom now shares his life experiences as a substitute teacher at Legend High School in Parker.

Eldorado Elementary students, 5th grader Skylar and 2nd grader Nolan, wereSkylar and Nolan hugging their dad Sergeant Ryan Ernst surprised by seeing their dad for the first time in over 280 days.

Jordan Hinton is a DCHS grad whose passion for agriculture and animals led her to open a craft meat market.

Highlands Ranch High School science teacher Warren Berg was one of only 18 teachers nationwide selected as a NASA Astronomy Activation Ambassador (AAA). Berg spent five months learning about the importance of Infrared Astronomy. Then, in July, Warren traveled to the Big Island of Hawaii to see infrared astronomy in action.

Approximately 130 DCSD staff and members of the Douglas County community took part in the Second Annual Perseverance Golf Tournament at the Lone Tree Golf Course on July 24. The Perseverance Golf Tournament is a fundraiser for the Perseverance Scholarship for DCSD graduates. In addition to raising money, the tournament is a fun way for DCSD staff to connect before the start of the new school year and build relationships with community partners who help make the event possible.

Stone Mountain Elementary School staff took on a project to update the gym logo to align with the school’s colors and mascot. School administration, along with the PTO, helped guide and collaborate on the project design. After several designs were explored and refined, the PTO contacted local artist Phillip Bernal, who’s been painting murals and award-winning chalk art for more than twenty years.

On Tuesday morning, May 23, 2023 Parker’s Pioneer Elementary held a celebration for the addition of a Peace Pole Garden to their school. Their Peace Pole has the inscription of “May Peace Prevail on Earth” from the countries of the eight most commonly spoken languages in Douglas County including: Belarus, China, India, Mexico, Pakistan, Singapore, Vietnam and the United States. Pioneer Elementary’s Peace Pole garden provides a quiet spot for the Douglas County Community to reflect upon what it means to live peacefully among different cultures and beliefs.

ThunderRidge High School’s Peer Intern Program offers an opportunity for students to learn about and assist classmates whose learning abilities are unlike their own. The Peer Intern Program is a semester-long class where students pair with students in the significant support needs (SSN) program.

Students participated in the annual Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Carnival. The carnival is a fun way for DHH kids to make connections.

DCSD’s Bridge Transition Program recently held an Art Show, which also served as a fundraiser, at Union American Bistro in Castle Rock. The Bridge Transition Program serves young adults ages 18-21 with developmental disabilities to prepare them for life after high school. In total, the students created 170 art pieces and sold 147 of them! The Art Show raised close to $4,000 to support the Bridge Program.

Over the past couple of months, our high schools have been participating in Wish Weeks which have become an important tradition here in DCSD. During Wish Weeks, high school students and staff come up with a variety of fundraising activities and events to grant the wish of a child who is battling health challenges.

The Colorado Department of Education (CDE) is recognizing several Douglas County School District schools for high academic achievement. The Governor’s Distinguished Improvement Award is given to schools demonstrating exceptional student growth. The John Irwin Schools of Excellence awards recognize schools that demonstrate exceptional academic achievement over time.

Mechanics from Christian Brothers Automotive and students from Mesa Middle School teamed up to tear down some engines in a hands-on lab. Students who participated rolled up their sleeves, grabbed some tools, removed some bolts, and even got to take home a souvenir.

For families who are embarking on the homeschool journey with children entering kindergarten next fall, a partnership with Cloverleaf Enrichment School may be just the ticket. One day each week students and families switch up the homeschool routine and join their friends at Cloverleaf. Kindergarten is just the beginning, as the Cloverleaf program extends all the way through 12th grade. The hallmark of the Cloverleaf experience for all grade levels is a strong sense of community, as one day each week students have a change of pace from the homeschool routine and join a close-knit community of learners guided by state licensed teachers. Students take part in project-based learning exploration, strengthen important social and life skills, and build strong relationships. For high school students, enrichment includes opportunities to earn transcript credit, as well as access to concurrent enrollment and career technical education classes, including those provided at DCSD’s new Legacy Campus.

Friendly dogs who calmly travel alongside their handlers are becoming more common throughout the Douglas County School District (DCSD) as Animal-Assisted Intervention (AAI) programs are on the rise. DCSD currently has eight teams of therapy dogs and their handlers assisting students including School Resource Officers (SROs) and school staff (counselors, teachers, and specialists).

DCSD’s Kelli Mueller was named a finalist for the Colorado Association of School Nurses’ 2022 School Nurse of the Year Award. With nearly 750 school nurses throughout the state, it’s quite an honor to be nominated for this prestigious award. “I’m very touched by this recognition,” Kelli said.

As public educators, we have the beautiful opportunity to provide universal access to education, help students fulfill their potential, and prepare for the future. You never know what each year will bring, but one can count on the excitement of learning. Being a public educator is an honor and a huge responsibility.

Northeast Elementary was recently recognized by Solution Tree as a Model Professional Learning Community (PLC) at Work® for its sustained success in raising student achievement. The school’s successful implementation of the PLC at Work process was a major contributing factor in the improved achievement of its students.

I took over the principalship in the midst of a pandemic and in the middle of a school year. I am most proud of being able to maintain the incredible and supportive culture and climate that is Flagstone. Ensuring that people are honored, valued, and trusted as professionals are one of my most important priorities as a leader because staff that feels valued work hard and are committed. And that has an immediate and positive impact on our most valued customers... our STUDENTS!

At Cherry Valley Elementary (CVE), what started as a pilot incubator program with a handful of chickens has hatched into a year-round agricultural program run by the school’s 13 fifth and sixth-grade students.

Sean Patterson, the new ThunderRidge High School principal, loves seeing the students and teachers engaging in learning!

The Colorado High School Activities Association Hall of Fame announced its Class for 2022, and DCSD is proud to have two of the seven members selected for induction: Coach Tim Ottman from Ponderosa High School and Highlands Ranch High School basketball standout Ann Strother Abromaitis.

“No matter how many obstacles you come across, if you push yourself and persevere, you can accomplish almost anything!” This is the message Colorado Rapids player, Diego Rubio, conveyed to Pine Lane Elementary students during his visit for Hispanic Heritage Month.

I always knew I would do something in education, even as a young child, and that was confirmed the more I learned about teaching and had opportunities to be in classrooms with children.

We’re excited to announce that Castle View High School will produce Frozen, The Musical in November 2023! Talk about magical! Through a unique nationwide competition, one high school in every U.S. state and territory were granted the rights to produce Disney’s Frozen: The Broadway Musical in their local communities. The winning productions will mark the first-ever school productions of Frozen anywhere in the world. Congratulations Sabercats!

Colorado Proud School Meal Day is held annually on September 20 to spotlight Colorado agriculture and to educate students about healthy eating. In celebration of Colorado Proud School Meal Day, DCSD’s 51 elementary schools featured a Colorado Proud Meal for lunch: mixed melons and honeydew, rainbow carrots, cherry tomatoes, and cucumbers on the harvest bar, and fresh roasted fingerling potatoes with broccoli and cheese sauce. Colorado Proud School Meal Day is a great way to introduce fresh produce and food to children who might be unfamiliar with some items. This year, in connection with Colorado Proud School Meal Day, DCSD families and members of the community visited a day-long Farmer’s Market on the front lawn of Arrowwood Elementary in Highlands Ranch. DCSD’s Nutrition Services partnered with Hoffman Farms in Greeley and other local producers, such as Beyond the Hive, Merfs, and Yumbana, which supplied fresh produce and food available for purchase. Attendees had the opportunity to purchase corn, Palisade peaches, shishito peppers, tomatoes, Pueblo chilis, honey sticks, hot sauce and condiments, and gluten-free baked goods.

Welcome to Bellisimo Blu Salon and Academy at Highlands Ranch High School, operated by students enrolled in the cosmetology program. On August 11, Highlands Ranch High School hosted a grand opening ceremony for Bellisimo Blu Salon and Academy.