001Hello and welcome to the St. Brian Valley Schools Board of Education meeting of February 11th, 2026 Please stand if you are able and join me in the Pledge of Allegiance Thank you and Christy will you please call the roll sure mrs. Babs present mr. Berthold President mrs. Gilligan present mrs. Horanek here. Mr. Lechuga here. Mrs. Solomon Mrs. Weiss here Thank you. And are you aware of any changes to our agenda this evening? No, I'm not Okay, this meeting is being streamed on our website. We're recording will also be available if our live audience would please be sure Device notifications are silenced. We would greatly appreciate it The meeting is being translated into Spanish and headsets are available for anyone in our audience that would like them I will begin tonight's meeting with our district's mission
002statement To educate each student in a safe learning environment so that they may develop to their highest potential and become contributing citizens This mission provides clarity of our purpose and our focus leaders make all decisions within its context We have a special guest this evening Alex Schwartz, who's from Lyons Middle Senior High School. Welcome Alex Do you mind introducing yourself and telling us a little bit about you? Thank you and welcome please feel free to participate as much as you would like and we all circle back at the end to Just have you share some about your experience Thanks for joining us Next up is audience participation. I didn't see anybody on the signup sheet Do we have any members of our audience that would like to sign up and address the board this evening?
003Okay, then I'll turn it over to Jackie for our superintendents report. Great. Thank you. Well, we are very busy right now Lots of activities going on. We're in the middle of robotics and that's happening every weekend in all of our Elementary middle and high schools. We have students competing in mock trials We have honor choir and honor band concerts and state Band and state choir and all the music things happening right now And I've been able to attend some of those events and they're just really amazing the talent in our district among Students and then the staff that support those students is just outstanding Lots of sports. I had a chance yesterday to go See our unified Elementary unified from Blue Mountain and from Niwot Elementary compete at Niwot High School last evening They are
004just very enjoyable to watch them compete and then to see their families Be able to be so proud of of their competition is is also amazing We are in the middle of budget season We've actually just started a lot of our processes and those will go through the end of the school year We're looking at enrollment at all of our schools We've released staffing plans to schools today And so we'll be adjusting some staff based on ups and downs But this is really just the very beginning of that process and as we watch Our state budget kind of rollout will be able to adjust along the way And then also we're tracking on other Legislation and providing testimony down at the Capitol as that makes sense. We've always been very involved in policy Come from
005the mindset that if it doesn't work for us We should either write it or shape it somehow or testify against things that don't work well for us in public education So we've been very active at the Capitol and continue to be a lot of schools are participating in parent-teacher conferences This week and last week and with that comes book fairs and I love book fairs So fun to see all of that and then also hiring season We've started as many of you will have seen or will hear this evening. We have a number of administrators that were repositioning or Have moved into two different positions and we get to celebrate them this evening And then as we wrap up staffing plans and the staffings for each of our schools We'll be posting our teaching positions
006and our other Educator positions so that will go on for the remainder of the semester We celebrated counselor week last week and got to celebrate all of our outstanding Highly dedicated highly committed counselors and I too would like to thank them for their their work. They carry very big workloads and They do a lot to support individual students and also Some of the collective processes that we have in our school district like our grad tracker work, so They write letters of reference. They get kids into classes that align with their Post-secondary aspirations our counselors are just invaluable to this the system So it was nice to celebrate them as well And then Diane Lauer hosted a visit from the Colorado Department of Education As well as a number of educators from across the state who
007wanted to come and look at our literacy practices she provided them a school visit to Northridge and Just bragged about all of the work that those educators were able to see at Northridge and then she's bringing back another group In early March to really do the same thing to look at some of the practices that we have going on and st Vrain and we love those we really really love those visits. We like to showcase the work we're doing But we also learn a lot from the questions people ask and some of the practices that are happening in their districts as well So those are really good cross conversations and with that I will Just say it's been busy and it's been great and we have our gala our st Vrain foundation gala and I
008hope all of you are able to join for that at the end of February Thank you. Great. Thanks Jackie Um next up we have reports six point one safety and security Richard Costs about The district's AED program This year we added nine new AEDs across the district One of our largest undertakings of the year with our decision to move forward for the request of the proposal for a district wide camera Over sixty percent of our existing camera infrastructure decreases in the bike cycle and we no longer support it Rather than simply replace what we already have Through this process One of the benefits of this new system is it's web-based and this is what we're doing Apparently we're turned off now. Maybe you can hear me better And so We moved in this new system
009is a web-based platform And that will allow us to move away from these servers and potentially have a cost savings with it with the new platform Yes To actually and I think one is back on a charter to how often do the camera and I know with the The speed of technology and how fast things are, you know out of date when it comes to technology How often do the camera systems become out of date because you were saying we update those I think like annually the the servers we update ten servers annually So every about every five years we want to recycle all of those servers And with this so to that effect the web-based will that allow for those servers to go away? Yes Okay, is this when you say web-based is it
010cloud-based? It's a web-based camera with cloud storage with cloud storage. Okay. All right. Thank you Another important element of our campus safety is our student discipline process Last year three students moved through due process and received expulsions Another part of our of this process is our threat assessment team This past year that the team reviewed 451 initial threat screens. We completed 36 parent interviews and 77 full assessments and lastly the the backbone of our district safety plan is our relationship with our local public safety agencies We worked very closely with local law enforcement Various fire protection districts in four different offices of emergency management These relationships allow us to maintain a strong SRO program We oversee 60 annual fire inspections across the district and we contribute to district-wide emergency planning In addition, both Johnny Terrell
011and I are part of the Boulder County threat advisory group This group consists of representatives from both st. Rain and Boulder Valley school districts CU Boulder area law enforcement the Boulder County district attorney's office and the local FBI office And the purpose of this group is to share information And to support those beyond that are on safety plans beyond the school In and before I move into questions and one of the things that I haven't mentioned in my report I think it's important to recognize all the others that really help us be successful If it wasn't for groups like our custodial staff who are often the very first ones in the building and the last ones to leave checking doors our student services team with Counselors interventionist and the list goes on our maintenance team
012Who's just stays on top of everything to help little things stay little things and not become big things We would not have the access and be able to accomplish what we do without them So a tip of the hat to those groups, and I'm sure I'm leaving someone out There's so many others, but with that I'll stop and answer any questions you may have Yes, board members have questions. I do have one more and I and I know you mentioned the servers But the physical cameras and all of that let me take these off because I can't even see you the physical canvas of the physical pieces of the The security systems and I think that's what the question I was actually trying to ask as well How often do we have to upgrade that
013equipment? That equipment lasts us a bit longer And it varies I'd have to to get you an exact answer. I'd have to defer to our local team They're the ones that maintain those but we do have some of them that have been in service over ten years And that's a little too long. I think we can expect around eight to nine years Thank you for championing making sure that our buildings are safe and our students have an environment they can learn in so we really appreciate this work and our partnerships with our Local law enforcement and everyone involved. So thanks. Thanks for your report Okay, before we move on to consent items, I we have several new hires Amanda would you like to introduce them? Good evening. Dr. Caputian president Gilligan and members of the
014board. I Am very fortunate to stand before you and bring forward five Administrator introductions to you this evening and you'll see by their backgrounds that I'll be sharing in a moment That we are really fortunate to have such exemplary individuals who are very well prepared for their new respective roles I'd first like to introduce dr. Melissa lettuce as the principal of legacy elementary school effective July 1st 2026 Melissa graduated from the University of Colorado Boulder with a bachelor's degree in psychology and elementary education Along with completion of her teacher licensure program She continued her education at the University of Colorado Denver where she earned a master's degree in counseling Along with her special services provider license Dr. Lettuce then obtained an educational specialist degree an education leadership from the University of Northern, Colorado along with
015principal licensure and Finally she returned to complete her doctorate of education in Leadership for educational equity and executive leadership She brings over 18 years of education experience to her new role and is currently in her seventh year serving as assistant principal At Prairie Ridge Elementary School. I am pleased to introduce you to dr. Melissa lettuce and I believe she has a family member here also Good evening Madam president board members, dr. Caputian Thank you so much for this opportunity to serve as the principal of legacy Elementary it is an honor to be part of a district that sets such a high standard of excellence for public education And prioritizes the success of every student and my journey in st Brain has taken me from teacher to counselor to administrator It has shaped my purpose and
016the way I support students staff and families along the way But also my experiences as a parent with three students in this district Has really served a deep in my resolve and my commitment to the very important work that we do every day and My hope my wish for students at legacy is the same thing that I wish from my own children is to be part of a learning environment where they feel valued and supported and Challenged to grow with limitless opportunity So thank you. Dr. Caputian and mr. Bissonnette for your leadership and your trust I have learned so much from you over the years and I'm just really grateful that I can continue to do that and just want to say that it is an honor to be part of the legacy community and
017Really looking forward to working with the families and the staff To ensure that our students success though, thank you for entrusting me with such important responsibility Thank you. I Next would like to introduce you to Lindsay Laporte as the principal of soaring Heights pre-k8 effective next school year Miss Laporte graduated from the University of California, San Diego with a bachelor's degree in communications and Continued her education at Azusa Pacific University and earned a master of arts degree in digital teaching and learning She has a second master's degree also and her principal licensure in the area of educational leadership She brings over 17 years of experience to her new role and is currently in her fourth year serving as Assistant principal at Mead High School, and I believe she also has family members here celebrating her
018Thank you Madam president Board of Education. Dr. Caputian I am beyond excited for this incredible opportunity to be the next principal at soaring Heights. I have Dedicated my life to public education I feel it in my heart and soul and live our vision in st. Vrain every day nine years ago I moved to Colorado and met someone who was like you have to work in st. Vrain And I'm so fortunate as a math teacher at Altona to an instructional coach and the Frederick feeder and being part of the admin team at Mead I This is the best place to be and all of the support that I have been provided and Leadership that I've been able to experience So I'm just really really fortunate. I cannot wait to take my experience to be the next
019principal at soaring Heights and continue to work in such an incredible community of Supported families incredible students amazing educators And so I am just so grateful and humbled that you trust me with this just lifetime experience and Opportunities, so thank you again. Thank you for all your support, and I cannot wait to get started Next we have that Sarah Coniglio as our assistant principal a big sky pre-k8 starting next school year Ms. Coniglio graduated from CSU with a bachelor of science degree in human development and family studies She continued her education at the University of Colorado at Denver where she completed her teacher education Program and her teaching credential She and her master's degree from CSU and educational leadership and human resources along with her principal licensure She has been an employee of st. Rain
020Valley schools since 2018 and is currently in her fifth year as dean of students at Centennial Elementary And I believe her family is also here celebrating her this evening. Welcome up, Sarah Thank you so much. It's so great to be here Board dr. Kaputian. I am honored to be named assistant principal To serve the mead community at big sky. I'm so excited. I'm sorry. I get nervous Thank you to everyone that supported the bond that we passed as soon as we knew that we were doing that I got really excited about this opportunity and learned more about it And so I'm so excited to come along the big sky leadership team As you know as you may know we've been meeting behind the scenes and starting to plan and get really excited about What we
021want to create over at big sky and so I just thank you very much for this great opportunity And I'm honored for this role Next we have mr. Alan Culpepper as the assistant principal athletic director of skyline high school effective July 1 Mr. Culpepper graduated from the University of Colorado Colorado Boulder with a bachelor's degree in geography and sociology He completed his educator licensure program through Colorado birth of BOCES and also earned his master's degree in educational leadership from the American College of education in Indiana He's in his first year as dean of students at Erie high school and has also been a PE and health teacher for two years and in addition he brings experience in director of operations and marketing and Vice president of events for a large management company and has also
022worked in the state of Texas in this area as well Welcome up Alan. Hi. Well first. I just want to thank the board and you board president Gilligan I Just am so thankful to stay in st. Brain and to be a part of this great districts And thank you for all the work that you all do to ensure that we remain the top district in the state I also want to thank those that were just intimately involved with my hiring process Dr. Young miss Allen back Mr. McBride miss Thompson and of course principal Barella And I would thank you. Dr. Capuchin Your impact has already been significant and you bring just an amazing blend of strength and resolve and conviction But coupled with approachability and warmth and honestly, I felt that when we were about
023to walk into the door for the final interview and bumped into Into dr. Capuchin in the hallway and immediately she was just trying to make me feel comfortable So that we could really get to the heart of why I was excited about this role and why I wanted to be a part Of the skyline community. So thank you for that I really believe that we're drawn to our areas of giftedness and As a former Olympic athlete who then went on to be You know that had an extensive career in events and then now moving into education This role just brings together so many variables for me of my background and experience and my passion and my interest And I'm just so thankful for that But more than anything, I'm just excited to be a part
024of the skyline community That part for me was that that extra bit that I was just so appreciative and so thankful for and Deep in my gut and in my soul and in my core I know that that's the right fit and I've already felt that and so I am Super excited and I can't wait to get started and as principal Borrella would say it's a great day to be a Falcon Thank you And I would love to welcome up miss Jennifer Bacone as the coordinator of priority programs starting next school year She graduated from the University of Notre Dame with a bachelor of arts degree and a master's degree in education And also completed her principal licensure and education leadership program from UNC Jennifer brings over 27 years of experience as an educator to
025her new role She began serving in st. Green Valley schools starting back in 2005 and is in her 13th year Serving as principal at Mountainville Elementary She's also served as assistant principal in another district and has taught in our district for five years In the area of teacher and has been an assistant principal in other systems She's been an important part of our elementary principal design team as well. Congratulations to Jennifer Good evening madam president members of the board and dr. Capuchin I want to thank you for the opportunity to serve at Mountain View for the past 13 years While it is bittersweet to leave that amazing community. I look forward to the opportunity within priority programs To work to instill the st. Green advantage of ensuring excellence and innovation are an opportunity for students
026every single day So thank you for trusting me in this new role and I look forward to working with many new members Miss Gilligan, can I just say something? Thank you all for applying for those positions and accepting them when they were offered to you earned and deserved and We really look forward to seeing all the great things. You're going to do next It's really an honor to be able to promote people in our system from within Because we know how committed you are to the work that we do in st Brain and that and the standard that we hold for our schools and for our students So thank you all for the work that you have done and thank you for all the new work and all of the new ways That you're going
027to improve the lives of children in st. Brain Thanks. Oh, yeah And this is to echo what dr. Capuchin said I'm excited for all of you in your new position and mr. Culpepper I could because you come out of my my district, right? I looked you up right now I'm like, oh my gosh, we have an Olympian athlete. We have to make sure we say all that. So thank you Thank you so much All of you for for the work that you've already done in the school district and wherever else you've come from But we look forward to having you in your new positions in your roles Yeah, I just want to say congratulations to to you all and thank you for staying in our district and miss lettuce You know, you've had both my
028kids. Congratulations. It's a it's a great honor. Thank you so much for everything you guys do Yes, we can feel your enthusiasm and we look forward to seeing the great work. You'll continue to do. So, thank you next up we have Consent items would any board members like to pull any of our consent items this evening? Okay, and I'll ask for a motion to approve all consent items as listed in our agenda so moved The OSHA and Jackie Mrs. Babs. Yes, mr. Berthold. Yes, mrs. Gilligan. Yes, mrs. Horanic. Yes, mr. Lechuga. Yes, mrs. Solomon Yes, mrs. Weiss. Yes Okay, next up we have action items recommendation first reading discussion of board policy IKF graduation requirements Diane All right. Well, good evening, madam president. Dr. Kaputian members of the board I am so Pleased to bring
029this clean up policy forward. It's a little overdue I'd first want to just make certain that you all know that this Change in the red lines does not change our Graduation requirements at all. It really is a cleanup opportunity You all know that we have among the highest most rigorous graduation requirements in the state at twenty four point five credits and That has really served us. Well, so what you will see in The red lines is really getting rid of when we made the last change we've gotten Eliminated all the grandfather kind of class after class another thing you'll see is just giving us some Opportunity to instead of listing all the classes that could substitute for our personal financial literacy class we've Eliminated those because more and more are coming now that the state
030is making personal financial literacy Part of the graduation requirement for everyone again, we they're following our lead There's going to be more classes coming. So this really allows us that opportunity to Keep the policy clean and be able to work when new classes arrive They'll be vetted through our curriculum department and they'll be added to the list for our schools Thank you That's it. Thank you. Thanks for So and I'm all good with all of the red lines I just want to make sure on page or at least it's my page three. It's where It has the I guess the class class is 2017 through 2023. So basically you begin the the The current what we currently will have for all, you know our current students I just want to make sure that The title
031is not we don't miss the title because the title for that one is above it and it's it's red it's Marked out. I just want to make sure that that doesn't get missed Yes, and we'll work with but if you go to the very first page, we left the title at the very top Okay, and then yes, so we crossed out the second this subtitle Okay, so then when when word or what-have-you gets it, it'll fix it. Okay. Thank you. You bet Do any other board members have questions? No, thank you Diane and thanks for Cleaning up that report. It's much clearer and I appreciate it With that I'll ask for a motion to approve 8.1 recommendation first reading discussion of board policy IKF graduation requirements. So moved Jim and me OSHA Mrs. Babs. Yes,
032mr. Berthold. Yes, mrs. Gilligan. Yes, mrs. Horanek. Mr. Lechuga. Yes, mrs. Solomon Mrs. Weiss. Yes Okay, and next we have board reports Would any board members like to share? Okay, I do have time. So January was a pretty busy month for me January early February Just before the end of the month I attended legislative reception to dr. Caputian's point where she stated that we We we you know, we push out policy or let me rephrase We push out recommendations or For policy for our legislators and we meet with them regularly part of that my position on the CASB board and as part of the CASB membership We make resolutions and we want to make sure that we see the resolutions that we have Hopefully go to the floor and be voted upon and hopefully passed
033so meeting with some of those legislators talk legislators talking to them about Some of the things that we're doing here in st. Rain and some of those policies that are Resolutions that we want to have out there and to that credit they are looking at that the teacher evaluation One that we pushed out of this this last year if you will in 2020, I think was 2025 And I'm really excited about that because I was able to talk to one of the senators Coker about that and he's very much in support of that and a few other people as well But he was one that I was specifically talked to so that was really exciting to have that in the forefront and Then just shortly after that that same week actually was able to attend
034the NSBA so that's the National Advocacy Conference in DC and With that it's very similar to what I do here on the Capitol Hill here talking to legislators Not only are we getting professional development, but we're also learning at the federal level what's going on So if you will know it's a lot of conversation about vouchers and IDA and all of that and so a lot of those conversations were have happened and We and I we talked to each of our several of our Representatives and both of the senators. So that was really really good And of course a lot of the conversations I won't go on into all the details But a lot of those conversations, you know, they support what we're doing for education so we want I want to just bring that
035back to you all as to what you know, what's happening outside of here from a legislative perspective and then As dr. Capuchin was saying we have the parent-teacher conferences going on and then students in my district area are registering for their fall classes, so That's going on and I'm really excited about that. And then I think that's it Yeah, we uh, we had the chance my wife and I to go see the the state choir event this last weekend at the Buell Theatre and holy cow that was Amazing it When you're sitting there, it's You don't you you realize that they're students, but they don't sound like it. They are professionals. So that was a lot of fun as the season winds down for the for the Winter sports, you know one deep and dear
036to my heart the basketball season is coming to a close But it's a lot of fun. It's been so much fun Watching the teams go. I just want to say thank you to to the classified employees and the admin They set up the PSAT Event today and that's it's pretty amazing how that works because for example at Frederick last night We had a basketball game that probably went till 9 o'clock I think and then they're in there till Whenever setting up chairs and putting away bleachers and picking up trash I just I just want to give a shout out to to them for everything they do and Then like dr. Capuchin to mention in her report just celebrating the new Administration positions and the teacher positions I'm especially super thrilled with what we're doing at
037Frederick high and then of course at our elementary schools in our middle schools, so Just want to say keep going st. Vrain. You're doing your thing. I well, I Somewhat handicapped around it's doing things too many things, but I made it to leadership st. Vrain last Friday And it's a good turn on a really good presentation a lot of good In viral involvement of the the parents that are there and the questions they ask It's really a you know what it's about to build a community to be able to open up and be so honest and so Transparent with with all the parents because they they come in expecting Think sometimes the questions are thinking long I'll get this one this will be resistant and now we get the answer and then They get works
038out and some of the other people will join in so it's an amazing event and I Just think it's a really one of our primary Efforts that we make to reach out to our community and on a regular basis. So once a month I Always advise people to look for next August when the opens up again and everybody I talked to I told them to get into it I talked to a lot of people so anyway, so that's that's it. That's just something I could do Yeah, and a few weeks ago, we had our Lunar New Year celebration at Silver Creek Which is such a great rich cultural experience and So much hard work and planning goes into that event But a special shout out to to the all-female pilot team for the drone show
039and girl power on that and then At district honor band I thought it was really wonderful to hear of course the music But also one of the clinicians mentioned that in the last month he had served as clinician in You know for district honor band events and that our students really stood out and he didn't see a cell phone all day And that just was a proud moment And yeah, I know conferences have been mentioned, but it's a lot of extra time and energy and so, thank you to everyone who makes that happen and I hope everyone has a safe and happy four-day weekend as a result Yeah, and I just I just I totally forgot about that when I was at the district honor band So I came home that day right off the
040plane from DC and it was amazing This the students they sound I mean as a band band person myself sound amazing and great and I'm so proud of them And all they do so just wanted to have that Well, you guys shared most of the things that I was also gonna say but I got to enjoy the Lunar New Year Celebration my kids always really enjoy doing that. So that was really fun I also went to a robotics tournament that same day, which I'm trying to like encourage my young ones to get into robotics And so, you know, I think it was fun. They got to see some of their friends compete, which is really great And yes parent-teacher conferences always such a Amazing time for parents to connect with their students and what they're
041doing It's you know, I wish I could be a fly on the wall in my kids classrooms Let's just see what it's like for them daily But at least we get like a little glimpse at our school at least these ones are student-led so they really get to share and showcase their work and I think it's a really fun way to really connect with your student and and the teacher at the same time and just sort of Be in touch with what's happening in the classroom. So it's really fun. Also, I got to attend our Our local schools spelling bee which was such a fun, you know event for kids I know they're all nervous up there, but they all do really well and they the winner gets to go on to the nationals or
042the Statewide spelling bee and then continue on if they get to so that was a really fun event to attend But yeah, I think that's all I have Anyone else this evening or we're all okay well with that I will turn it back over to Alec our Student Advisory Council member you have the eyes in the ears of the board and our superintendent. I Feel free to share your experience or any observations you have. Yeah Thank you so much for having me. I did I wanted to mention the PSAT we took this morning And I think I've been able to compare it to studying on my own. I'm in a program that You know outside of school that I pay for to to ready me for the SAT and it's I think the policies that
043you guys have of Preparing us taking so many practice SATs Practices for the MCQT and PSAT practices for PSAT 9 all of those things are Really really help us succeed and Are very comparable to programs that I've used outside of school. So I think that's very Cool, and thank you for having me. So Well, thanks for the feedback and thank you for joining us this evening I don't think there's anything else. So with that I'll ask for a motion to adjourn all in favor Sorry, I skipped two for you All in favor. Hi