0012025 please stand if you're able and join me in the Pledge of Allegiance Christie would you please call the roll sure mrs. Babs running late. Mr. Berthold Mrs. Gilligan here. Mrs. Horanek here. Mr. Lechuga absent. Mrs. Ragland here. Mrs. Weiss here Thanks, Christy. This meeting is being live streamed on our website where a recording will also be available If our live audience would please be sure that device notifications are silenced We would greatly appreciate it. This meeting is also being translated into Spanish and headsets are available for anyone in the audience that would like them I will begin tonight's meeting by restating our district's mission statement to educate each student in a safe learning environment So they may develop to their highest potential and become contributing citizens This mission provides clarity of our purpose and
002our focus leaders make all decisions within its context We'll get started tonight with visitors. I would like to invite chase McBride up madam president dr. Dad Thank you for having us tonight board Just here to recap some exciting things that happened for for our department this spring Or excuse me this winter, but before I do so just a few few plugs next week is our district art show It's it's it's one of our favorite events we have last year we had roughly 10,000 pieces with with all 60 schools It takes place at Boulder County Fairgrounds. It starts Tuesday Viewer viewing hours start at 9 a.m. On Tuesday and they go to about 8 p.m. Each night Thursday night will be our Open house where kids can see if their art won any awards We will
003also send you guys voting instructions as well Please get out and see it next week and if you can join us on Thursday night, that'd be great there's a lot very very exciting things happening in there and some cool art from the most 60 of our schools, so Additionally, I know spring is is is tough on our grounds crew so first and foremost, thanks to you to Brian and your team for for helping us out and Hopefully keeping away the snow for the rest of that first of the spring But without further ado, we're here to talk a little bit about our winter athletics And we had a top four finish in every sport offered in st. Rain this year so we from basketball to swimming to wrestling So we were pretty excited about our
004excitement. We do have a state championship wrestler who's already off to college So he's not going to be here to join us tonight, but I'll start with our first guest of these evening and I'm going to bring up Joe Brown from my one high school Thank you, Chase. Thank you, madam president Dr. Dad members of the board for allowing us the opportunity to come back and and highlight again the great things going on at Nia Watt High School Today we get to highlight somebody that we did last spring Yeah last spring as well for winning our winner state championship last year as he became the first ever Saint brain diver to win a state championship and then this year she repeated that beat becoming the first ever diver to win back-to-back state championships At the
005swim and dive state meet so we're incredibly excited. She's been a great addition to our program for the last couple years We look forward to seeing great things that she does in the future. So It's an incredible support team as you know at Nia Watt as we continue to provide opportunities for our student athletes Eric Roshkab, our principal does an incredible job of making sure that all of our kids feel supported and Izzy would be no exception to that. So I want to welcome their coaches up here first And Izzy and talk a little bit more about Izzy. So Sean and Aaron go ahead and come on up and Izzy if you want to Join us So first thanks for having us back again this year. It's exciting. I was going to give you a
006brief little How it kind of works with the same brain diving? Aaron and I coach all the high school divers in our district together as one team well, not really as one team we practice together as one team kind of one family and Over the years past we've been we've been growing pretty substantially Where we are packing used to be packing centennial pool and then also at the Aquatic Center getting some time there And then once the Aquatic Center is built Really opened up a lot of doors for us to continue growing as a diving team And so I wanted to thank you again for Supporting the the growth of our program by building that Aquatic Center. It's fantastic. So, thank you and with that last year, I did all the speaking really for Izzy
007and And I gave Aaron a lot of credit, but she was unable to attend So this year I'm really excited that Aaron who usually or is pretty much took Izzy under her wing more of her coach So I'm happy to introduce Aaron as more of Izzy's coach to Thank you Hi there. My name is Aaron Leinberg. I'm like I said, I'm the assistant coach for st Brain Valley under Sean Sean's been there for over 20 years So he'll give credit to me for Izzy, but Sean has built an incredible program here at st Brain. In fact, I would say that we're on par with a club program We don't have the resources as like a big club does but Sean has built an incredible program here at st Brain in the past five years. We've
008gone two three four at state. We've gone two four five at state We've gotten top ten. We've gotten five girls to state every year. We got five boys to state last year So he gives me credit for Izzy But he's built an incredible program here at st. Brain that I just get to hop back into now that I'm back from school So I was a division one diver. I dove for Longmont in 2004 to 2008. I'm an All-American I dove for division one I coached division one and I can tell you without a doubt that Izzy's one of the most talented divers I've ever coached at all levels high school division one As Sean would tell you I took her under my wing because Izzy and I had a lot of similarities as a diver
009Meaning sometimes we struggled with the mental component of the sport and because I was that kind of diver I could really work with her understand her push her in the ways that were appropriate that I knew would work To get her to where she is today. So while we like to take credit for building the type of diver She is she put in that hard work and that effort. She came up to practice She joined a club over the last season to defend her state champion that state title Also important to note. She has her score last year from state was the third highest score ever recorded in Colorado history She's also the first diver since 2011. That's gone back-to-back state champ for 4a She also is the highest scoring diver for all of Colorado
010for the last two years all divisions 3a 4a 5a So if you look back at all of them, she's still the highest scoring diver even with the 5a division. So Like I said, we do our best with her But she's putting in that work to get where she is now and we're really really proud of her Sean really taught me a lot, especially the first two years and you know Aaron Yeah, we have a lot of similarities and I got closer But you know, I really could not have done it without either of them and my parents my parents have always been so supportive and Yeah, got me where I am today all pushed me. Are your parents in the audience? Yes. Yeah Congratulations Yeah, and I want to thank you guys also for the
011pool that has I mean, yeah I love the pool Well, congratulations I love Aaron how you brought in the the mental piece because I don't I don't dive but I can imagine that's a big piece of Becoming as successful as you have in in this sport. Can you talk a little bit about like the concentration or anything? You um, yeah, definitely mental part has a big impact on it. And yeah, you have to be concentrated Sometimes you get in your head and you have to rely on the people that you trust to you know Get you out of it so you do perform your best because you know sometimes in the moment you don't fully like Think like trust yourself and so you lean on the people and again Aaron and Sean and my parents
012definitely And do you have are you a senior? Yeah. Okay. Do you have plans for next year? Um, actually I'm going I'm moving to California tomorrow Yeah, I'm going early to see SUV Congratulations, that's excellent. We're so glad you were able to make it here tonight so we could celebrate you Yeah board members any questions or comments or well, thank you. Thank you Sean and Aaron Joe Congratulations Izzy Okay next I Bring up a special group and a special leader of a special group that they've continued to to show excellence in their realm as well They are in my opinion The best drum line in the state has to offer and they continually prove that over and over again, so without further ado, I'm gonna ask Jeff McMurray to come up and introduce his Longmont
013drum line. Well, thank you for having us tonight. Dr. Haddad President Ragland and board such a pleasure to be here once again And we are here to recognize and honor our amazing drum line who has just earned their 12th state championship and They are just an amazing group of committed dedicated Precise, you know just the precision that they They perform with and the creativity that they perform with is just a marvel to us all and They are led by our amazing band director David Merrill and some amazing coaches that support them all year long and So without further ado, I would love to introduce David Merrill and three members of our amazing drum line. Thank you Thank you. It's great to be here again and celebrating these amazing kids I am the sponsor of the
014drum line, but we actually have a great staff led by Dave Marvin Who is the director of the drum line and has been since I started a long one He was the first person I called when I started there in 2001 and since we brought him on they've won 12 state Championships won basically every other year since we've been he's been there It's just been a phenomenal group and they are really student musicians to students who? Thrive academically and do quite well in every areas of their life and they come from many different schools We've got kids from Longmont Silver Creek Lions need And eerie with our group, so it's just a phenomenal group And I'm just going to turn it over to three of our students who are here tonight. This is Mary Jane
015Good evening, and thank you all for inviting us here tonight. My name like Mr. Merrill said is Mary Jane I'm a senior at Longmont High School And I've been a part of the Longmont combined schools winter drum line for all four years of high school Being in drum line has really changed my life by providing me with a supportive lifelong community an outlet for my musical passions and has helped me grow in my own confidence, I've met some amazing people and I've Had incredible experiences that I got to have with all of them Our drum line is made up of top members of all of our schools and academics and character through leadership and school Involvement this year the Longmont combined schools drum line represents six SVV SD schools We have students from five SVV
016SD high schools Longmont Silver Creek need Lions and eerie high schools and also one member from Altona Middle School We have all put hours of hard work into rehearsal individual practice time competitions and fundraising for support for the team In the past four years in drum line we have received two sportsmanship awards Which are voted upon by other members of the Rocky Mountain percussion Association We have been medalists and state finals all four years and won two of them we have been world finalists twice and most importantly built a strong and positive community and Our successes could not have been accomplished if we weren't if it weren't for the commitment of our brilliant drum instructors Like mr. Merrill brought up Dave Marvin Lance Goggins Kendall Lee Dylan Ewing and Nick Scotella and The unwavering support
017of our parents. They do so much for us. We've gotten financial contributions from local businesses and Every member is so dedicated and determined and from all of that. We've been able to accomplish all that we have So on behalf of the Longmont combined schools drum line I would like to thank everyone who has gotten us to where we are today and thank you all for having us here tonight My name is Ryan Joseph. I was I'm a senior at Longmont this year And this is my first year doing drum line I joined drum line this year as a senior and to Everyone you ask it was way too late and I should have done it much sooner Throughout the four years of high school. I had seniors trying to get me to do it, but
018I played baseball my first two years of high school Unfortunately didn't make the team last year while dealing with multiple injuries I played tennis all four years of high school and so I've done many competitive sports I've been on many different teams and I've never been a part of a group. That's so welcoming and making it feel like it's been Like I was there all four years Joining as a senior wasn't easy by any means I didn't know like anyone which was kind of difficult I I had to kind of learn how to talk to a lot of new people and Because it was so welcoming it made that Joining a new group as a senior in high school so much easier and I would like to thank everyone in the group all the instructors
019about how easy it was and just welcoming me and and something I'll never forget his work walking onto that floor for the first time and seeing the entire crowd filled up to the like way more than I thought it was gonna be and Scoring first place the first time with a 75 and then our second competition going out there and scoring an 80 Was crazy Jumping up five points in one competition wasn't something that you see very often And then of course walking out on the floor for the last time during state finals was an experience that you can only Describe by being there Being a part of that last state championship and bringing home the 12th state championship for the Longmont combined schools was something I will be forever grateful for and I will
020be forever grateful for the memories and the friendships that I've made along the way So thank you guys so much for having us here tonight Hi, I'm Romeo Moran. I am also from the Longmont in the Longmont winter drumline. I am a sophomore I have been in drumline for both of my years of high school being a sophomore I obviously have a lot less experience than Mary Jane did but I Had the luck of having my older sister go to Longmont and she also was in the Longmont combined schools drumline So in sixth grade when my sister was a freshman I got to watch her join this group It was the middle of the pandemic and it was very different for her, but I got to watch her still Experience everything that I then got
021to experience three years later when I was a freshman and That experience as a freshman or even if you're a senior anyone in coming into the drumline is really really wonderful because it shows you a group of people that is more They're more dedicated and they're so hard-working and they're so kind and they're literally just like The some of the best people I have ever met are in that group And coming into that as a freshman meeting all these people that Became my best friends people that I went to middle school with and maybe didn't talk to it single day out of my time In middle school but going into drumline and realizing that we had this shared passion and being able to bond over that was really such a unique and amazing experience and
022then I Before drumline had never done any sort of competitive sport before I had done other things I had done marching man and stuff but nothing where I had to actively work to get a better score or a better placing or anything like that and the way that drumline competes was such a Amazing thing to me because it wasn't Team versus team. It wasn't mean The drumline really makes a point to make sure that Everything's focused on yourself. It's focused on getting better by yourself. It's focused on this was our score last time Let's see if we can make it better this time. It's not beating people and it's certainly not mean it's focused on being the best that you can be and in fact Mary Jane mentioned this earlier you can get an award
023for being the kindest team the sportsmanship award, which we have gotten We got last year and I believe we got A year before that and then last couple of years. I don't know That award comes from other teams voting that your team was the nicest that you Supported other teams and that you uplifted other people and that was something that I really hold on to in drumline Winning that award my freshman year knowing that that obviously can only be one team every year Was so wonderful for me and it made me so happy and that's really What I aim for now every year in drumline is to be as kind as possible to every other team Whether it's simply we're walking by them right after we exited the arena and just cheering them on clapping
024for them clapping for the parents clapping for the volunteers thanking everyone even clapping for like half the team when they come back from their part of the Like wrapping up of the competition it's always been my goal to Make sure that this is such a kind community because I see it everywhere I see it in everyone that I know they are such kind hard-working people and they work hard to be kind they work against the grain against What some sports and teams go for where it's just winning winning winning. We work for being as Like as best of a team as possible for other people and that was really life changing for me coming out of middle school and going into this group was really amazing and Changed how I see high school and how
025I see my friends and my family and how I interact with the world and I am so So thankful that I have this group to push me to be the best that I can be Physically mentally and be the kindest that I can be to anyone in my world So thank you all and thank you to everyone who's ever supported us Well, congratulations, and I I know how many hours go into practicing your music practicing drill all of it And that is an incredible amount of work, but I all of you spoke to something that I think Transcends the musicality the physicality of what you do Which is that element of sportsmanship and I think in many ways that shows Manifest itself. It gives you guys an edge your Willingness to lead with your heart
026and kindness. I think probably translates into every element of your performing and We are so proud of you for Leading with that, so thank you for mentioning that and being sure to bring that up in your presentation From my point of view I've had the privilege of listening to you all summer long Beyond my yard and I get all my work done so fast because I just kept pace with you Now I'm getting told to do that. I have a slowdown, but it's an amazing It's amazing to be outside in my yard and here the effort you guys are putting in and the length of time that you guys Are down there? behind the nose drums and I think the whole neighborhood is getting has to be surprised and thankful for that and Congratulations for
027all your success because hard work it's how you get to success and as long as you can keep bringing in those young people and Making them the old people so that they can bring in more young people. It's just going to keep going I see no end in sight, so congratulations, and thank you for keeping my summers busy I Did come in a little bit late But I did hear the presentation and from the back there And I was just thinking as you were talking about this you know music and particularly percussion drums Is the soul of the band and it keeps everything going really? But at the same time it's one of those things that transcends What we do in life what we do Individually what we do in our different cultures it can
028be something that's universal to everyone So thank you so much for all the work your hard work Did you put in and like you said I know I've set a set by and listened to bands before and you and it disamazing Me what you young people can do so thank you so much for all that you do for us and for the the district I can't I would only echo that the comments of my fellow board members But I love the opportunities in our district that we have that connect our students in all the different schools So thanks for being part of that greater body of activity participants And just drummers are so cool and just being in the audience of a drum line is Has so much energy I get so much energy from
029it So it just must be exponential and in what you do that that it must be so intense as a performer So thank you for your energy and and being part of something greater than your school and and of course the kindness and Inclusivity is amazing. So keep it going Congratulations. Well, thank you for letting us celebrate some of our our successes this winter Dr. Dad, dr. Capuchin board. Thank you so much for your immense support for our department and We'll see you at the art show. We'll be there. That's a highlight at this time I'll Interrupt and and allow Amanda Thompson to interview to introduce a few new hires Thank you. Good evening. President Raglan members of the Board of Education and Superintendent dr. Haddad. It's my pleasure to introduce. Mr. Matt Buckler as
030area assistant superintendent beginning July 1st 2025 Mr. Buckler earned his bachelor's of arts in history and his and his Colorado secondary social studies teaching certificate From the University of Colorado Boulder He then obtained his master's degree and Colorado principal license from the University of Denver's administrative leadership program While in California, he completed training and has a background in international baccalaureate and language arts programming Mr. Buckler currently serves in his third year as administrator on special assignment His professional experience encompasses nine years as principal at Erie High School Six years as principal at Longspeak Middle School and two years as assistant principal at Lyons Middle Senior His teaching background encompasses middle and high school in the areas of social studies history and math He is joined this evening by his family members I think many of
031them here this evening wife Marvie daughters Alyssa and Layla son-in-law Jonathan and his three grandkids Brody Samson and Chloe and there may even be more Wonderful family members here this evening. It's my pleasure to welcome. Mr. Matt Buckler to join at the podium to say a few words Thank you, Amanda President Ragland members of the board. Dr. Haddad. I am honored and grateful for the opportunity to serve as an assistant superintendent St. Frans an exceptional school district guided by an extraordinary board and led by the best superintendent in America One of the core beliefs that defines st. Frans culture and competitive edge Is that it is the idea that every day is precious and that is because every day brings new chances to elevate our schools And expand what's possible for our students in this
032new role? I will bring my full energy and enthusiasm my attention to detail and my commitment to advancing student success and excellence across st. Brain and lastly Don Over the past 20 years you've invested deeply in my growth You've entrusted me with opportunities to lead to learn and to contribute and I'm incredibly thankful for your mentorship and the trust you placed in me Thank you. Thank you again for the opportunity to introduce Mr. Chase McBride as the assistant super superintendent of athletics PE activities and performing arts beginning July 1 Mr. McBride graduated from the University of Colorado with a bachelor's degree in geography He continued his education at the American College of Education in Indiana Well, he earned his master's in educational leadership and obtained his principal licensure Mr. McBride is currently in his sixth
033year as executive director of athletics physical education activities and performing arts Prior to this role he led for five years as assistant principal and athletic director at Niwot High School His professional experience also includes serving in other districts as an assistant principal former social studies teacher and supporting English language learners Now it's my pleasure to welcome up. Mr. McBride to join me at the podium Thank you, madam president. Dr. Heddad board. Thanks for having me back up similar to it what Matt said, it's just an immense pleasure to work in this district and I've said this before we people in my position in other districts we run into so many challenges because our our department is so front-facing and it's what the community sees and When I talked to my colleagues they said why you
034know, I have to make an appointment with my with my deputy soup or I have to make an appointment with my soup to talk about this and that's just not the way that that you've ever treated us and I'm sure I've called you earlier than you we'd like to be called and later than you'd like to be called But you you always answered and you've always been there for us and for our growth and Just just amazing district that you and the board have built. So it's just an honor to work here and We continue to provide opportunities for students outside the traditional core classroom in our department We'll continue to do that to the best of our ability and that I would be remiss to not think my team as well Melissa Lehman and
035and Janae Burgess We're in it together every day all day and just you know, thank you guys again for the opportunity So, thanks and finally, it's my pleasure to introduce. Mr. Chris Allen as the principal of Mead Middle School starting next year Mr. Allen graduated from Colorado State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in health and exercise science he continued his education at Colorado State University where he earned his master's degree and Education and human resources studies where he earned his also his principal license certification for the past 12 years Mr. Allen has dedicated his service to meet Middle School's assistant principal His commitment to the school extends further as he previously served as dean of students and was also a math and science teacher And it is my honor and welcome or to
036welcome. Mr. Chris Allen to join So I want to start by first thanking the Board of Education dr. Haddad and dr. Capuchin for this opportunity in 18 years of being at Mead Middle School, I was brought in as a Alternative licensed teacher and so from the very beginning I've been given such a great opportunity to enter into education Maybe from a path that didn't initially start that direction and then from that point Was given very many opportunities to become the Dean of Students the assistant principal and now I'm thrilled to become the principal of Mead Middle School I've come up under strong leadership from Josh Barnett all the way up to our board Our superintendent and I just am so grateful for this opportunity I want to continue the strong traditions of Mead Middle And
037I'm just excited to get to work as soon as possible. In fact, I'm already there So, thank you Congratulations Okay, next up we have audience participation. I don't see anybody on the sign-up list Is there anybody in our audience that would like to address the board? Okay, seeing none. We'll move along to our superintendent's report. All right. Well, congratulations to all of our Saint brain Folks that have grown up in the system. You guys are we're really proud of you. So That's that's great addition we had the opportunity to attend the space foundation This amazing conference. It's the largest conference in the world for space and it's also largest conference in the United States Just in general, I think there's over 13,000 people there and our drone team our student performance drone team Which is
038the the only drone team student performance drone team in the country? they I Didn't know they could outperform themselves, but they did it was an incredible incredible show We're gonna see that in just a second because we have a video that was taken and when you see this it was at the Broadmoor and It was there were 60 countries represented there. And so these students are getting Accolades from a lot of different countries around the world Before that, I want to just share with you a couple of statistics that are exciting unrelated to that But we're looking we just looked at our recent preschool numbers and we moved to a five-day Preschool program and our numbers have jumped by about 10% So huge gains in our preschool program, which will translate into more growth throughout
039the system overall Diane you and your team and thank you for everything No, a lot of people are involved in that and then our community schools program has jumped by about 250 additional students based on some work that's been done. So really a lot of strength there and There are a lot of things that I could share But I don't want to take any more time doing that I want people to be able to see this incredible drone show from our students and you'll notice It was over a lake at the Broadmoor. So you get kind of like a double show You see the actual Drones and then you see the reflection off of the lake. So Thanks Carrie and this decay and do the other things not because they are easy, but because they
040are hard That's that's pretty incredible and you know that exposure internationally to 60 different countries If you follow social media, you'll see just a lot of posts from different people You know the thing that's so exciting about our students when you look at the work they're doing world champions in robotics and international one-of-a-kind team in drone shows and coding and the music programs is Just incredible to see what our students are doing along with their teachers and their coaches and but I think the The interesting thing is going to be what they do next because that show is just Topped everything they've done to date and they keep getting better. They have 300 drones in their system We'll probably get them and get them some more so that they can create even more what doctor
041had at maybe 400 So I think that's a great thing to do So that they can create even more with Dr. Haddad maybe 400 Can I just tell a quick story? So I was standing Next to the director of marketing For the Science Foundation at the drone showed Don and I were standing next to him and when it was over He turned to me and he said tell your kids think thank you. They just made my job really easy for the next year And as we walked out with thousands of people when the drone show was over it was remarkable just to hear everybody Commenting about how amazing our kids are we had an opera. Thank you. Thank you Jackie. We had an opportunity We were invited to a meeting with the leadership from the
042Space Foundation So we went up to their suite and we talked for a while and they are they asked us Not to consider a partnership, but they asked us they point-blank We want a partnership with you. That's operational. You would be our K through 12 system and Talking about things like, you know a two-week space Academy camp for our students talking about access to telescopes that they have Talking about teacher training and teacher workshops for teachers that are interested in learning about space and we talked about You know from our perspective. He said, you know, St. Vrain has taken on Underwater with you know hosting the underwater robotics for the world championships here and our students Traveling to other places around the world getting contracted out to take underwater robotics So we're delving in that
043arena and then obviously on land We have a lot going on with our programs. And so we kind of see space as that next challenge Helping our students and our community understand the importance in this world where technology is really profound What happens in space is going to determine in many ways? The future of our country and the future of other countries throughout the world There's so many implications and we have so many brilliant students that To give them this entire experience where they're coding and they're working in teams and they're interacting with people from other countries It's it's the tip of the iceberg, but but we're very excited about it. So Anything else you want to add about that? It was pretty amazing So one other thing that I'd like to share and it's
044just on a personal note, you know I've been in this work for 40 years now and 17 as a superintendent and 25 years in St. Vrain and so I decided that I'm gonna be retiring at the end of this school year and I just want to tell everybody how Proud I am You've seen our students and you see the teachers and the coaches that are doing amazing work and our staff and our families and our community our business community our corporate sector our board our Leadership team. I could not thank our leadership team when you think about, you know having navigated things like the four-year recession and that right out of the chutes and the swine flu and The hundred-year flood and the pandemic and the political upheaval and all of those things in addition
045to the day-to-day work and you just can't do that without a Collective community being involved. So I'm very very proud and very very grateful and I look forward to supporting st. Vrain You know just because it'll always be near and dear to my heart and I will always be Right there to support in any way shape or form that I can and I appreciate everything and we'll get into you know more of that later, but I just wanted to share that with the community and Share that with you and say thank you. So and with that we'll move on to the next topic Thank You. Dr. Haddad and on on behalf of the Board of Education I I would like to address dr. Haddad's retirement announcement Since assuming leadership of the st. Vrain Valley School
046District in 2009. Dr. Haddad has shown an unwavering commitment to our children For 17 years his exemplary leadership has driven remarkable student success global and global achievement when he arrived he inherited a fractured district of schools that was in disarray and deep debt and through his vision and resolve he Transformed it into a robust pre-k through 14 system equitable innovative and unmatched He introduced a cutting-edge learning technology plan expanded focus programs career advanced career and tech education and Extended learning opportunities beyond traditional boundaries His resolute leadership increased access to educational opportunities Boosted test participation and provided stability through the hundred-year flood the recession and a global pandemic Time and time again his critical decisions enabled the district to not just to survive but to flourish into what it is today Dr. Haddad has collaborated with
047tens and thousands of staff members Touched the lives of hundreds of thousands of students and forged partnerships with community groups and business leaders To advance our mission and vision and that have bolstered our budget with competitive grants totaling over 75 million dollars Managing billions in taxpayer dollars. He's done so with integrity and a deep sense of responsibility to this community Under his leadership the district's strategic priorities for student achievement and global success took shape as a powerful framework This model built on a solid foundation of key factors Insures every decision serves our children's best interests the results speak for themselves and extraordinary levels of student success and achievement He's assembled teams of experts in public education dedicated to continuous improvement Turning st. Vrain into a model for schools net nationwide and internationally Beyond these accomplishments.
048Dr. Haddad embodies the pinnacle of self-actualization Relentlessly striving to be the best version of himself as our model leader We're profoundly fortunate that he chose to share most of his 40 year career in public education with us gifting this community his masterful and sophisticated leadership and inspiration a Superintendent's impact is Vast and complex they shape culture. They set policy They make strategic decisions and provide overarching leadership Dr. Haddad is excelled and expanded in every dimension This board as well as the eight boards before us of yours will be forever grateful for your Distinguished performance and steadfast dedication to our children and our community Thank you. Thank you Vic very much. I appreciate all of that all of you. So, thank you Okay, no reports tonight, so we'll move right into consent items Would any board
049members like to pull any of our consent items? And I'd ask for a motion to approve all consent items as listed in our agenda So moved second. This is perhaps. Yes, mr. Berthold. Yes, mrs. Gilligan. Yes, mrs. Horanek Yes, mr. Lechuga absent mrs. Raglan. I mrs. Weiss. Yes Christie Okay, next up we have action items and I'd like to invite Amanda to join us for 8.1 Yes Thank you again for the opportunity to share some information with you this evening It is with great enthusiasm that I announce that the st. Vrain educational foundations annual celebration of excellence formerly tribute to teachers and Important recognition of our district's commitment to honoring our extraordinary educators We invite you to join us on Friday April 11th 2025 as our community gathers to recognize the teachers who profoundly impact
050our students lives This year's celebration will be particularly meaningful as we acknowledge the outstanding educators across the district They're unwavering passion creativity and dedication to teaching Exemplify excellence they are mentors guides and role models fostering a culture of lifelong learning and curiosity We express our deepest gratitude to the st. Vrain education foundation for their dedicated efforts in organizing this event and For their enduring support of our educators Together we ensure teachers feel valued appreciated and empowered to continue their vital work We hope that you'll join us on April 11th as we celebrate the remarkable contributions Dedication and unwavering commitment to educational excellence of our teachers. Thank you I'm gonna ask Jackie Weiss to read the proclamation celebration of excellence day April 11th 2025 Whereas the st. Vrain Valley schools education foundation supports st. Vrain Valley
051school district strategic plan and provides supplemental funding to enhance teaching and learning in our classrooms and whereas since 1984 the national PTA parent teacher association has designated the first full week of May as teacher appreciation week and whereas the st. Vrain Valley schools education foundation is presenting the 18th annual celebration of excellence event on April 11th 2025 that pays tribute to st. Vrain Valley school district's teachers for this week of recognition and whereas communities and schools will unite to celebrate the educational profession of teaching and show appreciation to teachers for inspiring a thirst for learning in our youth that will last a lifetime and whereas the foundation's 18th celebration of excellence program Which includes recognizing a teacher of the year from every school and a teacher of the year for the district provides the opportunity
052for students parents community members and business partners to show appreciation to teachers who exemplify excellence in teaching and whereas schools businesses and communities pay a vital role to ensure the success of the celebration of excellence program now Therefore be it resolved that the st. Vrain Valley school district board board of education proclaims April 11th 2025 as celebration of excellence day in our school district and we urge all staff students parents and community members to support this event or take Some time to show appreciation to a teacher For providing our youth with the gift of learning may have a motion to approve eight point one second Mrs. Babs, yes, mr. Berthold. Yes, mrs. Gilligan. Yes, mrs. Horanek. Yes, mr. Lechuga absent mrs. Ragland I mrs. Weiss. Yes Thank you Next up. We have eight point two
053and I will invite dr. Diane lower Thank You president Ragland members of the board. Dr. Haddad, you know tonight's presentation We got to see so many of the outstanding opportunities that our students have we take a look at our strategic priorities We know that a system that has strong robust well-aligned standards curriculum and assessments That is what dr. Haddad you point that term foundation innovation Our students can reach for the stars our students can grasp that success because we are a system across our district and Anchoring that is our curriculum tonight We have two groups from our social studies and our science teams that had a year-long endeavor where they looked at the standards Reviewed a number of materials and sought the very best for our students because they deserve them and with that I'd
054like to bring up mr. Michael O'Toole so he can share a little bit about the science adoption process Good evening. My name is Mike O'Toole and I have Have an honor of working alongside some wonderfully talented teachers as a district science coordinator Tonight we're here to recommend the approval of selective materials for a core Elective and high school AP science courses and all 13 unique courses The journey to identify these resources started about a year and a half ago when committee of 21 teachers and one member of our district technology team Reviewed the materials we currently use along with the Colorado academic standards and our district's learning technology plan To develop an evaluation matrix Materials were selected from multiple publishers for a seven-year adoption with classroom sets of books The top programs were welcome to
055the district for publisher presentations and from these presentations Unanimous vote was cast in favor of the selective materials in August 21 science teachers started piloting these materials in their classrooms This was an exciting but challenging process our pilot teachers put in the work in the communication between them and between schools Was excellent in addition to the 13 foundation materials that were piloted two enhancements were included gizmos an interactive simulation platform that supports high school all high school science courses as well as digital probeware Was selected to help make our lab-based experiences as real world as possible We want our students to collect and use real world data the same way that our business and industry partners do In conclusion ultimately we want our students to read write and think like scientists And one aspect that
056excites me the most is that as we move towards mastery of the colorado academic standards In sciences, we must allow for constant updating of the rigorous materials and lab experiences that we provide our students and teachers These selected materials do just that our pilot team believes these platforms will best prepare our students for success here in st brain and beyond This was an exciting process collectively. We learned a great deal, but I can't thank the selection committee and our pilot teachers enough For sharing their time their expertise and all they do for science in st. Brain now For the star of our stars of our presentations. We couldn't invite one teacher for every subject or course But we have two teachers that I believe provide a good representation of our pilot team First is emily
057knap a chemistry and physics teacher from longmont high school And then carolyn more a teacher from launch ed virtual academy who's teaching all science courses there Emily Thank you Hello, i'm emily knap. Um as michael said science teacher at longmont high school for over 20 years now I'm lucky to have been able to pilot materials for chemistry physics and ap chemistry For the chemistry curriculum, we piloted savvis chemistry experience chemistry It is a comprehensive text and set of accessible materials That contains many real world connections to weather geology and ocean science and how chemistry connects to those subjects It aligns well with the colorado academic standards and has traditional chemistry materials But also contains open and guided inquiry materials including labs An example of that is the ph of seawater lab that I was able
058to do with my classes recently Students made their own seawater samples Did a reaction to make carbon dioxide to bubble that through the seawater and see the effect of the carbon dioxide on ocean acidification So they were able to make memorable experiences while also learning about acid base chemistry ocean chemistry gas production So multiple subjects there The curriculum materials also contain analyzing data materials and simulations that allow students to safely look at chemistry data And find ways to make learning accessible with that in a in a classroom setting The instructional materials are able to be used by teachers as a resource If they don't want to use every single item in the curriculum materials teachers can Differentiate these materials to meet the needs of their classes at a general level or at an honors level
059And make the the learning appropriate for their individual classes That flexibility is something that we the teachers really wanted with the curriculum materials because we do have students who? Who work at different levels in these different classes? For the physics curriculum we used the peer curriculum which stands for physics through evidence empowerment through reasoning this material Contains learning cycles that students work through in the areas of force energy gravity charge magnetism and waves This curriculum has an emphasis on collaborative learning and scientific thinking Students do their labs in small groups They use many of the pasco probeware materials with their ipads They they work as a team bring their ideas to the larger group and then work to come to a consensus as a class with teacher guidance This allows students to really think like
060scientists and take ownership of their own scientific discoveries This curriculum also offers anchoring phenomena which allows students to make real world connections I love when students tell me they think of my physics class every time they visit a gas station because of our lessons on static electricity The curriculum materials include engineering design projects a range of assessment options And perfect alignment with the colorado academic standards cross-cutting concepts science practices core ideas And allows all students to get a robust experience with physics And this is true for students of multiple math abilities There are scaffolds available for teachers with the the math content in this physics curriculum So that students who are learning algebra are able to use those skills and students who are able to to tackle complex physics calculations are able to To have
061that experience as well And so all students are able to learn about physics regardless of the the math abilities they're coming in with For ap chemistry we used the zumdahl text through sen gauge It offers all of the depth and rigor that our ap chemistry students need to meet all of the unit plans from the college board There are in addition to the text there are web-based practice problems and videos for students to use And that's so important with the ap test being a paper digital hybrid experience and the students will be ready using these zumdahl chem sen gauge materials Thank you for considering these experiences as part of this adoption process Thank you for your um Comprehensive report on that and and your work on review. Thank you Now carolyn moore from launch ed
062virtual academy Good evening members of the board. My name is carolyn moore and i've been teaching In the district since 2005 It's my 20th year teaching I spent most of my years here at naiwat high school teaching ib biology chemistry at times and at times ap bio with traditional bio currently I teach physics chemistry and biology at launch ed academy A school where we pride ourselves on providing a rigorous curriculum Tailored to meet students exactly where they are Recently our students piloted two innovative resources As emily has said savis chemistry and peer physics I am here today to share the remarkable impact these tools have had on our students engagement comprehension and confidence in science At launch ed we believe in giving students not only access to challenging material But also the support they need
063to succeed These resources do exactly that Making complex scientific ideas more accessible and empowering students to become true Participants in their learning their learning processes Peer physics in particular has revolutionized the way my students interact with science Instead of passively receiving information or being directly told what to do They are now discovering principles through collaboration discussion and evidence-based learning I've watched students grow from hesitant observers to confident scientists Asking each other thoughtful questions challenging ideas respectfully And sharing their own discoveries without relying solely on me for validation This inclusive approach where authority shifts from teacher to student has created a classroom environment Where every learner feels they belong and has something mean meaningful to contribute It's no longer just about finding the right answer. It's about understanding why behind it And that kind of learning
064sticks One powerful example of this transformation was during our gravity unit where students tackled the question Which is very related to the presentation we were given What does it take to land on mars? Through guided inquiry they explored the insight lander and I Showed them the perseverance mission and landing from nasa Applying math models to real world situation scenarios and revisiting their initial observations and reasoning Watching students connect the dots between evidence theory mathematical modeling and application was a proud moment Not just for me, but for the future science education in our district These resources aren't just curriculum tools. They are catalysts for deeper learning and inclusion I urge the board to consider expanding axel to savvis chemistry and peer physics And gizmos interactive lab investigations So more students across the district can experience the
065growth that we have seen at launch ed Thank you so much for the time. Okay. Thank you so much Do board members have any questions about the new curriculum? well, thank you so much for the Incredible amount of time I know that it takes to review these curriculums and taking that time extra outside of what you are already doing And being open-minded to accept that and making it fun. It sounds like the mars thing is so cool and chemistry amazing Um, I would ask for a motion to approve 8.2 second mrs. Babs Yes, mr. Berthold. Yes, mrs. Gilligan. Yes, mrs. Horanek. Yes, mr. Lechuga absent. Mrs. Ragland. Aye mrs. Weiss. Yes Thanks so much And dr laura's back for 8.3 Thank you That's now i'd like to introduce dr. Jenny pettit who is going to
066bring forth our request for our social studies adoption Good evening I'm jenny pettit the social studies coordinator for the district and i'm here on behalf of the high school social studies adoption and pilot committee Bringing forward a recommendation to the board to adopt world history interactive us history interactive And magruder's american government from savis learning company for high school core social studies courses And titles from bedford freeman and worth mcgraw hill Cengage and social studies school services for our advanced placement and elective high school social studies courses We began this process in the fall of 2023 with the high school teachers from across the district And with the support of cody wild and his team at dts The newly revised 2022 colorado Academic standards and social studies were used along with research-based best teaching practices
067to evaluate possible programs The adoption committee determined that savis learning company was the program that they wanted to pilot because of its robust content Alignment with the state standards and updated resources including videos primary sources and case studies Savis offers rich content for students that includes checks for understanding Various literacy strategies to increase comprehension and differentiation suggestions Students say they enjoy the engaging lessons that ask them to think critically and to solve problems The pilot teachers appreciate the wide range of resources and content to support all students The video clips are up to date and engaging the students love the interact and the students love the Interactive aspects of the program Students learn about history through multiple perspectives by engaging with primary sources background readings and immersive based activities The digital content is continually updated
068helping students make real world connections and talk on topics And experience key points of history through the eyes of people who have lived it The digital government programming includes continually updated current connections Keeping students informed about the latest policy debates and helping to facilitate meaningful classroom dialogue If approved we will be purchasing a class set of print text from savis learning systems and the additional publishers mentioned earlier For each classroom as well as a seven-year digital license for each student and teacher This includes all the core high school social studies courses as well as the advanced placement and elective courses I would like to thank the adoption committee as well as the pilot teachers for all of their time effort and expertise in this process I have two pilot teachers here who are joining me
069tonight to share some of their experiences with the programs The first is jake marcing from frederick high school and then matthew pan from niwet high school Thank you. Jenny. Dr. Haddad president raglan vice president berthold members of the board My name is jake marcing and I am proud to be a part of the social studies team at frederick high school Where over the past year i've had the opportunity to pilot the savis text and savis easy bridge in my classroom And that was after an additional year serving on the team that identified savis as the program we wanted to pilot And i'm here tonight to share my experience and recommend the adoption of savis as a curricular resource At a time when social studies education is at the center of national conversations savis provides a
070balanced thoughtful And most importantly student-centered approach to teaching and learning The curriculum builds skills comprehension By engaging students with a detailed relevant content and robust standards alignment One of the features of savis that I think stands out the most is its ability to move beyond Traditional textbook learning through interactive activities and immersive projects like project imagine Students don't just read about history. They step into it In my classroom this year through the savis platform Students have experienced what it was like to be under bombardment in the trenches of france during the first world war They've walked alongside civil rights protesters stepping into the perspective of an african-american woman fighting for her rights during the freedom summer of 1964 they've navigated the jungles and villages of vietnam to understand the complexities of guerrilla combat during the
071vietnam war All of these experiences have sparked meaningful discussions deepened historical understanding And increased student engagement in ways that traditional textbooks simply do not do And while no curriculum is perfect savis offers one of the most engaging and effective tools That I have worked with in my career as an educator Students tell me frequently that they appreciate how the curriculum makes history feel real This program provides them with an opportunity to interact with history in ways that are both meaningful And memorable so on behalf of myself my colleagues involved with the pilot and the adoption committee that has rigorously Piloted and evaluated this resource over the past two years. I strongly recommend the adoption of savis for our social studies courses Good evening president raglan doctor haded and members of the board My name is
072matthew pion and i'm honored to represent the social studies team at naiwat high school Over the past year. I too have had the opportunity to pilot the savis textbook and savis realized platform in my classroom And i'm here today to wholeheartedly recommend its adoption This curriculum provides a student-centered approach to teaching and learning that meets the diverse needs of our students One of the standout features is its emphasis on differentiation Offering resources that ensure every student regardless of their reading level or language background can fully engage with the content Features such as level texts read aloud options materials available in multiple languages Have helped to make complex historical concepts more acceptable more accessible to my newcomers and my emerging readers alike Another another key strength is its wealth of inquiry-based resources Which encourage students to
073think critically and analyze historical events from multiple perspectives Students don't just memorize facts. They investigate interpret and discuss This approach fosters a deeper historical understanding and allows students to engage in meaningful discussions about the past and make connections to the present In my own classroom. I've seen firsthand how this program enhances student engagement while no textbook can replace an educator's thoughtful lesson planning The interactive activities have provided indispensable resources that allowed students to immerse themselves in historical thinking And made events from the past feel real and relevant Additionally this curriculum provides valuable support for educators, especially for new teachers The structured resources lesson plans and digital tools make planning and instruction more efficient ensuring that all teachers regardless of experience Can provide high quality? Engaging lessons. I saw this in action while working with my
074cooperating teacher this year Who relied on the program's materials to structure lessons facilitate discussions and adapt content for different learners? I want to thank the board as well as jenny pettit for the opportunity to participate in this process And on behalf of myself my colleagues in the pilot and the adoption committee And my department at naiwat high school. I strongly recommend the adoption of the savas program for our high school social studies courses Thank you for your time and for your consideration Well, thank you all for your careful consideration of this social studies curriculum We're so fortunate for both of these curriculums that we can adopt For to have such experts on on these teams in the schools and administration So that we can make informed decisions through our trust in you. So thank you
075so much. That means so much to us I'd recommend a motion to approve so moved Mrs. Babs. Yes, mr. Berthold. Yes, mrs. Gilligan. Yes, mrs. Horanek. Yes, mr. Lechuga absent. Mrs. Ragland Aye, mrs. Weiss. Yes Thanks christy and next up we have 8.4. Uh, i'd like amanda Invite amanda back up Thank you Thank you very much Thank you again president ragland members of the board and dr Haddad As we move forward with planning and hiring for the upcoming applicant academic school year I'd like to share a brief overview the state of our staffing and recommendations for the board's consideration Throughout the past few months our schools and departments have diligently collaborated with staff supervisors the finance team and district leaders To carefully formulate staffing plans tailored to the needs of saint rain valley schools This
076year, although we anticipated a slightly higher number of non-renewals compared to the previous year We are very pleased to share that our hiring window has allowed for many of these individuals to be rehired Reasons for some of these changes are attributable in part attributable in part to expiration of some grants fluctuations and enrollment And necessity for late season hires We're poised to continue to afford opportunities for individuals to apply for and earn positions Saint rain valley remains strong in competitive market due to our reputation for academic excellence High teacher and staff salaries and strong benefit packages along with innovative approaches in education Our proactive strategy of posting positions Prior to spring break also helps attract a robust pool of quality candidates In addition our concerted efforts to participate in internal local And national recruiting events
077have proven instrumental in fostering talent pipelines for saint rain valley schools With that said it is recommended that the board of education approves teacher contracts For all probationary and non-probationary teachers currently employed in saint rain valley school district With the exception of those listed below Thank you, amanda. Do board members have any questions or comments? Okay. Well amanda human resources are are what is behind our student achievement and success So thank you so much for your work with our people I would ask for a motion to approve 8.4 second Mrs. Babs. Yes, mr. Berthold. Yes, mrs. Gilligan. Yes, mrs. Horanek. Yes, mr. Lechuga absent mrs. Ragland Aye mrs. Weiss. Yes Thanks christy next up. We have our discussion item. There's one 9.1 charter school contract renewals So matt buckler welcome back up for your first
078presentation in your new role Thank you President ragman members of the board and dr. Haddad As the district's charter school liaison i'm here tonight to present the proposed charter contracts between saint rain and our six charter schools These contracts reflect our continued partnership and shared commitment to academic excellence sound governance and compliance with state federal and district requirements These contracts cover all key areas of the charter school's operations and if approved Will be in effect through june 30 2030 With the option for two additional one-year extensions I also want to acknowledge the strong working relationship we have with all six of our charter schools and all of them are represented here tonight And i'm happy to answer questions or summarize any of the specific sections of the contract for you out of the 653 page
079Document, we don't seem to have too many questions tonight or comments But this is a very comprehensive report and I would expect that if there was anything upon your review that you found concerning or That you wanted to call our attention to for any reason We trust you could share that's correct. Yeah. Thank you This is a discussion item. So yes, and With your consent we will put on the april 23rd Agenda a motion to approve excellent Thank you. Thank you so much okay, well Our next meetings in april are on the 16th and the 23rd And at this time I would like to ask for a motion to adjourn All in favor. Hi