Wrapping Up the School Year

Wrapping Up the School Year
Posted on 05/24/2022

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May 24, 2022

Dear DCSD Families,

As we hurtle to the end of the school year, I hope you are able to take a few minutes to reflect on the year. I’m incredibly proud of our amazing teachers and staff who have continued to support our 64,000 students through the most challenging period in modern history. I have had the great privilege of seeing their impacts first-hand in our schools and classrooms over the last four weeks. I am so grateful to you, our families, for your continued partnership and for entrusting us with your wonderful children!

Across the district over the past week, we have wrapped up the school year with graduations, continuation ceremonies, field days, yearbook signings, classroom parties, and more. Last week, we honored the amazing DCSD employees who are retiring. We can’t thank them enough for their service to our incredible school district and all they have done for our students.

I, along with members of my Cabinet and the Board of Education, have had the absolute honor of attending many commencement ceremonies. Graduations are an amazing opportunity to reflect on what DCSD is really all about. Seeing our seniors celebrating this huge milestone has been amazing - their perseverance and optimism are inspiring. I am so incredibly proud of each and every one of our graduates and wish them nothing but success in their future endeavors. Graduations are not quite done yet, however! Be sure to check our website for livestream links to view upcoming commencement events.

While our schools will close for a much-deserved summer break, much work will continue over the summer months including outreach regarding our funding challenges and needs, and preparing for the start of the 2022-2023 school year.

Special Education Updates
We reopened the posting for our Executive Director of Special Education position and will leave it open until we find the right fit. In the meantime, Deputy Superintendent Danelle Hiatt and her team are continuing to make progress towards shifting to a more proactive approach to special education, including partnering with parents and staff in our schools, providing consistent direction and professional development, and, most importantly, assuring our students’ goals are aligned with our district’s mission - to provide an educational foundation that allows each student to reach his or her individual potential.

Funding Challenges and Needs
The Mill Bond Exploratory Committee (MBEC) will present to the Board of Education on June 7 regarding the feasibility of a potential Mill Levy Override and Bond for the November 2022 election. This additional funding is crucial to pay our DCSD teachers and staff more competitively, as well as to construct new traditional neighborhood elementary schools and build additions to certain middle schools as a result of our rapidly growing county. Community outreach around funding is ongoing and will continue over the summer. My goal is to continue meeting with DCSD families, Douglas County residents, and key community leaders, including elected officials and business leaders, from a variety of industries and organizations. Watch for opportunities to attend informational meetings (in-person and via Zoom) and for information you can share with friends and neighbors. It will take all of us working together to help our community understand how funding works in our district and our needs as we look to continue to build on the foundation of excellence we have built in our district.

I hope you are able to find some time to disconnect, unwind and enjoy the summer months. You deserve it! Hit the pool, take hikes, make s’mores around the campfire and enjoy backyard barbecues. We are looking forward to what the 2022-2023 school year will bring!

Have a fun and safe summer!

Erin Kane
Superintendent
Douglas County School District


Graduation 2022 1

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In compliance with Titles VI & VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008, and Colorado law, the Douglas County School District RE-1 does not unlawfully discriminate against otherwise qualified students, employees, applicants for employment, or members of the public on the basis of disability, race, creed, color, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, religion, ancestry, or need for special education services. Discrimination against employees and applicants for employment based on age, genetic information, and conditions related to pregnancy or childbirth is also prohibited in accordance with state and/or federal law. Complaint procedures have been established for students, parents, employees, and members of the public. The School District's Compliance Officer and Title IX Coordinator to address complaints alleging sexual harassment under Title IX is Aaron Henderson, 620 Wilcox Street, Castle Rock, Colorado, [email protected], 303-387-0127.

Outside Agencies

Complaints regarding violations of Title VI, (race, national origin), Title IX (sex, gender), Section 504/ADA (handicap or disability), may be filed directly with the Office for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Education, 1244 North Speer Blvd., Suite 310, Denver, CO 80204. Complaints regarding violations of Title VII (employment) and the ADEA (prohibiting age discrimination in employment) may be filed directly with the Federal Office of Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, 303 E. 17th Ave., Suite 510, Denver, CO 80202, or the Colorado Civil Rights Commission, 1560 Broadway, Suite 1050, Denver, CO 80202.

NOTICE OF DESTRUCTION OF SPECIAL EDUCATION RECORDS

Special Education records which have been collected by Douglas County School District related to the identification, evaluation, educational placement, or the provision of special education in the district, must be maintained under state and federal laws for the period of five (5) years after special education services have ended for the student. Special education services end when the student is no longer eligible for services, graduates, or completes his/her educational program at age 21, or moves from the district. This notification is to inform parents/guardians and former students of Douglas County School District's intent to destroy the special education records of students who exited special education services as of June 30, 2016. These records will be destroyed in accordance with state law unless the parent/guardian or eligible (adult) student notifies the school district otherwise. After five years, the records are no longer useful to the district, but may be useful to the parent/guardian or former student in applying for social security benefits, rehabilitation services, college entrance, etc. The parent/guardian or eligible (adult) student may request a copy of the records by requesting the records at this link ( Douglas County School District Transcripts and Records Requests ).