1-Color
May 22, 2014
Free Douglas County, Colorado | Volume 1, Issue 41 A publication of
castlepinesnewspress.net
Principal put on leave for alleged misconduct
Crossing the line
Move involving Rock Ridge’s Sorg comes as parents protest district review of teacher ratings By Jane Reuter
jreuter @coloradocommunitymedia.com
las County is a safe place to live and work, while 19 percent said that is somewhat true. Forty-nine percent said it is very accurate to say the county has “good schools and educational opportunities for all ages,” and 33 percent said that is a somewhat accurate statement. A combined 17 percent said that’s a not-very or not-at-all accurate statement. Respondents listed natural resources as their second highest priority for the county, and 58 percent of people said water was the most important resource for the county. “That was a new direction for the county and to have that strong
Rock Ridge Elementary School’s principal was put on administrative leave under allegations of misconduct on May 16, the same day parents and students protested in defense of the school’s teachers. Amber Sorg already had submitted her resignation in early 2014, and planned to work until June 30. Her leave comes six weeks ahead of that planned last day. Douglas County Sorg School District officials aren’t saying why Sorg was put on leave, noting it is a personnel issue. In a May 19 letter to Rock Ridge parents, DCSD’s assistant superintendent of elementary education Ted Knight called the situation “regrettable,” and asked parents to respect Sorg’s privacy. “I know that this will be difficult news for many of our students and we feel that it is best shared by parents, so we encourage you to have a conversation with your child tonight about the change,” Knight’s message read. Incoming principal Michelle Colton will be brought on board earlier than planned “to help keep the learning environment as stable as possible,” according to Knight. Parents think they know the reason Sorg, who became principal in 2012, was put on leave. “I believe this happened because parents dared to voice their opinion on our children’s world class education,” said Jen Johnson, who has two kids at Rock Ridge and participated in the May 16 protest. “We collaborated together, and spoke out against our teachers being bullied and demoralized. I believe Amber is being punished because of parent actions.” Johnson said the atmosphere at her children’s Castle Rock school was strained when she came to do her volunteer shift May 19. “There were police officers outside our school, and two more in cars in the church parking lot across the street,” she said. “When I walked in, the air feels different. Teachers who would normally come up (to me) didn’t, because they’re afraid. No one was talking to anyone besides parents asking, `What the hell is going on in our
County continues on Page 12
Principal continues on Page 13
Douglas County’s Trey Smith, far right, wins his 200-meter preliminary heat in a time of 22.08 seconds May 15 in Lakewood. Smith wound up third in the event, but did capture the state championship in the 100 meters two days later. For more track coverage, turn to Page 28. Photo by Ryan Boldrey
Survey finds residents optimistic about future Two-thirds of respondents say things going in right direction By Mike DiFerdinando
mdiferdinando @coloradocommunitymedia.com A recently completed survey has given residents and government officials a snapshot of life in Douglas County. The survey of registered voters by Hill Research Consultants, released last week by the county, revealed that the majority of residents are content with the direction the county is moving in and are optimistic about the future. Of those surveyed, 67 percent said they feel things are moving in the right direction for the county, while only 20 percent said they are moving in the wrong direction. Twelve percent were not sure and 1 percent didn’t answer that question. “As a county commissioner reading this survey, we have a tremendous amount of support from our community and the things that we have been working on,” District 3 Commissioner Jill Repella said. “It’s an affirmation that we’re on the right track.” When asked if they were “very satisfied” with the county’s parks and trails, 70 percent of people said they were. And 54 percent said they were equally as happy with the law enforcement provided by the sheriff’s office. The majority of respondents listed economic prosperity as their highest priority in the county. Fifty-one percent of those polled said that economic conditions are staying the same and 40 percent said things are getting better. Only 7 percent said things were getting worse economically. When asked if the county is a “good place to raise a family,” 82 percent said that is a “very accurate” statement, while 16 percent said “somewhat accurate.” Of those surveyed, 80 percent said it is very accurate to say Doug-
Castle View High School football players greet fans at the 2013 Douglas County Fair parade in Castle Rock. The annual parade is one of many family-friendly activities that the county supports every year. File photo
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