March 27, 2015 VOLU M E 1 4 | I S SUE 1 8
CentennialCitizen.net A publication of
A R A P A H O E C O U N T Y, C O L O R A D O
Davis’ family wants answers Slain Arapahoe student’s parents seek records, support legislation By Jennifer Smith
jsmith@coloradocommunitymedia.com
A group of third-grade thespians perform a scene from “Harry Potter and the Cauldron of Doom” for about 45 senior residents at Holly Creek, a retirement community in Centennial on March 20. Photos by Christy Steadman
Harry Potter comes to Holly Creek
Third-grade thespians perform for retirement community By Christy Steadman
csteadman@colorado communitymedia.com
Eight-year-old thespians got to display their talent to a group of 80-year-old thespians on March 20 — but the only judging going on was that of a potionmaking contest. The kids, a group of about 30 thirdgraders from William Roberts elementary, a K-8 Denver public school in Stapleton, performed a scene from “Harry Potter and the Cauldron of Doom” for about 45 senior residents at Holly Creek, a retirement community in Centennial. Being able to perform for seniors is a great opportunity for the kids, their drama teacher, Maureen Hines, said. And the seniors benefit, she added, because the kids bring a lot of energy and joy. “It’s a win-win situation for everybody,” she said. The third-graders worked on the skit for about three months, once a week after school on early-release days for two hours, Hines said. Thursday Thespians, Holly Creek’s
A group of third-grade thespians from a Denver County public school visited Holly Creek Retirement Community to perform a skit for about 45 senior residents on March 20. thespian group of about 25 residents, designed the set and made the backdrop and props for the skit, said the group’s founding member, Jack Hull. “We’ve been wanting to do something with an intergenerational group,” he said, but mostly, Thursday Thespians were there to simply welcome the children and their talent, added the group’s director
Norma Austermann. Holly Creek always welcomes opportunities where the residents get to work with and engage younger generations, said April Henderson, the retirement community’s director of life enrichment. “The children can learn from our residents,” she said, “and we can learn from the children.”
After more than a year of talking about little more than forgiveness, Arapahoe High School shooting victim Claire Davis’ parents have come out of the silence swinging. “All we know today is that whatever the school did or didn’t do resulted in two kids dying,” Michael Davis said in a statement released March 12. “If we can all fully understand what led up to Dec. 13, 2013, then all schools can Claire Davis more easily establish the basis of reasonable care when dealing with potentially dangerous students. “On the other hand, if schools are allowed to continue to not disclose any information, then reasonable care is left in the hands of individuals who can independently decide to remain anonymous or who may be unwilling and afraid to come forward, no one will learn from this tragedy, and we will have done absolutely nothing to prevent tragedies like this from repeating in the future.” Michael and Desiree Davis recently took two major steps. The first was to come out in support of two pieces of proposed state legislation designed to keep students safe when they’re at school. The first bill recognizes the responsibility of schools to protect their students, faculty and staff from reasonably foreseeable acts of violence within school facilities and at schoolsponsored events. The measure also provides a narrow definition of the circumstances in which a suit can be brought against a school for breaching that responsibility and sets a cap on the damages that can be recovered. The second would create a permanent committee on school safety and youth mental health and charge it with examining ways to improve how schools and the mental-health system deal with troubled youths. “We’re not looking to place blame or point fingers,” said Desiree Davis in the statement. “We just want answers, and we want those answers to be used to prevent any other parents from going through the terrible loss that Mike and I have suffered.” Davis continues on Page 10
Details drive LPS superintendent decision Hiring Ewert involved hours of discussions, negotiations By Jennifer Smith
jsmith@coloradocommunitymedia.com After the Littleton Public Schools Board of Education members emerged from a two-hour negotiating session with Brian Ewert on March 19, they confirmed he is their final choice to replace retiring Superintendent Scott Murphy in June. Board president Jack Reutzel said the decision to offer Ewert — the Englewood Schools superintendent since 2010 — the position came March 16 after a 3½-hour closed meeting.
“It was frank, it was rich, it was good,” said Reutzel. “Principally, it was about what was best for LPS students. We all felt that any one of the four candidates could lead Littleton Public Schools.” So, said Reutzel, it came down to details. The fact that the Colorado Association of School Executives chose Ewert as the superintendent of the year last year played a large part in the decision, said Reutzel, Ewert as was his active lobbying of the state Legislature to restore funding to local districts. “The process was incredible,” said Kelly Perez, board member. “It was a journey.
It was one of the most stressful decisions we’ve ever had to make, and I hope we don’t have to do it again for a long time.” Ewert was chosen over Amy Oaks, Littleton High School principal; Clay Abla, LPS director of secondary education; and Jackie Kapushion, Mapleton Public Schools deputy superintendent. They were the final four out of about 20 applications, said Reutzel. In addition to the board interviews, all four finalists were questioned by two volunteer committees composed of district staff and community members who made up their own questions. Without making a recommendation, the committees summarized their thoughts on each of them for the board’s consideration. “That was invaluable,” said Reutzel.
INSIDE For a Q&A with Littleton Public Schools’ new superintendent, turn to Page 2.
“They got a wide swath of questions regarding values that are near and dear to the LPS community.” Ewert was the human resources director for the Douglas County School District from 2006 until taking the Englewood superintendent job. Murphy has been with LPS for 25 years, serving as superintendent since 2006.