SCHOOLS

Ray tried to postpone the changes by one year, but his motion failed 4-2. Superintendent Erin Kane presented her implementation plan for the equity policy in April, which outlines how equity will apply to academics, student wellness, resource allocation, human resources and parent engagement.

Protest before meeting

Leading up to the board meeting, around 50 students, parents and community members gathered outside the district building to protest the district’s response to reported racism happening at Castle Rock Middle School, where eighth grader Jeramiah Ganzy has been a victim of racial slurs in school and through social media.

Douglas County mom Melissa Sutherland organized the protest grants, many of whom barely have the clothes on their back.”

Rose Community Foundation started the Newcomers Fund in December 2022 to address the needs of migrants arriving in Denver. Since then, over 10,000 people have come to the area, seeking asylum and safety.

“( e fund is) really meant to just mobilize philanthropic dollars for people who want to support incoming newcomers and migrant arrivals,” said Katie Peshek, communications director at Rose Community Foundation. “To deploy that money as e ciently and quickly as we can to the local nonpro ts on the ground who are doing this work, day in and day out.”

Rose Community Foundation makes grant decisions with a steering committee including representatives from the City and County of Denver, the State of Colorado, e Denver Foundation, Latino Community Foundation of Colorado, and Mile High United Way, according to its website.

Speci cally, they o er funding to nonpro ts that provide access to shelter, food and clothing, medical care, workforce and employment, with her son Glenn, a sophomore at Douglas County High School, after hearing Jeramiah’s story.

Outside the district building, Sutherland called on the district and school board to condemn and act on discrimination happening in schools.

“If the school district doesn’t start stepping up, then we’ll be out here every time,” Sutherland said.

Jeramiah and his family rallied alongside Sutherland, saying they appreciated seeing the support and hopes the district will begin taking steps to educate students about diversity and enforce consequences for discrimination.

During the board meeting, Kane made a statement addressing the protest, apologizing for the Ganzy family having to experience racial slurs. She said multiple students were suspended in response to the reports.

“Racism in any form is unacceptable at DCSD and a direct policy violation,” Kane said.

Public Notices

to do so. Additionally, we reserve the right to negotiate optional items/services with the successful vendor.

Please direct any questions concerning this RFP to Carolyn Riggs, Purchasing Supervisor, 303-660-7434, criggs@douglas.co.us, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding holidays.

Legal Notice No. 945514

First Publication: June 1, 2023

Last Publication: June 1, 2023

Publisher: Douglas County News-Press translation, transportation, and childcare for newcomers.

To date, the fund has raised about half a million dollars and has granted most of it to nonpro t organizations that address these needs.

Peshek said the latest spike in arrivals has shown that the city and state funding is not enough to meet the needs of everyone who is arriving.

“I think it really does take a community approach to support these newcomers,” she said. “It really does require all government, foundations and philanthropy, nonpro ts that all really (work) together — that it’s not an issue that can be well-addressed by one without the others.” e Arapahoe County commissioners’ donation came from their social services fund balance, where they are keeping some money in case the county later realizes more local needs as the migrant crisis continues.

In the meantime, however, they decided to contribute what they could to support Denver.

“ is feels like what we can responsibly do right now, although nothing feels like it’s enough,” said District 2 Commissioner Jessica

About Letters To The Editor

Colorado Community Media welcomes letters to the editor. Please note the following rules:

• Email your letter to letters@coloradocommunitymedia.com. Do not send via postal mail. Put the words “letter to the editor” in the email subject line.

• Submit your letter by 5 p.m. on Wednesday in order to have it considered for publication in the following week’s newspaper.

• Letters must be no longer than 400 words.

• Letters should be exclusively submitted to Colorado Community Media and should not submitted to other outlets or previously posted on websites or social media. Submitted letters become the property of CCM and should not be republished elsewhere.

• Letters advocating for a political candidate should focus on that candidate’s qualifications for o ce. We cannot publish letters that contain unverified negative information about a candidate’s opponent. Letters advocating for or against a political candidate or ballot issue will not be published within 12 days of an election.

Campbell-Swanson. “ is gives us some exibility in case we need to respond here in the county.”

Holen said he hopes the county’s action will also inspire support from other metro counties.

“Allowing these funds to go forward, we could be an example or a leader that may have an impact on convincing some of the other metropolitan counties to contribute to this program,” he said.

Peshek said the fund has received donations from across Colorado — and even across the country. She encourages and appreciates everyone who has supported them thus far.

“As Denver has continued to grow, more issues faced by the metro are really regional issues and are faced by surrounding counties, municipalities as well,” she said. “So, seeing the support from a neighboring county to engage on this e ort and help support these nonpro ts that are on the ground, I mean, I think it’s incredible.”

Donors and nonpro t organizations can learn more about the fund, how to donate and how to apply for a grant at https://rcfdenver.org/nonpro ts-and-grants/what-we-fund/ newcomers-fund/.

• Publication of any given letter is at our discretion. Letters are published as space is available.

• We will edit letters for clarity, grammar, punctuation and length and write headlines (titles) for letters at our discretion.

• Please don’t send us more than one letter per month. First priority for publication will be given to writers who have not submitted letters to us recently.

• Submit your letter in a Word document or in the body of an email. No PDFs or Google Docs, please.

• Include your full name, address and phone number. We will publish only your name and city or town of residence, but all of the information requested is needed for us to verify you are who you say you are.

• Letters will be considered only from people living in Colorado Community Media’s circulation area in Adams, Arapahoe, Clear Creek, Denver, Douglas, Elbert, Je erson and Weld counties.

• Do not use all caps, italics or bold text.

• Keep it polite: No name calling or “mudslinging.”

Public Notice INVITATION FOR BID (IFB) #021-23 COMMERCIAL CONVEYOR DISHWASHER

The Department of Facilities, Fleet and Emergency Support Services of Douglas County Government, hereinafter referred to as the County, respectfully requests bids from responsible and qualified companies for the purchase and installation of a new commercial conveyor dishwasher.

The IFB documents may be reviewed and/or printed from the Rocky Mountain E-Purchasing

System website at www.rockymountainbidsystem.com.

IFB documents are not available for purchase from Douglas County Government and can only be accessed from the above-mentioned website. While the IFB documents are available electronically, Douglas County cannot accept electronic bid responses.

Bid responses shall be submitted in a sealed envelope plainly marked “IFB No. 021-23, Commercial Conveyor Dishwasher” and mailed or hand-carried to the address shown below prior to the due date and time. Electronic and/or faxed bid responses will not be accepted. Bids will be received until

3:00pm on Tuesday, June 20, 2023 by the Douglas County Finance Department, Purchasing Division, 100 Third Street, Suite 130, Castle Rock, Colorado 80104. Bids will not be considered which are received after the time stated, and any bids so received will be returned unopened.

Douglas County Government reserves the right to reject any and all bids, to waive formalities, informalities, or irregularities contained in a said bid and furthermore, to award a contract for items herein, either in whole or in part, if it is deemed to be in the best interest of the County to do so. Additionally, we reserve the right to negotiate optional items/services with the successful bidder.

Please direct any questions concerning this IFB to Carolyn Riggs, Purchasing Supervisor, 303-6607434, criggs@douglas.co.us, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding holidays.

Legal Notice No. 945515

First Publication: June 1, 2023

Last Publication: June 1,