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June 6, 2014 Arapahoe County, Colorado | Volume 13, Issue 28 A publication of
centennialcitizen.net
Clarity Commons: A tribute to Claire Friends of family plan an acre of peace on Arapahoe High campus By Jennifer Smith
jsmith@coloradocommunitymedia. com Bob Lembke can’t talk about Claire Davis without tearing up. “She just had a certain spark to her. Most young children do, she just had a little different something,” he said on May 29. Lembke had known Claire since his two children, Adrienne and Corinne, befriended the two Davis children, Alexander and Claire, in preschool. The two sets of parents hit it off, too, and they all became life-
long friends. After the Dec. 13 shooting at Arapahoe High School that ultimately claimed Claire’s life, Lembke knew he had to do something to help his friends through their grief. “They’re still grieving deeply the loss of their daughter and the loss of their future plans with her,” he said. “They’re holding firm in their message of forgiveness, and developing their new normal day by Davis day. … It changes the future, and they’re slowly coming to grips with that and understanding what that means. They’re trying to make sense of the senseless.” Claire continues on Page 5
An artist’s rendering of what Clarity Commons will look like upon completion. Courtesy image
Mental health in focus School board gives initial approval for money for clinic By Jennifer Smith
jsmith@colorado communitymedia.com
Centennial Center Park will be the site of myriad summer events. Photo by Anna Sheffer
Event series brings summer fun Amphitheater improvements among big draws for park By Anna Sheffer
Special to Colorado Community Media The dog days of summer do not have to be boring. Centennial Center Park’s summer events offer an opportunity for fun for everyone from June through early August. The events kick off at 6 p.m. June 7 with the Summer Blast Off, a free concert featuring tribute band The Long Run: Experience the Eagles, local artist Katey Laurel and the Aurora School of Rock. The kickoff event features food, music, children’s activities and fireworks. The Summer Blast Off marks the grand re-opening of the amphitheater after it has been renovated to include a stage cover and built-in lights. The amphitheater, first used in summer 2013, initially required performers to bring their own lighting equipment, and the city realized that the amphitheater could be improved. Allison Wittern, public information
and special events manager for the city, said the stage cover will help accommodate acts. “It makes it a little more attractive for entertainers to come,” she said. The amphitheater is scheduled to reopen at the end of May, and Sheri Chadwick, director of communications for the city, said the renovations will allow larger national acts to come to the park in addition to local performers. Centennial Mayor Cathy Noon has similar hopes for the amphitheater. “These improvements will allow us to attract professional performances as well as present a great venue for local artists and community performances,” Noon said. But the park, which opened in 2012, is not limited to special events. It hosts Friday Film Fest the second and fourth Fridays of June and July. Each movie night features food vendors, entertainment and a family-friendly movie that begins at dusk in the park. The entertainment for each night begins at 7 and is related to that night’s movie. For example, tae kwon do demonstrations will be held prior to “Kung Fu Panda” and the water play area of the park will be open past its normal hours of operation to go along
with the showing of “The Little Mermaid.” Shoppers can enjoy the summer event series, too. The Centennial Farmers and Artisans Market runs Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on June 14 and July 12. The market features goods from local artisans as well as fresh produce from local Colorado companies and food trucks from restaurants like Little India and Crave-It Frozen Yogurt. Each market also features live music from local musicians. The summer events series ends Aug. 9 with Centennial Under the Stars, a free outdoor concert featuring DSB: America’s Favorite Tribute to Journey. The event features food and activities for families and culminates in a laser light show. A special, final farmers market will be held from 6 to 10 p.m. in conjunction withe the concert. Overall, the summer events series is intended to draw in families from all over Centennial. “We hope the summer events will give friends and neighbors in Centennial a great opportunity to get outside and enjoy Centennial Center Park,” Chadwick said. The park is located at 13050 E. Peakview Ave., Centennial.
Mental health is front and center in Littleton Public Schools’ 2015-16 budget discussion. While nobody mentioned the December shooting deaths at Arapahoe High School, it was evident that everyone in the room during the May 29 meeting of the board of education agreed that more resources need to go toward spotting kids who are in trouble before tragedy strikes. In March, Nate Thompson, whose position as director of support services has been converted to director of emotional and social support, said the district needs a universal screening tool for those issues first and foremost. “It’s about psychological safety,” he said. “What do we do for kids when they’re in that place when they might hurt themselves or others?” To that end, the board gave initial approval to adding $800,000 to mentalhealth services next school year, to include a dedicated clinic and the equivalent of 10.5 full-time mental-health workers to be distributed all levels, from the elementary schools on up. LPS staff is working with Arapahoe/ Douglas Mental Health Network on how best to implement a mental-health clinic within an existing district building but has not yet decided which one. When kids are sent to outside programs like ADMHN, whether by the district or a court order, per-pupil funding follows them. That cost LPS about $650,000 last year. Utilizing interns from area universities is another possibility, said Diane Doney, the district’s chief operating officer. “I think you will see that next year, we Mental continues on Page 5
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