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August 21, 2014 VOLU M E 27 | I S S UE 40
HighlandsRanchHerald.net D O U G L A S C O U N T Y, C O L O R A D O
A publication of
GIVING CLARITY TO HEALING
Reform impact debated Pace of change, new demands cited as factors in teacher turnover By Jane Reuter
jreuter @coloradocommunitymedia.com
Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper embraces Desiree Davis on Aug. 16 at the dedication of Clarity Commons, a peaceful park-like memorial at Arapahoe High School honoring her daughter Claire, who lost her life after being shot by classmate Karl Pierson on Dec. 13, 2013. For more coverage, turn to page 10. Photo by Deborah Grigsby Smith
Complementary medicine can lift minds, bodies Practices like acupuncture, massage are gaining greater popularity By Christy Steadman
csteadman @coloradocommunitymedia.com Gene Barron, 62, has always led an active lifestyle. He skis about 45 days a year. He mountain bikes, plays softball and works out regularly. He does this despite suffering from continuous back pain that began at the age of 16 when he hyperextended his back playing basketball. The pain worsened as he grew older, making everyday tasks, such as bending over to pick up a shoe, or slightly turning around to reach something in the backseat of his car, difficult to manage. But regular chiropractic treatment — one of many tools in the growing trend of complementary care — has helped the Highlands Ranch pastor maintain his active life. “Regular chiropractic care, plus exercise, really helps,” Barron said. “There’s pretty much a 100 percent improvement.” Many compelling stories prove there are benefits of combining complementary medicine — which also includes acupuncture and massage therapy — with primary care, said Melissa Glassey, manager for Kaiser Permanente’s Colorado Centers for Complementary Medicine. The idea of using complementary medicine — once considered alternative medicine not offered under mainstream care and insurance — to benefit traditional allopathic medicine is growing in popularity because evidence-based medicine proves it is effective and safe, said Dr. Tracy McCubbin, medical director of Kaiser’s complementary medicine centers. Complementary medicine can help with typical conditions such as chronic and general back pain, migraines, autoimmune conditions, allergies and asthma, stress management, anxiety, depression and insomnia, she said.
Education reform may be accelerating the pace of teacher turnover not just in Douglas County but throughout Colorado, some experts say. And while some say changes can be made to soften the impact and slow turnover, others maintain it is part of the process involved in reshaping American education. Colorado and most other states adopted the Common Core initiative — a national effort to improve education standards that specify the skills and knowledge students must learn at each level. The state integrated the Common Core with its Colorado Academic Standards, and began implementing the changes with the 2013-14 academic year. The Douglas County School District designed and introduced its own version of the standards, called the Guaranteed and Viable Curriculum, in 2012. Teacher turnover is up for both entities, though the rate at which they are leaving rose more sharply in DCSD than at the state level. Colorado teacher turnover for 2013-14 was 16.65 percent, and in DCSD it was 17.28 percent. From 2012 to 2013, the pace at which teachers left their posts statewide rose 13 percent. In DCSD, it increased by 30 percent. Those numbers, compiled by the Colorado Department of Education, do not include employees who left after Dec. 1, 2013, in-district transfers or in-district promotions. The changes and added job duties the new standards entail, combined with the impact of a now-fading recession that contributed to pay freezes for many teachers, are feeding those increases, one state education official believes. Under the reforms, teachers are faced with changing curriculum, new planning methods, increased testing and self-evaluations. “It’s already a complex job,” said Bruce Caughey, executive director of the Colorado Association of School Executives. “If you lay in a combination of no raises and significantly changing demands, I think it’s taking a toll. “I do think educators are typically optimistic people who want to do the work and have a heart for it. But their burden is increasing, there’s no question.” Education reform is happening rapidly in Douglas County, which describes itself as a leader in the “transformation of K-12 education.” The first Colorado school district to authorize a charter school, and the first K-12 district to introduce a market-based pay system and district-managed voucher program, it also introduced its teacher evaluation system a year ahead of most other Colorado school districts. Reform continues on Page 11
Eva Levy, licensed acupuncturist with Kaiser Permanente Colorado Centers for Complementary Medicine, prepares acupuncture needles prior to an appointment. The needles are tiny, she said, so they don’t hurt, and a new set of sterile needles is used for each patient. The new complementary medicine center in Highlands Ranch opened July 28. Photo by Christy Steadman “Even though some people may be skeptical of using complementary services, like chiropractic work or therapeutic massage, the beauty is it is a choice,” said McCubbin, who views herself as an integrative physician who focuses on a
patient’s lifestyle. Kaiser opened its fifth complementary medicine location in the metro area in Highlands Ranch on July 28. The idea Medicine continues on Page 11
DCSD TEACHER TURNOVER 2013-14: 17.28 percent 2012-13: 13.26 percent 2011-12: 11.24 percent 2010-11: 11.59 percent 2009-10: 10.17 percent (Information compiled by the Colorado Department of Education on Dec. 1 of each academic year. Does not include in-district promotions or transfers.)