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May 26, 2016 VO LUM E 29 | IS S U E 27 | FREE
GetAways 2016
Special Section Inside 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
A BRIGHT FUTURE
DOUGLAS COUNTY SCHOOLS
Fagen leaving for new position Douglas County School District superintendent lands job in Texas By Mike DiFerdinando and Ann Macari Healey Staff writers
Brooke Halderson, who graduated from Highlands Ranch High School with honors, enjoys the school’s May 18 commencement ceremony. Find coverage inside of the Highlands Ranch ceremony (Page 4) and those from Mountain Vista (Page 6), Rock Canyon (Page 7), ThunderRidge (Page 8), SkyView Academy (Page 9) and STEM School and Academy (Page 13). Photo by Shanna Fortier
Valor captures lacrosse title Eagles claim Class 4A crown with victory over Dawson
Fagen continues on Page 14
By Jim Benton jbenton@coloradocommunitymedia.com Valor Christian didn’t appear to have a very good lacrosse team early in the season, but this was a case of a first impression being wrong. The Eagles started off with an 0-3 record and were 3-4 after a 14-11 loss to Dawson on April 19. But Valor recovered and won its 12th straight game in the Class 4A state championship with a 10-9 victory over Dawson School May 20 at Sports Authority Field at Mile High in Denver. “We were really down at the beginning...,” Valor coach John Grant Jr. said. “I was questioning my coaching. We had to find ourselves, we had to dig down. We did everything we needed to do. I’m proud of them.” Valor went on a team retreat and Lacrosse continues on Page 28
Douglas County School District Superintendent Elizabeth Fagen is leaving to assume the top position in the Humble Independent School District in Texas, a district of 39,000 students about 20 miles Fagen outside of Houston. “Humble ISD is an excellent school district — a great match for me personally and professionally,” she wrote in an email sent to district staff after the Humble school board confirmed her at its May 24 meeting as the finalist. “And I am very grateful for the opportunity they have offered me.” Fagen, hired by the Douglas County School Board in 2010, said in her email she expects to leave by mid-July. Texas law requires a 21-day waiting period between naming of the lone finalist and the school board’s final approval. That vote would
TITLE QUEST
The Valor Christian boys lacrosse team celebrates their 10-9 Class 4A state final victory over Alexander Dawson School of Lafayette. The Mustangs and Eagles battled back and forth all night, but in the end it was Valor Christian that came through with the victory. Photos by Paul DiSalvo
To find out how Mountain Vista and Valor fared in the state soccer championship games, go to highlandsranchherald.net. For semifinal coverage, see PAGE 22.