GLUTEN-FREE GROWTH
September 8, 2016 VO LUM E 29 | IS S U E 42 | FREE
More people are cutting gluten from their diet, but the reasons vary. PAGE 12
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Transparency the tone of town hall meetings Douglas County School District refines survey process with input from community
By Mike DiFerdinando mdiferdinando@coloradocommunitymedia.com In July, the Douglas County Board of Education approved up to $220,000 for Corona Insights, a Denver-based research and strategy firm, to conduct an extensive community survey. Kevin Raines, president of Corona
Insights, asked community members at a recent town hall event at Castle View High School “not to hold it against us.” “We don’t expect one survey to end the debates you’re having,” Raines said at the Aug. 25 meeting. “But our hope is that it will inform all sides of the issues so that everyone is working from the same common ground of knowledge.” Corona kicked off what will be a sevenmonth data and information gathering process with a series of town hall meetings at district schools where parents and community members asked questions
about the process and gave input about what they would like to learn from the survey. The six meetings were held between Aug. 18 and Aug. 31. Corona also hosted another series of town hall events open only to employees. Community members have been calling for a districtwide survey for several years, With tensions and questions arising over the effectivness of reform measures implemented by the school board, community members have been calllng for a districtwide survey for several years.
HEADED FOR VICTORY
The town halls focused on the community answering two questions: “What is your vision of DCSD in the future?” and “What information do we need to get there?” “The town hall process was really designed to open the discussion with the community so that they would have input into the process,” said Jess Stainbrook, the district’s community relations director. “We’re trying to draw a line in the sand and really move forward.” Survey continues on Page 18
Wounded detective showing progress Dan Brite was shot by a man the sheriff’s office says was suicidal By Kyle Harding and Chris Rotar Staff writers Doctors were seeing “promising progress” by the detective who was hospitalized after being shot by a man authorities say was acting in a suicidal manner before being killed in an exchange of gunfire with law enforcement. Dan Brite, a 2½-year veteran of the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, underwent surgery at Parker Adventist Hospital the night of Sept. 2 before being moved to the Brite facility’s intensive care unit. He remained in critical condition but was “responding to stimulus” on Sept. 4, two days after he was shot near a Parker middle school, a sheriff’s office spokesman said. Shooting continues on Page 9
Mountain Vista’s Cameron Kroonenburg, right, heads the soccer ball to keep it away from Pine Creek’s Mitch Cutts. The Golden Eagles took a 2-0 victory at Shea Stadium in Highlands Ranch on Sept. 1, improving their record to 1-1-1 on the season. Photo by Paul DiSalvo
SOLID START Early successes launch ThunderRidge’s season. PAGE 25