November 18, 2021
$1.00
JEFFERSON COUNTY, COLORADO
A publication of
GoldenTranscript.net
VOLUME 155 | ISSUE 48
Outside evaluation of Jeffco Schools’ CIP
SPECIAL REPORT
Independent firm says no fraud in program, but room for improvement BY BOB WOOLEY BWOOLEY@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
The Colorado Center for the Blind in Littleton.
PHOTO BY DAVID GILBERT
They came seeking confidence; they left traumatized Sexual abuses were kept quiet for decades at the world-renowned Colorado Center for the Blind, former students and employees allege BY DAVID GILBERT DAVID@COLORADOSUN.COM
More than a dozen previously unreported instances of sexual misconduct and abuse spanning at least two decades at the Colorado Center for the Blind in Littleton have surfaced during an internal
investigation of the school’s parent organization. Among the offenses were the alleged sexual assault of a 13-yearold girl by a summer youth camp counselor in 2001, of which police have no record; a teacher accused SEE BLIND, P6
INSIDE: VOICES: PAGE 16 | LIFE: PAGE 18 | CALENDAR: PAGE 21 | SPORTS: PAGE 30
ABOUT THIS SPECIAL REPORT This project is a collaboration of Colorado Community Media, publisher of this newspaper, and The Colorado Sun. The Sun is a partner in the Colorado News Conservancy, owner of Colorado Community Media.
In the Nov. 10 Jeffco School Board study session, representatives of Moss Adams, a public accounting firm gave a presentation on an evaluation of the school district’s Capital Improvement Program (CIP) midway through it’s proposed six-year timeframe. In June, 2021 Jeffco School District issued an RFP with 17 key questions to guide the evaluation process focused on how the CIP moved forward following the 2018 election bond and sale. Four vendors responded to the RFP. One finalist, Moss Adams, interviewed and was selected to perform the evaluation. Moss Adams was provided with comprehensive information, websites and documents regarding the CIP. They conducted interviews with 12 individuals representing disciplines inside the organization, as well as external stakeholders. Moss Adams had detailed discussions with facilities construction teams to clarify and provide additional information about SEE SCHOOLS, P2
ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE
Colorado residents discuss what makes them thankful
P18