March 6, 2015 VOLU M E 1 4 | I SS UE 1 5
CentennialCitizen.net A R A P A H O E C O U N T Y, C O L O R A D O
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Finalists named to lead schools
SNOW MUCH FUN
Four candidates remain in running for superintendent Staff report
Ben Voight, of Centennial, sleds down a hill at deKoevend Park on March 2. Ben is 1 year old — “almost 2,” said his mother, Jean, who gave him a nudge down the hill at the park in Centennial. Photo by Christy Steadman
Getting to KNOW the
By Christy Steadman
The search for a new Littleton Public Schools superintendent has been narrowed to four finalists. The names announced at the Feb. 26 Littleton Board of Education meeting are Amy Oaks, Littleton High School principal; Clay Abla, Littleton director of secondary education; Brian Ewert, Englewood Schools superintendent; and Jackie Kapushion, Mapleton Schools deputy superintendent. The candidates will be interviewed on March 14. Initial interviews will be conducted by two superintendent selection advisory committees made up of Littleton faculty, staff members and community residents. The boards will advise the Littleton Board of Education, which will conduct the final interviews. The public will be welcome to observe the interviews, but no questions or comments will be allowed. The school board alone makes the final decision and expects to announce it by March 19. Scott Murphy, who has been superintendent since 2006, announced in October he will retire effective June 15 after 25 years with the district. Last fall, the Colorado Association of School Boards held a community forum to gather thoughts on what qualities his replacement should have. Everyone in the room agreed the new superintendent will have a lot on his or her plate. They hope the person will be forceful enough to advocate for local interests against state and federal mandates, but patient enough to listen to the community. They expect someone who will stick around for the long haul with a long-term vision, not just someone to play a transitional role. Above all, they want someone who values transparency and demands it across the district. “Everybody wants somebody that’s going to walk on water when it’s not frozen,” joked CASB’s Mark DeVoti, assistant executive director. The application window was Jan. 5 through Feb. 12, and it was advertised nationally.
MAYOR PRO TEM
csteadman@coloradocommunitymedia.com Centennial City Councilmember Ken Lucas will serve another term as mayor pro tem. Judge Ford Wheatley gave him the oath of office on March 2. This is his fourth year serving on Centennial’s city council. He will be up for election in November for a
Lucas did three tours in Vietnam as a petty officer 2nd class with the U.S. Navy. Lucas and his wife, Reiko, will be celebrating their 45th wedding anniversary this year.
second term. Lucas holds two master’s degrees, one earned at Regis University in Denver, and the other from Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa. He has been a Centennial resident since 1983. Here are more fast facts about Lucas:
Lucas and his family adopted four pets from the Humane Society: two cats and two dogs.
Lucas retired from the investment banking and private equity business in 2009. He enjoys working with startup businesses.
His favorite hobbies include reading and playing golf.
As a councilmember, he enjoys doing research on the city’s various projects, specifically the work he did as a member of the Broadband Technical Committee.
Judge Ford Wheatley, right, gives Centennial Mayor Pro Tem Ken Lucas the oath of office March 2. Photo by Christy Steadman