4
4 Elbert County News
February 12, 2015
Douglas district reschedules summit Ju Innovation exposition will showcase reform efforts for other districts By Jane Reuter
jreuter @coloradocommunitymedia.com A three-day event — designed to showcase and share with others the Douglas County School District’s efforts to change education — is planned from Feb. 18-20 with sessions at Lone Tree’s Denver Marriott South hotel and in various schools. The Innovation Summit originally was scheduled for June 2014. It was rescheduled because February works better for both the district and those interested in attending, according to DCSD. To date, 37 people have registered for the event. Described on the district’s website as “an unprecedented opportunity to collaborate on the reinvention of American education,” the event will include ses-
sions on student assessments, school choice, teacher evaluations and pay structures, safety, site-based budgeting and other topics. Participants will visit schools to “see classrooms of the future in DCSD today” and “meet teachers and students engaged in 21st-century learning,” according to the site. There is no registration fee for participants. DCSD originally planned the June event with a charge of $200 per participant or $400 for teams of two or more, but dropped fees from the rescheduled event. The removal of fees was designed to make it more affordable for districts that would like to attend, according to DCSD. Parent Meg Masten, who has been critical of many of DCSD’s reforms, is concerned about the cost of the event and how DCSD will be portrayed to participants. “I worry that those attending the summit will see a carefully crafted view of DCSD that fails to shed light on all the unfunded needs we have, as well as the
poor parent and staff satisfaction levels,” she said, adding she is not convinced the event costs are completely covered by non-district funds. “The district staff time that is being spent to promote, develop and execute an event of this magnitude is significant. This amount of effort should, instead, be applied toward the school- and classroom-level needs, where it would have a direct impact on the education of children.” The rental of the venue, materials for attendees, and other expenses will be paid for through grants made to the Douglas County Educational Foundation specifically for the event, according to DCSD spokeswoman Paula Hans. Hans did not respond when asked who had provided the funding, but said the grants will cover event-related expenditures. School leaders said the Innovation Summit is not only a way to showcase the district’s work, but to exchange ideas with others who are undertaking major changes in the field of education. “We know many districts across the country share our goals and are our
partners in the reinvention of American education,” the site reads. “This is an opportunity for us to gather together and talk about the work we share, things that we’ve learned, things that we’ve done well and things that we can do better together.” DCSD’s website describes the summit By C as “the perfect place to light the spark of cmic change at your school or district or con-@col tinue work that has already begun.” Douglas County School Board presi- Fa dent Kevin Larsen said the district fre-stand quently hosts curious guests from other M districts, and the summit will be an op-was portunity to exchange information with ain Se broader audience. retire “We get a lot of inquiries from outsideJudg educators to come visit that can becomeover disruptive when peppered sporadically Pe throughout the calendar,” he said. “Hold-wron ing this event in a concentrated few daystheir allows this collaboration to be more effi-some amp cient and productive.” For more event information, visitsents www.dcsdk12.org/innovation-summit. Her t in th whet In nam fully the v who ter tr “I A veterans hospital under construc-50-p tion in Aurora has encountered massivejuven cost overruns and delays, but it wasn’t‘hi,’ clear if Roff had any role in planning orthem supervising the project. M U.S. Rep. Mike Coffman, R-Colo., wel-cour comed Roff’s departure, saying veterans deserve better leadership. “She did the right thing by leaving,” he said. Coffman has asked the VA to investigate the Denver-based eastern Colorado system. Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., described Roff’s departure as an opportunity and urged the VA to find a leader to push for better care for veterans.
Bo of P by
Director of troubled Denver VA hospital to retire Reports of secret waiting list surface Associated Press The director of the veterans health care system for Denver and eastern Colorado is retiring, days after a report that a Veterans Affairs sleep clinic in Denver had a secret waiting list. Lynette Roff is stepping down, a spokesman for the VA said Feb. 3. No other details were immediately released. Former VA employee Tommy Belinski obtained a paper waiting list — separate from the official computerized list — that
could have been used to hide lengthy waits for appointments at the sleep clinic, KUSA-TV in Denver reported. The list had more than 500 names on it, Belinski said. The VA has said officials discovered an “unofficial list” in 2012 and abolished it. Dan Warvi, a spokesman for the VA in Denver, said in an email to The Associated Press that no secret list exists. Roff didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment made through a spokesman. Investigators following up on whistleblower complaints have discovered largescale improprieties in the way hospitals and clinics around the country scheduled veterans for appointments. Eight
Accepting New Patients!
months ago, an audit found that 1,600 new patients had to wait 90 days or longer for appointments at eastern Colorado VA medical facilities. It wasn’t clear if the sleep clinic was included in the audit. The Colorado facilities were included in a nationwide audit on a single day in May. All told, more than 57,000 patients faced delays of 90 days or longer. The review also indicated that 13 percent of schedulers reported being told by supervisors to falsify appointment schedules to make patient waits appear shorter. In July, the VA announced it planned to fire two supervisors and discipline four others in Colorado and Wyoming after they were accused of falsifying health care data.
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