February 19, 2015 VO LUME 1 26 | IS S UE 3 0 | 7 5 ¢
LittletonIndependent.net
A R A P A H O E C O U N T Y, C O L O R A D O A publication of
WHAT’S INSIDE
GIVING IT THEIR BEST SHOT
Our view: The Independent weighs in on the ballot issues. See Page 7
Cookie season: The Girl Scouts are back with their annual treats. See Page 12
Getting a grip: Local wrestlers secure trips to state tournament. See Page 17
Katherine Peterson (15) goes up above Legend defenders to take a shot for Heritage during the Feb. 13 league girls basketball game. Peterson led the Eagles with nine points but Legend won the game, 53-35. For more on the game, turn to page 17. Photo by Tom Munds
POSTAL ADDRESS
Assessing threat tough but crucial Advisory committee continues work on safety, mental health
LITTLETON INDEPENDENT (ISSN 1058-7837) (USPS 315-780) OFFICE: 7315 S. Revere Pkwy., Ste. 603 Centennial, CO 80112 PHONE: 303-566-4100 A legal newspaper of general circulation in Englewood, Colorado, the Littleton Independent is published weekly on Thursday by Colorado Community Media. PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID AT ENGLEWOOD, COLORADO and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address change to: Littleton Independent 7315 S. Revere Pkwy., Ste. 603 Centennial, CO 80112 DEADLINES: Display: Fri. 11 a.m. Legal: Fri. 11 a.m. | Classified: Mon. 5 p.m. G ET SOCIAL WITH US
P L EA SE R ECYC L E T H I S C OPY
By Jennifer Smith
jsmith @coloradocommunitymedia.com What would you do if your 5-year-old brought home an assignment that said he was going to “bloe” up his teacher and the school, when the child can’t even spell the word “blow” right? It’s an actual dilemma Littleton Public Schools has faced. Should administrators deem him a risk? Conduct a threat assessment? Alert parents? Recommend counseling? Call in law enforcement? “Threat assessment is difficult, because it can be very subjective,” Nate Thompson, director of social, emotional and behavior services for the district, told members of the Safety and Mental Health Advisory Committee on Feb. 11. After the Arapahoe High School shooting, Thompson said, the district called in a nationally recognized security professional, John Nicoletti, to review its processes. One change made as a result is that a district-level team now reviews every single incident report each week, trying to identify trends and monitor individual students, even Threats continues on Page 10
Damon Runyon Elementary School will get a new roof this spring. Photo by Jennifer Smith
Big projects cause school shuffle LPS bond issue pays for work starting in spring By Jennifer Smith
jsmith@colorado communitymedia.com Littleton Public Schools will look like a giant game of musical chairs starting in the spring. “This is not a building-tobuilding move, it’s a district move, and it’s going to affect everybody,” said Terry Davis, LPS director of operations and maintenance. “If it doesn’t affect you this year, it will eventually.” The reason is that a lot of the big projects made possible by
the $80 million bond issue voters approved in 2013 are getting underway, starting with the replacement of the roof at Damon Runyon Elementary School in May. That will necessitate moving the Runyon kids to the Whitman building at the Options campus, currently occupied by the Options middle-schoolers. They will move in with the Options highschoolers, supplemented by five portables. The district has yet to figure out what to do with Transitions, a job-readiness program for 16- to 25-year-olds housed in the Options high school. “We’re trying desperately to find a permanent home for them,”
said Davis, with possibilities including a storefront or other nondistrict building. Moving day will be May 22, which means the kids will get an extra day of spring break. Movers will swarm Runyon, loading up everything as efficiently as possible, said Davis, to the point of wrapping up bookshelves with the books still in them. If all goes well, the buildings will be ready to welcome the kids back on May 28. They’ll stay there until the whole process is reversed over winter break. “It seems like it’s a huge jigsaw puzzle,” said LPS board president Jack Reutzel. Projects continues on Page 10