August 2008
As we welcomed students back to school on August 18, Assistant Superintendent Bev Tarpley and I made it a point to visit all of our schools on opening day, a tradition we have both enjoyed for years wherever we have been. As I begin my 25th year working in public education, I find that there is still nothing as fulfilling and energizing as seeing the bright and excited faces of our students anticipating all that lies ahead as they begin another journey on the first day of school. When you add to this an appreciation of how outstanding our teachers and staff truly are, and feel the warmth and support that permeates the culture of our schools, its quite simple to understand why Cheyenne Mountain is the place to be.
As our students begin their school year and are excitedly focused on the present, we find ourselves already planning for several months (and even years) down the road on a myriad of issues. We are hoping that there will be a great deal of public interest and participation in several of the tasks which we will undertake.
The first opportunity for public input will be for patrons to comment on the proposed elementary school attendance area revisions for 2009-2010. A list of all proposed attendance area revisions on a street-by-street basis has been developed and can be found on the District homepage under Cañon Transition Info. All District 12 residents are encouraged to review the proposed revisions and forward written questions, comments, and suggestions to my attention by September 15, 2008. The Board of Education is scheduled to finalize these revisions at their October 27, 2008 meeting.
Another opportunity for participation is in the form of a citizen's study committee regarding recommendations for the use of Cañon Elementary School after it is closed next year. Any resident of the Cheyenne Mountain School District who has an interest in participating on this study committee is encouraged to submit an application to the Board of Education. A letter detailing the work of the committee and the electronic application itself can also be found by accessing the Cañon Transition Info link. The deadline for submitting a committee application is September 15, 2008.
Finally, on August 20 the Board of Education held its initial planning meeting with Dr. Vera Dawson of the Colorado Association of School Boards who will serve as the facilitator of a new and comprehensive strategic plan for the Cheyenne Mountain School District. An extremely large, but very critical, undertaking this strategic plan will undoubtedly have a significant impact on how we conduct our mission in District 12 over the next several years. It is our hope that as opportunities for participation become available, a large contingent of our community will join us in this process over the next several months and help shape our future.
Sincerely,
Walter C. Cooper, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools