[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6385458,"mediaKeyId","2119970-5cc9211313b9c03e4a46a4f6db6b820a","parentId",2119970,"title","Parents and students press Academy District 20 board to address member's conduct and lawsuit after student forum","audioSeconds",338,"startMs",5134000,"endMs",5472000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2119970-5cc9211313b9c03e4a46a4f6db6b820a&start=5134&end=5472","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2119970-5cc9211313b9c03e4a46a4f6db6b820a/thumbnail_5134000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6385458/Colorado/Parents-and-students-press-Academy-District-20-board-to-address-members-conduct-and-lawsuit-after-student-forum","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6385458-c0e8fcbda5ca674fb9c5438565654b1f/orig.mp4?Expires=1770574545&Signature=RpD4knmqy4qxV3UMGr2MVomq-oIpoLpCV6wqSORXREND8jCXN0s6TsclkvMBWQddBjxWxMv4Ah3zyCvxn1aYdMCzyB7yA8NborjRYoXyBE363vgaUI~cAQ7cQkJs1xy1~~dE7pNNyfwf-ya6sC7fWycIfZAHw9gD3lmZeT6q0CrUgSaPKN4~-GWkV4GFsBPlMge1sn~q7~p3ZC983-j~gpzsWHYIAou5s6ks~7oFp4ww17zYXk0~HIR4gY6DP9P-P1JirLDABeTkwA1B2z5CRHGpDKqaP3iH4JBGvyKcYAl5hJT3PZfku65p0~IZYoccESzgsp-m4kinH9xH~sVwhw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Academy District 20","date","2025-01-09T00:00:00Z","article","Dozens of parents, students and staff used public comment at the Academy District 20 Board of Education meeting to press the board to address conduct they say traumatized children at an Oct. 2023 student-led candidate forum and to condemn a lawsuit filed by board member Derek Wilburn against a parent.

Speakers at the Jan. 9 meeting — including students who attended the October forum, the parent who says her child was traumatized and several other parents and community members — described a pattern of conduct they said has not been acknowledged by the board. Student speaker Connor Lesh told the board, “The video on which this is done is still up on the official academy district 20 YouTube channel to view today.” Parent Bernadette Pittman said her granddaughter later “had a panic attack” when she saw the man who traumatized her; Jim Pittman said the lawsuit against the parent was filed Dec. 10.

Why it matters: Commenters said the episode raises questions about student safety at public events, the board’s enforcement of its own governance policies and whether elected officials should be held to a different standard than district staff.

In public comment, Elizabeth Guthrie said, “Students in d 20 are held to much higher standards than you hold each other,” and others called for an apology or resignation. Student Safran Stevens framed the dispute as a civic concern: “Public officials are entrusted with serving their communities, not silencing them,” he said. Multiple speakers argued the lawsuit is an attempt to silence criticism; Rob Rogers noted a community legal fund had raised money to support the parent’s defense.

Board response and next steps: The board did not take immediate disciplinary action at the meeting. Trustees discussed governance policy reviews: Vice President Salt and Board President (listed in meeting roll calls as “Mister Sault”) were named in public remarks as participants in an upcoming review. A board member who presented the monitoring report for GP 4.12 (process for addressing perceived board member violations) said she would review GP 4.10 (board code of conduct) with Vice President Salt and present it in February. Several speakers and public commenters asked for faster, clearer action.

What was not decided: No vote to censure or remove any trustee was taken tonight. Speakers asked the board to demand an apology from Wilburn and to enforce conflict-of-interest and conduct rules; the board set a timetable to revisit GP 4.10 in February but did not adopt an enforcement action at this meeting.

Context: Multiple commenters said the Oct. 2023 forum included passages they considered explicit and inappropriate for young children and that the board member read them in front of elementary-age students. Parents and students said the material and the lack of apology caused lasting distress. Several speakers also noted other governance concerns, including missed meetings and questions about trustees’ outside roles.

Ending: Board members acknowledged the public comments and recorded the request to bring GP 4.10 forward in February for further review. Members of the public said they will continue to press for formal accountability and for the district to protect students at public events.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","January 9, 2025 BOE Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","Dozens of parents, students and staff used the public comment period at the Academy District 20 board meeting to demand action after a trustee reportedly read explicit book passages at a student-led candidate forum and then filed a lawsuit against a parent who criticized him.","taxTitle","Academy School District No. 20 in the county of El, School Districts , Colorado","taxId",12900,"location","Colorado","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6385446,"District accountability committee reviews school improvement plans; New Summit charter highlights instructional coaching",867,4288000,3421000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2119970-5cc9211313b9c03e4a46a4f6db6b820a&start=4288&end=3421","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2119970-5cc9211313b9c03e4a46a4f6db6b820a/thumbnail_4288000.jpg","/articles/6385446/Colorado/District-accountability-committee-reviews-school-improvement-plans-New-Summit-charter-highlights-instructional-coaching","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6385446-d2eb215848b4ad6650190a4eb27e8841/orig.mp4?Expires=1770574545&Signature=ZVBogC9f3cloCtRJUAOELZZDhzW~l-sz8boco7Ts-CGY0JQHN9DusQ11Sfrh3-6j11HfNy4~vw1Lps5r6ToXXM29m~Q5CKzrJCxeNDngw0wpiUfqmcfrktwBfFj1x9gjcMJKybBgbLQaHdRM8gg-0gn3SQKLdy15xQ14e0NBGE5XUMRLyW76rKaIOc4Y3dS-e6OYe~oDLGZ497U2xPN77W5ja7t6H8wOjk0u2qx3kVVBNnSmpYtT8XXRvFvq2v7-U6GqJlJDLB5wbZuFWqFJ5eGxZsbllHNjY0q4UGdbn2WG0rmVLN31lt7ZYDYvgEJOM3E~ab61yU5k2PN7HDbKrg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Academy District 20 District Accountability Committee (DAC) presented its annual review of school unified improvement plans (UIP) and site plans at the board meeting, reporting that the committee used feeder-strand small groups to provide principals with detailed feedback and identified recurring themes districtwide.

Joanne Patterson and Shane Knight, who co-led the accreditation subcommittee, described a process that places principals in small-group reviews and asks four standard questions about inclusion of knowledge and skills, social-emotional learning and alignment of UIPs and site plans. Patterson said the DAC’s volunteer members “ask probing questions” and provide principals with written feedback and recommendations.

Recurring priorities the committee identified included stronger professional learning communities (PLCs), deeper use of student data to target interventions and extensions, behavior supports and family partnerships. Patterson said the feeder-strand arrangement — elementary through middle and high school — helped committee members track practices that follow students across grade levels.

New Summit Charter Academy submitted an annual report and discussed instructional improvements. Jen Reinsic (New Summit) told trustees the school conducts instructional coaching cycles, peer observations and mentor induction for new teachers. Reinsic said the school has moved to Eureka Math Squared and aligned evaluation tools with the Colorado Department of Education; she described weekly executive-functioning tips for students and recognition systems for growth. In response to a board question, New Summit said typical student-teacher ratios outside kindergarten are about 22–25:1 and that the school’s charter goal is 25:1.

Spotlights: Chinook Trail Elementary presented a classroom community project — a class quilt — and a fifth-grade “community challenge” day. The superintendent and board praised the student presentations for illustrating district strategies to build relationships and leadership skills.

Ending: The board heard the DAC report and noted plans to refine the accreditation handbook and consider small process changes (additional minutes per principal presentation). Trustees praised DAC volunteers for in-depth feedback and asked staff to consider minor timing adjustments for next year’s review.","The District Accountability Committee reported on its annual review of school unified improvement plans, praising feeder-strand small-group reviews and noting common district priorities: PLCs, targeted use of assessment data, behavior supports and family partnerships.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6385452,"Academy District 20 board adopts midyear budget updates, one-time staff payments and bond-sale parameters",189,7211000,7400000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2119970-5cc9211313b9c03e4a46a4f6db6b820a&start=7211&end=7400","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2119970-5cc9211313b9c03e4a46a4f6db6b820a/thumbnail_7211000.jpg","/articles/6385452/Colorado/Academy-District-20-board-adopts-midyear-budget-updates-one-time-staff-payments-and-bond-sale-parameters","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6385452-2d02aa6351b601838440434846b371b9/orig.mp4?Expires=1770574545&Signature=Avo-h0-Jztd3LZ6C1ArvTZsv9TUb60hgsyFentshGc1US6-ukfnRy8l0YvyV6X8wzEmByXmCP1zYuWZKHsVBH9b22IPqPQ4El4foqHCzSOf6TI-162NYCN5viClF5M2K6AUM0T4gfZLg1eRNnRFGvYIB0bSPMG2Mv-B0P5LUvp~FVEtHPwBU5tzPpl3dOrSyQkDiKlcCnTC9If5aPRfFlnCN5WzyUS6gAAgbodcSpw8~dhEE89dJe2CaLIRg19w0PToPGa3Q67n0h~6UgEvUQ81rQAB1hogJOYYf8M49wt1Suik2qjzhlPnniWVi7~hf7s5~uBuu-IV5-S4j2vpf-g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Academy District 20 Board of Education on Jan. 9 approved a midyear budget update that adjusts revenues and expenses for fiscal 2024–25, authorizes one-time staff payments and moves funds into capital and reserve accounts. Trustees also approved parameters for the first issuance of voter-approved general obligation bonds and authorized a purchase agreement to sell a district-owned 5.75-acre parcel to the City of Colorado Springs Parks Department.

Chief Financial Officer Becky Allen briefed the board on key midyear changes: the district ended the prior fiscal year with about $13.1 million more in unassigned fund balance than was budgeted, largely reflecting positions that went unfilled (about $9.7 million), she said. Allen recommended several one-time and reserve actions, including a transfer of about $5.2 million into the district’s capital reserve and a proposed one-time payment to staff.

“...we want to recognize our staff with a 1 time payment,” Allen told the board, adding that the plan is to provide $1,000 to full-time employees and $750 to staff working less than half time; the district estimated about 1,250 full-time staff would be eligible. Allen said the midyear revision would keep the district’s unassigned fund balance at approximately 10.7% of operating expenditures, within the district policy range.

On bonds: Trustees approved a parameters resolution to permit the district to issue the first series of the voter-approved bonds. Superintendent Haber and bond counsel said the first issuance will be structured so the district can spend at least 85% of proceeds within three years; the presentation estimated a first series of about $36.14 million (not to exceed $37 million) for non-charter projects and about $2 million set aside for design work on Air Academy High School, with a later issuance to follow. Bond counsel noted the parameters resolution does not force a sale but authorizes officials to proceed within set limits.

Real-estate sale: The board approved moving forward with a purchase agreement for a 5.75-acre parcel in the Coomba (Cumra) Vista area. District staff said parks land is valued differently than school land; the proposed sale price is roughly $790,000, with standard environmental and title contingencies and a target closing period in spring.

Votes: The board approved the midyear budget update (Resolution 17-25) by roll call; the bond parameters (Resolution 18-25) and the purchase-agreement authorization (Resolution 19-25) also passed on roll calls recorded in the public minutes.

Ending: Trustees and staff said the midyear update reflects both continuing enrollment and staffing pressures and a desire to use one-time funds to shore up reserves and recognize employees. The board will next consider final bond-sale documents and closing materials when staff return with the completed agreements.","At its Jan. 9 meeting the Academy District 20 board approved a midyear budget update that includes one-time staff payments, transfers to capital and reserve funds, and parameters to allow a first series of bond sales; the board also authorized negotiating the sale of a 5.75-acre parcel to the City of Colorado Springs.","actionData","errors"]

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Parents and students press Academy District 20 board to address member's conduct and lawsuit after student forum

District accountability committee reviews school improvement plans; New Summit charter highlights instructional coaching

Academy District 20 board adopts midyear budget updates, one-time staff payments and bond-sale parameters