Kids First in Academy District 20 2021 Voter's Guide

Kids First in Academy District 20 2021 Voters Guide

October 22, 2021

Kids First in Academy District 20 – 2021 Voter’s Guide Page 2 of 19

Table of Contents

Questions: .................................................................................................................................................................. 4

Yes/No (published answers will be limited to Yes or No): ........................................................................ 4

Written Responses: ............................................................................................................................................. 4

Guide Summary ....................................................................................................................................................... 5

Jackie Lesh ............................................................................................................................................................... 6

Questions: ............................................................................................................................................................. 6

Yes/No (published answers will be limited to Yes or No): ....................................................................... 6

Written Responses: ............................................................................................................................................ 6

Brian Coram ............................................................................................................................................................ 10

Questions: ............................................................................................................................................................ 10

Yes/No (published answers will be limited to Yes or No): ...................................................................... 10

Written Responses: ........................................................................................................................................... 10

Tiana Clark ............................................................................................................................................................... 14

Questions ............................................................................................................................................................. 14

Yes/No (published answers will be limited to Yes or No): ...................................................................... 14

Written Responses: ........................................................................................................................................... 14

Aaron Salt ................................................................................................................................................................ 19

Thomas Lavalley .................................................................................................................................................... 19

Jason Silva ............................................................................................................................................................... 19

Lindsay Moore ........................................................................................................................................................ 19

Nicole Konz ............................................................................................................................................................. 19

Nathan Johnson ..................................................................................................................................................... 19

Michael Riffle ...........................................................................................................................................................19


RE: Kids First D20 Voter Guide

On 10/16/2021, the following communication was sent to the 10 ASD20 School Board Candidates at these email addresses:

ASD20 School Board Candidates:

• Tiana Clark: [email protected]• Brian Coram: [email protected]• Jackie Lesh: [email protected]• Nathan Johnson: [email protected]• Nicole Konz: [email protected]• Tom Lavalley: [email protected]• Lindsay Moore: [email protected]• Michael Riffle: [email protected]• Aaron Salt: [email protected]• Jason Silva: [email protected]

KidsFirstD20 2021 Voters Guide

KidsFirstD20 will be issuing the inaugural edition of its Voters Guide for the 2021 Academy School District 20 (ASD20) Board Election on Friday, October 22nd. As a candidate for these elected positions, you are cordially invited to respond to the following questions by Wednesday, October 20th and have your voice included. This voter’s guide will be published on our website as well as numerous local publications.

Please Note: Responses will be published in their unaltered form and will be accompanied by screenshots of the original responses. Grammatical and spelling errors will NOT be corrected prior to publication.

Please include your preferred candidate headshot with responses. Inclusion of headshots carries an implied permission of publication under terms outlined by Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) licensing.

Your participation is greatly appreciated.


Questions: Yes/No (published answers will be limited to Yes or No):

1. Do you support parental choice?2. Do you currently have children in ASD20 Public Schools?3. Do you currently, or have you previously been, a member on any committee within in a

ASD20 school?4. Do you believe that the ASD20 school board should be non-partisan?5. Have you received funding from any political party or organization?

Written Responses: 1. What are your qualifications for this position and what motivated you to run for the ASD20

board?2. ASD20 is known to have one of the lowest salary ranges for teachers and staff. What is

your plan to attract and retain talent within the district?3. How will you ensure that public education decisions are not guided by religious, political,

or public opinion as opposed to fact, science, and accepted best practice?4. Science misinformation has run rampant during the pandemic. What steps will you take to

ensure our students are capable of critical thinking and identifying misinformation?5. Describe how you would ensure a quality education is accessible to a diverse student

population: e.g., talented and gifted, special education, the academically challenged, ESL,and cultural differences.

6. Please communicate your plan to familiarize yourself with IDEA and Section 504 andsupport these programs in schools.

7. What is your favorite part of ASD20? What would you do to return the district’s focus tokids, as opposed to the hot-button issues of the present time?

8. What public or private organizations have endorsed you and/or contributed to yourcampaign?

9. If necessary, where would you cut the school budget? What would you consider off-limitsfor budget cuts?

10. Name a student program that you consider vital to student growth and success in ourdistrict?

Follow up email was sent 10/20/2021 On Wed, Oct 20, 2021, at 1:05 PM <[email protected]> wrote:

Good afternoon, everyone. We sincerely appreciate the responses we've received so far and wanted to offer a gentle reminder that we do plan to publish all unaltered responses on Friday, October 22nd. We simply will not have time to include any responses received after midnight tonight, October 20th.

Have a great rest of the week,

Rob


Guide Summary The purpose of this Voters Guide was to create a non-partisan voter guide that consisted of the most frequently asked questions amongst parents in Academy District 20

Question Tiana Clark

Brian Coram

Nathan Johnson

Nicole Konz

Tom LaValley

Jackie Lesh

Lindsay Moore

Michael Riffle

Aaron Salt

Jason Silva

Do you support parental choice?

Yes Yes NRR NRR NRR Yes NRR NRR NRR NRR

Do you currently have children in ASD20 Public Schools?


Do you currently, or have you previously been, a member on any committee within in a ASD20 school?

Yes No NRR NRR NRR Yes NRR NRR NRR NRR

Do you believe that the ASD20 school board should be non-partisan?


Have you received funding from any political party or organization?

No No NRR NRR NRR No NRR NRR NRR NRR

Full responses Link Link NRR NRR NRR Link NRR NRR NRR NRR

NRR = No Response Received


Jackie Lesh

https://jackieleshford20.org/ Questions: Yes/No (published answers will be limited to Yes or No):

1. Do you support parental choice? Yes 2. Do you currently have children in ASD20 Public Schools? Yes 3. Do you currently, or have you previously been, a member on any committee within in a

ASD20 school? Yes 4. Do you believe that the ASD20 school board should be non-partisan? Yes 5. Have you received funding from any political party or organization? No

Written Responses:

1. What are your qualifications for this position and what motivated you to run for the ASD20 board? As a licensed, experienced educator, I want to ensure the vision and goals of our district support learning for all students. I have demonstrated my commitment to the district over the past ten years through numerous volunteer and leadership positions, such as PTAs, District Accountability Committees, School Accountability Committees, and serving as a licensed guest staff. Having three children in D20 schools, I am mindful of the accountability to the communities, will ask appropriate questions, use researched data, and have a broad focus on student concerns. I will be a champion for education initiatives and promote achievement for all students. I am dedicated to education. My goal is to help all children receive a quality education and reach their highest potential. I was motivated to run because I enjoy helping to create partnerships between schools, parents, and communities. I also feel that there should be an active, licensed educator on our school board.


2. ASD20 is known to have one of the lowest salary ranges for teachers and staff. What is your plan to attract and retain talent within the district? Teacher turnover and shortages are among the most critical issues in education. D20 can improve teacher and staff retention by offering competitive salaries and benefits, providing full compensation for seniority and teaching experience, and nurturing a sense of belonging by creating more engagement between administration and staff. Teachers and staff thrive when given more career advancement opportunities, responsibility, and recognition.

3. How will you ensure that public education decisions are not guided by religious, political, or public opinion as opposed to fact, science, and accepted best practice? I would continuously monitor and review the practices at each school in addition to providing professional learning for all staff in the district that is based on data and facts. As a Board Member I will remain non-partisan in my decision making and always keep students’ best interests as my top priority.

4. Science misinformation has run rampant during the pandemic. What steps will you take to ensure our students are capable of critical thinking and identifying misinformation? I would encourage innovative learning which encourages students and teachers to research, explore, and use all the tools to uncover something new. Innovation involves a different way of looking at problems and solving them. It also improves education because it compels students to use a higher level of thinking and creativity to solve complex problems. Providing students with age-appropriate project-based learning resources to compare and reflect upon, encouraging discussions, and even bringing in experts in their fields to broaden their knowledge can also help improve critical thinking skills.

5. Describe how you would ensure a quality education is accessible to a diverse student population: e.g., talented and gifted, special education, the academically challenged, ESL, and cultural differences. Continuing to support the District 20 Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) task force initiatives and implementing their recommendations can provide growth towards including all students. Diversity in the classroom can lead to students increased cultural understanding, stronger critical thinking skills and enhanced creativity. Educators can establish a tone of inclusion, emphasizing that all perspectives are valuable, ultimately fostering a wider appreciation of our human differences.


6. Please communicate your plan to familiarize yourself with IDEA and Section 504 and support these programs in schools. As an educator with a master’s in special education, I am familiar with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Section 504 which requires that school districts provide a free appropriate public education (FAPE). I believe all children have the ability to learn regardless of their disabilities. All children are unique and have something special that they can bring to their own education. We should assist students in expressing themselves and accept them for who they are, as well as embrace the differences of others, ensuring equal opportunity and access to, and excellence in, education for all.

7. What is your favorite part of ASD20? What would you do to return the district’s focus to kids, as opposed to the hot-button issues of the present time? My favorite part about District 20 is the community engagement. Studies of successful schools indicate that a high rate of parental involvement is a major factor in their success and can even help close the achievement gaps. I would invite parents to be partners in their child's education. Deepening relationships with families is vital. I feel that the key to positive and productive parent engagement is a good flow of communication between schools and home. Keeping parents in the loop on an ongoing basis sets the tone for an open exchange with students’ parents and caregivers. Schools should develop and communicate a process for regular, ongoing communication throughout the year, so parents know what to expect. Teachers should focus on building relationships with parents to establish trust and foster those relationships throughout the year. Schools should also ensure that parents have opportunities to build rapport with their child’s support network such as involving families in learning activities. A strong school culture of parental involvement leads to a thriving school community where every teacher, parent, and student has the opportunity to connect and be actively engaged.

8. What public or private organizations have endorsed you and/or contributed to your campaign? I have been endorsed by the Pikes Peak Education Association and they made a contribution to my campaign. I have also been endorsed by 5 previous and outgoing Board of Education Members who have faith in me that I have the skills and background knowledge needed to become a Board of Education member.


9. If necessary, where would you cut the school budget? What would you consider off-limits for budget cuts? I would review and scrub the budget for any frivolous spending and make cuts based on those findings. There may be ways we can save by sharing information digitally which would also have the added benefit of being environmentally friendly. I would consider teacher/staff salaries and pay off limits for budget cuts.

10. Name a student program that you consider vital to student growth and success in our

district?

I feel that the district’s Social and Emotional Learning programs are vital to student growth. Programs like Sources of Strength, RULER, and Capturing Kids Hearts focus on our students’ mental health. Sources of Strength’s mission is to provide the highest quality evidence-based prevention for suicide, violence, bullying and substance abuse by training, supporting, and empowering both peer leaders and caring adults to impact their world through the power of connection, hope, help and strength. RULER aims to infuse the principles of emotional intelligence into schools, informing how leaders lead, teachers teach, students learn, and families support students. Capturing Kids Hearts focuses on social-emotional well-being, relationship-driven campus culture, and student connectedness. By fostering social and emotional competency, and expanding awareness, we create a positive, safe school environment and promote a culture of mutual respect for our students and staff.


Brian Coram

https://coramford20kids.com/ Questions:

Yes/No (published answers will be limited to Yes or No): 1. Do you support parental choice? Yes 2. Do you currently have children in ASD20 Public Schools? Yes 3. Do you currently, or have you previously been, a member on any committee within an

ASD20 school? No 4. Do you believe that the ASD20 school board should be non-partisan? Yes 5. Have you received funding from any political party or organization? No

Written Responses:

1. What are your qualifications for this position and what motivated you to run for the ASD20 board? My background is in Mental Health and Youth Development. I have a BS in Psychology, Master’s degree in Family Studies and Human Services, and a master’s degree in School Counseling. I believe that as a board, we need to consider the mental health of our students and educators in order to better serve the schools. As a board member, I can bring this valuable background and skill set to our district to help support all of our students.

2. ASD20 is known to have one of the lowest salary ranges for teachers and staff. What is

your plan to attract and retain talent within the district? This is a very difficult question because it has so many moving parts! To start though, we need to approach the state about funding and getting back to the full funding we should have. We are one of the largest districts and rank second to the bottom in per pupil


funding. That impacts budgets and how we can hire and retain teachers. Currently, we don’t offer a comprehensive salary matrix, which also makes it difficult to locate talented educators. While pay rate is a large factor to consider, we also need to consider other perks we can offer to help our teachers. For example, allowing a student to choice into the school their parent will be teaching at, or offering better insurance package options. These are a few of the things that can be explored in order to better hire and retain our educator and other staff members.

3. How will you ensure that public education decisions are not guided by religious, political, or public opinion as opposed to fact, science, and accepted best practice? I believe that the public should have insight and voice into what we do as a district. That being said, it’s equally important to listen to the experts and formulate well thought out and viable plans to better serve the students. When we consider public education, we must realize that District 20 runs a gamut of more than 26,000 students and that my one opinion alone isn’t enough to encompass all of the various needs. We need to be empathic and willing to listen and learn to better focus on every student and every outcome.

4. Science misinformation has run rampant during the pandemic. What steps will you take to ensure our students are capable of critical thinking and identifying misinformation? This is more a classroom question than a board question. One thing that I believe all students should be about learning is media literacy. It’s important, now more than ever, that a person can evaluate a source and think more critically rather than only listening to a single point of view. This involves empathy and a willingness to practice the 5th habit of highly effective people, seek first to understand, then be understood. Regardless of anyone’s current view, it is important that the ability and willingness to learn and grow continues throughout every student’s education and into adulthood.

5. Describe how you would ensure a quality education is accessible to a diverse student population: e.g., talented and gifted, special education, the academically challenged, ESL, and cultural differences. All students are important and valuable, and as such should have access to the best possible education. That’s the reason why utilizing district resources better and more equitably is key. As student needs vary, we need to try and offer a more balanced pathway to accessing these resources. Understanding that every student will have


different needs is key to making strides in this direction. We have a diverse student population in D20, to include our Title I schools and even a homeless student population. We can and must do better to engage every student.

6. Please communicate your plan to familiarize yourself with IDEA and Section 504 and

support these programs in schools. I have experience with these programs through my background in school counseling and professionally from my time as a DVR Counselor working with the SWAP program in D20 Schools. However, that doesn’t mean I know everything about the programs or how they impact our families and students. I’ve fortunately already had the experience of meeting with parents who have students that are more involved with these programs. My plan is to continue to listen to the needs of these families while taking time to research and learn more about how IDEA, IEPs and 504s work in actual practice.

7. What is your favorite part of ASD20? What would you do to return the district’s focus to kids, as opposed to the hot-button issues of the present time? Having grown up here and watching as the district has grown, I’d still say my favorite part is the students. Our students get shout outs in so many ways, such athletics, extracurricular activities and even volunteer opportunities. I’m proud that the district is considered one of distinction and our students and educators really are the reason for that. While hot topics of the day will rise and fall, it’s important to keep our eyes and focus on the end goal, making sure that every student is prepared for life beyond our school walls.

8. What public or private organizations have endorsed you and/or contributed to your campaign? PPEA (The Pikes Peak Education Association) has endorsed me as a candidate because I understand that teachers need support from the board members to best serve our students. Additionally, while not professional organizations, I have the support of 4 prior and/or exiting D20 board members.

9. If necessary, where would you cut the school budget? What would you consider off-limits for budget cuts?


This is a question that I simply can’t answer without knowing more about the various district needs, learning all of the facets of our budget and truly listening to the experts regarding possible changes. It wouldn’t be fair to consider the budget until a deeper dive and emulation of present use can be considered.

10. Name a student program that you consider vital to student growth and success in our district? I don’t think there is one specific program I could name, because different programs may be more or less vital to each student’s specific needs, wants and growth. For example, students that excel in the arts and music programs may grow more there too. We also offer excellence in sports, extracurricular clubs/activities and various early interventions. I appreciate that we offer such an array of options to our students in order to help them develop, grow and prepare for life past our walls.


Tiana Clark

https://tianaclark.org/ Questions

Yes/No (published answers will be limited to Yes or No): 1. Do you support parental choice? Yes 2. Do you currently have children in ASD20 Public Schools? Yes 3. Do you currently, or have you previously been, a member on any committee within in an

ASD20 school? Yes 4. Do you believe that the ASD20 school board should be non-partisan? Yes 5. Have you received funding from any political party or organization? No

Written Responses: 1. What are your qualifications for this position and what motivated you to run for the ASD20

board? I have more District 20 governance experience than any other candidate in this year’s race. I hold a bachelor’s degree in Finance and a Master’s degree in Global Management. I have been on the District Accountability Committee 2014 to the present. I currently serve as the parent co-chair and am also on the budget and accreditation subcommittees. Additionally, I have participated on a variety of other district committees including Charter School Review, Strategic Planning Steering and Think Tank, and the Superintendent’s Communication Council. I have more than 13 years of volunteer work at multiple schools in areas ranging from safety to events coordinating to four separate school accountability committees--in 2018 I was a finalist for AD20 Volunteer of the Year. I have classroom experience as a parent volunteer and also as a substitute paraprofessional in Significant Support Needs and English Language Learner K-12 classrooms from 2018-2020.


2. ASD20 is known to have one of the lowest salary ranges for teachers and staff. What is your plan to attract and retain talent within the district? Teacher and staff salaries are an ongoing need to assess. ASD20 needs more competitive wages and benefits to retain and attract teachers. The additional pressures of teaching during COVID will compound challenges. First, ASD20 should start with a salary committee to look at the issue from the roots. All staff should have representation. The findings could provide new insight of addressing the salary objective. I would also like to conduct a cost analysis comparing the amount for maintaining current staff at an increased pay rate versus the entire cost of a new employee from the initial recruiting process to the different training required. Teachers and other staff are burning out as a result of additional duties without adequate relief. Just a few reasons include para and sub shortages. Efficiency in scheduling is one suggestion. For example, in the sub system, allow users to suggest alternate times and provide the contact information for the school. When I subbed, I often turned down roles because I could perhaps only cover part of the opportunity. Instead of partial staff coverage, none of it would be filled. Other times when I subbed, not all students showed up and I had no tasks for the day. Allow subs to quickly be able to move to a different school that needs help. For burnout, making mental health support available for staff is a crucial need to review at a district-wide level.

3. How will you ensure that public education decisions are not guided by religious, political, or public opinion as opposed to fact, science, and accepted best practice? The school board is a nonpartisan entity and cannot function effectively if specific partisan practices are allowed to take hold. Of course, individuals have personal political beliefs, but these cannot be prioritized during the decision-making process--we must check our passions at the door and emphasize rational thought, facts, research, and evidence-based practice. ASD20 is a policy governance board which must focus on the end results. The board’s employee is the superintendent, and the goal is not to simply hire or fire him or her, but to find ways to work together effectively to best support the students. The focus must always come back to what will be most beneficial for students. Students first, always. The ASD20 website describes board functions as employing the superintendent, developing & adopting policies, curriculum, budget and overseeing facility issues. A member must keep these functions at the forefront of completing duties.

4. Science misinformation has run rampant during the pandemic. What steps will you take to ensure our students are capable of critical thinking and identifying misinformation?


Critical thinking skills are vital to success in life. ASD20 follows the Colorado Association of School Board required standards and has a detailed process when determining curriculum. A committee is formed to review the educational program. The recommended material is made available for the public to review it at the EAC building. Although the final curriculum may differ between schools as a result of site-based decision making, all of the material must be pre-approved by the board. This includes science instruction. By following the curriculum procedures and standards requirements, students receive solid foundational instruction of how to apply objective analysis.

5. Describe how you would ensure a quality education is accessible to a diverse student population: e.g., talented and gifted, special education, the academically challenged, ESL, and cultural differences. The new strategic plan is largely focused on developing methods to ensure all children are successful, knowing that this may look different for individual students. To achieve a successful implementation of the plan, a one size fits all approach will not be successful. Offering a variety of courses and approaches that includes trades, AVID, IB, ACE, Bridges, dual enrollment, project-based learning and push in techniques, to reach diverse types of learners. The plan is a 5-year superintendent initiative and as a board member my responsibility is to hold them accountable for all facets of the plan. The vision states “We provide creative and personal learning opportunities, accessible to all students, preparing them to thrive in an ever-changing world”. By the end of the 4-year board term the plan should be well past the implementation phase and in the stage of full school culture integration. I was the sole ASD20 on the Strategic Plan Task Force and seeing the plan through is a top priority for me.

6. Please communicate your plan to familiarize yourself with IDEA and Section 504 and support these programs in schools. I possess just over 2 years’ experience subbing as a paraprofessional in SSN classrooms. I had the opportunity to work with all grade levels, K-12 during this time. I witnessed the commitment and challenges teachers and paras confronted in the classrooms and I am entirely dedicated to supporting the students. I also have one son who was able to graduate from an IEP and another currently on a 504 plan. During my time in the classroom, I observed inclusive techniques such as pushing in, peer partners and team/activity inclusion. I also noticed discrepancies in available tools. Generally, newer schools have more classroom space and mechanisms such as sensory equipment while aging schools work with more restrictive parameters. I want consistency across the schools and equity in access to resources. I do understand that some schools


may need to be the specialized location for certain differently abled needs, I have also heard from too many parents challenged at determining which school is optimal for varying needs. Finding out this information should not be that difficult or stressful and consistency would alleviate these challenges. I have some experience in the classroom and I know I still have much to learn regarding the specifics of IDEA, ADA and Section 504. I would connect with diverse resources including parents, school staff and the administration SPED chair. ASD20 has challenges in this area to address and I would welcome being a board liaison if a task force were formed.

7. What is your favorite part of ASD20? What would you do to return the district’s focus to kids, as opposed to the hot-button issues of the present time? I have an extensive history with the district and although there are definite challenges to address, what I really value is the sense of community. I appreciate the many choices the district offers and the opportunity to have my children attend schools based on their individual needs. Every school I have subbed in and had kids attend is full of pride and dedicated teachers. The strong community is a part of what really makes ASD20 stand out and to continue this precedent, we must continue to focus on long-term matters. Learning loss, mental health, budget review and staff retention are just a few areas that need consistent evaluation. The board’s focus cannot solely be on issues that are popular in the media; especially when some of the topics are not board decisions.

8. What public or private organizations have endorsed you and/or contributed to your campaign? The Pikes Peak Education Association and Pikes Peak Real Estate Association have endorsed my campaign. Both of these organizations made financial donations.

9. If necessary, where would you cut the school budget? What would you consider off-limits for budget cuts? I have been a member of the Academy School District 20 (ASD20) Budget Subcommittee since 2015. For 2 of the years, I served as the parent co-chair which included the responsibility of providing updates to the District Accountability Committee and presenting the end resource priority report to the school board. Each year the needs vary, and trends are evaluated within feeder school strands.


Salaries and benefits make up about seventy percent of the budget and is one area I would not cut. Staff performance directly impacts the rest of the district. I would review processes for efficiency and push for change as it makes sense. For example, concerning the para shortage, I would explore the feasibility of part-time bus paras being able to also work in the classroom during the school day. Bus para schedules are particularly challenging to fill and adding class time can allow for more traditional full-time schedules. I would not want to cut the budget; rather I think a detailed review of allocation prioritization could be beneficial.

10. Name a student program that you consider vital to student growth and success in our district? ASD20 offers so many programs and picking one is certainly a challenge. One program integral to student growth has been addressing reading gaps using a few methods. As the parent of a child diagnosed with dyslexia, I understand the challenges a student can face if they are not reading as expected. First, a newer reading initiative was implemented in the 2020-21 school year in which elementary teachers completed 40 hours of reading instruction training. Student success is directly tied to reading at or above grade level by third grade and this additional training will result in significant reading improvement. Additionally, ASD20 opened a new elementary this school year, Encompass Heights, with a focus on supporting students with reading challenges. Satellite schools were also created with faculty trained in the leading curriculum for students with dyslexia, Take Flight. Adding this course across multiple schools will make a significant difference to setting up students for growth and success. Students meeting targeted goals in the early primary years, will set the foundation as they progress to higher grade levels.


Aaron Salt No Response Received

Thomas Lavalley No Response Received

Jason Silva No Response Received

Lindsay Moore No Response Received

Nicole Konz No Response Received

Nathan Johnson No Response Received

Michael RiffleNo Response Received

Documents

Kids First in Academy District 20 2021 Voter's Guide