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RE-2 superintendent finalists named
By Norma Engelberg
Woodland Park RE-2 School District named three finalists in its superintendent search. All three work in Colorado schools but one is already on the payroll — RE-2 Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction Linda Murray.
The other finalists are Steve Marantino, director of student services at Harrison School District 2 in Colorado Springs, and Brenda Krage, executive director of career and technical and secondary education at Pueblo City Schools District 60.
Final interviews by members of the school board took place starting Dec. 10 with a final decision planned by Dec. 18. The finalist will take over from Superintendent Guy Arseneau, who will retire in June.
At the December school board meeting, director districts were restructured after last month’s election changed district boundaries:
Director Districts A and B will be at-large districts. These are now being served by Archie Neil and Rick Wetzel respectively. Neil’s term will expire in November 2011 and Wetzel’s term expires November 2013.
Director District C, served by Director Rob Hunt whose term expires November 2011, will correspond to the Columbine Elementary School boundaries.
Director District D, served by Director Amy Nieman whose term expires November 2013, will correspond to the Gateway Elementary School boundaries.
Director District E, served by Director Bill Blackburn whose term expires November 2013, will correspond to the Summit Elementary School boundaries.
The directors volunteered to serve on a number of committees:
Hunt will represent the school board on the District Accountability Committee.
Neil will represent RE-2 at the Colorado Association of School Boards and will also report on happenings at the state General Assembly as part of the Legislative Network.
Blackburn and Nieman will serve on the Meet and Confer Committee,
Nieman and Wetzel will serve on the Ute Pass Boards of Cooperative Educational Services, usually abbreviated BOCES.
The board tabled to the January meeting both the 2009-10 revised budget appropriation resolution and the specific budget resolution. These resolutions aren’t due until Jan. 31 and the board members wanted to wait until the BOCES budget is set.
According to its Web site, “BOCES exist to supply educational services to two or more school districts that alone cannot afford the service, or find it advantageous and cost-effective to cooperate with other districts. These services represent a financial commitment that is best met by several districts sharing costs and programs.”
Shared programs include special education, curriculum and staff development, alternative schools and programs, a variety of federally funded specialized programs, technology support and grant management.
The December conversation topic was the district’s new mentor/internship program, which matches student interns with local sponsors. Only 16 interns, all seniors, were placed in community businesses and organizations this year but Arseneau said the district would like to triple that number within the next few years and open the program to juniors.
“We hope to make internships part of our career pathways program,” Arseneau said.
Career pathways is a program being designed to allow students to explore various careers before making a commitment, such as choosing a career as a major in college only to determine later that the career isn’t a good fit.
Each intern will have to successfully complete 100 hours of work to earn a half academic credit. Interns have been placed with Pikes Peak Regional Hospital, the Woodland Park city planning office, the office of local veterinarian Kevin Conrad, the Woodland Park Downtown Development Authority, Swiss Chalet, Teller County Public Health and Northeast Teller County Fire Protection District.
After a year that dealt with the embezzlement of more than $500,000 by a trusted employee, the new 2009 year-end audit by a new auditor, Hoelting & Company, Inc., found the district books and new internal control measures to be in excellent order.
Arseneau reported that Fred Morton, owner of Grace Public Radio of Missouri City, Texas, wants to use a small piece of district land near the high school as the site of a low-power, non-commercial FM radio station that would transmit solely in Woodland Park under the call letters KILE-FM.
“We’re not sure what kinds of music and coverage he plans,” Arseneau said. “The station wouldn’t reach Divide and it probably would have trouble reaching Walmart.”
The next school board meeting is scheduled for Jan. 13.
Student accomplishments recognized
At the December School Board meeting, Woodland Park Activities Director Brian Gustafson recognized the accomplishments of the following students:
Five students, Josh Denning, Danielle Park, Alex Lombardi, Amy Bingen and Kurt Ziebis, tried out for All-State Band… results will be announced at the January meeting.
Three students were chosen for All-City Band: Danielle Park, Josh Denning and Megan Taylor.
1200 kids statewide auditioned for state choir. Approximately 500 made the list including: Derek Miller, Danielle Park, Tim Woods and Kurt Ziebis.
The Woodland Park forensics team was recognized by the National Forensic League as a program that has attained 100 degrees or more. This is a feat that only about 10 percent of the programs nationwide are able to accomplish.
The other finalists are Steve Marantino, director of student services at Harrison School District 2 in Colorado Springs, and Brenda Krage, executive director of career and technical and secondary education at Pueblo City Schools District 60.
Final interviews by members of the school board took place starting Dec. 10 with a final decision planned by Dec. 18. The finalist will take over from Superintendent Guy Arseneau, who will retire in June.
At the December school board meeting, director districts were restructured after last month’s election changed district boundaries:
Director Districts A and B will be at-large districts. These are now being served by Archie Neil and Rick Wetzel respectively. Neil’s term will expire in November 2011 and Wetzel’s term expires November 2013.
Director District C, served by Director Rob Hunt whose term expires November 2011, will correspond to the Columbine Elementary School boundaries.
Director District D, served by Director Amy Nieman whose term expires November 2013, will correspond to the Gateway Elementary School boundaries.
Director District E, served by Director Bill Blackburn whose term expires November 2013, will correspond to the Summit Elementary School boundaries.
The directors volunteered to serve on a number of committees:
Hunt will represent the school board on the District Accountability Committee.
Neil will represent RE-2 at the Colorado Association of School Boards and will also report on happenings at the state General Assembly as part of the Legislative Network.
Blackburn and Nieman will serve on the Meet and Confer Committee,
Nieman and Wetzel will serve on the Ute Pass Boards of Cooperative Educational Services, usually abbreviated BOCES.
The board tabled to the January meeting both the 2009-10 revised budget appropriation resolution and the specific budget resolution. These resolutions aren’t due until Jan. 31 and the board members wanted to wait until the BOCES budget is set.
According to its Web site, “BOCES exist to supply educational services to two or more school districts that alone cannot afford the service, or find it advantageous and cost-effective to cooperate with other districts. These services represent a financial commitment that is best met by several districts sharing costs and programs.”
Shared programs include special education, curriculum and staff development, alternative schools and programs, a variety of federally funded specialized programs, technology support and grant management.
The December conversation topic was the district’s new mentor/internship program, which matches student interns with local sponsors. Only 16 interns, all seniors, were placed in community businesses and organizations this year but Arseneau said the district would like to triple that number within the next few years and open the program to juniors.
“We hope to make internships part of our career pathways program,” Arseneau said.
Career pathways is a program being designed to allow students to explore various careers before making a commitment, such as choosing a career as a major in college only to determine later that the career isn’t a good fit.
Each intern will have to successfully complete 100 hours of work to earn a half academic credit. Interns have been placed with Pikes Peak Regional Hospital, the Woodland Park city planning office, the office of local veterinarian Kevin Conrad, the Woodland Park Downtown Development Authority, Swiss Chalet, Teller County Public Health and Northeast Teller County Fire Protection District.
After a year that dealt with the embezzlement of more than $500,000 by a trusted employee, the new 2009 year-end audit by a new auditor, Hoelting & Company, Inc., found the district books and new internal control measures to be in excellent order.
Arseneau reported that Fred Morton, owner of Grace Public Radio of Missouri City, Texas, wants to use a small piece of district land near the high school as the site of a low-power, non-commercial FM radio station that would transmit solely in Woodland Park under the call letters KILE-FM.
“We’re not sure what kinds of music and coverage he plans,” Arseneau said. “The station wouldn’t reach Divide and it probably would have trouble reaching Walmart.”
The next school board meeting is scheduled for Jan. 13.
Student accomplishments recognized
At the December School Board meeting, Woodland Park Activities Director Brian Gustafson recognized the accomplishments of the following students:
Five students, Josh Denning, Danielle Park, Alex Lombardi, Amy Bingen and Kurt Ziebis, tried out for All-State Band… results will be announced at the January meeting.
Three students were chosen for All-City Band: Danielle Park, Josh Denning and Megan Taylor.
1200 kids statewide auditioned for state choir. Approximately 500 made the list including: Derek Miller, Danielle Park, Tim Woods and Kurt Ziebis.
The Woodland Park forensics team was recognized by the National Forensic League as a program that has attained 100 degrees or more. This is a feat that only about 10 percent of the programs nationwide are able to accomplish.
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