News-Press DOUGLAS CO 2/21/13
Castle Rock
Douglas County, Colorado • Volume 10, Issue 48
February 21, 2013
Free
A Colorado Community Media Publication
ourcastlerocknews.com
Union suing school district
Legal claims focus on hiring, sick-leave bank By Jane Reuter
jreuter@ourcoloradonews.com
Attendees of the Highlands Ranch Library sensory-enhanced storytime enjoy a tale on Feb. 14. Patrice Scheck, pictured at left with her sons Simon, 4, and Christopher, 15, said the storytime has been a valuable resource. Photo by Courtney Kuhlen
Storytime can work wonders Library program benefits differently-abled children By Ryan Boldrey
rboldrey@ourcoloradonews.com The thought of squeezing parachutes, bubbles, songs, stories and a slew of surprises into 20-30 minutes twice a week may seem like a challenge but it is one Douglas County youth librarians have been pulling off consistently since September. The sensory-enhanced storytimes, held twice every Thursday at the Highlands Ranch Library, are specialized for children
with autism and other sensory-processing disorders. Each session is filled with handson learning activities, starts and ends with song and features a friendly caterpillar that provides a visual list of daily events. “Our objective with the (exercises) is to provide them with sensory input that tends to calm down your nervous system and help you focus on what is happening in the moment,” said Youth Librarian Laura Baldassari-Hackstaff, who runs one of the two storytimes each week. “Children on the autism spectrum will do that for themselves with the rocking and the twirling, etc. … so this is a different way for them to focus.” Autism continues on Page 34
IF YOU GO What: Sensory-Enhanced Storytime at Douglas County Libraries When: Each Thursday at 10:30 a.m. and 4:15 p.m.* and on the third Saturday of every month at 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Storytimes last 20-30 minutes. Where: Highlands Ranch Library, 9292 S. Ridgeline Blvd. Who: For children of all ages with autism and other sensory-processing disorders More Information: Contact 303-791-7323, visit www. douglascountylibraries.org or email Laura Olson at lolson@ dclibraries.org. *The Thursday afternoon sessions Feb. 28 and March 7 are at 2 p.m.
The Douglas County Federation of Teachers filed two lawsuits Feb. 15 against the Douglas County School District on claims related to teacher hiring and the teachers’ sick-leave bank. School board President John Carson, in a statement issued by the school district, called the lawsuits frivolous. A news release from the teachers’ union says the school district “illegally refused to consider teachers for job openings after their positions had been eliminated,” and asked the district to reimburse teachers for sick-leave days donated to a sick-leave bank that the district reportedly terminated. The district’s longstanding collective bargaining agreement with the teachers’ union, under which such issues were outlined, expired in 2012 after more than 100 hours of fruitless negotiation. “This is about treating teachers fairly and professionally and acting within the law,” union President Brenda Smith said. “The school district is set on demonizing teachers, disregarding the importance of experience, and ‘nickel and diming’ them instead of focusing on our children succeeding in the classroom.” As evidence of its support for teachers, DCSD pointed in its release to a 3 percent raise it gave them in 2012. “This is a union that has tried to flood the community with misinformation and political spin in an effort to tear down the excellent reputation of our schools and our teachers,” Carson said in the release. Smith said teachers laid off during sev Union continues on Page 14
From hometown girl to state rodeo queen Sarah Wiens crowned Miss Rodeo Colorado By Rhonda Moore
rmoore@ourcoloradonews.com The rodeo princess from Douglas County hit the ground running when she made her way to the big time. Sarah Wiens was crowned Miss Rodeo Colorado at the 2013 National Western Stock Show, where she worked behind the scenes — and in center arena — for her first official duties representing the Pro Rodeo Cowboy Association. By the time the week was over, she had posed for countless pictures, learned the art of signing autographs and had a chance to
co-announce a rodeo performance. “I was a part of every rodeo performance they had out there,” Wiens said. “I ran sponsor flags, helped with mutton bustin, helped in the back, escorted people, talked with people in the president’s box. For the first rodeo performance they were short staffed so I co-announced three performances at the stock show. “That was quite the experience, it was pretty neat to be with some cowboy celebrities on the arena floor and share such an important role in the overall show. It was surreal.” The road to the crown began for Wiens when she was about 4 years old and got on her first horse at her family’s ranch. Her name is familiar to Colorado residents because she is the daughter of former Sen. Tom Wiens, owner of Wiens Ranch Com-
pany in Sedalia. At 23 years old, Sarah Wiens was raised on the ranch and is a 2007 graduate of Douglas County High School. She entered her first cutting competition when she was 7 years old and has been hooked ever since. Wiens was inspired by 2008 Miss Rodeo Colorado Megan Grieve to compete for the elite title, which she won against 13 other horsewomen for a chance at the finals. The competition was in July 2012 at the Greeley Stampede and included horsemanship skills, live interviews, rodeo expertise, modeling and a current events question before the rodeo crowd. The current events question was for her view on extending state tuition breaks to illegal immigrants. Her answer? “I can un Rodeo continues on Page 15
Douglas County native Sarah Wiens is the 2013 Miss Rodeo Colorado queen. Courtesy photo