1-Color
April 24, 2014 Douglas County, Colorado | Volume 27, Issue 23 A publication of
highlandsranchherald.net
Metro district candidates talk goals Incumbents, challengers lay out plans, platforms at first-ever forum By Hannah Garcia
hgarcia@coloradocommunitymedia.com
Philip Cullen, right, looks on as Nick Robinson gives a closing statement at a candidate forum on April 17. Cullen and Robinson are running for the same metro district seat. Photo by Hannah Garcia
Candidates for an upcoming metro district election sat down with a couple dozen Highlands Ranch residents to share platforms and address questions at the Southridge Recreation Center on April 17. The event, hosted by the Highlands Ranch Chamber of Commerce and Colorado Community Media, was a first for HRMD, according to the incumbents. Three races are uncontested. Renee Anderson, a first-time director-elect, will replace John Warnick in the southwest district while incumbents Allen Dreher and Rick Owens will enter another term for the southeast and west central districts respec-
tively. “I just look forward to helping in my community,” Anderson said at the forum. “I think this board is really very successful.” Philip Cullen, a former metro district director who resigned in 2012 amid conflict with other board members, is facing off in the northwest district against incumbent Nick Robinson, who replaced him in 2012. Incumbent Carolyn Schierholz faces two challengers in the south central district: Parrish Salyers and Tony Yarosh. Kevin Betts dropped out of the south central race earlier this month. In their opening remarks, Owens talked about paying of HRMD’s debt in 2018, saying that “investment opportunities need to be brought by constituents” while Dreher enumerated a list of the board’s accomplishments, including the fence replacement program and the Highland Ranch Mansion renovation. Forum continues on Page 9
Schedule restoration continues
Sisters (clockwise from left) Livi, Bri, Madi and Ali Lofley dig into their baskets April 19 at NorthridgeP ark.
Six of nine district high schools to do away with the block format By Jane Reuter
jreuter@coloradocommunitymedia.com All four of Highlands Ranch’s public high schools will return this fall to the more traditional class schedule most used until 2011-12. Two of Parker’s three high schools intend to follow suit a year later, while the other three county high schools intend to remain on the block schedule adopted countywide in 2012-13. An improving economy that’s putting more money back into the budgets of schools and enabling them to hire more teachers makes the reversion possible. Parent and teacher surveys show it’s what most of them want. Mountain Vista High School was the first to announce it will return to a modified version of the 5-of-7 schedule — under which teachers hold class during five of seven scheduled periods — in 2014-15. Highlands Ranch, Rock Canyon and ThunderRidge since have come to the same conclusion. In Parker, Legend and Chaparral plan to do so, but are waiting another year. Parker’s Ponderosa High School, and Castle Rock’s Douglas County and Castle View high schools will stay on their current schedules. All schools opting to change their schedules must hire more teachers to accomplish their goals. The decision lightens the load for existing staff, all of whom taught an extra class under the 6-of-8 — a decision that kept schools from cutting classes. Chaparral principal Greg Gotchey said returning to the more traditional schedule isn’t an easy task.
YOLKIN’ AROUND
With plastic eggs abound, kids scrambled to Northridge Park to find what prizes were hiding inside the treasures at the HRCA’s annual Easter Egg Hunt on April 19. The park was crawling with happy egghunters despite a lot of cloud cover and a little rain.
Emmitt Beauman, 19 months old, tries to feed the Easter Bunny an egg while his grandmother Connie Cash laughs during a photo op after the Easter Egg Hunt April 19 at Northridge Park.
PHOTOS BY HANNAH GARCIA
Schedules continues on Page 25
Bently Tandy, 1, really gets into the Easter spirit as he picks up and tosses eggs. Printed on recycled newsprint. Please recycle this copy.