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WEEK OF JANUARY 16, 2025
VOLUME 159 | ISSUE 3
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School board grapples with fallout from chief of schools investigation and death BY SUZIE GLASSMAN SGLASSMAN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
The Jefferson County School Board convened a special meeting on Jan. 7 to address the aftermath of the investigation into and apparent suicide of former Chief of Schools David Weiss, who was accused of possessing child pornography by the Jefferson County Sheriff ’s Office. Board member Paula Reed opened the meeting by explaining that the need to meet face-to-face had become undeniable in the wake of the crisis. “It was becoming clear that we needed some time to meet face-toface,” Reed said. “We wanted to have time to make a timely and unified response. It’s been impossible to do that given the constraints we’ve had.” Reed emphasized the importance of transparency, saying the meeting was held publicly to demonstrate the board’s commitment to addressing the situation and fostering trust within the community. Board President Mary Parker echoed these sentiments, sharing how the crisis had weighed on her both personally and professionally. “First of all, I am so happy that we are together and we are public-facing,” Parker said. “The biggest frustration I’ve had in the last few weeks is that, as board president, I felt a great responsibility to be a voice for the board... I wanted very much for our community members to know that the board is paying attention. We care about it. We take it seriously.” Parker explained how constraints on communication left her unable to provide even a basic response to the public. “The most basic, simple sentence — ‘the board takes this seriously, we are shocked, we will communicate with law enforcement, and we will get to the bottom of it’ — was not possible to get out as a board because I couldn’t do it on my own,” Parker said.
Members of the Golden Concert Choir rehearse Jan. 6 at Calvary Church. In the five years since the initial COVID-19 shutdowns, the choir has naviPHOTO BY CORINNE WESTEMAN gated several changes such as low membership, virtual rehearsals and concerts with no audience.
Incredible range
Golden Concert Choir members reflect on high, low notes of last 5 years BY CORINNE WESTEMAN CWESTEMAN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Almost five years ago, the 45-50 members of the Golden Concert Choir went home and, as with everyone else in the world, their definition of “normal” changed very quickly. Rehearsals were now over Zoom; the usual May concert was recorded and spliced together; and more than half the participants didn’t participate virtually and didn’t return when in-person rehearsals resumed. At its lowest point, the choir had about a dozen members in fall 2020 and spring 2021. Now, though, choir membership has finally returned to pre-pandemic levels, President Sally Berger said. The Golden Concert Choir had 47 members for its fall 2024 season. It was finalizing its roster at its first spring rehearsal Jan. 6, but Berger expected similar numbers.
As 12-year member Jan Kachenko summarized, “It has been a slow return.” The nonprofit choir, which was founded in 2000 and had about 60 members at one point in its early years, rehearses weekly at Calvary Church, and hosts performances in December and May. Kachenko and other members who were active during the pandemic were thankful that the Golden Concert Choir is not only still around, but has added new members to its roster and has become more integrated into the larger Golden community. Jim Banks, the former president, and Berger said the choir was mostly seniors at one point. Thus, they were happy that so many younger people have joined the choir over the last two years. The Golden Concert Choir’s most recent performance on Dec. 7 had a record 160 attendees, which Banks and Berger attributed to the growing membership and welcoming community.
WESTMINSTER
MINSTER SEE FALLOUT, P5
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VOICES: 10 | LIFE: 12 | CALENDAR: 15 | SPORTS: 18
Accompanist Kris Wittry described how the choir members have always impressed her with their passion for and dedication to music. Many of them don’t work in music professionally, she said, but they still spend a great deal of time and money perfecting their art. “They humble me with their dedication,” she continued. Five years later…
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While March 2020 was a strange time for everyone, choirs took a major hit early on. One of the first recorded superspreader events in the United States was a March 10 choir practice in Skagit County, Washington. Of the 60 choir members who attended, 53 later contracted COVID-19, at least three were hospitalized, and two died, according to articles by the Seattle Times and the Los Angeles Times. SEE RANGE, P2
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