[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},"mediaId",6081157,"mediaKeyId","2943552-d5ff2c940dd8e06cfee4e7e2c1518cbb","parentId",2943552,"title","District reviews Gateway building for testing use and possible CTE conversion; retrofit, sprinklers and funding unknown","audioSeconds",242,"startMs",901000,"endMs",1143000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2943552-d5ff2c940dd8e06cfee4e7e2c1518cbb&start=901&end=1143","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2943552-d5ff2c940dd8e06cfee4e7e2c1518cbb/thumbnail_901000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6081157/Colorado/District-reviews-Gateway-building-for-testing-use-and-possible-CTE-conversion-retrofit-sprinklers-and-funding-unknown","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6081157-90fb1d0ee0d99b25e1872ed160c7da6b/orig.mp4?Expires=1770953081&Signature=f3p7r9y18nrhADWX32oz2YxEeuNWqOKIX4CjHB3-Dc-t2V~0YIgjbMDJXG~qxh371UrU88BhCUhjos0RqlVmGBwxVCp4AzZwyY2gUtiJdqCzk9kcPMQUeT-7c4pWMTvmxoiqwpaAIsWymku3LsVSa1xn8buCq3e8gw-pMtJT9qelLEKDtBMQlQwUh3lKkmDZ7F73Mp4VmGq3q40gPDUS~MnhOJpikBO4VWliRKexTb6rVs4GrtudCvP0i358izvJKSdbL0hPoEtBm~hV9aG2d5IUUjg0jLVmKlqnOFWxn0IyuyMFEjzz3DEp9r67AHTl20Rwzbka2T104Az9yfXvFw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-04-09T21:27:05Z","article","The Woodland Park School District RE‑2 superintendent briefed trustees on options for the district’s Gateway building, saying the site currently functions as a testing center for the middle and high schools and that the district is exploring converting part of the facility into a career and technical education (CTE) hub.

Superintendent Aaron Salt said staff are investigating the construction and code changes required to move programs such as ProStart (culinary) into Gateway. \"One of the concerns is the building is not currently sprinkled,\" Salt said. He told trustees the immediate need is to determine whether fire‑suppression work would be required for the entire building or only for a commercial kitchen area; he said there are kitchen hood systems with independent suppression that might meet code and that district staff were consulting local officials about options.

Why it matters: Repurposing Gateway to expand CTE programming could expand students’ vocational opportunities but may require substantial capital investment. Salt said replacing networking switches and addressing other technology issues at Gateway would cost about $10,000; retrofitting the building for CTE purposes could cost much more and the district has not yet received bids.

Salt said the district has examined grants but that most CTE funding sources do not cover capital construction; grant programs the district reviewed tend to fund direct program costs rather than retrofit or building work. Trustees asked whether the district had reached out to multiple contractors for bids; Salt replied that the district was still defining scope and had not yet solicited firm bids because code requirements must first be clarified.

Salt said staff are developing a community engagement plan about Gateway and that the district would begin broader discussions with parents, staff and community members as planning advances. No board action or funding commitment was approved at the meeting; trustees directed staff to continue scoping costs and to report back when estimates and options are available.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Regular Board Meeting 4-9-2025","oneSentenceSummary","Superintendent Aaron Salt told the board the Gateway building is currently used for testing and that one option is to keep half as a testing center and convert half to career and technical education; fire‑suppression requirements and retrofit costs are still under study and grants cited as unlikely to cover capital work.","taxTitle","Woodland Park School District RE-2, School Districts , Colorado","taxId",45829,"location","Colorado","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6081162,"Board directs actions on former superintendent and forms subcommittee on interim superintendent terms",4503,9707000,14210000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2943552-d5ff2c940dd8e06cfee4e7e2c1518cbb&start=9707&end=14210","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2943552-d5ff2c940dd8e06cfee4e7e2c1518cbb/thumbnail_9707000.jpg","/articles/6081162/Colorado/Board-directs-actions-on-former-superintendent-and-forms-subcommittee-on-interim-superintendent-terms","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6081162-796f2cf4e5e30fbac6737b031460a296/orig.mp4?Expires=1770953081&Signature=BenS3zDttQpA0vNBAJe4LQSZoueeEae3EkWCXzTLiANcX5srGuCJPKk8zuz3yXueV~3Db9lhR9cFPwBP4CGMt7j890I-8onOeymBV9aPfDg~o-Vkc4Yt2dfMD4Bm3tZgYY8alLHha3sGFzYzO0~YccJE0-IBuxmXI2RfLDzU2lH5~rsUgJxUzJuxihFBKsTLKBVou51Ev0oOu2Fzq8qW0cLerMLNb2OKEDCAI2OBPyYNExnGz6sCcdyZxx2g4L9~dm28hIlgbHnFBA7CSr5BOq50yHeyssao0ZvIACWFG~AmEh9ntmNSEfuc8GODwThj4SYBPIg8vpCsy~A-KNEORQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Woodland Park School District RE‑2 Board of Education voted after an executive session to authorize specific actions related to the district’s former superintendent and to form a two‑member subcommittee to negotiate terms with the acting interim superintendent.

Following a closed‑door executive session called under Colorado law (C.R.S. 24‑6‑402(4)(b) and (f)) that trustees said was for legal and personnel discussion, the board returned to public session and approved two motions. The first motion authorized trustees David and Keegan to \"take the actions discussed in meeting regarding former superintendent Witt.\" The board recorded a roll‑call vote and approved the motion. The second motion directed Keegan and Mick to form a subcommittee to discuss terms of engagement for acting interim superintendent Aaron Salt; that motion was likewise approved by roll call.

Why it matters: Personnel decisions for district executives affect administrative continuity, contract obligations and district finances. The board cited the need for legal counsel in closed session and said the actions followed legal advice.

What the meeting record shows: Trustees moved into executive session late in the agenda for attorney–client discussions and to consider personnel compensation and contract matters; a district attorney was available online for the closed session, trustees said. After returning to open session, the motions were made, seconded and passed by roll call.

Board statements at the meeting emphasized that the votes implement decisions discussed in executive session and that the subcommittee will negotiate terms and report back to the full board. The motions did not specify public details of the negotiated terms; board members said those specifics are personnel matters and some aspects will remain confidential to protect employee privacy and to comply with legal counsel’s guidance.

What’s next: The subcommittee will meet to negotiate terms for the acting interim superintendent and will report recommendations to the full board in a future open meeting. The board did not publish the confidential details discussed in executive session; trustees said those details would be resolved through counsel and the subcommittee’s work before public action is taken.","After an executive session the Woodland Park board instructed two trustees to take actions related to former Superintendent Ken Witt and established a subcommittee to negotiate terms with interim superintendent Aaron Salt.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6081167,"Auditors report material control failings; board seeks additional bids for forensic audit",5393,4248000,9641000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2943552-d5ff2c940dd8e06cfee4e7e2c1518cbb&start=4248&end=9641","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2943552-d5ff2c940dd8e06cfee4e7e2c1518cbb/thumbnail_4248000.jpg","/articles/6081167/Colorado/Auditors-report-material-control-failings-board-seeks-additional-bids-for-forensic-audit","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6081167-a71bdcdea626e03ed12722d1e8bb32fe/orig.mp4?Expires=1770953081&Signature=ECLI5EZUnDxthWeDDBiL7j4302hDxfEYl4Q8MA~0xrOzLCCJA-odzpGGz5UdFLZpaxEZKrDZZmHWOZlz4CEMQp2gbXZbqF31FEgVO-7QMBVP53sff2tOzj~aMeRCYPYHaSuWS4jVaHzH07W81ed3BN~vhLt6u2FI~47~pxgMi-p5vx9qCS8L7lI5PEF-YRGyoOmn8EMalRzt8h6Uqe8Lb0PPY6TC9g0IykxQjS~NL2LD4f6BmGWyw8UV2Pu~IMyfzWsWjrp-gamb~Jf3mfRnpPmPnaVUf1RU25E2pDTKBxHRBIiRYH2QzJFPP7EVsmInfSFkhtRyQDEjvxwVnY2u4A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Independent auditors told the Woodland Park School District RE‑2 Board of Education on Tuesday that the district’s June 30, 2024 financial statements ultimately supported a clean opinion but required substantial additional audit work and multiple adjustments to reach that result. The board and members of the public pressed for a forensic audit after the presentation, and trustees instructed staff to obtain additional proposals before retaining a firm.

The audit presentation, led by Tom Sesterre of Holtview and Company and audit manager Chris Banta, said the audit team encountered “a lack of appropriate closing procedures,” multiple unreconciled trial balances and grant accounting that required significant extra work. “We had 16 in total,” Sesterre said when describing the internal control and compliance findings the auditors reported. He added that, despite the control problems, auditors issued an unmodified (clean) opinion for the 2024 financial statements after adjustments.

Why it matters: School finances are core to district operations and to voters and taxpayers who monitor how public funds are spent. Several public speakers asked the board to commission an outside forensic audit to dig deeper than the annual financial audit and to answer community questions about federal grants, credit‑card (P‑card) activity and legal spending.

Sesterre told the board the principal causes of the audit problems were staffing turnover in the finance office and a lack of timely, balanced trial balances and reconciliations at year end. He recommended adding a grant accountant and hiring a permanent finance leader to restore segregation of duties and improve controls.

Members of the public echoed those concerns during the meeting’s public‑comment period. Dana Kramer, who said she represented “almost 600 concerned stakeholders,” called for a forensic audit to address what she described as “83 concerning findings” reported in the publicly posted audit summary. Allison Baker Baumhoff, Kelly Hunsaker and other parents urged careful, equitable handling of facility and budget decisions and said a forensic audit could restore public trust.

After the audit presentation, the administration proposed engaging a national forensic firm recommended by the auditors. The initial proposal shown to the board estimated fees in a not‑to‑exceed amount of $35,000 for a remote‑first forensic review scoped to P‑card usage, federal ESSER grant reporting, and travel or legal expenditures. District staff told the board the firm could begin work in May or June and that much of the work could be done remotely to limit travel expenses.

Board members expressed interest but asked staff to obtain additional quotes. ‘‘This is something the community is asking for,’’ one trustee said during discussion; trustees asked staff to collect at least two more estimates and to check whether the district’s liability insurance might cover part of the cost. Superintendent Salt and staff said no line in the current budget is dedicated to a forensic audit and that any payment would come from existing funds if the board approved a vendor.

The board did not authorize a contract during the meeting. Instead, trustees agreed that staff would solicit additional proposals, check references and report back to the board before any vendor is hired.

What’s next: The administration committed to provide additional forensic‑audit proposals and estimated costs, and to return to the board with a recommendation. Community demand for a forensic review and the board’s follow‑up will determine timing and scope.","Independent auditors told the Woodland Park School District board that year‑end financial reports required many adjustments and identified multiple internal‑control weaknesses. Community members pressed for a forensic audit; the board directed staff to obtain additional proposals after reviewing a $35,000 estimate.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

District reviews Gateway building for testing use and possible CTE conversion; retrofit, sprinklers and funding unknown

Board directs actions on former superintendent and forms subcommittee on interim superintendent terms

Auditors report material control failings; board seeks additional bids for forensic audit