[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-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",[32,76,88,100],{"_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":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6658168,"mediaKeyId","5028939-f46d9364fd7ed526628d1ac361be0df4","parentId",5028939,"title","Teachers and parents urge district to prioritize staffing and special‑education continuity during budget discussions","audioSeconds",342,"startMs",2455000,"endMs",2797000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5028939-f46d9364fd7ed526628d1ac361be0df4&start=2455&end=2797","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5028939-f46d9364fd7ed526628d1ac361be0df4/thumbnail_2455000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6658168/Colorado/Teachers-and-parents-urge-district-to-prioritize-staffing-and-specialeducation-continuity-during-budget-discussions","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6658168-22689bbe4bdf1569d16960735d6d8235/orig.mp4?Expires=1771143833&Signature=Pepc-f-ib-Axg1TeHU0kcobU39sHMIUAfEhaAAAzz~b2uANJ9iEf8UXuislsFPQSE41Mm35-M4a5Ig4N73nQMqzeVhTGNdF09RJEc8SMPBcZyGMoPHskpIYRMEZPuePUDrQ0ZXg9-h~NEbYZ8uWnHwn43xuRrn5MfaOJbzl4YsCtmulPHef~Vd8xG-k9zOKatquXg3ACCRhTIQIeu-CszrcBEJNe6IY6tK~4IQLP6PhUF5UuyzQ9v3f4OSIhhM5~3TrliL48uwgPnZnT0MJW3N2ksuq3zsVQZ6Cq1DMfMI75lOumXuRDK9ZJI40Z0GC7mxcIxGfwgdjLXvMwIYUjrw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Thompson School District R-2J","date","2025-06-19T14:51:44Z","article","Several public commenters at the Thompson School District board meeting on June 18 urged the board to prioritize frontline staff and continuity of services for special‑education students while the board considered budget and capital spending.

Jordan Kreger, who identified themself as a district teacher and former district student, told the board an increase in special‑education caseloads (he said his school had seen “an almost 18% increase” for the coming year) was being paired with reductions in full‑time equivalents in support staff. Kreger objected to the district’s stated hiring range for the superintendent, calling the proposed senior leader package “equivalent to a little over four first‑year teachers” and saying classroom staff do ‘‘the day‑to‑day work that gets students to graduation.” Kreger closed by saying, “I love my job. I absolutely love my students,” and urged the board to keep classroom and certified staff needs front‑of‑mind when setting budgets.

Parent Anja Wells (they/them pronouns) told the board they were specifically concerned about turnover among paraprofessionals and other specialists who support students in the district’s ILC classroom at Lucille Irwin. Wells said a changing roster of paraprofessionals makes it harder for a nonverbal child to make academic progress and asked the district to investigate turnover causes and plan to ensure consistent supports.

Other callers and written commenters offered mixed perspectives: some praised the board’s transparency on budget items and commended the district for securing funding without raising taxes; others urged civility and criticized a board member’s social‑media posts. A caller suggested shifting the academic calendar to start earlier in June (to reduce heat costs and avoid a city event in early August); staff said calendar changes involve negotiations and policy parameters and noted the board adopted a small calendar amendment for a January plan‑time day during the meeting.

Board members acknowledged the public comments and said staff and trustees would continue to discuss staffing and budget questions; CFO and operations staff told the board they would post additional budget detail and follow up on questions about supply allowances and project scopes.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Board of Education Regular Meeting: 6.18.2025","oneSentenceSummary","Public commenters at the June 18 Thompson School District board meeting urged the board to prioritize classroom staffing and continuity for special‑education students as the board considered budget and spending items. Commenters also raised calendar timing concerns and praised district staff.","taxTitle","Thompson School District R-2J, School Districts , Colorado","taxId",14275,"location","Colorado","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6658173,"Master plan update maps $735 million in seven‑year facility needs; district begins bond outreach and timeline",668,5576000,6244000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5028939-f46d9364fd7ed526628d1ac361be0df4&start=5576&end=6244","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5028939-f46d9364fd7ed526628d1ac361be0df4/thumbnail_5576000.jpg","/articles/6658173/Colorado/Master-plan-update-maps-735-million-in-sevenyear-facility-needs-district-begins-bond-outreach-and-timeline","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6658173-bcd08e99e09a7e7b59d50fbc9e910a44/orig.mp4?Expires=1771143833&Signature=lGQsYStR9bziZ0R7kYZS2xs-rNXsB0--u3Qko4sxkIol24o-i9VJelWE2Ienn~t4pcNOnqdTf9EOaz4tp~peCWTzlp1jmM9yogwyXVJZrrVJom0QhiHRLKJ1wudLVmvlduU~1WKIoDlWQtJ29U0UdOAKX4ZY0VG969N-fFANTe92TY7iXOjrnsfnXsbykDkUg4VxIKoi-3KivVHfZGnl3CejZ6uOTi5o0X~SXSXwCUmKuzcQeFKBTDDpdd5ProOmiNB8iJPccrZ6pNYfH9ZemE0ASZnXTBp0dRaK1jKWGE1jjGX3n0QqNBWiJ5Yp7sw2vY9mz-FIxbgrUNoCYWtQyA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Thompson School District officials on June 18 presented an updated long‑range master plan and a community engagement plan linked to possible future ballot measures to address facility needs.

District planning staff told the board the updated master plan — the first substantive update since 2020 — organizes needs into four categories and estimates roughly $735 million of capital needs over seven years: capacity (growth/reflected as modified and built capacity), capital maintenance (estimated at about $280 million), building modernization (estimated $240–$307 million depending on scope choices) and security (about $18 million). The master plan incorporates 2021 facility assessments by architects and engineers, updated enrollment projections and committee input from a 22‑member Master Planning Committee (MPC).

Staff and MPC leaders described a new “modified capacity” metric that adjusts built capacity to account for programmatic space taken by services such as early childhood, ILCs (intensive learning centers) and related supports that reduce student station counts in older buildings. That measure appears in the plan alongside traditional built‑capacity numbers to give a fuller picture of how space is used.

Operations staff said the capital maintenance estimate reflects a prioritized list of items identified through third‑party assessments and internal review (lighting upgrades, refrigerant changes, roof repairs and other site work). Building modernization items reflect program and health/safety upgrades and could vary in cost depending on the level of renovation chosen.

Security was separated into its own section in the update to call out vestibules, physical access improvements, surveillance upgrades and bi‑directional amplification systems for radios and first‑responder communications.

Staff outlined early planning for public outreach and a bond timeline. Communications staff said an advertising campaign that began in June has delivered nearly 3 million impressions and that a proposed bond ask is likely to be framed conservatively; staff described a scenario around a roughly $99 million bond that staff and consultants said would address a subset of critical needs and security work and would be presented to the board for action if the board approves in August. The district will coordinate with county clerks and bond counsels on intergovernmental agreements and final ballot language; staff said Weld County’s assessed valuation timing (due to oil/gas values) makes final assessed valuation numbers late in the process.

Board members praised the MPC’s process and emphasized that an ADA assessment now under way will help prioritize accessibility work. Several trustees asked staff to ensure the public materials show school‑level impacts (what would change at each school) and to include project photos, a dashboard of needs by site and clear explanations of how bond proceeds would be allocated.

Staff said the district will continue monthly MPC work, post the full master plan on the district website in an accessible version, and schedule community meetings and a “state of the district” presentation to share priorities and introduce the incoming superintendent.","The district presented an updated master plan that estimates roughly $735 million in needs over seven years across capacity, capital maintenance and building modernization; staff briefed the board on outreach and a likely conservative $99 million bond scenario for future voter consideration.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6658178,"Thompson School District approves four administrator hires, including assistant superintendent role",583,941000,1524000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5028939-f46d9364fd7ed526628d1ac361be0df4&start=941&end=1524","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5028939-f46d9364fd7ed526628d1ac361be0df4/thumbnail_941000.jpg","/articles/6658178/Colorado/Thompson-School-District-approves-four-administrator-hires-including-assistant-superintendent-role","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6658178-7b3e7c81e5d653d8eb4235a6b0ec84ce/orig.mp4?Expires=1771143833&Signature=O4ht4N1FZ-QihzCnLYe1nxE7hS8FuED~32Uo8tVhVBMg8vmaU0~LmHR8RFOAaimETMwyLoYSdopoKivpZiU09iBu6nFEBnoN4cwlgQbC0DIKGFmMD73hy7y8vQs92yyXPu1ejuOs2iN9TGhA5BEXEgL55dA7s5rIAPH5AcEJO7gdo~vn0apkc~cNTiegzwGqTRSnCk0hHF-ZaV8JaKswwpNueBVXp7S0K0T0OsPTt0cssW~VOz~0BHMvSEdefpMJmmvC26d3vJ5RETMVTQ6FT6DqnZ1MuEIGsLx353VP43414VD7ZXoqkkqcZzr76~Sk3tCJ9nVFg2I-KhpM-calsQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Thompson School District R‑2J on June 18 approved personnel recommendations that formalized four administrative hires the district introduced earlier in the meeting.

The board confirmed the district’s recommendations to appoint Nicole Jones as assistant principal at High Plains School; Jacob McCollum as assistant principal at Walt Clark Middle School; Valerie Lara Black as director of human resources; and Sarah Rasmussen as assistant superintendent of learning services (removing the interim designation). The personnel approvals were included on the consent agenda and approved by roll call.

Superintendent Dr. Mark Schaeffer introduced each candidate briefly at the start of the meeting and invited them to address the board. The district highlighted each administrator’s background in classroom and building leadership: Jones’s experience in elementary and middle grades and work on MTSS and restorative practices; McCollum’s middle‑school classroom and administrative leadership, including socioemotional program development; Lara Black’s principal experience developing a new preK–8 campus and prior leadership roles; and Rasmussen’s district leadership experience in elementary education and early childhood services.

Each appointee spoke briefly, thanking the board and saying they looked forward to joining their respective schools or continuing district leadership. Staff said the formal approvals were part of the meeting’s consent items and will be reflected in personnel records and public posting of consent outcomes.","The board approved personnel recommendations that formalized four administrators announced during the June 18 meeting: two assistant principals, a director of human resources and the assistant superintendent of learning services (interim title removed).",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6658183,"Thompson School District board adopts 2025–26 budget, approves Monroe sale spending and $25 million cash‑flow authorization",697,3627000,4324000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5028939-f46d9364fd7ed526628d1ac361be0df4&start=3627&end=4324","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5028939-f46d9364fd7ed526628d1ac361be0df4/thumbnail_3627000.jpg","/articles/6658183/Colorado/Thompson-School-District-board-adopts-202526-budget-approves-Monroe-sale-spending-and-25-million-cashflow-authorization","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6658183-2a133b42f11e313dfe375ab806192697/orig.mp4?Expires=1771143833&Signature=gs0~2NxmhdQFQ2xnHq5NAgCevKKWm4JcvjxBYLnBQl7GoAyHm6yvnV~Z-CvF~ZiCB1-TB9NxrYqDKtjmt2V4GqQFl8B6hikb4gE5FWCkhtpjMEpa7rDxENQ8X8Lvb-O-f77GJTBY7qR7PsFnxz3dGfdbrEx2f2oJATUcWlHuwuBrtciwe-7BRR7A8nJaH2wzciVHnjJja9dtrUYczQOLmFE4SbyhPMG3Maa2QEo~-G817exY1pU4HcWFH2o1wHo1KrHXFsZsHBlKrcKerIiwS9Ek10C8c39b-W1xUOzdpzrs-k4PwvlRp4s6aS8gjeP3KPskGSeP6idQjKXE5Ed4Dg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Thompson School District R‑2J on June 18 adopted its 2025–26 budget, approved a list of project budgets and contracts funded by proceeds from the recent sale of Monroe Elementary School, and authorized the district to seek up to $25 million through Colorado’s interest‑free cash‑flow loan program to cover timing gaps in property‑tax receipts.

Board members also approved a set of contracts and expenditures over $50,000 that included projects referenced in the Monroe proceeds list. The board approved the project budgets and contracts for the Monroe proceeds 6–1, and approved the expenditures over $50,000 by the same margin; one board member voted no on each of those items. Resolutions adopting the budget, appropriating funds for 2025–26 and authorizing use of beginning fund balances passed by roll calls recorded as unanimous.

The actions finalize a budget that district staff posted publicly on May 28 and presented in a June 9 public forum and subsequent study sessions. Chief financial staff told the board the district will convert the posted proposed budget to an adopted budget following the board vote and will continue to publish clarifications and updated explanatory headings on the district website.

Board members framed the votes as a compromise between the district’s long list of capital and maintenance needs and the limited Monroe proceeds. Board member Nancy Rumpel criticized portions of the spending list, calling some athletic upgrades “a want. It’s not a need,” and unsuccessfully moved to narrow the list and reserve most proceeds for items brought back to the full board with detailed scopes and bids. Her amendment failed and the board then approved the staff’s recommended project list.

The board approved the resolution authorizing participation in the State of Colorado interest‑free cash‑flow loan program, allowing the district to borrow up to $25 million and repay the loan within days after receiving property‑tax distributions. Staff said the district will only draw what actual cash‑flow needs require and will not borrow the full authorization unless necessary.

On the formal budget measures, the board adopted the district’s 2025–26 budget, approved the resolution of appropriation that summarizes revenues and expenditures across funds, and approved the resolution permitting use of beginning fund balances for the coming fiscal year. The total adopted expenditures cited by staff approximate $286 million for the fiscal year.

Board discussion flagged several details staff said they would continue to clarify, including the breakdown of instructional supply allowances and the differences between projects listed under proceeds versus capital funds (examples include mercury floor abatement costs and shot‑clock/electrical work that vary by site). Staff said some work had been started and funded out of capital accounts to meet school‑year timing requirements and that more detailed quotes and cooperative‑purchasing records are available on request.

The board also approved routine consent personnel and other consent items earlier in the meeting, which included the personnel appointments announced publicly at the start of the session. Staff said the finalized adopted budget will be implemented immediately and that public questions and comments received during the meeting will be incorporated into the public record or used to refine project detail.","The board adopted the 2025–26 budget and several related financial measures June 18, approving a plan for proceeds from the Monroe Elementary sale, authorizing up to $25 million in an interest‑free state cash‑flow loan, and clearing a slate of contracts and expenditures over $50,000. Votes on the Monroe proceeds and some expenditures were 6–1.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Teachers and parents urge district to prioritize staffing and special‑education continuity during budget discussions

Master plan update maps $735 million in seven‑year facility needs; district begins bond outreach and timeline

Thompson School District approves four administrator hires, including assistant superintendent role

Thompson School District board adopts 2025–26 budget, approves Monroe sale spending and $25 million cash‑flow authorization