[{"_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",6505488,"mediaKeyId","5575147-f372cfc79013f0602e51119281687089","parentId",5575147,"title","At a glance: Board approves consent agenda, affirms superintendent interpretation of EL 2.5 and adopts UIP","audioSeconds",5274,"startMs",3545000,"endMs",8819000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5575147-f372cfc79013f0602e51119281687089&start=3545&end=8819","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5575147-f372cfc79013f0602e51119281687089/thumbnail_3545000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6505488/Colorado/At-a-glance-Board-approves-consent-agenda-affirms-superintendent-interpretation-of-EL-25-and-adopts-UIP","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6505488-c39693994c1d56c5bb13a45d73d27855/orig.mp4?Expires=1770399615&Signature=kJSB8NCwPV07s3dVV-322jCom2WQlPo2pUWUJOkqtMK0DfIgtbV7WAmWES8rjRy1KkM6vZ8BiOg2RFK~wC8Nq-u3Lglu9sEO04nlInk3E2naCL5zzG0~Yag0LCetg3LmeGI5TPS7EOUkyl~pmWmLyoGj5w7y3i9UhwdGIc55C~3IJcG-LOgBn5qhZSDk~qRZ1fdnw5DFtQtnceg9FUlNJ0zTE3cj5~tQXR5ONHRZ9iTmQ7ZIKp8Z4jyI6aFPu3pI8OEQdzVUSY0dnsNZm14OyqgNluQgHZnkkQHhS0b8~Kot9RNDZorox1YwvN5qm88RUxCHtbN3MDPlgzmq~Lij0w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Poudre School District","date","2025-08-13T15:31:13Z","article","What the board approved

- Consent agenda: The board approved the recommended items on the consent agenda by a 7–0 vote. The motion to approve was moved (mover not specified in the public transcript) and seconded; roll call recorded seven ayes (Jim Brokish; Kristen Draper; Connor Duffy; Kevin Havelda; Scott Schoenbauer; Andrew Spain; Jessica Zamora). The clerk announced, “Motion passes 7‑0.”

- EL 2.5 emergency superintendent and executive succession interpretation: Director Jim Brokish moved that the board determine the superintendent had reasonably interpreted Board Policy EL 2.5 in his internal monitoring report dated Aug. 12, 2025. The motion was seconded by Director Connor Duffy and passed 7‑0 on roll call. The recorded votes were all in favor; the board clerk announced, “Motion passes 7‑0.”

- Unified Improvement Plan (UIP) 2025–26: After an informational presentation from district staff, Director Kevin Havelda moved to approve the district Unified Improvement Plan for the 2025–26 school year; Director Scott Schoenbauer seconded. The motion passed on a roll‑call vote of 7‑0. The board’s affirmative votes were Jim Brokish; Kristen Draper; Connor Duffy; Kevin Havelda; Scott Schoenbauer; Andrew Spain; Jessica Zamora.

Staff presentations and context

District leaders gave an extended informational presentation on the 2025–26 Unified Improvement Plan before the approval vote. Chief academic and cabinet staff summarized results and priorities tied to the district strategic plan, focusing on three system priorities: literacy, graduating with options (post‑secondary readiness), and mental health and belonging.

Key staff points included:
- Literacy: DIBELS and other assessments show multi‑year upward trends in K–3 benchmark performance; the district cited investments in evidence‑based materials and staff training tied to the science of reading.
- Graduating with options: Graduation rates have increased and stabilized in recent cohorts; the district described expanded CTE pathways, concurrent enrollment and work‑based learning to support post‑secondary opportunities.
- Mental health and belonging: Healthy Kids Colorado and other measures show concerning levels of self‑harm and suicidal ideation among students; the UIP emphasizes universal SEL (CASEL) instruction, PBIS and tiered supports under MTSS to address these needs.

Votes at a glance

1) Consent agenda — outcome: approved — tally: 7 yes, 0 no (Roll call: Jim Brokish Aye; Kristen Draper Aye; Connor Duffy Aye; Kevin Havelda Aye; Scott Schoenbauer Aye; Andrew Spain Aye; Jessica Zamora Aye). (Transcript: motion and roll call at 05:35–05:40 p.m.)

2) EL 2.5 (emergency superintendent/executive succession) — outcome: approved — mover: Jim Brokish; second: Connor Duffy; tally: 7 yes, 0 no. (Transcript: motion and roll call at 06:24–06:26 p.m.)

3) Unified Improvement Plan 2025–26 — outcome: approved — mover: Kevin Havelda; second: Scott Schoenbauer; tally: 7 yes, 0 no. (Transcript: motion and roll call at 07:27–07:33 p.m.)

What to watch next: The board scheduled further discussion and a vote on proposed changes to public‑comment policy GP 3.13 at an upcoming meeting. District staff also said they would report progress on UIP implementation and mitigation plans for mental‑health staffing in the coming months.

This summary is drawn from the Aug. 12, 2025 board meeting transcript and the district’s informational presentation.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Board of Education Meeting: August 12, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Poudre School District Board adopted the consent agenda, accepted an internal monitoring interpretation for Executive Limitations 2.5 (emergency superintendent and executive succession), and approved the 2025–26 Unified Improvement Plan. All three measures passed unanimously (7–0).","taxTitle","Poudre School District R-1, School Districts , Colorado","taxId",14270,"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},6505492,"District and teachers warn loss of federal mental‑health grant will reduce services; leaders outline mitigation steps",4082,2898000,6980000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5575147-f372cfc79013f0602e51119281687089&start=2898&end=6980","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5575147-f372cfc79013f0602e51119281687089/thumbnail_2898000.jpg","/articles/6505492/Colorado/District-and-teachers-warn-loss-of-federal-mentalhealth-grant-will-reduce-services-leaders-outline-mitigation-steps","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6505492-37cdd114f6c585a3c5b3eb84edb9c593/orig.mp4?Expires=1770399615&Signature=ioN4y3B05J36o0QBq43p9wk6wY8aESa2RM8E3wUW7tW~cmPhDekMqMCtNk08K1pF0mA52wBIbac1iRu9EGFO0WBHJIw12gRphtkZ5D4ZWGnMwYmNtvXUKFLUQj8Es6nWH24SY0yVm~URmlrbkBaO6QYLBNN91jhvb8hLTsjLbSBYINbMbPcvXIvV4DhjRFj7i1~qHR1rU2okbHTjF~HVmicqjvr4ALz~qYfwQf~kqEqsAEF7w8Jch2pYsaRU3ClM8W5KbkyLW8YyTYGuUqoqAZABtj4TjRgcQONoaRS4QwdSKFvPmigQSUPyj4MU6HABTEotQR329Pymh5pY-6fAcw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Teachers, a union representative and parents told the Poudre School District board that the loss of a federal mental‑health fellows grant will reduce school‑based supports and increase caseloads for remaining staff.

Why it matters: Speakers said social‑work fellows and interns funded by the grant provided prevention, crisis intervention and case management that kept students in school and helped some avoid expulsions. District leaders said the federal program’s discontinuation reduced funding previously used to staff dozens of school‑based positions.

Rocky Mountain High School social‑studies teacher Wendy Bergman told the board that the grant funded social‑work fellows at 23 schools and called the cut “a devastating blow” to the district’s ability to meet student mental‑health needs and to the community’s mental‑health capacity.

“The loss of the social work fellows and interns on this grant is a devastating blow not only to our district's ability to meet students mental health needs but our community's capacity for mental health care,” Bergman said. She related a case in which a fellow intervened during an expulsion process and, with continued support, enabled a student to pass required graduation classes.

District leaders said the loss resulted from federal funding changes and described a partial mitigation plan. Senior staff said the program had been funded through a multi‑year federal grant; the district previously used that funding to employ fellows and interns. District senior director Liz Davis told the board that the district will retain some funded positions this fall and that the fellowship had supported about 22 schools; she said the district will have roughly 10 university interns this year who are paid as classified staff through the remainder of the grant’s funding period.

Superintendent Brian Kingsley and staff said the district had received multiple years of funding and that the rescission of federal funds left a shortfall. Kingsley told the board the district had been “very upset” by the federal reduction but that it would pursue partnerships with local health systems and community groups and attempt to preserve internship opportunities for students in training.

What the district said it can do now: Leaders said the district will (a) retain university interns this school year where possible, (b) explore local partnerships and short‑term funding sources, and (c) continue to prioritize mental‑health and SEL work through MTSS and school‑based teams. The district also said it will continue to provide universal SEL instruction and to deploy coaching/MTSS supports at the school level.

Speakers urged the board to pursue options to preserve services and to support staff training, and they requested clear public reporting about what positions will remain and how caseloads will change.","Teachers and social‑work staff told the board that a federal grant supporting mental‑health fellows and interns was canceled, leaving fewer social workers and higher caseloads. District leaders said some positions remain this fall (including 10 university interns) but that the reduction will be significant and they are seeking local partnerships.",{"_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},6505497,"Parents, advocates raise allegations of special‑education misconduct and call for accountability",1073,1801000,2874000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5575147-f372cfc79013f0602e51119281687089&start=1801&end=2874","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5575147-f372cfc79013f0602e51119281687089/thumbnail_1801000.jpg","/articles/6505497/Colorado/Parents-advocates-raise-allegations-of-specialeducation-misconduct-and-call-for-accountability","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6505497-2d7480532d1c4a14c33e8c00e10584b6/orig.mp4?Expires=1770399615&Signature=X9SOOG3x4DbjcA4TpT88ooaGP8oyTwvkh1VUr-11F82nnf4Gg7LpZm0gScX6bhNjQmffKfq1rgximYoKj4~~T5nlvUnnD-ayiEjTvniF71T5E7FI5EbI7lPYlLMOw5YsvaSL~bVoJHnmXm9Fu~qKJs1RDPa4KoEqEZ~v~YsQOvErIuePWpThWu27~V-tYJPgeWXoLIPQvxPP03A0~3PciLxJ-BTAsxaLQonAeMeWp3ufpxkzu3gyVLJZzfBg84d0H2oh-~FGbPecmoChvomPuiGnif21CoSgJrdj7MWwmvtuvfpx3d~pAkfy1NVnKNnehYkpotaM3K9WiiyrIkcTIQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Multiple community members used the board’s public comment period on Aug. 12 to describe alleged wrongdoing involving students receiving special‑education services and to press the board and district for accountability and training.

Why it matters: Speakers described incidents they said involved staff misconduct, wrongful discipline or arrest of students with disabilities, and the use of student images for ridicule. They said those incidents demonstrate gaps in staff training, culture and district responsiveness, and they urged policy and training changes.

Parents and advocates described a pattern they said included staff retaliation, a personnel resignation and a social‑media incident. Sabrina Herrick told the board that staff had been “accused of minimizing and committing child abuse, and in 1 case, of having a child wrongfully arrested,” and that other staff had allegedly turned students into “reaction memes.”

Danny Lawrence, who identified himself as a frequent public commenter on disability matters, told the board that 42 percent of last year’s public comments were related to services for disabled students and that “voting to reduce public comments is voting to silence a specific protected class that was just gaining some long overdue awareness.” He also said he had provided the board with an OCR resolution agreement related to his son’s civil‑rights complaint.

Jess Festel (Festel), identifying herself as an educator who has worked in special education, said taking and sharing images of students who cannot fully comprehend or object “is to strip them of their agency and reduce them to an object for amusement.” She urged the board to protect children and advocates and offered free staff training.

Deborah James, who said she had worked for 14 years as a paraprofessional, described direct observations in a Fort Collins High School classroom she said were positive at the time but warned that staffing changes would remove familiar adults when school opens, raising concerns about continuity of care for some students who “won’t be there waiting for them when they get off the bus.”

Board response and context: Directors thanked speakers and acknowledged the seriousness of the concerns raised. A few speakers said they had pursued district processes (including an OCR complaint) and asked the board to ensure investigations and training proceed. The board did not take immediate formal action on personnel matters during the meeting; several board members emphasized that personnel matters must be addressed through appropriate investigative channels rather than during public comment.

The transcript contains multiple detailed accounts and references to investigations and an OCR resolution agreement provided to the board by a commenter; reporters should treat allegations as claims by the speakers and rely on district responses and investigative findings for confirmed facts.","Multiple community speakers at the Poudre School District board meeting described alleged misconduct involving special‑education students and urged the board to pursue investigations, training and clearer processes. Speakers referenced an OCR resolution and routine use of public comment to press for oversight.",{"_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},6505502,"Poudre School District board debates limiting public comment, will vote at next meeting",5565,1635000,7200000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5575147-f372cfc79013f0602e51119281687089&start=1635&end=7200","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5575147-f372cfc79013f0602e51119281687089/thumbnail_1635000.jpg","/articles/6505502/Colorado/Poudre-School-District-board-debates-limiting-public-comment-will-vote-at-next-meeting","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6505502-98fd1b21a7a6574fed4a885170379bd0/orig.mp4?Expires=1770399615&Signature=iVGAoCT0wq~f27j-m2mMHX6xtI0fqT-Ml-SpYFqRfyAwyRW7woAqTaDoaqRj3FrvsOyDdtt6PsJC3a5bJMIOKKfPM08zx7CN-fFjR~pl3XsqRFkTKr8c9sAgGBJor3s8hXWUDbz7BB6iA-QyjAL8f88FPWMsBw65fyQ3lTZ8jeok2Snp2IUTvMyuQtEifhXSek4nvKFumtNkvw9iHHyoYgQKNt4wTU~IkIyAMpqYPsyHP6j9gPwecqDxCeE4cN~t2IWdaBfBWSc-c3AVUfyzp6cDb2mkndF~gBk4cSXHpG49eQe6YwrrHLkqYhhY4WNk3cWdyjE7scIEcTjzDqAH6g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Board President Kristen Draper presided over a heated discussion on Tuesday about proposed changes to board policy GP 3.13 that would limit public comment during the board’s regular meetings and expand separate community engagement sessions.

The proposal would keep a public comment period at one regular business meeting each month while encouraging two‑way dialogue in school‑based community sessions held separately. Supporters said the change would make meeting time more efficient and allow for more substantive, back‑and‑forth conversation; opponents said it would reduce transparency and shrink the public forum.

Why it matters: Public comment is an official way for the community to address the full board and district leadership on the record. Several long‑time speakers and stakeholder groups told the board that narrowing that access would undermine trust and reduce oversight.

Speakers during public comment repeatedly urged the board not to reduce opportunities for the public to speak. “Please consider not making changes to public comment at this time,” said Anna Lobeta during the community comment period. Sabrina Herrick framed the proposal as an erosion of accountability and said district leaders have “forgotten that step 1 of looking good is doing good.”

Parents and advocates described prior incidents that they said demonstrated the need for an open public forum. Jeff Arftehite raised an outstanding complaint he said stemmed from a February meeting and urged the board to investigate under existing board policy before restricting public comment, arguing that “when decisions are made out of sight and then rolled out before a public vote … it becomes symbolic and not substantive.”

Board discussion: Directors offered a range of views. Director Connor Duffy said he preferred keeping both formats—regular public comment and separate engagement sessions—because they serve different purposes and populations. Director Kevin Havelda proposed setting a fixed limit for public comment (he suggested 30 minutes, with discretion to extend if many people sign up) and adding clear time stamps to agendas so the public can plan attendance.

Director Jim Brokish emphasized process and civility, reminding the room the board would not vote on the policy change that evening. “We’re not voting on this tonight, we’re voting on this next [meeting],” he said, and asked both commenters and board members to consider tone when engaging.

Board President Draper summarized the point of view driving the proposal: limiting comment at the second monthly work session would free the board to hold two‑hour, school‑based sessions that allow two‑way dialogue with community members who cannot or prefer not to speak in public meetings. She said the administration is working on time stamps and other efficiency measures and that the changes would be considered alongside other meeting‑process adjustments.

Next steps: The board did not vote on GP 3.13 at the Aug. 12 meeting and agreed to return the item for formal action at a future meeting after further leadership discussion and possible adjustments. Several directors asked staff to prepare clarifying language about how community engagement sessions will be recorded, publicized and preserved in the public record.

Voices quoted in this report are drawn from the Aug. 12, 2025 board meeting transcript.","Public commenters and several board members clashed over a proposed change to board policy GP 3.13 that would limit public comment to one regular meeting per month and shift more two‑way engagement to separate community sessions. The board did not vote and scheduled the decision for a future meeting.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

At a glance: Board approves consent agenda, affirms superintendent interpretation of EL 2.5 and adopts UIP

District and teachers warn loss of federal mental‑health grant will reduce services; leaders outline mitigation steps

Parents, advocates raise allegations of special‑education misconduct and call for accountability

Poudre School District board debates limiting public comment, will vote at next meeting