Academy District 20 appoints Susan Payne after finalist interviews; board stresses school safety and local funding
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Summary
After interviewing four finalists May 20, 2025, the Academy District 20 Board of Education unanimously appointed Susan Payne to a vacant director seat. The interviews centered on school safety, library-review procedures, student achievement strategies and local revenue options.
The Board of Education for Academy District 20 unanimously appointed Susan Payne to fill a vacant director seat following finalist interviews at a special meeting on May 20, 2025.
Payne, introduced to the board as a finalist and speaking of her background in Colorado law enforcement and school safety, described decades of experience working with schools and law enforcement and said she founded the Safe2Tell nonprofit to help students report threats. "I became the first special agent in charge of school safety for the state of Colorado," Payne said during her interview, describing work after the Columbine commission and later roles in state-level school safety programs.
The board’s interview panel pressed each finalist on consistent topics: the ideal board-superintendent relationship, school security, library-material policy, student achievement and community engagement. Superintendent Haber described the onboarding plan for any new appointee, including meetings with cabinet members and a CASB (Colorado Association for School Boards) orientation.
Payne emphasized a multi-discipline approach to safety that pairs armed security (which she said D20 currently uses in elementary, middle and high schools) with stronger behavioral threat assessment and staff training. On libraries, she said she supported policies that include parent review and board-level guardrails: "I think the policy that we follow really protects us before, during and after," she said.
Other finalists offered different emphases. Dr. Waldrop (transcript also uses the variant Waldrip) stressed a collaborative, accountable board-superintendent relationship and evidence-based approaches to student supports; he urged using the chain of command for parental complaints and greater community feedback on library selections. "I really see the ideal relationship between the board and superintendent being really collaborative and kind of keeping each other accountable," he said. Mr. Beckman, a current District 20 teacher and former department chair, urged a "classroom-first" focus — recruiting and retaining highly effective teachers — and proposed specific security rules, including a policy to prevent exterior doors being propped open. "This number one cause of these school security issues has no place in Academy District 20," Beckman said when urging a clear ban on propping outside doors.
Candidates also debated library-review procedures and club policies. Several finalists supported parental involvement or improved communication tools so parents can exercise choices about library access. On extracurricular clubs, finalists discussed the distinction between curricular clubs (teacher-led) and noncurricular, student-led clubs and flagged fees and transparency as recurring issues.
Throughout the interviews board members repeatedly raised funding and staffing pressures. Finalists and board members noted state and federal funding uncertainty and discussed local funding tools, including mill levy overrides, as possible ways to sustain "hands-on" interventions and special-education supports. Superintendent Haber told the board the district was monitoring guidance from the Colorado Department of Education and federal appropriations for budget planning.
After debriefing, a board member nominated Susan Payne for appointment; another member seconded the nomination. The board then adopted a resolution approving the appointment by roll-call vote, with "ayes" recorded for the members present. The resolution authorizes the board secretary to deliver a certificate of appointment to Susan Payne and to send a duplicate to the Colorado Department of Education; it requires the appointee to sign the oath of office within 10 days of delivery and to comply with confidentiality requirements referenced under Colorado Revised Statutes 22-32-1085a.
The meeting adjourned after the motion and vote. The board set a plan for the appointee’s orientation and indicated the new director will meet cabinet staff and attend CASB resources for onboarding.
What’s next: Payne must take the oath of office within 10 days and will receive an onboarding schedule from the superintendent that includes finance, HR, learning services and a district tour.
