Good News Bulletin
August 9, 2024
Focus, speed and decisive action.
A special thanks to the team at FASTER Colorado for spending the past week training our armed school staff on the various scenarios that can occur at school sites.
The old Frontier High School proved to be the ideal training environment for the group. In the first three days of training, staff learned about the fundamentals of marksmanship and then moved on to dynamic and problem solving situations.
At the school, the group went through the training process of clearing a school while also facing a threat within the building. Elizabeth Police Department Colorado officers were involved with the training to better understand how they would work with ESD security staff during an incident.
The team also learned about de-escalation tactics and tactical casualty care. They wrapped up the training completing a mindset class, where staff learned about real-life situations and times when the correct action was taken and times when mistakes were made. It was pointed out that, "If we don't pay attention to history, then we don't learn the lessons that people have already learned."
This is the first year that ESD has worked with FASTER Colorado for the security staff training. FASTER is based out of Elizabeth and works with dozens of armed school districts across the state. The organization mostly teaches armed school staff and churches.
Thank you FASTER for all of the invaluable lessons that were taught during this crucial week of training and sharing intelligence that can ultimately save lives and enhance safety and security in our classrooms.
Upward and Skyward!
We're excited to announce that our amazing Business Office team will soon be featured in the latest edition of Skyward Magazine for their successful launch of Skyward at Elizabeth School District.
Skyward is an enterprise resource system that provides financial software to school districts. At ESD, switching over to Skyward this year was a big deal and a huge undertaking. Our Business Office made it happen and we want to congratulate Chief Financial Officer Rebekah Brooks, Human Resources Administrative Assistant Tammy Meyers, Finance Coordinator Tracy McVicker, Grant and Facility Use Coordinator Franziska Johnson, Payroll Specialist Sierra Ardrey and Accounts Payable Specialist Tina Waymire for all of the hard work in getting it online.
Skyward is new to the State of Colorado and ESD is among the very first school districts to implement it. Rebekah and her team are being featured for that reason and will share their results and experience with Skyward. The software system has allowed for ESD to become 95 percent paperless.
It handles everything from job postings and applications to payroll, accounts payable and receivable, along with full financial reporting and management. For more information about Skyward:
Elizabeth School District is opening a Childcare Care Center for our community:
Infant care: ages six weeks through 18 months
Toddler care: ages 18 months through two and a half
Each classroom will have a 1:5 caregiver-to-child ratio
Capacity of 10 children in each classroom
Center will be licensed for 20 children
Currently the center will run through the school-year calendar. With interest, we will extend through summer.
Send all questions and inquiries to: Karena Dohman, Director of Early Childhood: kdohman@esdk12.org
The Elizabeth Education Foundation partners with Elizabeth School District in numerous ways throughout the year to support students and teachers. This volunteer-led, independent fundraising foundation provides scholarships for graduating seniors, classroom grants for teachers, and the STARS Awards for outstanding citizenship among students.
Learn more about the EEF at its website.
American Furniture Warehouse maintains a year-round opportunity to help Elizabeth Schools anytime you buy home furnishings.
When you check out at any AFW location, just mention "Elizabeth Schools" or the Partner ID, EC1SD, and AFW will donate 2% of the purchase to the Elizabeth Education Foundation. Additionally, anything purchased of the Beautyrest, Serta or Simmons brands results in an additional 2%. This includes online orders, too.
See the attached flier for more details.