Insights
April 2025
Faces of DCSD: Legend High School Principal Jason Jacob
He helped open the doors of Legend High School and worked tirelessly to build a community with the staff, students and their families. Principal Jacob has been a dedicated leader for years, fostering a culture of academic excellence and community engagement. Under his guidance, Legend has thrived, supporting students and staff in achieving their full potential. After 27 years with Douglas County School District, Principal Jacob reflects on what makes this high school a legendary place to learn and grow.
Important Updates and News from Around DCSD
Congratulations to DCSD's 2025 Apple Award Winners! 🍎
The 2025 Apple Award Winners were celebrated on Saturday, March 29 at the annual reveal party.
Congratulations to this year's winners! Learn more about them here.
- Andy Abner, Principal, Rock Canyon High School - Administrator of the Year
- Laura Anglemyer, SPED Teacher, Severe Needs, Sagewood Middle School - Secondary Educator of the Year
- Anne Burke, Fifth Grade Teacher, Fox Creek Elementary - Elementary Educator of the Year
- Meg Dyck, Literacy Specialist Team Lead, Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment - Department Employee of the Year
- Deb Stewart, Educational Assistant IV, Severe Needs, Cimarron Middle School - Classified Employee of the Year
Growth and Decline Update
Last week, we announced that the following Highlands Ranch schools will be recommended for consolidation beginning with the 2026-2027 school year. The DCSD Board of Education is scheduled to vote on these recommendations at its April 22 meeting.
Saddle Ranch Elementary will consolidate into Eldorado Elementary
Heritage Elementary will consolidate into Summit View Elementary
Acres Green Elementary will consolidate into Fox Creek Elementary
These recommendations were the result of nearly two years of extensive analysis to address declining enrollment in parts of Highlands Ranch and to ensure that all students have access to a comprehensive, well-rounded education with full staffing and resources. These were difficult decisions made in the best interest of our students.
More information about Growth and Decline in our school district, including the matrix of criteria used to make the school consolidation recommendations can be found on our website.
Five CTE Staff Awarded for Contributions to CTSOS 🏆
Congratulations to five staff members who are being celebrated for their outstanding contributions to the CTE department! Thanks to these incredible DCSD staff, our Career and Technical Student Organizations (CTSOS) are provided with the opportunities to showcase their knowledge and skills.
- Technology Student Association (TSA) - Deb Tawzer, Legend High School - Advisor of the Year
- Future Health Association (HOSA) - Piper Reasoner, Legend High School - Advisor of the Year
- Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA) - Jamie Young, Highlands Ranch High School -Teacher of the Year
- Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA) - Cari Risby, Castle View High School - Rookie Teacher of the Year
- Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA) - Diane Shuck, Douglas County High School - Friends of DECA award
Chaparral High Grad Shines as a Denver Nuggets Dancer 🏀
Kelsey Zahradnick, Chaparral High School Class of 2019
After graduating from Chaparral High School in 2019, Kelsey Zahranick attended the Aveda Institute in Denver. She earned her professional license and has been employed as a cosmetologist for the past four years. Currently, she is a part of the team at Article Hair in Englewood, working as a color specialist.
Kelsey is also in her rookie season as a Denver Nuggets Dancer!
Looking back, the advice she would give her graduating senior self is “to always keep your doors open - you never know when you may need help from someone.” Most importantly, she believes that “life is not limiting and that we only limit ourselves.”
Kelsey’s favorite memory from high school was Wish Week. She loved when the entire school got together for a common cause and “everybody was always hyped up,” raising money to help a child in need. Her favorite teacher was Chaparral Athletic Director Rob Johnson.
Her proudest achievement since graduating is being selected as a dancer for the Denver Nuggets. Read more about Kelsey and her time with the Nuggets.
If you know a DCSD alum (or if you are one!), tell us about them here! ⭐
Class of 2025 Graduation Ceremonies and Live Streams 🎓
Before we know it graduation day will be here - congratulations to all of our seniors! Douglas County School District live streams many of the graduation ceremonies. View the the 2025 graduation schedule and live stream information here.
More Good News...
- Turning Pages Into Triumphs: Elementary and High School Battle of the Books Winners 📚
- The Pitcher's Playbook: Lessons in Leadership ⚾
- Global Village Academy Student Wins Bilingual Essay Contest 📝
Board of Education Meeting
Tuesday, April 8
5:00 p.m.
District Administration Building
620 Wilcox Street, Castle Rock
Watch live on YouTube or on Comcast Channel 54
April is Autism Acceptance Month
Autism Acceptance Month celebrates and honors the experiences and identities of Autistic individuals. It emphasizes understanding, inclusion, and support, moving beyond awareness towards meaningful acceptance.
Congratulations to our DCSD Librarians for Earning CDE Credentials 🏫
April is School Library Month. Congratulations to the following DCSD Librarians for earning CDE credentials through the Highly Effective Schools Through Libraries program (HESTL). This program recognizes outstanding school library programs and librarians while providing guidance for K-12 educators as they support student achievement and prepare learners for 21st century success.
- Abbi Bay, Library Assistant at Castle View High School: Environment Credential
- Gina Bernacchi, Teacher Librarian at Highlands Ranch High School: Environment Credential
- Gillian Blake, Library Assistant at Castle View High School: Management Credential
- Melissa Confar, Teacher Librarian at Northeast Elementary School: Environment Credential
- Gail Golish, Librarian at Gold Rush Elementary: Environment Credential
- Erica Leu, Cresthill Middle School: Environment and Planning Credentials
- Gretchen Stulock, Teacher Librarian at Castle View High School: Environment Credential and Management Credential
Take a moment to celebrate and appreciate your school librarian here. 📚
Events 📅
Join Tours for Teachers for Agricultural, Natural Resources & Energy Day
Sign up for Castle Rock Chamber's Tours for Teachers and explore career pathways to bring valuable insights back to your students. This program connects educators with industry professionals across various fields, providing first-hand knowledge about in-demand skills, education requirements and career opportunities. Earn continuing education credit for participating!
Thursday, April 10
7:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Agricultural, Natural Resources & Energy Day
Tours include CORE Electric, Town of Castle Rock Water Department and Colorado Agricultural Leadership Foundation
Register for Accessibility 101 📝
Do you send email communications to parents, create flyers or other digital materials, or manage a website? Digital accessibility rules are coming - are you ready?
The Communications Department is here to help! We’re excited to announce Accessibility 101, a live, hands-on training to learn about accessibility rules and best practices. After a short presentation, stay for an open lab and get help from one of our professionals to answer your specific questions. Register today!
Tuesday, April 15
9:30 - 11:00 a.m.
Canvas Credit Union Community Room
10000 Park Meadows Dr., Lone Tree, CO 80124
Wednesday, April 23
12:00 - 1:00 p.m.
Wilcox Board Room
Thursday, May 8
1:00-3:00 p.m.
Legacy Campus, Room 243
Parent University: Family, School & Community Partnerships
Wednesday, April 23
5:30 p.m.
Register here
Join us for our final Parent University of the school year! Learn about Family, School and Community Partnerships (FSCPs). When families, schools and communities actively partner to develop, implement and evaluate effective and equitable practices to improve student educational outcomes, everyone wins.
In case you missed it, you can watch the recording of the March Parent University Webinar recording on Empowering Student Athletes: Strategies for Combating Burnout and Stress! All previous webinar recordings are available on the DCSD Parent University page.
Charlotte's Web 30 Minute Productions
Join the Douglas County Library and Front Range Theatre Company for a 30 minute "Page to Stage" production of Charlotte's Web, followed by a themed craft. All ages are welcome, but the event is ideal for ages 5-8. Register here
Saturday, April 26
12:00 p.m., 1:00 p.m. & 2:00 p.m.
Douglas County Library - Castle Rock Location
Drive for the Dream Golf Classic ⛳
Join The Foundation for Douglas County Schools for the first annual Drive for the Dream Golf Classic, a day of swinging clubs for a great cause! Tee off with fellow golf enthusiasts and support our mission to enhance educational opportunities for our students, teachers and schools.
Monday, May 5
7:00 a.m.
The Club at Pradera
April Department Newsletter Updates
- Human Resources
- Sustainability Department - April is Earth Month
Kindergarten Registration for the 2025-2026 year is OPEN
DCSD preschool students enrolled before January 1, 2025 will automatically be registered for kindergarten at their neighborhood elementary school. Learn more about what DCSD kindergarten offers and register your child for kindergarten here.
Reminder ✅
Update Your Signature Line to a Version that Meets Accessibility Requirements
Image email signatures may appear aesthetically pleasing, but they lack accessibility because screen readers cannot interpret text within images. However, we've got you covered! We've developed an accessible email signature template that you can easily customize. Learn how here.
Resources
2025 Employee Rock Star Award Survey
We'd like your feedback about DCSD's Employee Rock Star program. Please take this short survey to vote on your top recognition prizes.
Congratulations to DCSD's Rock Stars!
Kim Bertha, Behavior Specialist, Legend High School Feeders
Annie Braverman, Fourth Grade Teacher, Timber Trail Elementary
Misty Burkhart, Coordinator, Advanced Academics and Gifted Programming, Wilcox
Michael Cordova, Assistant Principal, Timber Trail Elementary
Katie Coyne, School Counselor, Sage Canyon Elementary
Clara Drazek, Learning Lab (SSN) Educational Assistant, Timber Trail Elementary
Lisa Elizalde, Kitchen Manager, Timber Trail Elementary
Kathyrn Gray, Behavior Support/Interventionist, Prairie Crossing Elementary
Charles Green, Learning Lab (SSN) Educational Assistant, Timber Trail Elementary
Ron Gresham, Bus Driver, Castle Rock Terminal
Monika Hartman, Learning Lab (SSN) Educational Assistant, Timber Trail Elementary
Caren Keller, Interventionist, Timber Trail Elementary
James Korth, Grounds Supervisor, Operations and Maintenance East
Shanna Roll, Second Grade Teacher, Timber Trail Elementary
Eric Romero, Campus Security Officer, Prairie Crossing Elementary
Jessica Saunders, School Counselor, Sage Canyon Elementary
Julie Schade, First Grade Teacher, Timber Trail Elementary
Sami Schaefer, Early Childhood Education, Sand Creek Preschool A&B
Colleen Smith, Third Grade Teacher, Sage Canyon Elementary
Laurie Thompson, Campus Security Specialist, Sage Canyon Elementary
Learn more about our Rock Stars and why they were nominated!