Extended conversations with educators, leaders and students from Douglas County School District in Colorado -- which is the Number One public school district in the Denver area, serving 61,000 students at 92 schools.
Through DCSD Notebook, listeners will gain a greater understanding of the people, processes and programs in Colorado's third-largest district. Once a month, this feed will also feature Parent University.
To learn more about what makes DCSD the Top of the Class, check out the Why DCSD page.
Episodes
7 days ago
7 days ago
Career and Technical Education is a hot topic in schools these days – and not just high schools where most of the classes take place. Cimarron Middle School Principal Chris Zimmerman piloted CTE classes at his school this year and helped plan the inaugural Career Discovery Camp taking place this June 3-5 at Legacy Campus. It’s a three-day camp to introduce middle school students to CTE options available to them in DCSD. As this episode is released, registration is open – and limited. Registration information is below.
Career Discovery Camp: A three-day, hands-on summer experience designed to introduce students to Career and Technical Education (CTE) pathways. Students explore multiple career areas, try real activities, and learn about future high school pathway options.
Students attend three different pathways sessions each day. Sessions are interactive, hands-on, and led by experienced CTE teachers.
This camp is open to students entering grades 6, 7, or 8 for the 2026-2027 school year. DCSD students only, including district middle schools and approved charter schools.
Guest this episode
- Chris Zimmerman, principal of Cimarron Middle School
Host
- Jason Hackett, DCSD director of communications
Resources
- Career Discovery Camp registration (MySchoolBucks page)
- Flyer with details
- DCSD’s Postsecondary Readiness website with career pathway information
- Legacy Campus website
About DCSD
Excellence meets opportunity in Douglas County School District. We're not just the third-largest school district in Colorado; we're a community dedicated to helping every student discover their unique talents and reach their full potential.
- DCSD is the TOP-scoring district in the Denver/Metro area for the second year in a row (first time in a decade).
- Our graduation rate is 93.6% (the highest in the Denver/Metro area).
- We are one of the only districts in the country to have met or exceeded our 2019 (pre-pandemic) scores in every subject and every grade for two years in a row.
- The Class of 2025 earned more than $113 million in scholarships and saved over $20 million in college expenses through DCSD's concurrent enrollment partnerships.
- DCSD offers 90 Career and Technical Education and Concurrent Enrollment Pathways (including Trades) and is one of the leaders - nationwide - in "blurring the lines" between PK-12, higher education and industry.
With 92 schools spread across the 850 square miles of our nationally renowned county, we have options galore. Whether you're looking for a comprehensive neighborhood school, a charter school with specialized curriculum, or support for students with special needs, we've got you covered.
Interested in learning more? Take a look at the webpage where we answer the question Why DCSD?
Wednesday Apr 01, 2026
Wednesday Apr 01, 2026
Name a high-concept, action-adventure story with a middle-school teacher as the main character. Has there ever been one …? In this episode we’re tying education to current pop culture, specifically the new movie “Project Hail Mary.” It stars Ryan Gosling as Ryland Grace, a middle school science teacher who has to save the entire world on a deep-space mission. Throughout the movie – and even more if you’ve read or listened to the Andy Weir novel it’s based on – Grace has to solve problem after problem with his knowledge of science. It truly puts teachers front and center as the intelligent heroes they are.
In its first two weeks of release, the film made more than $300 million worldwide. The novel was a finalist for the top science fiction award, the Hugo, in 2022, and the audiobook version won the Audie award for best audiobook of 2022.
In this episode, two Rocky Heights Middle School teachers, Erika Hamlin and Sarah Lochmiller, talk about teaching science at the middle school level and how good of a job “Project Hail Mary” does in portraying their reality, how accurately the science was presented, and what they thought about stretching real science into speculative fiction.
SPOILER WARNING: If you have not read the book or seen the movie, you might want to wait to listen to this episode. Plot points and details are mentioned throughout the conversation.
Guests this episode:
- Erika Hamlin, 7th grade science teacher, Rocky Heights Middle School
- Sarah Lochmiller, 8th grade science teacher, Rocky Heights Middle School
Host:
- Jason Hackett, DCSD director of communications
About DCSD
Excellence meets opportunity in Douglas County School District. We're not just the third-largest school district in Colorado; we're a community dedicated to helping every student discover their unique talents and reach their full potential.
- DCSD is the TOP-scoring district in the Denver/Metro area for the second year in a row (first time in a decade).
- Our graduation rate is 93.6% (the highest in the Denver/Metro area).
- We are one of the only districts in the country to have met or exceeded our 2019 (pre-pandemic) scores in every subject and every grade for two years in a row.
- The Class of 2025 earned more than $113 million in scholarships and saved over $20 million in college expenses through DCSD's concurrent enrollment partnerships.
- DCSD offers 90 Career and Technical Education and Concurrent Enrollment Pathways (including Trades) and is one of the leaders - nationwide - in "blurring the lines" between PK-12, higher education and industry.
With 92 schools spread across the 850 square miles of our nationally renowned county, we have options galore. Whether you're looking for a comprehensive neighborhood school, a charter school with specialized curriculum, or support for students with special needs, we've got you covered.
Interested in learning more? Take a look at the webpage where we answer the question Why DCSD?
Wednesday Mar 25, 2026
Wednesday Mar 25, 2026
Great schools make great communities, primarily by equipping young people with the education they need to grow and succeed. They also serve as community resources and contribute to property values. That’s part of the symbiotic relationship thriving schools and communities have – and at the core of that relationship is community investment through taxes that fund school districts. That’s where the relationship gets complicated. State laws and annually adjusted funding formulas, plus extra elections for supplemental tax funds, can make it difficult to understand how and why school districts are financed the way they are.
All that complexity is why Douglas County School District’s Chief Financial Officer Jana Schleusner is our guest for this episode. As an expert who regularly goes to the state capitol to advocate for school funding on behalf of DCSD, she understands this subject as well as anyone.
Guest this week:
- Jana Schleusner, DCSD chief financial officer
Host:
- Jason Hackett, DCSD director of communications
Resources
- DCSD Board of Education webpage
- Fiscal Oversight Committee
- Mill Bond Oversight Committee
- Long Range Planning Committee
- DCSD Funding Website
- 2024 Bond Activity Interactive Map
- Growth and Decline webpage (school consolidations)
About DCSD
Excellence meets opportunity in Douglas County School District. We're not just the third-largest school district in Colorado; we're a community dedicated to helping every student discover their unique talents and reach their full potential.
- DCSD is the TOP-scoring district in the Denver/Metro area for the second year in a row (first time in a decade).
- Our graduation rate is 93.6% (the highest in the Denver/Metro area).
- We are one of the only districts in the country to have met or exceeded our 2019 (pre-pandemic) scores in every subject and every grade for two years in a row.
- The Class of 2025 earned more than $113 million in scholarships and saved over $20 million in college expenses through DCSD's concurrent enrollment partnerships.
- DCSD offers 90 Career and Technical Education and Concurrent Enrollment Pathways (including Trades) and is one of the leaders - nationwide - in "blurring the lines" between PK-12, higher education and industry.
With 92 schools spread across the 850 square miles of our nationally renowned county, we have options galore. Whether you're looking for a comprehensive neighborhood school, a charter school with specialized curriculum, or support for students with special needs, we've got you covered.
Interested in learning more? Take a look at the webpage where we answer the question Why DCSD?
Wednesday Mar 11, 2026
Wednesday Mar 11, 2026
As this episode is released, registration is now open for a pair of important bike safety events coming up this summer. Sgt. Mark Mithuen, a School Resource Officer supervisor in the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, tells us all about the second annual, free Eye Five Transportation and Road Safety events. Even with twice the capacity as last year, space is limited, so parents are encouraged to register their kids early.
Sgt. Mithuen also talks about a number of the Sheriff’s Office’s Youth Academy programs for elementary, middle and high school students this coming summer and gives us an overview of the unique training and disposition it takes to be an SRO – along with why he appreciates getting to be one!
Eye Five:
To teach school-age children and teens bicycle safety – for beginners all the way to advanced riders – the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, DCSD, and several other community partners are sponsoring the second annual, FREE Eye Five Transportation and Road Safety event. This year, it will take place on two dates and in two locations:
- June 13 at Chaparral High School: 8 - 11 a.m. and noon - 3 p.m.
- July 11 at Castle View High School: 8 - 11 a.m. and noon - 3 p.m.
Bring your helmet, bike, e-bike, scooter, electric scooter, or whatever you use to get around and get ready to have some fun learning from your DCSO school resource officers. Food trucks, local bike shops, and informational tables will be set up with information about trail and road safety around the county.
Guest this week:
- Sgt. Mark Mithuen, a School Resource Officer supervisor in the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office
Host:
- Jason Hackett, DCSD director of communications
Resources
- Eye Five Transportation and Road Safety event signup
- Eye Five event flyer
- E-bike safety flyer
- Summertime DCSO elementary, middle and high school Youth Academy sessions
About DCSD
Excellence meets opportunity in Douglas County School District. We're not just the third-largest school district in Colorado; we're a community dedicated to helping every student discover their unique talents and reach their full potential.
- DCSD is the TOP-scoring district in the Denver/Metro area for the second year in a row (first time in a decade).
- Our graduation rate is 93.6% (the highest in the Denver/Metro area).
- We are one of the only districts in the country to have met or exceeded our 2019 (pre-pandemic) scores in every subject and every grade for two years in a row.
- The Class of 2025 earned more than $113 million in scholarships and saved over $20 million in college expenses through DCSD's concurrent enrollment partnerships.
- DCSD offers 90 Career and Technical Education and Concurrent Enrollment Pathways (including Trades) and is one of the leaders - nationwide - in "blurring the lines" between PK-12, higher education and industry.
With 92 schools spread across the 850 square miles of our nationally renowned county, we have options galore. Whether you're looking for a comprehensive neighborhood school, a charter school with specialized curriculum, or support for students with special needs, we've got you covered.
Interested in learning more? Take a look at the webpage where we answer the question Why DCSD?
Wednesday Mar 04, 2026
Wednesday Mar 04, 2026
Parents have lots of questions about teen nicotine usage – many of them new ones, thanks to technology and social media:
- What does it look like today?
- Why are so many young people drawn to it?
- Most importantly, how can we work together to keep students healthy and informed?
To help guide this conversation, this episode features experts from the Douglas County Health Department, who bring a public health perspective and deep experience working with youth and families in our community. Both are Community Health Educators: Jenny Fisher is also a certified American Heart Association Tobacco Treatment Specialist, and Ashley Scollard is a Mental Health FIRST AID Instructor.
Whether you’re a parent of an elementary student, a middle schooler, or a high schooler, this conversation provides you with practical tools, reassurance, and resources you can use at home.
An important way listeners can participate in the discourse is by participating in the Douglas County Nicotine/Vaping/Tobacco Survey through March 31, 2026.
Guests this week:
- Jenny Fisher, community health educator for the Douglas County Health Dept.
- Ashley Scollard, community health educator for the Douglas County Health Dept.
Host:
- Amy Pfister, community relations coordinator for DCSD
Resources
- Douglas County Health Department - Resources Support for Quitting Smoking, Vaping, and Tobacco
- My Life My Quit - We get you. Thousands of teens have joined My Life, My Quit for free, non-judgmental support, 1:1 help to quit, and easy-to-follow tips from our friendly Coaches. Start now.
- Colorado QuitLine – Free support and coaching to help adults quit tobacco. NRT is available.
- Colorado Quitline - Spanish
- EX Program – A digital program developed with Mayo Clinic to help people quit smoking, vaping, and other nicotine products.
- Ex Program - Spanish
- Truth Initiative - Vaping Lingo Dictionary
- Douglas County Survey Link (open through March 31) - Nicotine/Vaping/Tobacco Survey
About Parent University
Parent University is a special edition of DCSD Notebook and will appear in this feed monthly. For several years, Parent University has provided training, information, and resources for parents and caregivers. By partnering with community organizations and other agencies to equip families with additional knowledge, skills and resources, Parent University supports and empowers parents and caregivers to become leaders and advocates for their children's learning. This year, Parent University has transitioned from a live Zoom meeting to a podcast format to allow parents to listen to the conversations at their convenience; provide time and accessibility for guests to delve deeper into conversation; and save staff time with streamlined production.
Thank you to our Parent University podcast sponsor, HCA HealthONE Sky Ridge for their continued support and partnership.
Wednesday Feb 25, 2026
Wednesday Feb 25, 2026
Jolee Jones works in two of the most unique positions in education. She leads DCSD’s outdoor education facility near Larkspur, which gives Douglas County students countless opportunities to learn from and enjoy the wonders of nature in Colorado. And the lessons she has both taught and learned, plus her own development as a leader in organizational development led to an expansion of her role. She now also works with teams through the school district to foster improved engagement, resilience, stress management, and awareness of what makes teachers teach better and administrators lead better.
Her mix of research-based practices and real-world application makes her a true – and valued – unicorn in the realm of educational leadership.
Guest this week:
- Jolee Jones, DCSD Director of Organizational Development/Experiential Learning
Host:
- Jason Hackett, DCSD director of communications
Resources
Wednesday Feb 11, 2026
Wednesday Feb 11, 2026
Daniel C. Oakes High School in Castle Rock provides a compelling alternative for students who find large, comprehensive high schools are not the right fit for their needs. Because Douglas County School District strives to provide something for every style of learner, D.C. Oakes is one way to ensure students don’t miss out on a quality education. And this episode of the DCSD Notebook is a milestone – it’s our first featuring current students. D.C. Oakes principal Brian Singleton helps us welcome a pair of students who have truly found a home and a family atmosphere at Oakes: Elianna Diaz and Connor Siebert.
Worth noting: In the cover photo for this episode, Connor, Elianna and Mr. Singleton are standing in front of a student-created flag with a Phoenix, the mascot for D.C. Oakes.
Guests this week:
- Brian Singleton, principal at Daniel C. Oakes High School
- Elianna Diaz, D.C. Oakes student
- Connor Siebert, D.C. Oakes student
Host:
- Jason Hackett, DCSD director of communications
Resources
About Daniel C. Oakes High School
> Our Vision:
Daniel C. Oakes High School strives to rekindle a student's desire and passion to learn by providing a safe, flexible, and supportive community where students are seen as individuals.
> Our Mission:
We create a community where we thrive to become better by doing our best work, being a decent human being, valuing relationships with other people, offering outdoor education experiences, and leaving as a better person than we were when we started.
At Daniel C. Oakes High School, we continue to meet the needs of over 120 students each quarter who are looking for an alternative path toward achieving a high school diploma. Founded during the 1986-87 school year, Daniel C. Oakes High School is a school dedicated to providing an instructional, community atmosphere with a focus on personalized instruction. We take pride knowing that we can rekindle a student's desire and passion to learn, and we are proud to serve the Douglas County School District with a comprehensive, alternative high school program.
Our instructional efforts are rooted in district and state standards, and driven by our Board of Education's Ends Statements. We have combined this solid foundation with a firm belief in educating the whole student via an experimental approach to the acquisition of knowledge, outdoor education opportunities, and an exposure to the arts. We have found that this combination maximizes each student's academic success and develops strong relationships among students and staff. It also provides our students the ability to think critically, apply academic skills to real life situations, and create conditions that bolster confidence and sense of self worth.
About DCSD
Excellence meets opportunity in Douglas County School District. We're not just the third-largest school district in Colorado; we're a community dedicated to helping every student discover their unique talents and reach their full potential.
- DCSD is the TOP-scoring district in the Denver/Metro area for the second year in a row (first time in a decade).
- Our graduation rate is 93.6% (the highest in the Denver/Metro area).
- We are one of the only districts in the country to have met or exceeded our 2019 (pre-pandemic) scores in every subject and every grade for two years in a row.
- The Class of 2025 earned more than $113 million in scholarships and saved over $20 million in college expenses through DCSD's concurrent enrollment partnerships.
- DCSD offers 90 Career and Technical Education and Concurrent Enrollment Pathways (including Trades) and is one of the leaders - nationwide - in "blurring the lines" between PK-12, higher education and industry.
With 92 schools spread across the 850 square miles of our nationally renowned county, we have options galore. Whether you're looking for a comprehensive neighborhood school, a charter school with specialized curriculum, or support for students with special needs, we've got you covered.
Interested in learning more? Take a look at the webpage where we answer the question Why DCSD?
Wednesday Feb 04, 2026
Wednesday Feb 04, 2026
Distracted driving is one of the leading causes of injury and death among teens nationwide. While smartphones get much of the blame, the reality is that distractions can come from anywhere — friends in the car, music, emotions, and even overconfidence behind the wheel.
To help us understand what really happens on the road and in emergency rooms, we are joined by HCA Healthone Skyridge hospital’s Trauma Nurse Coordinator and Injury Prevention Specialist Kathy Myers, RN, who has seen firsthand the consequences of distracted driving. In this discussion, she shares ways families can reduce risk and better prepare not only drivers but also passengers to ensure everyone gets to their destination safely.
Guest this week
-
Kathy Myers, RN, trauma nurse coordinator and injury prevention specialist at HCA HealthONE Skyridge
Host
- Amy Pfister, community relations coordinator for DCSD
Resources
About Parent University
Parent University is a special edition of DCSD Notebook and will appear in this feed monthly. For several years, Parent University has provided training, information, and resources for parents and caregivers. By partnering with community organizations and other agencies to equip families with additional knowledge, skills and resources, Parent University supports and empowers parents and caregivers to become leaders and advocates for their children's learning. This year, Parent University has transitioned from a live Zoom meeting to a podcast format to allow parents to listen to the conversations at their convenience; provide time and accessibility for guests to delve deeper into conversation; and save staff time with streamlined production.
Thank you to our Parent University podcast sponsor, HCA HealthONE Sky Ridge for their continued support and partnership.