DCSD Notebook

On August 25, 2026, the DCSD Board of Education voted to add a Mill Levy Override option for taxpayers on the November ballot. In this episode, DCSD Superintendent Erin Kane provides information about the reasons staff recommended the MLO to the Board, measures of transparency and return-on-investment the district provides for the benefit of students, and specifics regarding the needs to increase funding for: 
Retaining and attracting top-quality teachers and staff by providing salaries that are more competitive with neighboring school districts and better keep pace with inflation.
Supporting the increasing cost of school security, including school resource officers.
Reducing student waitlists for Career and Technical Education programming, including the trades.
Restoring student programming such as instrumental music in elementary schools.
Guest this episode: 
Erin Kane, Superintendent of Douglas County School District
Host: 
Jason Hackett, DCSD Director of Communications 
Resources:
DCSD Funding Site with information, FAQs and more regarding the MLO.
Board of Education meeting from August 25, 2026, which includes presentations and the Board’s vote to support the MLO.
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 third year in a row.
Our graduation rate is 93.6% (the highest in the Denver/Metro area).
The Class of 2026 earned more than $124 million in scholarships and saved over $25 million in college expenses through DCSD's concurrent enrollment partnerships.
Our students volunteered 174,900 hours with community organizations during the 2025/26 school year.
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 89 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?

As we prepare for Season 2 and the new school year, we are reaching back into the archives, when Parent University was a live Zoom session, to re-share via this podcast feed some of the episodes that remain timely and pertinent.
This episode was originally shared in December 2024 and focuses on bullying awareness and prevention for DCSD students. 
Our featured presenter, Dr. Kelli Smith, DCSD Director of Health, Wellness and Prevention, shared information about the developing adolescent brain, the effect external influences can have — and the role DCSD schools play. The intent was to leave listeners with a better understanding and awareness of the term bullying and how we can all work to prevent it. 
Original episode on YouTube
 
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.
 

As we prepare for Season 2 and the new school year, we are reaching back into the archives, when Parent University was a live Zoom session, to re-share via this podcast feed some of the episodes that remain timely and pertinent.
 
This episode was originally shared in March 2025 and focuses on helping student athletes navigate burnout.
 
Our featured presenter, Stacy Ingram from Cultivate Your Courage, shared warning signs to look for and strategies for success.
 
Stacy specializes in empowering young athletes and performers to overcome the invisible barriers that often hinder their performance. With a focus on the mental side of the game, her programs are designed to equip athletes and performers with the cognitive tools and resilience needed for success both in sports/the arts and in everyday life.
 
Here are resources from the presentation:  
UnderstandingAthleteBurnout.pdf
CultivateYourCourage.pdf
 
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.

In the business world, company leaders set standards through mission and vision statements and by listing their values. In the education world, it’s all about setting examples and teaching what are called Norms. Here are DCSD’s norms for Culture and Climate: 
Presume Positive Intent
Exude and Expect Optimism
Address Concerns the Right Way
Create a Culture of Safe Mistakes
Communicate Kindly and Respectfully
These five norms are the topic for this episode – our season finale as the school year comes to a close. We’re bookending the season by welcoming back our very first guest: Supt. Erin Kane. And this time we’ve got two more guests to make a great conversation about the district’s Culture and Climate Norms. Alicia Elmore is the director of our Before and After School Enterprise, or BASE, program, and Dion Killingsworth is director of Human Resources. 
This episode complements Episode 20 with the brilliant Jolee Jones, who talked about Organizational Development. While Supt. Kane gives us the 30,000-foot perspective of the ideals behind the norms, Alicia and Dion talk about how those are applied and lived at the department level and even person to person.
Guests this episode: 
Erin Kane, Superintendent of Douglas County School District
Alicia Elmore, Director of Before and After School Enterprise (BASE)
Dion Killingsworth, Director of Human Resources
Host: 
Jason Hackett, DCSD Director of Communications 
Resources:
Culture and Climate Norms (on Supt. Kane’s webpage)
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?
 

Magic happens when therapy dogs can help school staff members reach out to students who are struggling. DCSD’s pioneering Animal Assisted Interventions team is the largest and most advanced in Colorado. With 34 therapy dogs deployed all over the school district – and more preparing to join their ranks, the AAI team continues to prove its value and brighten the days of thousands of students all over Douglas County. 
In this episode, we hear from three of the top innovators who established the AAI program and learn how specially trained, four-legged friends provide gentle, empathetic, tail-wagging support that keeps students in school, opening their hearts and then their minds to overcome many kinds of difficulties. 
Our guests explain the research that supports their work, including close ties to University of Denver experts in human-animal connections, as well as a commitment to ethical support of therapy dogs and their interactions with students. Make sure to listen all the way to the end, when you’ll  hear a small sample of the many stories illustrating just how powerful a dog-to-student connection can be. These are literally life-changing relationships that allow students to succeed when they otherwise might not.
Guests this episode: 
Ellen Kerkhoff, DCSD Mental Health Team Lead.
Dani Morrison, Social Worker at Plum Creek Academy and caretaker/partner of Betty the therapy dog.
Laura Wilson, DCSD Behavior Specialist for the Ponderosa High School feeder and caretaker/partner of Daphne the therapy dog.  
Pictured: From left, Laura Wilson with Daphne, Ellen Kerkhoff, and Dani Morrison with Betty.
Host: 
Jason Hackett, DCSD Director of Communications 
Resources:
DCSD Animal Assisted Interventions
University of Denver - Institute for Human-Animal Connection
Follow Betty on Instagram: @therapydog.betty
Follow Daphne on Instagram: @therapydog.daphne
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?
 

Supt. Erin Kane’s State of DCSD address on Monday, May 4, 2026, featured a Q&A panel with six outstanding seniors who represent a range of academic pursuits, goals and even the types of schools they attended. The students shared their future plans, how DCSD helped prepare them for those next steps, and how they have grown as people during their time in Douglas County Schools. 
Supt. Kane’s full presentation was live-streamed and recorded on the DCSD YouTube channel. She also shared points of pride, numerous examples of how the district is stewarding taxpayer funds, and her vision for the district’s future in preparing students for a rapidly changing world. 
Guests this episode: 
Jessie Ramsey, Ponderosa High School
Haden Hart, Highlands Ranch High School
Ashley Schumacher, Eagle Academy
Roman Perez, VALE
Jake McClintock, eDCSD
Piper Hannon, Castle View High School
Host: 
Erin Kane, Superintendent of Schools, DCSD 
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?