Rocky Mountain Voice

Tag: School safety

Douglas County Candidates Debate Safety, Fairness in Sports, and a Teachers’ Role
CBS Colorado, Approved, Local

Douglas County Candidates Debate Safety, Fairness in Sports, and a Teachers’ Role

By: Olivia Young | CBS Colorado In two weeks, Douglas County voters will weigh in on who will shape the next chapter of public education in their Colorado community. Eight candidates are vying for four open spots on the Douglas County School District RE-1 Board of Education. While the race is nonpartisan, one slate of four candidates is more conservative, and another slate of four candidates is more progressive. The board is comprised of seven members in total. Clark Callahan, a charter school administrator, former teacher and father of three DCSD students, is part of the progressive Community's Voice, Community's Choice slate, along with Kyrzia Parker, Tony Ryan and Kelly Denzler. "I really want to help create a system that works for all kids," Callahan told CBS Colo...
‘Feeling safe is a privilege’: Jeffco board member’s remark sparks outrage after school shooting
DENVER7, Approved, Local

‘Feeling safe is a privilege’: Jeffco board member’s remark sparks outrage after school shooting

By Adria Iraheta | Denver7 Denver7 heard from several parents who were upset by Jeffco Public Schools Board of Education Member Erin Kenworthy's remarks. JEFFERSON COUNTY, Colo. — More than a month after the shooting at Evergreen High School, school safety remains top of mind for families across Jefferson County. Parents voiced their concerns during a Jeffco Public Schools Board of Education meeting Thursday. Many of those parents were directly impacted by the tragedy that rocked the community on Sept. 10. “Our most important job is to protect our children, and what we’re doing right now is not working,” said Evergreen resident Kim Halligan. Emotions ran high Thursday as community members made their pleas for improved school safety measures across the district, inc...
Police Arrest Student After Threat Against Ralston Valley High School Following Evergreen Tragedy
kdvr.com, Approved, Local

Police Arrest Student After Threat Against Ralston Valley High School Following Evergreen Tragedy

By: Heather Willard | KDVR FOX31 DENVER (KDVR) — A juvenile is in police custody after allegedly making a false threat against Ralston Valley High School just hours after the Evergreen High School shooting. The Arvada Police Department said that it arrested the suspect on Oct. 14 after investigating hundreds of Safe2Tell reports related to the social media threat directed toward the high school. The FBI also assisted with the investigation at that time, the police department said. The threat led to about 1,100 students choosing not to attend school on Sept. 11 — the day after the Evergreen High School shooting. The social media threat involved a photo shared with multiple students on Snapchat that allegedly showed a rifle, ammunition and a magazine lying on a table. A text capt...
School unions gave $11K to Jeffco candidate who admitted to a sealed juvenile sexual offense
Rocky Mountain Voice, Local, Top Stories

School unions gave $11K to Jeffco candidate who admitted to a sealed juvenile sexual offense

By Jen Schumann | Rocky Mountain Voice When the Jefferson County Education Association endorsed Michael Yocum for school board this fall, few voters—perhaps not even the union itself—knew the full story. According to verified audio recordings obtained by Rocky Mountain Voice (RMV), Yocum privately acknowledged a deferred adjudication involving a sealed juvenile sexual offense.  Yocum received thousands in funding and endorsements from education-aligned groups.  Now, with ballots dropping in one of the state’s largest school districts, the public is left to decide whether this is the kind of leadership that belongs at the helm of a district serving more than 75,000 students across 145 schools in Jefferson and Broomfield counties. Two conversations, two answers RMV obt...
Why the Douglas County School Board Election on November 4th  Matters More Than Ever
Rocky Mountain Voice, Commentary, Local, Top Stories

Why the Douglas County School Board Election on November 4th  Matters More Than Ever

By Andy Jones | Guest Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice As the leaves turn in Douglas County, so does the page to another pivotal moment in our community's story: the school board election on November 4, 2025. For parents juggling carpools, teachers fine-tuning lesson plans, and students eyeing college applications, this vote might feel like just another item on a crowded ballot. But in a district that has clawed its way back from the depths of COVID-19 disruptions to become a beacon of educational excellence, the stakes couldn't be higher.  The Douglas County School District (DCSD) led by a conservative majority, has engineered a remarkable turnaround since 2022, with soaring graduation rates, top-tier test scores, and innovative programs that are the envy of the state. Yet, thi...
Durango 9-R’s Monday update comes as parents dispute the “misinformation” label
Rocky Mountain Voice, Local, Top Stories

Durango 9-R’s Monday update comes as parents dispute the “misinformation” label

By Jen Schumann | Rocky Mountain Voice Durango School District 9-R holds its State of the District tonight at the Impact Career Innovation Center. The district’s event page bills it as a community update with test-score dashboards and a Q&A. The Durango Herald said leaders plan to confront “misinformation.” Parent Jason Mietchen hears it differently: “We’ve had to counteract the misinformation for years. The school puts out a ton of it.” Why attention spiked this month The Herald also referenced Heidi Ganahl’s twelve-part ‘Durango’s 9-R Dirty Dozen,’ a wide-ranging critique of district policy, practice and the outcomes families are talking about. Topics span CMAS proficiency, gender-support steps, the ACA name-change policy, flag resolutions and the government-speech argument,...
Bomb Squad Called After Suspicious Device Forces School Closures in Brush
DENVER7, Approved, Local

Bomb Squad Called After Suspicious Device Forces School Closures in Brush

By Allie Jennerjahn | Denver7 The Greeley Bomb Squad will be on campus early Monday morning to remove the device. BRUSH, Colo. — A "suspicious device" has closed down Brush School District, and an investigation is underway Monday morning. The Greeley Bomb Squad will be on campus early Monday morning to remove the device. Until that happened, no staff or students were allowed on campus. "This means there will be no classes for any grade level on Monday. All staff should not report to work, and all athletic practices and on-site events scheduled for Monday are cancelled. School facilities will be closed to the public," Superintendent Marsha Cody said in a statement on the district website. Later Monday, the Brush School District posted an update to Facebook that...
Evergreen students return to school surrounded by community support
The Denver Gazette, Approved, Local

Evergreen students return to school surrounded by community support

By Sage Kelley | The Denver Gazette Evergreen High School students returned to campus on Thursday morning, two weeks after a shooting shocked the small town. Parents stood on the sideline, holding signs of support. More than 100 posters from Colorado cities, spanning from Telluride to Steamboat Springs, lined the school’s halls, sharing condolences and words of encouragement. “It was difficult, for sure,” Tyler Guyton, a senior and one of two student body presidents, said. “For the past week, people have been trying to ignore it, but it’s hard to ignore it when you’re back in the school and see the posters on the wall, the new tiles and all that stuff.” The staff had returned to the school Monday. Thursday and Friday are “gradual” days for the students, with classes onl...
Colorado experts share warning signs and steps to prevent school shootings
CBS News, Approved, State

Colorado experts share warning signs and steps to prevent school shootings

By Alan Gionet | CBS Colorado Two weeks after the shooting at Evergreen High School, students are heading back to classes. It comes as parents and students continue to wonder about the possibility that there may have been ways to stop the shooter who injured two fellow students before taking his own life. "You don't ever want to be that individual that an active shooting happens... and you find out who it is, and you go, 'I knew that was going to happen. I knew it, right?' You gotta' live with that," said AJ DeAndrea, a former deputy police chief with the Arvada Police Department who now runs a safety consulting and training company and has reviewed such shootings to assess threats. His message is for parents, students, and community members who may have fears that someone may be ...
Jefferson County Sheriff releases timeline of SRO’s location during Evergreen shooting
Fox31, Approved, State

Jefferson County Sheriff releases timeline of SRO’s location during Evergreen shooting

By: Brooke Williams | Fox31 DENVER (KDVR) — The school resource officer assigned to Evergreen High School was not there at the time of the shooting earlier this month, raising questions about their whereabouts throughout the community. After the shooting on Wednesday, Sept. 10, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office said during a press conference that the officer assigned to the school had left about two hours before shots were fired. Evergreen High School previously had a full-time School Resource Officer; however, that officer has been on medical leave, and the responsibility was being shared between other deputies. On Monday, the sheriff’s office released more information about the officer’s whereabouts that day. On Sept. 10, the SRO was going between Evergreen a...