Andy Holloman Replaces BOE Director Clawson .

At the 9/10 Falcon Board of education meeting, Kent Clawson's letter of resignation was read.

An action item was added to declare a vacancy as required.

When the action item was called up for discussion, Mark Shook made a motion ( in response to Kent Clawsons written request), that the board appoint Andy Holloman to the vacant board position..

During the discussion in the public session, board members were in general agreement that Mr. Holloman (Chairman of D49's Long Range Planning Committee) was well qualified. The motion to appoint was approved by a 4-0 vote.

Andy Holloman was then sworn in as the newest member of the D-49 Board of Education.

ED

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No matter who this board chooses, in whatever manner or procedure, the Harold Recall committee will be there to criticize the choice and the process.

Don't believe me. Just look at the last vacancy filled after posting, community discussion, and public board interviews.

News from School District 49

School board fills vacancy By Natalie Gowen

At a public meeting held July 14, the Falcon School District 49 Board of Directors named Mark Shook to fill the vacancy left by the resignation of board member Amy McClelland. Shook will fulfill the remaining 1.5 years of McClelland's term. The school board interviewed five candidates for the vacant position at the July 10 board meeting. Each candidate was asked to describe his or her platform and reason for seeking a position on the school board. "We had a great pool of applicants to choose from," Anna Bartha, board president, said. "Mark stood out because of his long-term investment to the district and community. His three children went through the district and now four grandchildren attend Falcon district schools. He is a phenomenal member of the community and passionate about education." Board member Dave Stark attended the meeting via teleconference. He said in order to honor the voters in the district the school board chose Shook as a close fit to the views and platforms of McClelland. Parents who attended the meeting said they were not enthusiastic about the board's selection. "We don't feel he (Shook) represents a large portion of the parents and voters," said parent Tammy Harold. Shook served on the D 49 school board during the 1990s, is currently chairman of the D 49 Long Range Planning Committee and vice chairman of the Republican Club of Falcon. He said he was honored by the appointment to the school board. "As board members, we are stewards of the school district and represent the parents. The board sets the tone and policies of the district," Shook said. He also said the district needs to be ready for the amount of growth coming to D 49. "The projection numbers indicate when Banning Lewis Ranch and Santa Fe Springs are fully built out, we will have the population of two small cities. We need to be ready and act swiftly," Shook said. The board and the district need to prepare voters for future bond measures, he said. "It's not a question of if, but when we'll need more bonds," Shook said. The district will need to do its homework before asking for more money, something Shook said has not been done in the past. Other candidates interviewed by the board: Tom Harold Harold runs a small business, Procurement Consultants, which helps other small businesses with government contracts. He currently serves as chairman of the Pikes Peak Regional Transportation Authority advisory committee and is a member of the storm water advisory committee. He has actively participated in D 49 for 10 years, and his two children attend schools in the district. An outspoken parent-activist, Harold regularly attends the school board meetings. "I feel it is my duty to bring concerns to the attention of the board," Harold said during his interview. "I speak truth and do my research." Harold said if chosen to serve on the board he would bring the voice of the community members and help unite efforts to become a top-performing school district. "I'm not pro- or anti-charter school, pro- or anti-teachers; I am about the kids," he said. Danielle Lindorf Lindorf is a small business owner and mother of two children who attend Banning Lewis Ranch Academy. She served on the BLRA school board from January to June 2008. As a student who graduated from a rural school in Texas, Lindorf said she wished she had been better prepared for college. If selected for the board, Lindorf said she would focus her efforts to enhance current high school programs. "I want to look at the high school curriculum to better prepare students - not just to improve test scores - but for college and future careers," she said. Lindorf said she supports charter schools and the school of choice programs offered by D 49 because they alleviate overcrowding at traditional schools and allow parents more influence over their child's education. "Each child has his own learning style and we can reach more children through these programs," she said. David Trujillo Trujillo is a 16-year veteran with the Colorado Springs Fire Department. He serves on a variety of D 49 committees as a parent representative, including the inclusivity committee, mill levy override task force and long range planning committee. He said his career as a firefighter has taught him to work as a team. "I will look at the issues and bring integrity to the board," Trujillo said. "I will look at a different side of the issue than is currently represented on the board." Jacqueline Vialpando Vialpando served in the U.S. Air Force for six years and is a registered nurse. She currently works for the El Paso County Department of Health and Environment and has also worked as a school nurse for D 49. She chairs the mill levy override task force, and her daughter attends Sand Creek High School. "I bring a whole group of people with me to the board - different than the other board members bring," Vialpando said. She said she would add diversity and new ideas to the school board.

http://www.newfalconherald.com/DisplayArticle.php?ArticleID=4551

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Best wishes to all

By Kent Clawson - Posted on 11 September 2009

As many of you know, in April of this year the current economic realities resulted in downsizing of my position with my employer. I was very fortunate to have a skill set that presented many opportunities, but unfortunately many of those were not in the Colorado Springs region. It is in this light that I have recently accepted a position with a university in Tennessee. It appears that this will be a permanent position, once the probationary time associated with this position has passed, and I look forward to the opportunity.

In parting I do want to express my appreciation and gratitude for my time on the Board. I will be saddened to no longer regularly be associated with this wonderful group of people on the Board, it’s schools, and especially the members of the District 49 Community. The passion that is shared among all of the members of these various groups is truly awe-inspiring.

I admit that my parting is somewhat more palatable as a result of the recent failure of the efforts to forcefully recall me from my seat on the Board. At times facing the recall efforts while searching for employment made the desire to walk away from my seat on the Board a very tempting proposition, particularly in light of the fact that there was a high probability that I would find employment away from the District 49 Community. It was the many people who encouraged me to leave on my own terms, and not in response to the hidden agenda of others, that bolstered me during this time. I express my heartfelt gratitude for those people who sought to understand what I was being accused of and saw the falseness of the accusations.

At the time I did find it confusing to see Tammy Harold and Jackie Vialapando, who I went to great lengths to communicate with during my time on the Board, advocating for my recall. This confusion fell away when I came to understand that these same individuals sought to fill my seat in the event of a recall election. These are the same people who could have run for the Board when I did in 2007, but chose not to. The release of the ballot for the fall elections has helped to further accentuate this point.

As I resign I would like to do so with a suggestion that my seat be filled by Mr. Andrew Holloman. I make this recommendation based on the engaged role that Mr. Holloman has displayed within the District. He was critical to the success of the Mill Levy override that resulted in the construction of a new elementary school, two new High Schools, and other projects related to developing a beneficial learning environment for kids. He has also been a driving force behind the success of the Long Range Planning Committee and many of the improvements that have been, and are about to be, identified.

In closing, I want to once again express my gratitude for the members of this great D-49 community and all of the individuals who seek to enhance the learning experience for my children and the other leaders of tomorrow.

Kent

(cross posted at KentClawson.com)