DEAR MEMBERS OF THE WOODLAND PARK COMMUNITY: We, the teachers and staff of Woodland Park are writing because we are deeply concerned about the direction that Ken Witt and the current school board are taking our district and the effect that will have on the broader community. We feel that in the face of the current administration's attack on our students learning environments, we can no longer stay silent We must utilize our Constitutional rights to speak out against what we feel is incompetent leadership actively harming our students and community It pains us to write this because we deeply love our students and the community of Woodland Park But it has become abundantly clear to us that the direction that Ken Wiff and the school board are taking our schools is unsustainable and detrimental to our students and our greater community. Right now the students at Woodland Park schools are missing out on the quality education of their predecessors. This is a direct result of dangerous decisions like refusing funding for mental health support, implementing the American Birthright Standards and leaving parents and feachers out of these crucial decisions of the current elected school board and superintendent. We lost close to 40% of our teachers and staff last year. It is our students who are suffering the most because of that loss. Our students have lost decades of institutional knowledge that only years of direct pedagogical instruction can replicate. We regret the circumstances are such that these respected and valued teachers and staff saw no choice but to leave the classrooms and schools they loved In addition to the loss of institutional knowledge, we're deeply concerned about the adoption of the American Birthright Standards. We believe that jakas educators is to prepare our students for the future. These state-rejected social studies standards are putting our kids futures of risk Many social studies courses that our students took in the past are no longer NCM accredited due to the change in standards. This means when our students want to register to be eligible to play college sports, they can no longer count these unaccredited classes towards those requirements. We need to ensure that our students are college-ready if they choose to pursue that path and the American Birthright Standards do not measure up to the rigorous academic standards that Woodland Park has prided itself on in the past Preparing our students for success also means ensuring that their social and emotional needs are being met and right now, the mental health. support in our schools is woefully inadequate to meet the current demand The School Board chose not to renew $1.2 milion in grant funding which had previously been used to support student mental health services. This resulted in the reduction of 15 mental health positions, such as school counselors We strongly believe that mental health is integral to academic success and that students must be treated as the developing yung minds that they are Cutting funding for mental health support in our schools when students are facing a variety of challenges and changes both at home and in school was entirely the wrong decision to make. This out is both short sighted and dangerous. Our community is stronger and safer when our students have adequate mental health support Finally as teachers and staff in Woodland Park we feel that we cannot continue to work under the current culture of fear and silence by the school board. We are concerned that, eventually the current district administration will drive everyone away and the ones who will suffer the most are our students and our community at large As teachers, staff, and members of this community WE STAND TOGETHER knowing that we might face legal repercussions for this letter However, standing up for our students futures depends on taking action now. As teachers, parents, and members of this community our voices cannot be silenced any longer. We implore you the members of our beloved community to call on the current school board to reinsfate state-approved social studies standards to reapply for the grant funding that is allocated towards mental health support in our schools, and to prioritize our children's futures over politics Asa Ansong Eric Aragon Justin Benjamin Wanda Bingham Linene Blantoni Kleppe Jayne Bourdon Kelly Bradley Jennifer Brocious Ann Cummings Teresa Davies Madeline Del Rio Carl Delegelle Depintro Malgrzata Drews Jill Connolly Leslie Conrad Mary Crade Emily Gabaldon Kayla Garcia Trecia Garrick Anne Gatin Yvonne Goings Teri Goldberg Wanda Gordon Sincerely Anna Hand Alexis Hansford Kristi Hensley Selene Hernandez Michelle Howell Cynthia Ingram Lagun Javernick Thomas Kind Connie Knowles Donna Knox Shellie Laniter-Read Woodland Park Teachers and Staff Cathy Martin Aubry Martin Andrea Matthews Deanna McHenry Nicole Melby Blaine Miller Shania Myers Lindsay Orellana Nathaniel Owen Jessica Ricks Stefanie Rohman Margaret Rudin Kelly Schmidt Mike Schoudel Ryan Schulte Ashli Schultz Leslie Shaw Stephen Feinland Laura Ferguson Amy Smith Ruth Flasher Monika Fraser Lisa Harding Heather Macari Darice Pamperin Jessica Stewart Kristin Zeller Lee Anne Friedrich Amber Hemingson Michelle Manning Lauren Richardson Michelle Studwell Lynn Zupans PRIORITIZE OUR CHILDREN'S FUTURES OVER POLITICS Savannah Teefor Holly Torres Nicole Vergenz Amanda Wahl Samantha Ware Lisa Wedhoff Barb Wieben Mindy Wiley Beth Woods DEAR MEMBERS OF THE WOODLAND PARK COMMUNITY : We , the teachers and staff of Woodland Park are writing because we are deeply concerned about the direction that Ken Witt and the current school board are taking our district and the effect that will have on the broader community . We feel that in the face of the current administration's attack on our students learning environments , we can no longer stay silent We must utilize our Constitutional rights to speak out against what we feel is incompetent leadership actively harming our students and community It pains us to write this because we deeply love our students and the community of Woodland Park But it has become abundantly clear to us that the direction that Ken Wiff and the school board are taking our schools is unsustainable and detrimental to our students and our greater community . Right now the students at Woodland Park schools are missing out on the quality education of their predecessors . This is a direct result of dangerous decisions like refusing funding for mental health support , implementing the American Birthright Standards and leaving parents and feachers out of these crucial decisions of the current elected school board and superintendent . We lost close to 40 % of our teachers and staff last year . It is our students who are suffering the most because of that loss . Our students have lost decades of institutional knowledge that only years of direct pedagogical instruction can replicate . We regret the circumstances are such that these respected and valued teachers and staff saw no choice but to leave the classrooms and schools they loved In addition to the loss of institutional knowledge , we're deeply concerned about the adoption of the American Birthright Standards . We believe that jakas educators is to prepare our students for the future . These state - rejected social studies standards are putting our kids futures of risk Many social studies courses that our students took in the past are no longer NCM accredited due to the change in standards . This means when our students want to register to be eligible to play college sports , they can no longer count these unaccredited classes towards those requirements . We need to ensure that our students are college - ready if they choose to pursue that path and the American Birthright Standards do not measure up to the rigorous academic standards that Woodland Park has prided itself on in the past Preparing our students for success also means ensuring that their social and emotional needs are being met and right now , the mental health . support in our schools is woefully inadequate to meet the current demand The School Board chose not to renew $ 1.2 milion in grant funding which had previously been used to support student mental health services . This resulted in the reduction of 15 mental health positions , such as school counselors We strongly believe that mental health is integral to academic success and that students must be treated as the developing yung minds that they are Cutting funding for mental health support in our schools when students are facing a variety of challenges and changes both at home and in school was entirely the wrong decision to make . This out is both short sighted and dangerous . Our community is stronger and safer when our students have adequate mental health support Finally as teachers and staff in Woodland Park we feel that we cannot continue to work under the current culture of fear and silence by the school board . We are concerned that , eventually the current district administration will drive everyone away and the ones who will suffer the most are our students and our community at large As teachers , staff , and members of this community WE STAND TOGETHER knowing that we might face legal repercussions for this letter However , standing up for our students futures depends on taking action now . As teachers , parents , and members of this community our voices cannot be silenced any longer . We implore you the members of our beloved community to call on the current school board to reinsfate state - approved social studies standards to reapply for the grant funding that is allocated towards mental health support in our schools , and to prioritize our children's futures over politics Asa Ansong Eric Aragon Justin Benjamin Wanda Bingham Linene Blantoni Kleppe Jayne Bourdon Kelly Bradley Jennifer Brocious Ann Cummings Teresa Davies Madeline Del Rio Carl Delegelle Depintro Malgrzata Drews Jill Connolly Leslie Conrad Mary Crade Emily Gabaldon Kayla Garcia Trecia Garrick Anne Gatin Yvonne Goings Teri Goldberg Wanda Gordon Sincerely Anna Hand Alexis Hansford Kristi Hensley Selene Hernandez Michelle Howell Cynthia Ingram Lagun Javernick Thomas Kind Connie Knowles Donna Knox Shellie Laniter - Read Woodland Park Teachers and Staff Cathy Martin Aubry Martin Andrea Matthews Deanna McHenry Nicole Melby Blaine Miller Shania Myers Lindsay Orellana Nathaniel Owen Jessica Ricks Stefanie Rohman Margaret Rudin Kelly Schmidt Mike Schoudel Ryan Schulte Ashli Schultz Leslie Shaw Stephen Feinland Laura Ferguson Amy Smith Ruth Flasher Monika Fraser Lisa Harding Heather Macari Darice Pamperin Jessica Stewart Kristin Zeller Lee Anne Friedrich Amber Hemingson Michelle Manning Lauren Richardson Michelle Studwell Lynn Zupans PRIORITIZE OUR CHILDREN'S FUTURES OVER POLITICS Savannah Teefor Holly Torres Nicole Vergenz Amanda Wahl Samantha Ware Lisa Wedhoff Barb Wieben Mindy Wiley Beth Woods