(COLORADO SPRINGS) — One of the largest school districts in Colorado Springs swore in two new board members on Thursday, Nov. 30.
Amy Shandy and Derrick Wilburn took the oath, and are now helping the board stand on a united front.
“I think D20 is in really good hands,” said Kendrick Davis, who attended the meeting. “Because they have a board that is most likely going to be a bit more unified and focused on the task at hand.”
Now, the board members all hold more conservative values, and education is their top priority.
“Our focus is really on student outcomes and academics. We’re a school district and that’s where our focus needs to be,” said Aaron Salt, who is the former school board director.
During the meeting, the board voted for Salt to step in as the new president.
“The fact that I’ve been able to move up to this position, that I’m taking on this president role, it’s a lot of responsibility, but I’m extremely excited to be able to move forward and really be able to impact our community,” Salt said.
This is the first time the board has appointed a new member instead of a special election by voters. This comes after Thomas LaValley resigned as president after six years on the board, to spend more time with his family and focus on his demanding career.
“We appreciate his service to this community and to this district,” Salt said. “But, timing changes and so we appreciate that he recognized this is no longer a good fit for his schedule.”
The new board members have some projects ahead of them as the district looks at cuts to some sports programs, and there are ongoing concerns from parents about some books available to students at the schools.
“I think school should be a safe place and, whether it’s the materials that are available or the materials that are presented, they should be appropriate for children at whatever age,” Davis said.
Salt said this is something they will be looking into.
“District 20 is meeting with the district attorney’s office next week. We want to make sure that we have proper guidance before we take any further action.”
There is a fifth seat on D20’s school board open and anyone within the district can apply. The applications are open through Dec. 11 and they will host interviews on the 18th which can be viewed by the public.
