Superintendent's Update - archive

Superintendent Update: Happy Easter, Happy Passover, Celebrating our “STARS”, Job Fair, and other Updates

Superintendent Update: Classroom Instruction, Superintendent Forum Rescheduled, and Legal Update

Superintendent Update:  Parent Survey & more!

Superintendent Update: Snow days moving forward

Superintendent Update: Reading, Testing, and Legal Update

Superintendent Update: Weather Delay and Closure Information

December 20, 2025 - Superintendent Update: Happy Holidays; Amazing Performances; and pending legal matter

Superintendent Update: Thank you Veterans, Snow Day Information, & Upcoming Events

Superintendent Update - Budget Savings Recommendations & Further Explanations

Superintendent Update: FInancial Update, Student Behavior & Homecoming Week

Superintendent Update: Forums, School Safety, Discipline, & Video Updates

Superintendent Update: Back to School BBQ & Staff Appreciation at Football Game

Superintendent Update: Welcome Back to School

Dear parents and members of the Elizabeth community,

Our year is quickly drawing to a close, and I want to once again thank you for your trust and support as parents in the district.  Congratulations to our staff and students who have participated in the many performances and competitions that have taken place these last several weeks of the school year.  We have amazing students and staff here in Elizabeth!

A special thank-you to the parents who responded to our District Accountability Survey last month providing important feedback to both our district and our schools.  Our school advisory councils and district advisory council will process your feedback and develop action plans to address important areas where we can improve. Those results will be shared along with planned actions to address them at the start of next school year.  

We are fortunate to have an amazing staff in Elizabeth.  Yes, we do lose teachers each year to neighboring districts based on the significant difference in pay between our districts.  While we still have a ways to go, we are glad we’ve been able to increase salaries this year not only for teachers, but for our support staff as well.  We also recognize that as we implement new expectations, there are some departures that result.  With the change in compensation plan, we are excited at the quality of applicants we see in our hiring pools this year.  We begin the summer with more of our vacant positions filled than in past years.  If you have questions, do reach out to your principals.  

Our school calendar for next year can be found at this link.  During this summer, our district office shifts to a four-day week with offices open from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Thursday.  If you have any questions, feel free to reach out at 303-646-1836.  Other than some planned vacation time, I work throughout the summer and am always available to answer any questions you may have as well.  If I am out, my auto-reply will be on my email or a message will be recorded on my voicemail.  

Next weekend, we celebrate our graduating class at Elizabeth High School.  While this year's ceremony will be marked by sadness with the death of senior Jake Burdick last weekend, we are proud of our students and their accomplishments. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Burdick family.  A loss such as this reminds us of how important it is to cherish our children and the joy they bring us each and every day.  

I wish you all a safe summer break!  See you next August!

Dan Snowberger
Superintendent

Dear parents and members of the Elizabeth community,

CMAS Assessments:  Next week, our students begin the annual Colorado Measures of Academic Success Assessment in elementary and middle school grades.  This is a chance for our students to demonstrate on the state assessment what they have learned.  We ask that parents ensure students are at school on time so there is no interruption to the testing environment.  Although this is not a high-stress environment, we know some students find such events more stressful than others. We simply ask students to show us what they know through this assessment.  Please help students recognize this is just another assignment and opportunity to show what they have learned this year.  

Increase in Bullying Behavior:  This week, I dealt with a number of situations both in schools and on buses where students were engaged in concerning behavior toward other students.  In most cases, this involves groups of students picking on a single student in a pretty serious fashion, which deeply saddens me.  After reviewing their records, it is apparent many of these students have not been involved in prior disciplinary situations. This leads me to ask all parents to take a moment to engage their children in critical conversations and reminders of your expectations with your children.  Some parents who have come in to watch videos from buses have been shocked at what they see their children doing.  I know all of us as parents raise our children with expectations, but in our world with so many external influences we must continue to reinforce how we expect them to be kind and treat others at all times.

STARS Celebration:  On a positive note, this Saturday we celebrate 50 students in grades 5 through 12 who have been recognized by their teachers for outstanding character. This recognition, sponsored by the Elizabeth Education Foundation (EEF), is an annual event that has become a tradition in Elizabeth School District. I am so proud of these students and look forward to celebrating with them and their families on Saturday night.  We appreciate EEF for its efforts throughout the year in supporting our district not only through this STARS program but through our teacher grant programs and other financial contributions. Please continue to support this important organization in any way you can.  More information can be found on their website.

School Bus Safety & Staff Celebration: I want to take a moment to celebrate the amazing job our transportation department does each and every day in getting children to and from school. April 23 is Bus Driver Appreciation Day!  Please join me in celebrating the amazing team that serves our children here in the Elizabeth School District!!!  Sadly, however, we’ve seen an increase in cars passing buses that are stopped. This puts children in danger when we are loading and unloading buses.  In partnership with local law enforcement, we are increasing enforcement at our bus stops to further ensure the safety of our students.  Violating those laws carries pretty hefty fines.  Our school buses do a great job in video recording license plates of those individuals who run those stop arms, and our local law enforcement officials will certainly use such footage to issue citations!  Please remember the inconvenience of waiting for a bus is well worth the safety of our children!  

Finally, I continue to watch the conflicts within pockets of our community. I’ve seen teachers and administrators be cursed at or degraded in front of students or other parents.  I’ve seen teachers walk away from the profession after being blasted for making a mistake, and not being given a chance to correct it.  When a mistake is made, please know that we want to hear from you, but also would like a chance to correct it.  

I continue to seek decisions that make our district a little better each day.  When I make a decision you disagree with, I encourage you to reach out and schedule time to meet or speak with me on the phone.  We may not always agree on everything, but I do think we can always find common ground.  

As always, I thank you for your continued trust in our district and our schools.  We have an amazing team of teachers, administrators, and most importantly - students!  

Sincerely,

Dan Snowberger
Superintendent

Dear parents and members of the Elizabeth community,

Snow storm:  As you probably know, we are tracking a significant snow storm approaching with a significant amount of snowfall expected Wednesday evening into Thursday, likely to exceed a foot of snow.  We will closely collaborate with our county and municipal partners as the storm approaches and announce any decisions on delays or closures. If your phone numbers and email addresses are updated in Infinite Campus, you will receive a phone call, text message, and an email once decisions are made.  The first place you will be able to find updated information is our website.  

Congratulations:  Spring Break officially begins for students on Friday, March 15, and school resumes on Monday, March 25. This has been a very busy first quarter of 2024 for the school district, with a lot going on around Elizabeth.  I want to congratulate our students and staff involved in our many productions over the past few weeks:

• • “Mean Girls” musical at Elizabeth High School, Director Jennifer Barclay
  • “The Wizard of Oz and Toto Too” at Elizabeth Middle School, Director Melanie Kaumeyer
  • EHS Choir Concert at Elizabeth High School, Director Lydia Tenny
  • EHS Band and Orchestra Concert at Elizabeth High School, Director Carson Powell 
  • EMS Orchestra Concert at Elizabeth Middle School, Director David Goldscheid
  • Running Creek Second Grade Around the World Programs Second Grade Team

I may have missed a few events, but needless to say, we have amazing staff who certainly provide many opportunities to have our students show their talent.

Staff Compensation:  Two weeks ago, our board approved a new compensation system developed by our teachers. It empowers them to earn more pay based on their contributions to their school, the district, and our community.  Last week, we were pleased to have two Denver TV stations cover their proposal which received strong teacher support.  No longer are teachers stuck with small raises each year for basic survival in returning, but they can actually accelerate on our pay scale.  More information can be found on our HR webpage.  We are now working on our support staff compensation system ensuring we reward our paraprofessionals, office staff, custodians, bus drivers, cooks, security specialists, and other members of our support team by aligning with market rates and empowering them to also earn more based on their contributions.  We’ve tried hard to build a strong coalition between our staff, our administration, and our board to ensure that our efforts are focused on making Elizabeth a great place for students to learn and a great place for staff to work!

Safe2Tell - More Information:  I want to comment on Safe2Tell once again.  Last week, we had some activity on Safe2Tell at Elizabeth High School.  We commented on the credibility of reports in that particular case.  I think some parents may have interpreted such statements to be me making those determinations individually.  Safe2Tell is an intricate tool that collects a lot of information from reporters.  It is a two-way communication tool which engages reporters in a dialogue with Safe2Tell operators allowing them to provide more details and answer questions.  When a reporter refuses to provide more information, one wonders why.  The system also collects information about the device from which the report originates, including location and whether it is a cell phone or a computer.  For instance, a report being made about something being observed in a school might be submitted from an overseas location or may be sent from a cell phone hitting a tower in a different state or a different city.  Therefore, such a report lacks credibility.  Such information is helpful to us during an investigation.  When we receive Safe2Tell reports, our law enforcement partners, district safety team, school administrators and I collaborate to consider all information to evaluate reports.  Some are credible; many are not. I am happy to meet with any parent who may want to discuss situations further as it is important to me that we have your utmost confidence moving forward.  

I am deeply proud of the safety measures we have in place here in Elizabeth and feel our schools are some of the safest places in the Elizabeth community.  When we work with you and your children to ensure that we closely monitor our surroundings, report concerning behavior, and provide accurate information either to school officials or through Safe2Tell, we can ensure that our schools remain even safer places for our students and staff.  It is true that we occasionally receive false reports on Safe2Tell – some from internal sources and sometimes from external sources.  These are sometimes meant to get other students in trouble, and other times meant to create fear and anxiety.  We do our best not to allow those to interrupt the learning environment.  

Finally, today marks my one-year anniversary with the district.  It's been an honor to serve here in Elizabeth with such an amazing team of educators!  I look forward to many years ahead.  I hope the coming week of Spring Break will bring some time for rest and relaxation for our students and for families who are able to find some time off.  Please don’t hesitate to reach out should I be able to help in any way.

Sincerely,

Dan Snowberger
Superintendent

Superintendent Dan Snowberger provided a State of the District update for the community on Feb. 15, 2024. It was followed by a Q&A session. Here is the video of the meeting:

Feb. 7, 2024

Dear parents and members of our community,

It’s been a busy year here in the Elizabeth School District. I am approaching my one-year mark and am very proud of the Elizabeth School District staff who work hard each and every day to serve our children. This is my 38th year in public education, and I can honestly say this is one of the most dedicated teams I have worked with during my career.  

This year, we have spent a lot of time working to reform our compensation system to address the revolving door we’ve seen with teachers and support staff entering and exiting our district. We are funded well below our neighbors and have had a difficult time keeping pace on salaries. Instead of admiring the problem, we’ve rolled up our sleeves and assembled a team of licensed and support staff members to develop systems that can work within our means to change these systems and make them better. We think these changes will be valued when we host our next Job Fair on March 9 at EHS. We also have started to address our aging infrastructure, address growth, and improve our financial health within the district.  

I’ve repeatedly offered myself to meet with parents and community members at any time and any place and have appreciated parents who have taken me up on it. I also often have social media posts forwarded to me outlining supposed nefarious or radical plans of our district.  

I’d like to invite ALL parents to a State of the District address and a Question and Answer session to discuss our work outlined above, share the plans we have moving forward, and answer questions you may have on what we plan to do to meet the needs of your children now and in the future. That session will begin at 6:30 p.m., next Thursday, Feb. 15, at the Elizabeth High School cafetorium.  We will also record and live stream this session on the main page of the website for those who may not be able to join us. I hope you will make every effort to come in person to become informed -- and always know your feedback is important to me.

In my last update, I shared that some parents have expressed an interest in a “Classical Education” model for their children. Recognizing that many parents may have a different understanding of what such a model may be, we are hosting a workshop at 6 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 28, at Elizabeth Middle School. This will be presented by partners from an outside organization who have specialized in classical education. As we look at a new K-8 school model in the future, this could be a model under consideration. It's a model that may interest many parents of preschoolers as well as homeschool students. Please share this information with your neighbors.  

Thanks again for the support you offer our schools and our district.  Please do reach out if I can ever help in any way.

Sincerely,

Dan Snowberger
Superintendent

Jan. 25, 2024

Dear parents and members of our community,

I hope this message finds you well.  It's hard to believe that January is almost over.  I wanted to share a few updates with you.  

District Spelling Bee

First, let me congratulate our District Spelling Bee participants, as well as the winners from this week’s event.  Congratulations to Anika Laws from Legacy Academy - our Spelling Bee Champion, Adelaide Heirendt from Running Creek Elementary School, who placed second, and Isaac Tobler from Singing Hills Elementary, who took third place in a hard-fought battle of the brains.  A special thank-you to Kristen Crookshanks who has run our Spelling Bee for the past 13+ years here in Elizabeth.  At Kristen’s request, we are looking for a new community member to take over the facilitation of this event.  If interested, please reach out to Jason Hackett, our PIO (JHackett@esdk12.org).  I know Kristen will offer great support in the transition.

Parenting Group

I wanted to also share a unique opportunity for parents who are interested in support as they navigate the ever-challenging world of parenting.  Patty Ann Fontenot is our Connections for Families coordinator housed at Elizabeth High School.  They have recently started a program for parents called a Circle of Parents which is a group that meets bi-weekly, is free of charge, and fosters an open exchange of ideas, support, information and resources.  For more information, click here for more information on this opportunity.  

EMS Principal

I am happy to inform you that Kimberly Runyan, current interim principal at Elizabeth Middle School, will be formally recommended to the board as the permanent principal of EMS.  After surveying staff and speaking with parent leaders at EMS, it is clear that another change is not in the best interest of the school and that strong support exists for her continued leadership.  She has served our district for the past five years and is deeply committed to our community.  Mrs. Runyan was prepared to apply for the position and is very passionate about continuing.  It is without reservation that I am recommending her in lieu of creating additional anxieties through a hiring process given the challenges already experienced this year.  I have no doubt great things are in store for the EMS community.  We will begin posting for a permanent assistant principal at both EMS and Elizabeth High School, where Mrs. Runyan’s departure has created another vacancy.  

Classical Education

As we look at preparing to address growth in our community over the next several years, many parents have expressed an interest in a “classical education” format.  We have been in conversation with a couple of classical education providers who may be willing to partner with our district in opening a classical school as one more choice in our community.  Many people have different pictures of what a classical education really is.  In the coming month, we plan to offer an information session for parents who may want to learn more about this education model and ensure there is adequate interest in such a model before moving forward with such a partnership.  As a district, our desire is to continue to offer choices to meet the diverse interests of our students as we address capacity issues in our growing community.  I’ve come to know that one size doesn’t fit all and am committed to expanding available learning models for our students.  Please watch for more information in the coming weeks.

Communication Forums

Again, I always welcome your outreach and am happy to speak with you, meet with you, or correspond with you at any time.  Starting in late February, I plan to resume Superintendent Forums, where I'd like to specifically engage parents and members of our community in learning more about our compensation reform plans to help us attract and retain staff, our plan to address growth through increasing choice options in the district, and any other topics of interest to our community.

Thanks for your support and trust in allowing us to serve your students here in Elizabeth School District.

Sincerely,

Dan Snowberger,
Superintendent

Jan. 9, 2024

Dear parents and guardians of Elizabeth School District:

This morning, we were notified by the Elbert County Sheriff’s Department that a threat had been received at Elbert County School District 200. This threat mirrored many received statewide today. After an investigation by law enforcement authorities across the region, all threats were found to be unsubstantiated and likely to have originated in Europe. When notified of the incident in a neighboring district, we secured our perimeters out of an abundance of caution, which allowed closer scrutiny of anyone entering and exiting our schools. This decision was made in recognition that many of our law enforcement responders were focused on a neighboring region of the county.  A secure perimeter means staff members are posted at all doors during times when students may enter or exit. This is an added precaution to protect from any outside intrusion.

It came to my attention that there has been some community conversation speculating about events of today.  We do not make it a practice to communicate with families about threats made toward other districts. Should there ever be a situation involving our district or one of our schools, please rest assured that communication will be sent immediately.

The district has numerous layers of security measures in place and continually prepares for emergency situations. Please remember that Elizabeth School District employs armed security personnel who constantly monitor our campuses, as well as Elizabeth police officers at our secondary schools.  

As always, we encourage you to remind your children to report anything suspicious to their school administrators. This applies to you as parents as well. We can never be too cautious, and our team is always happy to investigate anything out of the ordinary around our campuses. We all play an important role in the safety of our schools.  

Should you ever have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me or any member of our security team.  

Sincerely,

Dan Snowberger,
Superintendent

Dec. 15, 2023

Dear parents and members of our community,

It is a busy time of the year for everyone as the holidays approach. A special thank-you to our staff members who have led the many concerts, choral presentations, and activities at our schools allowing our children to celebrate the holiday season. They put in countless hours preparing for these events. It’s another example of the amazing people who are dedicated to working with your children. This particular week has certainly been a busy one for sure! I greatly enjoyed the combined EMS-EHS band and choral concerts this week, and regret a conflict kept me from the orchestra concert.  What amazing talent we have here in Elizabeth!

With the election behind us and our current board securing a clear mandate to remain focused on leading the district, hopefully we can put some of the social-media drama behind us. As always, should you have questions about something in the district, feel free to reach out to me or any member of our leadership team. I’m proud of the calm we’ve achieved in the district with regard to our board since last April, and commit to continuing to focus forward on building upon past successes. 

I want to thank each of you for your support of our amazing team of educators who work to serve our children each day. Last week, many of you rallied behind our District Advisory Council parents who asked for donations to put together some treats for our staff. With limited outreach on social media, they raised almost $700 and were able to orchestrate a large delivery of pastries to each of our five school buildings! This is a testament to you as a community, and this gesture went a long way in communicating your support for this team!

While some of you may not have seen the request, please don’t miss the opportunity to let our staff know how much you appreciate them. The reality is that despite our compensation being lower than many districts in the region, these individuals remain committed to our community and your children!  

A couple of specific, new items:

Elizabeth Education Foundation & American Furniture Warehouse (AFW): If you have purchased furniture from AFW in the past year and forgot to mention the Elizabeth School District or the Elizabeth Education Foundation, please send a copy of your receipt or order to ElizabethEducationFoundation@outlook.com. AFW grants 2% of the total sales to the foundation to support its efforts in the district.

Compensation Reform: We have been working with our staff to change our compensation system and provide them greater control over their earnings while empowering pay-scale movement for those contributions to our students, our schools, our district, and our community. Our teacher scale has been based on rewarding advanced college credits, something that research shows does not necessarily increase the expertise or skill of the educator – and often adds significant amounts to their debt load. The system we are developing recognizes the additional work they do in helping improve our learning environments, increase student learning, and expand connections with our families and our community overall. Expect more information to come on this important work! The board and I are committed to building a system that will retain our current staff while attracting the best and brightest when we have openings in the district.

SIncere wishes: I do hope this upcoming holiday will be one which allows you and those special to you to build lasting memories together. Our lives today go by so quickly, and we often miss the opportunities to just be present with our children. That’s the best “present” of all to our children. As a father of five, I look forward to the time I’ll have with each of them and their families over the coming weeks. I treasure the moments and certainly have my own regrets about the times I missed out on being “present” for them.  

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and my sincere wishes for a happy and prosperous new year ahead!

Sincerely,

Dec. 7, 2023

Dear parents and members of the community,

I want to thank you for your patience as we work through the situation at Elizabeth Middle School. As you know, we placed the principal, assistant principal, and a counselor on administrative leave in early November during an investigation regarding failing to report concerning behavior on the part of a member of the staff to appropriate authorities. That staff member in question was placed on administrative leave earlier in the year upon our notification of a criminal investigation and remains on leave. Upon completion of the criminal investigation, the district will conduct its own investigation to determine further action on the part of the district. We continue to closely cooperate with authorities.  

Following the district’s findings of likely violation of law and district policy by our leaders and counselor and the opportunity for those individuals to provide a response to those findings, the Superintendent has determined it necessary to separate these individuals from district employment.  These individuals will not return to Elizabeth Middle School or any position in the Elizabeth School District. While we recognize these individuals’ many positive, past contributions to the school community, we have high expectations that our staff will follow legal expectations and board policies in keeping our students safe and investigating any and all reports of concerning behavior.

It is important to note that Colorado’s Mandatory Reporting Law does not require the validation of concerns but does require the reporting of such concerns to the Department of Human Services or law enforcement authorities. I know many may jump to conclusions that something criminal must have occurred in the building. At this time, all we can confirm and act on is that reports of concerning behavior were not reported appropriately to allow them to be investigated last school year.  That is the only violation we are able to speak to at this time.  

Interim Principal Kimberly Runyan, Interim Administrator Mark Carara, and Interim Athletic Director/Administrator Jim McCoin will continue to lead Elizabeth Middle School while the district determines permanent replacements for these roles.  These individuals have shown great commitment to the school and ensuring its continued success, and we are grateful to them all. We appreciate our parents working with this new team of administrators and our amazing staff at Elizabeth Middle School.  

We will continue to keep you up to date as decisions are made and more information becomes available to us by the outside agency.  Should you have questions, feel free to reach out to me.

Sincerely,

Dan Snowberger
Superintendent

Nov. 16, 2023

Good evening,

First, let me thank those members of the community who attended our forum last night.  We had almost 50 parents and community members present. I appreciate the engagement and also appreciate the patience of our community as we deal with the concerns that exist at Elizabeth Middle School. We continue to work to be as transparent as we can based on legal parameters. Most importantly, it is essential that individuals are not convicted by public opinion before the facts are identified. I will continue to keep you updated as much as I can.

In the conversation last evening, there were a number of individuals who expressed a feeling that prior concerns had not been dealt with by the district. We expect our school administrators to respond to concerns expressed by students, parents, or staff. Should a parent ever feel that a concern has not been properly addressed, I stand ready to assist. My direct phone number is 303-646-1838. I also respond to emails in a timely manner, so feel free to send your concern to DSnowberger@esdk12.org. Also, please know you can also contact our assistant superintendent, Dr. Dallas at BDallas@esdk12.org or at 303-646-1839. I have strong faith in my current team of leaders and that they will respond in a timely manner. 

I encouraged parents to talk with their children about reporting concerns at home as well. We hope to continue to build the partnership with you and trust that the more students feel comfortable sharing their concerns at school AND at home, the more we can ensure that such concerns are addressed. It is a great reminder to keep lines of communication open with your children about their experiences at school and in our community!  

We also discussed a resource, Safe2Tell, last night and many asked that this information be provided to all parents in the district. We have spoken with students often about this resource and will plan to refresh this with them in the coming weeks.

Safe2Tell is a resource here in Colorado where parents, students, members of the community, and staff can submit reports that include student behavior, staff behavior, and any other concern that relates to the safety of students and our schools. Reports are immediately submitted to school and district officials via email and text. Law enforcement and the local dispatch for emergency services receive these notifications at the same time. There is expectation that these reports are followed up on and that a disposition be supplied for each report. 

I wanted to share more information as we work to ensure that concerns are addressed in our district in a timely manner.  Reports can be submitted using a smartphone application (see QR Code Above), on the web at www.safe2tell.org, or by calling 877-542-7233. By submitting on your phone, you can anonymously stay in contact with the resource center regarding your concern. This ensures the accountability of all involved and that an investigation takes place. Of course, if a child is in immediate danger, calling 911 is certainly encouraged so action can be taken immediately.

While reports are anonymous, they are taken seriously and a follow-up does occur, however, please provide as much information as possible while submitting a report as we are not always given information with which we can take action. We have had rare occasions where this resource has been weaponized against someone, so we are cautious to fully investigate and not simply jump to conclusions. In my time at my last district, this resource saved the lives of more than 10 children by ensuring concerns for their safety received immediate attention. 

Again, I continue to be committed to working with parents as we build trust and transparency. We are an organization run by humans and therefore sometimes do make mistakes. Our goal is to always ensure we maintain a keen focus on the safety of our students, staff, and school campuses.

Have a great Thanksgiving Break, and I look forward to future opportunities to connect with you.

Sincerely,

Dan Snowberger
Superintendent

Nov. 9, 2023

Dear parents and members of the Elizabeth community,

Thanks for your continued support of the Elizabeth School District.  There continues to be a lot going on in our district and our community.  Let me update you on a few things:

Calendar Feedback:  Thanks to those who were able to provide feedback in our calendar survey last month.  Based on the 150 parents who provided input, we have two calendar options on which we would appreciate your feedback.  Please use this link to indicate your preference.

Elizabeth Middle School:  On Wednesday, you received information on an unfortunate situation we are dealing with at the middle school.  While I know there is a thirst in the community for more information, please know we have shared all that we can at this time.  I regret that many jump to conclusions and have labeled individuals involved prior to confirmation of wrongdoing.  I take my job seriously in ensuring that we operate in a transparent manner.  While many districts may have waited until individuals are charged to take action, I feel it is my duty to act and separate individuals when questions exist in order to preserve trust with our community – while ensuring they receive fair treatment.  We are far from perfect, and employees do make mistakes.  We will hold individuals accountable but will also ensure that a full, detailed investigation and due process exist for all involved.  I can assure you that any concern noted by a student will be acted upon immediately by our leadership teams in all of our buildings.  Looking back at past incidents does not paint a fair picture of the expectations that exist in our district today – under current district and board leadership. I will remain accountable to you for how our district operates.

Superintendent Forum:  I will offer a monthly opportunity for parents and members of our community to dialogue around our educational system.  While I’ve had very little participation, I will offer these opportunities as I will continue to encourage us to communicate  and share ideas.  Recognizing the challenge at Elizabeth Middle School, I would like to offer an opportunity for all parents to meet with me from 5:30-7 p.m., next Wednesday, Nov. 15.  While I may be limited on the content I can share regarding the current situation, I do feel it is important for me to hear from parents, provide any answers that I can, and hopefully build trust as we progress through this challenging situation. 

Thanksgiving Feast:  I am very proud of our Alternative Education Program at Elizabeth High School and their desire to give back to our community.  In case you haven’t heard, this dedicated group of students and staff are hosting a free Thanksgiving Feast for members of our community from 5-7:30 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 16, at Elizabeth High School’s cafetorium.  We especially want to invite senior citizens in our community to join us as a THANKS for your support of our public education system.  Please pass this invitation on to neighbors or family members who may not know about this event.  We have food for 500, so come one, come all!

Elbert County Song Contest, now Elbert County’s Got Talent:  Due to a variety of reasons, the Elbert County Partnership has moved and rescheduled its event previously scheduled for Nov. 18 to the new date and time of 6-9 p.m., Friday, Jan. 26.  In addition to contestants who are writing a possible Elbert County Song, they are inviting other individuals who may have other talent to share it on this evening.  For more information, click here.

And Elizabeth High School has Talent Too!:  I was excited to be able to attend the opening night of our play at Elizabeth High School - Sense and Sensibility.  I can’t tell you how impressed I continue to be with our students and our staff for their amazing talent!  Congratulations to the cast and our amazing teacher/coach/sponsor/director/costume designer, Jennifer Barclay, for their fantastic performance.  The EHS Theatre Program is already beginning to prepare for its next musical production, Mean Girls, scheduled for Feb. 29-March 2.  No need to leave our community for amazing entertainment!  Don’t miss it.  I won’t!  Finally, congratulations to the Elizabeth High School Cardinal Pride Marching Band for placing second in its division at the state competition.  I also received an email from the hotel manager where our band stayed complementing them on their professionalism and maturity during their visit!  Go band!

Thanks for your continued engagement in our schools and district.  Please don’t hesitate to reach out if I can help in any way.  I am always available to meet with you when concerns or ideas arise. 

If I don’t have an opportunity to communicate again before our break, let me wish a Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family.  I hope you find time to build lasting memories with those special to you.

Sincerely,

Dan Snowberger
Superintendent

Oct. 30, 2023

Dear Parents,

I hope you and your families had a great Fall Break and found some time to build lasting memories as a family. I know that our teachers and support staff appreciated the break after nine weeks of learning. It was great seeing many of you at the Elizabeth Harvest Festival. I wanted to provide you with some important updates.  

Upcoming Forums: I look forward to welcoming parents for a dialogue with me next Wednesday, Nov. 1, at Elizabeth Middle School. This is my third forum and an opportunity to talk about ideas and concerns or ask questions about our district and its operations. That forum will take place 6-7:30 p.m. I’d love to see you there. My next scheduled forum is also 6-7:30 p.m. on Nov. 8 at Elizabeth High School.  Remember, this is YOUR school district and it is our mission to meet the expectations of our community. I value the opportunity for dialogue and hope you will as well.

Compensation Reform: I am so excited to be working with representatives of our teachers as we look at our current compensation system. Like almost all districts, our system fails to recognize what we value as a community and requires teachers to jump through hoops to move significantly on the scale. We are excited to be exploring other options that would empower a teacher to move more rapidly on our pay scale based on their contributions to the school or district and their own professional growth. This will require that we look carefully at how we staff our schools. We certainly recognize the value of class size and need to ensure that our recruitment of staff highlights the benefits we offer. Our staff are here because they are committed to our students and our community. Don’t miss the opportunity to say thanks to our teachers, our support staff, our custodians, our bus drivers - anyone who works in our schools as they deserve our thanks and appreciation! 

Curriculum & Instruction Page: At our last board meeting, Dr. Bill Dallas, our assistant superintendent who oversees curriculum, instruction, and assessment, has been leading our work to align our curriculum, ensure greater collaboration, and analyze our data to address areas where we can improve our instruction and increase our student outcomes. I encourage you to visit the curriculum and instruction website.  We are exploring curricula and pathways that can support our students who are not finding success in our current curriculum, including services for students who are dyslexic. We recognize one size doesn’t fit all and hope you can continue to work with us as we build upon our current systems.

Winter weather: With the first snow this past weekend, I did want to address the topic of weather and our process for making decisions about cancellations or delays. Our district leadership team communicates with first responders, our town and county road teams, and our neighboring districts to consider all factors when needing to make a decision about closing our schools or calling a delayed start. I personally will always be out driving roads along with other members of our team when making these decisions.  

In some cases, where a majority of our children can make it to school on time, it is important to note that the most important decision maker is you, the parent. Our community stretches across a large area. While it may not be snowing in town, it may be in other parts of our community. Any time there is inclement weather, you may determine it unsafe for your children to make it to school. On such days, we will excuse such absences when notified. There may also be days where certain parts of our community may not be accessible by school buses. We will do our best in notifying families when transportation can’t be provided due to weather conditions in specific locations. Making such decisions will surely lead to lots of different opinions.  We will always err on the side of caution, however will do our best to keep schools open when conditions support doing so. Please note that school closures and delayed openings will always be posted to our website before anywhere else. We will send emails, text messages and phone calls to the addresses parents have provided. Only after all of those notifications are made will we post on the district’s official Facebook and Instagram accounts. As we all know, sometimes social media platforms do not show every user every post right away, so check our website if you want to be sure.

Congratulations & Kudos: We wish the EHS Cardinal Pride Marching Band all the best as they compete in the state competition today. Congratulations to our girls softball team for making it to state this year. We are also very proud of our gymnastics team, which took second place at regionals last Friday. Congratulations to the seven cross country runners who competed at state on Saturday. Special kudos to Piper Loeks who placed 51st out of more than 150 runners in that competition. We are also proud of our volleyball team who had a regular-season record of 18-5 and are awaiting word on their placement in the upcoming regional tournament. Also, congratulations to our EHS varsity football team who went 8-1 this season. They begin their postseason play this weekend at EHS. Finally, you don’t have to travel far to be entertained this week. Our EHS Theatre group begins the showing of their fall play, “Sense and Sensibility,” this week. Elizabeth School District is filled with highly talented students, and we are so proud of all of their accomplishments. 

Upcoming Events: I wanted to draw your attention to a number of upcoming events in our community. Some of these are school sponsored and some are community based. I hope this is helpful in keeping you informed:

• Superintendent Forum, 6-7:30 p.m., Nov. 1, at Elizabeth Middle School
• EHS Play: Sense & Sensibility, 7 p.m., Nov. 2-4 with a matinee at 2 p.m. on Nov. 4, at the Elizabeth High School cafetorium
• Craft Fair, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., Nov. 4, at Legacy Academy Charter School
• Elizabeth High School Football Playoff Game, 1 p.m., Nov. 4 vs. Moffat HS at EHS
• Superintendent Forum,  6-7:30 p.m., Nov. 8, Elizabeth High School
• Elbert County Partnership - Conversation on Human Trafficking, 6:30 p.m., Nov. 9, at the Elizabeth High School cafetorium
• Craft Fair, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., Nov. 11, at Elizabeth Middle School
• The EHS Alternative Program's Community Thanksgiving Dinner, 5 p.m., Nov. 16, at the EHS cafetorium

We are so proud of the work our staff and administrators are doing to ensure we meet your expectations as a community. We have five amazing schools, each working hard to continuously improve. We are not perfect and hope you will reach out when a concern exists. This is your district, and we are here to partner with you!

Sincerely,

Dan Snowberger
Superintendent

Oct. 2, 2023

Hello parents and members of our community, 

As you know, there’s a lot going on in our community these days, and our school district is no different. The past week had intense community engagement over decisions around extracurricular activities being made at our high school. I know individuals can be passionate about a lot of things in our schools. Hopefully, we can be equally passionate about student learning. While many have turned to social media to build a story around such decisions, I want to thank those who reached out directly to our school administrators and me to dialogue and discuss their concerns. 

Forum & bullying presentation follow-up

I was a bit surprised that, despite the many calls to address bullying in our schools and the need for improvement in this area, we saw little participation in our recent pair of parent presentations on bullying from our national speaker, Dr. Brooks Gibbs. I realize that parents are busy managing life in general and I encourage you to look for those opportunities to get involved in person and engage in dialogue with us. I continue to remain available to all parents and members of our community for face-to-face dialogue. Emails are appreciated, but dialogue is much more productive.

Politics and school

As many of you know, I am keenly focused on keeping politics away from our schools.  We have worked to remove signs or displays that could be considered political in any way across the political spectrum. I appreciate our staff’s help in supporting these efforts. Our school board roles are political positions, and candidates do need to run for office to earn the trust of community members and encourage their vote. I appreciate our current board members keeping their campaigns out of our school events and activities. The Colorado Fair Campaign Practices Act requires that government entities do not use any resources to support particular political campaigns. 

Knowing, however, that it is important that voters have a chance to meet and become informed before casting their ballots, the district is offering space for one “Candidate Forum” where all six candidates will be present to dialogue with members of our community. This forum is scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 11, at Elizabeth High School cafetorium from 6-8 p.m. This is not a student event. We encourage parents and other registered voters to come and meet these candidates and become informed.   

Calendar surveys

Our District Accountability Committee is currently charged with developing calendars for the 2024-25 and 2025-26 school years. Prior to creating possible drafts, the committee would appreciate your feedback through this survey. I invite you to take the time to share your thoughts and ideas around calendar elements for the Elizabeth School District. This survey will be open through Oct. 20, 2023. Please know that the committee is asking some questions to gain community feedback but have no intention of moving in any different direction unless overwhelming community feedback is received. Please don’t panic or assume there is a plan to drastically change our calendar prior to receiving your feedback. There will be other opportunities for feedback around draft calendars prior to formal recommendation of a calendar to the Board of Education. 

Next Superintendent Forum

I look forward to welcoming parents to my next Superintendent Forum scheduled at Singing Hills Elementary on Wednesday, Oct. 4, beginning at 6 p.m. in the library. I hear of a lot of critique through social media platforms, but have been disappointed in the lack of participation in past events. Remember, this is a great opportunity to share thoughts, ideas, or concerns and dialogue around how we can continue to build upon the success of our district. I hope to see many of you there. 

Sincerely,

Dan Snowberger,
Superintendent

Sept. 6, 2023

Dear parents and members of the community,

It’s been a busy start to the school year so far. I have enjoyed getting into classrooms and seeing the great things underway across the district. I even enjoyed assuming the role of Paul Bunyan for a second grade Tall Tales unit at one of our schools. I do miss being a teacher and welcome the opportunity when opportunities allow. It has become very apparent to me that we have amazing students and teachers in this district!

UPCOMING EVENTS: Here is some information on upcoming events that may be of interest to you:

• Friday, Sept. 15 – Community BBQ: The district is hosting its first, free back-to-school BBQ to provide the opportunity of getting to know our district leadership and meet your neighbors. Please plan to join us between 4 and 6 p.m. at Elizabeth High School for hot dogs and hamburgers, as well as games for our students. We invite you to also stay that evening for a high school football game where you will see our amazing athletes, talented marching band, and pride-filled poms team. Also that evening, we will have a halftime performance by our “mini-Cards” – our young cheerleaders from across our community. (flyer at this link).
• Wednesday, Oct. 11 – School Board Candidate Forum: The school district is offering an opportunity for the candidates seeking seats on the school board to be present for conversation with members of our community from 6-7:30 p.m. at Elizabeth High School cafetorium. We have two groups of candidates – those seeking two-year seats and some seeking four-year seats. There are three candidates in each race seeking to fill two open seats for each term. A total of four board seats are up for election on Nov. 7. Cookies, coffee, and water will be provided. Come meet and learn about those who would like to serve on our school board. For more information on the verified candidates who are running for school board, visit this link. 

SUPERINTENDENT FORUMS: It is also important that I hear from you on how our district can continue to improve. To that end, I’m hosting open forums at each of our schools to simply provide us a time to chat as a community and ensure that I know your thoughts, ideas, and concerns. While I provide a quick update for 5-10 minutes, these will be times for me to answer questions, discuss ideas, and engage in dialogue around concerns. Please join me from 6-7:30 p.m. at any of the following locations if you can:

• Wednesday, Sept. 20, Running Creek Elementary
• Wednesday, Oct. 4, Singing Hills Elementary
• Wednesday, Nov. 1, Elizabeth Middle School
• Wednesday, Nov. 8, Elizabeth High School

ELIZABETH EDUCATION FOUNDATION: A few weeks ago, the current leadership of the Elizabeth Education Foundation notified us of their desire to step down after many years of leadership. A foundation is an important part of a public school district. As a 501(c)(3) organization, it can collect tax-deductible donations from individuals and other grant funders not available to school districts. The current leadership has agreed to meet with any members of our community willing to get involved and contribute to the leadership team to maintain this important foundation. One of the many things this foundation does is recognize students each year in their STARS banquet for citizenship – something we need to do more of in our world today. If you are willing to learn more and consider how you might be willing to help, we invite you to meet with them and me at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 12, in our boardroom. I am very hopeful that we will be able to maintain this important organization for our community and thank the current leadership for their patience and commitment to transitioning the organization to a new generation of leaders.  

WATER UPDATE: Those of you at Singing Hills know we had a water pipe break prior to the start of the school year. I am happy to report that a permanent pipe replacement is scheduled for Fall Break week. This should be a permanent resolution to the water challenges at that building. Finally, we have been able to reactivate all but seven fixtures that originally tested high for lead at our elementary schools. The remaining seven fixtures are being replaced and will remain off until those permanent fixes are in place. Of course, ongoing testing will occur to ensure that water at our schools remains safe. We appreciate your patience. Testing at the middle school and high school will happen later in the year, per the State of Colorado’s rollout plan. We will communicate all results to you as soon as we receive them. 

I have greatly enjoyed the many opportunities I’ve had to get to know parents and community members here in Elizabeth. If you see me at school events, sporting events, or just someplace in the community, I’d welcome the opportunity to meet you. Never hesitate to reach out. I am always happy to schedule time to meet with you, including in the evening as I recognize that parents are busy. This is your school district and your feedback is greatly appreciated as we all work to make sure Elizabeth is the best place to LEARN for our students and WORK for our employees. 

All the best,

Dan Snowberger
Superintendent

Aug. 24, 2023

Dear parents and members of our community,

I want to thank you for a great start of the year. I’ve enjoyed meeting some of you as I’ve visited schools over the past few weeks. Our teachers, support staff, and administration are excited to have the school year underway.

I have heard of multiple conversations in the community recently regarding heat and the air-conditioning situation at our elementary schools. Neither of our elementary schools has ever had air conditioning. Last spring, our board wrestled with trying to find a way to achieve cooling in the elementary schools. The total cost for that project is $6-7 million. To put this in perspective, we could cut our entire central office and still be several million away from achieving this investment. Even our 2018 mill levy (up to $1.59 million) which was approved by voters to help increase teacher salaries, improve security and technology, would not cover the cost of this installation.

While this was not affordable this year, the current school board executed a loan this summer resulting from energy savings achieved, allowing us to install infrastructure which will clear the way to air conditioning at our two elementary schools. Currently, the schools’ electrical systems and infrastructure could not support the load of the air conditioning system. This is the first effort made to actually achieve the outcome of air conditioning in those buildings, and I appreciate the board’s support. This system upgrade will allow us to also control outside air flow, thereby achieving some additional cooling of the buildings in the meantime. We have applied for a number of grants to help us complete the air-conditioning project. To date, we have not been notified of any such grants being awarded.

Sadly, a strand on social media allowed a lot of misinformation and speculation to be shared. I encourage parents to reach out should you have a question, and help us share accurate information with our community. I appreciate the community members who alerted me to the conversation.  

We are certainly open to changes that the community would support with regard to when school starts and ends. Know that our school calendar for next year will be developed by our District Accountability Committee, with input from our School Accountability Committees, in the coming months. We don’t have the luxury of shortening our year, but can reallocate it based on your feedback and either continue school further into May or June, or shorten the holiday breaks as needed. We hope you will get involved in this process.

While we have not made a decision to close school up to this point, please know that parents have the right to keep their children home when they feel it is best for them. I appreciate the hard work of staff who are using fans and other strategies to manage in this highly difficult situation. We continue to hope that we will see more mild temperatures in the coming weeks.

Finally on a positive note, we do have two exciting events coming up that we’d like to make you aware of. 

• Our first home game has been designated as the Denver Broncos High School Football Game of the Week on Sept. 1, starting at 7 p.m. at our stadium. During this game, we will welcome former Denver Broncos players and Denver Broncos cheerleaders. We invite any member of our community to come and watch our amazing team, our fantastic band, our spirited poms team, and our amazing student body cheer on their team. That day also marks the first home game for our brand-new girls flag football team at 4:30 p.m.
• On Friday, Sept. 15, our district will host a Community BBQ/meet-and-greet (see the attached flyer). District staff and the school board will provide hamburgers, hot dogs, chips and drinks for free; we’ll have games for kids, and just take a couple of hours (4-6 p.m.) to enjoy chatting with our friends and neighbors. We hope our community sticks around to cheer on our football team that night too. Along with the marching band and poms team, halftime of that night’s game will also feature dozens and dozens of mini-Cardinals (ages 3-12) who will have learned a routine just for that game at the poms team’s cheer clinics.

Starting next month, I will host some community conversations at our schools to engage in dialogue with you and other members of our community about our mission and vision.  Dialogue makes us stronger, so I hope you will watch for those opportunities and join me. Please watch for those invites in the coming month. I believe strongly that amazing things are ahead of us for Elizabeth School District and our community.

Don’t hesitate to reach out to me should you have questions, comments, or concerns.

Sincerely,

Dan Snowberger,
Superintendent

Aug. 7, 2023 

Dear Parents and Members of the Community,

It’s hard to believe that the start of the 2023-24 school year is here. We are excited about this year’s focus on increasing transparency and building an even stronger partnership with our parents and our community. We recognize that you have choices in education, and we thank you for choosing Elizabeth School District.

While we are pleased with the team we have put together, we continue to look at building our local talent who want to become teachers and serve our community. As previously mentioned, we are excited about our partnership with the Public Education Business Coalition, or PEBC. They are working to provide teacher residency opportunities for individuals who have graduated from college in another field to become teachers. These individuals receive significant compensation through stipends, and our district provides health insurance for each during their residency year. 

We need your help in spreading the word about our program to neighbors, friends and other members of our community. PEBC is hosting a virtual information session on Wednesday, Aug. 9 from 5-6 p.m. To join the meeting, participants simply need the link below and the password.

http://denverzoom.pebc.org/

Password:  pebc

As shared in our early summer email, we did make a minor change in our calendar. Attached is an updated calendar. Again, we moved a professional development day to Friday, Sept. 22, which is now a day off for students. We added a school day on March 14, which originally was a day off for students but now is a regular school day.  

 _____

Here's an important message from Transportation Director Mark Ressel:

The Transportation Department is rapidly gearing up for the new year of transporting students safely to and from school and to school-related events. Transportation representatives will be at all schools during Registration Days so they can answer any questions you might have about your children's bus transportation. Additionally, they will be providing copies of the Bus Rules so you and your student will be aware of our expectations for all bus riders, whether they are riding to and from school, or on field trips and/or sports trips. Bus drivers have picked up their student lists and will be contacting you with bus numbers, stop locations, and stop times.  

Although we trained two new drivers over the summer, we desperately need more. We barely have enough to cover existing routes, but have no capacity to add routes to account for growth. We are also limited when it comes to supporting field- and sports trips. We provide paid training to earn a Commercial Driver’s License, and it's a particularly good job for semi-retired people, parents with children in school, and even parents with preschool students at home. If you, or anyone you know has any interest in being a bus driver, please call Transportation at 303-646-6790 for more details.  

 _____

As the school year begins, please do reach out to our principals should you have any concerns. Please also know I am here and ready to support you in any way. Don’t hesitate to reach out by phone or email.

Sincerely,

Dan Snowberger
Superintendent

Updated 2023-24 Parent Calendar

July 20, 2023

Dear Parents & Community Stakeholders,

I hope this message finds you enjoying your summer break with your children. We are busy planning for the 2023-24 school year here at the District Office, and I am excited to finally be full-time in the district. I’ve enjoyed getting to meet many parents and members of the community in my transition period. Please know I am here and available should you wish to meet. 

I know we live in a very politically charged world. My hope is to remain focused on educating our children to have the skills necessary to be successful regardless of their future path in college, career, or the military. We will intentionally steer away from topics and initiatives that could be contrary to your family values. While schools have been asked to take on greater responsibility in raising our children, we will continue to commit to working in partnership with our parents to make sure we honor and respect the values our children bring to our schools.  

As a society, we see so many people turn to social media as their first source of questioning or criticizing. While we all have rights to share our opinions publicly, please know our administrators and I are open to direct feedback from you and will always work to rectify situations where mistakes are made or where we may disagree on an issue. As I have shared in the past, I don’t monitor social media, nor do I find it a useful source of information. I encourage direct communication with the source of concern and want you to know I am always here to listen, brainstorm, and problem-solve if I can be of help. As human beings, we are far from perfect but committed to working with you to ensure the success of your children.

Of course, one of the central aspects of student success is a complete, well-qualified staff. We are actively working to hire all open positions in the district. We had a very successful job fair in May and are planning another Job Fair on Tuesday, July 25. If you know of individuals who are interested in working in the district in any capacity, please let them know to join us from 4-6 p.m. at Elizabeth High School on Tuesday, July 25. This includes bus drivers, support staff, substitutes, etc. Even if you think you don’t qualify, please come and learn more.  We are proud of the work we have done on salaries and believe we have a lot to offer as an employer here in our community. 

For those who may have graduated with a degree in some other area but are interested in becoming a teacher, we are excited about our partnership with the Public Education & Business Coalition (PEBC) in its Teacher Residency Program. If you have interest in teaching in the future, this program pairs you with a master teacher in the district to assist you for the coming year in achieving licensure and valuable experience in ensuring your success as you enter the profession. Residents are paid around $30,000 and will receive health benefits from the district during their residency. For more information, please come to our job fair. An information session will be offered at 5 p.m. at Elizabeth High School during the July 25 fair where you can learn more.

With some important new hires we have already made, we look forward to increasing the safety and security of our campuses. We are excited to have two full-time police officers on our campuses – specifically at the high school and middle school. We also are excited at the addition of two armed and highly trained security specialists who will join our security team in the coming year along with our full-time security monitors at both the high school and middle school. We know we all need to work in partnership to ensure the safety of our schools. We continue to count on parents and students to report concerns and concerning behavior immediately to our school administrators or through the Safe2Tell program. I encourage you to have conversations with your child(ren) before school begins about the important role they play in this effort. 

Finally, we have made one minor modification to our school calendar for next year. Due to some of the initiatives we have instituted for next year, we have moved a Professional Development Day from Thursday, March 14, to Friday, Sept. 22. The September date will now be a professional development day where students will be out of school. Thursday, March 14, which was a professional development day for staff and a non-attendance day for students, is now a school day. This is the day before Spring Break. If you have already planned a trip, your child’s absence will be excused on that day. Thanks for your understanding with this change.

Don’t hesitate to reach out if I can be of assistance. And remember we’re also asking for assistance: Our board is looking for volunteers for several committees to increase the involvement of stakeholders. If you are interested, please check out our board’s committee webpage. These committees will form in August. 

Enjoy the rest of the summer, and we’ll see you in August!

Sincerely,

Dan Snowberger
Superintendent

May 18, 2023 

Dear Parents and members of the Elizabeth School District community,

We are quickly approaching the end of the school year and hope that you will find time to recharge in some way over the summer. It has been an honor to get to know many of you as I have been transitioning into the district and looking forward to being here full-time where I can spend more time in our schools getting to know our students.

“WE WANT YOU!” Yes, this conjures up the old Uncle Sam picture, but is very true for our circumstance in Elizabeth School District today. We are working to fill open positions in the district that include a variety of roles and responsibilities. We have an amazing team of individuals committed to the success of our students, and you could become part of our team! I would like to invite you to a job fair on Tuesday, May 23, at Elizabeth High School from 4-6 p.m. The open positions include bus drivers, custodians, skilled trades, paraprofessionals, preschool staff, substitute teachers, special education therapists, and teachers – both general education and special education. We encourage those of you looking for a job to come by and visit with us next Tuesday -- and please share the attached flyer with anyone you know who may be looking for a job. 

Next year, we do have some opportunity for those in our community with a bachelor’s or master’s degree to consider becoming a teacher with lots of training and support. Through a residency program run by the Public Education Business Coalition, those of you who have graduated from college may be eligible to become educators and start a new career with us. A special information session on this program will begin at 5 p.m., during the Job Fair at Elizabeth High School.  

While we have made positive headway in increasing salaries and improving benefits for next year, we know we have some more work to do moving forward. Next year, we will begin transforming our compensation system for both our teachers and support staff, providing an opportunity for increased compensation, and recognizing those contributions that improve the experience of our students. By joining our team, you will have an opportunity to help Elizabeth School District become the “Best Place to Work!”

My transition into this role will be complete, and I will begin my role as superintendent full-time on July 1. I’ve enjoyed getting to know staff and members of our community during the past couple of months during my limited time in the district. I would welcome the opportunity of meeting with any of you to further learn our strengths and opportunities for improvement as a district. Don’t hesitate to give me a call or email me if you would like to meet. 

On behalf of our Board, our administrators, our teachers, and the amazing team of support staff members across the district, I wish you a restful and relaxing summer for you and your children and look forward to seeing you in the new school year!

Dan Snowberger
Superintendent

Job Fair flyer

April 28, 2023 

Dear Parents and Stakeholders of Elizabeth School District,

It’s been almost 7 weeks since I have joined the district team. While I still am transitioning out of my former job, my time in the district in speaking with parents, staff, and members of our community have been helpful as I gain an understanding of the needs of our district. We are excited at the things we’ve been able to accomplish for our staff regarding compensation and even more excited at the recruitment that’s been underway to fill a majority of our open teaching positions for next year in the district. Truly great things are ahead for our students.

We are rapidly approaching the end of the school year. It is always a great time of the year to celebrate our students’ accomplishments and recognize their achievements. One of the most important things to celebrate is character and citizenship. In this crazy world we live in, our students have fewer and fewer positive role models. As a community, I believe each of us serves as that model for our children who watch intently our behavior and interactions.

As some of you know, our board has been discussing a Parent’s Rights and Responsibility Policy to ensure that our district continues to engage parents in important decisions around their children. We understand that, as a school district, we are not here to raise your kids but to partner with parents in ensuring that they grow up as contributing citizens in our community. This does require active engagement of our parents in the education of their children and open conversations between parents and their children about what they expect of them with regard to their character and behavior. 

Earlier in the week, we had an assault occur at one of our schools where one student not only recorded the incident, but others stood by and watched as a student was seriously injured. As a result, we have students now potentially facing criminal charges and some facing expulsion from school. Even more disappointing is that as we investigated, we received reports of attempts to influence statements of witnesses and threats to the victim and their family on social media. This is a sad day for our community where some would turn on a victim seriously injured by a peer instead of wrapping them with support and empathy.

This is a great opportunity for each of us to have important conversations with our children about right and wrong. In our district, we will hold students accountable for their actions consistently and fairly. We will protect our students from threats both internally and externally. We count on students to do the right thing. Reporting potential harm to their peers is not “being a snitch,” but the right thing to do. Imagine a world where we all became upstanders instead of bystanders. Our children need to be recognized for doing the right thing and standing up for peers who are being picked on or bullied. We will not tolerate bullying behavior in Elizabeth School District. There is no better time than now to talk with our children about this important topic.

We do have amazing students in our community, and we have the opportunity of producing great citizens as they enter adulthood, making not only our town and county great places to live, but also our state and nation. We look forward to partnering with you as we all do our part in building strong character in our children.  

Sincerely,

Dan Snowberger
Superintendent

Snowberger Meet and Greet flyer

April 18, 2023

Dear Parents and Guardians of Incoming Preschool Students, 

We are excited to have your family enrolling in an Elizabeth School District Preschool Program for the 2023-2024 school year. Last spring, Colorado expanded preschool availability with the adoption of universal preschool. Over the past year, school districts have been working to understand, evaluate, and adjust programming and funding as a response. These changes affect not only the methods for registering students for preschool but also funding. Over the past few months, while confirming funding, staffing, and the number of available spots for students in Elizabeth, it has become apparent that we need to adjust our private-pay rates for preschool to maintain a viable financial program that best meets the needs of students.  

Basically, there are two funding sources for preschool enrollment: universal preschool and private pay. Families have the ability to choose which funding source they prefer to fund their student’s enrollment. The funding rate for those choosing to use universal preschool funding has been set by the state. Utilizing this funding requires a family to complete the universal preschool application. However, sometimes families prefer to fund their students through private pay rather than completing the state application for funding.

After a review of the new universal preschool financial structures, it is apparent the district will need to increase the private-pay rates in order to meet the funding needs of preschool programs. Currently, the district is subsidizing preschool from K-12 funding. Meanwhile, the state is funding students at a higher rate than our private-pay fees. As a result, the district will gradually increase private-pay rates to be more in line with state funding received for each preschool student.  

These rates will increase only for private pay as the district does not set the rates for state funding. Families who have previously chosen private pay to fund their student’s preschool registration are still eligible to complete the universal preschool application and fund their registration through the Colorado Universal Preschool program instead of private pay if desired.  

Updated Private Pay Rates

Half-Day Enrollment

• 3-year-old private pay will increase from $2,700 per year to $3,700 per year or $100/month
• 4-year-old private pay will increase from $3,600 per year to $4,600 per year or $100/month

Full-Day Enrollment 

• 4-year-old private pay will increase from $6,300 per year to $8,300 per year or $200/month

We recognize that this change is late in the process, but I take fiscal responsibility of the district very seriously and want to ensure that funds received for children are used as they are designated (K-12 funds for K-12 students).  As a reminder, please know that if you previously planned for private pay, you are still eligible for state funding by completing the Colorado Universal Preschool application. 

To assist interested families who would like to hear more about this change or seek assistance in completing the universal preschool application, we are planning a pair of informational sessions:

• 6 p.m., Monday, April 17, at Singing Hills Elementary
• 6 p.m., Thursday, April 20, at Running Creek Elementary

At these sessions, the preschool staff and I will be available to answer questions and assist with universal preschool enrollment if you choose to change from private pay. If you decide to make a different decision with regard to your child’s enrollment, please print and complete the tear-off portion below and return to your child’s preschool program.

Please direct any questions outside of these meetings to me at DSnowberger@esdk12.org or 303-646-1836. Thank you for your understanding.

Sincerely,

Dan Snowberger
Superintendent

**********************   Print, Detach & Return to Your Preschool **********************

Child’s Name:  _______________________________________________________

Parent’s Name:  ______________________________________________________

Preschool Site:  ______________________________________________________

• I will continue to maintain my child’s enrollment as a Parent Pay model and acknowledge the change in rates.
• I will complete registration for Universal Preschool through the State of Colorado to seek financial support for my child’s preschool program.
• I withdraw my child from registration in the 2023-24 school year from the Preschool Program.
• I intend to attend one of the information sessions next week.

Parent Signature:  ____________________________________  Date:  ______________

March 16, 2023

Dear Parents of Elizabeth School District,

It is with great enthusiasm that I join the Elizabeth School District team as Superintendent of Schools.  Prior to joining the Elizabeth team, I have served as a superintendent, assistant superintendent, school administrator, teacher, and support staff member in districts both in Colorado and Florida. Married for 33 years to my wife, Olga, and having five children of my own, I recognize the importance of education and the importance of parents’ role in the process. 

I am most proud of the strong relationships I have had with the communities I have served, and I look forward to earning your trust and confidence as we get to know each other. While I will be transitioning over the next three months from my current position, I wanted to reach out and introduce myself. I will be in the district increasingly more time each month as we approach the end of the year. I strongly believe in dialogue and partnership with parents and members of our community so that we can ensure we are meeting your expectations. The Elizabeth School District belongs to YOU as citizens, and it is the responsibility of our Board and Superintendent to ensure that we uphold your values and truly focus on preparing your child for success when they graduate from our schools. 

We find ourselves in a divisive world where we don’t necessarily engage in conversation anymore. Social media has provided us an avenue to be critical and make allegations, lacking dialogue or the ability to work to find common ground, identify facts, or influence ideas. I don’t use social media and give little credence to posts on such platforms. Such posts can have a huge impact on the morale and retention of staff. I do invite you to communicate directly with me or other school leaders should you have ideas, concerns, or questions. I will be visible in the district and respond directly to emails or phone calls when received, and I am always ready to meet in person should you desire.

We have an amazing staff who, despite lower pay and benefits, have chosen to serve your children! Across the country, fewer and fewer individuals are choosing to enter the teaching profession, and vacant positions are becoming commonplace. This is OUR challenge! Please recognize that our staff wakes up every morning with the intention of doing their very best for our students. Together, we can all improve and learn from our experiences if we can simply communicate when concerns or frustrations exist. The recent public conflict in the district has had an impact on staff, and it is incumbent upon each of us to reach out and express our appreciation to each adult that works in the district – teachers, support staff, and leaders. Doing so could certainly help head off future staff departures and ensure we build a district where respect and support attract others to join our team.

I recognize that some members of our community are deeply concerned about their children being exposed to material and topics that conflict with their own personal values and beliefs. This has been highly covered nationally by some media sources as other districts have infringed on the rights of parents. Our schools will not do so now or in the future, and we will work hard to build your trust and operate transparently. If you have any such concern, please immediately reach out to your school leaders, other district leaders, or me.

I look forward to getting to know you over the next several months and have high hopes that Elizabeth School District will continue to be an even better place for our students to learn, and the very best place for our staff to work! Please join me on this mission.

Sincerely,

Dan Snowberger
Incoming Superintendent