Amid heightened public scrutiny following recent leadership upheaval, the Cherry Creek School District will launch an independent audit of its internal controls and impose stricter contract approval rules, lowering the dollar threshold for board oversight and requiring additional executive and legal sign-offs on spending.

Friday was the fifth time the board has met over the past three weeks to address structural reforms since former Superintendent Chris Smith abruptly resigned in the wake of allegations he had created a toxic work environment with his wife, Brenda Smith.

Brenda Smith, the district’s chief human resources officer, has since been placed on paid administrative leave.

Assistant Superintendent Tony Poole is also on administrative leave, although officials have declined to say whether he is being paid.

Assistant Superintendent Jennifer Perry has been named interim superintendent.

The board has taken the following steps to right the ship:

• Initiated an audit to review internal controls, operational processes and fiscal responsibilities.
• Established an Audit Process Committee, which will recommend a vendor to perform the audit, review findings and make recommendations.

“Our community expects transparency and strong stewardship of public resources, and we are taking clear, decisive steps to deliver both,” Board President Anne Egan said in a statement.

“We are strengthening oversight, reinforcing our financial safeguards, and ensuring thoughtful leadership in service to students. Our focus remains the same: academic excellence and meaningful pathways for every student.”

The board also approved reforms arising from Smith’s resignation and the investigation of his wife that include mandating the Legal Department review all contracts and creating new travel guidelines.

Two weeks ago, the board also placed a freeze on certain travel and new contracts with the intention of reviewing district policies related to nepotism and conflicts of interest.

District officials were first warned of issues arising from nepotism four years ago.

In 2022, The Denver Gazette reported that the district was under multiple federal civil rights investigations tied to allegations of sex- and race-based discrimination, retaliation and unequal treatment in pay, discipline and harassment complaints, including allegations involving Poole and his wife, Rebecca López.

López is the director of Neurodiverse Student Services.

The investigations were opened by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights under Title IX and Title VI.

Poole, who started with the district as a teacher in 1989, had submitted paperwork on Jan. 20 for a 110-day calendar work year, often a signal for post-retirement employment.

Under PERA rules, retirees may work up to 110 days in a calendar year.

During the board of education meeting earlier this week, directors asked the community for patience as they try to rebuild trust.

“I understand the frustration,” Director Mike Hamrick has said. “We are listening. We are taking action.”

Parents spoke out against a culture of nepotism and toxicity and urged members to make real change, not “a superficial reorganization.”

With nearly 52,000 students, Cherry Creek is the fourth-largest school district in Colorado and consistently ranks among the best in the state, Colorado Department of Education data shows.

The board was expected to begin its superintendent search this month, but has pushed it off until the end of summer, officials announced Friday. The selection process would then begin in the fall.

Perry’s contract has been extended through June 30, with the option to extend through the following school year.