Tag: Cherry Creek School District

After refusing to release the cost of the investigation into the former Cherry Creek School District superintendent and his wife, the district’s former human resources chief, officials said they have spent more than $45,000. As of June 1, Kaplan and Earnest had invoiced the district $46,031.85 for the investigation, records show. The district hired the…

A demand letter from the attorney representing former Cherry Creek School District Superintendent Chris Smith alleges the board of education promised to pay his salary for 18 months if he agreed to voluntarily resign, which Smith did. He did so during an executive session held on Jan. 27 to discuss his mid-year review. The March…

In a unanimous vote Wednesday, the Cherry Creek School District Board of Education appointed Keith Frazier to the position left vacant by former Director Terry Bates, who resigned abruptly after making “racialized remarks.” The board considered five eligible candidates. The other candidates interviewed were:Christopher Locky, April Rasheeda Ouedraogo, Ross Peterson and Amanda Thayer. It’s unclear…

The Cherry Creek School District hired an outside law firm to investigate former Superintendent Chris Smith and former Human Resources Chief Brenda Smith, but officials are withholding records that would reveal how much taxpayers spent on the investigation. Chris and Brenda Smith are married. On May 15, The Denver Gazette requested under the Colorado Open…

An independent investigation into the business travel and vendor relationships of former Cherry Creek Superintendent Chris Smith and his wife, former Human Resources Chief Brenda Smith, found a pattern of poor judgment, favoritism toward a vendor and lax oversight that investigators concluded likely violated district policy. Investigators with Caplan and Earnest found no evidence of…

The Cherry Creek School Board today announced the termination of Brenda Smith, the district’s chief human resource officer. She’s the wife of former Superintendent Chris Smith, who abruptly resigned in January during his annual review. Brenda Smith’s termination marks the latest upheaval for a district that has faced months of leadership turmoil and controversy. “In…

Cherry Creek School District taxpayers will pay Assistant Superintendent Anthony Poole more than $190,000 to retire at the end of the school year, according to the school district’s separation agreement. Obtained under the Colorado Open Records Act, the agreement stipulates that the Cherry Creek School District will pay him a lump sum of $187,925 under…

After being placed on leave, Assistant Superintendent Anthony Poole will retire at the end of the school year — the latest leadership shakeup in the Cherry Creek School District tied to past workplace misconduct allegations and transparency concerns. Cherry Creek School District officials confirmed Poole’s retirement Monday but the district declined to provide any information…

Cherry Creek’s transparency pledge is facing questions as the district charges more than $1,200 to release travel records sought after issues involving former Superintendent Chris Smith led the board to impose a temporary ban on most travel. In the wake of a shakeup that included placing two top officials on administrative following Smith’s abrupt resignation,…