About us

The District Accountability Committee membership draws from parents, teachers, administrators, community members, and students.  The role of the committee is to help guide the board in the areas of curriculum, instruction, budget, and other areas defined by the committee.  It is a great opportunity to support the school district and get involved in what matters most:  the education of our children!
The CC-V Accountability Committee meets monthly on the third Tuesday at 5:00 p.m. in the Board Room located in Cripple Creek-Victor Jr./Sr. High School.

Letter to the community

Dear Cripple Creek-Victor School Community:
The Cripple Creek-Victor District Accountability Committee had many tasks during the 2009-2010 school year. With budget cuts from the state imminent and our enrollment decreasing we had serious issues to confront. Our team consisted of teachers, parents, administrators, a school board member, and a community member. We appreciate the time and dedication our team members gave to this important committee.
According to state guidelines, the accountability committee is charged with studying a number of topics including the district calendar, budget, staffing, textbooks, school and district improvement plans, test results, and other issues, and making recommendations to the school board. With a wide range of perspectives on the committee, issues are seen through different “glasses” and lively questions and discussions occur. This year’s committee reviewed our accreditation and the Colorado Student Assessment Program (CSAP)growth model, assisted with the superintendent evaluation tool, considered our budget analysis and recommendations, looked at budget survey results, studied discipline models for both schools, examined and gave suggestions for the improvement of the new district website, discussed Powerschool (our new student information system), analyzed the calendar for 2010-2011, and considered ways to increase our enrollment.
One of the most crucial topics for consideration last year was the budget. With 10% cuts anticipated for the 2010-2011 school year it was necessary to make cuts across the board, in every department and area of the budget. The committee looked at survey results from the staff and community, considered the priorities that emerged, and made suggestions for the school board and administration to consider. As a result our district was able to create a budget that allowed many of the same class choices for the secondary school and maintained small class sizes at the elementary, two of the highest priorities of the community and staff.
The committee reviewed the new growth model that the Colorado Department of Education put into effect to report students’ progress and schools’ performance. This report looks quite different from the old one, and the administration explained the changes to the accountability committee. Our reports showed fairly high achievement for students at the elementary level, but not as much individual student growth as we would like. At the secondary level, growth was good and we need to continue to increase achievement. At the elementary we adopted a new reading program to more fully address Colorado standards and benchmarks. We implemented an intervention program in reading and math with consistent progress monitoring to document students’ growth. At the secondary school we improved our Literacy Lab classes to more specifically meet students’ needs and implemented Math Foundations classes as an intervention for students who were performing below proficient on state tests.
The accountability committee gave specific feedback and suggestions for our new district web site, which were implemented. We are working to improve our communication with parents and community on the website.
Discipline is always a hot topic at any school. The secondary school adopted a Positive Behavior Support system with the guidance of CDE. The elementary will adopt a similar program next year. The secondary program also included a “Step Up” system for students with major behavior problems. This system was explained to the accountability committee and data was collected to gauge its success. The elementary staff has studied Love and Logic, with school-wide adherence to a number of their principles, including helping students be accountable for their behavior, responding with empathy, and providing logical consequences. The two schools are working toward continuity between the elementary and secondary buildings so that expectations and consequences are similar.
We were involved in many important issues that influenced the success of the district in 2009-2010. We encourage all parents and community members to be involved with our schools, and we welcome new members to the accountability committee. We meet once a month. Please consider being a mentor, volunteering at one of our buildings, or joining our committee.
Student excellence is our top priority. It is our mission to prepare our students for success throughout their lives; creating happy, healthy, and productive adults. Our students are the future leaders of our community and beyond, and we recognize the importance of what we do. When we work as a team with parents, staff, and community we can accomplish great things.
Sincerely,
The 2009-2010 Accountability Committee