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Douglas County School District elections
General election date
November 7, 2023
Enrollment ('22-'23)
62,341 students

Incumbent Susan Meek, Brad Geiger, and Valerie Thompson won election to three seats on the Douglas County School Board in Colorado on November 7, 2023. As a result of the election, the board will have a 4-3 conservative majority. In Douglas County, candidates are required to live in the district they run to represent, but every voter in the school district votes in every race, as if each were an at-large election. The Douglas County School District served approximately 63,000 students as of the 2020-21 school year and is located south of Denver.

Heading into the election, the board had a 5-2 conservative majority. Four members of the conservative majority were elected as part of a slate in November 2021.^[1] The board's two liberal members, Meek and David Ray, held two of the seats up for election in 2023. Conservative member Jason Page held the third.

Incumbent Meek, who was first elected in 2019, and Andy Jones ran in District A.

Incumbent Page, David DiCarlo, and Geiger ran in District C. The school board appointed Page to the office in June 2023 to replace former board member Elizabeth Hanson. Hanson resigned during a school board meeting in May while the district was debating revisions to its equity policy.^[2]

Maria Sumnicht and Thompson ran in District F. Incumbent Ray was term-limited.

Jones, Page, and Sumnicht ran as the "Best DCSD" slate of candidates that aligned with the existing conservative majority.^[3] On the slate's website, the candidates said they "are passionate about our public school district and everything we do will focus on academic excellence and alternative pathways to student success."^[4]

Ray, the term-limited member of the board's minority, endorsed a candidate in each race (Meek, Geiger, and Thompson).

The other four candidates did not run as part of a slate. DiCarlo said he would be a "conservative anchor who will represent and be accountable to the citizens and taxpayers of Douglas County."^[5] Geiger said he was running "to help the board work together to address...important concerns without rancor and avoiding outside political influence."^[6] Meek said her top priorities were supporting "safe and welcoming schools, stable teaching and learning environments, locally-driven innovation, and equitable learning opportunities."^[7] Thompson said she was running "to provide stability for our district through informed decision-making, following processes and protocols, and operating in a manner that welcomes an engaged community.”^[8]

The election followed two noteworthy events. In February 2022, the board voted 4-3 along ideological lines to terminate the contract of former superintendent Corey Wise, which resulted in a $830,000 settlement. In spring 2021, amid delays in returns to in-person instruction for grades 6-12, members of the board's liberal minority were targeted in unsuccessful recall attempts. To read more about both of those events, click here.

Voters elect directors to four-year terms in odd-numbered years. The filing deadline for this election was Sept. 1, 2023.

Susan Meek (Nonpartisan) and Andy Jones (Nonpartisan) completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. Click on a candidate's name to view that candidate's responses.

Jason Page (Nonpartisan), David DiCarlo (Nonpartisan), and Brad Geiger (Nonpartisan) completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. Click on a candidate's name to view that candidate's responses.

Valerie Thompson (Nonpartisan) completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. Click on a candidate's name to view that candidate's responses.

Ballotpedia provided in-depth coverage of 14 school board elections in November 2023. Click the links below to read about each of those elections. To read more election analysis across all school board elections in these states, click here.

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Elections

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Candidates and results

District A

General election

General election for Douglas County School District Board of Directors District A

Incumbent Susan Meek defeated Andy Jones in the general election for Douglas County School District Board of Directors District A on November 7, 2023.

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Susan Meek (Nonpartisan)	52.9	66,740
	Andy Jones (Nonpartisan)	47.1	59,536

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 126,276
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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District C

General election

General election for Douglas County School District Board of Directors District C

Brad Geiger defeated incumbent Jason Page and David DiCarlo in the general election for Douglas County School District Board of Directors District C on November 7, 2023.

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Brad Geiger (Nonpartisan)	47.7	60,243
	Jason Page (Nonpartisan)	29.0	36,685
	David DiCarlo (Nonpartisan)	23.3	29,408

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 126,336
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

District F

General election

General election for Douglas County School District Board of Directors District F

Valerie Thompson defeated Maria Sumnicht in the general election for Douglas County School District Board of Directors District F on November 7, 2023.

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Valerie Thompson (Nonpartisan)	55.4	68,576
	Maria Sumnicht (Nonpartisan)	44.6	55,139

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 123,715
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Additional elections on the ballot

See also: Colorado elections, 2023

What's on your ballot?

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November 7, 2023

Candidate comparison

Candidate profiles

District A

This section includes candidate profiles that may be created in one of two ways: either the candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey, or Ballotpedia staff may compile a profile based on campaign websites, advertisements, and public statements after identifying the candidate as noteworthy. For more on how we select candidates to include, click here.

Susan Meek

Incumbent: Yes

Political Office: None

Submitted Biography: "I am running for re-election to the Douglas County School District Board of Education with a primary focus on creating an educational setting that prioritizes the academic achievement and well-being of every student. Our district faces significant challenges, including the perception of excessive politicization on the board, an inability to offer competitive teacher salaries, and addressing societal impediments to creating welcoming environments for all students. Serving as a school board member is demanding, with a steep learning curve and the potential for significant consequences resulting from poor decisions. Since being elected to the board, I’ve worked to become more knowledgeable in how to be an effective board director. I've successfully collaborated with our diverse board to strengthen our district. Thanks to choices made over the past four years, our student academic scores continue to improve and outpace others. As a collaborative leader, I recognize the value of all voices and have a proven track record of unifying people around a shared vision. My experience in education leadership equips me with an understanding of the complex school board oversight role. With my skills and experience, I am well-prepared to foster partnerships and engage the public to strengthen our community."

Key Messages

To read this candidate's full survey responses, click here.

Ensure our schools are safe and welcoming for every student

Establish stable and equitable teaching and learning environments

Create a culture of trust based on transparency, accountability, and connecting with our community

This information was current as of the candidate's run for Douglas County School District Board of Directors District A in 2023.

Andy Jones

Incumbent: No

Political Office: None

Submitted Biography: "In good times or times of difficulty, a large organization such as the Douglas County School District demands a visionary leader. My name is Andy Jones and I am running for school board director in District A to be one of the architects of this district’s future. I am currently a captain at a major airline and a retired Navy Captain who served my country honorably for 30 years. I am a highly decorated Iraq War veteran who flew off of aircraft carriers, commanded several units, planned and executed major maritime exercises, and led volunteer heroes, men and women in some of the most hostile environments and conditions. After 30 years in the military, I just can’t turn off the passion to serve my country or county. So, I desire to share my extensive leadership experience with our School District team. I have a full understanding of the role and scope of a highly effective board including: upholding basic fiduciary principles while looking at key challenges through the prism of “risk.” Additionally, as a parent of three kids who were educated in our public schools, my focus areas will be: excellence in academics, student safety & success, and teamwork between parents, teachers and the community! I am qualified on day one to step into the role of Board Director and lead this school district to new heights."

Key Messages

To read this candidate's full survey responses, click here.

Excellence In Education

Student safety and success

Teamwork between parents, teachers and the community

This information was current as of the candidate's run for Douglas County School District Board of Directors District A in 2023.

District C

This section includes candidate profiles that may be created in one of two ways: either the candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey, or Ballotpedia staff may compile a profile based on campaign websites, advertisements, and public statements after identifying the candidate as noteworthy. For more on how we select candidates to include, click here.

Jason Page

Incumbent: Yes

Political Office: None

Submitted Biography: "I am a Christian, husband, father, friend, IT professional, volunteer, problem-solver, and considerate listener and thinker. I've lived in Highlands Ranch since 2009 and a homeowner here since 2017. I have served on several school committees, the board of directors of a district charter school, the Douglas County School District long range planning committee, and most recently on the DSCD Board of Education as an appointed member since June of this year. I bring a wealth of experience from the corporate world in terms of problem solving and root cause analysis, policy governance and team collaboration from graduate degrees in both leadership and business administration, and a deep care about education and the children of this district being a former music teacher."

Key Messages

To read this candidate's full survey responses, click here.

Excellence in Academics

Student Safety and Success

Teamwork between Parents, Teachers, and the Community

This information was current as of the candidate's run for Douglas County School District Board of Directors District C in 2023.

David DiCarlo

Incumbent: No

Political Office: None

Submitted Biography: "I’m a community member who is for three children through the Douglas county school district. I have served on the Douglas County School Boards District Accountability Committee. I am the conservative in this race, and I oppose additional taxation, especially for our senior citizens."

Key Messages

To read this candidate's full survey responses, click here.

We do not need additional taxation. Our district has fewer children today then it had 10 years ago so we also do not need new buildings. In the year were property taxes have gone up 50%. The school district needs to be a good neighbor and partner with the community not treat their mortgage like an ATM.

Back to basics, reading, writing, arithmetic, American history (including passing a test of the United States Constitution) and the scientific method. Remove the identity politics from the classroom. Shrink our remediation rates and continue to expand paths for kids to leave the district ready for life.

We must improve transparency, and accessibility, the board must get out of the boardroom and hold meetings in the community. Interacting directly with the public on key issues, such as security. Our current changes to security amount to parchment guarantees. We need actual, physical improvements, parents need to know we are willing to make the decisions to better protect their children.

This information was current as of the candidate's run for Douglas County School District Board of Directors District C in 2023.

Brad Geiger

Incumbent: No

Political Office: None

Submitted Biography: "I am focused on local issues not national agendas. As a 9 year volunteer for the District I have advised the Board of Education on important matters like teacher and staff compensation school capital needs, changing demographics, school boundaries. My I will address specific concerns to be sure that we have a well funded district that creates a safe, welcoming and respectful environment for all students with the goal of providing an education that serves their needs in the future."

Key Messages

To read this candidate's full survey responses, click here.

Local issues not national agendas

Competitive compensation for educators matched with respect for their expertise in cooperation with parents.

Provide a secure safe and welcoming environment to nurture all students.

This information was current as of the candidate's run for Douglas County School District Board of Directors District C in 2023.

District F

This section includes candidate profiles that may be created in one of two ways: either the candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey, or Ballotpedia staff may compile a profile based on campaign websites, advertisements, and public statements after identifying the candidate as noteworthy. For more on how we select candidates to include, click here.

Maria Sumnicht

Incumbent: No

Political Office: None

Biography: Sumnicht received a bachelor's degree in information and communications from California State University at Chico. Her experience includes working as a computer scientist, network security professional, and internet security for Lockheed, Cisco Systems, NASA, and the city of New York.

Key Messages

The following key messages were curated by Ballotpedia staff. For more on how we identify key messages, click here.

Sumnicht said she was running because she "is passionate about sound academic curriculum, alternative pathways to student success, school sports, music programs and supporting teachers...and she wants today's children to have the same opportunities she had."

Sumnicht said "the American Dream and a great public-school education are being threatened by politics and agendas that are harming the country and our schools."

The Best DCSD slate (of which Sumnicht is part of) said a top priority is to "focus on a solid educational curriculum that will put Douglas County public schools as the state and national leader in achievement and prepare our children for success now and in the future."

Show sources

Sources: Best DCSD, "Mission Statement," accessed September 18, 2023; ; Best DCSD, "Meet the Candidates," accessed September 15, 2023;

This information was current as of the candidate's run for Douglas County School District Board of Directors District F in 2023.

Valerie Thompson

Incumbent: No

Political Office: None

Submitted Biography: "I am a mother of two children in a neighborhood DCSD school. I've been an active volunteer in DCSD since moving to Douglas County, including serving on two board committees, the District Accountability Committee and the Mill Bond Exploratory Committee. Through these experiences, I have gained knowledge in vital areas such as school funding, the dynamics of parent engagement, and school performance. I understand school capacity constraints, the challenges of staff retention and recruitment, and the community perspective of accountability and transparency needs. My background is in population-level research and community health and development. Through this work I have cultivated experience working collaboratively with communities and community leaders, parents and children to better experiences for families in focus areas such as healthy families, youth violence prevention, and early childhood literacy. Additionally, my dedication to education expands to teaching college courses."

Key Messages

To read this candidate's full survey responses, click here.

Centering all children in decision-making to best address student learning needs.

Promoting a safe, equitable, and enriching school environment for all families.

Supporting our teachers and staff through budget and resource allocation that addresses important issues such as pay structure, retention needs, professional development training, and recognition.

This information was current as of the candidate's run for Douglas County School District Board of Directors District F in 2023.

Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey responses

District A

Ballotpedia asks all federal, state, and local candidates to complete a survey and share what motivates them on political and personal levels. The section below shows responses from candidates in this race who completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Survey responses from candidates in this race

Click on a candidate's name to visit their Ballotpedia page.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

Expand all | Collapse all

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/AndyJones.jpg

Andy Jones (Nonpartisan)

Excellence In Education

Student safety and success

Teamwork between parents, teachers and the community

Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/SusanMeek2023.jpeg

Susan Meek (Nonpartisan)

Ensure our schools are safe and welcoming for every student

Establish stable and equitable teaching and learning environments

Create a culture of trust based on transparency, accountability, and connecting with our community

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Andy Jones (Nonpartisan)

Safety, employment stability and real parent engagement would be my top three, but with safety, my initial focus would be on learning more from our dedicated security staff and what they would recommend for focusing our efforts.

You see, I speak the language of safety and security, and our community is seeking a higher sense of urgency when it comes to addressing our most critical safety needs. I certainly have ideas from 30 years of military experience, plus over 26 years of airline safety experience, but I will take the hours, weeks and months necessary to learn more about our districts strengths and weaknesses and help create the positive culture and climate necessary for a safe and caring environment.

Susan Meek (Nonpartisan)

The majority of my professional career has been focused the public education, which included 6 years in the Douglas County School District where I started with the Douglas County Education Foundation. In that role, I was tasked to create several new programs, many of which still exist today, such as The Apple Awards and the Girls and Women in Sports Luncheon. I also partnered with business, the work force agency, and higher ed on several projects resulting in career training for hundreds of students and unemployed adults.

I have spent that past 10 years supporting public education at the state level, where I work with school districts and school boards across Colorado. My focus has primarily been on school finance, education policy, and governance trainings.

I’ve always prioritized volunteerism my entire adult life. When my oldest daughter started Kindergarten, I volunteered with the Parent/Teacher Organization and the School Accountability Committee. I’ve served as Chair of the SAC at both the elementary and high school. So moving into the Board Director role was a natural evolution of my volunteerism and engagement with our schools.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

Susan Meek (Nonpartisan)

The movie, Invictus, is about Nelson Mandela, in his first term as President of South Africa, who initiates a plan to unite the Apartheid-torn land. He enlists the national rugby team on a mission to win the 1995 Rugby World Cup.

Why this movie speaks to me is the leadership traits that are highlighted in the movie given the highly contentious environment. It feels similar to serving on a school board over the past four years during the most tumultuous time in recent history for public education. Navigating the past four years has been challenging and it requires a skill set that is focused on how to bring people together as opposed to attack and divide.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

Andy Jones (Nonpartisan)

I am currently a captain at a major airline and a retired Navy Captain who served my country honorably for 30 years.

I am a highly decorated Iraq War veteran who flew off of aircraft carriers, commanded several units, planned and executed major maritime exercises, and led volunteer heroes, men and women in some of the most hostile environments and conditions. After 30 years in the military, I just can’t turn off the passion to serve my country or county.

So, I desire to share my extensive leadership experience with our School District team. I have a full understanding of the role and scope of a highly effective board including: upholding basic fiduciary principles while looking at key challenges through the prism of “risk.” Additionally, as a parent of three kids who were educated in our public schools, my focus areas will be: excellence in academics, student safety & success, and teamwork between parents, teachers and the community!

I am qualified on day one to step into the role of Board Director and lead this school district to new heights.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

Andy Jones (Nonpartisan)

Hiring the best and most capable superintendent to run our school district, demand accountability of that superintendent and their staff and be a fiscal watchdog for the taxpayer.

What legacy would you like to leave?

Susan Meek (Nonpartisan)

I would like to leave the school district with stronger systems in place to allow for transparency, accountability, and engagement with our constituents. This will allow for a more trusting environment and trust is the glue that hold our community together.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

Susan Meek (Nonpartisan)

"On January 28, 1986, the Space Shuttle Challenger broke apart 73 seconds into its flight, killing all seven crew members aboard. The spacecraft disintegrated 46,000 feet (14 km) above the Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of Cape Canaveral, Florida, at 11:39 a.m. EST (16:39 UTC). It was the first fatal accident involving an American spacecraft while in flight." (Wikipedia)

I was seventeen years old, a Junior attending Satellite High School near Cape Canaveral, Florida. We routinely watched these launches and many of my friends' parents worked at the Kennedy Space Center. It is a moment that I will never forget. This memory serves as a reminder of the importance to help students who experience traumatic experiences.

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

Susan Meek (Nonpartisan)

Shake It Off by Taylor Swift

What is the primary job of a school board member in your view?

Andy Jones (Nonpartisan)

I am passionate about the quality of public education and protecting parent choice. Long before the nations and district’s most recent school tragedies, I advocated that the safety of our children as our #1 priority. I bring a balanced vision for our school board, to be representative of and responsive to all citizens. I believe in strong, accountable leadership, new and different perspectives, and innovative approaches to problem solving. I preach sensible business practices for school resources, and the need to maintain excellence in education to prepare ALL students to be career or college ready.

Susan Meek (Nonpartisan)

A school board member has three primary jobs: connect with the community to understand their values, perspectives, and goals for the organization; hold the organization accountability for achieving the results it should for the citizens; and developing policies to guide the organization.

Who are your constituents?

Andy Jones (Nonpartisan)

All of Douglas and Elbert County residents and staff that provide a great education to our kids.

Susan Meek (Nonpartisan)

The citizens who live in Douglas County, along with other stakeholders, such as students, families, staff, businesses, and vendors.

How would you support the diverse needs of your district’s students, faculty, staff, and community?

Andy Jones (Nonpartisan)

From top to bottom, the value of “Every Employee, Every Day” will ensure that Douglas County schools are the desired and final destination for every employee. We have to do better at not only recruiting and retaining our best employees, but also increasing the quality of life for those employees.

 We pay every professional a flexible and competitive compensation that honors the employee’s contribution to our kids.  As one board member, I will empower our superintendent to ensure that every level of management is prepared to evaluate authentically, provide professional growth opportunities and that every employee has reasonable means to address his or her grievances. I have been a stalwart defender of our teachers and staff. No one else in the community queried the superintendent and board for how they mishandled teacher pay raises as a result of 2018 mill levy override. I stood at three public comments (Nov 2018, Jan and May 2019) asking the hard questions that the board should have asked about how little teachers were getting (2.76% average) and held them accountable. NO ONE ELSE DID THAT!

Susan Meek (Nonpartisan)

Public schools operate most effectively when there exists a robust and trusting partnership among parents, teachers/staff, and students. Achieving a balance among these stakeholders necessitates continuous dedication to collaboration, empathy, and fairness. The ultimate objective is to establish an educational setting that places the academic achievement and well-being of every student at the forefront, while concurrently valuing the viewpoints and contributions of students, parents, teachers/staff, and the wider school community.

Among my key priorities is the establishment of safe and welcoming schools. This entails working closely with parents, teachers, and students to continually review and refine all school policies. The voice of each stakeholder group is essential to maintain balance and each of these stakeholders have rights that help provide a roadmap for charting the course forward.

Another top priority is the cultivation of a culture characterized by trust, transparency, and accountability. This requires the establishment of transparent lines of communication with parents, teachers, and students to actively seek their input and provide regular updates on board decisions and ongoing initiatives.

Ultimately, attaining this equilibrium among the interests of parents, teachers/staff, and students hinges on a steadfast commitment to shared values and objectives. By placing a safe, welcoming environment, stable teaching and learning environments, equal opportunities for every student, and a culture of trust at the forefront, the board can foster an environment where all individuals feel respected, supported, and empowered to contribute to the success of our great school district.

How will you build relationships with members of the broader community? Which groups, organizations, stakeholders will you specifically target?

Andy Jones (Nonpartisan)

Absolutely I will build on internal and external to the school district. I already know every elected official in the county and have a great working relationship with them.

What constitutes good teaching? How will you measure this? How will you support advanced teaching approaches?

Andy Jones (Nonpartisan)

Focus on the science of reading and all of its benefits. Laser focus on math literacy skills. The school district has measures of effectiveness that are knowable, achievable, and have been in use for many years.

In what areas would you like to expand curriculum? For example, do you see a need for advanced technical training or apprenticeships? What sort of innovative programming would you advance if given the opportunity?

Andy Jones (Nonpartisan)

Career and Technical Education opportunities that are expanded to provide all of our graduating students the chance to leave with skills and certificates that prepare them for post secondary eduction, workplace entry or military service.

What strategies or plans would you advance to ensure the schools are properly funded?

Andy Jones (Nonpartisan)

In order for the local community to be persuaded to increase taxes through bonds and MLOs, there must be a level of trust in the leadership of the district. I am a firm believer in local control and keeping tax dollars in our community.

What principles drive your policies for safety in schools?

Andy Jones (Nonpartisan)

Safety for our children is not a political game to play. The serious consequences of all sides not coming together for real solutions is a risk I will never take.

 Embedded in your question is the impossible task of parents feeling that our kids are safe unless they are wrapped in our arms in the secure four walls of our homes. If my daughter goes to the mall with friends, as a dad, I worry about her safety. We will never feel that you are completely safe.  While it is impossible to address everything in the short time we have, I have very specific recommendations that come from years of experience in both non-combat military and post 9/11 airline operations.  In addition to improving our mental health capabilities, I have over 16 years of complex exercise creation, planning, execution and evaluation experience. Exercising our very complex pre and post event plans are critical to find gaps and seams in those plans. We must do more to collaborate with our first responder teams like the event I witnessed in Parker over this past summer.  In addition, we must continue to work with our SRO teams and local jurisdictions to ensure that children with invisible disabilities, or on IEP and 504 plans are known to them and their specific conditions are accounted for during any incident.  WE will not reveal specific plans to the general public, but I have a more comprehensive plan developed by industry leading security professionals that I will further propose with the district staff.

How might you support the mental health needs of students/faculty/staff?

Andy Jones (Nonpartisan)

This question hits very close to home for me. My children each have experienced multiple instances of a failed mental health system in our society, our community and our schools. There was a beautiful young lady in my oldest daughters class who went on to Arapahoe High School where she was tragically murdered by a severely troubled teen.

 All 3 of my children before they reached the age of 12, have known at least 2 to 3 fellow students or friends who have committed suicide.  The crisis of teen suicide is bigger than we want to imagine, especially when we look at the issues that are under the surface. Societal, performance, parental and education pressures and their cumulative effects are more than some children have the capacity to cope with.  We have addressed decreasing the student to counselor ratio, but we have to define the metrics of successful employment. Merely adding numbers will not ensure successfully addressing the myriad mental wellness and health issues that plague our society today.  As a part of bringing additional mental health resources to bear, WE MUST address resiliency issues with our children and help them to deal with the modern day pressures.  As a firm believer in parental rights, we need to create an environment where parents and staff are on the same page about supporting kids. Sometimes a counselor is needed; sometimes it’s a supportive teacher with a kind word. Or it is all of the above, but the parent needs to be involved at all levels.  Truthfully, sometimes it is just empowering a kid to tackle some of life’s tough issues and with perseverance and resilience, overcome them on their own. These are extraordinary important life lessons to learn- feeling empowered to tackle your own problems not only helps solve your problems, but also makes you feel better about yourself in general.

 We can’t solve all of societies mental health and wellness issues, but can provide safe and caring schools.

What existing district policies would you like to change, or what new policies would you like to implement?

Andy Jones (Nonpartisan)

My fellow BEST DCSD Candidates and I pledge as board members one of our first priorities will be to work with our Superintendent and Staff to see cell phone use in our DCSD school classrooms eliminated. This will help in two ways – to allow students to focus on academics while in our classrooms, but it will also allow students to be free from the stressors of social media or online bullying while they are safe at school. We understand some parents may have a fear of not being able to reach their child in an emergency which is why we are not advocating for no phones allowed in the building so in the event of an emergency they can access them. We would also like to champion a campaign to encourage our middle and elementary school parents to sign a pledge with their children to charge their cell phones in their parents room at night beginning at 9pm. This will allow our students to quiet their minds to get more restful sleep, and to protect them from any mental suffering as a result of late night social media exchanges. We feel this is something our teacher and parent communities will get behind as well.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

Andy Jones (Nonpartisan)

I have not published endorsements at this time.

Describe your ideal learning environment for students.

Andy Jones (Nonpartisan)

Free from harrassment.

Free from indoctrination. Mitigate safety concerns. No cell phone use during time of instruction. Safe and caring staff and teachers.

Parents are welcome to volunteer in the school.

How do you feel like your school district handled the coronavirus pandemic? What, if anything, would you do differently in the future?

Andy Jones (Nonpartisan)

Very poorly. They were absolutely caught off guard and ill prepared to deliver quality education via online school. Small children were not getting sick and yet forced to wear masks even though the science said it was useless to stop the spread.

What will you do to build a relationship with parents in the district?

Andy Jones (Nonpartisan)

I will actively listen to them and them address their concerns to the best of my ability.

What are your preferred strategies for faculty, staff, and administration recruitment?

Andy Jones (Nonpartisan)

We will focus on the partnership with our teachers and a school district ready to prepare the children of Douglas and Elbert Counties to be ready mentally, academically and physically for the immense challenges of the future. Our teachers and staff deserve the best possible compensation for their dedication to teaching our kids.

They deserve all of the support systems and training that enable them to accomplish their jobs.

I support a Mill Levy Override that will allow our school district the ability to competatively compensate all of our employees.

District C

Ballotpedia asks all federal, state, and local candidates to complete a survey and share what motivates them on political and personal levels. The section below shows responses from candidates in this race who completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Survey responses from candidates in this race

Click on a candidate's name to visit their Ballotpedia page.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

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Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

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David DiCarlo (Nonpartisan)

We do not need additional taxation. Our district has fewer children today then it had 10 years ago so we also do not need new buildings. In the year were property taxes have gone up 50%. The school district needs to be a good neighbor and partner with the community not treat their mortgage like an ATM.

Back to basics, reading, writing, arithmetic, American history (including passing a test of the United States Constitution) and the scientific method. Remove the identity politics from the classroom. Shrink our remediation rates and continue to expand paths for kids to leave the district ready for life.

We must improve transparency, and accessibility, the board must get out of the boardroom and hold meetings in the community. Interacting directly with the public on key issues, such as security. Our current changes to security amount to parchment guarantees. We need actual, physical improvements, parents need to know we are willing to make the decisions to better protect their children.

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Brad Geiger (Nonpartisan)

Local issues not national agendas

Competitive compensation for educators matched with respect for their expertise in cooperation with parents.

Provide a secure safe and welcoming environment to nurture all students.

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Jason Page (Nonpartisan)

Excellence in Academics

Student Safety and Success

Teamwork between Parents, Teachers, and the Community

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

David DiCarlo (Nonpartisan)

I’m passionate about education policy. Institutions of learning exist only to educate the student and prepare the student for life. We must do a better job with the basics and get back to teaching kids how to think as opposed to what to think. The framework for a successful life includes gathering and measuring evidence empirically, not a comparing of data against some pop-culture driven set of rules I am also deeply passionate about economic policy. I feel it is the job of government to assess the situation of those it serves and modify its position in times of economic downturn. The family comes first, the individual comes first. Government’s fiscal health should not be the concern of the people, but the people’s economic condition should be the concern of the government, always. This means government must belay, alter or cancel plans to fit the economic conditions of those it exists to serve.

Brad Geiger (Nonpartisan)

Adequate and consistent, School funding, safe schools, curriculum free of national political agendas.

Jason Page (Nonpartisan)

I am passionate about school safety, the role of technology in education, and curriculum standards. Our students need to feel safe and welcomed in our schools. We need an armed response in every one of our schools and continued investment in "hardening the target" from a physical standpoint to ensure students can focus on learning. While technology has made our lives easier in many respects, I believe the overuse of technology has been a detriment to our students and their ability to think critically, solve problems through collaboration and trial and error, and to concentrate for more than 30 seconds on something other than a screen. And thirdly, our charter schools and many of our local private schools continually outperform our neighborhood schools in terms of academic success. The key differentiator here outside of parent engagement, which is also very important, is the ability for the charter and private schools to have more autonomy in terms of curriculum. I would like to see more research and partnering between charter and neighborhood schools to determine how we can duplicate the success of our charter schools within our neighborhood schools as well.

What qualities does this office possess that makes it a unique and important part of the state government and legal system?

David DiCarlo (Nonpartisan)

This office is one of seven that are elected to make policy for the school district. Being able to express your opinions, and even disagree, without being disagreeable are crucial skills for this office.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

David DiCarlo (Nonpartisan)

Thoughtful conservative such as Barry Goldwater or Ronald Reagan and others that sought to give power back to the people. Additionally I admire Winston Churchill, his tenacity and his steadfast need to do the right thing and show strength even in moments of weakness…is inspiring.

Brad Geiger (Nonpartisan)

Jimmy Carter who continued to make the world better even after he lost election. The dozens of legislators who worked against national objection to pass the Civil Rights Acts in 1965. Atticus Finch who fictionally stood for what lawyers should do and Justice Thurgood Marshall who did the same in the real world.

Jason Page (Nonpartisan)

Martin Luther King, Jr., Nelson Mandela, Ronald Reagan, and Billy Graham. All of these men held fast to their beliefs, were master communicators, and were not afraid of the possible consequences for speaking the truth, to the point of imprisonment or even death. And while they were fiery in their delivery of truth, none of them were mean-spirited and treated others respectfully, even if they had fundamental disagreements with them.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

Brad Geiger (Nonpartisan)

A Team of Rivals about the Lincoln cabinet. Diverse even hostile differences can be melded to reach solutions even in difficult times.

Jason Page (Nonpartisan)

I'm not a politician nor a philosopher.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

David DiCarlo (Nonpartisan)

Accountability, transparency, accessibility, and hearing people, even when we disagree.

Brad Geiger (Nonpartisan)

Transparency, honesty and openness to listening to a broad range of opinions. A willingness to learn from others with diverse view points and to change your opinions when appropriate. Some level of humility is needed for all of these. I don't claim to have all answers but I think solutions are possible if people work together.

Jason Page (Nonpartisan)

Honesty, integrity, humility, perseverance, even-tempered

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

David DiCarlo (Nonpartisan)

Honesty, fidelity to my principles, direct open communication, the ability to listen, even when agreement is not going to be possible

Brad Geiger (Nonpartisan)

A wide range of both personal and professional experience, especially as to the welfare of children. A proven ability to work with those I disagree with to reach satisfactory conclusions. I have deep knowledge of how our particular school district operates and the needs of the district.

Jason Page (Nonpartisan)

Gregarious, humble, thoughtful, principled, educated, hard-working.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

David DiCarlo (Nonpartisan)

Fiscal management, curriculum review, managing the one employee that the board has, namely, the superintendent. It is the job of the board to lead the superintendent not to be led by the superintendent.

Brad Geiger (Nonpartisan)

Provide safe welcoming schools that address the needs of all students and allow them to grow into good members of the community.

Jason Page (Nonpartisan)

Be a sounding board for the community/parents/students

What legacy would you like to leave?

David DiCarlo (Nonpartisan)

I want literacy, mathematical skills, and the scientific method all back as part of the lifeblood of our nations learners.

Brad Geiger (Nonpartisan)

A well funded school district with policies that advocate for all children and their current and future needs.

Jason Page (Nonpartisan)

That I left the community I am a part of better off than when I entered it and that my daughter not only believes what I believe, but understands why we believe it and is 100% bought in.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

David DiCarlo (Nonpartisan)

I remember the presidential debates between President Ford and Jimmy Carter. I would’ve been about five at that time.

Brad Geiger (Nonpartisan)

The moon landing in July 1969. I was 6.

Jason Page (Nonpartisan)

The one big event I still remember vividly was the Challenger space shuttle explosion. Christa McAuliffe was going to be the first teacher in space and she was from New Hampshire. We were all watching the launch in our classrooms when the explosion happened. We didn't know what happened at first, but I remember feeling a deep sadness when we learned what had actually happened.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

David DiCarlo (Nonpartisan)

I worked in grocery stores from high school and college, I was there about three years. I stock shelves, cleaned up the meat and produce departments, ran the register, pretty much anything you can imagine.

Brad Geiger (Nonpartisan)

I cleaned hotel rooms for a summer. Hard but productive work.

Jason Page (Nonpartisan)

I worked summers for a city department of public works in my home state of New Hampshire. I did that for 2 summers. I paved roads, laid sidewalks, repaired sewer and water connections, etc.

What is your favorite book? Why?

David DiCarlo (Nonpartisan)

Disraeli by Robert Blake, its a fantastic read, and a look deep into the life and mind of an extraordinary leader, who is in no way a contemporary of 21st-century Americans. Different times, different life, fascinating outcomes.

Brad Geiger (Nonpartisan)

There can be no "favorite" but I do reread To Kill a Mockingbird regularly. It's what formed my idea of being an attorney.

Jason Page (Nonpartisan)

All time: Bible - My life guide and ultimate source of truth

Fiction: Killer Angels - Love historical fiction

Non-fiction - Atomic Habits - Getting 1% better on a consistent basis leads to lasting and sustainable change

If you could be any fictional character, who would you want to be?

David DiCarlo (Nonpartisan)

Alan Quartermaine

Brad Geiger (Nonpartisan)

Atticus Finch or Juror #8

Jason Page (Nonpartisan)

Jason Bourne. Same name, massively upgraded.

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

David DiCarlo (Nonpartisan)

Who Are You

Brad Geiger (Nonpartisan)

At this moment I am humming The Rhythm is Going to Get You. My musical tastes remain stuck in the 80's.

Jason Page (Nonpartisan)

500 miles by the Proclaimers

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

David DiCarlo (Nonpartisan)

I struggle with a mild form of dyslexia.

Brad Geiger (Nonpartisan)

I have fortunately lived a life mostly free of struggles to meet my needs and I benefit from family and societal support. My biggest growth area has been to move beyond what I was sure was "right" to grasping the deep complexity of our world. I still need to understand better the view points of those who have a very different experience in our society.

Jason Page (Nonpartisan)

I've always struggled with my weight and being healthy is certainly important to doing all of the other things one wants to accomplish/experience in life. The struggle is real, but I continue to fight the good fight and am on a positive path right now

Do you believe that it's beneficial for holders of this office to have previous experience in government or politics?

David DiCarlo (Nonpartisan)

I believe that my previous time on the district accountability committee will serve me beyond value in this office. But I truly believe it is more beneficial to have a set of principles that you view the world through.

What kind of skills or expertise do you believe would be the most helpful for the holders of this office to possess?

David DiCarlo (Nonpartisan)

I have a great amount of experience in policy review, fiscal analysis, goalsetting and driving to goals, a skeptical eye and conservative principles by which I weigh everything against.

What is the primary job of a school board member in your view?

Brad Geiger (Nonpartisan)

Draft policies and procedures to guide the school administration with an aim to create a stable, safe and welcoming environment for all students.

Jason Page (Nonpartisan)

The Douglas County School District Board of Education is the policy-making body of the school district. Its powers and duties are set by state law. As a school board member, I bring to the table my particular experience and education along with data collected through parent engagement exercises and various surveys and data points surrounding student achievement to help guide the board to reach consensus on policy creation, modification, or reduction. It is the job of the Superintendent and the District's administrative team and staff to effectively execute the policies of the Board.

Who are your constituents?

Brad Geiger (Nonpartisan)

Residents of the District, students, parents, employers, community members.

Jason Page (Nonpartisan)

Our constituents include tax-payers, parents, and the students of Douglas County.

How would you support the diverse needs of your district’s students, faculty, staff, and community?

Brad Geiger (Nonpartisan)

First you have to listen to the diverse communities within the district. You cannot become insensitive to the needs even of those you disagree with. After listening to those in the community I would seek to access expert information for data based decision making. Even after policies are formulated, feedback from the community must be considered.

Jason Page (Nonpartisan)

We support the needs of the district through policies which unleash the potential of our students to become excellent, engaged, free-thinking, and productive members of society.

How will you build relationships with members of the broader community? Which groups, organizations, stakeholders will you specifically target?

Brad Geiger (Nonpartisan)

First you have to make it clear you are open to listening. Then I would seek to have regular meeting with interested groups including parents, students, district committees, parent teacher organizations as well as more specific groups like parents of children with disabilities and learning needs.

Jason Page (Nonpartisan)

Our number one stakeholder group is the parents of our children within the district. We want to be as transparent as possible that the policies and decisions we make as a board are in the best interest of every student and that can only be recognized if the parents are in agreement.

What constitutes good teaching? How will you measure this? How will you support advanced teaching approaches?

Brad Geiger (Nonpartisan)

Good teaching is disciplined and flexible, able to provide to each child what they need while keeping an eye on the goal of providing good citizens to the community. Evaluating teachers includes testing on basic skills but those are blunt instruments that do not capture all good teacher nor does it fully identify those who need to do better. We need a human based approach that includes frequent observation and collaboration with the teachers and building administration, with data based oversight from District administrators. Finally a comprehensive training program must be funded to assist teachers in improvement in all areas.

Jason Page (Nonpartisan)

Good teaching produces good students who are lifelong learners. We not only measure this by test scores, but by graduation rates, college acceptance levels, job market entry and preparedness, etc. I will support advanced teaching approaches if it produces positive results in all of the above.

In what areas would you like to expand curriculum? For example, do you see a need for advanced technical training or apprenticeships? What sort of innovative programming would you advance if given the opportunity?

Brad Geiger (Nonpartisan)

Our district has increased Career and Technical education in the last 10 years and that should continue to expand. We should also partner with local employers and trade unions to increase access to those fields. We need more space for alternative programs for students who do not thrive in typical school environments.

Jason Page (Nonpartisan)

Continued expansion of career and technical education, to include most, if not all. skilled labor arenas.

What strategies or plans would you advance to ensure the schools are properly funded?

Brad Geiger (Nonpartisan)

Under the Colorado school funding process local tax payers have to approve increases to fully fund our schools. Local school boards must be transparent in their budgets and always have facts to support their request for taxpayer dollars. School boards must look for ways to influence lawmakers at other levels to ensure that schools are fully funded.

Jason Page (Nonpartisan)

Running a low overhead administrative function, lobbying at the capital in Denver for education finance reform, and asking the community for items such as mill levy overrides and bonds as necessary.

What principles drive your policies for safety in schools?

Brad Geiger (Nonpartisan)

We must first have procedures in place to identify students who a may be at risk for acting in a dangerous manner. This requires collaboration between counselors, teachers and school safety personnel. Students must be encouraged to report concerns and feel confident those concerns will be addressed. Each school needs to be consistently evaluated for physical safety and fund allocated to improve those that are not up to current needs.

Jason Page (Nonpartisan)

An immediate, armed, threat response in every school in the district.

How might you support the mental health needs of students/faculty/staff?

Brad Geiger (Nonpartisan)

Each school must have dedicated mental health personnel available for everyone in the building. Teachers and staff need to feel that if they identify a student with needs that an evaluation will occur promptly and that the parents will be involved in further decision. Teachers and staff need to be trained in warning signs in students. Teachers and staff also have to be trained in self care and given access to professional assistance if they want it. Crisis teams must be available for extreme events.

Jason Page (Nonpartisan)

Social media/internet lockdown during the school day.

Tell us your favorite joke.

David DiCarlo (Nonpartisan)

Why did the chicken cross the road? To get away from Colonel Sanders. Yes, I know it’s a terrible dad joke, but it always makes me smile.

Brad Geiger (Nonpartisan)

Why don't sharks attack lawyers? Professional courtesy. You have to learn to laugh at yourself.

Jason Page (Nonpartisan)

What do you call a cow with no legs? Ground beef.

How important is it to involve residents in the government’s decision-making process? What plans do you have regarding resident involvement in this process?

David DiCarlo (Nonpartisan)

The involvement of the general citizenry is crucial. I want the board to get out of the board room and into the community. Host meetings remotely in high school auditoriums across the district to invite the local community to attend and interact with them. While video participation is fine, I do not believe it to be as engaging of an experience as in person attendance. I believe the board must raise the level of transparency and accessibility.

What plans do you have regarding infrastructure?

David DiCarlo (Nonpartisan)

In these difficult economic times we must prioritize repairs, maintenance and expansion. Preparing for routine maintenance is paramount and it must begin at the building level. Local staff must be empowered to plan and save so that we are not continually going back to the community for extra dollars.

How would you address crime and public safety? Do you have a different stance than current city council policy?

David DiCarlo (Nonpartisan)

We must deepen our partnership with our police force to deal with building level crime . We have taken no additional steps to improve or change our current security past “parchment guarantees”. We’ve done things that allow politician to hold pieces of paper in the air and say “look what we’ve done”, but we haven’t done the things that will actually make a difference in the buildings. We must work to harden the target and have all options regarding student safety on the table

How would you balance the needs and desires of existing business and housing communities with new development? Would you take gentrification and displacement into consideration when planning neighborhood development?

David DiCarlo (Nonpartisan)

This is not an area with which the school board has any ability to make policy.

What plans do you have regarding the police department? Would you make any changes from current policy?

David DiCarlo (Nonpartisan)

I would continue to work with local law-enforcement as we add more SROs to our buildings but also I would explore new areas where we can improve safety and transparency. This notion that we can’t tell you the plan because then the bad guy would know the plan is false. The simple fact is we don’t have much of a plan. We have one armed person per building that is supposed to be everywhere all at once dealing with threats. That is a plan for failure and we can do better. All options regarding safety and security would be on the table.

What policies would you have implemented in reaction to the COVID-19 pandemic? Why did you select those policies?

David DiCarlo (Nonpartisan)

The masking of children caused deep and ongoing psychological issues. Even in times that are unprecedented, like the COVID-19 pandemic, it is the job of elected officials to balance fact with fear. You cannot lose your skeptical eye. The district did not do a good job of that and in fact did a terrible job of providing pushback once facts became clear.

How would you set priorities and develop plans in a way that will reflect community values and goals?

David DiCarlo (Nonpartisan)

This is again an opportunity to get out into the community and talk directly with the people. There is no substitute for face-to-face communication.

How should record requests from the public be handled? Do you have any policies around transparency and accountability you want to enact?

David DiCarlo (Nonpartisan)

Colorado law should be followed 100%. And we should be putting the kids first. Attorneys and insurance companies come after transparency to children and families.

Do you believe crime rates are changing? Where do you get your crime rate data from? Would you make any changes to existing public safety policy?

David DiCarlo (Nonpartisan)

Crime rates across Douglas county are down.

What existing district policies would you like to change, or what new policies would you like to implement?

Brad Geiger (Nonpartisan)

Our current procedures for bullying do not enunciate clear processes for reporting or how to escalate a complaint. Further the policy fails to distinguish between personal interactions and more systemic attacks. Those have to improve. The current board leadership enacted a " parents rights" policy that targets gay and trans children in ways that are both dangerous to students and contrary to state and federal law. That must be changed.

Jason Page (Nonpartisan)

internet access/social media policy.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

David DiCarlo (Nonpartisan)

The Douglas County Republican Party

Senator Kevin Van Winkle

Senator Mark Baisley Former Colorado House Speaker & Current CU Regent Frank McNulty Former House Minority Leader Patrick Neville Former Senator Ted Harvey

Former Senator Chris Holbert Former Representative Kim Ransom Former CU Regent & Douglas County School Board President John Carson

Douglas County Treasurer, David Gill

Describe your ideal learning environment for students.

Brad Geiger (Nonpartisan)

Every student needs to feel that the school they attend is safe and welcoming. They must believe that their educational needs will be listened to and met with diverse class offerings. When conflicts arise there has to be a fair, transparent and effective process to address those issues.

Jason Page (Nonpartisan)

Minimal screen time, teaching facts as facts and opinions as opinions, healthy competition in multiple avenues (academics, sports, clubs, etc.), school spirit, mutual respect for one another with a tough stance on bullying/clear discipline policies that are stood by 100%, teachers who are experts in their fields but also have a passion for teaching, safe and modern facilities, an involved parent community, and a larger county community who sees our schools as the heart of the community and willing to support it long after their children have passed through.

How do you feel like your school district handled the coronavirus pandemic? What, if anything, would you do differently in the future?

Brad Geiger (Nonpartisan)

The pandemic was unprecedented and I feel that our leaders navigated the uncertainty of the pandemic as well as they could, especially as the danger to children was not clear. How we would address a future pandemic would involve what we are able to understand about the risks of a disease. We now know that there is a learning loss from closing schools and that loss would have to be balanced against the danger of remaining open. All procedures for limiting spread of disease would also have to be considered on a risk analysis.

Jason Page (Nonpartisan)

Did not adapt fast enough to the changing data that showed our children were being harmed more by masks and being out of school than they were of the coronavirus. This resulted in a big change in the makeup of our school board in the last election. In the future we err heavily on parent choice and keeping our kids in school.

What will you do to build a relationship with parents in the district?

Brad Geiger (Nonpartisan)

Public forums with open dialogue. Visits with parent teacher organizations. Advocate for parent involvement in school district committees.

Jason Page (Nonpartisan)

Transparency and accountability. This builds trust.

What are your preferred strategies for faculty, staff, and administration recruitment?

Brad Geiger (Nonpartisan)

Competitive pay is the first step. After that educators and staff have to believe that the administration and leadership respect their opinions and expertise by including them in policy discussions.

Jason Page (Nonpartisan)

An amazing culture and a salary that is at least competitive to our neighboring districts and allows for the possibility of our staff to actually live in the place where they teach or work.

District F

Ballotpedia asks all federal, state, and local candidates to complete a survey and share what motivates them on political and personal levels. The section below shows responses from candidates in this race who completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Survey responses from candidates in this race

Click on a candidate's name to visit their Ballotpedia page.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

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Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/vthompson.jpg

Valerie Thompson (Nonpartisan)

Centering all children in decision-making to best address student learning needs.

Promoting a safe, equitable, and enriching school environment for all families.

Supporting our teachers and staff through budget and resource allocation that addresses important issues such as pay structure, retention needs, professional development training, and recognition.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Valerie Thompson (Nonpartisan)

Equity-focused policies that prioritize addressing real issues. In our district that includes policies that are inclusive, that support mental health needs of our students, address funding challenges, and support the retention and recruitment of district staff.

What is the primary job of a school board member in your view?

Valerie Thompson (Nonpartisan)

The National Association of School Boards defines it well "The school board represents the community's voice in public education, providing citizen governance and knowledge of the community's resources and needs, and board members are the policy-makers closest to the student."

Who are your constituents?

Valerie Thompson (Nonpartisan)

Students, parents, DCSD staff, and the greater Douglas County community

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

Valerie Thompson (Nonpartisan)

2023 Denver Area Labor Federation

Sheet Metal Workers Local Union 9 Current Board Director David Ray Corey Wise, former DCSD Superintendent

Voting information

What was the voter registration deadline?

In-person: November 7, 2023
By mail: Postmarked by October 30, 2023
Online: October 30, 2023

Colorado conducts what are commonly referred to as all-mail elections. In Colorado, voting is conducted primarily, although not necessarily exclusively, by mail. Election officials began mailing ballots to active voters on October 16, 2023.

Twenty-four hour Ballot Drop Box locations were open on October 16, 2023. Polling locations (Voter Service and Polling Centers) were open from October 30, 2023 through November 7, 2023.

Were all voters required to present ID at the polls? If so, was a photo or non-photo ID required? Non-photo ID

When were polls open on Election Day? 7:00 AM - 7:00 PM

Click here for more information about this election.

Noteworthy endorsements

See also: Ballotpedia: Our approach to covering endorsements

This section lists endorsements issued in this election. It also includes a bulleted list of links to official lists of endorsements for any candidates who published that information on their campaign websites. If you are aware of endorsements that should be included, please let us know.

David DiCarlo

District A

Noteworthy endorsements
Endorser	Susan Meek	Andy Jones
Government officials
Douglas Cnty. Sch. Brd. Memb. David Ray ^source	✔
Individuals
Frmr. El Paso Cnty. Moms for Liberty Chair Darcy Schoening ^source		✔
Organizations
Colorado Conservative Patriot Alliance ^source		✔
Denver Area Labor Federation ^source	✔
Douglas County, Colo., Democratic Party ^source	✔
Douglas County Parents ^source	✔
Everytown for Gun Safety ^source	✔
Smart Choice Colorado ^source		✔

District C

Noteworthy endorsements
Endorser	David DiCarlo	Brad Geiger
Government officials
State Sen. Mark Baisley (R) ^source	✔
State Sen. Kevin Van Winkle (R) ^source	✔
Douglas Cnty. Treas. Dave Gill ^source	✔
Douglas Cnty. Sch. Brd. Memb. David Ray ^source		✔
Individuals
Frmr. Colo. State Board of Regents Memb. John Carson ^source	✔
Frmr. State Sen. Ted Harvey ^source	✔
Frmr. state Sen. Chris Holbert ^source	✔
Frmr. State Rep. Frank McNulty ^source	✔
Frmr. State Rep. Patrick Neville ^source	✔
Frmr. State Rep. Kim Ransom ^source	✔
Frmr. El Paso Cnty. Moms for Liberty Chair Darcy Schoening ^source	✔
Organizations
Colorado Conservative Patriot Alliance ^source	✔
Denver Area Labor Federation ^source		✔
Douglas County, Colo., Democratic Party ^source		✔
Douglas County, Colo., Republican Party ^source	✔
Douglas County Parents ^source		✔
Everytown for Gun Safety ^source		✔
Republican Party of Colorado ^source	✔
Smart Choice Colorado ^source	✔

District F

Noteworthy endorsements
Endorser	Maria Sumnicht	Valerie Thompson
Government officials
Douglas Cnty. Sch. Brd. Memb. David Ray ^source		✔
Individuals
Frmr. El Paso Cnty. Moms for Liberty Chair Darcy Schoening ^source	✔
Organizations
Colorado Conservative Patriot Alliance ^source	✔
Denver Area Labor Federation ^source		✔
Denver Sheet Metal Workers' Local 9 ^source		✔
Douglas County, Colo., Democratic Party ^source		✔
Douglas County Parents ^source		✔
Everytown for Gun Safety ^source		✔
Smart Choice Colorado ^source	✔

Campaign finance

This section contains campaign finance figures from candidates submitted to the Colorado Secretary of State's Campaign Finance Disclosure Website during 2022 and 2023.

Noteworthy events

Termination of superintendent (February 2022)

In February 2022, the Douglas County School District board voted 4-3 to terminate the contract of former superintendent Corey Wise, with the board's four conservative members all voting in favor of the termination.^[9]^[10] In April 2023, the district paid $830,000 to settle Wise's claims before the Colorado Civil Rights Division and the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment that the board unlawfully terminated him without cause.^[11]

Recall effort (Spring 2021)

An effort to recall Hanson, Meek, Ray, and Chris Ciancio-Schor did not go to a vote in 2021. Recall supporters announced they were suspending the effort on March 3, 2021, after the school board voted to return middle and high school students to in-person instruction. The recall effort started after the board voted in January 2021 to delay a return to in-person instruction for middle and high school students in the district.^[12]^[13]^[14]^[15]

About the district

See also: Douglas County School District, Colorado

The Douglas County School District is located in Douglas County, Colorado.

District map

School district map

Overlapping state house districts

Douglas County School District
Office Name	Current Officeholder	Party	% School District Covered	% Other District Covered
Colorado House of Representatives District 39	Brandi Bradley	Republican Party	78%	100%
Colorado House of Representatives District 45	Max Brooks	Republican Party	9%	100%
Colorado House of Representatives District 44	Anthony Hartsook	Republican Party	7%	100%
Colorado House of Representatives District 56	Chris Richardson	Republican Party	3%	< 1%
Colorado House of Representatives District 43	Robert Marshall	Democratic Party	2%	100%
Colorado House of Representatives District 61	Eliza Hamrick	Democratic Party	< 1%	15%

The table was limited to the lower chamber because it provides the most granularity. State house districts tend to be more numerous and therefore smaller than state senate or U.S. House districts. This provides an impression of the partisan affiliations in the area.

Budget

The following statistics were published by the National Center for Education Statistics, which is a part of the U.S. Department of Education.^[16]

Revenue
Expenditures

Revenue, 2021-2022
SOURCE	AMOUNT	AMOUNT PER STUDENT	PERCENT
Federal:	$57,857,000	$910	6%
Local:	$475,121,000	$7,471	53%
State:	$366,901,000	$5,769	41%
Total:	$899,879,000	$14,150

Expenditures, 2021-2022
TYPE	AMOUNT	AMOUNT PER STUDENT	PERCENT
Total Expenditures:	$896,901,000	$14,103
Total Current Expenditures:	$753,489,000	$11,848
Instructional Expenditures:	$433,336,000	$6,813	48%
Student and Staff Support:	$78,562,000	$1,235	9%
Administration:	$125,179,000	$1,968	14%
Operations, Food Service, Other:	$116,412,000	$1,830	13%
Total Capital Outlay:	$103,649,000	$1,629
Construction:	$46,809,000	$736
Total Non El-Sec Education & Other:	$799,000	$12
Interest on Debt:	$32,689,000	$514

Year	Enrollment	Year-to-year change (%)
2023-2024	61,409	-1.5
2022-2023	62,341	-2.0
2021-2022	63,596	1.0
2020-2021	62,979	-6.9
2019-2020	67,305	-0.4
2018-2019	67,591	0.0
2017-2018	67,597	0.2
2016-2017	67,470	0.9
2015-2016	66,896	0.3
2014-2015	66,702	0.7
2013-2014	66,230	2.4
2012-2013	64,657	2.4
2011-2012	63,114	2.6
2010-2011	61,465	2.5
2009-2010	59,932	2.0
2008-2009	58,723	9.8
2007-2008	52,983	4.9
2006-2007	50,370	4.6
2005-2006	48,041	6.8
2004-2005	44,761	6.3
2003-2004	41,924	3.4
2002-2003	40,511	6.1
2001-2002	38,054	8.2
2000-2001	34,918	7.1
1999-2000	32,446	0.0

Racial Demographics, 2023-2024
RACE	Douglas County School District (%)	Colorado K-12 STUDENTS (%)
American Indian/Alaska Native	0.4	0.6
Asian or Asian/Pacific Islander	7.2	3.3
Black	1.6	4.6
Hispanic	16.4	35.9
Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander	0.2	0.3
Two or More Races	6.6	5.3
White	67.7	49.9

Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.

Staff

As of the 2023-2024 school year, Douglas County School District had 3,588.93 full-time classroom teachers. The student-teacher ratio was 17.11.

Teachers, 2023-2024 school year
TYPE	NUMBER OF TEACHERS
Prekindergarten:	40.50
Kindergarten:	274.21
Elementary:	1,664.93
Secondary:	1,609.29
Total:	3,588.93

Douglas County School District employed 25.53 district administrators and 223.41 school administrators as of the 2023-2024 school year.

Administrators, 2023-2024 school year
TYPE	NUMBER OF ADMINISTRATORS
District Administrators:	25.53
District Administrative Support:	213.86
School Administrators:	223.41
School Administrative Support:	429.90

Other staff, 2023-2024 school year
TYPE	NUMBER OF OTHER STAFF
Instructional Aides:	1,355.09
Instruc. Coordinators & Supervisors:	325.41
Total Guidance Counselors:	234.65
Elementary Guidance Counselors:	53.41
Secondary Guidance Counselors:	143.11
Librarians/Media Specialists:	22.70
Library/Media Support:	48.84
Student Support Services:	765.99
Other Support Services:	720.76

Schools

The Douglas County School District operates 89 schools. They are listed below in alphabetical order.

List of schools
SCHOOL NAME	NUMBER OF STUDENTS	GRADES
Academy Charter School	582	PK-8
Acres Green Elementary School	382	PK-6
American Academy	2,579	PK-8
Arrowwood Elementary School	398	PK-6
Aspen View Academy	973	PK-8
Bear Canyon Elementary School	362	PK-6
Ben Franklin Academy	879	PK-8
Buffalo Ridge Elementary School	510	PK-5
Castle Rock Elementary School	450	PK-6
Castle Rock Middle School	701	7-8
Castle View High School	1,863	9-12
Challenge To Excellence Charter School	548	KG-8
Chaparral High School	2,045	9-12
Cherokee Trail Elementary School	599	PK-6
Cherry Valley Elementary School	36	KG-6
Cimarron Middle	1,089	6-8
Clear Sky Elementary	683	PK-6
Copper Mesa Elementary School	322	PK-6
Cougar Run Elementary School	360	KG-6
Coyote Creek Elementary School	502	PK-6
Cresthill Middle School	618	7-8
Daniel C Oakes High School--Castle Rock	141	9-12
Dc Montessori Charter School	546	PK-8
Douglas County High School	1,771	9-12
Eagle Academy	128	9-12
Eagle Ridge Elementary School	587	PK-6
Early Childhood Center	107	PK-PK
Edcsd	67	9-12
Eldorado Elementary School	404	PK-6
Flagstone Elementary School	486	PK-6
Fox Creek Elementary School	450	PK-6
Franktown Elementary School	364	PK-5
Frontier Valley Elementary School	378	PK-5
Global Village Academy - Douglas County	394	KG-6
Gold Rush Elementary	675	PK-5
Heritage Elementary School	378	PK-6
Highlands Ranch High School	1,390	9-12
Hope Online Learning Academy High School	1,061	9-12
Hope Online Learning Academy Middle School	307	6-8
Iron Horse Elementary School	449	PK-5
Larkspur Elementary School	176	KG-6
Legacy Point Elementary School	515	PK-5
Legend High School	2,206	9-12
Leman Classical Academy	1,114	KG-8
Lone Tree Elementary	385	PK-6
Mammoth Heights Elementary	606	PK-6
Meadow View Elementary School	497	PK-6
Mesa Middle School	850	6-8
Mountain Ridge Middle School	842	7-8
Mountain View Elementary School	346	PK-2
Mountain Vista High School	2,217	9-12
Northeast Elementary School	325	3-5
Northridge Elementary School	565	PK-6
North Star Academy	678	KG-8
Parker Core Knowledge Charter School	705	KG-8
Parker Performing Arts	619	KG-8
Pine Grove Elementary School	498	PK-6
Pine Lane Elementary	774	PK-6
Pioneer Elementary School	464	PK-5
Platte River Charter Academy	475	PK-8
Ponderosa High School	1,424	9-12
Prairie Crossing Elementary School	610	KG-6
Ranch View Middle School	810	7-8
Redstone Elementary School	404	PK-6
Renaissance Expedition Learn Outward Bound School	360	KG-6
Renaissance Secondary School	406	6-12
Rock Canyon High School	2,328	9-12
Rock Ridge Elementary School	466	PK-6
Rocky Heights Middle School	1,170	6-8
Roxborough Elementary School	374	PK-2
Roxborough Intermediate	421	3-6
Saddle Ranch Elementary School	368	PK-6
Sage Canyon Elementary	556	PK-6
Sagewood Middle School	833	6-8
Sand Creek Elementary School	336	PK-6
Sedalia Elementary School	217	PK-6
Sierra Middle School	784	7-8
Skyview Academy	1,283	PK-12
Soaring Hawk Elementary School	440	PK-6
South Ridge Elementary An Ib World School	393	KG-5
Stem School Highlands Ranch	1,399	KG-12
Stone Mountain Elementary	491	PK-6
Summit View Elementary School	370	PK-6
Thunderridge High School	1,841	9-12
Timber Trail Elementary School	374	PK-5
Trailblazer Elementary School	314	PK-6
Venture Academy Of Leadership And Entrepreneurship	60	9-12
Wildcat Mountain Elementary School	416	PK-5
World Compass Academy	740	PK-8

Election history

See also: Douglas County School District, Colorado and Douglas County School District, Colorado, elections

2021

District B

General election

General election for Douglas County School District Board of Directors District B

Mike Peterson defeated Juli Watkins in the general election for Douglas County School District Board of Directors District B on November 2, 2021.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Submit photo	Mike Peterson (Nonpartisan)	56.3	67,460
	Submit photo	Juli Watkins (Nonpartisan)	43.7	52,369

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 119,829
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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District D

General election

General election for Douglas County School District Board of Directors District D

Becky Myers defeated Ruby Martinez and Justin Mathew in the general election for Douglas County School District Board of Directors District D on November 2, 2021.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Submit photo	Becky Myers (Nonpartisan)	54.3	65,009
		Ruby Martinez (Nonpartisan)	41.7	49,845
	Submit photo	Justin Mathew (Nonpartisan)	4.0	4,800

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 119,654
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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District E

General election

General election for Douglas County School District Board of Directors District E

Christy Williams defeated incumbent Kevin Leung in the general election for Douglas County School District Board of Directors District E on November 2, 2021.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Submit photo	Christy Williams (Nonpartisan)	54.5	65,334
		Kevin Leung (Nonpartisan)	45.5	54,474

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 119,808
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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District G

General election

General election for Douglas County School District Board of Directors District G

Kaylee Winegar defeated incumbent Krista Holtzmann in the general election for Douglas County School District Board of Directors District G on November 2, 2021.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Submit photo	Kaylee Winegar (Nonpartisan)	55.0	65,838
		Krista Holtzmann (Nonpartisan)	45.0	53,850

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 119,688
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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2019

District A

General election

General election for Douglas County School District Board of Directors District A

Susan Meek defeated Andy Jones in the general election for Douglas County School District Board of Directors District A on November 5, 2019.

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Susan Meek (Nonpartisan)	51.1	47,566
	Andy Jones (Nonpartisan)	48.9	45,526

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 93,092
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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District C

General election

General election for Douglas County School District Board of Directors District C

Elizabeth Hanson defeated Franceen Thompson in the general election for Douglas County School District Board of Directors District C on November 5, 2019.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Submit photo	Elizabeth Hanson (Nonpartisan)	59.5	54,808
	Submit photo	Franceen Thompson (Nonpartisan)	40.5	37,253

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 92,061
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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District F

General election

General election for Douglas County School District Board of Directors District F

Incumbent David Ray defeated Kory Nelson in the general election for Douglas County School District Board of Directors District F on November 5, 2019.

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	David Ray (Nonpartisan)	54.1	50,171
	Kory Nelson (Nonpartisan)	45.9	42,490

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 92,661
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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2023 battleground elections

See also: Battlegrounds

This election was a battleground race. Other 2023 battleground elections included:

External links

Footnotes

[1] NBC News, "The conservative effort to take over school boards reaches fever pitch in one Colorado district," October 31, 2021

[2] Colorado Public Radio, "Douglas County school board member resigns during a meeting over ‘politicization’ of the embroiled board," May 23, 2023

[3] Best DCSD, "Meet the Candidates," accessed September 19, 2023

[4] Best DCSD, "Mission Statement," accessed September 19, 2023

[5] David DiCarlo for Douglas County School Board, "Home," accessed September 15, 2023

[6] Douglas County News Press, "Susan Meek announces re-election bid on Douglas County School Board, will face Andy Jones," June 2, 2023

[7] Re-elect Meek for DCSD," "About Susan Meek," accessed September 13, 2023

[8] Douglas County News Press, "More candidates join the Douglas County school board election," July 13, 2023

[9] The Denver Post, "Douglas County’s new school board majority fires superintendent day after teacher protest shut down schools," February 5, 2022

[10] The Denver Post, "School board roundup: Denver election leans toward union-backed candidates, but two races are close," November 3, 2021

[11] The Denver Post, "Douglas County School District pays $832,733 to settle fired Superintendent Corey Wise’s unlawful termination claim," May 3, 2023

[details-12] The Denver Channel, "Castle Rock businessman launches recall effort against four school board members," January 22, 2021

[email222021-13] Abbey Smith, “Email communication with Laura Skirde, Communications Project Manager, Office of the Clerk and Recorder, Douglas County," February 2, 2021

[board-14] Douglas County School District, "Board of Education Directory," accessed February 17, 2021

[began-15] Fox News 31, "Douglas County parents launch recall petition against school board members," January 21, 2021

[16] National Center for Education Statistics, "Elementary/Secondary Information System," accessed October 6, 2025

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Douglas County School District, Colorado, elections (2021) List of school districts in Colorado	Colorado school board elections, 2023 Public education in Colorado Local ballot measures, Colorado	School board elections, 2023 School board elections, 2022 School board election data analysis, 2023 School board election data analysis, 2022

Douglas County School District, Colorado, elections (2023)

Elections

Candidates and results

District A

General election

General election for Douglas County School District Board of Directors District A

District C

General election

General election for Douglas County School District Board of Directors District C

District F

General election

General election for Douglas County School District Board of Directors District F

Additional elections on the ballot

November 7, 2023

Candidate comparison

Candidate profiles

District A

District C

District F

Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey responses

District A

District C

District F

Voting information

Noteworthy endorsements

District A

District C

District F

Campaign finance

Noteworthy events

Termination of superintendent (February 2022)

Recall effort (Spring 2021)

About the district

District map

Overlapping state house districts

Budget

Students

Staff

Schools

Election history

2021

District B

General election

General election for Douglas County School District Board of Directors District B

District D

General election

General election for Douglas County School District Board of Directors District D

District E

General election

General election for Douglas County School District Board of Directors District E

District G

General election

General election for Douglas County School District Board of Directors District G

2019

District A

General election

General election for Douglas County School District Board of Directors District A

District C

General election

General election for Douglas County School District Board of Directors District C

District F

General election

General election for Douglas County School District Board of Directors District F

2023 battleground elections

See also

External links

Footnotes

Information about voting

2025 Elections

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2024 Election analysis

Trending

Public Policy

Information for candidates

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