Author: Walt Cooper

It has been a tremendous run, but this will be my last District 12 Perspectives column in The Cheyenne Edition. For over a decade-and-a-half, I’ve had the opportunity to communicate directly with you about education, policy, politics and our community schools. Early in my tenure as superintendent, I broached the subject of writing a regular…

Dating back more than 20 years, the District 12 Accountability and Accreditation Committee, commonly referred to as the “DAAC,” is by far the longest-standing committee appointed by the Board of Education. Created by state statute in 1994, the DAAC is a volunteer committee made up of D-12 administrators, parent volunteers, staff members, and non-parent D-12…

In my Cheyenne Edition column last month I wrote about looking upon our Cheyenne Mountain Community’s support for our schools, students and staff in a little different light, as thinking beyond the traditional sources and displays of parent and community support has become paramount in our efforts to effectively manage learning amidst the current pandemic.…

The Cheyenne Mountain Board of Education rarely takes official positions on statewide ballot issues unless they have a direct impact on District 12 programs and operations. This election cycle, Amendment B is one such issue, and last month the D-12 Board passed a resolution urging support of Amendment B which would significantly alter what is…

This month marks the end of my 35th year working in public schools. When I put that thought to paper, it seems it can’t be real; but, that’s what the math tells me. What is equally real is that the last two months of the most recent school year proved to be the most challenging,…

At this point, it is likely safe to assume that most of us in this country know the United States Census 2020 is drawing near, with April 1 being dubbed “Census Day,” signaling the official opening of the census collection. Mandated by the U.S. Constitution and launched in 1790, the results of the census are…

We see in an increasing amount of research evidence that when students feel cared for by adults at school and connected to their school community, they are more likely to experience academic success, and less likely to use drugs and alcohol or engage in disruptive or aggressive behavior. This really shouldn’t be surprising, and in…